jds

Well, the only progress over these weeks has been with regards the "The installer is unable to initialize early avast! self-defence with error 0x0000007f! Aborting!" error. If I re-install the earlier 8.0.1497 version, I am able to "install" most 9.0.xxxx versions over this (with the help of NNN4NT5) without errors. However, the "shields" are down and actual protection is lacking (the Avast service, I think it's also called). Joe.

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't fully solve my problem. I also need to be sure flash drives, CD-ROM's and floppy disks (yes, I still use them occasionally) don't introduce any nasties. :-/ Joe.

OK, thanks to blackwingcat's VC++2012 runtime (and extended kernel and NNN4NT5), I was able to get Avast 9.0.2013 both installed and "running". Unfortunately, some of Avast's "shields" could not be enabled, so actual protection was lacking. So I then tried other versions of Avast 9.0 that I could find, but all I could now get was the error "The installer is unable to initialize early avast! self-defence with error 0x0000007f! Aborting!". Even trying to re-install the previous version 9.0.2013 gives this error message! Some research on this error (albeit with different hexidecimal codes) suggested the avast utility "avastclear" could resolve this issue, but so far, no success trying several versions of this utility (some run OK and say that uninstallation was successful, but the same error persists when trying to install Avast 9.0.xxxx). Joe.

Oh, that's unexpected. Thanks for the caution, BWC. Would re-installing your extended kernel after installing the VC10 runntime fix these "collisions"? Joe.

Thanks BWC. However, perhaps I don't really understand, as I can't get this to work. I first go to your blog article 1192179, copy the link there for the "vcredist_w2k.exe" file, substitute the server name in the link, but then I get the message : "", File not found in List. Report to BlackWingCat So, what am I doing wrong? Joe. PS. OK, figured it out : 1. Ignore any links in the blog 2. Go to win2k.org 3. Click Windows Legacy Update 4. Click English 5. Click Manual Update 6. Search for "vc" (or whatever, without quotes) 7. Download from the results list ...

OK, I've found the answer to this particular requirement. Blackwingcat also released a package called NNN4NT5 (NNN4NT5.cab, MD5=f42020182e6e17cb72ea38ee193ee3d0) which allows temporary spoofing of XP (and some other versions of MSW). It does however include a warning to reset to the correct version before shutting down or rebooting, lest you not be able to boot up next time! With this I was able to fool and install Avast 9.0.2013, but now the problem is that this needs the VC++2010 redistributable package (edit: actually, it turns out it needs the VC++2012 runtime) for W2000 to be able to run ... Joe.

Thanks, Den. Good to hear from you too! FYI, since Avast became non-viable on W98, I "upgraded" to W2000, but haven't used my desktop much since then. Mostly due to lack of time, but also because this O/S doesn't work as well as W98, especially with all my DOS applications. Now Avast has dropped support for W2000, so I need to resolve this or consider Linux+Wine ... Joe.

Hi BWC, Is there a new location where this VC2010 redistributable package for W2000 can be downloaded? The link here seems to point to a defunct server. Joe.

Well, I've done a little experimentation with this, but am unable to install Avast 9.0.xxxx (the oldest Avast still supported with updated definitions), which complains it needs XP as a minimum. How do I trick the setup program that it is running on XP? The W98 KernelEx had a compatibility setting in the Explorer file properties window to select the spoofed version, but I don't see this feature here. Joe.

Hi jumper, These links to posts no longer work, due to syntax changes at MSFN. For the first one, "page__view__findpost__p__1028960" at the end of the URL needs to be changed to "?do=findComment&comment=1028960". The other two similarly. Joe.

FWIW, i have 'dbghelp.dll' version 6.0.0017.0 (DbgBuild.020528-1721) on my system. I think it came with Real Player 6. Joe. Now I've successfully installed Foxit Reader 6.0.2 0413 and 6.0.3.0524 with an additional entry. [WINSPOOL.DRV] XcvDataW=z8e Also Required: [KERNEL32.dll] ActivateActCtx=o2e0 CreateActCtxW=p1e0 DeactivateActCtx=o2e0 ReleaseActCtx=z1 winhttp.dll msxml4 SP2

Thanks, Den! I've been travelling ... now I'm playing catch-up ... Joe.

