Monroe

I would like to know if this Windows 2000 Unofficial SP 5.1.2195 update is safe to use on Windows 2000 SP4 to update it further? ... any warnings or things I should be aware of ... if I decide to go ahead with the SP5 install? ... Do you "highly recommend" ... "be careful" or "pass" on this update? Major Geeks: http://majorgeeks.com/Microsoft_Windows_2000_Unofficial_SP_d4817.html Microsoft Windows 2000 Unofficial SP 5.1.2195 Author: Gurgelmeyer Date: 2006-04-27 Size: 237 MB License: Freeware Requires: Win All .... (I don't know why it says "Win All" ... would think it should be for Windows 2k only.) Microsoft Windows 2000 Unofficial SP5 combines 403 hotfixes into a single hotfix - fully automated. It's not just a matter of determining file versions, there's much more to it. The Microsoft Windows 2000 Unofficial SP5 interface is very easy to use since it's identical to a normal Windows update setup. ... just recently decided to set up Windows 2000 Pro SP4 on a notebook and I would like to have everything as updated as possible post SP4 ... been getting some "unofficial" updates at MDGx's site. ... however, I don't see this SP5 update at the MDGx site, so that's why I would like to know if it's a good update to install. ... of course, the MDGx site is large with just about everything, very easy to miss something the first time. ... thanks ---------------------------- Update: ... not hearing anything from anyone about this update, I decided to install it. The only thing I am noticing so far is with using Belarc Advisor. Before I installed the SP5 update, Belarc Advisor would list all the updates for Windows 2000 with green check marks for all the good updates and a red "x" for updates that needed to be reinstalled. After installing the SP5 update, I no longer see any updates with green check marks ... now there is just a list of 15 critical updates that need to be reinstalled. I really would like to see the whole list of good and bad updates, like before .... to compare or actually see what updates have been installed. Still working on all this. Update 2 ... I installed the latest version of Belarc (Version 8.1p) and all the Windows 2K updates are listed again with the green check marks showing on some of them ... I ran another set of updates and had only one critical update listed as a failure ... found it and manually installed it ... all updates are now 100% OK.

Well, with the help of dencorso in the Windows NT4/2000/2003 section, I was able to get the Stone pattern look into Windows 2k Pro. Thanks to Joseph_sw posting about the 9x patterns being in the CONTROL.INI file where I was able to see the actual Stone pattern number code and dencorso posting the registry path where the "default" Windows 2k patterns are located ... I was able to add the Stone pattern in less than 2 minutes to Windows 2k Pro. I won't go into detail here since this is a 9x section. More information in the Windows 2000 section (link), if anyone is interested. Thanks again for the help.

OK ... success, thanks to dencorso's post. I really wanted to try to work through the registry, if that was possible. Thanks to the registry path you provided, I had the Stone pattern on Windows 2k in less than two minutes. dencorso's post: "The format of the string can be gotten from HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Patterns, which has the default list of patterns for the NT OS family (which does not include Stone, however, so it's great to be able to get it from Win9x)." I went in to look at the "default" pattern list and just decided to change one of them ... I will never use "Waffle" so I renamed it to Stone and replaced the Waffle number code with the Stone number code (Stone=174 77 239 255 8 77 174 77) and now Windows 2k has the Stone pattern ... best looking pattern there is (JMO, of course!) ... I now have a nice Windows 2000 Blue Color Stone look, like my Win 98SE computers. ... Thanks again for all the help. I really like Windows 2000 Pro so far ... I'll probably be back with more questions down the road.

