soporific

If you are sure all the hardware is still 100%, it's definitely the drivers you are trying ... can't you pin down ones that may not be the latest, but were known to work sometime in the past? If that doesn't work, then accept that the new OS may as well go on. re: NEWS - a snippet from the first post: * the modules are getting themselves reorganized: - the Windows Installer module has been renamed to Windows Essential Components and contains: Windows Installer v2, Force ASPI 1.7 (WNASPI32.DLL 4.60.1021), Windows Networking Tool, and QFEchkup (more maybe added later). They will not have optional status as i think they are all necessary and safe to run in all circumstances. With ASPI, if you have the later version of the dll, it will simply report that the update has been superceeded, and if you don't have it you may as well get it. - i'm thinking of adding shockwave and flash to Windows optional components (or i may resurrect the 3rd party apps module) - any comments?

i was looking for a way to tell the Windows installer to check to see if the INF file i'm just about to install has already been installed. I know how to use a REG file to check to see if something is installed, AP uses that quite a bit, i want to know how to do the exact same thing with an INF file only. We have to be able to back out of the entire installation if the check isn't satisfied, so i can't think how to use a reg file in that way. all i know is how to call it, but the INF still does the rest of the installation regardless of the result of the reg file.

thanks for that ... download locations: v1.22 - zip file v1.22 - exe only difference between 1.21 and 1.22 is the fixed text strings.

Thanks for all that, i am slowly getting there - i have now written an INF file to install this and give an easier uninstall option - the only thing is it doesn't protect the user against accidently installing the update twice, and completely stuffing things up. What have i left out of this INF file to stop this happening? Any help much appreciated!

I was searching this thread for the answer to this *exact* question ... any clues, ideas, links, complete answers handed on a platter?

SubMix8c, i made all the changes to the code as i said i would, but it looks like there's gotta be quite a bit more. I had to fix quite a few things just to get to the first menu, and these were all by-pass hacks. I had turned off the 4DOS message in the first bat file, but i've turned it back on! You're going to have to present a fait accompli type solution for me to 'officially' support it. I would love to support 4DOS but i have bigger fish to fry and too many cooks aint going to spoil this broth so your welcome to step up to the stove anytime.... just leave all the analogies to me No, it's better to leave it in for all those who aren't conscious of the need to NOT visit WU. Just the info that is included is reason to keep it in for the medium term. Yep you're right, it's a very poor install method to hope to overwrite files in use. I will put my new found INF knowledge to good use and make a proper one. If MDGx hasn't already beat me to it. The last time i looked he hadn't. Can you be more specific with your suggestions about what should be optional? You can't have enough flexibility with a project like this so i agree but please stick your neck out some more and suggest a list of candidates to be moved to optional status. We all promise not to succumb to temptation to cut it off. Yep i think you mean 1.96 -- and the newbie mixer avatar dude is right, v1.95 files are all you need to make the ultimate re-installation CD. Haha... We all had to go thru that stage ... so suffer!! ... OK i'll be good and let you know that if you go to 'My Controls' - Edit Profile Information and and some text to 'Custom member title' it will replace 'Newbie' until such time as you have posted enough posts to be able to let your real status show. I think you lose it at 50. But then you'll be 'junior' which will suit you much better !! geez i crack myself up ...

have a browse thru the links in my sig.

I dunno if you're going to find an all-in-one registry file, but having easy access to each individual one is good enough isn't it? see the fourth link in my signature.

