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98SE2ME = Killer Replacements: ME -> 98 SE


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Microsoft RegClean is really, really old. There are plenty of programs now that install stuff that is only registered while the program is in use. Even Microsoft DirectX has registry entries dealing with the gamepad controllers that are only connected while a joystick is in use. And forget about Office programs. RegClean was simply not designed to recognize these kinds of things.

A regcleaner that is safe like the old RegClean, but updated for new types of programs is Macecraft Software's Jv16Powertools 2005. It is now a commercial program, where in years past (while "jv" was a "16" year old kid) it was free. But it is the best out there, and quite usefull for more than simple registry cleaning as well.

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MDGx,

Ah, that explains it. The 98SE2ME installed here is from 6-11-2005. So I now have 2 of the same versions, as I renamed one of them to MECONFIG! No problem. I'll just delete that one.

The nag screen at bootup if msconfig is used still shows up though. Was that one of the ones Tihiy removed? If so, then I do have the patched newer version as msconfig and the Tihiy version as meconfig. And that's the way 98SE2ME sets things up now, so I'll leave it alone. I use it infrequently anyway. Whatever's there is working, but it is just strange having the static vxd and environment tabs instead of autoexec and config. I'll just ignore that stuff for now. If I want to clean boot I know what to do!

Should I extract the Themes.cpl too? I just extracted the Themes.exe from the 98Plus! cd as I didn't know the control panel applet was different as well. It's too bad everyone can't use the fixed version of Themes.exe. I guess the only Microsoft release of it is on the 98Plus! cd. But the same can be said of 98SE2ME. Folks need to buy WinMe to use it, as well. And Microsoft never seems to give up on stuff. Ms-Dos use still needs a license! They should do what Rockstar Games does with GrandTheftAuto 1 and 2! Use our old stuff free and maybe you'll buy our new stuff.

It's pretty weird that Dosbox runs dosgames better than Dos. Just thinking aloud here, don't mind me.

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Microsoft RegClean is really, really old.  There are plenty of programs now that install stuff that is only registered while the program is in use.  Even Microsoft DirectX has registry entries dealing with the gamepad controllers that are only connected while a joystick is in use.  And forget about Office programs.  RegClean was simply not designed to recognize these kinds of things.

A regcleaner that is safe like the old RegClean, but updated for new types of programs is Macecraft Software's Jv16Powertools 2005.  It is now a commercial program, where in years past (while "jv" was a "16" year old kid) it was free.  But it is the best out there, and quite usefull for more than simple registry cleaning as well.

-true, old regclean doesn't do much... I occasionally have to go in there and yank old stuff out myself... but I'd rather suffer thru that, rather than risk the results of an automated aggressive regcleaner, because once your reg is corrupted (which often isn't obvious; can be very sneaky), your whole install is untrustworthy... and I've had far too much experience w/that scenario :wacko: ... now, I've used jv16 (free) in the past, and liked it, but is it worth the risk? It can make it seem like new progs are buggy, when in fact it's your "cleaned" reg which is at fault, and I like to test new progs all the time... -then again, I've only tried freeware, maybe the paid stuff is more reliable, but again, is it worth the risk of never being sure if your reg may be corrupted? (I'd rather have old stuff lingering around in there, to be yanked manually by me every now and then...)

>;]

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PsychoUnc,

I know what you mean. It depends how one uses the thing though. It's great for when I'm experimenting a bit like with Creative software. After uninstalling it and even using DriverCleaner, I can go in the jv16powertools2005 and look at the installed programs list. In the Creative example I would see stuff like ASIO, CDDB Control, etc and from past experience know that If I tell jv16 to remove the related entries like that it will be better to do so before removing the Creative program folder as this will unregister the stuff Creative leaves behind before I delete the files. This actually saves me from breaking an association since jv16 checks for what registry entries are associated with the particular installed program and when I click remove, it gets rid of them automatically. And believe me, Creative stuff isn't all located in one conveniant registry tree!

