MDGx

I didn't see any of these errors, and can't test these configurations, so I'll have to trust you guys that it [finally] worked ok on your computers.

Glad it all worked well in the end.

Yeap, I've seen that error a few times, and my fix was to type EXIT and hit Enter in the DOS box right after it starts beeping, so I can close it.I've also tried these DOSKEY replacements: * DOSKEY.COM v1.8 16-bit DOS keyboard enhancer and command line editor and history TSR improved Microsoft DOSKEY.COM replacement for MS-DOS 5/6 and Windows 9x/ME, highly customizable: http://members.aol.com/paulhoule/doskey.htm Direct download [6 KB, freeware]: http://members.aol.com/paulhoule/doskey18.zip Uses 3.9 KB of upper DOS RAM if loaded with LOADHIGH in AUTOEXEC.BAT (upper memory manager required in CONFIG.SYS). * CMDEDIT v3.21 16-bit DOS keyboard enhancer and command line, application, directory, macro editor and history TSR improved Microsoft DOSKEY.COM replacement for MS-DOS 5/6 and Windows 9x/ME, supports LFNs, loads itself high if UMA available, highly customizable: http://www.geocities.com/jadoxa/cmdedit/ Direct download [163 KB, freeware, right-click to save!]: http://www.geocities.com/jadoxa/cmdedit/cmded321.zip Uses 9 KB of upper DOS RAM if loaded from AUTOEXEC.BAT (upper memory manager required in CONFIG.SYS). both posted here: http://www.mdgx.com/dos.htm but I ended up using RECALL.COM cuz I like it better for carrying command list history throughout native DOS + all Windows sessions [no matter how many times I exist Windows back to native DOS and then reload the UI], and for its small memory footprint.

Gape, I've been using sysdm.cpl 4.90.3001 [ MS hotfix Q272620 for WinME = http://www.mdgx.com/files/ME272620.EXE ] on 2 98SE computers for the past 3-4 weeks, and haven't seen any errors so far. This sysdm.cpl does display the 2 CPUs I'm using it on in System Properties: - Intel P4 Extreme Edition 3.4 GHz + HyperThreading [socket LGA775] = displays as: GenuineIntel Intel® Pentium 4 CPU - Intel P3 Tualatin Celeron 1.3 GHz [FC-PGA2] = displays as: GenuineIntel Intel® Celeron CPU Note that I'm also using Petr's patched UPDATE.SYS for WinME 4.90.3001 on both PCs. Hope this helps. Edit: Ooops... got the 2 CPUs backwards. Corrected.

Gape,I'm using these 2 unofficial patches [KRNL386.EXE + VOLTRACK.VXD] since I got them [~ 4-5 weeks ago] on my PC and on another PC which is not mine, and had 0 problems so far. Hope this helps.

Could you elaborate what exactly you read at my site, eventually with a small quote and/or URL, please?Thanks. http://www.mdgx.com/98-4.htm#C98SEUI "As you know the Win98 Second Edition (SE) Upgrade (NOT Updates, a.k.a. SEU) has the DOS Setup disabled by default, meaning you can't do a clean install from a newly formatted hard disk. ....." Did I misunderstand something you said? --iWindoze This is a tip I've posted a long time ago, as sent by this guy [Michael] on how to work around the 98SE Upgrade CD DOS setup limitation.I don't have a 98SE Upgrade CD, so I can't test this. But if u know different, and if native MS-DOS based setup works from 98SE Upgrade CD to perform a clean install on an empty HD [eventually with explanation guide on how to do this step by step, because officially this is not possible as far as I know], I'll correct the tip, and add your guide to it. Thanks.

