[Service Pack for Windows ME]

α 2 posted here:

http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#ME1

and here:

http://www.mdgx.com/upd98me.php#021710

* Unofficial Windows ME Service Pack 2 (SP2) Alpha 2 installs ALL previously released Hotfixes, Patches + Updates (free):

http://www.winprj.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=781

ME SP2 [6.33 MB, English]:

http://www.mdgx.com/spx/MESP2.EXE

Requires MS IE 6.0 SP1 already installed:

http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#IEX

Keep up the good work!

HTH

[NVidia drivers 82.69]

Older NVidia drivers were easier to mix'n'match, less code and no back-tracking checks.

In my experience...

I've successfully "matched" 2 very old versions [2.4??] on my trusty GeForce 4600, and worked like a charm for almost a year, until 1 day, when I tried to play a [new at the time] game. It crashed.

So I had to revert back to having all files from same release, just to be able to play that game.

What may help with "rigging" together different version files is RivaTuner [freeware], but you need an older edition which is compatible with 9x OSes.

http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner/

Old RivaTuner 1.54 works with Win98/ME [1.22 MB]:

http://www.mdgx.com/files/RivaTuner145.exe

HTH

[Updated NtKern for Windows 98 SE ? [Solved]]

There are 2 NTKERN.VXD builds available as Win98SE updates [both official from MS]:

* Microsoft Windows 98 SE Laptop PC Hangs During Docking/Undocking NTKERN.VXD

4.10.2224 + VMM.VXD 4.10.2226 Fix:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=288430

Direct download [362 KB, English]:

http://support.toshiba-tro.de/tools/quick-fixes/q288430/win-98se/qfe-winse-q288430-en.zip

* Microsoft Windows 98 SE IEEE 1394 Standby Error NTMAP.SYS 4.10.2227,

OHCI1394.SYS 4.10.2226, SBP2PORT.SYS 4.10.2226 + NTKERN.VXD 4.10.2223 Fix:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=267304

Direct download [278 KB, English]:

http://ftp.isu.edu.tw/pub/CPatch/msupdate/win98se-nsrc/backup/q267304/267304usa8.exe

More updates like these at my site:

http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#98SE

HTH

[FDISK and FORMAT large HDDs]

You might find the answers you're looking for here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=125836&st=1

That post points to other 2 MSFN threads, which are:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=113142&st=36

and respectively:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=113142&st=41

HTH

[98 FE + 98 SE + ME updates + patches + (hot)fixes]

UPDATED · 2-17-2010

Enjoy

[98MP10 = WMP10 XP + XP SP3 Killer Replacements]

Hi MDGx,

big mess with the uninstall of 98MP10.EXE!

It has deleted me a few files instead of restoring them (I had choosen 'Restore WMP9' and NOT 'Delete WMP9' in the control panel).

I had to reinstall manually a few things in order to make Windows works (for instance BROWSELC.DLL, CABINET.DLL, MSHTML.TLB).

Pls PM me if you translate those 2 files, and I'll re-package them with the translated texts + the rest, so we can have a French 98MP10.

I have PM'ed you a few french packages as said.

Enjoy.

CharlesF.

I have fixed [hopefully ] the uninstall bug, 98MP10 should not delete system files anymore without being able to rename from backups [Win9x limitation I presume, some system files are locked/in use and cannot be renamed/moved/deleted ]. Please test 98MP10 again at your convenience:

http://www.mdgx.com/98mp10/98MP10.EXE

I am going to compile an Iexpress exe installer for the French 98MP10 soon.

I have sent u a PM with a request if u could pls translate those 2 text files into French. Tx in advance.

1 of those texts is the ReadMe for 98MP10.

Best,

MDGx

[SATA in Win95?]

It's possible to install SATA drivers for Win98 in Win95? My HDD 320GB SATA II, mobo Asrock K7nF2RAID.

It should be possible [theoretically], but Win95 is a much older OS, which means doesn't have some system updates that might be necessary for SATA driver support [?].

I know Win98 and especially Win98 SE have been tested by MSFN members, and it usually works ok, if you also consider also the old fdisk, format, scandisk + defrag tools included with Win95.

There is an update [scanFrag]:

http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#TLS

but some of those tools may not work properly, which means you may lose some data from your HD(s). Please read this thread about updated HD tools limitations:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=129027

Some of those guides apply also to Win95 OSes.

I would backup the entire OS 1st, then install the SATA drivers, and then see if it works properly.

You can always restore your OS from the backup if anything goes wrong.

HTH

[NVidia drivers 82.69]

Does anyone have a suggestion how to fix teh shutdown problem? Should I try to uninstall 82.69 and install the complete 77.72 driver?

The only way to properly fix the shutdown issue is to completely uninstall 82.69 and install the older one that works for your computer.