I also do trust the registry cleaner part of it (the original program he started with). But I only run it once in a while when I'm going to do a whole temp folder file deletion, Scandisk, Defrag.

It did mess up some stuff on my XP box but that was my fault. I now know to just close the taskbar notification area background tasks but not to clean boot using msconfig when I'm going to run the registry cleaner. See, I clean boot with the ethernet card connection disabled and ZoneAlarm off and everything except the Microsoft services unchecked in msconfig before running Disc Defragmenter. I don't suggest doing this and then running a registry cleaner! When I did that it deleted my startup shortcuts from the StartMenu's Startup folder (like Office and stuff), and the ATI Catalyst Control Panel's systray icon's startup routine. When I went back to normal startup in msconfig these things did not come back! Even checking show icon in systray in the ATI software didn't bring it back to run at startup. I needed to run the Catalyst Control Panel's add/remove programs uninstaller and repair the install, and I needed to run the office repair tool from the Word program's help menu to get back those startup shortcuts. After doing these things everything seemed okay, but as you said I didn't really know!

So I now run it as I said, with just clicking exit on the stuff in the systray, deleting the contents of my system temp folder and the Windows/Temp folder, empty my browser cache's then run registry cleaner. I then reboot. After that I disable the net, tell ZoneAlarm to go away at startup, and uncheck all but the main Windows stuff in msconfig's startup, and leave only the Microsoft stuff checked in services, reboot and then do a quick checkdisc from the GUI and run Disc Defragmenter. And I only do all this once in a blue moon or after I've installed a bunch of things to the HD or have been doing some video editing and have put in and removed large DVD size files.

So, I do trust the thing but I recognize that it's only a computer program and will botch things up if I hide everything from it! It didn't know, "Oh, he disabled some stuff so I'd better not delete those things." We learn by screwing up. Generally, if ya don't mess aroung with the startup controls it is very aware of what not to delete. And, it was my choice not to let it back up what it was deleting. It does offer to do so before making any changes. I just remembered having a problem with jv16 crashing when it had built up some backups so I usually don't bother and pray it knows what it's doing! The fact that it is the latest and very recent version comforts me about that.

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MDGx,

I just went ahead and used Winzip to extract Themes.cpl from the Plus98! cd and overwrite the Me one. I figured that it was safe enough as that is what runs fine on 98SE anyway. No problems.

I think stuff is as it should be now. I'm gonna go play somethin'.

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I made animated startup and wait logos for 98SE2ME if anyone wants them. You can grab them HERE... or as attached to this post 98SE2MELOGOS.rar.

If anyone can point me to the actual font used for "Me", I'll use that instead of the one in these pics. I just used Kauffman font and edited it by hand from memory.

Here's the preview pics:

LOGO_pr.gifLOGOW_pr.gif

I could do a gazillion of these if anyone cares. Just let me know what you'd like to see as the background.

Cheers,

-Ex

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I have a similar problem.  My 98SE runs pretty fast, but after using 98SE2ME (without option3) I've noticed some slowdown from a fresh boot and it just gets worse from there.  I find myself needing to reboot after doing only a few tasks or else it feels like I'm using my old Commodore 64 again.  ;)

If I install option3, I tend to get wierd glitches that end up crashing my system.  I like the UI, but I can't use it for long.  Yesterday, I gave it another shot and it ended up giving errors on every file I'd try to open, saying it could not be found.  I tried to open Control Panel to uninstall that option, but Control Panel wouldn't open due to a runtime error.  A similar problem occurred after installing Tihiy's Revolution's Pack.

I've tried installing the 98SE2ME several times, but each time I find myself having to restore shortly after.  I've ordered a DVD burner so I can back up my HD, reformat, and do a clean install of Win98SE.  I'm hoping it will help.  Before using this, I had Windows running pretty smooth, but since I've tried this, things haven't been quite right.  For example:  I'm experiencing the reboot hangups (try to restart and it exits windows and hangs) again and can't seem to get rid of it no matter what.

