What software do you have installed on Win9x?

[ScrewUpgrading]

Here's my totally rad Windows ME configuration

Web Browsers

Internet Explorer 6 (Installed, but never used.)

Netscape 9.0.0.6 (no javascript)

Seamonkey 1.1.19 (no js)

Opera 11.11 (turbo, with javascript)

K-Meleon 1.5.4 (no js)

Firefox 2.0.0.20 (no js)

Multimedia:

Windows Media Player 9

Eusing Free Video Converter

Graphics Win9x:

CompuPic Pro 6.23

IrfanView 3.17

XnView 1.60

Mihov Jpegar

Paul's Graphic Viewer 4

FastStone Image Viewer 4.6

11view

ImgViewer 32

NGView

TruView 1.83

FineView 0.63

New View Graphics Viewer 7.7.2

Slick View 1.4

PicViewer 3 by Annixsoft

iview 3.0 by Jogra data

ccy image viewer

Graphics DOS

PictView

PV 2.78

Jpeg6a32 (cjpeg.exe & djpeg.exe utilities)

Grafx Editor

Photo Filtre 6.5.2

Word Processors

Microsoft Word 2000

AbiWord 2.4.6

CD Burning

ImgBurn 2.5.6.0

Deep Burner

Burrrn

Audio Players & MP3 rippers

1 by 1

Trout

Neutrius

Cdex 1.70 beta 2

CD ripper freeware

Mptrim

Anti Virus

ClamWin 0.97.3

Rose's Heuristic Based Virus Scanner

F-Prot 3.16 (definitions from Jan. 2009)

Tiny Personal Firewall 2.0.9

McAfee Stinger

Multi Virus Cleaner 2009

File Compression

Ccy Haha ZIP

UnzipThemAll 1.4

Simply Zip

Freebyte Zip

Desktopzip 2008

Info-Zip's Wiz 5.03

Windows components

Directx 9.0c

Microsoft Installer 2.0

Utilities

CCleaner 2.36

Foxit PDF Reader 2.3

cutePDF writer

System Information Viewer 4.15

Kernel Ex 4.5.1 (for Opera)

Edited November 29, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[jaclaz]

Here's my "ultimate" Windows ME configuration

But your thread title is about Win9x.

I mean, do you accept ideas from BOTH Win9x AND Me users or you just want to meet the other 3 (three) persons in the world that run normally Windows Me?

jaclaz

[loblo]

I mean, do you accept ideas from BOTH Win9x AND Me users or you just want to meet the other 3 (three) persons in the world that run normally Windows Me?

jaclaz

What's that actually supposed to mean?

Typical flame bait trolling IMO.

Way to go Jaclaz!

[herbalist]

There is still 3 of them? Actually, since most of us are using one or more of the unofficial upgrades that contain some WinMe components, aren't we all running 9X hybrids?

Back on topic, a partial list (too lazy to look ATM)

Primary security apps,

System Safety Monitor 2.0.8.583

Kerio 2.1.5

Proxomitron 4.5 (2003-6-1)

Additional pri-sec apps.

Privoxy

Tor-Vidalia

NIS Filecheck

Filemap

Browsers,

SeaMonkey 2.0.14

K-Meleon 1.7

Other (too lazy to sort)

Connectix Virtual PC

Win ISO

Magic ISO

Magic disk

ImgBurn

BurnAtOnce

PDFXchange

SocksCap

Clipboards (multiple clipboard utility)

Launchkey

Splinterware system scheduler

NDN

Universal extractor, both versions

7zip

Dcopy

ISO buster

PGP

NotePad+

Putty

WinSCP

Sam Spade

µTorrent

WinHTTrack

WinMerge

WinAmp

Wink

IrfanView

WinPCap

NMap

Ethereal

Other miscellaneous utilities, editors, etc, and some stuff I can't think of ATM

[jaclaz]

There is still 3 of them? Actually, since most of us are using one or more of the unofficial upgrades that contain some WinMe components, aren't we all running 9X hybrids?

HIt right on the nail , though a Windows Me is nothing but a bettered Win98 (only worse ) it has some features that are NOT in a "plain" - even if updated - Win98 and possibly not even in a hybridized Win98.

