MDGx

server timeout? double post

Ditto, a Farscape fan, here. Welcome to MSFN forums, whocrazy I'm using a Hauppauge WinTV PVR 350 PCI internal TV and radio FM tuner and video capture card: http://www.hauppauge.com/html/wintvpvr350_datasheet.htm Works great with Win98 SE, ME and XP. Comes bundled with tuner and capture software and codecs for most of my needs. Includes even a basic split/join/editor video/MPEG tool [nanoeditor]. Encodes video only in MPEG format, but there are tools [some are freeware] which can convert from MPEG format into AVI or WMV [both are Microsoft proprietary formats used by Windows Media Player (WMP)]: AVI = Audio Video Interleave format. WMV = Windows Media Video format. The Hauppauge web site has plenty of driver/codec/software updates and patches for most Windows editions including 98 SE: http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/support/sup...pvr250-350.html I have purchased this card almost a year ago from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...ronics&n=507846 and I am satisfied with their product. Hauppauge makes similar external USB TV tuner and video capture cards: http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/prods.html The catch is that their newer products support only Windows XP and XP Media Center. The one I own is the only Hauppauge card I'm familiar with. My 2 cents: if you have a friend or family member whom you can trust to upgrade your computer by opening the case and installing such an internal PCI card [which is a snap for somebody who did it at least a couple of times before], you're probably better off, because Hauppauge internal PCI cards support Windows 98 SE and ME, and bundle a pretty decent selection of software. If you decide to go with an internal PCI card, make sure you have somebody read carefully IRQ internal interrupts distribution for each PCI slot from your computer motherboard/BIOS manual/documentation/online documents, because different PCI slots can only use certain internal interrupts, and even by using IRQ Steering [sharing] in your Windows 98 SE Control Panel: System icon -> Device Manager tab -> System devices foler -> PCI bus dialog box -> IRQ Steering tab -> make sure "Use IRQ Steering" box is checked -> if not check it and reboot, you may still experience hardware conflicts or sudden lockups if the PCI slot you selected for your TV card shares the same internal interrupt or IRQ with more than one other. More info: http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/buses/typ..._Interrupts.htm Good luck with your project.

Got it.Thankx.

U're welcome. The best part is that u can edit scanreg.ini from a nice UI [using MS's own Sredit.exe]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...nfig/SREDIT.EXE also part of ScanFrag [470 KB]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/SCANFRAG.ZIP also linked from here: http://www.mdgx.com/98-1.htm#SCANREG98 Have fun.

Make sure u install newest drivers for your SiS mobo chipset: http://www.sis.com/download/ Make sure u have newest ASUS BIOS firmware installed 4 your mobo: http://www.asus.com/support/download/download.aspx U may want to try these USB 2.0 drivers: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=43605 They seem to work in most cases. But I'm not familiar with SiS mobos. I also recommend to install 98SE2ME option 2 [but backup your OS from within 98se2me.pif just in case] for the USB native drivers "borrowed" from WinME [in my experience they work much better than older 98SE USB drivers]: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=37302 For this u need a WinME setup CD. Make sure your USB/USB legacy/USB IRQ options or similar are enabled in your mobo BIOS setup. How to fix USB problems in 98SE: http://www.mdgx.com/98-5.htm#FWUE Make sure IRQ steering is enable in Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager -> System devices -> PCI bus -> IRQ Steering tab -> check "Use IRQ Steering" box -> reboot. Make sure u install all 98SE USB + ACPI/APM related fixes: http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#98SE Hope this helps.

All System Restore patches also here: http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#WME

You're 100% right. I have removed webcheck.dll a long time ago, and never use Web View in 98SE. In XP/2003/Longhorn things are completely different thou, u can't disable/delete the DLL, Web View is always enabled, to show that MS "integrated" MS IE into the desktop UI even deeper.

