98 SE SP 3.32

[CLASYS]

I was away awhile, and I apologize if this is old business:

Can someone explain EXACTLY what the VOLTRACK.VXD story is?

I have update 273468 providing VOLTRACK 4.10.0.1998 which I believe is redundant to doing nothing in 98SE.

I have also seen unofficial versions of 249824 [the official I assume is unavailable?] that claim to add 4.10.0.1999 and another 4.10.0.2000.

The SP 2.1a apparently does nothing for this file.

What is going on here?

tia,

cjl

[Petr]

I was away awhile, and I apologize if this is old business:

Can someone explain EXACTLY what the VOLTRACK.VXD story is?

I have update 273468 providing VOLTRACK 4.10.0.1998 which I believe is redundant to doing nothing in 98SE.

I have also seen unofficial versions of 249824 [the official I assume is unavailable?] that claim to add 4.10.0.1999 and another 4.10.0.2000.

The SP 2.1a apparently does nothing for this file.

What is going on here?

tia,

cjl

Official files are only these two versions:

Q234697 contains Voltrack.vxd 4.10.1999 and is intended for Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition, PC-AT Japanese only.

Q273468 contains Voltrack.vxd 4.10.1998 and it is exactly the same as the file contained on both Windows 98 Standard and Second Editions.

Petr

Edited March 29, 2006 by Petr

[pjmelect]

I have just tried the SP2a for the first time today. A good job, but I would like to make a few comments. Why has the update Q313829 been omitted, the Microsoft update site said that it is a recommended update. The animated logon logoff logos are truly awful only their creator could love them. They should be removed from the service pack.

[CLASYS]

I have just tried the SP2a for the first time today. A good job, but I would like to make a few comments. Why has the update Q313829 been omitted, the Microsoft update site said that it is a recommended update. The animated logon logoff logos are truly awful only their creator could love them. They should be removed from the service pack.

To my knowledge, 313829 is in there. In any case, for the record, there are a whole lot of issues that need to be addressed in order for 313829 to serve everybody [if possible]

1) The basics are that it updates to a newer version of SHELL32.DLL from NT4 to fix a security hole.

2) It is normal for it to be the first update mentioned within Internet Explorer under IE Help/About. Within this update string it is known as "q313829" as opposed to "Q313829" which is the signature format of all of the other updates to IE/OE [starting with a capital "Q"]. As an accomodation to 98lite when used with the SLEEK [V1] or MICRO shell, the normal installation of the hotfix Q313829 cannot be made, since SHELL32.DLL is actually the one from Win95B. However, the file is in there, just renamed to SHELL32.W98 as part of the overall SLEEK [V1] or MICRO implementation of 98lite at the time [as opposed to the OVERWEIGHT or CHUBBY shell versions which uses the standard SHELL32.DLL file].

In this situation, the Win95 versions of icons are all that are present in SHELL32.DLL and presumably a smaller head count of icon choices. [some people care about this!]

To my knowledge, the SP 2.1a correctly does update this situation as well. In any case, I personally manually modify the designation to "Q313829" to indicate this subtle alternative should it apply. If no one objects, I would ask that this sublety become part of the SP. [Or it become an installation option; arguably others may want the capital Q just for consistency with the other updates!] [Note: There are restrictions on the use of the Win95 shell; it clearly isn't a free ride. However, while having many restrictions, it also offers many benefits that could be of use to many users. Curiously, it may also be of transient use to cause a cleaner/better installation of IE 6.0 or 6.0 SP1 and then abandoned in favor of the standard version.]

3) The update makes SHELL32.DLL change only in terms of updated files.

4) The updated SHELL32.DLL as provided is slightly incompatible with some known packages that use I believe "transparent" icons. A small patch restores this compatibility. [Contact the appropriate authors or MGDX.]

5) SHELL32.DLL is the home of some system icons and some possible alternative ones. Apparently portions of the O/S know of these icons by their relative position within SHELL32.DLL [presumably unchanged by the Q313829 update in this regard]. The reason we know this is that if you patch the icon pixels, your updated icons are used. Thus, nothing is checking or anything of the sort; just using an area designated for a particular function.

There is an SP option to use the more "modern" icons associated with WinME/Win2K/XP. By some means I'm not sure even matters with respect to 313829, the associated text verbiage can be made to match such as "My Network Places" instead of "Network Neighborhood". Regardless, these changes are part of the option as well. The net result is a SHELL32.DLL consistent with Q313829 but icon-wise patched for ME cosmetics.

