xpclient

They took 6 of the most commonly called functions out of 100s of GDI functions and added hardware acceleration for them: https://web.archive.org/web/20120322202136/http://www.passmark.com/support/performancetest/2d_windows7_performance.htm (BitBlt, ColorFill, StretchBlt, AlphaBlend, ClearType fonts & TransparentBlt). Anyway the point of those tweets is whatever performance hit GDI took from XP to Vista/7/8/10 seems to be getting worse with newer versions of Windows 10 as they probably don't pay attention to that old code and focus only on Direct2D, Direct3D, DirectWrite APIs. Is there a way to know which apps use GDI vs which ones use DirectX-based APIs? And even the ones that use Direct2D, don't they use GDI for many drawing tasks? Maybe we could make a short list. I know for one that all web browsers use DirectX, parts of the Explorer shell - taskbar, Start menu and all of the modern UI/XAML-based panels use DirectX. As do apps like Paint.net, Notepad2, Telegram, Steam client, Office 2013 and later - all DirectX. But there are tons of native code (in Microsoft's words: "legacy") relevant and updated apps which use GDI and WinForms apps use it as well. WPF is DirectX-based (but can use GDI via InteropBitmap/WriteableBitmap). Classic Shell/Open Shell uses GDI. Many "legacy" parts of Windows use GDI all over the place e.g. I think MMC/Management Console?

Test #1: How much GDI has slowed down in newer versions of Windows 10 Test #2: Test #3: Finally he posted the test itself for you to test it on your physical hardware if you have different versions installed in multi-boot configuration on the same hardware: https://github.com/ADeltaX/REGDI/

Buy and install StartIsBack++ and theme the taskbar to 7/8 style.

One thing you can try is get StartIsBack++ since it can skin the taskbar independently of its Start menu and the rest of Windows. Once you create and apply a Uxstyles made for taskbar in StartIsBack++, it should work as long as SIB++ works. Even if the Windows Uxstyles breaks.

Speaking of "where's the advancement", can we start a discussion or make a list of the features that Windows 10's dozen releases have that are a significant/notable/actual improvement over Windows 8.1 (note: not Windows 7). I have started a list in my Notepad but would like to expand it (if I can find any worthwhile features) Note: such a list should not have bogus crap, lame features or gimmicks like Cortana or Fluent design etc. Just solid advancements. - Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHPX) is nice to have for me for running emulators that take advantage of it, since 1803 - Wi-Fi Hotspot performance and implementation in Windows 10 is better than Windows 7/8.1's Hosted Network, it's better at assigning DHCP addresses etc too and allows choosing frequency band (there since 1607) - Webcams/webcam stream can be shared between apps/passed from one app to another due to the frame server/webcam proxy they have since 1607. - GPU-PV (GPU Paravirtualization) and PCIe Direct Device Assignment (DDA) in Hyper-V Virtual Machines is useful, available in Windows 10 also, not just Windows Server. In general, there have been some good improvements in Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM 2.x releases). That's 4 features that I find of value in 5 years, 11 releases. And we have already discussed dozens of pages of regressive changes and will continue to discuss them. I'd like to hear others' perspectives on this, although every time someone mentions a feature, I always find that Windows 7/8.1 did it just as well. Yes, technically, Windows 10 has "hundreds" of features added in each release but most of it is just fluff. Update: Of course, Windows 10 is incredibly bloated and filled with too much gunk most people do not need. Full of deal breaking feature regressions and performance regressions too. And in no way I would say, it is faster or efficient. My only way of dealing with the bloat is throwing more powerful hardware at it since Microsoft had a genius evil idea to blackmail us into "upgrading". I am just trying to find out if there's anything really worthwhile.

Sorry for offtopic post but thanks to this topic, I came to know what NVIDIA Broadcast is and what RTX Voice is (I own an RTX 2080 Max-Q). Anyway, good to know at least RTX Voice is supported on Windows 7. It does some amazing noise reduction/removal.