Have u tried to tweak your scanreg.ini: http://www.mdgx.com/98-1.htm#SCANREG98 more on this here: http://www.mdgx.com/98-4.htm#BWS All these are free(ware): 1. Programs that make desktop icons transparent [work as TSR, not icon editors] also found here: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ENH * SeeThru v1.0.2 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP changes/removes and monitors Desktop icons background/foreground colors: http://website.lineone.net/~mstrong/apps.htm Direct download [1.43 MB, freeware]: http://website.lineone.net/~mstrong/stup102v.zip Works ONLY with MS IE 5/6 or newer installed with Active Desktop (View As Web Page) DISABLED! * Invisible! 2000 v1.7 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME changes/removes and monitors Desktop icons background/foreground colors: http://www.mindbeat.com/invisi.shtml Direct download [426 KB, freeware]: http://www.mindbeat.com/programs/invisi.zip * Hook99 v1.1.0.41 32-bit for Windows 9x/ME changes Start button text/icon and Desktop icons text transparency/colors, highly customizable: http://lbrisar.htmlplanet.com/e_hook.html Direct download [28 KB, freeware]: http://lbrisar.htmlplanet.com/hook99.zip * ActivIcons v3.33 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP replaces default system folders/items/shortcuts icons, animated/static mouse cursors, Start button graphic/text, MS IE/OE spinning logos, startup/shutdown logos, increases/rebuilds Shell icon cache, removes shortcut arrow overlays, allows animated icons on Desktop, makes Desktop icon labels transparent, saves/restores Desktop icons layout etc, highly customizable: http://www.cursorarts.com/ca_aifw.html Direct download [2.6 MB, freeware]: http://www.funet.fi/pub/simtelnet/win95/icon/actic333.exe Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2/NT4 require MS IE 4/5/6 with Active Desktop (View As Web Page) enabled: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#IEX * Effective Desktop v1.01 build 245 32-bit [discontinued ] for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP includes: ExplorerX (hides tray icons, customizes Start button logo/text, Desktop icons transparency), TaskbarX (Calendar, ClockX + WindowsX Client) and WindowsX (multiple virtual Desktops), highly customizable: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download197.html Direct download [1.04 MB, donationware]: http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/majo...ce/efdsk101.zip Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2/NT4 require MS IE 4/5/6 with Active Desktop (View As Web Page) enabled: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#IEX * Wallpaper Changer (WPC) v1.90 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP displays a different desktop background every time Windows starts, in .BMP, .GIF, .JPG or .PNG format, schedules wallpaper change at preset intervals, resets screen resolution, turns desktop icons background transparent, highly customizable: http://www.wallpaperchanger.de/ Direct download [813 KB, freeware]: http://www.wallpaperchanger.de/archives/WPCSetup_v1.90.exe * Iconoid v3.3.4 32-bit for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 Desktop icon manager: transparent icon background, custom icon text color, save/restore icon positions for all screen resolutions, highly customizable: http://www.sillysot.com/ Direct download [441 KB, sillyware]: http://www.sillysot.com/iconoid.zip Requires Microsoft Visual Basic 5 (VB5) Runtime Libraries [1.2 MB, free]: http://download.microsoft.com/download/vb5...US/Msvbvm50.exe 2. Programs that create/edit icons including making their background transparent [icon editors], also found here: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#GRA * PixelToolbox v1.1 32-bit 16x16/32x32/48x48/custom size pixels 2/16/256/true colors icons, mouse cursors + wallpaper tiles creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 includes painting tools + filters, highly customizable: http://www.axiomx.com/PixelToolbox/ Direct download [3.57 MB, freeware]: http://www.axiomx.com/PixelToolbox/PixelToolbox.zip * SnIco Edit v1.3a 32-bit 16x16/32x32/48x48/custom size pixels 2/16/256/true colors icons and mouse cursors creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 supports also GIF, BMP, DLL + EXE formats resources, executables and libraries, Windows XP alpha transparency and multiple languages, highly customizable: http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~meijer/software/icoedit.html Direct download [1.21 MB, freeware]: http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~meijer/software/icoedit.zip * Icon Suite v2.1.8 32-bit 16x16/32x32/48x48/custom size pixels 2/16/256/true colors icons, mouse cursors + wallpaper tiles creator/editor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003, highly customizable: http://www.bouffler.freeserve.co.uk/icon_edit.htm Direct download [1.74 MB, freeware]: http://www.bouffler.freeserve.co.uk/Files/IconSuiteFull.exe * IconShop v1.20 Alpha Build 905 32-bit ICL icon library creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 supports also BMP, GIF, TIF, XPM + MacOS formats resources, executables and libraries, highly customizable: http://users.pandora.be/liontech/ Direct download [151 KB, freeware]: http://users.pandora.be/liontech/IconShop.120.Alpha.zip * Free Icon Studio v1.1 32-bit 16x16/32x32/48x48/custom size pixels 2/16/256/true colors icons creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 supports also GIF, BMP, DLL + EXE formats resources, executables and libraries, Windows XP alpha transparency, highly customizable: http://www.coffeecup.com/freestuff/ Direct download [2.63 MB, freeware]: http://64.49.219.5/Freeiconstudio.exe * PC Magazine IconEdit32 v1.0 32-bit 16x16/32x32/48x48 pixels 2/16/256 colors icon creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,,11190,.asp Direct download [538 KB, free]: ftp://ftp.pcmag.com/archives/2000/0321/iedit32.zip * Microsoft Windows 98 Resource Kit Icon/Image Editor (IMAGEDIT.EXE) + Animated/Static Cursor Editor (ANIEDIT.EXE) 32-bit tools for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=247024 Place all these files into the same folder (free): - ANIEDIT.CNT [288 B]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...top/ANIEDIT.CNT - ANIEDIT.EXE [60 KB]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...top/ANIEDIT.EXE - ANIEDIT.HLP [16 KB]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...top/ANIEDIT.HLP - IMAGEDIT.EXE [100 KB]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...op/IMAGEDIT.EXE - IMAGEDIT.HLP [81 KB]: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/technet/...op/IMAGEDIT.HLP More info: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=147672 * Icon Master v1.2d 16-bit 32x32 pixels 16 colors icon creator/editor/extractor/viewer for Windows 3.1x/9x/ME, supports all popular Windows icon formats: DLL, EXE, ICL, ICO [115 KB, nag shareware]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/IMSTR12D.ZIP Hope this helps.