Not me (in answer to the original question). Perhaps RapidDriver (shareware) from www.entechtaiwan.com is a possibility. According to the scant history log : So the last W9x compatible version (demo) may be : http://web.archive.org/web/20060718184622/http://www.entechtaiwan.com/files/rdeval.zip OTOH, maybe even the current version is compatible, just not officially. At worst, it may require the assistance of WDMStub (search for the thread in this sub-forum). Joe.

Yes, you are correct. The original error was resolved by installing WMI. I don't know if DSClient is also needed, as I have that installed already for other stuff anyway. After resolving this first VBS error, I implemented a couple of work-arounds for subsequent script errors, as below : ASCII differences between ORIGINAL.VBS and MODIFIED.VBSReplace lines 201-208 in ORIGINAL.VBS< For Each oProc in oProcs< If Instr(1, oProc.CommandLine, WScript.ScriptName, 1) > 0 Then< If bFound Then< WScript.Quit< End If< bFound = true< End If< Nextwith lines 201-208 from MODIFIED.VBS> ' For Each oProc in oProcs> ' If Instr(1, oProc.CommandLine, WScript.ScriptName, 1) > 0 Then> ' If bFound Then> ' WScript.Quit> ' End If> ' bFound = true> ' End If> ' NextReplace line 261 in ORIGINAL.VBS< sLocalAppDir = oFso.getFolder(oShellApp.Namespace(&H1c&).Self.Path).ShortPathwith lines 261-262 from MODIFIED.VBS> ' sLocalAppDir = oFso.getFolder(oShellApp.Namespace(&H1c&).Self.Path).ShortPath> sLocalAppDir = "E:\Progra~1"Now what seems to happen is that the script produces one or more temporary sub-directories in the Zimbra installation directory in "\Program Files\Zimbra", whose contents are deleted. However, there seems to be a problem with the way it determines the path of these temporary directories, so that it also ends up deleting the contents of the whole Zimbra installation directory. That's as far as I've managed to progress this thing so far. Joe.

Due to extremely poor performance with the newer MS servers, I had a look around for a potential replacement for Outlook (2000 and XP versions, both are terrible). The one that seemed most complete, including support for Exchange Server, was Zimbra ... OK, so I downloaded the file 'zdesktop_7_2_2_ga_b11951_20130318071431_win32.msi' (MD5=9bfac177eba208553ae2940f92befe9f) and proceeded to hack this XP+ package as follows : 1. Open in hex editor and at address 5A85FCC, change 2C 01 to C8 00 (surrounding bytes = 01 03 00 00 00 2C 01 00 00 03). 2. Open in Orca and delete the VersionNT check line in 'LaunchCondition'. Save (don't use Save As). 3. Run the MSI. 4. In "\Program Files\Zimbra\Zimbra Desktop\win32\jre\bin" rename 'plugin2' directory to 'plugin2_inhibit'. 5. Copy 'cscript.exe' from "\WINDOWS\COMMAND\" to "\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\". OK, now Zimbra Desktop is pretty much installed. It has few dependencies beyond what W98 provides, and KernelEx can probably provide the rest. However, it is launched by a VBS script called 'zdrun.vbs' and that gives the following error at line 250 (copy the shortcut command and run from a command prompt to see the error) : "Microsoft VBScript runtime error: File name or class name not found during Automation operation:'GetObject'". Trying to run the Zimbra executable directly just produces an error message about a missing configuration file, so presumably, that is supplied by this script. So, is anyone familiar with VB script ... ? Joe. Edits : In step 1, eliminated first byte of the surrounding context (can be used to find equivalent patches for similar MSI files, such as earlier versions of Zimbra). In step 5, changed edit of Zimbra shortcut path to a file copy of 'cscript.exe' instead (solves other instances of the path issue).