I think for 64-bit Windows 7/8.1, SATA SSD 8 GB RAM Dual-core or Quad-core For Windows 10 especially 20H2/21H1 Insider or if you are on relatively newer (1803 to 2004), NVMe SSD 16 GB RAM Quad-core or 6-core Of course, they will run at lower specs but given the number of processes, bloat, web browser processes, overall responsiveness of UI desired, it's this.

Yeah I saw the Reddit post but this user seems to be determined that it is malware just on the basis of 1 false positive without any further convincing argument. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I trust Winaero tools and apps completely and do not think you are out to distribute malware, Sergey. 😆 If anything, the tweaks and tools at Winaero are very useful to Windows users. Legolash2o would know if he updated the file later without changing the version (and the size didn't change either). As for Defender, it is known to hang or slow down PCs even for perfectly harmless apps and tools. A couple of years ago, Defender used to choke whenever it encountered any EXE compiled by AutoHotkey AHK to EXE compiler. They never fixed it, eventually AutoHotkey updated their compiler.

Best: XP or 7/8.1 with Winaero Tweaker, 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, Classic Shell, VistaSwitcher, OldNewExplorer Worst: 10 but Winaero Tweaker, 7+TT, Classic Shell, VistaSwitcher and StartIsBack++, OldNewExplorer make it tolerable

The explanation MEGA gave a while back for it sucking in Firefox is that Firefox doesn't support writing files via HTML5 FileSystem API. Of course, I agree that using JavaScript to download files is not a very good experience. In Chrome, it doesn't download it to RAM but to the disk using the HTML5 API, but the experience in the web browser still isn't great unless you have a fast machine. The MEGA client on the other hand isn't bad though - it's lightweight, fast, not updated constantly, it downloads extremely fast and the context menu verbs it adds disappear without bloating the context menu once the client is exited. I have MEGA accounts of 50 GB from when they were giving away huge storage for free and I guess plenty of people grabbed them. That's why it's somewhat popular. For that matter, there's also a long-standing bug in Google Chrome when downloading big files from their own Google Drive which causes huge file transfers to fail abruptly. Strangely when using Firefox to download from Google Drive, the bug doesn't exist. OneDrive is also a good alternative, even for that, I grabbed 25 GB accounts when they were giving those. But then I trust big brother Microsoft less than big brother Google. That's why Mega. Dropbox's free accounts suck IMHO. I don't know any other reliable service still around for years offering big storage in free accounts. As for download speeds, MEGA gives some impressive speeds. But so does OneDrive or Google Drive due to their distributed network of datacenters all across the globe. Just my two cents.

I live in India and pay $10 per month (Rs.767) for 85 Mbps download, 85 Mbps upload, truly unlimited, no data caps

I recommend: For DOS Games => DOSBox For Windows 3.x/2.x/Win16 API apps => otvdm For DOS apps => I hope you don't have to run these and can migrate to Win16 or Win32 versions of these apps. You can with VirtualBox, Vmware, Qemu, PCem etc.

Btw what virtualization software were you using? OK my bad missed that VMware Workstation 16. Anyway my experience about Windows 10 in a VM is pretty much the same. It runs especially bad inside a VM i.e. as a guest OS. Windows 8.1 and earlier are extremely snappy in a VM and less resource-consuming.

Interesting. So they just wanted to pair GPT with UEFI and keep MBR/BIOS combo. What's the advantage of booting Windows 10 on MBR btw? I can only think of one: compatibility with another OS that boots off only MBR.