Newer mobos with SATA/RAID/SCSI BIOSes + AMD/VIA chipsets are known to "lock" memory resources [otherwise available for good ol' DOS managers/programs/games], like A20 ["fast gate"] handler, D000-EFFF or smaller portions of upper memory area (UMA), etc. That's because they presume nobody uses DOS nowadays, and don't care if DOS resources are needed or not. If u have ever used UMBPCI.SYS, u know exactly what I'm talking about: http://www.mdgx.com/umb.htm It is known that UMBPCI can't work on most AMD/VIA based mobos because ISA DMA cache area [located in UMA] is not available in native MS-DOS. My DOS 7.10 + Win98 SE PC is built using an old Abit BE6-II mobo with an Intel 440BX chipset, 1 of the last they made 100% compatible with DOS based memory managers/programs/devices/TSRs. I still have a Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold "stuck" in an ISA slot, for those cool DOS games, and a Quantum3D Obsidian2 X-24 3Dfx Voodoo2 PCI TV single slot SLI card mainly to play Outlaws, Rebel Assault + Rogue Squadron in Glide(3dfx) glory. Not to forget the original X-Wing + TIE Fighter [also by Lucas Arts] which require EMS [Expanded Memory Specifications] enabled in native MS-DOS and at least 608 KB of conventional memory for stereo audio and VGA 600x400. Good luck.

Wow, great work.And many thanks for the links. If it's not much to ask and if it's not too big, could u send me your C++ program [zipped] in email? E-mail I'd like to try it. I am on cable [4 mbit/sec], so it should take only a few minutes [hopefully] to check all 61000 hosts. Many thanks in advance. And then I can send u a "clean" copy of the HOSTS.

SPOOLSS.DLL is indeed installed by 98SE2ME, but u need a WinME setup CD to extract it from.