The following is already in the latest version of the UBCD - (autopatch.txt in the root directory) but here it is in all its glory... the next version of Auto-Patcher will actually be substantially different, the following is for v1.95 files. You will also want to include the Win98toME Standalone hotfix that i've created (see the thread for it) - it belongs in [List15] PS - let me say that watching Windows 98 setup 'swallow' all the updates you apply with this method really made me amazed that it took them all. Especially when desktop1.bat is running (this is after the desktop loads for the first time) ... it does soooo many, especially if you also pack in 3rd party apps like i do .. then it finally reboots (about 15 mins later!) and then the reboot goes on forever to the point you think something is wrong, but no, finally the desktop loads and then desktop2.bat runs and it does it all over again !! And then its all finished. I installed Auto-Patcher and ran the report and all the updates were found. The first time i checked i was amazed. I was certain that the OS had simply been overwhelmed by all the updates that it didn't do some. I now look at Windows 98 with a little more respect than i did before. This is what made me realise than i was probably being over-cautious with all the reboots in Auto-Patcher. Hence my pledge to cut the number in half. Instructions on how to use all the files from Auto-Patcher to make your perfect re-installation CD. 1) copy the following list of files into the appropriate directory: (see appendix below) * [list 1] files go into \copyover\directx * [list 2] " " \copyover\hotfixes * [list 3] " " \copyover\IEsetup * [list 4] " " \copyover\INF * [list 5] " " \copyover\registry * [list 6] " " \copyover\switchls * [list 7] " " \copyover\mdac * [list 8] " " \copyover\wmp * [list 9] " " \install1\hotfixes * [list 10] " " \install1\registry * [list 11] " " \install1\switchls * [list 12] " " \install2\hotfixes * [list 13] " " \install2\INF * [list 14] " " \install2\registry * [list 15] " " \install2\switchls 2) that's it. You can now delete any files you don't wish to install and then test your CD out! APPENDIX [list 1] - all files from the directx folder in auto-patcher go here EXCEPT d3dx9_32.exe Apr2005_d3dx9_25_x86.cab Apr2006_d3dx9_30_x86.cab Apr2006_MDX1_x86.cab Apr2006_MDX1_x86_Archive.cab Apr2006_XACT_x86.cab Apr2006_xinput_x86.cab Aug2005_d3dx9_27_x86.cab AUG2006_XACT_x86.cab AUG2006_xinput_x86.cab BDA.cab Dec2005_d3dx9_28_x86.cab DEC2006_d3dx10_00_x86.cab DEC2006_d3dx9_32_x86.cab DEC2006_XACT_x86.cab DirectX.cab DSETUP.dll dsetup32.dll dxdllreg_x86.cab dxsetup.exe dxupdate.cab Feb2005_d3dx9_24_x86.cab Feb2006_d3dx9_29_x86.cab Feb2006_XACT_x86.cab Jun2005_d3dx9_26_x86.cab JUN2006_XACT_x86.cab Oct2005_xinput_x86.cab OCT2006_d3dx9_31_x86.cab OCT2006_XACT_x86.cab OCT2006_xinput_x86.cab [list 2] 2-4-date.exe 98UPDSYS.exe HHUPD.EXE IE_Audio.exe instmsia.exe KB837001.exe q236926.exe q237493.exe q238453.exe q239696.exe q239887.exe q240075.exe q240896.exe q241052.exe q241084.exe q242193.exe q245065.exe q245682.exe q245729.exe q249146.exe q249635.exe q249824.exe q250514.exe q250876.exe q253697.exe q253711.exe q257360.exe q257821.exe q258680.exe q258765.exe q259253.exe q260067.exe q262232.exe q269239.exe q269601.exe q271701.exe q273017.exe q273727.exe q273991.exe q274113.exe q274175.exe q274370.exe q275873.exe q276602.exe q277628.exe q278033.exe q278368.exe q280448.exe q283032.exe q288550.exe q290831.exe q293197.exe q295629.exe q306453.exe q307004.exe q308349.exe q309081.exe q310695.exe q311561.exe q315575.exe q318307.exe q319571.exe q321467.exe q323172.exe q323255.exe q323708.exe RootCUp.exe RUNHELP.EXE TelnetUp.exe TTFext.exe vbr50sp3.exe [list 3] - this is all the files from the IE6sp1 folder in Auto-Patcher ADVAUTH.CAB AOLSUPP.CAB BRANDING.CAB CRLUPD.CAB FILELIST.DAT FONTCORE.CAB FONTSUP.CAB GSETUP95.CAB HELPCONT.CAB HHUPD.CAB ICWCON.CAB IE6SETUP.EXE IE_EXTRA.CAB IE_S1.CAB IE_S2.CAB IE_S3.CAB IE_S4.CAB IE_S5.CAB IE_S6.CAB IEDATA.CAB IEDOM.CAB IEEXINST.CAB IELPKAD.CAB IELPKAR.CAB IELPKIW.CAB IELPKJA.CAB IELPKKO.CAB IELPKPE.CAB IELPKTH.CAB IELPKVI.CAB IELPKZHC.CAB IELPKZHT.CAB IESETUP.DIR IESETUP.INI JAAIME.CAB KOAIME.CAB MAILNEWS.CAB MOBILE95.CAB MPCDCS.CAB MPLAYER2.CAB OAINST.CAB README.CAB readme.txt SCAIME.CAB SCR56EN.CAB SETUPW95.CAB SWFLASH.CAB TCAIME.CAB TS95.CAB USP10.CAB VGX.CAB WAB.CAB [list 4] LogoDisa.inf [list 5] q273017.reg [list 6] Aspi46.exe d3dx9_32.exe NetwTool.exe q285189.exe Unicows.exe VBRun100.exe VBRun200.exe VBRun300.exe [list 7] MDAC281.EXE [list 8] CODECS9x.exe MPLAY9.EXE [list 9] 48BITLBA.EXE 98TShoot.exe ADDREMOV.EXE DXMedia6.exe FDSKFRMT.exe KB811630.exe KB816362.exe KB817885.exe KB823559.exe KB824220.exe kb837009.exe kb886677.exe KB888113.exe KB891122.exe KB891781.exe KB893627.exe KB896156.exe KB908519.exe kb911564.exe KB913433.exe KB916281.exe KB917344.exe KB917734.exe kb918144.exe KB918439.exe KB918547.exe kb924191.exe kb925672.msi kb926247.exe kb927779.exe NPUpdW98.exe OLEUP.EXE q243199.exe q269388.exe q272137.exe q272621.exe q313829.exe rbupdate.exe RichEd9x.exe SCANFRAG.EXE SERVIC9X.EXE TTFPAK.EXE U891711.EXE vbr60sp6.exe [list 10] KB870669.reg KB873374.reg [list 11] EuroTool.exe MPLegacy.exe q314941.exe q329048.exe VBRun400.exe [list 12] KB816093.exe kb891711.exe KB904706.exe KB920670.exe kb923689.exe kb928090.exe kb929969.exe q322656.exe q329115.exe UCopy2GB.exe UCRYPT9X.EXE Un918547.exe USHELL98.exe VBRun6C2.exe W98MP10.EXE [list 13] DOSHERE.INF [list 14] q269388.reg q273017.reg [list 15] KB905495.exe kb923694.exe kb931836.exe NUSB31.exe q322656U.exe q323455.exe TWEAKUI.exe VBRun6C1.exe SubMix8c: question: were you saying that we couldn't use long file names right the way thru AutoPatcher code without pulling it from a text file? The way to pass long filenames in variables, you just put them in quotes, and then strip the quotes off when they are imported into the next bat file. .. i set it up to do this, i just wasn't grabbing the long version. Thanks for pushing that code until i accepted it. It looks much nicer having the full path without any sign of the ugliness of a squiggle character with a 1 after it.