So I hope you guys know about some of the interesting things about Windows Me, at MSFN in fact, I found all this info in bits and pieces scattered over many threads so I am posting it in a single post. Also, there are many people here who already know it or are much smarter so ignore, I am only posting it for those still playing with this ancient OS in a VM or real old hardware. Hope it's not a problem: 1. Only the OEM version of Windows Me has hibernation support, retail doesn't. Also, OEM Windows Me CD is bootable. 2. It is common knowledge that Windows Me was patched to restore MS-DOS real mode. Io.sys, Command.com and Regenv.exe can be patched so it processes Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. That is old news. But this way of patching has a downside - you lose the nice white Windows Me boot logo (logo.sys that's inside Io.sys) because it takes the Io.sys/Winboot file from the EBD (Emergency Boot Disk). But instead what I recently learned (sure seasoned members and experts know it already) is after using the Me2Dos patch to modify Io.sys, command.com and regenv.exe or patching it yourself with a hex editor, if you take the Io.sys from Windows Me's Bootable CD (after it boots to DOS for Setup) or from the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) that's there in tools\nettools\fac -> DTA files (which are actually CAB files on the CD) and overwrite the one in C:\ drive's root with this one, then this OEM Io.sys does have the nice boot screen and you can still boot to DOS if you want due to the patched Command.com and Regenv.exe. In fact you get the full set of startup options like 95/98 except "Previous version of MS-DOS". So, after you have patched Windows Me with the famous Me2DOS patch to boot like 95/98, you can replace Io.sys with the non-patched Io.sys from Me OPK or Bootable Me ISO, and you get the best of both worlds - boot screen as well as boot to DOS/startup files no longer ignored. 3. Another advantage of Io.sys from OEM CD vs EBD patch is Expanded Memory is available in Windows Me for DOS programs. 4. Finally, you need to make a few changes to startup files after the Me2Dos patch and replacing Io.sys from OEM CD, so that "Command prompt only" option works like 95/98 and also you don't get boot errors at startup when booting Windows Me with the "Normal" option. I'll explain why you need to modify files again after the Me2Dos patch. With this unpatched Io.sys from OEM CD Boot image/OPK, it always loads Windows Me even if you choose the "Command prompt only" option. This is because the Command interpreter line in startup files lacks the /P (permanent) switch. You just need to add the /P switch to config.sys. After you install the Me2Dos patch, it modifies Config.sys to add this line: shell=c:\command.com e:32768. Just modify it as stated below so you don't get a "File creation error" when booting. Like this: shell=c:\command.com c: /p /e:32768 (Note the correct use of /p switch in Config.sys is to list dir where command interpreter resides before it so you must add: c: before /p) Also this Io.sys will automatically load Ifshlp.sys so you can comment out the line in config.sys added by Me2Dos patch by a semicolon and lastly remove the line from Autoexec.bat: C:\WINDOWS\win.com as with the non-patched Io.sys from Bootable OEM CD, it will load Windows Me anyway when "Normal" startup is used. So you get all options working exactly like Windows 95/98: Normal, Logged, Safe Mode, Step-by-Step Confirmation, Command Prompt only (which does process your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat but boots to DOS only) and Safe mode command prompt only which bypasses them. 5. Another fun thing I recently learned is with the ORIGINAL Io.sys that Windows Me officially installs (not the patched one from Me2Dos/EBD patch and not the one from OEM Me CD), Windows Me does not actually need Win.com to boot! It is there only for compatibility but Win.com then loads vmm32.vxd which is the main file that switches from real-mode to protected mode. So you can do fun trick (not that there is any use of it): - Rename C:\Windows\Win.com to WinMe.com so Windows doesn't find it automatically - Rename C:\Windows\system\vmm32.vxd to vmm32.com. - Take Command.com from tools\nettools\fac -> DTA files and rename it to C:\Windows\system\vmm32.vxd Now when your PC boots with original unpatched Io.sys, it will only load Command.com Also you can directly load Windows Me by running: C:\Windows\system\vmm32.com. Or create a batch file in C:\ called Win.bat which points to C:\Windows\system\vmm32.com. That way it loads command.com. If you type, Win, it loads Windows Me. Note that I find this trick (#5) useless as original Io.sys bypasses startup files so there is no advantage of booting to DOS. Also if you use any different Io.sys, then vmm32.com will fail to load Windows Me directly. Let me know what you guys think. I think having access to MS-DOS almost like Windows 98 is awesome. The only thing that is still missing is Restart to MS-DOS Mode option but you can always dual boot between some version of DOS and Windows Me/DOS if you don't like "Command Prompt only" (Windows Me DOS 8.0).

