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defuser

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Posts posted by defuser

  1. 2 hours ago, Dušan Vićić said:

    it would be great to have a software that mimics mouse movement by just a keyboard shortcut, and that is compatible for 98/ME... With that, it can complete faster...

    That's a good idea. I'll give it a try, but if I can't find a complete solution to this problem (and I still haven't given up hope), there's not much else I can do. I already have the "RECORDER" tool from Windows 3x, which allows me to record and play back any actions with a high level of accuracy (including mouse movements) and reproduce them in the same sequence. It works well in Windows 98 (although I'm not sure why Microsoft didn't include this useful tool in Windows 9x and later versions). About once every few days, I check RAMDRV64, which is used by several programs that are writing to it at the same time, causing occasional cross-writes that are successfully corrected by ScanDisk (restoring lost free space). Over time, these "mouse movements" become somewhat tedious. Therefore, it is important to me. Thank you!

  2. On 1/4/2026 at 9:06 PM, pangoomis said:

    Is this fixed in Windows ME's Scandskw.exe?

    I don't have Windows ME on bare metal right now to test this. However, on Windows ME running in Virtual PC, the behavior of "SCANDSKW" is similar, and the effect is quite good:

    spacer.png

    This provides a clear demonstration of the change in write speed during disk surface scanning, where:

    "1" - when the SCANDSKW window is in the background;
    "2" - when the SCANDSKW window is active;
    "3" - when intensive mouse movements occur above the active SCANDSKW window.

  3. As you know, the speed of ScanDisk under Windows 9x depends on the intensity of mouse movement. I made a short recording demonstrating this effect:

    ScanDisk3.gif.f412869d6338a2b66f6ebb4fdb7d91f0.gif

    As you can see in the recording, the speed of the scan increases significantly when you move the mouse. The question is, is it possible to fix this behavior so that the scan always runs at maximum speed and is not affected by mouse movement? Thank you.

  4. I would also like to add that during further research, I discovered that "AHCICD" and "AHCIWRAP" (both  of these drivers individually) support on-the-fly loading through "DEVLOAD.COM" at any convenient time  when needed (they do not need to be loaded through CONFIG.SYS). However, I was unable to do anything  with "GCDROM.SYS" (it seems that it requires a pure SATA connection without AHCI, or my controller is  not yet compatible with it, or there may be something else entirely). But since "AHCIWRAP.SYS" has  already fixed the issue mentioned in the topic title, I have added "[SOLVED]" there. Thank you all.

  5. 6 hours ago, SweetLow said:

    Is something else on this AHCI controller? Especially BIOS controlled drives.

    Yes, there is always at least 1 disk (the system disk) present in the BIOS (it's bootable). There might be something else besides it. I'll check it out.

    update: I checked the BIOS, and there's only the system SSD and this disk drive (NEC). Only 4 devices are physically connected (including the disk drive).

  6. Hello. I've encountered a problem where the CD-ROM works fine in early DOS (before WINDOWS starts), but stops working completely in late DOS (after exiting WINDOWS). Regardless of when MSCDEX is loaded, attempting to access the contents of the CD results in the following error:

    "CDR103: CDROM not High Sierra or ISO-9660 format reading drive J
    Abort, Retry, Fail?"

    I am using the AHCICD 1.1 driver (By Rudolph R. Loew) + MSCDEX 2.95 (By Microsoft Corp). In CONFIG.SYS: "DEVICEHIGH=AHCICD.SYS /D:OEMCD001", and to call MSCDEX the line is used "MSCDEX /D:OEMCD001 /L:J" (AUTOEXEC.BAT or other place). Have you already faced this problem, is it possible to fix it? Thank you.

  7. On 7/14/2025 at 5:24 PM, schwups said:

    NewMoon (sqlite 3.50.1) - moreover broken :

    - direct input URL
    - all Dev tools missing except "page source" in menu on second browser start

    A message appears below Tab bar in Newmoon Browser on start "The bookmarks and history system will not be functional, because one of New Moon's files is in use by another application. Some security software can cause this problem." - Of course, certainly not the reason here

     

    The replace of the two files of release 20250531 seem to be harmless and doesn't cause new problems so far.  

