bristols

Nope, it doesn't show up in the Windows Task List window.

For this reason, you should post your question in the 98SE2ME thread.

What you can do to get around Gmail's filter is rename the .cab/.exe/.zip from, for example, whatever.cab to whatever.cab.rename, and then ask the recipient, once downloaded, to rename the file, removing the .rename suffix. Has worked for me in the past.

Hmm, thanks Petr. I have since read a few times here and there the same thought as yours. It was suggested that toolhelp.dll is the nearest equivalent in Windows 9x. However, I have also read about scenarios where individual programs fail to run in Windows 9x, complaining about the absence of psapi.dll, but then start to work when psapi.dll is installed. Thanks eidenk for your own example of this. From what I can tell, the truth seems a bit more complicated than any statement about psapi.dll having no purpose in 9x systems. It does seem to have a purpose in the directories of some 9x programs. However, I don't know if this also means that psapi.dll is at all useful in the %windir%\system\ directory.

Grisoft's AVG Free Edition (latest build anyway) uses PSAPI.DLL build 5.00.2134.1 in its own directory. I noticed that the version in my %windir%\system directory was 5.00.1641.1. The latest restributable version on the Microsoft site seems to be 4.0.1371.1. I replaced the version in my system directory with the newer one from the AVG Free directory by simply copying it over, after backing-up the old version. All seems well. In general, is replacing system files with newer version as simple as that? Should a batch file also be run, to properly register the new file? Would the careful thing to do be to use something like Dependency Walker to first determine what other files may be affected by replacing PSAPI.DLL for a later version? This may show wishful thinking, but: because this newer version of PSAPI.DLL comes as part of a freeware package, does anyone know if this newer version is able to be redistributed freely, thus superceding the version listed above at Microsoft? Thanks in advance. Edit: I've since found this semi-recent thread here in these forums: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=56682 The dispute about whether build 5.00.2134.1 could run successfully under 98 SE didn't seem to be resolved. Has anyone had any further experiences?

It's not so much in my own case that hate using .bat files to install updates from the original installation files, it's more that I don't fully understand how to do it. If I knew how to properly extract from the installation files all the necessary files and install them successfully using (a) .bat file(s), I would be doing it all the time. In the meantime, thanks for this!

