Fredledingue

DeXter, Everything you say about XP is correct but implementing all the examples given above, are far more complicated than on w98. Practicaly, on XP you must run with two user logins: one for normal tasks and one for repair, program install, etc Switching on and off services is fine theoricaly, but disabling anything that seemed useless to me prevented my internet connection whatever I tried to do. -> You need realy advanced knowledge to work with that. Finaly I made my way through with SafeXP. It remains that the notion of services is another layer of complication. You mentioned power management. On one hand, true: XP has a more reliable power management: On w98, I have experienced dead computer screen after 2 hours idle. On the other hand, W98 beats XP the hell out at boot time. You said XP wakes up from hybernate in 30 sec? My w98 system reboots entirely in almost the same time. I don't hesitate to reboot my machine when something goes slow: it's barely more annoying than, say, a slow internet forum server. And for shutting down: I don't even have the time to get off my chair. So yes, it's possible to zip/rar system files on XP but I seriousely doubt that some one without a professional education in Windows XP will reliably repair a system by simply uncompressing the files down into it. You will say "you just to do this and this". Then it doesn't work because, in your case, you also need to turn off this and this, etc ad infinitum. Now that Vista is out, I realize that XP was not so bad after all (Vista being the nail on the coffin for me - This and Internet 2.0). But I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like non-sens and uselessly complicated stuffs. XP is full of it. Vista even more. I'm going to tell you what you can do on w98 and can't do with XP, as an example of why complication hurts: Typing quickely and without mistake the full path of a file located in "My Document". (I mean hand typing, not copy-paste, Heh.) Good luck with this one. That's the kind of stuff that's killing me. Now with Vista I'v read that they came with "virtual" folders (as if a folder was not virtual already), folders that don't exist but are links, well, that made me so sick that I even didn't try to understand. In a nutshell: W98 is the "Do it yourself" OS while XP is the "Contact your network manager" OS. (The "get your stinky fingers off the keyboard, your ignorant n00b and Contact your network manager" OS)

I recommand USP 3.0 for 98 SE (aka "98 SE SP2 3.0 Alpha 2 Test ") because I'v it installed but other autopatcher can be good too.

Ok, let's start from the noobiest advice: What the "Settings" tab on "Display Properties" is showing? eg "True Color", "256 colors"...?

Sfor, If you can make ARJ use LFN under Dos without difficulties, that's of course a good solution. Repairing unbootable system is a good reason for that. I see that we have different goal and different aproach: Your goal is a complete system repair, without risk of "forgeting" stuffs behind, and for a more professional use. My goal is rather anable a quick fix and fast restore-point back ups without, I admit, the garantee that all problem will be fixed. I'm not building a tool which I would use for professional purpose, like you. Indeed partial back up is very complicated. The advantage I'm looking for is to be able to run the system back up often (like every week) without losing too much time, then not being obliged to roll back one year the day the system needs to be restored. Also to be able to restore the system quickely and often with or without windows running, with or without even restarting. Hence the partial back-ups and partial restores. I also plan to let the user choose which files to restore or delete, from which date etc.... when the system file restore utility will be ready. At this time I'm still testing and improving the back up utility only. It works fine. Today I'v backed up the new installation of The Gimp + other stuffs (thousands of files). I just had to add a progressbar, beside that it was working very well. Just a question, Which file are necessary to keep for restarting in DOS mode? Because I guess, these files cannot be restored, replaced or modified while DOS is running (which means never).

I see. Anyway, you still could create empty long-named files to be overwritten in the new folder.

I still didn't test you software, sfor. Did you make a new version since you sent it to me? There is a simple solution for the long filename and using hta in dos mode, in fact very simple: If the file exists hta will overwrite it under the long filename eventhought it has only the shortname as an information. This if the file with the long name has the same short name than the file to restore. But most of the time it's the case. If the file doesn't exists then write a fake file while still under Windows and hta will overwrite it in DOS mode. Like this you can get a full restore before Windows restarts but you need Windows running before starting or at least befopre preparing the DOS script.

I think it's because they don't want to be bored with error feedbacks or questions from programmers who would use the infos. Avoiding error complains and reducing consumer support is the main reason why they block the driver installation under w98 and below.

I have smashed the front cover out of my case because of such issues (The tray wouldn't open etc) Now the cover hangs from the power button wire.

Oh, thanks! I'v been looking for it for ages. For Win Xp there is another method but that doesn't work on w98. And no one talks about w98 methods. CSIDL are way too complicated. I never had anything working with it.