OK, the big news is i'm now making my final run towards a v1.96 release. There's been enough feedback about needed changes for me to be able to release a substantially different version to 1.95 to make it worthwhile. re: Windows Update and the reported hotfixes that are 'missing' from your computer: OK, first, you should be using the menu option within Auto-Patcher to access Windows Update. Why? Because of the info that is contained within that option that answers most of the current outstanding questions about this. Briton, i don't think you've used that menu option yet in AP. Please do so ASAP just so you can read what's there. If you have further questions, then ask. Second, with every passing month, WU becomes more irrelevant. Anyone who's used the site more than a few times knows what WU is going to say about what's missing. And we also know it's never going to ever change again while we can access the **** thing. So after countless times using AP to patch a test Win98 machine, i think v1.95 gets them all installed, and the 2 reported updates still missing are definitely accounted for. So the moral of this point is: lets just forget about WU shall we? It's going to be a hard habit to break, but break it we must. re: the 10 to 20 reboots the program goes through before finishing: yes, i will add messages about the fact that the program reboots so often. I am, however, going to try to cut them down a bit more. I can do the entire contents of AP in just 4 reboots when i do it with the UBCD but that's different. But i reckon i could maybe cut them down by half. So, i'm on the case. I'll also see if I can't make the change from 'Network logon' to 'Primary logon' by code as well --- if anyone knows how, please say something and save me some time. re: the Control Panel tweak: i like it!! But as i said, it's a tweak and so needs to be packaged as such. I can put it on my list of things to do, but if someone else wants to knock this one over, be my guest. Scratch that, i've totall cheated by just copying all the shortcuts from my test machine and packaging them into a sfx file that extracts to %windir%\STARTM~1\Control Panel which does exactly the same job. Still its a hack so if someone can do better, be my guest. re: TweakUI help files: -- yep i'm responsible for them missing, it's because it's not fully unattended the way it comes out of the box. Now i have super INF making powers, i will restore the missing files, solve the non-silent problem, and save the world from capitalism. No sweat. Seriously, i will at least get the help files back, and i've just about got capitalism licked, but i was probably off my rocker about actually getting TweakUI to just silently install. re: a help file for AP: --- i think i'd try to make it a GUI interface before trying for a nice GUI help file. Still, not a bad idea. there's no more "re:"s --- if i missed something, speak up.

