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98SE2ME = Killer Replacements: ME -> 98 SE


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-the Upgrade disc should have all the ME CABS.... so 98se2me should be good 2 go...

-now, reinstalling 98se first, that'll take a 98se disc (upgrade or not) -or- the 98se CABS on hard drive, prob at \windows\options\cabs...

Edited by PsycoUnc
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It's strange that the file MSCONFIG.EXE in the W98SEOLD folder is a 4.90.3000 then.
Is is there probably because u installed a 98SE2ME edition older than 6-14-2005, which installed Tihiy's msconfig.exe in %windir%\system BEFORE making the c:\w98seold backup.

This is because modded msconfig.exe + regenv32.exe are installed as part of mandatory components, BEFORE the backup is created. But starting with the 6-14-2005 edition, msconfig.exe is renamed to meconfig.exe and then installed in %windir%\system , so it does not replace the 1 u already have anymore, whichever version that is.

So if u used 98SE2ME from before 6-14-2005 u have Tihiy's msconfig.exe [4.90.3000 = please note that build number is identical with original file from WinME CD] in c:\w98seold .

Please see READ1ST.TXT for details:

READ1ST.TXT

The version of Themes.exe installed by the Microsoft 98 Plus! cd is an updated one that fixes the issue of the program not displaying the Title Bar colors correctly.  When running 98SE2ME this is replaced by another version (probably from Windows Me) that fixed other problems in the original 98 version of Themes.exe.  However this again breaks the title bar color.  They appear solid dark blue instead of the correct dark blue on the left fading to light blue.  I now must extract the version on the 98 Plus! cd to fix the problem.

Perhaps you can use the one from the 98 Plus! cd as one of the forced updates in the 98SE2ME batch file?  It works perfectly, fixed the same problems that the one in Windows Me fixed, but it doesn't have the title bar color problem.

Thanks a lot for noticing.

I'll update 98SE2ME to remove WinME setup CD themes.exe + themes.cpl files, because the ones from Plus! 98 are newer.

I won't include the files from Plus! 98 because u need to have the Plus! 98 CD to install them [legal license issues].

Heh, heh, my dos games seem to need a reboot to start again after I close them.  If I try to run them again, the screen goes to black (trying to open the game full screen-it does this for most games whether or not I check the pif's full screen box), then immediately returns to Windows desktop.  Then Explorer crashes (I think it's related to winoldap.  I remember having problems with that in the days before XP and Dosbox and vdmsound).  So, if I exit a dos game I need to reboot to run it again.  Even with clean booting using msconfig (whatever version it is I have) with just the Windows stuff running.  Perhaps it's my Radeon 9550 driver getting confused with the resolution changes, who knows.
This is probably a video hardware problem, not related to 98SE2ME.

Hope this helps.

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Hate to breakup the reverie, but just noticed the ME[legal copy] I have is a ME upgrade disk, has a shiny surface that you have to turn in light just right to read. Please tell me I don't have to go swapmeeting[altho enjoy it] to look for a full retail ver again, to do a clean install 98se/sp2/982me. TIAFAI
U can install 98SE2ME no matter which version of WinME CD u have: Full, Upgrade, Update, OEM, MSDN etc.

Please see READ1ST.TXT, the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" chapter for more details:

READ1ST.TXT

Hope this helps.

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To my knowledge the differences [added WinME files] between early + current 98SE2ME editions should not slow down UI loading.

This is true only if 98SE2ME option 3 is not installed, in which case you would have the slower ME explorer + shell.

I'm testing + using all files from 98SE2ME on my PC, and also personally installed 98SE2ME [various editions] on 10+ other computers, and never noticed slower performance, unless option 3 is installed.

? -option 3 slows down performance? Then it's only there for increased stability? I thought it was there for both... ?
Option 3 only adds "annoying" WinME UI interface to 98SE, which in most cases is slower than "normal" 98SE UI interface.

Does nothing to increase performance, that's why I keep it separate from all other options. ;)

Edited by MDGx
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Thnx PsycoUnc & MGDx, you just saved my doggies from barkin :lol: Dldg latest 982ME now, everything else is already on hdd, will start this eve, w/lotsa coffee & patience & printcopy of SP guide & 982ME handy[for some reason haven't got em memorized]

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is it a bad thing if win386.swp doesn't get backed up?
No. This is actually a good thing, cuz the SWP file may contain private data that can be harvested by viruses/trojans/worms.

And this file is recreated every time your OS boots up anyway. ;)

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Option 3 only adds "annoying" WinME UI interface to 98SE, which in most cases is slower than "normal" 98SE UI interface.