Here's my specs:

1GZ AMD Athlon

512 MB RAM

64MB Nvidia GEForce4 MX 420 (so I chose to "avoid using 32bit icons" with RP3.6)

Win98SE 4.10.2222A

BIOS - AST Research 10/12/00

BTW, I've installed all the updates available through Windows Update, as well as the Unofficial SP 2.01.  I keep my PC pretty clean as far as viruses, spyware, and adware are concerned... so I know there's no problem there.

Also, I've read through the included documents several times and read through much of mdgx.com, but I'm still unclear about this....  After installing 98SE2ME, just what updates/fixes/etc. are there left to do from the lists?  ex: Do I need to do the XP SP2 functionality serperately?

Thanks for all the work you've done.  I'm sure I'll get it working right eventually.

Best Regards,

-Ex

I'm using all files installed by 98SE2ME all the time for the past 5 years [i experiment on my PC 1st before posting here any new files ;)], except option 3, and never had instability or slowdown problems. I've also personally installed 98SE2ME, various editions, on more than 10 computers, and never noticed such issues.

So IMHO, your problem is probably hardware related, unless... please see examples from this post:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=337661

Other things to consider:

- CPU + mobo chipset:

I have an Intel CPU + chipset, cannot test AMD.

As far as I know AMD requires mobo specific drivers.

- video controller issues:

please make sure u have installed current version of NVidia Forceware drivers 71.84:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_71.84.html

and DirectX 9.0c:

http://www.mdgx.com/dx.htm#MDX

and eventually other necessary drivers from your chipset/RAID/SCSI/SATA/etc manufacturer.

- make sure your HDs don't run in "MS-DOS compatibility mode":

control panel -> system -> performance -> file system.

- if u installed Tihiy's Revolution Pack, you may experience instability.

Please ask Tihiy about Rev Pack issues:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=39333

- unexpected exit/reboot issues may be related to ACPI/APM/power saving drivers/settings.

I don't like power saving feature, so I completely disabled it, I mean I deleted all power/ACPI/APM related files + reg settings.

A registry value that might give you exit/reboot problems is this one:

REGEDIT4 

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown]
"FastReboot"="0"

Make sure this REG_SZ value is 0 . U can do this from MSCONFIG:

Advanced button -> Disable fast shutdown -> OK -> reboot.

- make sure you boot with the bootlog.txt option enabled in MSDOS.SYS [option 2 on the menu]:

http://www.mdgx.com/msdos.htm#MEN

and then get Boot Log Analyzer, which checks/reports on slow loading/failed drivers (.SYS, .VXD, .DRV, .DLL, .386 etc) at bootup by analyzing C:\BOOTLOG.TXT:

http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/bootloganalyzer123.html

Direct download [235 KB, freeware]:

http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/bootloganalyzer123.zip

Full guide here:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip14.htm#SUYG

This way u may find out which drivers/system files cause problems.

- insuficient case/CPU/chipset/video/HD cooling + overclocking may cause random/unexpected reboots/exits/errors/lockups.

- an underrated power supply unit [PSU] and/or unstable current may also cause random/unexpected reboots/exits/errors/lockups.

In such cases u may need a better PSU [make sure its rating is at least 400 W], a surge supressor and/or a good quality UPS [uninterruptable Power Supply].

Please notice what kind of error messages you get [eventually write them down], or what exactly happens when you shut down/exit/use programs/etc, and then post here, so we can figure out what's wrong.

To my knowledge 98SE2ME does not delete any LDID values from the registry.

If some of those VarLDID values were erased prior to installing 98SE2ME, then you need to determine which programs/system files/etc do that, and eventually avoid to install/use them, because those REG values should always be present for proper operation, no matter which 9x OS you're using.

