Drugwash

So you plan on going with independent versions for those files? My thought was to keep all files together with a single version so crossversion tests would easily be tracked back to one build or another. But separate definitions for each file would do too. I have to build all files in a batch in order to build the installer package. You'll probably have to do it yourself at some point if you plan to release new versions officially. The small changes to the two project files would allow this but I'm not absolutely sure the order the core subproject is built does not affect the subsequent projects. Maybe there's no relation. Would it be a good idea to build and release debug versions of the whole package, that is a Debug installer? Since I'm building both Debug and Release versions of all files at once, I could create a new NSIS script for this. I'm thinking not to have Release versions of the files with Debug features around. Anyway, it's just an idea. EDIT: no need for a separate NSIS script, it works as is by choosing the appropriate item in script's context menu. /EDIT I'll try to pack the modified files again and upload them with direct links. That's quite difficult for me too since they do not provide an easy way to do it. Unfortunately I couldn't find a better reliable host and after my last one (FileDen) got wiped out and lost all my files, CloudMe was the best I could find. You could install their application in 98SE and connect to my repository, it may be easier to keep track of the updates. I always do the sync from my 98SE using the CloudMe application, although granted it has its quirks.

I've uploaded 4.5.2015.3 to my repository. jumper, why would you comment out the last two version variables in version.h? Since you started updating all subproject versions, I think it would be much easier to just use those globally. I've set my copy of the sources to use those variables. Also, is there a problem with the subproject order in main KernelEx.dsw (dunno if you checked my diffs)? I've slightly altered that and core.dsp to allow a full batch build in one go.

The original kexbasen.dll works fine with Kstub and I don't think installing your whole package would make a difference with this crash issue but I'll try eventually if you insist heavily. For now I use Jumper's new dlls except for kexbasen. GCC fix and Shell32 ordinal 727 are very cool to have directly in kernelex, the latter being now mandatory to run latest PotPlayer whose core dll can't be hexed anymore to another ordinal because of a new feature checking if it has been alterated. Well, installing the whole package is just one of the alternatives in hope that there could be an incompatibility between different builds. Slim chances at that but it would at least put the mind to rest. Since the only change in kexbasen is the addition of oleaut32 functions, it's safe to think the problem is right there. It's intriguing how it only crashes in ME while in 98SE it doesn't (according to mcv93us' reports). You didn't say if you tried disabling Kstub822 - it would help knowing whether it still crashes with it disabled or not. Thanks. I added Kstub822 to the test installation and so far two Firefox sessions run on subsequent clean boots have frozen. However no MPR-related crashes. I've had Firefox freezing before adding Kstub822 so this may not be related. More tests are in order. Waiting for suggestions on applications requiring KernelEx/Kstub.

Great news, thanks for the feedback! I'll take a closer look at the versioning system, for now I just bumped the original version up a notch in \common\version.h without taking into account any similar changes made in leyok's builds, mainly because that project failed to deliver a working final version. But I'll probably leave this to jumper once he settles down all tools. Have you tried uninstalling your current version and then installing the whole 4.5.3.1 package? Do you have any entries in KstubXXX.ini that may clash with KernelEx's own functions? Try disabling Kstub temporarily.

And if you get to that, gently remove the cover from the CPU socket and with a magnifying glass look at the contacts; some may have been loosened and need to be stuck back together using a tiny needle or something. I had to do that for a board given by a friend, where the CPU had been forcibly pulled out and half of the contacts were badly tilted. It's now working as a test machine for a KernelEx installation under 98SE.

You may also want to consider checking the hard drive for bad sectors (using HDAT2 or other similar tool). Also try to reseat all cables (at both ends), check out any jumpers on the motherboard making sure they're firmly inserted and also make sure there's no shortcircuit between the motherboard electronic parts/tracks and any metallic parts of the case or peripherals (optical drive, HDD etc.). All that just to rule out possible hardware issues, considering that - as you said - the only change was the case.

Hello, I tested the new kernelex 4.5.3.1 on one virtual machine and on a real machine, and in both cases I have not noticed any problems. Besides kernelex of VM I installed the SP3.36 complete, IE6 and the Revolution Pack 9.7.2. On the real machine in addition to Kernelex I installed the SP.3.36 based, RP 9.7.2, IE6 and 98SE2ME. Thanks for the work! Mcv'93 Thank you very much, first feedback and a positive one! Most thanks go to author Xeno86 and then jumper who added a few needed things (so far) - I just compiled and packed. Well, that's something I'd like to know too, in order to test the build(s). Personally I never was desperate to try such new applications meant for XP+ on my main machine so I wouldn't know about these applications and their requirements.

Well, someone inside M$ should know, not speculate. But then again we, from the outside, might see things as they are, not as someone - even on the inside - would be told to. As for the burial, maybe M$ are afraid of ghosts... because sometimes they rise and haunt the bad people...

Well, how 's the Time market, any changes in price? I've managed to install 98SE on a test machine, plus DirectX 9.0c and drivers. Installed my build of KernelEx with all fixes in (4.5.3.1 mentioned above) and all went fine. Installed and (shortly) tested Firefox 9.0.1 in XP-SP2 compatibility - seems to work for now (I added msvcr70.dll v7.0.9466.0 renamed as msvcrt.dll in Firefox's folder). I've also installed CloudMe 1.8.8 and ran it. It does work without the UPX "fix", which means the GCC fix in KernelEx does its job, but it can't log in. However, the UPXed files from my main working machine don't work either so it must be something related to the test machine. UPDATE: After installing a bunch of other (unrelated?) components (IE6, DSClient etc.) I remembered a Root Certificate update was mandatory for CloudMe to work; as soon as I installed that update, it logged in. So far nobody else offered feedback on my KernelEx package so I'm not sure my tests are conclusive.