Another Bluetooth stack that I've heard about is the Toshiba stack. It used to be available from Roving Networks, but as it was hosted on an FTP server, it's not available from the Internet Archive ... The only place I've found it is here : http://gridconnect.com/bluetooth-usb.html (click on the Documentation tab) It's a ZIP of the BluePlug Product CD, which is why it's a whopping 325MB (most of that bulk is due to multiple stack copies for various languages). It contains V3 of the Toshiba stack, which is W98 compatible, also V5, which is said not to be compatible, plus some other stuff. As with the Widcomm and IVT stacks, this one also looks to be generic in nature. (BTW, for some of the newer device VID/PID information, have a peek at the V5 files.) Joe.

I think these are the pages where you can download the above packages : http://www.dlink.com.au/tech/download/download.aspx?product=DBT-122&revision=REV_C&filetype=Drivers http://www.emtec-international.com/en-eu/old_drivers Now for the IVT BlueSoleil stack ... Firstly, there's version v1.4.9.4 of the IVT BlueSoleil package included in the Emtec package above. Then, there's version 1.6.4.0 x64 Beta 050920, as provided by Swann Security (for the now discontinued SW120-BTA dongle), available here : http://www.swann.com/downloads/drivers/bluetooth/ Joe. PS. Beware that as Drugwash has mentioned, most (if not all) IVT packages default as "crippleware". Without a registration key, they are apparently limited to transferring 2MB or 5MB of data.

Following on from the sub-thread here : ... I may have found something useful, by searching WIDCOMM drivers, prompted by your suggestion. Here are some potential candidates to test. The XP WIDCOMM Bluetooth Stack can be made to accept almost any Bluetooth Radio by editing the .inf, in the same way as we do with NUSB on 9x/ME, so perhaps one or more of those 98 WIDCOMM drivers can be turned into a general solution... At present, I only have one Bluetooth device (USB adaptor) , by connectBlue, and that has an internal Bluetooth stack, so the only driver it needs is the FTDI USB-Serial driver. However, I have recently ordered some cheaper devices on eBay, which I assume will not have an inbuilt stack, so then I'll be needing to try some W98 stacks. The Widcomm stack (linked above) does look fairly generic, and I have found another (slightly newer) one here : http://web.archive.org/web/20070304132823/http://www.rovingnetworks.com/bin/USB-BU2050.zip PS. Two more (one even newer) Widcomm exemplars : I think these are the pages where you can download the above packages : http://www.dlink.com.au/tech/download/download.aspx?product=DBT-122&revision=REV_C&filetype=Drivers http://www.emtec-international.com/en-eu/old_drivers Joe.

Hi Ivan, Well, I don't know if the SP will be of any help, probably not. I don't use it as the current maintener doesn't care that I don't want to mess around with my drivers, which took so much work to get working properly, or that the Adaptec ASPI layer update breaks my scanner. It has gone far beyond the scope of an SP and bundles other packages that don't belong, typically giving you no option about installing them. Anyway, if you "drilled down" the link I gave you, you would find my notes on my initial experimentation with MTP/PTP. I concluded : Joe.

"150 ≠ 200" is the reason I said FWIW. However, the respective dates are encouraging : Dell OptiPlex System BIOS, A05 Optiplex GX200 A05 FlashBIOS Release Date: 18/08/2003 Dell OptiPlex System BIOS, A11 Optiplex GX150 A11 System BIOS Release Date: 2/1/2005 Joe.

Perhaps this can help? : Joe.

FWIW, my similarly spec'd GX200 is supposedly LBA48 capable with the latest/last BIOS update (A05 if I recall). Joe.

What happens if you type at the command line? : win Joe.

Yeah, someone would need to rebuild 'wdmstub' with this function/stub added ... Here's an interesting driver with at least a W98-supporting INF : http://cache-www.belkin.com/support/dl/f5d8000.exe Unfortunately, it lacks the W98 SYS file, as described here : http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/r17282846-Belkin-F5D8010-pre-N-laptop-card-missing-drivers Not too far off topic? (Rhetorical question.) Joe.

Yeah, they've even been keeping version 1.5 up-to-date, but only for paying customers : http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/documentation/overview-137139.html That's what's been promised to happen to version 1.6, hopefully they won't do this until all the major security holes are plugged. Joe.