May I suggest the alternative of completely removing MaxFileCache + MinFileCache from system.ini, [vcache] section?In case u haven't seen, I got a guide @ my site: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip1.htm#THRASH which among other things contains links to Rojak's Pot Disk Cache [VCache] Optimization guide: http://www.adriansrojakpot.com/Speed_Demon...mization_01.htm and Chunk Size Optimization guide: http://www.adriansrojakpot.com/Speed_Demon...mization_01.htm He seems to have performed extensive testing [back in 2001-2002 though, on older/slower computers with less RAM than ones today]. Anyway, our common conclusion is that newer PCs with fast CPUs, losts of RAM + fast HDs don't seem to need those system.ini optimizations anymore, and it's recommended to leave Windows 98/98SE/ME to do its own optimization. Most of those system.ini settings were meant for Win95/OSR1/OSR2 running on slow computers with not too much RAM, and eventually 98 FE, but starting with 98 SE [+ ME] such system.ini settings are not needed anymore for the average user who bought/built a computer in the past 2 or 3 years. Hope this helps.

I can't say anything about SP 2.0, best to ask Gape, its author.As far as 98SE2ME is concerned: I'm the person to ask, and the forum is here: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46349 For starters, I need more details from you, to narrow down the issue to a particular installation/change/etc you've made to your OS. Please try this: 1. if u kept a backup of your 98SE OS from before installing 98se2me, restore it. 98se2me prompts u to back up your OS into C:\W98SEOLD before installing any system files from WinME. If u don't have such backup, I'm afraid the only way is to reinstall 98SE fresh, eventually in a new directory [rename the old one from a boot disk/floppy/native MS-DOS if u don't want to install into another directory]. 2. install your cable modem driver. 3. see if your cable modem driver works. 4. if your cable modem driver works, install 98se2me. 5. check your modem driver again. 6. if it doesn't work anymore, please post in this forum: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46349 a detailed bug report, containing everything you think appropriate/relevant so I can "disect"/reproduce it if possible, and try to pinpoint the problem, if it is related in any way to 98se2me. Hope this helps.

What I did to make CIP work: I've cut+pasted small fragments from HOSTS into CIP, and that way it didn't crash, but just like u said, it takes forever to check all those servers. That's why I've abandoned this altogether. With such a huge HOSTS [> 61000 servers], it won't matter if 100-200 are removed or not, the browser will take the same time to load the entire servers list anyway, so it's probably not worth checking. Can u post the link to the newer CIP version, please? Thanks.

If u want to cleanup, sort + alphabetize the HOSTS file [i presume it's the 1 I sent u a while back] and remove dead servers, d/l this ZIP [145 KB]:http://www.mdgx.com/files/HFT.ZIP Contains everything u need for this purpose. HOSTS guides + tools: http://www.mdgx.com/hosts.php Enjoy. BTW: When you're done cleaning your HOSTS file, can u send me a copy, please? Go to this page and click on the E-mail link: http://www.mdgx.com/form.htm Thanks in advance.