Hi MDGx, one off-topic question - how you managed to use Tualatin processor on this mobo? Abit states at http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/bios.php?model=119(Please mention: This board does not support Tualatin core P!!!/Celeron processors. I have several Intel 440BX based boards and I always thought that they don't support Tualation processor? Petr Actually quite simple, I bought a PowerLeap PL-IP3 Slot 1 Tualatin P3 Celeron adapter:http://www.powerleap.com/PL-iP3T.jsp which has its own voltage regulator. Way back then, that was the only way [short of using a soldering gun to mod the VR on the back of the motherboard PCB] to upgrade an Abit slot 1 P3 mobo beyond the 700 MHz P3 slot 1 CPU, unless u use a "slot-ket" adapter, but a primitive slot-ket only supports P3 CPUs up to 1.1 GHz [probably similar to the procedure u used to upgrade to 1.1 GHz]. The last slot 1 P3 CPU made by Intel was the 700E MHz "Coppermine" if memory serves. More details here [feel free to look around on this page to see my old PC specs]: http://www.mdgx.com/pc.htm#CPU

As I said, only because the mouse cursor was spinning for 15-20 seconds right after the UI loaded.After disabling systray and rebooting, the 15-20 sec spinning cursor went away.

Hi MDGx, really? I have read many times that new drivers are optimized for new video cards only and give worse results with older video cards and version like 45.32 are recommended. I never tried to investigate this topic in detail. Petr As far as I know [and I've been using various NVidia video cards for over 7 years] each new drivers do improve on newer video chipsets [GPUs as NVidia likes to call them] by debugging, adding, improving etc hardware supported functions, but at the same time all older GPUs that particular driver applies to are also 100% supported, and even further debugged/improved if enough bug reports are received from users.To see exactly the entire list of supported GPUs, please open NVAGP.INF [or NVAML.INF depending on xx.xx Detonator/Forceware driver release, with various international/multilanguage versions having different INF names] in Notepad and scroll down to the [strings] section. Or view README.TXT after unzipping the files. Or go to this page: http://www.nvidia.com/object/77.72_9x_supported.html This is the page with all NVidia officially supported drivers for Windows 9x/ME: http://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_archive.html As you well know, NV drivers are all built using their "Unified Driver Architecture" (UDA) technology [ http://www.nvidia.com/object/feature_uda.html ], which means each driver release supports a huge list of GPUs, even several years old ones. It is widely believed [especially in forums/blogs/bug report/support sites] that if a particular NV driver release is buggy, then allmost all related [same series, i.e. 5x.xx, 6x.xx, 7x.xx etc or subseries, i.e. 56.xx, 68.xx 77.xx etc] driver releases are also buggy. That's not true. And what adds more to this rumor, is the huge number of beta driver releases out there, which are posted by most news/hardware/support sites, and which by their nature [strictly for beta testing purposes] are inherently going to have bugs, after all that's why they are called beta releases. But almost all "WHQL certified" or "WHQL candidate" NV drivers I've tested for the past 7 years [with few exceptions, 1 of which I've documented here: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip22.htm#D22BF ] are/were stable for the time of their release, which means their stability applied only to the GPUs on the market at that time. Another known issue which might cause stability problems [especially when a new (sub)series is released, i.e. 68.xx, 77.xx = usually containing major changes in hardware functions and how those functions are implemented into the registry] is that most users just install new drivers over old releases, *without* 1st uninstalling the old ones, and which Nvidia strongly advises against: http://www.nvidia.com/object/driver_installation_hints.html NVidia also issues a new PDF document with each drive release, which gives full details on what exactly has been fixed/improved/added/etc since last release. 77.72 PDF [English]: ftp://download.nvidia.com/Windows/77.72/ Another hint about NV official driver [theoretical only, of course] stability is the "WHQL candidate" seal that NV is allowed to post from MS WHQL labs. That means MS is in the middle of testing those drivers, and it's likely that they will award them the MS "WHQL certified" seal. I've been using 71.84 drivers with 98SE since the day NV posted it, and never had stability problems. I also use Windows XP and test a bunch of beta + WHQL NV drivers, and they seem pretty stable on my PC, most of the time. Nvidia also recommends to install the newest official driver version no matter the GPU used [if that GPU is on the supported list], because it is likely more bugs were fixed, even for older GPUs. Same here, just downloaded 77.72 for 9x/ME, so didn't have time to test them yet, but if I find any bugs/errors/glitches/etc, I'll post them here asap. Hope this helps.