Here is an installation order I've put together. I've been trying to keep up with developments on these boards regarding the latest version and build numbers for all available Windows 98 SE files. Therefore, some of the builds of certain files here are later than those included in Gape's SE SP 2.1a. I'd be grateful if anyone could have a look at the following installation order and leave comments or criticisms of any kind. Any mistakes, omissions or superfluous installations are likely to be quite obvious to many of you, but I don't mind! Point them out anyway, please. Note: This installation uses Win98 SE SP 2.1a (Gape's current Service Pack), so ignore the version number in this thread's title. It is quite a full installation. It includes the SAPI 4 and 5.1 speech add-ons, for example. I may not install everything here, but I've included those parts of the installation for future reference. Basic Installation 1. Win98SE 2. DirectX 9.0c 3. Drivers: motherboard (Via Hyperion Pro 4-in-1), monitor (Viewsonic), graphics card (NVIDIA), audio (Realtek ALC655), mouse (Logitech) VIA USB 2.0 and modem (Intel) IE6 SP1 and updates 4. IE6 SP1 5. Microsoft Installer v.2.0 6. 885258 - Incorrectly-scaled images fix 7. IEAK IE6WZD fix 8. Maximus-Decim's Data Access Component Update 1.0 beta 6 which includes: - MDAC 2.8 SP1 (includes MSXML 3.0 SP7) - Jet 4.0 SP8 (837001) - Jet 4.0 Repl (321076) - MSXML 4.0 SP2 + 887606 - 2 files Jet 3.5 SP3 (msjet35.dll, msrepl35.dll) - 2 files MDAC 2.5 SP3 (vfpodbc.dll, drvvft.chm - Visual FoxPro Driver) - XMLinst 3.0 - 3 files IE6 SP1 + 832414 (msxml.dll, msxmld.dll, msxmlr.dll - MSXML 2.5 SP3) - MSXML 2.6 SP2 + 887606 9. 823353 - Outlook Express Cumulative Update 10. 870669 - ADODB.Stream fix [requires MDAC v.2.5 or above's prior installation] 11. 833989 - GDI buffer overun fix 12. 887797 - Outlook Express Cumulative Update [requires 823353's prior installation] 13. Root Certificates Update - rootsupd.exe 14. QFEInstalled reg. tweak 15. Hhupd.exe - Unofficial Help Update 1.41 (or official equivalent - 896358) 16. 905915 - IE6 SP1 Cumulative Update [replaces 903235 & 896727 & 896688; requires Help Update's prior installation] 17. MSXML 3.0 SP7/MSXML 4.0 SP2/887606 - ? [905915 requires this to be installed AFTER its own installation - ?] 18. 98TSHOOT.EXE - or an equivalent Troubleshooter fix [905915 requires this to be installed AFTER its own installation] 19. SHDOCFIX - ? Java 20. MS Java 3809 21. MS Java 3810 22. Sun Java 1.5.0.6 (current version) Windows Media Player 9 23. WMP 9 24. 891122 - WMP 10 Codecs for WMP 9 25. MP892313 - Unofficial WMP9 update 26. MP832353 - Unofficial WMP9 update 27. 817885 - WMP 9 patch 28. WMV9VCM - WMP 9 Video Compression Manager 29. WMBonusXP - WMP 9 Bonus Pack 'Add-ons' 30. .NET Framework 1.1 31. .NET Framework 1.1 SP1 32. .NET Framework 2 33. SQLXML 3.0 SP3 [requires .NET Framework's prior installation] 34. GDIPlus [build 5.1.3102.1360] 35. SAPI Speech 4 36. SAPI Speech 5.1 37. 904706 - DirectX 9.0c Update 38. 98SE Unofficial SP 2.1a Other Optional and/or Unofficial Updates 39. ASPI 4.71a 40. DXM9X.EXE - Unofficial DirectX update 41. DXTXTRA.EXE - Unofficial DirectX update [requires .NET Framework's prior installation] 42. 249824 - Unofficial Devices Additions & Removals Error VOLTRACK.VXD fix [build 4.10.1999] 43. TTFPAK.EXE - Unofficial True Type Font Pack 44. RICHED9X.EXE - [updates SE SP 2.1a RICHED20.DLL build 5.30.23.1221 to 5.31.23.1224] 46. 269388 - [updates SE SP 2.1a vip.386 build 4.10.2226 to 4.10.2227] 47. OLEUPD.EXE - Unofficial OLE Update [updates SE SP 2.1a asycfilt.dll build 2.40.4522 to 2.40.4526, Olepro32.dll build 5.0.4522 to 5.0.4526, and Stdole2.tlb build 2.40.4522 to 2.40.4526 - see also OLEUPD2.EXE] Modifications 48. MDGx's 98SE2ME (including options requiring ME disk) 49. Reinstall Maximus-Decim's DAC - [reinstallation necessary prior to Maximus-Decim's Native USB?] 50. nusb22e.exe - Maximus-Decim's Native USB 2.2 51. nusb221e - Maximus-Decim's Native USB 2.2e Update QUESTION: Do some of the items following IE6 SP1 require Visual Basic 6 and/or Windows Scripting Engines v.5.6 (build 5.6.0.8825) to be installed PRIOR to their own installation? ANOTHER QUESTION: So: i) 870669 needs MDAC installed PRIOR to it being installed (I'm using the latest one, 2.8 SP1). ii) MDAC 2.8 SP1 includes MSXML 3.0 SP7 as part of its install. Ok, fine. But: iii) further down the list at #16, 905915 - the latest IE6 SP1 Cumulative Update - requires MSXML 3.0 SP7 to be installed after its own installation. As you can see, it would have been installed already, before 905915. So, is this a problem? Would I simply reinstall MDAC2.8 SP1 (or more specifically, the MSXML 3.0 SP7 part of it) after 905915? Is it as simple as that? Or will the fact that MSXML 3.0 SP7 was already installed mean that 905915 will not install properly? This sort of question about the consequences of installation order seems to come up often for me, and I'm often unsure about what the best course of action. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks for looking.