UPDATED Ultimate XP Theme [3 MB]: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#UXP Updates: * Replaced old XP saver [bliss.scr was not working anyway because needs missing bliss.avi file] with newer Xpize saver [xpixe.scr]. If u use XP/2003/Longhorn u can install Xpize [actually ver updated to 3.2]: http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=44022 D/l current ver 3.2 here: http://www.xpize.com/XPize_v3.2.exe * Replaced old XP wallpaper [bliss.bmp 800x600 from original WinXP setup CD] with newer Longhorn Aero wallpaper [xpaero.bmp 1024x768], also part of Xpize pack. Because newer files above are larger, file size increased to 3 MB [zipped using 7-zip for smallest file size in ZIP format]. To install the theme: 1. UnZIP using any archiving tool: http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#ZIP 2. (Double)-click on ULTIMXP.THEME inside theme folder [all files from ZIP must exist there] using Windows Explorer [or similar replacement] or File Manager [%windir%\WINFILE.EXE]. Will open in Desktop Themes tool [THEMES.EXE] which should be present in "C:\Program Files\Plus!" folder. Actually the Control Panel "stub" [%windir%\SYSTEM\THEMES.CPL] opens THEMES.EXE and displays/manages desktop themes. 3. Then click OK to use it. Default theme folder should be "C:\Program Files\Plus!\Themes\ULTIMXP", but not necessary. Files can reside anywhere, but must be all together in same folder. The 3 boot logos work only if copied manually to: - LOGO.SYS = C:\ root. - LOGOW.SYS + LOGOS.SYS = %windir% [usually C:\WINDOWS]. This *.THEME file is 100% compatible with Win98/98SE/ME. Do NOT try to install by running ultimxp.theme on 2000, XP, 2003 or Longhorn! Some Win98/ME theme components are NOT compatible with these OSes. If u use 2000/XP/2003/LH u can manually copy XPAERO.BMP + XPIZE.SCR to %windir% [usually C:\WINDOWS] and all *.WAV files to %windir%\MEDIA . Then u can copy XPICONS.DLL anywhere u want, as long as u remember the drive letter + folder name. Then to change a program's icon manually in 2000/XP/2003/LH: right-click on program's shortcut [*.LNK file] -> select Properties -> click Change Icon -> browse to the folder where xpicons.dll resides -> select the icon u like by double-clicking on it -> click OK/Apply twice. Enjoy.

miko: I've posted your MP3WMP9 script at my site: http://www.mdgx.com/wmp.htm#L3C File size [L3C.EXE] is 190 KB because I've added find.com, mem.exe + start.exe to the installer so people who deleted C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND and all its files, can still install this codec. Works also with Win98 FE + WinME. No need to d/l WMP10, the installer does everything, just d/l and run L3C.EXE. Contains also your guide in TXT format [L3CODECP.TXT], which automatically opens in Notepad when u run L3C.EXE. L3CODECP.TXT is installed in %windir% [usually C:\WINDOWS] for further reading. The Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs removal option deletes the TXT file too. The codec will be picked up by any DirectShow aware application/game that uses codecs/filters to play audio/video. Those include EAC + VirtualDub. Hope u like. Everybody: Enjoy.

Geocities URL doesn't work.I got reports from users that Geocities don't allow file d/l off their servers. If it's not too large in size, please send it to me [click on the E-mail link]: http://www.mdgx.com/form.htm This way I'll post your theme at my site [www.mdgx.com], so everybody can d/l it, and u can post the link anywhere u like.

Improved MODE.COM, also part of FreeDOS [65 KB, free GPL]: http://www.coli.uni-saarland.de/~eric/stuf...e-30nov2004.zip More info: http://www.freedos.org/freedos/software/ls...a=base/mode.lsm To learn how to use it, run: mode /? | more or: mode /? > modecmd.txt and then open modecmd.txt in Notepad. Works with any version of DOS + Windows 3.x/9x/ME. Doesn't probably work with WinNTx [NT/2000/XP/2003/Longhorn] because these OSes don't allow direct access to hardware the way DOS + Win9x/ME do. If using WinNTx u need its own mode.com found usually in %windir%\system32 . Hope this helps.

I use PowWeb for hosting my main site: http://www.mdgx.com/ for over 2 years. I am very pleased with their features + service. But that's me, I prefer *nix + php. BTW: they increased space + traffic limits [as of April 30 2005]: - 5 GB space - 10 GB/day = 300 GB/month traffic and the price remains the same: $7.77/month = $93.24/year.

Boot disks list: http://www.mdgx.com/drv.htm#CDR

1st impression direct download [2.45 MB]: http://www.funet.fi/pub/simtelnet/win95/desktop/1st250.zip Tx 4 the updates, guys.

