Windows 98SE on Inspiron 1525

[dencorso]

Your file was in the correct DOS format, and, IMO, had only correct entries. I gave it some minor revisions, but I doubt any of them will make any difference... but do give it a try, please. If this proves to be insufficient, do give RLoew's RAM Limitation Patch Demo a try.

SYSTEM_REVISED.zip

[osiff]

I tried your revised system.ini with the same result, hang. I will try the demo tomorrow.

[dencorso]

OK. Let the revised system.ini in the machine, and be sure to install RLoew's patch from DOS, with the /M command line switch. I just found the Inspiron 1525 [link I] [link II] [link III] specs... Is your HDD IDE (aka PATA) or is it SATA? If it's SATA, that may be an issue, too. And RLoew has a patch for that, too, if needed. But that may not be necessary if the chipset is Intel, because, then, the Intel Application Accelerator has you covered... well... sort of.

[LoneCrusader]

@osiff

You're already getting the best advice, so the only thing that I would add is do not be discouraged if changing the various settings in SYSTEM.INI does not fix your problem. I tried all of those things in the past, and none of it ever worked for my system either.

I'm a firm believer in RLoew's RAM Patch.

[osiff]

My hard drive is SATA but in the BIOS, under SATA operation, I have set ATA instead of AHCI. Could this still be a problem? And I should install the patch by putting it on with ubuntu and then launching it from dos? with /m?

Edited March 21, 2011 by osiff

[dencorso]

My hard drive is SATA but in the BIOS, under SATA operation, I have set ATA instead of AHCI. Could this still be a problem?

It'll work in compatibility mode, at best, IMO, because there's no driver for it. It's slow but should be enough for solvin the problms with > 1GiB RAM. However, once that's solved you should install the Intel Application Accelerator, to give it a proper performance.

And I should install the patch by putting it on with ubuntu and then launching it from dos? with /m?

Yeah. That should work.

[rloew]

My hard drive is SATA but in the BIOS, under SATA operation, I have set ATA instead of AHCI. Could this still be a problem?

It'll work in compatibility mode, at best, IMO, because there's no driver for it. It's slow but should be enough for solvin the problms with > 1GiB RAM. However, once that's solved you should install the Intel Application Accelerator, to give it a proper performance.

And I should install the patch by putting it on with ubuntu and then launching it from dos? with /m?

Yeah. That should work.

AHCI Mode is incompatable with Windows 9X, even in compatability mode. It will crash during Boot if any Partitions are recognized.

RAID Mode can be used if you have a Driver.

My SATA Patch will support it if set to IDE Mode.

I doubt that the Intel Application Accelerator will help, since it is limited to certain Chipsets.

[osiff]

I believe that patch worked because in safe mode, the system booted. But I tried to install the unofficial service pack in safe mode and there was an error and i clicked continue anyway and after that there was a blue screen in safe mode and in regular mode so I'm just going to reinstall it.... OK reinstalled and this time I got it to boot in regular mode. And I tried to install the Unofficial SP again, and now the system hangs at the Windows 98 splash. With the slider thing at the bottom not moving.

Edited March 21, 2011 by osiff

[dencorso]

Of course. The uSP reverts the patch. You'd have to patch again, after installing the the uSP... If that's what you intend to do, let me explain how to perform the repatch, before you attempt it. So let's discuss a little, before you go ahead and install again for the third time.

You shouldn't do all things in a haste. Solve the boot problem first., then the SATA problem, then start thinking about updating. Your hardware is sufficiently new to make all things require careful planning and the creating of good fallback strategies, before each step.

Now, if you're going to reinstall from scratch, do it and then test RLoew's patch properly. If it works well, you should be able to boot normally, not just in safe mode. Then you should make a system image backup, and follow it by installing the Intel Application Accelerator. Keeping logs (outside the problem machine, at this point) of everything that was done and whel also helps a lot. There's a definete probability that you'll need RLoew's SATA patch, besides the RAM Limitation Patch, IMO.

[dencorso]

My hard drive is SATA but in the BIOS, under SATA operation, I have set ATA instead of AHCI.

Could this still be a problem?

AHCI Mode is incompatable with Windows 9X, even in compatability mode.

It will crash during Boot if any Partitions are recognized.

RAID Mode can be used if you have a Driver.

My SATA Patch will support it if set to IDE Mode.

I doubt that the Intel Application Accelerator will help, since it is limited to certain Chipsets.

Welcome, RLoew! Your valuable adivice is much needed in this thread.

osiff is using ATA (=IDE Mode), not AHCI. That's why I think he'll be in compatibility mode until adding either your patch or a (rumored) SATA driver included with the IAA. I wouldn't know whether threre really are Intel drivers for SATA, because I'm a true believer in AMD.

[rloew]

My hard drive is SATA but in the BIOS, under SATA operation, I have set ATA instead of AHCI.

Could this still be a problem?

AHCI Mode is incompatable with Windows 9X, even in compatability mode.

It will crash during Boot if any Partitions are recognized.

RAID Mode can be used if you have a Driver.