Digital signature is a WinME "feature" [a.k.a. MS WQHL Certification program], but should not normally interfere with driver installation.If you see an option [Advanced] to turn it off from the dialog box, please do so. More info [scroll down to "Windows Millennium Edition policy" title]: http://winqual.microsoft.com/help/use_help...efits_help.aspx The dig sig nag box does not appear at all on my PC, but I must have had disabled it a long time ago. If u still get such nagging dialogs after doing this, open the respective driver INF file(s) in Notepad and disable [comment, remark] the line that says something like: CatalogFile=XXXXX.CAT with a semicolon in front of it, like this: ; CatalogFile=XXXXX.CAT Save the modified INFs, and then (re)install the respective driver(s). U can also delete all *.CAT files from the respective driver directory. This should completely disable that nag box. Hope this helps.

NVidia just released official Forceware video drivers 77.72 [WHQL Candidate] for all Windows 95/98/ME OSes: http://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_77.72.html Everybody who uses an NVidia video card should install this. Enjoy.

EXXX-FXXX areas are occupied even if u turn off ROM shadowing because u probably have some other hardware device(s) that need to use those UMA regions. Examples: RAID, SCSI controllers, video controllers like NVidia ATI, etc. Also, unfortunately, ROM shadowing cannot be turned off on some mobos. About AMD/VIA approach to mobo chipsets design: they "inspired"/licensed from original Intel 80X86 design, but because according to the Intel license they can't copy all chipset/CPU functions, they had to come up with their own workarounds, which makes their chipsets incompatible with simple low level DOS stuff, like UMA/conventional/extended/expanded memory management. That's why it is extremely hard or even impossible for someone who programs memory devices like UMBPCI.SYS to account/cover for all chipset designs out there. SiS, VIA, FIC, AMD all make their own mobo chipsets, and each have different ways of implementing low level [DOS mode] memory routines. And because they presume everybody today is using Windows XP, they don't care to implement all DOS mode functions properly, because they also assume nobody is playing native DOS games anymore. I'm also happy playing some of my old DOS games once in a while on my P3 CPU + 440BX chipset, using native MS-DOS 7.10 [a.k.a. Windows 98 SE]. Have u seen my memory specs page: http://www.mdgx.com/mem7.htm And I gotta tell u, Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA rocks in every DOS game I've thrown at it. B)

Many thanks for your kind appreciation, allesok, from the author of 98SE2ME. I'm glad you like it. Respect MDGx