Yay, i was wondering if it was sort of easy to make a proper INF install file, and you have just proved that it is. I now have an example INF file that i can modify for all my other registry tweaks. Thanks a billion man. PS - You can always take liberties with me MDGx! Meow !!! PPS - i've tested it and it works great. I can't spot a thing wrong, i can't even suggest better wording for any of the text ... I am suitably humbled, master. PPPS - ProblemAdolescent, your question should be answered. Chuck all mine in the bin and use the masters'.

Hi ya'll I've gone and put a hotfix together for this to add to the UBCD because Win98 doesn't turn on DMA by default and so this is now a must have hotfix for my project. See the first post for more details

1st May, 2007: Updated in main list: kb891711 (original kb number, the title is actually Q891711)

ADDREMOV.EXE/ADDREMOV.INFHKLM,(etc.)\Uninstall\C2GBP,DisplayName,,"· Remove Unofficial 2-4 GB Files Errors KERNEL32.DLL Fix" - First one is wrong (ADDREMOV.INF) and caused a little confusion when I went to Add/Remove Programs until I tracked it down. Easy fix (who's stuff is this? they should be notified!)! YAY!! times a million ... i had that down on my list of things to do and it looked like a laborious process of elimination that i just don't have the time for. Anyway, i have finally bitten the bullet and learnt how to do proper MS hotfix installers (now you can see what i've been doing with my time), and i can now report that you can download the fixed ADDREMOV update from here: http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/ADDREMOV.exe MDGx: i think i got it right, so you should be able to just replace the one you're hosting with this one. PS: i agree with Eck about the focus of this project. I have included a tweaks section, which is where any tweaks to the system should go, and so they will all be optional as a matter of course. The other way forces the tweak upon the user. Nup. That's what the Revolutions Pack is for! .... ... (just jousting with ya Tihiy, you know i love ya to bits ... or is that bytes?)

jeepers, there's lots to go thru ... i have copied all the text and will go over it when i'm slacking at work tomorrow. I'm at a place without internet access, and at a workstation locked down so nothing works ... except for the USB ports. Heh.