    I confirm that this behavior has been observed in the latest NewMoon.

     By the way, does anyone have the "Speedometer 2.0" test fully completed in Roytam1 browsers (in any of them)?
    https://browserbench.org/Speedometer2.0/

    I have this test fully passed in Mypal 29.3.0 from Feodor2, whereas in any browser from Roytam1 the test is not fully passed, for example, in IceApe (any version) somewhere at the very end the browser freezes and hangs in memory until you close it via Process Exlorer. Is it just me or is this the standard behavior? Sorry if this question has already been solved\discussed.

  8. That's right, I've already checked it. In "palemoon-28" (From 2025.05.31) and "basilisk52" (From 2025.05.31), the files are downloading correctly. I've added them to my programs. Thank you. As you mentioned, this is the cause of the new problem: "- import from UXP: No issue - Update SQLite lib to 3.50.1 and require it as syslib. (5ae40cfe) (6c4f2fc44)" For some reason, this new "SQLite 3.50.1" can't work properly anymore. What is missing? I also tested it on a clean version of XP (SP2, from 2004), and there was no issue. Dependency Walker under Windows 98 doesn't show any new dependencies for "mozsqlite3.dll," and I didn't notice any new requirements for "xul.dll." Is there any internal fundamental change in "SQLite" itself that doesn't take into account the features of 9x? I don't understand, as I'm not very familiar with all of this. For now, I'll stick to the previous (stable) versions.

     

    1 hour ago, schwups said:

    After a further check, I realised that at least "Restore Previous Session, Recently Closed Tabs and Recently Closed Windows" still works with IceApe and Newmoon here. :) So I see a different behaviour to Serpent.

     

    How did you manage to do this? In IceApe, it only works after rolling back the two files mentioned earlier.

  9. 24 minutes ago, schwups said:

    For me IceAPE-UXP is really not my first choice, because of the 0bit download problem. Or is there a fix out there?

    No. I use a temporary workaround - when I need to download something, I copy the download link to another program (for example, Mypal29 or OperaPresto 12.02). I assume that Serpent/Newmoon doesn't have this error? Well, that's quite interesting, and I'll try it out.

  10. The problem is completely solved. Everything turned out to be banally simple: to correctly update the  product to a more recent version, it is not enough to replace "RAMDRV4M.PDR" in the "IOSUBSYS" folder.  In order for the update to pass correctly, you first had to delete the controller in the device manager,  as well as "RAMDRV4M.PDR", perform a reboot. Install the new version "cleanly". Only after doing all  this together did the problem finally fully go away. Currently, performing a "hot reboot"  (shift+restart) and the "exit Windows" procedure works correctly, without the need for user  intervention. Thank you all.

  11. On 16 Ôåâðàëü 2025 ã. at 10:07 PM, SweetLow said:

    >1. Due how the IOS works, there is two consecutive
    >blue screens with warning on exit to DOS when a swap file is located
    >on RAM Drive. This behavior is non-specific to RAMDRV4M.

    Yes, it is stable and reproduces for me, if you move the paging file (WIN386.SWP) to "RAMDISK64". Only I don't have a blue screen, but a black one and only the white wand flashes. And in order to continue, you need to double-click any button on the keyboard, after which the exit/restart procedure continues as usual. At the same time, the keyboard must be connected to the PS/2, or to a USB port managed by the CSM. Since reinitialization of the USB controller after the WINDOWS driver occurs at the DOSSTART.BAT processing stage (But not before), and this is one of the subsequent stages. The need to press a key occurs precisely at the most inconvenient moment when the WINDOWS driver has been successfully unloaded and no LONGER works, and the CSM BIOS driver has STILL not turned on and re-activated the USB. Therefore, I had to refrain from the beautiful idea of "Paging file in x64 RAM" at the moment (This role is not so bad performed by SSD). Although the idea itself is quite attractive (In everything else), I tested it and, in addition to the obvious speed advantage, it can also save the SSD from unnecessary procedures for overwriting the drive cells (Which is also quite useful for SSDs and other solid-state media). In general, you need some kind of workaround that automates the keystroke procedure (especially for new systems without PS/2 support), both when you exit Windows and during a hot reboot (SHIFT+Restart). Or a fundamental bug fix (this doesn't happen with regular disks). Well, or the third possible solution is to find a way to initialize the "Legacy USB" at a slightly earlier stage, so that the USB keyboard would ALREADY work at the time of this error (Unloading the WINDOWS driver and IMMEDIATELY after this initialization of the CSM USB). But how to do this, so far there are no ideas. And yes, the problem is clearly beyond the scope of "RAMDRV4M", but it is also impossible not to mention this separately here.