I tested this on my old PC: Intel Pentium III Tualatin 1.3 GHz CPU overclocked at 1.4 GHz Intel 440BX PCI/AGP chipset Abit BE6-II 2.0 RAID mobo Highpoint HP370 UATA5 RAID HD controller Chaintech A-GT60 NVidia GeForce4 Ti 4600 128 MB AGPx4 video card IBM DeskStar 75GXP 120 GB UATA5 HD Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA sound card MS Intellimouse Explorer 4.0a laser mouse What I did step-by-step: 1. Installed 98SE full from "scratch" from MS setup CD, not as upgrade. No other apps/tools/tweaks/updates/etc. 2. Installed PFE [Programmer's File Editor 32-bit = better Notepad replacement] so I can "see" text files properly. 3. Installed MS DirectX 9.0c in order to allow NVidia Forceware video drivers to install properly [see #4 below]. 4. Installed NVidia Forceware video drivers 71.84 so I can "see" something better than 16 colors or 640x480 VGA. 5. Installed MS Intellipoint mouse software 4.12 to fix erratic movements mouse cursor issues due to 98SE "stock" mouse drivers bugs. I use a MS Intellimouse Explorer 4.0a laser mouse, but as far as I can tell these erratic movements are not related to mouse hardware. 6. Disabled all Power saving/ACPI/APM/Stand by/Turn off/etc features from Control Panel -> Power Options. 7. Installed Gape's SP 2.0.1 option 1 only = "Main Update [All Updates and Hofixes]". After reboot, I noticed "Working in Background" mouse cursor spinning for 15-20 seconds right after Windows UI completes loading. 8. Used Startup CPL [ http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml ] and disabled "SystemTray"="SysTray.exe" item under the "HKLM / Run" tab. "Working in Background" mouse cursor stopped spinning for 15-20 seconds after reboot. 9. Installed 98SE2ME 6-21-2005 edition option 2 only = "ONLY ~ 700 WinME system files". Everything worked OK after reboot, no Control Panel Add/Remove Programs errors, no mouse cursor spinning for 15-20 seconds, no sound card driver errors [i use a Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA on this older PC, needs no extra drivers from Creative Labs, 98SE properly detects + installs necessary drivers from setup CD] no Explorer/Find Files/My Documents/Start Menu/etc glitches/errors, nada. So if anybody is experiencing any errors/glitches/etc, some of them may be [?] due *exclusively* to 98SE2ME option 3, which as I said before [quoting from READ1ST.TXT]: CAUTION: WinME files installed by option 3 may change and/or lose Win98 SE interface functionality, stability and/or performance! I am working on improving option 3, but I'm going to need access to more computers to test it on, because the ones I already have access to did not have these bugs. Until then, if anybody gets such errors and you think they are related to 98SE2ME option 3, please uninstall option 3 from Control Panel, as detailed in READ1ST.TXT. Only if Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> select "98SE2ME Option 3: Restore Win98 SE Explorer, Shell32 + UI" -> click Add/Remove button -> reboot option is not available, then run this command from the Run box: RUNDLL32 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF\RSTR3F.INF,XOReplace all C:\WINDOWS instances above with your actual Windows 98SE location only if different. Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot for the update.I know this, but I'm not going to repack MS's files only to install HHCTRLUI.DLL files [%windir%\system\mui], which are installed by MS IE 5.0/5.5/6.0 [all editions] anyway. Notice also that this new HTML Help update does not install at all if u don't already have the files installed by MS IE 5/6 or by 98/98SE/ME from original setup CD. Also, if u installed my HHUPD.EXE update which used to contain files from 2003 SP1, and then tried to install this new update from MS, the newer files will not install. MS files install only if u have older versions, not if u have the ones from XP, XP SP2, 2003, 2003 SP1 etc. Also, the hhctrlui.dll files are useful only for internet based multi-language html help web pages, that's why they are installed only by MS IE 5/6, not by 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003. The only HTML Help file I kept at my site is the NT4 update, because MS did not make one, and the NT4 update does contain the HHCTRLUI.DLL files, so it's a complete update. Hope this helps.

Great job, cool logos!I hope you don't mind if I use them in 98SE2ME to replace the old "Blue Windows" logo with yours. Thanks a lot.

Looks like that particular pic does not exist in that directory.