Thanks for the KPF rules URL. Great find.I've added it to my KPF page: http://www.mdgx.com/fw.htm#MON

Do you mean making a transition to an MS-DOS state between windows tasks end down and the power goes off, or do you mean restarting or sort-of restarting in MS-DOS mode, with a set of batch files? Then how do run windows "from withion a batch file" if you exited windows? In my conception, you can run only DOS program in DOS, windows program require windows... or that means that windows is still active somehow... Unfortunately Chinese is not among the languages I speak. I meant native/pure/true MS-DOS, as in no WIN.COM leftover in memory nor vmm32. If u read the pages I linked in previous post, you can achieve that too. Necessary steps: 1. Move command.com from c:\windows to C:\ root. 2. Delete all files from C:\ root except autoexec.bat, config.sys, command.com, io.sys, msdos.sys, logo.sys and [if u like it like I do] winboot.ini: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip16.htm#WBINI and if u use NT4/2000/XP/2003/Longhorn [like I do], u also need to keep in C:\ root these other files: BOOT.INI, BOOTSECT.DOS, NTDETECT.COM, NTLDR and eventually CMLDR if u installed C:\cmdcons . If still using DOS 6.xx, u can also keep *.DOS + *.W40 files in C:\ root. 3. Change config.sys to include these lines [paths + files are mine, change to match yours]: SWITCHES=/F DOS=HIGH,UMB,AUTO DEVICE=C:\MAX\UMBPCI.SYS DEVICE=C:\MAX\HIRAM.EXE DEVICE=C:\MAX\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=120 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q DEVICEHIGH=C:\MAX\IFSHLP.SYS INSTALLHIGH=C:\MAX\SMARTDRV.EXE 10480 16 A- B- C+ D+ E+ F+ G+ H+ I+ /N /Q INSTALLHIGH=C:\MAX\NOOFF.COM BUFFERS=11,0 FILES=70 FCBS=1,0 LASTDRIVE=J STACKS=0,0 SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /P /F SET COUNTRY=001 SET PATH=C:\;C:\W98;C:\W98\SYSTEM;C:\BAT;C:\MAX;C:\ZIP;C:\3D;C:\SB16;D:\WMP;D:\WORDVIEW;..\ ACCDATE=C- D- E- F- U can find UMBPCI.SYS + HIRAM.EXE here: http://www.mdgx.com/umb.htm Note that I moved himem.sys, smartdrv.exe, emm386.exe, ifshlp.sys, dblbuff.sys, mscdex.exe from C:\windows and from C:\windows\command to C:\MAX . The line SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM /E:xxxx /P is *essential* for this to work. 4. D/l + install NOOFF.COM into config.sys [see this page: http://www.mdgx.com/98-4.htm#98ATX ] so when u exit Windows to native MS-DOS, it won't shut off your PC, but it will go to the plain C:\ prompt, with no Windows module in memory. 5. Modifiy your C:\msdos.sys [and/or C:\winboot.ini if u use it] to include these lines: [Options] AutoScan=0 BootDelay=0 BootGUI=0 BootKeys=1 BootMenu=0 BootMenuDefault=1 BootMenuDelay=0 BootMulti=1 BootWin=1 DblSpace=0 DisableLog=1 DoubleBuffer=0 DrvSpace=0 LoadTop=0 Logo=1 Network=1 SystemReg=0 Complete MSDOS.SYS reference: http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm Note that I've disabled scandisk upon boot, double buffer and registry scanner. 6. Autoexec.bat can be safely deleted, if u need SET <variable>=xxxxxxxx lines u can add them all to your config.sys instead. Example [most apply only to my computer]: SET PROMPT= [0;33mMDGx [1;m HI+UMB: [0;31mWin[1;mDO[0;31mw[1;mS [0;31m98 SE$_[36m$P$G SET WINPMT= [0;33mDOS box [1;m Hit Insert 2 ÄÙ 2 Windows$_[36m$P$G SET TEMP=D:\TEMP SET TMP=D:\TEMP SET PKTMP=D:\TEMP SET DOS16M=2 SET CLASSPATH="C:\W98\SYSTEM\QTJAVA.ZIP" SET QTJAVA="C:\W98\SYSTEM\QTJAVA.ZIP" SET MOUSE=C:\MAX SET COPYCMD=/Y SET DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P/V SET