There is a consideration with regard to the icon patch I don't think has been addressed, albeit a minor one.

In theory, any icon-bearing file can be used for any system icon pretty much. However, there is a nuance to the situation: Unless the Recycle Bin icon is within the designated file [and perhaps more specifically is the one in the designated position, I am not sure of this aspect!], then a display anomaly occurs where the displayed main Recycled Bin is updated, but when you open a drive window to display a drive-specific "local" Recycle Bin, the icons used there are the original ones, not the updated ones.

Thus, the designation of the "standard" icons in terms of being within SHELL32.DLL and perhaps being in the standard positions [recycle bin empty and recycle bin non-empty] is important to maintain.

The minor problem is that within SHELL32.DLL is about 1.5 sets of icons for this, not two. So, if the main set is chosen for the ME variant, there aren't enough alternate icons to fulfill a reasonable alternative and avoid the display anomaly.

Thus, I would suggest that if the ME design is opted for, some other icon be replaced by the standard one to at least have an alternate set of reasonable icons for this purpose; this allows the user to change their mind freely without having to regret letting in the ME icon option in the first place. [Just look at all of the icon choices within SHELL32.DLL whether ME-oriented or standard to see what I mean. Clearly something can be designated within the ME-modified one to have essentially the standard type still also available without having to dump the entire ME modification overall.]

6) QFECHECK is not a factor for Q313829, so don't look there for proof it's installed; only within IE Help/About.

If all else fails, check the version number of SHELL32.DLL. Q313829 installs version 4.72.3812.600 stemming from December 6, 2001 11:25 PM. The original release should be version 4.72.3612.1700 from April 23, 1999 10:22 PM.

Hope that helps.

Logo files:

I agree, those optional files are pretty funky! Perhaps there should be a way to specify alternate files to be applied. My personal favorite was part of an earlier release, which is essentially the original 98 FE logo screen, except tastefully modified to clearly say Second Edition.

The main thrust of the SP is to make it easier to install what you want/need. I can always hand copy alternate logo.sys, logow.sys, logos.sys files. But wouldn't be nice if I can specify which ones I want to optionally apply? On the 98lite [litepc] site are a bunch of others that should be looked at, created by other users of 98lite [i have no art skills whatsoever!]

cjl

ps: Someone modified the standard logos.sys, the one black with orange lettering that says "It is safe to shut down Windows" to instead say "It is safe to shut down Windows, or is it?"

[MDGx]

4) The updated SHELL32.DLL as provided is slightly incompatible with some known packages that use I believe "transparent" icons. A small patch restores this compatibility. [Contact the appropriate authors or MGDX.]

This is what to do if bothered by overlay icons after installing updated SHELL32.DLL:

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

[krick]

Logo files:

I agree, those optional files are pretty funky! Perhaps there should be a way to specify alternate files to be applied. My personal favorite was part of an earlier release, which is essentially the original 98 FE logo screen, except tastefully modified to clearly say Second Edition.

I agree as well. The current logo screens included in SP2 are kinda scary. The older "tasteful" ones that you mention are the best.

As a possible second choice, there's two interesting variations on the animated XP logo screen floating around. One says "Windows 98SE" instead of "Windows XP", the other simply says "Windows". Both are very tasteful.

[Acheron]

Windows Update v4 Windows 98SE Prerequistes

For those people who try to use Windows Update on a fresh Windows 98SE machine please install the following updates, so Windows Update won't throw up any cryptic error messages:

- Windows Installer 2.0

- Microsoft XML 3.0 SP7

- Q323172 Security Update - Certificate Validation Flaw Could Enable Identity Spoofing

- Q329115 Security Update - Flaw in Certificate Enrollment Control Could Allow Deletion of Digital Certificates

- Q293818 Security Update - Erroneous VeriSign-Issued Digital Certificates Pose Spoofing Hazard

- Root Certificates Update

- Internet Explorer High Encryption Pack

Well, this took me some time. Hope somehow this information is useful anyway

[erpdude8]

- Internet Explorer High Encryption Pack

Well, this took me some time. Hope somehow this information is useful anyway

The direct link to get the Internet explorer 128-bit high encryption pack you mentioned is specifically for IE 5.0 only, hp38guser It will NOT work with IE 5.01 and higher IE versions [whoops!]