Additionally "Win9x" also includes Windows 95 that has also some different features/possibilities, or so I am told by the 2 (two) people that still run it daily .

Let's assume that numbers are (talking of frequent members of MSFN who actually run mainly or often Win9x/Me):

• People running a "plain" - but updated - Win98 (EACH one with a slightly different number of settings/tweaks/updates/what not) : A few tens.
  
• People running a Win98 hybrid with Me (EACH one with a slightly different number of settings/tweaks/updates/what not): A few tens.
  
• People running Me: 3
  
• People running 95: 2
  

Evan if possibly not entirely accurate , the above numbers show how the intended audience might be different.

jaclaz

[loblo]

Windows Me is nothing but a bettered Win98 (only worse )

Whatever you say...

[Mijzelf]

so I am told by the 2 (two) people that still run it daily

Really? I cannot remember I ever told you of my problems.

Anyway, I am running W95 OSR2, on a 25MHz 486SX, and 16MB memory. Actually it's in use as a ethernet to parallel port converter, also called printserver. The only extra software installed is vnc-server, and a small program I wrote myself, which pings a number of IP addresses, and shuts down Windows when nothing is answering anymore. (When no computer is up, no-one will print, right?)

msdos.sys is reconfigured not to start the GUI, and autoexec.bat contains:

win
music.exe

When Windows is down, it will return to DOS, and start the dos program music, which will make some noise through the on-board speaker, so I know Windows is down and the computer can be switched off. (There is no monitor, mouse or keyboard attached).

Edited November 12, 2011 by Mijzelf

[ScrewUpgrading]

ut your thread title is about Win9x.

I mean, do you accept ideas from BOTH Win9x AND Me users or you just want to meet the other 3 (three) persons in the world that run normally Windows Me?

jaclaz

I feel so alone now. Is windows Me really that bad? Should I downgrade then?

Yes, I accept Windows 95, 98, 98se. Please list whatever software you have on Widows 95, 98, 98se, 98seme, ME. Am I missing anymore OS's?

[jaclaz]

I feel so alone now. Is windows Me really that bad? Should I downgrade then?

Naaah, it wasn't/isn't AS bad AS most people try to depict it, as I see it it has a lot of nice features , but it suffered IMHO from:

• like all MS products, initial instability, usually fixed after a short time by a SP1 (that never was released for Me)
  
• it never really got the numbers to make a "critical mass" impact, and most software vendors and programmers (generally speaking) never got around using the added capabilities, most things you now run on Me were developed and tested on Windows 98 only and only by chance they do work allright on Me too
  
• it was "compressed" (not unlike Windows 2K, but to a far greater extent) by the immediately following release of XP and the senseless pushing for XP Home edition by MS on every OEM machine
  
• it was - initially at least - seen as a joke by the good ol' DOS lovers, due to the direct booting in GUI mode
  
• the "typical" users were (necessarily) the people who bought it pre-installed in a OEM PC, seriously I never knew anyone which actually bought a "Full install" version
  
• these "typical users" - again very understandably - as soon as they got their brand new machines, installed on them a few zillions softwares as said developed and perfectly working on Win9x OS, but that were not truly tested on Me, thus increasing the instabilities of the System, or at least its perceived instabilities
  

So all in all it was/is an AS good AS Win98 OS, but with a far smaller user base, expecially among the peeps that - like most MSFN members do - are interested in the innards of the OS, in tricks and tweaks and what not.

I have a good ol' ASUS mini-notebook with Me on it, and I never had actual problems with it (though I actually use that particular PC only rarely and when I do I normally use the other OS that I have installed to it, which is 2K).

When I run for tests a DOS based GUI OS I tend also to use a Win98SE system.

Yes, I accept Windows 95, 98, 98se. Please list whatever software you have on Widows 95, 98, 98se, 98seme, ME. Am I missing anymore OS's?

Good.

I am sure that with this approach you will get far more useful replies .

jaclaz

Edited November 13, 2011 by jaclaz

[ScrewUpgrading]

Naaah, it wasn't/isn't AS bad AS most people try to depict it, as I see it it has a lot of nice features

^ Preach, brother.

I'm running out of topic ideas at this place however. So far only Herbalist has showed and telled what he uses. Also, you guys are the only people that will converse with me about my Windows ME fetish. I might go through withdrawal now if this place ceases to be the Windows 9x mecca of the internet.

