MDGx

You have replaced ADVPACK.DLL 6.0.2900.2172with ADVPACK.DLL 5.0.2013.1301 in this latest release That's the earliest version that works properly with all 9x OSes.I replaced it because I want all my patches to have this version. It is the smallest of all newer versions. And besides, advpack.dll is only a helper DLL, does not install anywhere on your system. If you had a newer one before, you'll have the same one after installing such "advanced" patches. HTH __________________________________________ I have uploaded all NT4, 2000 + IE updates you sent:NT4 updates: http://www.mdgx.com/wnt4.htm 2000 updates: http://www.mdgx.com/w2ktoy.htm IE updates: http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm the_guy: I noticed in some ME updates you did not include start.exe anymore. I suggest to add it back in, because not all users have it somewhere in the path. Without it, nircmd commands are useless, and most system updates will not install on ME if SR/WFP is not "killed" beforehand. erpdude8: I have uploaded all 3 Notepad fixes here: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#NPU

Thanks, Petr.Done: * Microsoft Paint Add-on Import + Export Graphic Filters Pack Installer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 [1.68 MB]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/GRPHFLTS.EXE

IMHO:I don't think jimmsta's pack has anything to do with 7-zip knowledge. I have pointed out that statistically most people [just every-day average computer users, not power-users] use WinZip or other 3rd party (un)zipping tool, and that in comparison, 7-zip popularity is spreading only inside power-users circles, like this one. Otherwise put: everybody knows the zip format one way or the other, but only a few know or care about 7-zip. And the purpose of most of these packages [98SE SP2, 98SE2ME, NUSB, 98FE SP2, ME SP2 etc...] is to appeal to everybody, not only to a select audience. And everybody should be able to install them in just a few steps [mouse clicks or key presses] from an easy to use interface. Tihiy's RP is a different kind of "beast", requires a little bit of inner M$ OS knowledge [more than the average user has], therefore appeals mostly to power-users, and eventually to those average users who aspire to become power users. About RP [and similar] haters: Unfortunately it is built into the human nature to hate/abhor/deny/detest/loathe what we do not understand [re: Galileo Galilei, Nicolaus Copernicus, the inquisition, the crusades etc]. But fortunately, [at least some of us, anyway ] can be taught to understand + grow out of ignorance: power is gained only through knowledge. HTH

Great idea.I forgot 7-zip can do self-extracting exes.

If you are referring to Ryan's WM and/or WPI, please note that this is the *wrong* forum.This forum's title is "98SE2ME = Killer Replacements: ME -> 98 SE", because deals strictly with 98SE2ME [Windows 98 SE and ME OSes] and related topics. Please post any comments you may have about Windows NTx OSes, NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, etc, 32 or 64 bit and/or related tools/tweaks/scripts/etc into the appropriate MSFN forums: http://www.msfn.org/board/ or: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=95 HTH

98SE2ME.EXE installer already uses LZMA compression [7-zip 7Z format] which in turn is used by Inno Setup, the setup installer I use to pack 98SE2ME with: Quoted from 98SE2ME READ1ST.TXT, the "UNINSTALL 98SE2ME" section:READ1ST.TXT Is this what you were referring to, or did you mean to backup the original 98SE files replaced by option 1 + 2 in CAB format instead of just copying them to other directories? Please note that the files backed up by 98SE2ME options 1 + 2 take only ~ 24-30 MB, depending on which files are present on your HD at the time of the backup. Full OS backup, on the other hand, takes the same amount [basically doubles the HD space occupied by your OS, since this is an identical copy of your original 98SE OS] of disk space 98SE already takes on your HD [405 MB in my case, and I have "trimmed" a lot of files + folders]. Average 98SE OS [entire %windir% + subdirectories + all files contained in them] takes ~ 500 MB or more. To compress in CAB or ZIP format the files replaced [24-30 MB uncompressed] doesn't take too long to process [even on slower CPUs], but to compress the entire OS into a CAB or ZIP, takes a very long time, even on fast CPUs. Please keep in mind that smaller the size of the archive file would be, the slower the compression process would be. If you wish to compress your entire OS copy, you could use WinZip, PowerArchiver, PKZIP, 7-zip [7za.exe is the comand line tool which can be used in batch files], etc: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ZIP Note that zipfldr.dll only extracts files from CABs, cannot create CABs. To create cabs, you need either iexpress.exe [free from M$]: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#INF or similar 3rd party tool, like PowerArchiver [shareware]. Examples: - M$ CAB SDK [contains iexpress.exe + makecab.exe, free, command line tools]: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310618 - CabPack [freeware, large file size, GUI only tool]: http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/english.htm - MsCab plugin for Total Commander [you must have Total Commander to use MsCab, free]: http://www.mscab.prv.pl/ Besides, I would have to add a CAB or ZIP command line tool to 98SE2ME, and some are not free(ware), and these tools will also add to the file size. For example: - MAKECAB.EXE [150 KB] = large file size [free from M$, can be used]. - 7ZA.EXE file [466 KB] = huge file size [free GPL, can be used]. - PKZIP.EXE [51 KB] = small file size [shareware, cannot be used in packages like 98SE2ME because of its license]. And among other things, I'm trying to keep 98SE2ME.EXE file size to a minimum [2.67 MB as of 6-1-2006], because some people still connect to the internet using dial-up/analog/56k modems, and 98SE2ME is targeted to everybody, not only to high speed broadband or fast CPU users. HTH

Better, start posting here: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=76515 This way Link21 won't be alone in his delirium anymore.