Ok, ... When you run any update proposed by MDGx (except these two), at the end of the process there is the message box reading: "You must REBOOT NOW for the update to take effect" then, a second message box reading: "Do you want to restart your computer now?" with "Yes" and "No" buttons. If you press "Yes" the computer will restart. With KERNELUP and EXPLOR98 intallers there is only the "You must REBOOT NOW for the update to take effect" message then nothing. There is no Yes/No message box to restart the computer. Of course, as you have been warned to reboot your computer, you will eventualy do it by pressing the "start" button, but as this is extremely important it's safer to add the shut down dialog box, or not to forget it.

KERNELUP and EXPLOR98 intallers will show the "You must REBOOT NOW" warning, but it's not followed by the "Do you want to restart your computer now?" dialog which actualy restart the computer.

There is no way to determine the Program Files folder on W98 with VB script. It seems there is no record of the Program Files location on a w98 system. That's basicaly what I did. Instead of re-registering each dll, I restored a back up of the registry, which had the same effect.

After installing Unofficial MSE 5.7 (see quote box below), HTA applications always return errors such as "MySubXyz" Undefined or become irresponding. VBS scripts seem to work properly. I think it's a registry issue because restoring related files (or those I thought were related - about a dozen) didn't solve the problem. The problem was solved only after restoring old files and restoring the registry to a prior day. Second problem: The uninstaller, used from the Control Panel's "Install/Uninstall Program" interface, returned an error: "C:\Windows\System\wshcon.dll" was not installed or is corrupted. And in fact the file wshcon.dll didn't exist at this time. Uninstalling MSE 5.7 didn't solve the problem. Reinstalling WSH 5.6 didn't solve the problem neither. I restored the file with the help of my Installed File Checker (which is a HTA application but...HOO!Hah!.. the core VBS script that it uses can work without the HTA!) and the files saved with my Installed File BackUp utility. But as I said, only after I restored the registry, the problem was fixed. My system is w98se uSP3.0 Beta2 + various updates. Installation of MSE 5.7 was done normaly according to instructions (reboot). Here is the update in question:

Remove the floppy drive and test it on another computer. Nothing from what I'v read above proves that the floppy drive is working properly. Maybe it works only unproperly. More puzzling is that you got the same error message when attempting to boot from the bootable CD-R. Here again it's not a scientific proof that the floppy drive is working, but rather that such type of boot disk (on CD-RW on top of that) is not compatible with your system. If the floppy drive is not working it will explain many things. I'v replaced my floppy drive twice already. And one week before I did, it was also still working. Hardware problem are those we loose the most time on because we thing they are software problems. HTH

That's surprising because, normaly, when you boot on the floppy, it should work no matter what's on drives other than A:. I can see either a hardware defect (floppy drive or memory) or the floppy disk damaged/unreadable.

After formating C:, you don't need to restart your computer (It obviousely won't show much). Just go to the drive containing the Windows 98 installation files, for example D: if the installation CD-Rom is inserted into the D: drive, then type setup. Then sit down back on your chair, relax and read the Windows98 "new" features. now because you have reformated already, I suggest that you restart your PC with the boot floppy inserted, and do as above (without re-reformating).

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I thought Avira AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic 7 was not compatible with w98, that the LAST version was 6.x.x.x.x.

Why do we have two IE updaters: IEUPD and MDIE6CU with apparently the same new files (last additions) in them?

Reinstall w98 as usual, then run one of these "service pack" here, in the Unofficial Win98 SE Service Pack forum. I recommand for w98se, 98 SE SP 3.0 ALPHA 2 . This should give you with the most essential updates for your system.

Create a new start up disk. I forgot how this can be done thought...

Cons: You have to read the "How to use" before because it's not obvious to copy-paste file by draging them with the right button of the mouse pressed. There is no "Total Copy" menu in the normal mouse right button context menu, but there is one when you drag-drop with the right button. (Something I didn't know before). It would be better to have a Total Copy and then a Total Paste context menu, because I like to go to the folder where I want to copy the files to. Especialy for mass displacements. There is also a limitation of 256 items you can select at a time (but you can select one folder with 100,000 items in it if you want). This is a Windows limitation with every drag-drop operation, not a Total Copy limitation. Pro: I didn't use it very often (I don't move hundreds of Mb everyday) but the few times I used it, it was perfect. The speed limit is very useful if you want to work on other tasks. Thought you have to set it pretty low if you want to watch a divx movue in the meantime. But the pause button is a must. If you need to urgently free resources during the transfer, it's the solution. I never used in error recovery mode.

I strongly recommand Total Copy http://www.ranvik.net/totalcopy/

The best way is indeed simply copy the windows folder somewhere else. (use tcopy) Then moving files back in dos mode in case of problem. You can also extract individual files from cabs on the original w98 CD using extract.exe but that's more complicated than simply moving the files and you won't have the last one installed.

Sorry, I found it indeed. I must have mistyped user32.dll when I searched for it.