SmoothText 1.1.8

[WildBill]

Thanks for the tip, Tihiy. I posted 0.9.7 with calls to FlushInstructionCache.

Are the newer versions not working for you?

[Tihiy]

Unfortunately i can't test newer versions on the same XP machine. Usually they instantly crashed everything running including taskmgr and crash messages, making machine virtually hung.

I've tested 0.9.6 on my home dual-core XP machine, and it seems better - only explorer crashes (with runtime error / FastMM message) as other people reported.

0.9.7 made explorer stay a few more seconds till crash, but i don't think it's relevant.

[Colonel O'Neill]

0.9.7 works with /NUMCPU=1 switch.

I haven't yet restarted into dual-core mode, which I will do now.

EDIT:

Okay, so 0.9.7 doesn't resolve the problem on dual-cores.

But, I did get explorer to co-operate by setting explorer's affinity to CPU 0 in Task Manager before starting SmoothText. Now it works just as it does when using /NUMPROC=1

(I made a mistake: it's /NUMPROC not /NUMCPU and Microsoft documentation doesn't say the switch is available for 2000, but it works.)

Edited June 15, 2009 by Colonel O'Neill

[WildBill]

Well, I'm certainly *trying* to figure out the dual-core problem. I wen and bought a dual-core CPU, new motherboard, and RAM. Specifically, I got an Intel Core 2 Duo 3.33GHz CPU, Intel DX48BT2 motherboard, and 4Gb ram. Unfortunately, Windows 2000 absolutely refuses to run (or even install) unless one of the cores is disabled. It looks like it's an ACPI issue that is only fixed in an XP SP2 hotfix. So unless I switch to XP I'm stuck at single core for now (and switching to XP is something I absolutely refuse to do at this point). That's not to say that this PC isn't noticeably faster than the 3.4GHz Pentium-4 (Prescott) I had before, even though that had 4Gb RAM, too -- the bus speed is faster and this CPU has a much better architecture (and the chipset is better). I still don't have my onboard sound working yet, though, since I'm having a hard time tracking down a Win2k driver for it. I installed a Windows hotfix that I hope will help, but I have to reboot first to see if it does. At least I tried. I only wish it were possible to port whatever ACPI fix was made for XP back to 2000, or at least get 2000 to not barf with a STOP 0x0000009F (DRIVER_POWER_STATE_FAILURE) when both cores are running. That's simply beyond me, though.

In the meantime, I've released version 0.9.8. It has a number of improvements that should make it more stable, though I can't call it bulletproof yet. Suffice to say that it's better in the sense that some potential bugs have been found and squashed. I'm hoping that the new system will still help me further track down bugs, but only time will tell.

I know that version "1.0.0" is approaching. It won't mean anything different than 0.9.9 or 0.9.8, but I suppose it's a measure of how far SmoothText has come...

[Colonel O'Neill]

The STOP 9F error has a microcode update... but only for XP and 2003...

However, I do remember seeing it on Blackwingcat's blog as a patched version.

With 0.9.8, FastMM no longer freaks out, but explorer does crash and not come back. Setting explorer.exe's CPU affinity to CPU 0 doesn't work as it did in 0.9.7. Have not tried using it with NUMPROC=1 yet.

And apparently aMSN doesn't like to co-operate; it causes some lag when use in conjunction with SmoothText

EDIT: Oops. It remedies 7F, not 9F. But here's the link: http://w2k.livedoor.biz/archives/868694.html

It's in Japanese, but you can find the download called: Windows2000-KB936357-v3-x86-ENU.zip

Mine installed on the ThinkPad X61 fine (Intel Core 2 Duo, T8100, 2.10GHz), except the SATA option in the BIOS had to be set to compatibility, or it would give an INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE. I don't remember installing drivers for it.

Uh-oh: According to Intel's website, it doesn't provide 2000 drivers for that motherboard.

Have you tried updating the BIOS and slipstreaming drivers?

Edited June 20, 2009 by Colonel O'Neill

[WildBill]

I tried the hotfix, but it didn't help. It's still pretty amazing that you even found that. It was at least worth a try. I still can't get Intel's "high definition audio" working, and my keyboard occasionally dies which makes me have to unplug and plug-in my PS/2-to-USB adapter (the motherboard doesn't have any PS/2 ports). The motherboard also doesn't have a floppy port, and it took me HOURS this afternoon to find a way on the net to make a bootable USB stick so I could flash to the newest BIOS. I'm rapidly becoming disgusted to the point that I'm considering getting another motherboard from a different vendor. I've exclusively used Intel motherboards for years, but I really feel let down. If I could only verify that any other one I tried would play nice with Windows 2000...

I'm about 95% likely at this point to drop some money on another motherboard tonight, but this time I'll make sure it meets my needs.

Edit: we'll see if the Asus Rampage Extreme works better for me. If nothing else, it has more SATA ports and a PS/2 keyboard port. Apparently it's also a lot more configurable at the BIOS and should take the same type of RAM I bought for the Intel motherboard.

(I do have two legal copies of XP Pro sitting on the shelf...I just don't want to have to reinstall everything and I really HATE the thought of being at the mercy of Microsoft's activation, store-bought copies or not. So I plan to stick with 2k right up to July 13, 2010.)