  12. On 30 Ìàðò 2025 ã. at 11:05 PM, SweetLow said:

    Just call original WININIT.EXE from fake one.

    Yes. It worked! Thanks for the tip.

    I used a tiny program "BAT2EXEC", from here:
    http://web.archive.org/web/20060512120615/http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/simtelnet/msdos/batchutl/bat2ex15.zip
    Mention of this wonderful program was found there: https://www.mdgx.com/newtip14.htm

    Combined in one BAT file a call to the original "WININIT.EXE" + "UserProg.EXE" (following it) and converted using "BAT2EXEC" to a single file, giving it the name "WININI1.EXE". Corrected and "WIN.COM" (What would be the new one "WININI1.EXE" called instead of the original one "WININIT.EXE"). As a result of all these actions, during a hot reboot, if "WININIT.INI" is found in the folder "C:\WINDOWS" - then run first "WININI1.EXE", which first calls the genuine original "WININIT.EXE" and he works out as usual, and after him immediately enters the game already and "UserProg.EXE", producing useful action. Not exactly a perfect design, but at least that's how it works.

    So now, as they say, both hares are whole and wolves are full :)

    I will generally observe. I hope that everything will work correctly from now on.

    PS: Yes, you're probably right. But for some reason, Google sent me here with my question (And I thought that maybe we should not duplicate discussions that were previously created by other participants, but instead supplement existing ones?). But if this is somehow not good - then okay, it's not difficult for me to create a new topic next time.

  13. Is it possible to execute a user script or EXE file during a hot reboot? This is when the usual "Restart" is selected in the menu, while holding down the "SHIFT" key (Sometimes the OS itself also chooses this simplified method of rebooting). I always assumed that "DOSSTART.BAT" is also processed there (just like when exiting in DOS), but it turned out that it is not. Called only "WININIT.EXE", and then only if "WININIT.INI" exists next to it (you need to create it again each time). However, I didn't find any convenient way to call the EXE file from "WININIT.INI". The rough approach is to replace "WININIT.EXE" to any other EXE that needs to be executed by giving it this name and placing "WININIT.INI" next to it. And this method works. However, this also loses useful functionality (necessary for the system to work properly, as well as for installed programs and drivers). Maybe there is some more elegant way to execute the necessary code (BAT or EXE) during a hot reboot (But only necessarily at an early stage, before starting the WINDOWS kernel and GUI)? Thank you.

  14. Result:

    http://sweetlow.orgfree.com/download/usb20_win9x.zip
    - from cold start - it works fine
    - after exiting to DOS - it doesn't work
    - after returning to WINDOWS (with the EXIT command) - it works fine

    http://sweetlow.orgfree.com/download/usbehci.zip
    - from cold start - it works fine
    - after exiting to DOS - it doesn't work
    - after returning to WINDOWS (with the EXIT command) - does not work

    But there is good news. I found a workaround to enable the mouse (The keyboard is connected to the second port managed by CSM and it works correctly everywhere and always). And so, after the first cold boot in DOS, I saved PCI registers for the USB controller on which the mouse is installed (USB1_GOOD.TXT):