Thanks for your suggestion.I've thought of switching to another ["prettier"] UI, but that would add to the size of the installer, and would require complete overhaul of some of the scripts, which are entirely based on BATch scripting right now. Maybe sometime in the future...

To prevent control panel apps from running/changing system settings/etc, please see this: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip9.htm#RESTRICT Zipfldr.dll icon is inside the dll [icongroup 101 as shown in ResHaker]. Edit/replace it with Resource Hacker: http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/ FYI: You can install WinZip or PowerArchiver, and then export their icons [with ResHaker], then import saved *.ICO file into zipfldr.dll . HTH

I'll wait for you to send me the link to the new one you're working on.

Which patches are you looking for?Maybe some [?] are at my site: http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm http://www.mdgx.com/dx.htm

As far as I know 98SE2ME does *not* interfere with any software that can install/run on 98SE OS.

There are 3rd party free(ware) tools that can do this [more or less ]: * TClock v2.3.0.1 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME displays the date and time in the Taskbar Tray, changes Start button/icon, Start Menu color/bitmap, highly customizable (freeware): http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/ Direct download [170 KB, English]: http://kazuto.lolipop.jp/tclock/010223en.zip TClock Lite for Windows XP/2003: http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclocklight/ LClock for Windows XP/2003 (free GPL): http://www.neowin.net/forum/?showtopic=157465 * Eppie Desktop v2.1 32-bit [discontinued ] for Windows 9x/ME changes Start button bitmap, window frame controls: minimize, maximize + close buttons, scrollbar arrows etc, highly customizable: http://www.virtualplastic.org/html/eppie.html Direct download [68 KB, freeware]: http://www.virtualplastic.net/download/eppie/epsh21.zip * SmartBarXP v1.0.201 32-bit for Windows 98/2000/ME/XP/2003 side bar provides instant access to: Media Players, Slide Show, Image Viewers, Virtual Desktop Manager, Live News, Weather, Stock Feeds, Recycle Bin, Explorer, Taskbar etc, supports add-on themes, highly customizable: http://www.smartbarxp.com/ Direct download [4.66 MB, freeware]: http://www.smartbarxp.com/SmartBarXP_1.0.201.exe * eXPerience Pack v2.5 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP replaces themes, logos, icons + sounds to mimic Windows XP appearance [673 KB, freeware]: http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/majorge...rance/xpack.zip * PowerPro v4.5 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 adds: tool bars, tray icons, hot keys, mouse actions, menus, timer/scheduler, close, minimize, maximize, roll-up to caption, minimize to tray, position, send keystrokes, run commands when Windows loads, virtual desktops, clipboard extender, keyboard macros, shut down, show all folders/files menu, sounds, wallpaper + screen saver activation/randomization, highly customizable: http://powerpro.webeddie.com/ Direct download [2.8 MB, freeware]: http://powerpro.webeddie.com/download/pwrpro45.zip * H-Menu v6.0 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 program/function/process launcher: mouse activated Startup menu replacement, animated Toolbars, supports Cascading Menus + Multimedia capabilities, configurable screen settings, Tray icon, Menu Bars, Buttonbar groups, Dial-Up Connections, Sound controls, End Windows Session, Change Screen, animation effects, custom background bitmaps, multilingual support, highly customizable [164 KB, freeware]: http://tucows.whc.net/files4/H-Menu60.zip * ShellEnhancer v2.0 Beta 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 includes: always on top, Windows XP/2003 transparency, X-Windows features, keep focus, Enhanced TaskSwitcher, Mosaic TaskSwitcher, Auto Manage, complex tasks creation, Shell Enhanced Applications etc, highly customizable: http://www.nuonsoft.net/shellenhancer/ Direct download [1.76 MB, freeware]: http://www.nuonsoft.net/downloads/ShellEnh..._Beta_Setup.exe Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2/98/98 SP1/NT4 WITHOUT MS IE 5/6 installed require: - Microsoft HTML Help Update: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#HHU - Microsoft Common Control DLL 5.80 Patch [499 KB, free]: http://download.microsoft.com/download/pla...US/50comupd.exe All these tools are found here: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ENH HTH