Here's the IE High Encryption pack for Internet Explorer 5.01 [NOT IE 5.0]:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie5...US/ie501dom.exe

(IE 5.01 SP1/SP2, IE 5.5 orig./SP1/SP2 and IE 6.0 orig/SP1 include 128-bit encryption)

And the IE High Encryption pack for Internet Explorer 4.x for Win95, 98 FE and NT4:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie4...N-US/ie4dom.exe

I was away awhile, and I apologize if this is old business:

Can someone explain EXACTLY what the VOLTRACK.VXD story is?

I have update 273468 providing VOLTRACK 4.10.0.1998 which I believe is redundant to doing nothing in 98SE.

I have also seen unofficial versions of 249824 [the official I assume is unavailable?] that claim to add 4.10.0.1999 and another 4.10.0.2000.

The SP 2.1a apparently does nothing for this file.

What is going on here?

tia,

cjl

CLASYS,

The 98se SP 2.1a does not include VOLTRACK.VXD file. I'll have to request Gape to add unofficial Q249824 voltrack.vxd 4.10.1999 fix and other unofficial 98se updates like UPDATE.SYS v4.10.2223 and KRNL386.EXE v4.10.1999 into the next release of the 98se SP.

unofficial voltrack.vxd v4.10.2000 fix was available in early summer 2005 for a very short time but was pulled due to versioning problems (and other unforseen problems) and was reverted back to unofficial Q249824 voltrack.vxd v4.10.1999 patch.

The Q273468 patches for Win95 & 98 were bundled inside the Iomega drivers and since I use IomegaWare software for my ZIP 100 Parallel removable drive, Iomega setup installs Q273468 automatically.

note to Gape: I have obtained the newer build of FP4AWEC.DLL file [4.0.2.9010]. Let me know if you want the newer file whenever you are not busy so you can include this in the next release of the 98se SP.

Edited April 8, 2006 by erpdude8

[FixitMad]

Great Job hp38guser for providing the Windows Update v4 Windows 98SE Prerequistes. This information is extremely helpful. Thanks also to erpdude8 for the updated High Encryption pack for Internet Explorer links!

Many thanks to Gape for providing this awesome UNOFFICIAL Windows98 SE Service Pack. This is truly a great service.

As a side note, it seems that Microsoft is not willing to provide me with some recent updates on their system for Windows 98se. I'll have to wait until the next version of 98 SE SP comes out.

Edited April 14, 2006 by FixitMad

[erpdude8]

the next release of the 98se service pack wont be ready until Gape says so. I havent seen a post from him for several weeks. looks like he's busy. perhaps by May or June or when he is done with his studies he may release a new version.

[jimmsta]

In that case, expect the next version of the Win98/Me PowerPack in May or June... I'm not going to release anything new until then.

BTW, I have yet to have any issues with the SP, on NEW installs. Old installs of 98SE, which have been patched with random patches over the years, tend to be unruly when it comes to the SP. Then again, I really haven't had a good enough sample size to even justify my findings...

[dmdrendall]

In that case, expect the next version of the Win98/Me PowerPack in May or June... I'm not going to release anything new until then.

BTW, I have yet to have any issues with the SP, on NEW installs. Old installs of 98SE, which have been patched with random patches over the years, tend to be unruly when it comes to the SP. Then again, I really haven't had a good enough sample size to even justify my findings...

Perhaps I'm an outlier, but I can vouch for the "unruly...with random patches over the years" part. I'm an extreme newbie, and feel like a spec among towering power users after perusing this thread, so I'm respectfully requesting some patience. I installed SP 2.1a, and my Registry Checker seems to be stuck in a loop.

I've done some research on the error message I'm getting...paraphrased: "System files contain errors.....Restart." Although the Registry Checker indicates it has successfully found a good copy of the registry, which I exported to the desktop a few days before installing 2.1a, 98SE continues to go into the Registry Checker upon booting. At this point, I'm at the Library (as this is the only access I have to the internet) with some solutions in hand (i.e. scanreg/fix and scanreg/opt from the command prompt(to flip an errant flag), and/or uninstall 2.1a) Is there an obvious fix I'm missing? I thought backing up my registry was the same as backing up my system files, but fear it is not, as I am not even sure how I would go about backing up my system files.

I've copied instructions for a clean install, but I'm very intimidated by the thought, although I'm aware this was the solution for many years for the 98 OS. However, my OS came installed on my PC, and I have no CD-ROM for 98SE. I value my files very much, otherwise I would use the "Quick Restore" CD-ROM's provided.

Is there any way to clean up this mess I've made, and still reap the (undeserved) rewards of 2.1a? I'm not sure how many or which SP's I've installled although I'm certain I've seen at least two in the Add/Remove Programs list.