OK, couldn't get back on the internet till now ... thanks AndrewNi for the information, get to that later ... allen2, you should have the Stone pattern on Win 98SE ... do you have "None" selected for Wallpaper ... then maybe the Patterns will show up. I've always had the Stone pattern on my 98SE machines. I posted this question also in the Win 9x forum (link) and got some very good information from two posters ... First, Joseph_sw posted this about finding the "Patterns" information in win9x in the CONTROL.INI file. [Patterns] (None)=(None) Bricks=187 95 174 93 186 117 234 245 Buttons=170 125 198 71 198 127 190 85 Cargo Net=120 49 19 135 225 200 140 30 Circuits=82 41 132 66 148 41 66 132 Cobblestones=40 68 146 171 214 108 56 16 Colosseum=130 1 1 1 171 85 170 85 Daisies=30 140 216 253 191 27 49 120 Dizzy=62 7 225 7 62 112 195 112 Field Effect=86 89 166 154 101 149 106 169 Key=254 2 250 138 186 162 190 128 Live Wire=239 239 14 254 254 254 224 239 Plaid=240 240 240 240 170 85 170 85 Rounder=215 147 40 215 40 147 213 215 Scales=225 42 37 146 85 152 62 247 Stone=174 77 239 255 8 77 174 77 Thatches=248 116 34 71 143 23 34 113 Tile=69 130 1 0 1 130 69 170 Triangles=135 7 6 4 0 247 231 199 Waffle's Revenge=77 154 8 85 239 154 77 154 .... then dencorso posted this interesting link ... Windowmetrics/Patterns .... goes into detail about Patterns and how to make your own. http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/iframes/patterns.html So I posted everything here. I will work with the Stone pattern numbers (code) and see what I get, hopefully the Stone pattern ... not sure where in Win 2k I will put the Stone pattern code but I will work on all this later today or tomorrow ... still working on my Win 2k setup, getting everything the way I want it, install some software and then do a Ghost backup ... then I can "experiment" with no fear of messing something up ... once I have the Ghost backup. .... thanks to all. If anyone has more information or ideas, please post. .... maybe exactly where the "Patterns" are in Win 2k ... I don't think there is a CONTROL.INI file in Windows 2000 ... at least, I didn't find one in a quick search, not 100% sure at this time. ... AndrewNi, I will also work with your information .... between your info and that website, I should be able to get that Stone pattern on Windows 2k ... I hope.

Thanks dencorso ... yes, that link is really interesting, very glad you posted it. I was just asking a simple question, didn't give it much thought about how these "patterns" are actually made. Now I have a better understanding about the whole thing ... maybe will try experimenting with some new patterns. The CONTROL.INI file (thanks to Joseph_sw) has the pattern "numbers" (code) in it, so I guess that's something to start with. Learned something new again from this forum. ... thanks to all. [Patterns] (None)=(None) Bricks=187 95 174 93 186 117 234 245 Buttons=170 125 198 71 198 127 190 85 Cargo Net=120 49 19 135 225 200 140 30 Circuits=82 41 132 66 148 41 66 132 Cobblestones=40 68 146 171 214 108 56 16 Colosseum=130 1 1 1 171 85 170 85 Daisies=30 140 216 253 191 27 49 120 Dizzy=62 7 225 7 62 112 195 112 Field Effect=86 89 166 154 101 149 106 169 Key=254 2 250 138 186 162 190 128 Live Wire=239 239 14 254 254 254 224 239 Plaid=240 240 240 240 170 85 170 85 Rounder=215 147 40 215 40 147 213 215 Scales=225 42 37 146 85 152 62 247 Stone=174 77 239 255 8 77 174 77 Thatches=248 116 34 71 143 23 34 113 Tile=69 130 1 0 1 130 69 170 Triangles=135 7 6 4 0 247 231 199 Waffle's Revenge=77 154 8 85 239 154 77 154

Thanks ... I see it in there ... will try it out later on Windows 2k, see if it works.

I posted this question under the Windows 2000 thread yesterday ... I will see if I can get help here also. I installed Windows 2k Pro on a different hard drive yesterday ... I like the "Stone" look in the Windows 98SE Display Properties-Pattern selection. Windows 2k doesn't have this "Stone" look option. Where would this pattern be in the Windows folder and could it be transfered to Windows 2k? I have tried putting "stone" in Find Files and I get Carved Stone and Sandstone but not the Stone pattern. ... thanks

Thanks ... I tried what you suggested under Windows 98SE and "Cannot find the file" came up. The "Stone" pattern is hidden somewhere on 98SE.