I'm using all files installed by 98SE2ME all the time for the past 5 years [i experiment on my PC 1st before posting here any new files ], except option 3, and never had instability or slowdown problems. I've also personally installed 98SE2ME, various editions, on more than 10 computers, and never noticed such issues.So IMHO, your problem is probably hardware related, unless... please see examples from this post: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=337661 Other things to consider: - CPU + mobo chipset: I have an Intel CPU + chipset, cannot test AMD. As far as I know AMD requires mobo specific drivers. - video controller issues: please make sure u have installed current version of NVidia Forceware drivers 71.84: http://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_71.84.html and DirectX 9.0c: http://www.mdgx.com/dx.htm#MDX and eventually other necessary drivers from your chipset/RAID/SCSI/SATA/etc manufacturer. - make sure your HDs don't run in "MS-DOS compatibility mode": control panel -> system -> performance -> file system. - if u installed Tihiy's Revolution Pack, you may experience instability. Please ask Tihiy about Rev Pack issues: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=39333 - unexpected exit/reboot issues may be related to ACPI/APM/power saving drivers/settings. I don't like power saving feature, so I completely disabled it, I mean I deleted all power/ACPI/APM related files + reg settings. A registry value that might give you exit/reboot problems is this one: REGEDIT4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown] "FastReboot"="0"Make sure this REG_SZ value is 0 . U can do this from MSCONFIG: Advanced button -> Disable fast shutdown -> OK -> reboot. - make sure you boot with the bootlog.txt option enabled in MSDOS.SYS [option 2 on the menu]: http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm#MEN and then get Boot Log Analyzer, which checks/reports on slow loading/failed drivers (.SYS, .VXD, .DRV, .DLL, .386 etc) at bootup by analyzing C:\BOOTLOG.TXT: http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/bootloganalyzer123.html Direct download [235 KB, freeware]: http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/bootloganalyzer123.zip Full guide here: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip14.htm#SUYG This way u may find out which drivers/system files cause problems. - insuficient case/CPU/chipset/video/HD cooling + overclocking may cause random/unexpected reboots/exits/errors/lockups. - an underrated power supply unit [PSU] and/or unstable current may also cause random/unexpected reboots/exits/errors/lockups. In such cases u may need a better PSU [make sure its rating is at least 400 W], a surge supressor and/or a good quality UPS [uninterruptable Power Supply]. Please notice what kind of error messages you get [eventually write them down], or what exactly happens when you shut down/exit/use programs/etc, and then post here, so we can figure out what's wrong. To my knowledge 98SE2ME does not delete any LDID values from the registry. If some of those VarLDID values were erased prior to installing 98SE2ME, then you need to determine which programs/system files/etc do that, and eventually avoid to install/use them, because those REG values should always be present for proper operation, no matter which 9x OS you're using. If those LDID problems become evident only after installing 98SE2ME, that doesn't mean 98SE2ME causes them, that means you need to find out which program/patch/etc is the culprit and eliminate it. Also, if you already found which Windows ME files/programs are affected by or affect the VarLDID REG values, please post the links here, so I can also check them out, and find out if there is a 98SE2ME related issue I can fix. XP SP2, WMP10, 2003 SP1 etc system files are not part of 98SE2ME. 98SE2ME installs only WinME system files, none other. The only file installed from XP SP2 is EXTRAC32.EXE, which is not a system file, therefore it can't influence OS performance or stability. READ1ST.TXT contains full details on this subject: READ1ST.TXT and this page [linked a few times in READ1ST.TXT], which is actually the do-it-yourself-98SE2ME-step-by-step guide, contains complete list of files installed by 98SE2ME: http://www.mdgx.com/98-5.htm#KRM9S Eck: I have just installed again Bonux XP for WMP9 + WMP10 XP using the batch file from this post: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=35997...st&p=309394 and everything went ok. Hope this helps.

Hail to the [98SE] king, baby! B) re: Duke Nukem 3D re: Army of Darkness [bruce Campbell]

1. Make sure u already installed OSR 2.1 USBSUPP + all other related packs or have OSR 2.5: http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#OSR2 2. Buy + install a USB PCI card with rear/front USB ports, should be really cheap. Hope this helps.