I've read hp38guser's "Windows Update v4 Windows 98SE Prerequistes" but I'm not sure if it applies to my situ, or where to start if it did, since I can only use Safe Mode now.

Gratuitious offers of suggestion or direction would be greatly appreciated. I'm on the brink of panic, but will continue to scale the learning curve.

[PsycoUnc]

...However, my OS came installed on my PC, and I have no CD-ROM for 98SE. I value my files very much, otherwise I would use the "Quick Restore" CD-ROM's provided...

-I've had the same situation, and found the necessary install .CAB's in two places:

1) C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS

or

2) on the "Quick Restore" CD, *sometimes* you can find the .CAB's (with names like WIN98*.CAB, & DRIVER*.CAB, etc), altho often it's zipped/encrypted

...

if u find em, copy *all* the files in the dir they're in to \WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS (first backup any files in that dir; those are "updated" files, which you *may* want to copy back, overwriting any of the original install files, *BUT* maybe not: I've had install problems when I did that [as well as when using the "slipstream sp2" method], so nowadays I use an old copy of a "clean" install dir, and just run all the updates afterwards)

...

-ps: the clean install is absolutely the best way to go... just backup your data files (an NEC DVD burner, dual layer dual format, is available at newegg for $38, free 3-day shipping... I just bought one, luv it!.. [note: *must* update it's firmware for w98; it's easy, get it at NEC site; and CdBurnerXpPro 3.0.116 -FREE- works well w/it].. and u can find sales for blank DVD's 25 pk for < $10 every week in newspapers/Best Buy/Circuit City/Radio Shack/Officemax/Staples .com's).

...

-One (important) note about trying to backup whole system (OS too): I've posted (at length, of course, lol) about this issue in these forums: most if not all backup (& zip!) programs (incl. MSbackup!) DO NOT handle w98's "shortname vs. longname" "`" 's properly! The only solution I've found (other than backing up the entire HD-partition at once) is using a careful combination of DOSLFNBK and XXCOPY ("/N",+), and for restoration, use an "OS-on-a-CD" like BartPE/UBCD4win/etc; I use "Rescue 1.2", to have the Win32 environment running (entirely on the CD-ROM!) during the restoration. Apparently many people swear by a "Knoppix" boot/OS CD for such operations, but that doesn't work for my system (it hates my hardware).

Edited May 1, 2006 by PsycoUnc

[PsycoUnc]

...Is there any way to clean up this mess I've made, and still reap the (undeserved) rewards of 2.1a?...

...well, MDGx/Petr/etc are absolutely amazing, and *may* have some ideas, BUT...

In my experience, "uninstall" is NOT a (successful) option; it's gone... done... bury it, mourn it, reinstall it (or retrieve a backup)

[MDGx]

-uninstall issues...

-as wonderful as MDGx and Gape/others have been with their packages, honestly, they both have been very remiss with the uninstall/update/modified issues, something which should have been dealt with at the very beginning, especially considering the very "unofficial"-ness of these packages... even evil M$ has taken measures to provide (not-always-reliable) uninstall/version conflict measures, I must admit... I, myself, as a previous commercial programmer, would never have had the gall to offer OS-modifying packages without very reliable, flexible, uninstall options... something other than "well, just backup before you first try it or every time you try an updated version of it"... don't get me wrong, I love these guys, they RULE, but please, it MUST BE DONE... and done reliably... sry

>;]

[...and, again honestly, any time I've tried to uninstall the SP or 98se2me's changes, it's been a nightmare of instability... ]

I plan to add a dedicated backup + restore function of all 98SE2ME replaced files for options 1 + 2.

Right now, if you install 98SE2ME option 1 or 2, you have the choice of backing up the entire OS into C:\W98SEOLD , where you can fully restore from.

The OS backup + restore functions are fully unattended, no need to go to native MS-DOS, or reboot, or exit Windows etc.

Please note that now 98SE2ME has dedicated shortcuts for entire OS backup + restore under Start -> Programs -> 98SE2ME.

All 98SE2ME options below have dedicated unattended backup + restore functions easy to access from Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs:

- option 3 [WinME shell + UI]

- option 6 [Explorer with 256 colors icons support]

- option 8 [uSB, FireWire + WDM drivers] = still experimental, I'm still working on it.

The other 98SE2ME options replace only 1 or 2 files each, so there's actually no need for dedicated backup/restore functions, but I plan on adding them soon anyway.

Hope this helps.