We hope you won’t need any of the following help for the 2007 Reunion DVD. But if you are experiencing problems either playing the slideshows or viewing the pictures please read through these suggestions. If after going through each step you are still unable to access the contents of the DVD please email us at IRVIN 67 40th Reunion.

WARNINGS – The DVD slideshows can not be viewed on a TV-DVD player and can only be played on a Windows-Based PC. The slideshows will not run on a Macintosh unless your Mac is capable of running both Mac OS and Windows OS. However, it might be possible to view the individual pictures which are in jpeg format on the DVD from a TV-DVD player if that feature is supported by the DVD player.
 

The DVD is set up to auto run when inserted into the computer’s DVD-ROM drive. Included with your DVD are printed instructions for starting the slideshows manually if you do not have auto run enabled on your PC. If you can not view the contents of the DVD by following those instructions then you will need to read through the following suggestions.

1. Our first suggestion would be, if possible, to try the DVD on another computer. If it works on another computer then you will know the DVD itself is fine and you can try some of the other suggestions on your own computer.

2. Another thing to check would be to see whether you actually have a DVD-ROM drive on your computer. Some older computers still in use only have CD-ROM drives and they will not be able to read the DVD. If you’re not sure if you have a DVD-ROM drive, try looking at the cover of the drive. It might say DVD ROM, DVD Writer, or something similar. You can also follow the directions in Suggestion #3 to decide if your computer has a DVD-ROM drive.

3. If you do have a DVD-ROM drive it must be capable of playing DVD-R discs because that is the type of media we used. Most newer computers have DVD-ROM drives that are capable of playing both DVD-R formats and DVD+R formats. Your computer documentation might have this information. If not send us the make and model number of your DVD-ROM drive and we’ll try to find out for you. To find this information first right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop and then left click on Open. Then click on the Hardware tab and the Device Manager button.

Click on the + sign next to the category DVD/CD-ROM drives to show the devices it contains. If you do not have that category but only one that shows CDROM then you probably do not have a DVD-ROM drive.

Mine has two DVD-ROM drives – an HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR8162B and HP DVD Writer 420n. This would be the information we would need in order to determine if your drive is capable of reading the DVD-R format.

4. If you know for certain that your computer will only play CD’s let us know and we will send you the slideshows on one CD and the pictures on another CD. If you know that your computer will only play the DVD+R format (or if we can determine that), we will send you everything on a DVD+R formatted disc. However, neither of these discs will have the printed label with the school photo on them.

5. If your DVD is working, but when you play the slideshows directly from the DVD and it is really slow to respond when you choose a menu item, you should probably copy the files to your hard drive. The slideshows will run smoother and the interactive buttons within them will be quicker to respond when played from the hard drive. There are 28 total executable files that will need to be copied and they must be put in the same folder for the show to be run from the Main Menu. If you need instructions on how to copy the slideshow files to your hard drive please read Suggestion #7.

6. If you want to view the pictures on the DVD and/or read the document files, first insert the DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. After the Main Menu comes up click on the option to Exit. Then after exiting the slideshow, right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop, then left click on Open.  Right click on the file Irvin_Reunion and then left click on Open.

Depending on how you have your files displayed you should see a list of the files and folders on the DVD by thumbnails, tiles, icons, list, or details. Mine are displayed by icons. You will find a Documents folder and the contents are described in the printed instructions you received with the DVD. There is an auto run file and a file called emblem you don’t need to worry about. There is a Word document called Instructions for Reunion DVD and this is the same as your printed instructions. Then there are the 28 executable files which make up the slideshow which is started by running the file MainMenu if you copy them to your hard drive. 

If you double click on Reunion Photos (or right click, then left click Open), you will find 33 subfolders with the original reunion photos as given to us. Again, your screen might look different depending on how your options for viewing these files are set up.

There is also a folder with several grade school class pictures, the senior class picture taken in 1967, and the group and committee pictures taken at the reunion.

7. If you want to copy the slideshow files to your computer, first create a folder somewhere on your hard drive. For simplicity I’ll show you how to create it on your desktop. Right click anywhere on the desktop, then left click on New, then left click on Folder.

If the new window is enlarged and covers your entire screen, click on the Restore Down button in the upper right hand corner of the window.

Locate the files on the DVD by following the steps in Suggestion #6. Click on Edit, Select All.

This will select all the files on the DVD. Then while holding down the Ctrl key left click on the Documents folder, the Reunion Photos folder, and the auto run, emblem, and Instructions for Reunion DVD files. You will now have all the slideshow files selected.

Select Edit at the top and left click on Copy. Then switch to the window for your newly created desktop folder called Reunion Slideshows. Right click anywhere in that window and then left click on Paste.

The 28 executable slideshow files will be copied to your hard drive. When you are ready to play the slideshows just double click on the executable file MainMenu (or right click on it and then left click on Open).

Email questions or comments to:   IRVIN 67 40th Reunion