The only thing you could do to make this thread absolutely perfect in every way possible, is to put the date of the latest update in the second line of the thread title, like i do with my complete updates list for Win98se. It will save me a little time because i check so often, because you're da man for keeping my projects up-to-date! Cheers man.

Oops! I'm sooo disorganized. I'll fix all the bugs for the next version. Thanks for the tips re the code -- i will do as you suggest, they are all great suggestions ... my problem is too many fingers in too many pies and i'm getting a bit erratic and missing good things to work on and include. Please keep bugging me and suggesting stuff, its all good. I truly wish i knew about 4DOS at the very start. A lot of the structure of the code is based upon NOT having easy FOR-NEXT loops and all the rest, and i'm not too confident about junking large parts of the code in order to make use of the new functions, but from what you're telling me, its not too much work to make it compatible -- the COMMAND.COMs can be easily converted to %COMSPEC%s and i can go around and add all the >nul s to the one's that are missing so if that's all ... are you sure the other utilities in \bin will work in 4DOS? re: your edit ... the search & report function on the initial menu page was designed to use the default settings, if the user wants to search for everything (including stuff that is weird and they probably won't be interested in) then they can easily set that up in the modules section and start the report from there. I thought the default search was more useful being accessible from the first page. re: the report count problem -- i think i lost you somewhere, i'm still in the dark about what the problem is! please enlighten this doddering old fool.... re: the uninstaller doesn't delete all the files, yep, there's some still left behind, but they should all only be user created files that they might want to keep. The main thing for me is that the bulk of the 241 MB are deleted --- although i will admit actually trying to get my uninstaller to do a full delete but to no avail. I will try again.. Well, you did ask nicely so OK... let's see if we can't get some auto-patchin' happenin'. 1) worst-case scenario: you can always manually install the updates you need. All the files are in \files\hotfixes and it should be reasonably obvious how to start the installations - for most of them just double-click each file. If you visit this list you'll be able to tell which file is which due to the system i used of naming all the hotfixes by their knowledge base article number. 2) please check that your hardware is functioning properly - ie a corrupted hard drive could possibly cause the message you've seen, as will bad RAM memory. THe best tool in my opinion is the Ultimate Boot CD (just google for it) which has all the hardware tools under the sun. The message does include the word 'Fault' in it, which suggests a problematic hardware component. I have included lots of error-checking into the program and the message you are getting is not a case i've coded for --- it's not a 'missing file' type error, it's a 'the computer is trying to do something it can't and it's complaining about it' type error. 3) just double-checking: every single option (from the list of options from A - W) gives that result? That tells me quite a bit, if so. 4) can you give me a list of the hardware specs: CPU, chipset on m/b, amount of RAM, hard disk configuration, & amount of hard disk space, should do it.

Thanks for the heads up. cheers. It's in the manual installs folder. It's an earlier version of the fix i made using info from this site. The latest version is 1.21 and you should be using that. http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=94225 I'll have to do each one manually. I'll do as you suggest for as many as people post info about to this thread. If you can untangle that last sentence, you're doing very well. Extreme thanks for unfogging the situation -- i was wondering why the file version of the EXPLORER.EXE file wasn't 5.5 something - i thought it was a pre-release version or something and then MS seriously jacked up the FN. Seriously, what other magical files did Gape put into that service pack? I already know about his special DUN 1.4 but what else is there? Oh, and of course i'd like to include a better version of the Win98 to Me module !!! I am slowly coming to grips with INF files so maybe i'll surprise you all and make a proper installation pack... i may even go as far as using that iexpress packager thingy that i currently know nothing about. Stranger things have happened.