FX_GLIDE_NO_SPLASH=1 SET TZ=MST7MDT SET CTCM=C:\SB16 SET SOUND=C:\SB16 SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6 SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0 I do keep C:\autoexec.bat so I can run C:\WIN.BAT from it [see below for explanation]. My C:\autoexec.bat [paths + files apply only to my PC]: @CTTY NUL C:\3D\FASTVID.EXE 1X1 128 C0000000 LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\XMSDSK.EXE 81920 H: /T /Y IF NOT EXIST H:\TEMP\NUL MKDIR H:\TEMP IF NOT EXIST D:\TEMP\CACHE\NUL MKDIR D:\TEMP\CACHE LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\RECALL.COM -I LFNFOR ON SET PROMPT= [0;33mMDGx [1;m HI+UMB: [0;31mWin[1;mDO[0;31mw[1;mS [0;31m98 SE$_[36m$P$G SET WINPMT= [0;33mDOS box [1;m Hit Insert 2 ÄÙ 2 Windows$_[36m$P$G C:\SB16\CTCM.EXE /B C:\SB16\AWEUTIL.COM /S /EM:GM /R:0 /C:0 C:\SB16\MIXERSET.EXE /P /Q IF EXIST C:\CTPNP.CFG DEL C:\CTPNP.CFG C:\MAX\MODE.COM CON: RATE=32 DELAY=1 C:\MAX\ATTRIB.EXE +A -H -R -S C:\*.* IF EXIST C:\LOGO.SYS DEL C:\LOGO.SYS C:\MAX\PAPER.EXE F:\BMP\LOGO.ZIP C:\ZIP\PKUNZIP.EXE /NR IF EXIST C:\WALPAPER.BMP RENAME C:\WALPAPER.BMP LOGO.SYS SET TEMP=D:\TEMP SET TMP=D:\TEMP SET PKTMP=D:\TEMP SET DOS16M=2 SET CLASSPATH="C:\W98\SYSTEM\QTJAVA.ZIP" SET QTJAVA="C:\W98\SYSTEM\QTJAVA.ZIP" SET MOUSE=C:\MAX SET COPYCMD=/Y SET DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P/V SET FX_GLIDE_NO_SPLASH=1 SET TZ=MST7MDT SET CTCM=C:\SB16 SET SOUND=C:\SB16 SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6 SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0 LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\CTMOUSE.EXE /P /R44 CTTY CON @ECHO OFF TYPE C:\BAT\KEY.TXT CLS ECHO [1;30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛ[31m Windows 98 SE + MS-DOS 7.10 [34mÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ C:\WIN.BAT 7. Optional: u can use my modded WIN.COM to exit to native MS-DOS [only if NOOFF.COM is already loaded in memory] even when u run: RUNDLL.EXE USER.EXE,ExitWindowsExec If u decide to use my modded win.com, the only way to reboot your PC now is to run this command: RUNDLL32 %windir%\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL,SHExitWindowsEx 2 Complete guide here: http://www.mdgx.com/98-4.htm#98ATX 8. If u followed all steps so far, you will be able to boot to native MS-DOS instead of Windows UI, and then u can run WIN.COM or WIN.BAT [i mentioned it in previous post] to load Windows. Example of WIN.BAT, which in my case must reside in C:\ root [paths + files apply only to my PC]: @CTTY NUL VER | FIND.EXE/I " 98" IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO NX MEM.EXE/C | FIND.EXE/I "vmm32" IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO NX IF NOT EXIST F:\BMP\1024.ZIP GOTO N0 IF NOT EXIST F:\BMP\WALPAPER.BMP GOTO N0 F: CD\BMP IF EXIST C:\MAX\RAM\PAPER.EXE C:\MAX\RAM\PAPER.EXE F:\BMP\1024.ZIP C:\ZIP\PKUNZIP.EXE /NR IF EXIST C:\MAX\RAM\OMBRA.EXE C:\MAX\RAM\OMBRA.EXE /Q /S F:\BMP\WALPAPER.BMP :N0 MEM.EXE/C | FIND.EXE/I "NOOFF" IF ERRORLEVEL 1 LOADHIGH=C:\MAX\RAM\NOOFF.COM IF NOT EXIST D:\TEMP\CACHE\NUL MKDIR D:\TEMP\CACHE C: CD\ @CTTY CON @ECHO OFF IF EXIST C:\BAT\KEY98.TXT TYPE C:\BAT\KEY98.TXT IF EXIST %winbootdir%\WIN.COM %winbootdir%\WIN.COM %1 %2 %3 IF EXIST C:\MAX\SMARTDRV.EXE C:\MAX\SMARTDRV.EXE /C CLS ECHO [1;30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛ[31m Native MS-DOS 7.10 Mode ACTIVE ! [34mÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[34mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[30mÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ECHO ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ[0;m IF EXIST C:\BAT\KEY.TXT TYPE C:\BAT\KEY.TXT @CTTY NUL C: CD\ :NX @CTTY CON @ECHO OFF EXIT Note that ECHO colored code above needs ANSI.SYS [or better replacement] loaded in config.sys. NANSI.SYS is the best + fastest: NANSI.SYS v4.0a 16-bit DOS ANSI CONsole Driver Accelerator TSR fastest and most versatile Microsoft ANSI.SYS replacement for MS-DOS 5/6 and Windows 9x/ME with built-in support for key remapping [also part of FreeDOS: http://www.freedos.org/]: http://www.kegel.com/nansi/ Direct download [59 KB, free GPL]: http://www.coli.uni-sb.de/~eric/stuff/soft...rs/nansi40a.zip Uses 3.2 KB of upper DOS RAM if loaded with DEVICEHIGH in CONFIG.SYS (upper memory manager required in CONFIG.SYS). NANSI.SYS ASCII sequences can be used to create colorful DOS prompts, start ANY DOS/Windows program at the touch of a key by remapping ANY keys on ANY 101 (or more keys) enhanced keyboard etc. See "F1-F12 Remapping = MS-DOS Mode + ANSI Driver" in DOSTIPS.TXT (part of W95-11D.EXE) for details. I'm doing this since Win95 FE came out, and works with ALL Win9x releases, even up to WinME, but only if u modded WinME [a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00] boot files to allow access to native MS-DOS: Unofficial Windows ME Real DOS-Mode Patch v1.3 16-bit modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) and REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to reenable native MS-DOS boot option and use custom AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files (the Windows 95/98 style) to run MS-DOS based apps/games that do NOT work from a Windows DOS session: http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/ Direct download [9 KB, freeware]: http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/mfddme13.zip HowTo Guide: http://www.dewassoc.com/support/winme/real_dos.htm More info: http://users.iafrica.com/c/cq/cquirke/me-dos.htm See MEMORY.TXT (part of W95-11D.EXE) for complete memory management guidelines, and learn how to tweak your AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS to free MAXimum conventional DOS memory. When I say I exit Windows to native MS-DOS, I don't mean to run "Exit To DOS.PIF", which only starts a new command.com instance, and leaves WIN.COM in memory. From this MS-DOS prompt [almost native MS-DOS, but not quite ] u can return to Windows UI by simply typing EXIT and hitting Enter. Details on how this works here: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip10.htm#EXIT2DOS Conclusion: I boot to native/pure/true/real MS-DOS mode. I start Windows 98SE from C:\WIN.BAT. I exit Windows back to native/pure/true/real MS-DOS mode by simply shutting it down normally. I reload Windows UI from C:\WIN.BAT as many times as I want, without rebooting. Hope this helps.

Because TPF + KPF [old 2.xx versions] are so small and simple, they are in my experience the fastest and take up the least memory. As for CPU time, most firewalls I've tried are similar. I have tried @ some point in time [all freeware versions]: - ZoneAlarm - Outpost - TPF 2.1x - KPF 2.1x [freeware] + 4.xx [time limited shareware] - Sygate - Omniquad - Securepoint - Primedius My favorite, for simplicity + speed is KPF 2.15 , which is same as TPF 2.15. Note that KPF 2.15 has newer [cleaner] code than TPF 2.15. Tiny sold the 2.xx firewall code to Kerio, who later developed KPF 4.xx [became shareware since 3.6]. Tiny took a different route, and now produces TPF 6.0 [only for Win2000/XP/2003/Longhorn].