Heh, erpdude, if you read directly underneath where I made that statement about Q885836, you will see that I did correct my mistake with an edit. But thank you for making the identity of Q885836 even clearer. Incidentally, while I'm here and, really for any other less experienced users, I found an authoritative and at least 'official' account of how to regard updates for IE, particularly cumulative ones, here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=42259 Most of the explanation was given by the indefatigable MDGx (try saying that after a pint or three ), but also by your good self, erpdude. I say 'official', because, generally-speaking again as I understand it, M$ IE and generally Windows updates have a history of being incomplete, broken or otherwise badly-written, shifty, elusive, hard-to-find, and otherwise inexplicable in terms of the effect that updates here and there can have on each other. I'm still just learning here, but it does seem fair to say that the story of the mutual compatibility and comprehensiveness of IE updates is not an easily-understood, clear and distinct one. Perhaps I am WRONG!

You already have the complete list in SPUPDATE.INF file + WBEM updates, Q313829, Q329414, CRL update, root certificates update, MS Installer 2.0, Windows Script 5.6. Thanks a lot Petr for pointing this out to me. I'm at that stage in my knowledge where I know little, but enough to have lots of "But what if/why/how...?" kind of questions that I know will usually annoy more knowledgeable people. I'm doing my best to answer these questions myself, but so far my efforts are causing me to have more confusion than useful knowledge. My main concern is to have a fully-patched/updated 98SE, including a fully-patched IE6 SP1. Of course, luckily for us all, the Service Pack does much to achieve this. But I still have lots of questions: about the best installation order to get the most out of the pack IF one wants a system with all or many of the various add-ons, such as MSXML 4.0 SP2, MDAC; about exactly what IE updates to install before installing SP2.1a; about whether the latest IE cumulative update actually replaces all prior IE updates, or whether one needs to install some updates or every update that was released for IE6 SP1 for a complete installation. So, as you can see, a lot of questions, most of which belong in other threads, and most of which I have no doubt are just annoying to most people for whom the answers are already clear. By the way, just as a matter of interest, I recorded all the KB numbers that Maximus-Decim's Cumulative Update installs, and which SP2.1a does not. Now, I realise that a lot of those updates in MD's pack have been superceded by newer updates, which explains the absence of those older updates in Gape's pack. But still, would it serve any purpose if I posted this list? Personally I doubt it, but I ask simply because I do not know in detail which updates in MD's pack have been superceded and which updates have been left out for some other reason (that a hotfix is badly-written and causes more problems than it is worth, for example). Ok, now I will stop hogging this thread.

I tried the Advanced Search (link in the left-hand column beneath the Log In area on the KBAlertz page that eidenk provided), chose Internet Explorer 6.0 from the options in the pull-down list, and searched for explorer. This search returned 135 results over 9 pages (somewhat more managable than the full 139 pages). It's a start. Edit: this page allows you to query the database by article category. Here is the results page for Internet Explorer 6.0 articles. 1276 articles over 86 pages. Wow. BTW, great resource, eidenk.

Hello MDGx, Can you or anyone tell me whether or not the Unofficial HTML Help Update (HHUPD.EXE) that you linked to at the top of this topic and here: http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#HHU is a replacement for the official KB896358 HTML Help Update v1.3x/v1.41? If it is, then does it change anything about your advice for installing KB896688, the IE Cumulative Update?: http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm#IEC Is the order still: 1) HHUPD.EXE (replacing 896358) 2) 896688 (IE Cumulative Update) 3) MSXML 3.0 SP7/MSXML 4.0 SP2 4) 98TSHOOT.EXE (or another solution to fix Troubleshooter broken by IE Cumulative Update) - ? Thanks for any knowledge/experience you can share here.