I'll see what i can do ... i was thinking of categorizing all the updates (ie for IE6, MDAC, Critical, Official, etc -- it's about time i did some work on that list, been a while.

download: http://soporific.files-upload.com/182643/W...ne_1.0.zip.html readme.txt:

Oops, i didn't realise there was a newer version --- i should update it, hey ... and thanks for the tip, yes, good idea. Which version of dotNET Framework are you talking about, and which version of Auto-Patcher are you using, FULL or LITE? Framework 1.1 isn't included, and Framework 2 is in the Optional components module. Framework 2 isn't included in LITE. I also hate WinMe with a passion -- it's on many lists of the worst technology products of all time. But .... some of the files are simply optimizations and the ones i've included are mainly that as opposed to completely alien to Win98. Hey, i have gone out on a limb and said it was the single best update to install and for good reason! No, whats missing is the menu entry that clicks web folders on and off. If you go into folder options, there right in front of you in the general tab is the option to use classic folders. I admit to not having noticed before! but no problem ... There's no other limitations as far as i know. You should be aware that MDGx actually doesn't recommend installing EXPLORER.EXE without a few more 'companion' files but in my experience it has NEVER caused a problem with incompatibility. What are the benefits? Well, i can't say anything for the impact of USER.EXE and USER32.DLL but i can say that adding EXPLORER.EXE just makes all file operations much quicker. It's VERY obvious that the WinME version of EXPLORER has optimizations that kick butt over the Win98 version. I can't really be anymore scientific than say that adding those 3 files just seems to make the system hold together better. Eveything seems faster, especially muti-tasking. I think there's probably some I/O optimizations that just generally means things across the board will be faster. Maybe someone else can be more specific. Well, this project has been around for longer than Microsoft ending support and i've only just got out of the habit of comparing my new re-install with what Windows Update reckons so sorry for the confusion, there is no reason to need its inclusion, but i would assume that there are others who aren't yet out of the habit i describe above so i've kept it in.

Well if you're sure, i bow to your wisdom! I will certainly do, and i will most certainly be adding more options, of course! excellent links, thanks.

Ah ha! Vindication for including the third fix. I don't remember who it was who was questioning why a simple shortcut was going to achieve what everything else wasn't, but there you go, 3rd party evidence that i'm not off my rocker! Yay ! (not that i need external confirmation or anything ) Your guess is as good as mine. I need more fingers and toes to count the number of different combinations of when i COULDN'T access WU.

I would run Auto-Patcher first if you're going to install other service packs, and i wouldn't use 98 lite ... for these reasons: 1) These days, hard disk space is soooo not a problem so having some excess junk you're never going to use is preferable to possibly getting rid of files that the OS might complain about later. Of course if you're sure 98 lite won't ever interfere with anything then fine, i don't know enough about it. I'm a cat's whisker away from releasing a good alternative to re-installing with 98 lite try the unattended boot CD instead. Create a CD that will have the OS the way you want it after a re-install EXACTLY the way you want it --- updates, patches, tweaks, the works. It will be released within 24 hours promise, i'm just writing all the documentation now. 2) Auto-Patcher is simply an automatic hotfix and system component installer. You can select which ones you want, and forget about the rest. This will get your PC to the point that you can then further optimize and tweak. So i'd do use this one first. Even if it's just to run one module. Then i'd do 98 to ME and then maybe the revolutions pack. Gape's pack could also be squeezed in there somewhere, although i think the first 3 will have all of Gape's stuff covered. jack, it's not so much what you have installed, more like what mood Microsoft servers are in for that day. You know, a bit of humidity, a bit of chilly dampness and they just down tools! They go on strike! This is my new conclusion based upon lots of "tea leaves" readings of my morning extra strength Dilmah. Check out v 1.21, there's a new fix included which worked for at least one person (as well as me) when the first 2 didn't work. It's funny, if i was to count up the number of times i used the fixes and which one worked for me, they are all about even right now, although the modified icon on the desktop tweak (no 3) is starting to pull ahead.