Mismatched driver files will give you errors.

Of course, if u can live with the shudown bug, 82.69 are way better for newer cards + monitors.

Your choice.

HTH

[Question about esdi_506.pdr version 4.10.2226 from Microsoft]

The 1st byte change [b1 B6] might be the 1 responsible for the compatibility update with disks > 137 GiB. [?]

I believe more testing is needed.

No the fist byte is also a version number change. MS specification for the file version structure indicates there must be both a hexadecimal and an ascii version number present. In the hexadecimal version number 0x02B1 = 2225 and 0x02B6 =02230. A common reversioning mistake is to change just the ascii version number, while forgetting about the hexadecimal one.

But I think you are misreading me, MDGx: the LLXX patch is much longer than one byte, but here I'm talking about her patched version 4.10.0.2225 (as downloadable from her thread or from your site) vs. version 4.10.0.2230 (present in BHDD31.ZIP), which is the same file, but reversioned by Maximus-Decim.

Now, if you compare the original MS 4.10.0.2225 vs. LLXX's patched 4.10.0.2225, you'll find lots of differences, although they have almost the same size, because she made her patch fit in areas that, in the original file, contain only zeroes. The simplest way to recognize the LLXX's patched file is by the presence of her signature, starting at hexadecimal offset 0x26E3, since the original file has only zeroes in that same region; moreover, the file patched by LLXX is exacltly 24.431 bytes long, ending with 0x32, the ascii char for number 2, whereas the original MS file is just 24.430 bytes long. HTH.

Thanks for the clarification.

[98 FE + 98 SE + ME updates + patches + (hot)fixes]

thanks for these clarifications, MDGx.

You're welcome.

[DX Redist Aug2009, actually installable on win98SE ?!]

From what I recall, .NET is needed only for Managed DirectX (MDX) [DX.NET] installation.

"Normal" DX APIs should install properly no matter if NFR is installed or not.

But with your (guys) help [tx!], now I know exactly what that old unofficial DX update contains.

And because it's buggy + obsolete, I'll make a new one with Iexpress, to include all MDX libraries [up to date], delete all NTx libraries, and add a better dxsetup.exe with support for unattended command line parameters [which was the primary role of that update].

I just need to find that dxsetup.exe 1st.

Will you add the KB904706 update and the DX9CPL.EXE?

Yeah, that's a good idea.

May take a while, thou.

I'll post it here when it's done.

HTH

[Windows 95 2.1GHz CPU Limit BROKEN!]

Updated package is here:

http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#FX95

HTH

[DX Redist Aug2009, actually installable on win98SE ?!]

From what I recall, .NET is needed only for Managed DirectX (MDX) [DX.NET] installation.

"Normal" DX APIs should install properly no matter if NFR is installed or not.

But with your (guys) help [tx!], now I know exactly what that old unofficial DX update contains.

And because it's buggy + obsolete, I'll make a new one with Iexpress, to include all MDX libraries [up to date], delete all NTx libraries, and add a better dxsetup.exe with support for unattended command line parameters [which was the primary role of that update].

I just need to find that dxsetup.exe 1st.

[DOS Programs]

though it's the "new place" for:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~fys/

Yeah, you're right, I thought that much, it looked very familiar when I (re)visited it not long ago.

I just forgot its old URL, I guess.

[Question about esdi_506.pdr version 4.10.2226 from Microsoft]

The updated version of ESDI_506.PDR that I installed back then had an indicated file version of 4.10.2225. I'm convinced that it's identical to the latest "updated" 4.10.2230 version installed by MDGx's Atadrv98.exe update. I've finally run a binary file comparison between the two versions and these were the only differences detected (as I already noted earlier via visual inspection):

00005D86: B1 B6

00005E4D: 32 33

00005E4E: 35 30

The last 2 differences are just the version number changing from 4.10.2225 to 4.10.2230.

The 1st byte change [b1 B6] might be the 1 responsible for the compatibility update with disks > 137 GiB. [?]

I believe more testing is needed.

About what was changed/updated in this build, the author's text [included in the package] offers some details:

http://www.mdgx.com/files/atadrv98.php

HTH

[PNG graphic support for win-98]

FYI, Tihiy [an MSFN member] made a PNG patch for all MS IE 6 browsers [which use PNGFILT.DLL].

Get it here [free]:

* Unofficial Internet Explorer 6.0/6.0 SP1 for Windows 98/NT4 SP6a/2000/ME/XP/XP SP1/XP SP1a Universal PNG View PNGFILT.DLL Fix [14 KB]:

http://www.mdgx.com/files/PNGFIX.EXE

Does NOT work with Windows XP SP2, XP SP3, 2003, MS IE 7.0 or newer!

Just make sure u have MS IE 6.0 or 6.0 SP1 already installed before applying the patch:

http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm#6S1

I did not test this with MS IE 5.x (or older) editions.