I have collected all the post Office 2010 SP2, Post Office 2007 SP3, Post Office 2003 SP3, Post Office XP SP3, Post Office 2000 SP3, Post Office 97 SR-2 updates minus the superseded ones but including hotfixes. Just need to find motivation and a little appreciation to upload them (already uploaded XP, 2000 and 97).

I just came to know about this guy's work. What a legend! Rest in peace. Some great work from this guy: ● AHCI CD DOS Driver ● AHCI for Windows 9x ● Full Disk encryption for Windows 9x ● PTCHCDFS - To correct displayed size of DVDs on Windows 9x ● Blu-Ray writing and reading support for Windows 9x ● >4GB file support for Windows 9x ● 48 bit LBA support for Windows 9x (HDD up to 2 TB) ● SATA support for Windows 9x ● >4GB RAM support for Windows 9x ● API Redirector for Windows 9x ● HDD Advanced Format support for Windows 9x ● SSD TRIM DOS program for DOS/Windows 9x on FAT32 file system ● 9x shell32 patch with newer functions ● Windows Driver Model (WDM) API Extender ● Update slipstreaming for Windows 9x ! Simply AMAZING! Thank you Rudolph Loew, you will not be forgotten.

I just noticed that in Windows 95 Disk Defragmenter, you have the option to consolidate free space whereas in Windows 98/Me, this option is gone. Does anyone know if the Disk Defragmenter of Windows 98/Me automatically consolidate free space or Microsoft removed this ability after Windows 95? There's always sysinternals sdelete to wipe free space but Defragmenter of 95 doing it built-in was a nice option.

Just like my previous posts for Office 97 Post-SR2 updates, Office 2000 Post-SP3 updates and Office XP Post-SP3 updates, I have collected all Office 2003 post SP3 updates as well as Office 2007 post SP3 updates. They also include updates available from MS support by request. If an update is superseded by a newer one, the older one isn't included. Given that Microsoft has deleted older updates under the pretext of being SHA-2 signed, am I allowed here on MSFN to post links to Office 2003 post SP3 updates and Office 2007 post SP3 updates? I will only do if it is legal and allowed. Last time I remember I did that, my account was banned.

Btw as part of the stupid UPDATE DELETION of many EXE updates by Microsoft due to them being SHA-1 signed, and keeping only the CAB updates available via Microsoft Update Catalog, they have deleted the following Office 2010 Post-SP2 EXE updates: Office 2010 (KB2553092) Office 2010 (KB2553140) Office 2010 (KB2553388) Office 2010 (KB2589298) Office 2010 (KB2589318) Office 2010 (KB2597087) Office 2010 (KB2791057) Office 2010 (KB3054873) Office 2010 (KB3054886) Office 2010 (KB3055047) Outlook Social Connector (KB2553308) Project 2010 (KB3054882) SharePoint Workspace 2010 (KB2760601) Visio 2010 (KB2881025) If anyone has any of them downloaded already in EXE format for 32-bit Office 2010, please send me the links privately (I don't know if it's allowed to post publicly). I know I can install the CAB updates by cmd line but I prefer EXE as they can be automated via cmd line as well as manually installed. All the rest are still available in EXE format on the web. I searched the web but couldn't find any of these in EXE format. Since Office 2010 extended support is ending in October 2020, I thought I would start preparing and collect the updates right now as you never know when Microsoft will delete more updates. At end of support, I will revisit and revise the list again in October to remove superseded updates.

Official announcement: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-it-pro-blog/sha-1-windows-content-to-be-retired-august-3-2020/ba-p/1544373 Opinion: https://virtuallyfun.com/wordpress/2020/08/04/microsoft-to-delete-legacy-updates-in-the-great-sha-1-purge What a sad day!

This is so awesome!! I wish someone could create generic Bluetooth Low Energy/Bluetooth 4.0 drivers too for Windows 7 (and Vista).