I just installed Windows 2k on a notebook computer today. I have just a simple question ... on Windows 98SE I like the Stone look under Display Properties-Pattern for the Desktop. That Stone look option isn't available in Windows 2k ... can that be copied from Windows 98SE to Windows 2000? If so, what should be copied and where should it be put in Windows 2000? I can't find anything to copy to try, I have tried putting Stone into the Find Files program in Window 98SE. ... thanks

I sent a message to PROBLEMCHYLD about your question ... either he will read that or see your question here. I was confused about that earlier also ... I asked him about that in Post #11 and never got a clear answer so I just ran 290700USAM.EXE and did nothing else, from what I remember. The SR program was working for me ... I just assumed that running 290700USAM.EXE installed 290700UP.INF or took care of that step. I have SR installed on one computer to test ...but that was using the last set of instructions that I posted in post #27. I had SR installed on two computers but I had to redo a computer with my Ghost backup because of another problem (not SR related) and I decided to put PowerQuest Second Chance v2.07 on that computer ... I always liked that backup-restore program, I read that some people think the whole idea of SR came from the PowerQuest Second Chance program, I don't know ... but I wanted to fool around with it again along with testing SR.

I thought I would post an update to my earlier hard drive question. I bought two IDE hard drives ... a 60 GB and 160 GB, both new. The 60 GB drive is a 7200 RPM, which from what I am reading, are hard to find these days ... got it from an Amazon seller who had 8 left. The 160 GB is 5400 RPM and that speed hard drive seems to be more available in 2011. It was also from an Amazon seller. The 160 GB hard drive is fully recognized on my Thinkpad T42 Pentium M with Windows 98SE but wasn't fully recognized on my Dell Latitude, showing up to the 98SE limit . That's OK, I got it for the Thinkpad anyway ... funny it's supposed to be 160 GB but only shows 149 GB when I right click on the C drive. The actual bytes are 159,999,655,936 (149 GB) ... so there's my 160 GB drive, I guess. I learned years ago how the hard drive manufacturers do the GB figures thing. .... Don't know if I can do this, in case anyone would be interested in checking out these hard drives. There may have been a better deal somewhere else but I didn't find it ... I found an IDE 40 GB at an outrageous price, compared to that, the 60 GB drive was a good price .... both HDs sell for around $60 with shipping. I think I got a decent deal but maybe there are better deals someplace else ... these are new and not refurbished drives ... IDE drives are getting hard to find at a decent price ... I should have bought some a few years back I guess. Just posted the information to check out. I decided that getting a newer SATA drive to work on an older computer was a little complicated (for me anyway) and when I was able to still find some IDE drives at a reasonable price, I just went that route. Update ... when I posted this yesterday the price of the 60 GB 7200 drive was $58 + shipping, which is what I paid last week ... just checked now and it has increased to $62 + shipping. Prices change all the time at Amazon so maybe there are better deals somewhere else. The 160 GB drive is still the same price. 60 GB 7200 Drive ... santechusa (seller) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002M0DBFW 160 GB 5400 Drive ... goHardDrive (seller) had the lowest price with shipping $59.98 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012451UC ...

I got a System Restore update from PROBLEMCHYLD ... he has put everything in a nice step by step set of instructions. This should be the final say I guess ... You might want to revise the instructions as I have done so below. 1. Create a folder and name it System Restore. 2. Download the patched VXDMON.VXD and copy it to the System Restore folder. 3. Download the update 290700USAM.EXE then extract the files to the System Restore folder. 4. Extract the Pchealth.inf from PRECOPY1.CAB and copy it to the C:\Windows\Inf folder. 5. Extract these 3 files from BASE2.CAB to the System Restore folder. CHECKSR.BAT EBD.CAB EBDUNDO.EXE 6. Copy the whole Win9X folder to the C:\directory. (You must have a WinME CD for the necessary files.) 7. Copy everything from inside the System Restore folder to the Win9X folder. 8. Run this command: C:\windows\rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection PCHealth.Install 132 C:\WINDOWS\INF\PCHealth.inf 9. When asked for any files, point to the Win9X folder in C:\directory where all the updated files are. 10.Now copy the patched VXDMON.VXD from the System Restore folder to the C:\Windows\System\Vmm32 folder. Restart computer. 11. Now run the 290700UP.INF, restart when done. 12. After running all above instructions you should get a successful installation of System Restore for Win98\98SE which will lead to a successful restoration and no problems or errors. 13. You will need 98SE2ME for two reasons: -to have the options (Disk Space Usage) in System Restore to configure the settings -to disable System Restore, which will then allow older restore points created to be deleted because it installs some system files that are needed. If you just want to create Restore Points + Restore them back, then 98SE2ME is not needed, but if you want those two options then 98SE2ME is needed. If you followed all instructions step by step, you shouldn't have any problems. I just did all of these steps and got a successful restoration. Thanks to dencorso for patching the VXDMON.VXD. I'll add ... thanks to PROBLEMCHYLD for figuring it all out.