Compression/installer archiving method is completely different from torrent/edonkey distribution method. jimmsta: If I may make a few suggestions... No matter which compression method you are going to use, please make sure there will be some kind of menu for choices [1. Install SP2 2. Install DirectX whatever... etc...], and that the file is in exe format. If you really, really must compress whatever exe to some archive format, please use ZIP format, because not everybody knows about or has 7-zip, WinRAR, WinACE or some other archiving tool. But almost everybody I know has WinZIP and/or pkzip/pkunzip. This can be achieved by using 7ZA.EXE, installed as part of 7z command line [DOS box] tool [free GPL]: http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/sevenzip/7za442.zip because 7za.exe can compress to ZIP, but to a much smaller size than any other ZIP tool. To view all 7za.exe switches, just run it like this [example]: 7za > c:\temp\7za.txt Then open 7za.txt in Notepad. For example if using Gape's infex, you can compress it with iexpress [LZX maximum compression into CAB format] to compress to maximum possible ratio. Similar options/menus can be created using NSIS or InnoSetup [examples]. Please note that 7-zip [7z = LZMA] format is very good, but Microsoft's LZX [CAB format] is actually sometimes better, may achieve smaller file sizes, depending on what files you "shrink", on how large they are, and what their contents may be. HTH

krick: Thanks a lot for the tip. No, I didn't know about the "XP pin shortcut to Start menu" tip. I do know about iexpress.exe and its potential, though. I create install packages for 9x/ME/NT4 using Iexpress all the time. More info: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#DEV The trick is actually to use a custom SED configuration file which will do everything for you. Then you can run iexpress followed by the SED file name to automatically [unattended] create the EXE installer you wish. And these installers can contain +/- run anything you want, like BAT, VBS, COM, EXE, INF, HTA, LNK, REG, PIF, URL files etc... Please note that the title of that blog article is misleading, because iexpress does not convert anything into anything else, only creates an EXE installer from a list of files, which in turn can run another executable of any type supported by the OS [see examples above]. And the issue described here [guide about how to use iexpress to create exe installers]: http://renegadetech.blogspot.com/2006/07/h...r-vbs-file.html is completely different from the issue described here [which is the actual XP pin shortcut to Start menu tip]: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcen...04/hey1111.mspx Thanks again.

Info about Win9x/ME animated boot logos: http://www.mdgx.com/files/95LOGOS.TXT Scroll down to this section: 9x/ME logos [1 MB, ZIPped, some are animated]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/95LOGOS.ZIP FYI: 95LOGOS.ZIP contains 95LOGOS.TXT [linked above]. HTH

Win98, 98SE + ME all install just fine on a 486 X86 CPU.But some of these OSes may need this setup switch: setup /nm More info: http://www.mdgx.com/last2.htm#SETUPSW Original "setup /nm" article: http://members.aol.com/ojatex/win98.htm HTH

I have also noticed problems using Resource Hacker with freshly installed Win98SE OS. But after installing 98SE2ME, those problems went away. So I guess ResHaker relies on some DLLs that are replaced by 98SE2ME options 1 + 2. [?] HTH

Or configure your firewall [if using any] to deny access [both ways] to ie6setup.exe and ie6wzd.exe [both TCP + UDP], any port. HTH

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip3.htm#TAPIINI HTH

LLXX You got that right... This is his forum.

FYI: One can use both GDI*.* files from WinME with Win98SE safely. Example: 98SE2ME installs the unofficial fixed WinME GDI.EXE + GDI32.DLL as part of options 1 + 2: http://www.mdgx.com/98-5.htm#KRM9S * Unofficial Windows ME Graphics Rendering Engine (GRE) Windows MetaFile (WMF) GDI32.DLL + GDI.EXE 4.90.3002 Security Vulnerability Fix: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...n/ms06-001.mspx Direct download [399 KB, English]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/ME912919.EXE More info: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46581&st=193 MouseTrap WMF BUG detection tool (freeware): http://www.grc.com/wmf/wmf.htm More info: http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/181038/ BTW: I have not noticed any video slow-downs while using WinME GDI files. My 2 ¢ : This probably depends on particular hardware + software combination, hardware video settings in BIOS/CMOS, video drivers, OS fixes, etc... HTH

Download PolEdit from M$: http://www.mdgx.com/reg.htm#REG HTH

Does his guy hate Windows 9x or what? [smiley translates as "wacko", btw] I have no business getting in the middle of this, but can this guy spell? Quoted from his own post: http://www.msfn.org/comments.php?catid=1&a...13#comment11709 "piece of crap Windows 98/ME opertaing" Verbum sapienti satis est [Enough said]

More like these: - Discontinued Win32 Freeware: http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32_freeware.html - Unmaintained Free Software: http://www.unmaintained-free-software.org/ All these web sites and more on these lists: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#PTL http://www.mdgx.com/free.htm HTH