My SATA Patch will support it if set to IDE Mode.

I doubt that the Intel Application Accelerator will help, since it is limited to certain Chipsets.

Welcome, RLoew! Your valuable adivice is much needed in this thread.

osiff is using ATA (=IDE Mode), not AHCI. That's why I think he'll be in compatibility mode until adding either your patch or a (rumored) SATA driver included with the IAA. I wouldn't know whether threre really are Intel drivers for SATA, because I'm a true believer in AMD.

I knew osiff wasn't using AHCI Mode, but he wondered about it. So I posted the statement so he would not retry it.

If set to IDE Mode, Windows 9X will load ESDI_506.PDR. Without my SATA Patch that can lead to crashes.

If my SATA Patch is not installed, the SATA Drives should be set to RAID so that no Driver is loaded.

IAA is fairly old and tied to specific Chipsets, so I doubt that it would support any SATA compatable Chipset. I don't know if it is hackable.

I prefer AMD also. AMD's implementation is easier to use than Intel's. All of my newer machines are AMD based. I had to add a significant amount of code to my Mutli-Core SDK to work with RFMaster's Intel CPU.

Edited March 22, 2011 by rloew

[osiff]

Of course. The uSP reverts the patch. You'd have to patch again, after installing the the uSP... If that's what you intend to do, let me explain how to perform the repatch, before you attempt it. So let's discuss a little, before you go ahead and install again for the third time.

You shouldn't do all things in a haste. Solve the boot problem first., then the SATA problem, then start thinking about updating. Your hardware is sufficiently new to make all things require careful planning and the creating of good fallback strategies, before each step.

Now, if you're going to reinstall from scratch, do it and then test RLoew's patch properly. If it works well, you should be able to boot normally, not just in safe mode. Then you should make a system image backup, and follow it by installing the Intel Application Accelerator. Keeping logs (outside the problem machine, at this point) of everything that was done and whel also helps a lot. There's a definete probability that you'll need RLoew's SATA patch, besides the RAM Limitation Patch, IMO.

OK I will reinstall it again later today and follow your instructions.

[dencorso]

OK. So, if starting from scratch, you should let the installer go on to the moment it attempts to reboot by the first time, then follow RLoew's instructions:

1. Place the Patch Program on a DOS Floppy Disk or on a Formatted Partition.

2. Perform the Windows installation until the FIRST reboot.

Do not leave the Computer unattended in case Windows reboots without

prompting.

3. Reboot and holds the CTRL key to get the Windows Startup Menu.

NOTE: If Windows starts without the Startup Menu, it may crash. If so,

press RESET and wait for the Windows Startup Menu. You may need

to turn Power back on if it shuts off.

4. Select the "Command prompt only" option and press ENTER.

5. Run the WININIT Command.

6. Go to the Floppy Disk or Partition where the PATCHMEM Program is located.

7. Run the PATCHMEM Program.

8. Remove the Floppy Disk if present.

9. Press the Reset Button or CTRL-ALT-DEL.

10. Continue the Windows Installation.

So, now make sure the system is booting OK.

Now you apply the uSP, and don't let it reboot again or let it try to rebbot, but it'll not succeed.

Then:

1. Boot UBUNTU and copy the following files to a temporary directory, say, c:\SAFEKEEP:

VMM32.BAK and VMM32.VXD from c:\Windows\System and VMM.VXD, VMM.BAK, VCACHE.VXD and VCACHE.BAK from c:\Windows\System\VMM32

2) Go again to c:\Windows\System and rename VMM32.VXD --> VMM32.OLD and VMM32.BAK --> VMM32.VXD

3) No go to c:\Windows\System\VMM32 and delete VMM.BAK, VCACHE.VXD and VCACHE.BAK. Be sure *not* to delete VMM.VXD.

4) Boot true DOS and reapply the RAM Limitation Patch.

5) Boot Windows again, and it should just work!

6) From Windows Explorer, navigate to c:\Windows\System\VMM32, highlight VMM.VXD, right-click on it and, from the menu, from the menu, select Properties, then Version: it should say that you have VMM.VXD file version 4.10.2226.

If you reached this point and all is well, now it's time to get the full version of the RAM Limitation Patch, because the Demo is time-limited, and your system clearly requires it, since just modifying SYSTEM.INI got us nowhere.

[osiff]

The system still will not boot! I reinstalled and installed the patch, same as before, but this time it will only boot in safe mode! The only thing I did differently was that I installed the patch during the install, during the time when the system reboots.

[dencorso]

You did not install the uSP yet, right? If so, do the following

Boot UBUNTU and go to c:\Windows\System, rename VMM32.VXD --> VMM32.NXT and VMM32.BAK --> VMM32.VXD, then go to c:\Windows\System\VMM32 and delete VMM.VXD, VMM.BAK, VCACHE.VXD and VCACHE.BAK.

Now boot to DOS and reapply RLoew's patch, and don't forget to use the /M command line switch.

Reboot, and windows should start correctly. Whatever happens, report before proceeding.