CharlotteTheHarlot ... understand ... I know how to add, change and delete items in the registry but as to what should actually be in the registry or how it should be there ... I wouldn't have a clue. I just follow what you and others suggest for this or that. I remember some time back you and others posted about deleting some "unnecessary" registry entries, I did follow what was posted but there is no way I could ever look in the registry and make that call. ... thanks. ... just would like to add about the System Restore guide that I posted. I covered everything that I had knowledge of ... if someone has further questions or runs into any "new" problems during the install or afterwards, please post for PROBLEMCHYLD to be of help to you. It's his project, glad he took it on. I tried fooling around with System Restore right after Windows Me first came out ... wanted to see if I could get it to work in 98SE ... like I said, I just fooled around, I wasn't even close to getting anything to work on 98SE ... thanks for taking the interest and making the program work for those that might like to use it.

Hi CharlotteTheHarlot ... I got that registry fix from the MS Support page .... so I just went with what they supplied ... if it can be altered or changed, I don't know. It's a bit over my head. They show a manual registry fix and then the REGEDIT4 fix, which I decided to use. There are two fixes in that REGEDIT4 ... the 1899 date fix and the blank Help pages fix, so that may have some bearing on why MS supplied that particular fix, I can't say for sure. System Restore Shows Date of Saturday, December 30, 1899 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/275646 To merge all the information at one time, you can copy and paste the following text into Microsoft Notepad, and then save it as a .reg file: REGEDIT4 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\text/x-component] "CLSID"="{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}" "Extension"=".htc" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}] @="Microsoft Html Component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}\InProcServer32] @="C:\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\MSHTML.DLL" "ThreadingModel"="Apartment" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Getting System Restore To Work On Windows 98 / 98SE When Windows Me came along there was a new program called System Restore that Microsoft included with the OS. System Restore can provide a way to "go back" or repair damage that has occurred from a bad software install or if you installed a program to try out and then decided to remove it. However, System Restore is not a 100% guarantee that everything will be the way it was when going back to an earlier Restore Point. It can be a "hit and miss" thing ... but it may be of use to some 98 users. Thanks to some smart and crafty MSFN Forum people ... System Restore can now work (run) on Windows 98FE / 98SE. You will need a Windows Me Installation CD, the patched version of the "vxdmon file" and the 290700usam.exe from Microsoft. vxdmon file (patched) 290700usam.exe If all goes well then that may be all you really need, in my case I also needed some other files and a registry fix to get System Restore up and running. First ... extract or copy "PCHealth.inf" from your WinMe CD to C:\Windows\Inf Then run this command: C:\windows\rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection PCHealth.Install 132 C:\WINDOWS\INF\PCHealth.inf This is where the missing files may start showing up and you will have to have the WinMe CD handy ... it will be asking for the Windows 98SE Installation Disk but you will be using the WinMe CD instead. I had trouble with these two missing files ... checksr.bat + ebdundo.exe ... so I extracted them and put them in a folder to have handy. All the other missing files should be automatically found on the WinMe CD. After the above command has finished running, then go to Windows\System\Vmm32 and remove the "vxdmon file" and replace it with the patched "vxdmon file". Then install "290700usam.exe" and you should be good to go. I will add here that "290700usam.exe" would not install for me until I used KernelEx Final to change the compatibility to Windows Millennium. It then installed with no problem. The System Restore tab will be in the Start\Programs\Accessories\System Tools area. Now there could be another problem which may or may not show up when you open System Restore. When you open the earlier Restore Points area you should be seeing a newly created Restore Point only a few minutes old ... since you just installed the System Restore program. However, you might see no Restore Points and the date Saturday December 30, 1899. Also, if you click on the "Help" tab in the upper right area, you may see only blank white pages. If you are seeing the 1899 date and blank pages then you will have to do a quick registry fix that should correct the problem. Back up your registry first if you have COP or some other registry backup program ... just to be on the safe side and then add this fix: Just what is between the lines ... dencorso also made a small registry fix download ... either will work. 1899 Registry fix -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REGEDIT4 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\text/x-component] "CLSID"="{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}" "Extension"=".htc" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}] @="Microsoft Html Component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}\InProcServer32] @="C:\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\MSHTML.DLL" "ThreadingModel"="Apartment" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This procedure worked for me ... provided by PROBLEMCHYLD PROBLEMCHYLD said this about dencorso: All credit goes to dencorso, without him patching the vxd file, we would not be running system restore on Win98SE. Thanks dencorso. ... and dencorso said this about PROBLEMCHYLD: Now, credit where credit's due: although I did patch that one VxD at his request (and never touched it afterwards), System Restore on Win 98 FE/SE always was ProblemChyld's project, and it was only due to his research, persistence and hard work that it came into being. So all kudos ought to go to him. So we can appreciate having the System Restore program for Windows 98FE / SE finally. .... Some follow up information. I was wondering if after awhile the Restore Points would start to build up and a person might like to delete some of the older Restore Points eventually. Also can the disk space usage setting be adjusted from the MS default setting, if someone wanted to do this. I got this information from PROBLEMCHYLD: In order to have the option (Disk Space Usage) in System Restore you will need 98SE2ME also in order to disable System Restore, which will then allow older points created to be deleted. You need 98SE2ME because it installs some system files. If you just want to create Restore Points + Restore them back, then 98SE2ME is not needed, but if you want those two options then 98SE2ME is needed.