HTH

[Service Pack for Windows ME]

Thanks man! I would've replied to you sooner, but I've been gone due to bad weather (one inch of snow and ice mixed). Due to that, Alpha 2 has been delayed further. I was gonna release it tommorrow, but it seems that it will be released this weekend. Oh and wish me good luck on my writing assessment this Wednesday.

You're welcome.

No worries.

Just let me know when you post a new edition.

And because it's bad luck to say "good luck" [in some circles anyway], a better version would be... "break a leg".

[New IE6-SP1 vulnerability]

I was asking because according to Galahs post (post 19 in this thread), he quoted the following which I believe was written by Microsoft:

---------

We have also created an application compatibility database that will enable Data Execution Prevention (DEP) for all versions of Internet Explorer. You do not need this database if you are using Internet Explorer 8 on Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) or on Windows Vista SP1 or later versions. This is because Internet Explorer 8 opts-in to DEP by default on these platforms.

---------

It was Galah's post that started the discussion about DEP and PAE on win-2k.

That's why I'm wondering if it was really Microsoft's intention to release a 2K patch for IE6 that enables DEP, as mentioned in the above quote. Now that we actually have the patch in question -> does it give DEP capability to Win-2K?

If not, then where did all this talk about DEP and this IE6 patch come from?

Oh, I didn't know about the app comp patch for IE.

Tx for bringing it up to my attention.

But I've dug up a lil, and found this MSKB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352

which mentions the Application Compatibility Toolkit, which allows users to opt-out [disable] DEP in their apps, implicitly IE. But this MSKB article refers only to XP SP2 + 2003 SP1. No mention about Win2000 or which editions of IE that applies to.

Alrighty then... that lead me to the MS ACT main page:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/aa905066.aspx

And it gets even stranger... Google cache still has Galah's quoted statement [from above] at this MSKB page:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979352

but when you access the updated version of that page, the ACT statement is gone. ;( Looks like they've initially posted that in error [?], and later removed it. [!]

The Security Bulletin that MSKB refers to:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...n/MS10-002.mspx

lists all IE patches we're talking about, but has no mention about ACT or DEP.

I've tried archive.org [Way Back Machine = Internet Archive] for a cached version of the old MSKB article, but they don't have it, it is probably too new to be cached by their spiders [i believe their spider scripts cache new a web page ~ 6 months after it has been released].

Then I found this MS TechNet blog:

http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/...ogy-part-1.aspx

which mentions the ACT programming settings that relate to DEP, but it says those apply only to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 (and newer).

I haven't found anything about Windows 2000 or older IE editions.

This is ACT 5.5 main page [English]:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

No mention there either.

I've had an ACT topic for a long time actually [some of those links may be outdated thou] at my site:

http://www.mdgx.com/xptoy.htm#ACT

because older editions of ACT 4.x helped me play some old DOS games in XP SP1 and XP RTM.

But as far as I can recall I don't remember seeing anything about Win2000, older IE editions and DEP.

True, ACT 5.5 is compatible (and works great) with Win2000 SP4 (not any other older SP), but there is no mention about DEP.

So I'm thinking that quote Galahs found, was probably a temporary MS fluke, some web site designer posted that statement either not knowing the actual specs of the new IE patch/ACT database [only XP and newer files are patched to include DEP functions], or maybe they tried to implement those DEP functions into the IE patch files [which to me sounds like science fiction, because as I said before, DEP API functions require a rewritten kernel32, which was never available to Win2000], without realizing they have to patch the Win2K core files too, and then they remembered Win2000 is already in extended support phase [duh!], which means no core/system patches, only critical security patches.

Although [thank you wsxedcrfv] it seems that Win2000 Advanced Server + Data Center Server support DEP in the core. But I have no knowledge of these OSes. Are they 64-bit perhaps, or they have 64-bit extensions/partial support?

But I'm sure some1 with access to all these OSes, and a lil knowledge can compile an installer with updated core files with DEP support for "normal"/end-user editions of Win2000.

Pls post here if you [or some1 else] uncover something I may have missed.

HTH

[DOS Programs]

I found this gem of a web site chock full of programming/memory/batch tips + tools [all free]:

http://www.fysnet.net/

Enjoy.

[Question about esdi_506.pdr version 4.10.2226 from Microsoft]

I'm gona test that soon.

Please do.

Just in case it doesn't work, there is an uninstall function, which will restore your previous file:

http://www.mdgx.com/files/atadrv98.php

FYI:

This patch was created back in 2006 by a former MSFN member, and has been tested by most of us here [i've been using it for > 3 years with no problems], and it seems to work ok on a wide variety of computer hardware.

HTH

[New IE6-SP1 vulnerability]

Was the Win-2K patch for KB978207 supposed to implement or activate DEP on that OS? Did it?