I know everyone concerned is busy and have lives to live, but I wish that the "detailed list" of the "120+ updates and hotfixes" would be prepared soon. This is partly because I am confused (still) about what the pack includes and what it doesn't include. For example, quoting from Gape's site, he says: But the pack does contain some IE updates, doesn't it? For instance, new in 2.1a is Q885836 (MSWRD632.WPC), which, as I understand it, is an IE6 SP1 update. Edit: oops - my mistake. It's not. For some reason, I mistook it for 885258. I'm not sure why, heh. But nevertheless: does the pack now contain some IE updates (e.g, 903235)? Clasys recently mentioned a list (that he either has, or is making) of all IE updates (IE6 SP1 specifically I think - correct me if I'm wrong). Sharing this, combined with a list of all the updates in 2.1a, would be extremely helpful to everyone concerned, I think. Although I am a relative newbie in all this, I have also just begun compiling my own lists. If I get the time and they turn out to be comprehensive enough (or at least a bit useful), I will post these online somewhere. P.S. - thanks Gape, Petr and everyone else concerned for your dedication, skill and generosity in preparing these packs.

Hopefully the crashes had nothing to do with U891711 specifically. But still, it's a pity that your crashes were not experienced, or otherwise mentioned, until now. Again, hopefully (and for all I know, in all likelihood) U891711 is fine (it's still good for me) - especially because now it's a part of Gape's Service Pack.

What you always assume is correct - AFAIK it cannot be done. However, this does not mean that you can't see or access NTFS partitions/drives from Windows 9x. Use this freeware utility for Windows 9x to access NTFS drives: http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/NtfsWindows98.html

Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences. Also FWIW, this page documents another approach to requiring passwords to start Windows 98: Making Windows 98 better: More Security Tips and Tools (see the "Controlling Users" section.)

Someone already has, I believe (not me, I hasten to add): http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=46581 I don't have time myself at this moment to make an easy-to-read list of all updates that pertain to 98SE, but to the best of my knowledge all updates (including unofficial ones) since August 2005 can be found at the above URL.

Yes, I take your point. But still, it is meant to work with 98SE in some way or another: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default....lus/gdiplus.asp FWIW, I have had it installed in 98SE for some time, as per MDGx's instructions (see link in previous post above), and it hasn't caused any problems for me whatsoever. Whether it is worth including in the new SP is not for me to say. Ah, thanks for that. Yes, I thought that the other 3D Control files might have been installed by SP 2.02, but CTL3D32S.DLL was new to me. It would be interesting to see if a version of CTL3D32.DLL from a later OS could be used.

Hello Gape, How about including Microsoft's 32-bit GDI+ Graphics/Video Acceleration Runtime Library GDIPLUS.DLL build 5.1.3102.1360? http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#GDI This build is later than the version on my own computers after installing SE SP 2.02 (5.1.3102.1355, in C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50215\), so I assume that it is not included in your pack (please correct me if I'm wrong). Perhaps also you could include Microsoft Windows 3.1x/9x/NT/2000/ME/XP 3D Control Libraries (DLLs) v2.31 for 3D effects (again lifted from MDGx's site, although there is no direct link to this part of the page, and again, this is if you don't already include the relevant files from the .zip): http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm It goes without saying that I'm really looking forward to the next SP release.

Just to update this: I have tried a couple of times since my last message to install Maximus Decim's Cumulative Update following his exact installation order, and using the OEM version of 98SE. But KB870669 still returns the same "The update cannot be installed on this system" message. Unless there is a problem with my own custom installation of 98SE, or some issue with the latest version of DirectX that wasn't present when Maximus Decim first released the Cumulative Update, then I have no idea why KB870669 doesn't install, and I can't see that it would work for anyone else.

Trouble is, that would bloat things significantly. And it strays off the path that the Pack has taken until now (in only providing updates and tweaks and modest replacements like Notepad). Personally I do like the idea of having some kind of routine that would update WMP 9 to 10, but that's a whole other project, I reckon...

