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KernelEx 4.5.2


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> Here's the sdbcreate I built earlier today: download

Thanks...it confirmed my worst fears. :ph34r:

http://dependencywalker.com/faq.html


  • "You do not need (or want) APPHELP.DLL on Windows 95/98/ME/2000."

The bad news: Sdbcreate needs apphelp.dll which won't be working on win9x anytime soon (too many dependencies, too low priority):

  • "Usage: sdbcreate.exe dbspec.ini out.sdb [out.reg]\n"

The good news: This is MSI-related and we don't really need the MSI installer. Once users have 4.52 installed, they can update individual files; or we can create a new installer that can be built on Win9x.

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Thanks Den, I got it. Update went smoothly.

Jumper, sdbcreate should build a file called KernelEx.sdb that's required by the NSIS (not MSI) installer to build the KernelEx installation package. Without that file, the installer script bails out, so we cannot build a KernelEx installer under 9x unless the .nsi script gets modified (which I don't think we should try).

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Drugwash,

While I've added these files to repository a couple of days ago to the repository I didn't update source code packages which I'm correcting now.

I've just updated source code distribution on SourceForge to include the files in question.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/files/KernelEx/4.5.2/

---

Jumper,

KernelEx.sdb is a special database containing Microsoft Installer (MSI) transform files. These files allow the system to modify the MSI files on the fly so you don't have to mess with Orca by hand, eg. remove VersionNT dependencies.

Having that said, KernelEx.sdb needs to be recreated only if new transforms are added.

Currently there are transforms for:

  • Google Earth 5.1
  • Google Earth 5.2
  • Google Earth 5.2.1
  • Google Earth 6 beta
  • Office 2007 File Format Converters
  • Word Viewer 2003
  • Excel Viewer 2003
  • Office 2003 Professional
  • Acrobat Reader 7

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Excellent! Now that KernelEx.sdb is in the package, the NSIS installer gets built without a hitch. :thumbup It's a bit larger though: 229,518 bytes versus original 228,428 bytes. But as it turns out, that's entirely the fault of NSIS (can be seen by opening both original KEx and the newly built one in 7-zip - Packed Size for $PLUGINSDIR is 182,410 vs 181,320). Maybe I should've installed v2.44 instead of 2.46 but that's me: pushing things to the limit. :angel

Well, all in all, things went just fine. Where to, now? :unsure:

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Well, all in all, things went just fine. Where to, now? :unsure:

Hmmm, I think most of us would benefit if KernelEX could be updated to get the latest browser version/build as possible to work flawlessly.

Maybe also Java 7 and up ?

This is so exciting and I wish I could help but I don't understand one bit of programming :blushing:

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Well, what we need most is a whole lotta luck, right now. I don't know much of programming either, when it comes to real languages such as C/C++/C#, Delphi, ASM and so on. I could read and possibly understand portions of code, but not the "full picture", unfortunately. I've been working mostly with AutoHotkey, which is a macro language, interpreter-based, single-threaded, completely unsuitable for kernel-related tasks. I can at most build a few small utilities to aid in programming or daily computer operation, but other than that, I'd leave it to much more knowledgeable people. :blushing:

Thing is, all (or greatest majority) of nowadays' applications are completely disregarding RAM, CPU, storage limitations, considering the new hardware's capabilities. However, us 9x users cannot benefit from newest hardware, but are limited to old one that we can still find drivers for. As such, any software we use should take into account the maximum RAM size (512MB for standard 98SE, 1.15GB or more for ME or R. Loew's patch users), maximum CPU type (instruction sets, speed, number of cores, etc), maximum HDD storage considering the FAT/32 file system and cluster size, maximum USB speed (no USB 3.0+ drivers for 9x) and whatever else I may have omitted here.

Since nowadays' software doesn't care about the above, we either need programmers that could build drivers for newest hardware, or programmers that could build a whole new set of applications with regard to the 9x limitations mentioned above. But then, another issue arises: old hardware will eventually fail, spare parts will be hard - and at some point, impossible - to find and with no drivers for new hardware, we will be forced to give up. And personally, I would rather give up internet and computers as a whole, than being just an extension of 'the cloud'. Simple as that!

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A good place to start might be to review and update all the version strings.

Most of the DLL's have product version "4.5.2" and file version "4, 5, 12, 0".

Sheet.dll has product version "1, 0, 0, 7" and file version "1, 0, 0, 7"

At the end of the install (or whenever run) verify.exe reports "v4.5.120".

I suggest updating all product versions to "4.5.3" and verify.exe to "v4.5.3"

Also the copyrights are 2009-2010; should be 2009-2011 (at least).

Comments, Legal Trademarks, Private Build Description, Special Build Description can be removed (unless you want to use them).

Edit: Just realized you might want to start a new topic "KernelEx 4.5.3 alpha"! :w00t:

Edited by jumper
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  • 3 weeks later...

It will be 4.6.0, the changelog will include (but will be changed during the development):

It would be great to implement changes so that the latest version of Opera can be used on Windows 98, including fixes for opening links from external programs (which currently crash Opera).

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Please urgently support a newer Firefox version.

eBay has yesterday changed their page design and now contains tons of javascripts those make it so horrendously slow that it turns almost unusable. I already disabled the "remaining time" entry on the search results page (attempts to redraw now about every second, while each redraw takes 30s, which makes the browser almost freeze). Also long search entries are now printed over the 1st displayed eBay item and so prevent clicking on it.

Edited by CyberyogiCoWindler
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Unfortunately, Firefox has become a huge resource hog. I have to use it everyday under XP and at some point it takes about 1GB of memory + HDD space, goes slower and slower until it can't be operated anymore and needs restarted. Of course, this may also be the fault of certain extensions I have active, but if it wasn't for those, I wouldn't be browsing the Internet nowadays. I have a fixed monthly download quota and can't afford to waste it with useless advertising, Flash and whatnot.

Guys, I'm afraid we need a new browser, designed from scratch for Win9x, that can use HTML5 but can also be able to reject all that advertising that's cluttering the pages. But I already know the answer to that: "keep dreaming..." :(

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