Edited November 13, 2011 by ScrewUpgrading

[herbalist]

My experience with ME is limited to servicing several of those units. Those were some of the biggest nightmares I've ever worked on. While a lot of the problems were the users fault (huge quantities of adware/malware, almost 4GB worth in one case) the OS was touchy and temperamental in ways I've never seen before or since. I've never owned a PC with ME so I haven't had the opportunity to modify one and see just what it could do or how good it could get.

So far, my "ultimate setup" doesn't yet exist. This PC for instance is the one I use for internet and virtualization. Right now it's serving as a Tor exit. I'm not sure if it can do that and run the virtualization software at the same time. ATM I'm hesitant to try it. It's lousy for music, horrible sound quality, pops, squeaks, lots of harmonic distortion. I'm pretty sure that I don't have the right sound card driver but it's the only one I've found that works at all. It can't burn a decent ISO, lousy cd-dvd combo drive that's about shot. For those, my old 98FE HP works great, but it doesn't have the processing power or the RAM (366MHZ 160 MB RAM) to deal with virtualization. I have another Dell that I might try 98 on eventually, maybe this winter. It will be more difficult to do on this one, 2GB RAM and requires a USB keyboard and mouse. Right now, it runs XP. I use it for some gaming and my other half uses it. It might be able to serve as my "ultimate system" but would leave me without a decent PC for XP and the one game I got addicted to. This PC, booted to XP will play it, but 1GB RAM lags too much when it gets busy.

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

I feel so alone now. Is windows Me really that bad? Should I downgrade then?

Some us believe that WinME --> Win98se is actually an upgrade.

I remember that WinME was the testbed (and we were the guinea pigs) for System Restore. A dress rehearsal for inclusion in WinXP. Ummm, no thanks. Saving thousands and thousands of files in protected folders was yet another persistent infection vector waiting to be exploited either by malware, or Windows itself which is stupid enough to save an infected file into the _Restore area. Coupled with increased System File Protection (compared to earlier Win9x) it became much more difficult to remove an infected file if it got in.

The final straw was Removing DOS at Startup, removing the chance to delete a system file manually, thereby locking a possible infection in place. Three strikes you're outta there. Ordinarily with an infected system file, it is just reboot, F8 to DOS and manually over-write files from a safe location. This doesn't have to be about a virus though. Any tweaking or experimenting with Drivers and System Files is pretty much rendered moot by those three mentioned WinME advancements. Yes, you could just keep a startup floppy handy and boot to a DOS prompt to perform manual surgery, but this means the probability of leaving floppies in the drive and the BIOS set to boot from it, which of course opens another infection window. So what they really did to WinME is to make it unfriendly to the experts, the hackers, the experimenters that enjoy playing under the hood.

But they did tweak some parts okay. Scandisk works better in Windows, and Defrag in Windows seems to be perfected. USB was better out-of-the-box of course and many of the supplied drivers were newer. Memory management seems to have been improved since it looks like the maximum allowed RAM is higher.

Interestingly, one other major change was in RegEdit, where they were apparently toying with the NT idea of separate hives, but not exactly. They uniquely decided to break the CLASSES tree out of HKLM\Software and store it separately on disk. Which made for three files instead of two, and SYSTEM was now smaller. Looking back now it was an odd idea because NT always separated the root keys, not a piece of a key. I think what happened is that it was simply a stop gap for the increasingly bloated registries causing instability and which could no longer be /c rebuilt manually anyway. One thing is for sure, never use the RegEdit from WinME on earlier versions!

If it were possible to completely remove System Restore and revert System File Protection to it's former benign self (only protect a few files but not automatically replace them), and of course fix the IO.SYS problem with DOS, then WinME would be an upgrade. IMHO, of course.

[jaclaz]

If it were possible to completely remove System Restore and revert System File Protection to it's former benign self (only protect a few files but not automatically replace them), and of course fix the IO.SYS problem with DOS, then WinME would be an upgrade. IMHO, of course.