Edit #2: Well, I did eventually get sound working, after maybe the sixth or seventh driver I tried...this one finally did the trick:

http://www.x-drivers.com/catalog/drivers/s...c9221/6245.html

So if anyone else is trying to get an Intel DX48BT2 working on Windows 2000, at least that might help. I'm still going to an Asus motherboard, though. I've HAD IT with unplugging my PS/2-USB adapter and plugging it back in every few minutes because my keyboard froze up. :realmad:

Edited June 20, 2009 by WildBill

[Colonel O'Neill]

0.9.8 works superbly on single-core mode.

As for the HD audio: UAA from Microsoft, or UAA from Lenovo. The MS one needs a request. The Lenovo one worked for me. I had the same problem, and this fixed it.

Intel has an OS compatibility list for their desktop boards here, with a list of legacy board drivers.

You should get in contact with Blackwingcat, see if he has any words of advice. His blog is at http://w2k.livedoor.biz/ and he's doing some pretty crazy stuff with 2000. He also has it installed on three systems, which are listed on the left.

One of the server editions of 2000 might work? No certainty on that claim.

[WildBill]

Just for kicks I went and bought a 1TB SATA hard drive and decided to experiment. I tried a clean install of Win2kPro with SP4 slipstreamed, and once the installation finished I tried turning on both cores. The PC actually booted into Windows, but Task Manager still thinks there is only one CPU (it will show only one CPU graph). Now I'm patching from Windows update to see if that works. We shall see...

As an aside, I did some searching for hotfixes, and I ran across a couple of Windows 2000 USB hotfixes: KB822568 and KB836662. You have to request download, but they emailed them to me in a matter of minutes (I guess a bot does it). I don't know if I need them, but I can't help but wonder: are there any other hotfixes that might help that I don't know about? Is there a master list somewhere of all Windows 2000 hotfixes?

(in case you're wondering, I'm posting this from my Win2k laptop...)

Edit: GRR. I had it fully patched, had most drivers loaded, and was copying files and found that it was using the ACPI Uniprocessor HAL. I need to reinstall using the multiprocessor HAL and see if that works...

Edited June 21, 2009 by WildBill

[Colonel O'Neill]

Shouldn't Windows Setup have automatically detected your processor? Unless the option in nLite was changed to Uniprocessor or Setup has a bit of trouble recognizing it.

[WildBill]

I had to install with both cores active to get the right HAL to load. Anyhow, it took all night (I haven't slept), but I'm almost back to normal now, with both cores working. I still have some data to copy from my old hard drive and a lot of programs to reinstall, but things are working. The only problem I'm having is with my keyboard. It's a first-gen Microsoft Natural Keyboard, and is by far my favorite keyboard ever. Unfortunately sometimes the PC forgets it's connected. I'm going to have to search the net to see if I can find a better PS/2-USB converter, because I really don't want to have to get a different keyboard. Aside from that, the computer is working really well, and if I can fix this keyboard issue then I might not need that Asus motherboard after all. I'll just have to find a use for it somehow (or maybe sell it).

I tried SmoothText, and now I see what you're talking about. Explorer immediately crashed with it. At least now I can recreate the problem, which is the first step toward fixing it. At this moment, though, I'm worn out. I'm just going to relax and inch my way back toward full operation tonight.

[Colonel O'Neill]

You got it to work on the Intel board?

Btw, setting explorer CPU affinity to CPU 0 makes it better, but when explorer does go down, it comes back on both cores.

[WildBill]

Yup, Win2k is working with the ACPI Multiprocessor HAL and both cores active on the Intel board. To say it was an unbelievable PITA is an understatement, though. First, in the Win2k textmode setup, it couldn't get through the formatting portion of my 1TB hard drive, even though I was willing to let it format to only 128Gb at first. I would up having to do the following:

1. Use a parallel IDE-to-laptop kit to connect a spare 30Gb laptop hard drive, and install on that instead.

2. Fully patch Win2k and install a bunch of drivers.

3. Install Norton SystemWorks 2003, which includes Norton Ghost 2003.

4. Coax Symantec LiveUpdate to fully patch Ghost 2003 to the newest revision so it could handle SATA drives.

5. Enable 48-bit LBA support.

5. Ghost from the 30Gb laptop drive to the 1TB drive.

6. Use PartitionMagic to resize the partition to fill the 1TB drive.

7. Copy a ton of files from my old C: drive to the new one.

8. Reinstall a lot of applications (and I'm nowhere near finished).

There was a lot of trial and error in each of these steps, hence why I haven't slept since Friday night.

[Colonel O'Neill]

You know slipstreaming USP5 enables 48-bit LBA thingie (>137 GiB) during Setup...

Nonetheless, good to hear you got it working!

Hope you enjoy your blazing new computer

EDIT: according to http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...b;en-us;q305098

The installation of operating systems that do not have 48-bit LBA support enabled by default (such as Windows 98, Windows Me, or Windows 2000) on a partition that is beyond the 28-bit LBA boundary (137 GB) is unsuccessful and leaves behind a temporary installation folder.

Edited June 22, 2009 by Colonel O'Neill

[WildBill]

Aha!!!! :thumbup :thumbup

I learned something tonight. Delphi 6's memory manager is NOT thread-safe by default -- and won't be unless you set IsMultiThread to True when your program starts. I've had Delphi 6 since it came out in 2001 and I can't believe I never knew that.

Version 0.9.9 is posted, and it's working great on my dual-core setup. I also fixed a couple of other bugs, and getting skinning should now work for people (the problem was that the skin .INI file setting wasn't being saved to the registry).

Edited June 24, 2009 by WildBill

[Colonel O'Neill]

Woot!

I'd download it but it isn't uploaded yet.