Hi there! In preparation for my forthcoming utility - Advanced Typical Role - i put this document together that combines all the necessary information to understand the settings, with my proposed 'Typical Role' templates. The utility willl be freeware and completely 'open' in all senses of the word and concept, as all my stuff is. I am a commie after all!! So please influence the development by commenting on the document below and adding any suggested changes, additions & deletions. Your contributions will be appropriately noted. A copy of the document can be found in the attachment. The 'Typical role of this computer' Reference Document. For Windows 98/98se machines. The 'Typical role of this computer' setting can be found in: Start - Settings - Control Panel - System - Performance - Advanced settings - File System.. - Hard Disk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem Values: NameCache stores the locations of the most recently accessed file names. The combined use of PathCache and NameCache means that VFAT never searches the disk for the location of cached file names. Both PathCache and NameCache use memory out of the general system heap. PathCache specifies the size of the cache that the virtual file allocation table (VFAT) can use to save the locations of the most recently accessed directory paths. This cache improves performance by reducing the number of times the file system must seek paths by searching the file allocation table. ReadAheadThreshold sets the read-ahead buffer size for all drives installed in your system. Windows uses this memory dynamically to read ahead, only when opening files/folders, returning it back to the system afterwards. Read-ahead caching is a background function designed to improve a system's performance. It uses software to buffer requested data in cache memory, which resides directly on the CPU or motherboard. Read-ahead caching relies on the probability that when the user requests specific information, he will request closely related or sequential data next. Thus, the system reads ahead for this data and stores it in its buffered cache, where users can access it much quicker. DriveWriteBehind specifies the size of the write behind cache. Most Windows systems, by default, have write-behind caching enabled. This speeds up disk-write operations by holding data in memory until the computer thinks it is the right time to write it to disk. This same feature can also cause conflicts with shared files and networked software .... Because the data is not being written directly to the hard drive on the spot, delays imposed by caching can cause a server or workstation to become confused and to cause data corruption. If this happens, the computer's 'disk write caching' functions should be disabled. ContigFileAllocSize can be used to change the size of the contiguous space that VFAT searches for when allocating disk space. Under MS-DOS, the file system began allocating the first available space found on the disk, which ensured a great deal of disk fragmentation and related performance problems. By default under Windows 98, VFAT first tries to allocate space in the first contiguous 0.5 MB of free space and then returns to the MS-DOS method if it cannot find at least this much contiguous free space. This optimizes performance for both the swap file and multimedia applications. In some cases, you might choose to set a smaller value in the registry, as when you are not running demanding applications on the computer. A smaller value for ContigFileAllocSize, however, can lead to more fragmentation on the disk and, consequently, more disk access for the swap file or applications that require larger amounts of disk space. BufferIdleTimeout, BufferAgeTimeout, and VolumeIdleTimeout control the time between when changes are placed in the buffer to when they are written to the hard disk. DisableLowDiskSpaceBroadcast denies the Low Space dialog from popping up for drives A,C and D. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Settings Legend: NC=NameCache (no. of filenames) PC= PathCache (no. of filepaths) RAT = ReadAheadThreshold (in ?) DWB=DriveWriteBehind (in ?) CFAS=ContigFileAllocSize (in bytes) Specs Legend: MRRS= Minimum Recommended RAM Size (in MBs) Some calculations: 251658240 = 1920kb 4294967295 = 24mb Example reg file: REGEDIT4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem] "DriveWriteBehind"=hex:ff,ff,ff,ff "NameCache"=hex:ff,ff,00,00 "PathCache"=hex:ff,00,00,00 "ReadAheadThreshold"=hex:00,00,01,00 "DisableLowDiskSpaceBroadcast"=dword:0000001d "ContigFileAllocSize"=dword:00000800 Sources: http://www.mdgx.com/newtip18.htm#CDMC http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/w...6.mspx?mfr=true http://www.putergeek.com/win98_file_system/ An Introduction to Caching TypcRole.zip