Hello again ... SUCCESS !!! ... the registry fix did work on the notebook and 1899 is now gone ... there is a Restore Point dated for today and the Help Files are no longer blank pages. Registry Fix: REGEDIT4 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\text/x-component] "CLSID"="{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}" "Extension"=".htc" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}] @="Microsoft Html Component" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3050f4f8-98b5-11cf-bb82-00aa00bdce0b}\InProcServer32] @="C:\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM\\MSHTML.DLL" "ThreadingModel"="Apartment" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\.htc] "Content Type"="text/x-component" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks dencorso for the advice on the blank lines ... I didn't see your post till after I ran the "fix" but luckly I had left two blank lines, I thought I had left only one, figured that was all that was needed. I did read to leave at least one blank line between REGEDIT4 and the registry fix. Everybody Rocks !!! loblo ... yes I know a lot of people seem to turn SR off or get rid of it, at least that's what I've read ... but this was a challenge and I wanted to see it through. I'll see if I get any benefits from using it and how it works.

You rock PROBLEMCHYLD ! ... there, gave it back to you ... that could be the solution, especially since it matches the exact 1899 date problem on my computer. I will try the registry fix out later today ... so there is still hope SR will work on those notebooks. I guess I should have thought to check that date thing out more on Google but I wanted to wait till I install SR on my NEC computer later today and see how that went. I just figured there must be a software conflict or something. Thanks again ... I will try it all out later today. extra ... that registry fix also may solve another problem .... I didn't mention it earlier, went I went into the Help section to look for help on the date thing, the pages were blank and this information is added at the bottom of the link you provided: The absent registry key may also cause blank pages to be displayed in Windows Me Help and Support. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Q275651 Blank Pages in Windows Me Help and Support

Well I installed SR on my third computer today and it was also a failure ... getting that Dec 30, 1899 date again. I'm not sure if I understand what you are saying about changing the date ... my date and time are correct, that's the first thing I checked in the lower right hand corner. I was hoping that would be the solution, somehow the date was out of sync but the date was just fine and when I do a restore point it will tell me the correct date and time when SR has completed doing the restore point ... that is all just fine but when I ask to see earlier restore points, it tells me there are no restore points available and there are none after Saturday, December 30, 1899. This was a Dell notebook and the other was an IBM Thinkpad that have the crazy 1899 date ... The Toshiba SR setup is just fine ... all computers are set up the same, the company drivers being different I guess ... but I have pretty much the same programs installed on each computer.

