Gape

Windows 98 Rocks !

Sorry, but Arabic and Hebrew versions' problem cannot be solved on English version. A localized version should be prepared.

I recommend that you should install SP on the last step. Example: 1- Install Win98 SE. 2- Install drivers. 3- Install IE 6.0 SP1. 4- Install DirectX 9.0c or 8.1b. 5- Install SP.

All, you should know that Win98 SE is bundled with IE 5.0. SP contains only updates for this bundled IE 5.0. It doesn't contain any IE 5.5 or 6.0 update. Microsoft's SPs have a similar approach.

OK, all. I'm back now. I'm sorry for being away. But, I was ill. Now, please be patient, because I have to do lots of stuff for my job and school, and I have to read all posts by you.

Guys, I'm ill. I hope I'll return soon.

soldier1st, I have almost finished the SP 2.0 RC, and you're requesting new things. We can discuss new things for 2.1. Please, wait for 2.0 release, after that, you can ask them, again.

Now only Desktop Icons feature is missing. Notepad and Regedit patching seems working properly. Desktop icons feature is not difficult, but I try to add 98lite-SLEEK compability. Hope it will finish soon.

You have already answer of your question Portcls.sys is EXACTLY from Q321467. Thanks for the link. I'll update the hot-fixes-list and file-list, after releasing 2.0 FINAL.

SP 1.6.2 has already a complete version of DCOM98 1.3. Please look at "features" on my web page. Of course, SP 2.0 has it, too. About registry setting, probably I have missed it. I will correct it in SP 2.0. File list of SP 1.6.2.

Regarding transculent icon modification: Yes, you can apply Axcel216's fixes for removing Q313829 SHELL32.DLL "desktop shortcut icon". There are four ways to remove it, all of them should work with modified or non-modified Q313829 SHELL32.DLL. In the SP 2.0, the patcher of SHELL32.DLL produces same SHELL32.DLL in the SP 1.6.2's. Regarding EXPLORER.EXE: SP 2.0 contains a patcher for stock EXPLORER.EXE currently. But I can add a patcher for IE 50 SP2 version, too. Thus, the version of EXPLORER.EXE depends to the user's installed EXPLORER.EXE, not depends to the SP 2.0. Many users generally use stock EXPLORER.EXE, but some IE 5.0 SP2 and/or Office 2000 installed systems contain a newer EXPLORER.EXE. If you have any idea for better 98lite SLEEK compability, please let me know.

SP 1.6.2's EXPLORER.EXE is from IE 5.0 SP2. The reason of SHELL32.DLL length difference is replaced icons/bitmaps are smaller than originals in size. [sP 2.0 does NOT contain NOTEPAD.EXE and EXPLORER.EXE, because of patching method. The patcher of Notepad in SP 2.0 produces same Notepad in SP 1.6.2.] I don't understand your comments about NOTEPAD.EXE. Does 98lite SLEEK modify NOTEPAD.EXE ?

You should try to find more information about MSBATCH.INF

NOTEPAD.EXE was only modified with Resource Hacker for adding some new key-bindings. SP 2.0 does not contain this file, it use patching method for adding new key-bindings. To use SP 2.0 on the 98lite SLEEK, you only have to replace SHELL32.DLL. Because SP 2.0 does not contain the EXPLORER.EXE. ["Patching" method only patches Windows 98 SE's original EXPLORER.EXE, so it does not touch if you have older EXPLORER.EXE like on the 98lite SLEEK.] If you replaced NOTEPAD.EXE with an another program such as METAPAD, "patching" method will not touch your current NOTEPAD replacement, too. Because it only patches original NOTEPAD.EXE.

SP 1.6.2 has some modified files. The modification is done by Resource Hacker. These files are: EXPLORER.EXE: 256-color tray icons hack, and desktop icons hack. SHELL32.DLL (based on Q313829): Desktop icons hack. NOTEPAD.EXE: Key-bindings hack. SP 2.0 doesn't contain ANY modified file, it will use patching method for the modification. So it will contain a not-modified version of SHELL32.DLL from Q313829.

I don't know any conflicts, but which version do you use of ZoneAlarm? Have you ever tried to reinstall ZoneAlarm?

Hi all, I have just found a proper patching tool. I hope I'll finish 2.0 RC in a few days. I need a web space for the file. Could anyone help me about it? What's new in RC? NEW: Windows 2000 Desktop Icons as optional feature. NEW: Generic USB Mass Storage Device Drivers as optional feature. NEW: "DOS Prompt Here" as optional feature. NEW: Better Notepad. NEW: Fixed REGEDIT.EXE. NEW: More than 10 new hot-fixes. NEW: Some small fixes and improvements. ADDED: Uninstallation.

Could you try to re-install the SP 1.6.2 ? Don't forget to close all open programs before installing it, and when the SP asks for reboot, don't accept. You should manually reboot your system.

Yes, correct (for 1.x) and no, you don't need MSI. Note: For 2.0, there is a tool called INFEX.EXE which is written by me. IExpress calls this INFEX, and INFEX calls "selected" INFs.

Patching does not work properly. For making optional "new desktop icons", I have to use "patching"... I have not found a good patching tool yet. If I can't finish it before this Sunday, at least I'll release a BETA 3.

Do you have any problem with DirectX based applications like Games? One user reported that he have some problems with DirectX Games on a 1.5 GB of RAM system. I recommend that he should add your settings, but the problem have not solved.

Thanks. Do you have any problem with your 1 GB of RAM ? Your system's specs are very high. Perhaps, a low-end system may show the difference. But the difference should be very small. So I think a compressed and single VMM32.VXD should be best for averal.

IExpress's EXE-header simply calls SPUPDATE.INF for installation. For more information about IExpress, look at this link. It's similar to install a INF manually. (If you select a INF with right mouse button, you'll see the "Install" option on the menu.)

azagahl, Could you test your system with compressed and non-compressed VMM32.VXDs? You can use a simple benchmark program such as PCPlayer 3D Benchmark or WinTune98. For testing bootup speed, you can use a chronograph

SP's installer (both 1.x and 2.0) is totally based on INFs and a BATCH script. You can easily see these files inside the SP's EXE. To build EXE, I use IEXPRESS package which uses Microsoft's CAB/LZX compressing technology. With INF, you can detect only THREE state of a file when you copying it. 1- COPY IT (NO RESTRICTION). 2- COPY IT, ONLY IF FILE EXISTS. 3- COPY IT, ONLY IF FILE OLDER. Generally, my INF installer is based on 2 and 3 (you can use both of them for a file). If a file doesn't exist, installer doesn't copy it. But because of "preserving" mechanism of Windows 98, if system needs this file later, it is copied from SP1.CAB, not from setup CABs. Preserving mechanism is not mine, it's from Microsoft. So, its details are not totally clear. But it works. On the other hand, Microsoft's hot-fixes installs all files without checking ANYTHING. (You explained this in detail on your first post.) Some hot-fixes has problems. For example, Q311561 has a registry corruption problem on some systems. I found a fix (a MSDOS.SYS setting) for eliminating it, and added this setting into SP 1.6.x and 2.0. Of course if you want, you can install each hot-fix seperately. I don't claim that SP is perfect. About future, I can't detect with INF that a file is installed or not installed. But for adding properly QFE information, I need to know that.