If those LDID problems become evident only after installing 98SE2ME, that doesn't mean 98SE2ME causes them, that means you need to find out which program/patch/etc is the culprit and eliminate it.

Also, if you already found which Windows ME files/programs are affected by or affect the VarLDID REG values, please post the links here, so I can also check them out, and find out if there is a 98SE2ME related issue I can fix.

XP SP2, WMP10, 2003 SP1 etc system files are not part of 98SE2ME.

98SE2ME installs only WinME system files, none other.

The only file installed from XP SP2 is EXTRAC32.EXE, which is not a system file, therefore it can't influence OS performance or stability.

READ1ST.TXT contains full details on this subject:

READ1ST.TXT

and this page [linked a few times in READ1ST.TXT], which is actually the do-it-yourself-98SE2ME-step-by-step guide, contains complete list of files installed by 98SE2ME:

http://www.mdgx.com/98-5.htm#KRM9S

Eck:

I have just installed again Bonux XP for WMP9 + WMP10 XP using the batch file from this post:

http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=35997...st&p=309394

and everything went ok.

Hope this helps.

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Can someone help me with this problem? After installed Win98SE2ME i have a problem when i try to open a picture file.
Looks like that particular pic does not exist in that directory. :(
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I made animated startup and wait logos for 98SE2ME if anyone wants them.

If anyone can point me to the actual font used for "Me", I'll use that instead of the one in these pics.  I just used Kauffman font and edited it by hand from memory.

I could do a gazillion of these if anyone cares.  Just let me know what you'd like to see as the background.

Cheers,

-Ex

Great job, cool logos!

I hope you don't mind if I use them in 98SE2ME to replace the old "Blue Windows" logo with yours.

Thanks a lot.

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I need some help here, I can't install drivers for my sound[onbooard, see sig for mobo] were installed b4 982ME, ckd systems/device drivers in control panel b4 install[do this whenever clean installing as precaution] now they're gone?, yellow ? shows in device drivers under "sound,video,& game cotrollers" & can't update/reinstall. Goes through to end of install then get msg that drivers can't be installed because the digitall sig has not been approve by MS for install on this operating system. What the F? is this ?, never ran into b4. HEEeeelp please! :wacko:

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Can someone help me with this problem? After installed Win98SE2ME i have a problem when i try to open a picture file.
Looks like that particular pic does not exist in that directory. :(

I got the exact same problem when I enabled "option 3". Also, the exact same thing happened when I tried the Revolution's Pack. It was more than just pictures though, it was nearly every file on my HD that got that error as well as being unable to open Control Panel, My Computer, etc. (no I didn't install RP on top of option3). This error was mentioned in my first post also.:unsure:

Gape, Thanks! HERE'S the same logos, but without the "2 Me", (you'll have to right-click/save as). If there are other changes you would like me to make, just let me know.

MDGx, Thanks for all the help. I'll have to go through that piece by piece later. I'm glad you like the logos.... sure you can use them however/wherever you want. I can also change them to suite whatever you'd like. I went with that background for my PC cause I've got a silver XP theme going on. ;)

BTW, I went ahead and installed 98SE2ME without option3 on a different PC, (HP 500MHZ PIII, 64MB RAM, onboard everything), and so far I've not noticed any problems. I also reinstalled Windows 98SE on my PC, (not a clean install though), and tried 98SE2ME without option3 again... and so far I've not noticed the major slow down like before. I used to run RegCleaner every so often, so maybe it deleted some of the entries you mentioned. To give you an idea of how it's doing now... I've not rebooted since I had Photoshop open to make those logos yesterday and it seems to be gagging when I move around the start menu, but I seem to be ok otherwise. I haven't opened my 3D modeler yet tho... that proggy is pretty taxing. Usually (with standard 98SE), I can have Photoshop open working on Textures, Zmod open working on models, and a game open testing them in-game, all at the same time without any hiccups on my PC. But thanks again for the help. With the info you gave, I'll get the kinks worked out with my PC. B)

-Ex

edit:

Did another set while I was at it...