No, Windows 2000 never had those functions implemented, and is not DEP aware. And this mere Internet Explorer patch (which installs only web browser files) cannot do that. DEP support requires dedicated code built into OS core files, like ntoskrnl.exe and similar.

DEP was enabled beginning with WinXP SP2 (and onwards).

MS never released a Win2000 SP5, therefore this will never happen. Support cycle expired for Win2K OS patches, only critical security patches are now released, and only until July 2010, when the entire Win2000 OS reaches the end of "extended" support period.

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/

But Win2000 is "PAE" enabled (in SP4 anyway), so one can use that parameter in BOOT.INI [ /PAE], to take advantage of computers (sort of) with more than 4 GB RAM (Intel address extensions), even if the OS is 32-bit.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platf...pae/paedrv.mspx

BOOT.INI params:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080105023918r...s/bb963892.aspx

And fyi just in case you're asking, none of the 9x OSes [Win95/98/ME] have code for any of these functions.

HTH

[Compilation of Creative Sound Blaster Live! drivers for Windows 9x]

... found that a Dosstart.bat had been created in C:/Windows which called a C:/SBPCI/APINIT (whatever that is) file. Deleting the Dosstart.bat file cured the problem.

Sounds like DOSSTART.BAT "thinks" it's running from native MS-DOS, outside Windows.

APINIT.EXE is the native MS-DOS mode SB audio card "initializer" [sB Live! has similar SBINIT.EXE], and cannot run from within Windows without freezing the system (which is proof of poor programming).

Found some info on APINIT:

http://www.tandg.bz/tandg/downloads/Sound%...CI/DOSUTILS.TXT

FYI, if you plan on playing DOS games from native MS-DOS (outside Windows), check out this guide [applies to SB Live! cards, but the principle is the same]:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip18.htm#DGSBL

HTH

[Windows 95 2.1GHz CPU Limit BROKEN!]

... there are also VMM32.TMP and VMM32.o20, all modified/created on the day I installed that patch.

Those are backup copies made by installs such as DUN14. Their purpose is to restore older versions of those files in case you decide to uninstall the newer one.

So if the new one works ok, you can safely delete the older backups.

HTH

[Windows 98 Live Cd Project (Update)]

If I may make a suggestion...

You could add a small free ISO burning command line tool that works from within Win9x/ME, so one doesn't need to have another NTx based OS [2000/XP/2003/etc], only to do just that.

Options I know of...

1. Malek Tips:

http://www.malektips.com/xp_dos_0029.html

This requires to d/l the free Win2003 RK Tools package and extract cdburn.exe , which may or may not work from a 9x OS [DOS box]:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=4544

[if any1 can test cdburn.exe with Win98/98SE/ME, pls post here results. Tx. ]

2. mkisofs [free GPL]:

http://freshmeat.net/projects/mkisofs/

And I'm sure there are more similar free tools out there.

As a bonus, this is a small free tool that creates bootable CD-ROMs from the DOS command line [adds BOOT.BIN to the root directory of the CD ISO]:

Bart's Bootable CD-ROM:

http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/

Same, I have not tested this tool with Win98/ME.

Almost forgot...

* ImgBurn v2.5.0.0 32-bit CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray burning tool for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 creates/erases/(re)writes to CD-R(W)/DVD-R(W)/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray drives, creates/extracts to/writes from ISO CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray images, supports all popular standards and most CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray drives, includes command line parameters for unattended burn from batch files, highly customizable:

http://www.imgburn.com/

Direct download [2.06 MB, freeware]:

http://www.imgburn.com/?act=download

* InfraRecorder 32-bit for Windows 9x/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 creates/erases/(re)writes to CD-R(W)/DVD-R(W)/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray drives, creates/extracts to/writes from ISO CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray dual-layer images, supports all popular standards and most CD/DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-Ray drives, saves audio tracks to WAV, WMA, OGG + MP3, highly customizable (free GPL):

http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/

- InfraRecorder 0.46.2 Unicode for Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008/7 [3.23 MB]:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/infrarecorder/ir0462.exe

- InfraRecorder 0.45 ANSI for Windows 9x/ME [2.95 MB]:

http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/infrare.../ir045_ansi.exe

HTH

[Windows 95 2.1GHz CPU Limit BROKEN!]

I don't have Win95 installed anymore so I can't actually test your scripts, but I took a look at the BAT file, and looks like it should do what it claims.

Good work.

Pls let me know if you want this new version uploaded at my site, eventually to replace the older one.

Until then, the new one is here [2.54 MB]:

http://www.mdgx.com/spx/FX95CPU2.ZIP

(also contains DUN14-95.EXE + your old README.txt).

You just need to update your ReadMe text file now.

HTH