Does nothing to increase performance, that's why I keep it separate from all other options. ;)

-ok, but does option 3 increase/decrease stability at all? (I perused your readme.1st again, but didn't notice an answer to this question...)

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-ok, but does option 3 increase/decrease stability at all?  (I perused your readme.1st again, but didn't notice an answer to this question...)
ME shell + explorer probably do decrease stability, because it is possible that certain ME API functions may not be properly supported by 98SE.

That's the other reason why I keep option 3 separate.

READ1ST.TXT, under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters, contains a little hint:

CAUTION:
WinME files installed by option 3 may change/lose Win98 SE interface
functionality!

You may also want to ask Tihiy, he's the author of Revolutions Pack, based on API functions from ME + XP.

UPDATED 6-19-2005:

I just updated READ1ST.TXT:

READ1ST.TXT

to include this statement:

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

under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [under the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters.

Hope this helps.

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-ok, but does option 3 increase/decrease stability at all?  (I perused your readme.1st again, but didn't notice an answer to this question...)
ME shell + explorer probably do decrease stability, because it is possible that certain ME API functions may not be properly supported by 98SE.

That's the other reason why I keep option 3 separate.

READ1ST.TXT, under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters, contains a little hint:

CAUTION:
WinME files installed by option 3 may change/lose Win98 SE interface
functionality!

You may also want to ask Tihiy, he's the author of Revolutions Pack, based on API functions from ME + XP.

UPDATED 6-19-2005:

I just updated READ1ST.TXT:

READ1ST.TXT

to include this statement:

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

under the "EXTREMELY IMPORTANT" + "98SE2ME.PIF COMPLETE GUIDE" [under the "* Option 3:" paragraph] chapters.

Hope this helps.

MDGx,

How do you back out of option 3-- I reinstalled explorer+shell32+comdlg32 and ran your ZIP files -- the one "To fix the Start button issue" W98SE.BAT(W98SE.INF)

and this made START button work except SEARCH, but MY COMPUTER default is

now -SEARCH- and FOLDER when you click are the default OPEN HERE COMMAND.

How do you change the default for MY COMPUTER and FOLDERS--right click and

you can select OPEN and it works, but can't set as default--this is not set in register

anywhere and FILE TYPES can't set it? Does this have anything to do with DESK.CPL? Versions for the explorer,shell32 and comdlg reinstalled from 98CD

with SFC.

Any HELP here for this?

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MDGx,

How do you back out of option 3-- I reinstalled explorer+shell32+comdlg32 and ran your ZIP files -- the one "To fix the Start button issue" W98SE.BAT(W98SE.INF)

and this made START button work except SEARCH, but MY COMPUTER default is

now -SEARCH- and FOLDER when you click are the default OPEN HERE COMMAND.

How do you change the default for MY COMPUTER and FOLDERS--right click and

you can select OPEN and it works, but can't set as default--this is not set in register

anywhere and FILE TYPES can't set it? Does this have anything to do with DESK.CPL? Versions for the explorer,shell32 and comdlg reinstalled from 98CD

with SFC.

Any HELP here for this?

U can restore 98SE original files from:

Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> select "98SE2ME Option 3: Restore

Win98 SE Explorer + Shell32" -> click Add/Remove button -> reboot.

This works only after u already installed option 3 by running 98SE2ME.PIF.

Most [if not all] 98SE shell + UI functions should be restored this way.

This restore funtion does not use 98SE CD, all necessary files were renamed in %windir%\system when u ran option 3.

This procedure is fully detailed in READ1ST.TXT [see "* Option 3:" paragraph]:

READ1ST.TXT

If u care to see exactly how this works, just open RSTR3F.INF in Notepad.

The command to copy RSTR3F.INF to %windir%\INF and to add the proper entry to Add/Remove Programs are run during option 3 installation from these 98SE2ME.BAT lines:

C:\9!M\START/W RUNDLL32 %windir%\SYSTEM\ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF,3M

IF EXIST %windir%\INF\RSTR3F.INF C:\9!M\ATTRIB.COM/B +A -H -R -S %windir%\INF\RSTR3F.INF>NUL

IF EXIST C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF COPY/Y C:\9!M\RSTR3F.INF %windir%\INF>NUL

As ar as I know DESK.CPL has nothing to do with this, because CPL files cannot be registered by regsvr32.exe, so they can't change UI functionality, except Control Panel UI for the respective CPL file.

Hope this helps.

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Mystery solved.

Quote: eidenk

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2|SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\VarLDID

Not sure of course this is the cause of your problem.

PS : I am a Win ME user.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I started over last weekend with an old backup, windows add/remove worked,

installed Gapes SP2.01, windows add/remove worked, backed up my registry

and then ran 98SE2ME.Windows add/remove did not work. I restored my registry

from the backup and it still did not work. I then went to my unmodified version

of WIN98SE on another machine and compared the registry entries under VarLDID.