98SESWIRL.GIF98SESWIRLW.GIF

You can get it HERE, (right-click/save as).

Edited by Excalibur007
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I tested this on my old PC:

Intel Pentium III Tualatin 1.3 GHz CPU overclocked at 1.4 GHz

Intel 440BX PCI/AGP chipset

Abit BE6-II 2.0 RAID mobo

Highpoint HP370 UATA5 RAID HD controller

Chaintech A-GT60 NVidia GeForce4 Ti 4600 128 MB AGPx4 video card

IBM DeskStar 75GXP 120 GB UATA5 HD

Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA sound card

MS Intellimouse Explorer 4.0a laser mouse

What I did step-by-step:

1. Installed 98SE full from "scratch" from MS setup CD, not as upgrade. No other apps/tools/tweaks/updates/etc.

2. Installed PFE [Programmer's File Editor 32-bit = better Notepad replacement] so I can "see" text files properly.

3. Installed MS DirectX 9.0c in order to allow NVidia Forceware video drivers to install properly [see #4 below].

4. Installed NVidia Forceware video drivers 71.84 so I can "see" something better than 16 colors or 640x480 VGA. ;)

5. Installed MS Intellipoint mouse software 4.12 to fix erratic movements mouse cursor issues due to 98SE "stock" mouse drivers bugs.

I use a MS Intellimouse Explorer 4.0a laser mouse, but as far as I can tell these erratic movements are not related to mouse hardware.

6. Disabled all Power saving/ACPI/APM/Stand by/Turn off/etc features from Control Panel -> Power Options.

7. Installed Gape's SP 2.0.1 option 1 only = "Main Update [All Updates and Hofixes]".

After reboot, I noticed "Working in Background" mouse cursor spinning for 15-20 seconds right after Windows UI completes loading.

8. Used Startup CPL [ http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml ] and disabled "SystemTray"="SysTray.exe" item under the "HKLM / Run" tab.

"Working in Background" mouse cursor stopped spinning for 15-20 seconds after reboot.

9. Installed 98SE2ME 6-21-2005 edition option 2 only = "ONLY ~ 700 WinME system files".

Everything worked OK after reboot, no Control Panel Add/Remove Programs errors, no mouse cursor spinning for 15-20 seconds, no sound card driver errors [i use a Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA on this older PC, needs no extra drivers from Creative Labs, 98SE properly detects + installs necessary drivers from setup CD] no Explorer/Find Files/My Documents/Start Menu/etc glitches/errors, nada.

So if anybody is experiencing any errors/glitches/etc, some of them may be [?] due *exclusively* to 98SE2ME option 3, which as I said before [quoting from READ1ST.TXT]:

CAUTION:

WinME files installed by option 3 may change and/or lose Win98 SE interface functionality, stability and/or performance!

I am working on improving option 3, but I'm going to need access to more computers to test it on, because the ones I already have access to did not have these bugs.

Until then, if anybody gets such errors and you think they are related to 98SE2ME option 3, please uninstall option 3 from Control Panel, as detailed in READ1ST.TXT.

Only if Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> select "98SE2ME Option 3: Restore Win98 SE Explorer, Shell32 + UI" -> click Add/Remove button -> reboot option is not available, then run this command from the Run box:

RUNDLL32 C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF\RSTR3F.INF,XO

Replace all C:\WINDOWS instances above with your actual Windows 98SE location only if different.

Hope this helps.

Edited by MDGx
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I still can't figure out why my sound drivers get kicked out & won't reinstall, no I'm not using opt-3, just 1&2. I'm on my 3rd clean install, have all hrdwr drivers in stalled & am ready to install SP2.0.1. Have printout of 982ME Readme & adhere strictly to it on install. :( Is there some way to turn off this Digital Signature checker thing in 982ME???

Edited by randiroo76073
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