    Quote

    Type:PCI Seg 00 Bus 00 Dev 1A Fun 00
    Offset:0000 Width:01
    86 80 2D 8C 06 00 90 02 04 20 03 0C 00 00 00 00 
    00 30 40 F7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 34 17 EA 11 
    00 00 00 00 50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0A 01 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 0D 15 0F 1D 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    01 58 C2 C9 00 00 00 00 0A 98 A0 20 00 00 00 00 
    20 20 FF 07 00 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 05 20 0A C0 
    00 00 DD 3F 30 0F 00 00 4F 01 00 00 8C 40 00 00 
    00 00 80 00 11 88 0C 93 70 0D 00 24 01 04 02 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 13 00 06 03 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 AA FF 00 00 00 DD DF 27 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 3C 5E 7F CB 
    00 00 00 00 88 85 80 00 B1 0F 06 08 08 17 1A 20 
    -NEXT-

    And then, booted into WINDOWS. Exit to DOS. The mouse immediately went out (Stopped working). Then I ran RU.EXE and I applied all these data (Which are given above) and the mouse immediately lit up (Earned). This means that the mouse and keyboard just need to be initialized automatically after exiting to DOS via DOSSTART.BAT. And the problem will be completely solved.

    Content "USB1_BAD.TXT":

    Quote

    Type:PCI Seg 00 Bus 00 Dev 1A Fun 00
    Offset:0000 Width:01
    86 80 2D 8C 06 00 90 02 04 20 03 0C 00 00 00 00 
    00 30 40 F7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 34 17 EA 11 
    00 00 00 00 50 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0A 01 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 DB 05 D6 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    01 58 C2 C9 00 00 00 00 0A 98 A0 20 00 00 00 00 
    20 20 FF 07 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 01 00 20 04 00 
    00 00 DF 3F 30 0F 00 00 4F 01 00 00 8C 40 00 00 
    00 00 80 00 11 88 0C 93 70 0D 00 24 01 04 02 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 13 00 06 03 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 00 AA FF 00 00 00 DD DF 27 00 00 00 
    00 00 00 00 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 3C 5E 7F CB 
    00 00 00 00 88 85 80 00 B1 0F 06 08 08 17 1A 20 
    -NEXT-

    By the way, when the controller is running, these digits "0D 15 0F 1D" are constantly changing. And when the controller does not work, they freeze and stand still (DB 05 D6 1F). After applying data from "USB1_GOOD.TXT" these numbers come to life again and start moving. Mouse working!

  15. Quote

    This is a very good, stable EHCI driver. I use it for a long time, there are no complaints (serious). Moreover, it turned out to be useful not only for Windows 98, but also helped to solve the problem of "jumping" or halving the frequency of USB port polling in Windows XP (USBEHCI.SYS) on one of the problematic configurations. My only wish is to improve support for real DOS mode as much as possible. Now, after exit to DOS, the keyboard and mouse connected to the EHCI controller that this driver is installed on in Windows 98 do not work. And in order to continue working (type something on the keyboard), you now need to switch the keyboard to the second USB controller, which is controlled by CSM (only a dummy driver is installed on it). And after exiting DOS (Returning to WINDOWS with the "EXIT" command), the driver works as if nothing had happened. That is, it is not correctly unloaded (It does not transfer control back to the CSM BIOS). And this is the only small (Since there is a working workaround), but still very desirable improvement at the moment. Otherwise, everything works very smoothly (Other options I tried either did not work at all, or worked very crookedly, or required pulling the system floor from Windows ME). And this is the most compact and versatile option that does not require making deep changes to the original Windows 98.

  16. 55 minutes ago, SweetLow said:

    And why did you ask solution without having problem?

    I'm focusing on choosing the right hardware for the new configuration, and I came to ask if there is a solution to this problem. The choice depends on it. If there is a solution, then it will be one piece of hardware (later). And if there is no solution, then it will be a completely different hardware (earlier). Such things you want to know in advance, so as not to make a mistake and make the right choice.

  17. 15 minutes ago, SweetLow said:

    It is only half of test. Do Windows load successfully after that?

    On the current hardware (Without VCACHE error) - loaded successfully. For reliability, it would be necessary to check this on the problem hardware (Which is subject to this error), but I don't have it at hand at the moment.

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