I don't know about that but WBEM is possibly a security risk. As far as I am concerned, too, I'm not sure about anything specific, but given the nature of WBEM in a 9x system, it would seem to present at least a potential security risk. Amongst other things, I understand that WBEM helps 9x to connect successfully to remote computers. WMI/WBEM helps to get over some of the barriers that otherwise exist between 9x & NT-based systems on a network. So, in aiding this connectivity, it would seem also to increase the chances of a successful remote attack. However, what I don't know is whether WMI/WBEM somehow 'hardens' 9x connections - I don't really understand TCP/IP-stack stuff, but perhaps it somehow improves 9x in this way. Can any set me straight on this point? Wmi.exe gets loaded for no obvious reason and then runs as a background task (affecting performance and stability if I remember well). I've read a relatively large amount about this. This seems to be the most-often talked about reason for getting rid of WMI/WBEM. I understand that there are bug fixes for NT systems, but many people on 9x systems (mainly ME) seem only to end their problems with WMI/WBEM's hunger for resources by removing it. WMI is used by PC Health which allows you to get system information if I remember well. I use instead Everest and other softs. WBEM is Web Based Enterprise Management. I don't know what it exactly does but have never encountered any software requiring this component despite having installed thousands of software of all sorts. Yeah. Other things I've read paint a picture of WMI/WBEM as "a window on the deep inner workings of... Windows", offering the potential of conveniently scrutinising system information across whole networks. Again, security concerns surface (for me), especially since 9x doesn't offer the possibility of user restrictions. But again, my ignorance prevents me from having any certain idea of how a specific threat could work (of course, I have an idea). Incidentally, the page on MDGx's site linked in a post above explains how ME users can substitute their MSINFO32.EXE for 98/98SE's MSINFO32.EXE (providing they have Windows 98/98SE), since 98's version of System Information doesn't require WMI/WBEM to work.

Hi eidenk, thanks for the fast reply - appreciate it. Can I ask why you remove WMI/WBEM? It seems to me that it could be because: i) there are security issues with it (potential or otherwise...) ii) WMI/WBEM can affect system performance in a negative way iii) another tool you use provides you with WMI/WBEM's functionality, with fewer negative issues iv) you don't require WMI/WBEM's functionality, so it is unwanted bloat v) a combination of the above reasons. Could you please expand a bit on any of those reasons? Thanks very much.

Another installment in my continuing (though unplanned) attempt to understand what WMI/WBEM is, and why I might need to install it it under 98SE. This thread is most relevant, but more so for the questions the poster asks than for the answers he receives: Why do I need WBEM? IMO, the poster asks exactly the questions that any intelligent person from a non-technical background would want answered. Although he is an ME user, almost all of this stuff applies to 98 users (I assume!). And still, after all, he doesn't really receive an answer (as the discussion gets sidetracked and degenerates somewhat), except a "Leave WBEM well alone!" kind of reply (near the end ). I note that WMI is one of the ME components that MDGx's 98SE2ME doesn't install. ME users: could any of you tell me what your preferences are regarding WMI/WBEM? Is it one of the ME components that you always remove when reinstalling the OS?

I second TargaX's suggestion about getting the latest BIOS, and as krick says, it's definitely worth investigating the state of your capacitors. Both of these have caused me graphics-card problems in the past. The tops of capacitors frequently 'pop', from which some kind of liquid can leak. Sometimes they merely bulge (and look ready to pop). If you do find that there is a problem with your capacitors, here's a forum at which you might find some help: http://www.badcaps.net/forum/ Although this is a side issue, you might also consider updating your driver to version 77.72, the latest available for Windows 9x. But be warned - updating NVIDIA drivers has been known to cause issues with video playback (it can mess up your picture's gamma settings, making the picture look 'bleached').

A reply to my own post (if I may), with some more info about WMI for anyone interested. Found this page on MDGx's site (is there a more comprehensive site for Windows 9x users?!): http://www.mdgx.com/me2.htm The experience of the ME user there seems to suggest that at least for ME users, there might be a case for doing away with WMI completely. What I'd like to know: is this kind of experience typical for Windows 98(SE) users who have WMI installed, and is WMI not recommended for them too? Sorry if these sorts of question are newbiesque.