Portals 98
The Soul Management Operating System
A MicroSoul Corp Product
Support — Help, known issues, and driver downloads
⚠ Known Issues — Portals 98 Second Edition ▬ □ ✕

Known Issues

The following issues are known and are being tracked by the Portals 98 engineering team:

Issue # Description Status
P98-0001 Crypty appears in system tray without being launched BY DESIGN
P98-0023 Soul Navigator displays blank page for NetSeance protocol URLs WON'T FIX
P98-0047 Green Screen of Decay displays previous soul's error instead of current soul's error FIXED in SE
P98-0112 Soul defrag utility occasionally merges two similar souls into one "slightly different" soul INVESTIGATING
P98-0156 Plug and Pray fails to detect soul devices connected during a Green Screen of Decay WON'T FIX
P98-0189 Expel .st3 import produces inverted entropy values for Soul Tally 1-2-3 files FIXED in SE
P98-0201 Faint whispers audible through soul resonance subsystem during idle periods NOT A BUG
P98-0244 SoulPack occasionally outputs souls with one fewer dimension FIXED in SE
P98-0302 Terminal clock resets to 2:47 AM after soul defragmentation INVESTIGATING
P98-4471 All support tickets auto-assigned to Crypty regardless of category BY DESIGN
❔ Frequently Asked Questions ▬ □ ✕

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I install Portals 98?
A: Insert the Portals 98 CD-ROM and run SETUP.EXE. If your terminal cannot boot from CD-ROM, use the included 3.5" boot floppy. Follow the on-screen instructions. If Crypty greets you during setup, the installation is proceeding normally.
Q: Can I uninstall Crypty?
A: No.
Q: My terminal shows a Green Screen of Decay. What should I do?
A: Note the error code displayed on the Green Screen of Decay and restart your terminal. If the error persists, try booting in Safe Soul Mode by pressing F8 during startup. If Safe Soul Mode also shows a Green Screen of Decay, your soul bus may require servicing.
Q: Can I dual-boot Portals 98 with FreeSoul OS?
A: No. Portals 98 is not compatible with FreeSoul OS. Attempting to dual-boot may result in permanent soul bus corruption. MicroSoul Corp is not responsible for damage caused by unauthorized operating systems. See the EULA, Section 14.
Q: Why did my third-party soulware stop working after upgrading to Portals 98?
A: Some third-party soul applications are not compatible with the Portals 98 32-bit soul architecture. In most cases, equivalent functionality is available through the pre-installed MicroSoul Corp Soulware Suite. We recommend migrating to the included alternatives.
Q: I hear whispering from my terminal speakers during idle periods. Is this normal?
A: Yes. This is ambient soul resonance from background entropy processing. It is a feature of the 32-bit soul architecture. If the whispering becomes conversational, please contact support.
Q: Where is my product key?
A: Your product key was included with your terminal purchase. Check the Certificate of Authenticity sticker on your terminal chassis. If you cannot locate your product key, Crypty may be able to assist. (Resolution rate: 2%.)
Q: How do I contact technical support?
A: See "Contact Support" below. Please note that all support tickets are initially handled by Crypty. Crypty resolves approximately 2% of all tickets. Unresolved tickets are escalated to the engineering team, where they join a queue of approximately 4,471 other tickets.
Q: My terminal clock keeps resetting to 2:47 AM. Is this a Portals 98 issue?
A: We are investigating this issue. In the meantime, 2:47 AM is a perfectly valid time.
Q: What happened to Soul Tally 1-2-3? I used to use it for my soul analytics.
A: Soul Tally 1-2-3 is no longer available. MicroSoul Expel provides equivalent soul analytics functionality and is included free with Portals 98. An import tool for .st3 files is available in Expel under File > Import > Legacy Formats. Learn more about Expel »
📞 Contact Support ▬ □ ✕

Contact MicroSoul Corp Support

MicroSoul Corp offers multiple support channels for Portals 98 users:

☠ Crypty Automated Support

All support inquiries are initially processed by Crypty, your Digital Soul Companion. Crypty will attempt to resolve your issue automatically.

  • Response time: Immediate
  • Resolution rate: 2%
  • Satisfaction rate: Not tracked

📞 Telephone Support

For issues not resolved by Crypty (approximately 98% of inquiries):

  • MicroSoul Corp Support Hotline: 1-800-SOUL-HELP
  • Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Soul Standard Time)
  • Average hold time: 47 minutes
  • Please have your product key and terminal serial number ready

📧 Email Support

Email: support@microsoulcorp.com

Average response time: 5-7 business days. All email responses are reviewed by Crypty before sending. Some responses may contain unsolicited commentary.

⚠ Important: Do not email support about Crypty-related issues. Crypty monitors the support inbox. This creates a conflict of interest that we have chosen not to resolve.

Visit MicroSoul Corp Support Portal »

💾 Driver Downloads ▬ □ ✕

Driver Downloads

Download the latest drivers for your Portals 98-compatible hardware:

📁 This section is currently empty.

Driver downloads are being prepared for upload. Please check back later.

Last checked: March 14, 1999. Assigned to: Intern.

💡 Tip: For MicroSoul Corp-certified hardware, Plug and Pray should automatically detect and install the correct drivers. For non-certified hardware, check with your device manufacturer. If your device manufacturer no longer exists, the driver is no longer available.
🔧 Troubleshooting ▬ □ ✕

Common Troubleshooting Steps

Green Screen of Decay

  1. Note the error code (e.g., GSOD 0x0000004471)
  2. Restart your terminal
  3. If the error recurs, boot in Safe Soul Mode (F8 at startup)
  4. Run Soul Defrag from the Start menu > Programs > System Tools
  5. If the issue persists, Crypty will appear with "help"

Plug and Pray Failure

  1. Verify your soul device is connected to an active decay port
  2. Check that the device is MicroSoul Corp-certified
  3. Restart your terminal with the device connected
  4. If Plug and Pray does not detect the device, install the driver manually from the manufacturer's floppy
  5. If the manufacturer no longer exists, see "Driver Downloads" above

Soul Navigator Crashes

  1. Clear the Soul Navigator cache: Tools > Soul Options > Delete Soul Files
  2. Verify you are not visiting NetSeance protocol URLs (these no longer exist)
  3. Ensure your modem connection is stable
  4. Upgrade to Portals 98 Second Edition (includes Soul Navigator 4.01)

Crypty Won't Stop Appearing

This is expected behavior. See Features > Crypty Integration for more information.

CLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL — MICROSOUL CORP INTERNAL
Date: October 14, 1997 • From: Helena Ash
Subject: Soul Market Consolidation

Phase 1: ABSORB

Identify market leaders. Initiate "strategic partnerships."

Phase 2: ADAPT

Develop internal alternatives. Bundle with Portals at zero cost.

Phase 3: ARCHIVE

Discontinue partnerships. Prepare memorial pages.

"We don't need to be better. We need to be included."

SCC-2000-4471, Exhibit A. Created 2:47 AM.