In the version that I had run 98SE2ME on the entries28720, 29600, 29601, 29602, 30400

were missing before I had run the update. When I was looking for this problem

on the web I could only find this problem as being a Windows ME problem.

It seems that Windows 98SE does not care if these five registry entries are missing

but with the updated files from Win ME it does. Below are the correct registry entries

for VarLDID for Windows 98SE. In case this problem ever shows up again as I could

only find the entries for Windows ME VarLDID on the web.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\VarLDID]

"28700"="C:\\PROGRA~1"

"28701"="C:\\Program Files"

"28702"="C:\\PROGRA~1"

"28710"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\ACCESS~1"

"28720"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\ACCESS~1\\HYPERT~1"

"28730"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\COMMON~1"

"28732"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\COMMON~1"

"28740"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\COMMON~1\\MICROS~1"

"28742"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\COMMON~1\\MICROS~1"

"29000"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1"

"29001"="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer"

"29002"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1"

"29400"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\CONNEC~1"

"29401"="C:\\Program Files\\Internet Explorer\\Connection Wizard"

"29402"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\INTERN~1\\CONNEC~1"

"29600"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Chat"

"29601"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Chat"

"29602"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Chat"

"29800"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\NETMEE~1"

"29801"="C:\\Program Files\\NetMeeting"

"29802"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\NETMEE~1"

"30000"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\OUTLOO~1"

"30001"="C:\\Program Files\\Outlook Express"

"30002"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\OUTLOO~1"

"30100"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system"

"30400"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\Plus!\\Themes"

"30800"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\WINDOW~1"

"30801"="C:\\Program Files\\Windows Media Player"

"30802"="C:\\PROGRA~1\\WINDOW~1"

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-RJM: I've never seen (or heard) of your Add/Remove problem b4... -it's probably user-specific (nice way of saying it's something you've done to your system, not 98se2me ;) )... -have ya tried doing a "clean" w98se install (no extra frills; just std stuff), and then take it one step at a time, watching Add/Remove?

...and on a different note:

-MDGx: thx again for all your excellent, detailed help. :D -as for option 3, I'm not sure which UI I prefer, and I've been enjoying such wonderful stability w/#3... I'll have to experiment, remove #3, see how that affects stability/UI...

>;]

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PsycoUnc,

What I am trying to say, is that as eidenk said back on page 10 about this problem, is that some registry cleaners will remove registry entries in VarLDID. While this was not an issue for Win98 users it was for Win ME users, as a web search will confirm. And as there is no posting of the VarLDID section of the registry on the web for Win98 as there was no problem with the add/remove windows components with Win98. I decided to post it here as the problem will probably surface in the future as more people try 98SE2ME.

Edited by RJM
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I have not used 98SE2ME since one of it's early first versions. Back then, as MDGx promised, it delivered super speed, with Windows  98se ready to go as soon as the desktop appeared. But the latest version is actually slower than a clean install of Win98SE followed by Gape's service pack. The cursor stays busy for a good 10 to 15 seconds and  windows don't open as fast either. Any other folks having this problem? Has speed been sacrificed for compatibility and latest file versions?
Thanks for your feedback.

I've never heard of such problem before. :(

To my knowledge the differences [added WinME files] between early + current 98SE2ME editions should not slow down UI loading.

This is true only if 98SE2ME option 3 is not installed, in which case you would have the slower ME explorer + shell.

But if anybody else can confirm similar experience, I'll look into it.

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

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PsycoUnc,

What I am trying to say, is that as eidenk said back on page 10 about this problem, is that some registry cleaners will remove registry entries in VarLDID. While this was not an issue for Win98 users it was for Win ME users, as a web search will confirm. And as there is no posting of the VarLDID section of the registry on the web for Win98 as there was no problem with the add/remove windows components with Win98. I decided to post it here as the problem will probably surface in the future as more people try 98SE2ME.

-yes, that's what I mean, using some over-zealous registry cleaners caused potential probs in your system, which were made evident when 98se2me was installed... Every registry cleaner I've tried (with the single exception of MS Regclean 4.1a) has caused problems, sometimes delayed or hidden until something "triggers" it later... if you hadn't used the cleaner, this problem wouldn't be here... even tho it took 98se2me to trigger the prob, the potential for the prob was still there, and only because of the registry cleaner... which means, there very well could be (& prob are) more potential probs lurking w/in your registry, because of the cleaner, just waiting for another trigger... not good... and that's why I called it "user specific", cause many reg cleaners are VERY well known to cause just such problems, and should be avoided like the plague, IMHO... >;]

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