Well, that might just work! :lol: Go, Symantec!

Just to be sure, pull the RAM sticks out, take a magnifying glass and look carefully at the contacts on both sides, make sure there's no sign of degradation. I've had such stick that used to throw BSODs every now and then and the only way to "fix" the issue was to put my hand inside the case and move parts, pushing into sockets. When I pulled that thing out and looked at it, some of the golden contacts were worn out. For best results, take a pencil rubber and rub the contacts on both sides until they shine. That way you'll notice more quickly any possible defects and it'll also make better contact in the socket. A MemTest86 boot disk would also come in handy. I'd recommend something that has this among other tools but I'm afraid it's considered *ahem* inappropriate here.

I knew you would. And let me be Cassandra for a second: I bet in - say - twenty-thirty years from now, somebody at M$ will officialy confirm my opinion. Unless, of course, M$ just dissapears long before that.

They always get away with it, virtually nobody makes a case out of this. M$ are really desperate to bury Win9x and everything related to it. Think for a second: why is there no Windows 9? Why did they jump from 8.x to 10? My opinion is, they are afraid people looking for Win9-related stuff might stumble into Win9x-related stuff and be amazed on all the available options 9x had , compared to the new "monsters". What were you saying? Oh, the drivers... OK, I got them saved. Hopefully there won't be another system crash before getting to burn these on DVD. Although last night's repeated power failures did break a PSU in a friend's computer I had here for temporary perusal. Off-topic, I know...

Please use another host. That one doesn't allow download managers and with my 14kB/s flaky connection I can't waste time and nerves. Try a cloud storage such as CloudMe (I'm using it, see my signature).

Too bad they don't provide a change log for the different driver versions. If I were Dave, I'd keep the older (on CD) driver somewhere safe, in case there's any incompatibility between the new drivers and the hardware or other drivers. Anyway, thanks for the heads up, jaclaz!

Well then I'd be interested in those on the CD.

Thanks for the official link - if the drivers on the web are the same as those on the disk (for ST300) then we can just get them online while they're available. I have a fairly old motherboard for my 98SE installation and still got weird issues with the optical drive, also related to networking. At times, when trying to access the optical drive - located on the 98SE machine - from another machine (it's shared on my local network), the 98SE machine just instantly reboots. Not always, just sometimes. Since that is the only (usable) DVD unit in the house, you can imagine it's quite frustrating. Reasons could be too many to count so I have not pursued the issue. Yours could well be similar, especially if you have a similarly updated 98SE system as mine (2000/XP/2003 system files, AutoPatcher/uSP, KernelEx, Revolutions Pack). Maybe we should open a new topic for such optical drive issues sometime. You'd be amused to know that, rarely, my system throws an error messagebox related to... blank screensaver! I mean, in display properties I have selected 'Blank' for the screensaver which should just blank the screen. Well, at times when that blank should come into effect according to the timer, the screen does go blank but I get the crash message box (twice in a row). However, just tapping 'Enter' each time restores the desktop without any side effect. The video driver is extremely old and specific to the videocard (MSI GeForce2 Ti4200 AGP8x). If I try a newer, generic driver from nVidia (even the tweaked one from MDGx) I lose AGP Texture in DirectX diagnostic page (and obviously in applications). So, you see, weird things are happening in this realm. We cope with them as we can.

Well, it was to be expected. Does that mean there's nothing more to add/change/update to the package or is it that you just lost interest in this particular project? Just asking in case someone else would want to take over, if needed. Thank you for all your work on it! Even so, they've still got many pearls, you know... Undoubtedly they do. For how long and how much is still there, that I wouldn't know. I see mostly German files on that page. They could be of use for a German service pack. I wonder if the English ones are already integrated in AutoPatcher or uSP3 and which ones would have been superseded by Win2000/XP/etc versions ported to 9x...

I've released version 4.5.3.1 of the KernelEx installer with the speed optimizations and all other previously omitted flags. There's also a separate package containing the modified files. I've slightly changed some project configurations so that absolutely all of the subprojects (except for sdbcreate, under Win9x) could compile in a single batch operation. Please test only in a virtual machine. Happy New Year everybody! Download here

Happy New Year, Dave! Glad you got everything working! Good news the eSATA card has 9x drivers, maybe you could share them in case we need them for a driver package (there's such an idea somewhere around). Good luck ahead!

OK, thanks, I'll fix those flags then. For the installer I use NSIS 2.46, I hope there's no major problem with it. Haven't got any reply yet in regard to my build, whether it installs and works correctly or not.

Got it, thank you.

Thank you, that's very kind of you but please keep in mind my connection is at 14kB/s currently, as is most of the time after depleting the full-speed (500kB/s) 5GB monthly quota (cheap subscription, GPRS modem only). I've stumbled into so many sites that provide expiring links where my slow connection is simply unable to download anything from unless it's under 1MB of size. That's why I specifically asked for the necessary files only because 160+MB would take forever and may lead to too much frustration than I could take, especially these days. I downloaded the .msu in your first link, will see how it goes with that one. Thanks again. (typos...)

Yes, early in the morning before going to sleep (no mistake here, it was past 6:30 AM) I managed to wrap a couple functions and tested the file I mentioned in relation to that tool I found. GetDeltaInfoA() returned correct data, same as the other tool. Hopefully all other functions would work too. I'll work on the wrapper and a GUI for it whenever possible. However I do need a few delta files (with their source files) to test decompression, since I have no Vista+ around to grab compressed files from. Oh and I got your confirmation in the mail, thank you.

That would take a few changes in the code. I'll consider it. Thanks for the idea!