Well, on my 2nd computer, the SR install was a failure. I have no restore points showing, it will do a restore point but when I go to see what restore points are available it tells me that no restore points have been made since after Saturday December 30, 1899 .... yes, 1899. I put my Ghost backup on and did the SR a second time on a clean machine and everything is still the same, no restore points have been made since Saturday December 30, 1899. I have two more computers that I will work with this weekend, I'll see how SR will install on them. The first computer, an old Toshiba that I use for testing software, is OK ... everything installed perfect and I see the restore point that was created on it's own dated today Feb 25, 2011, not 1899. Oh well, win some, lose some. If anyone else sees 1899 on their computer in the SR program, I'd be interested in hearing about it. ... Yes, I guess we can mark the SR problem solved ... I don't know what the problem is with the one computer.

OK ... dencorso rocks ! .... thanks

OK PROBLEMCHYLD, you rock ! ... Got everything installed on my test computer and it seems to be 100% OK. I guess those 2 missing files were what was needed to complete the job. The System Restore tab is in Programs \ Accessories \ System Tools \ System Restore. There is one system restore point dated today that was created when I rebooted after installing 290700usam.exe ... the last step. I will wait till tomorrow to see if another restore point will automatically be created or I will do a manual one myself. When I went to install 290700usam.exe ... a box popped up saying "This update is not for this OS" and it stops ... so I installed KernelEx Final and changed the 290700usam.exe to Windows ME ... then a box pops up saying "This Program Installs the Windows Millennium Edition Q290700 Update. Do you want to continue?" So I will put this on another computer later. Did you post about all this earlier ... must have missed it. I have searched for years to see if someone had figured out the steps for making System Restore actually work on Windows 98SE. I guess the true test will be when I try to install a restore point later on and see if really works. I will purposely mess up my test computer and see what happens ... I can say so far it looks 100% good ... thanks.

Ok ... I have a question about when you say "run" 290700up.inf ... so I extract "290700up.inf" from 290700usam.exe and then put it in the inf folder in Windows? How would I run 290700up.inf ... just click on it ? ... I usually just put inf files into the inf folder. Sorry to be asking these questions ... just want to get this procedure down ... step by step, in the right order. You didn't mention anything about running 290700up.inf in your first set of instructions and now I am a little confused about exactly what to do. ... also, did you have to use KernelEx on 290700usam.exe to get it to run ... should I also have changed PCHealth.inf to Windows ME with KernelEx ... I just extracted it and put it into the inf folder.

OK ... I will get those two files later today ... as far as 290700usam.exe goes however ... I was using the version from the MS website, not from the ME cd. I thought the MS version was a patched or fixed version only for ME and the better one to use. That's what the information at the MS website is saying. The version from the MS website is 290700usam.exe v4.72.2811.0 ...

CharlesF ... yes, that may be what was going on ... I left the computer go for maybe 6 or 7 minutes and the hour glass was still there ... thought about letting it run longer, to see if the hour glass would finally go away. I forgot to mention in my first post ... when I ran 290700usam.exe it would not install ... a box appeared saying this was for Windows ME only or not for Windows 98SE, can't remember which ... so I right clicked on 290700usam.exe and set KernelEx to Windows ME and it then installed. I did get the PCHealth.inf from the Windows ME cd. Others, if they are trying SR out must not be having any problems. I'm still wondering where I go if I need to go back to a restore point to fix my computer. Can't find the restore points yet.

Yes, I installed everything in the order that you posted. I have this on another computer so I can't check the shortcut menu for now. Is this going to work like System Restore in XP ... I remember seeing several "restore points" to go back to (years ago when I fooled around with XP a little.). I guess those two missing files didn't pop up for you? What do you mean "Shortcut Menu" ... can't quite place where that would be ... do you mean to "right click" with the mouse or the Desktop? ... totally blank for now on that.