U can restore 98SE original files from:Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> select "98SE2ME Option 3: Restore Win98 SE Explorer + Shell32" -> click Add/Remove button -> reboot. This works only after u already installed option 3 by running 98SE2ME.PIF. Most [if not all] 98SE shell + UI functions should be restored this way. This restore funtion does not use 98SE CD, all necessary files were renamed in %windir%\system when u ran option 3. This procedure is fully detailed in READ1ST.TXT [see "* Option 3:" paragraph]: READ1ST.TXT If u care to see exactly how this works, just open RSTR3F.INF in Notepad. The command to copy RSTR3F.INF to %windir%\INF and to add the proper entry to Add/Remove Programs are run during option 3 installation from these 98SE2ME.BAT lines: C:\9!M\START/W RUNDLL32 %windir%\SYSTEM\ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF,3M IF EXIST %windir%\INF\RSTR3F.INF C:\9!M\ATTRIB.COM/B +A -H -R -S %windir%\INF\RSTR3F.INF>NUL IF EXIST C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF COPY/Y C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF %windir%\INF>NUL As ar as I know DESK.CPL has nothing to do with this, because CPL files cannot be registered by regsvr32.exe, so they can't change UI functionality, except Control Panel UI for the respective CPL file. Hope this helps.

9x/2000/ME/XP/2003 OSes with MS IE 5.5 or newer have a primitive "HOSTS-like" feature built-in, but u need to add/remove servers/IP addresses manually, 1 at a time: Control Panel -> Internet Options [this refers to MS IE 6.0 SP1 settings] -> Security tab -> Restricted Sites -> Add/remove Web sites must be typed in -> OK. All I have on HOSTS files is here: http://www.mdgx.com/hosts.php Hope this helps.

You may find some of the MS IE 4.01/4.01 SP1/4.01 SP2 patches here: http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm Please scroll down towards the bottom of the page. Hope this helps.

Unfortunately Wordpad.exe from NT4/2000/XP/2003 do no work under 9x. But IMHO Wordpad filters should have similar [if not even identical] functions in all MS OSes, because they all apply to MS Word DOC/RTF/WRI files, which saves/edits documents in all these formats, and which should be compatible with all MS OSes. The only filters that may not be compatible with 9x OSes are probably the newer ones, like MSWRD832.WPC [?], because Office XP + 2003 are not compatible with 9x OSes anymore. I don't have any MS Office/Word CDs/floppies/setups. But here is my idea how to test this WPC filter: 1. install Office 2000, XP or 2003 [the Word component anyway]. 2. make sure WinNT4 MSWD6_32.WPC from MS04-041 security fix: http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/c...836-x86-ENU.exe is already installed under "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Textconv" folder, after being renamed to MSWRD632.WPC . 3. open a DOC file and then an RTF file both containing at least 1 icon/bitmap created in MS Office/Word 97 or 2000, NOT Office/Word XP, 2003 or newer, using WinME WORDPAD.EXE from WinME setup CD [newest version available for 9x OSes]. 4. if everything works ok, there may be a chance the WPC filter works ok. Petr, I'm not familiar with totalcmd fileinfo plugin. Does it detect API functions? If that's what this plugin does, another alternative would be to use the similar freeware DLL detector called Dependency Walker: http://www.dependencywalker.com/ Direct download [415 KB, freeware]: http://www.dependencywalker.com/depends21_x86.zip BTW: The *.FLT files are also used by MS Paint. You can get them all here: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#PNT Direct download [2.2 MB, English]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/GRPHFLTS.ZIP Hope this helps.

ME shell + explorer probably do decrease stability, because it is possible that certain ME API functions may not be properly supported by 98SE.That's the other reason why I keep option 3 separate. READ1ST.TXT, under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters, contains a little hint: CAUTION: WinME files installed by option 3 may change/lose Win98 SE interface functionality! You may also want to ask Tihiy, he's the author of Revolutions Pack, based on API functions from ME + XP. UPDATED 6-19-2005: I just updated READ1ST.TXT: READ1ST.TXT to include this statement: CAUTION: WinME files installed by option 3 may change and/or lose Win98 SE interface functionality, stability and/or performance!under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [under the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters. Hope this helps.