Well, there are a few ways to get back the DOS.

http://www.dewassoc.com/support/winme/real_dos.htm

http://www.reocities.com/mfd4life_2000/

The SFP:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/253571/en-us

has a re-known solution:

http://www.mdgx.com/me1.htm#UPH

http://erpman1.tripod.com/current/sfpoff.htm

additionally it seems like the list of files is in a file sfpdb.sfp and system.cat

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/267282/en-us

I presume that given there is enough interest in it (which I doubt) someone could use the same kind of tricks were used for 2K and XP WFP and have a "limited" amount of checked files.

Turning off System Restore:

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/me_tips.htm

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/me_tips.htm#system_restore

So, WHAT is the problem?

jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

So far only Herbalist has showed and telled what he uses.

I'll see what I have on my Win98 PC tonight if I remember.

[ScrewUpgrading]

some us believe that WinME --> Win98se is actually an upgrade.

I remember that WinME was the testbed (and we were the guinea pigs) for System Restore. A dress rehearsal for inclusion in WinXP. Ummm, no thanks. Saving thousands and thousands of files in protected folders was yet another persistent infection vector waiting to be exploited either by malware, or Windows itself which is stupid enough to save an infected file into the _Restore area. Coupled with increased System File Protection (compared to earlier Win9x) it became much more difficult to remove an infected file if it got in.

The final straw was Removing DOS at Startup, removing the chance to delete a system file manually, thereby locking a possible infection in place. Three strikes you're outta there. Ordinarily with an infected system file, it is just reboot, F8 to DOS and manually over-write files from a safe location. This doesn't have to be about a virus though. Any tweaking or experimenting with Drivers and System Files is pretty much rendered moot by those three mentioned WinME advancements. Yes, you could just keep a startup floppy handy and boot to a DOS prompt to perform manual surgery, but this means the probability of leaving floppies in the drive and the BIOS set to boot from it, which of course opens another infection window. So what they really did to WinME is to make it unfriendly to the experts, the hackers, the experimenters that enjoy playing under the hood.

But they did tweak some parts okay. Scandisk works better in Windows, and Defrag in Windows seems to be perfected. USB was better out-of-the-box of course and many of the supplied drivers were newer. Memory management seems to have been improved since it looks like the maximum allowed RAM is higher.

I'm glad that Windows Me had improved USB support. I probably would've never bothered learning about "thumb drives" if it required more than simply inserting the device into the computer and automatically getting detected. I used to make multi-volume archives on floppies with a DOS program called "Sky Compressor." It was easier than doing it with more complex programs such as ARJ and Pkzip. I'm not a power user by any means. Slow learner, keep it simple is my motto.

I can see your point though about Windows 98 being better for power users, and the people who like to experiment and tweak their systems. No wonder everybody dislikes WinMe.

Interestingly, one other major change was in RegEdit, where they were apparently toying with the NT idea of separate hives, but not exactly. They uniquely decided to break the CLASSES tree out of HKLM\Software and store it separately on disk. Which made for three files instead of two, and SYSTEM was now smaller. Looking back now it was an odd idea because NT always separated the root keys, not a piece of a key. I think what happened is that it was simply a stop gap for the increasingly bloated registries causing instability and which could no longer be /c rebuilt manually anyway. One thing is for sure, never use the RegEdit from WinME on earlier versions!

If it were possible to completely remove System Restore and revert System File Protection to it's former benign self (only protect a few files but not automatically replace them), and of course fix the IO.SYS problem with DOS, then WinME would be an upgrade. IMHO, of course.

What I do, is immediately after a fresh format and installation, I turn of system restore.

Turning off Hibernation support, and the rest of those annoying energy saving features also helps things go more smooth.

Well, there are a few ways to get back the DOS.

http://www.dewassoc....me/real_dos.htm

http://www.reocities.../mfd4life_2000/

The SFP:

http://support.micro...kb/253571/en-us

has a re-known solution:

http://www.mdgx.com/me1.htm#UPH

http://erpman1.tripo...rent/sfpoff.htm

additionally it seems like the list of files is in a file sfpdb.sfp and system.cat

http://support.micro...kb/267282/en-us

I presume that given there is enough interest in it (which I doubt) someone could use the same kind of tricks were used for 2K and XP WFP and have a "limited" amount of checked files.

Turning off System Restore:

http://www.onecomput...com/me_tips.htm

^ cool links, thanks.