WUPG98 updated!

[winxpi]

Surprise surprise!

A "new" WUPG 98 version was shortly released which is called "WUPG98 Afterlife light Edition:".

Basically its in 3 MBs smaller. Yes it will be only in german and english.

But its not an entirely new version. Only one Windows update that was lying around on my pc for some years for DirectX 9.0C is new.

Other with mostly this is a "light" edition. Meaning: NTFSRO was removed, USBMT was removed.

Insiders into Windows 98SE, MSFN or the USB Mass storage solutions out there for 95-98SE might know that actually besides the solution of R.LOEW and Maximus Decim there isn't any 32-Bit solution out there to fully support USB mass storage devices from USB 1.x to 2.0.

Official download server is the Google drive and Media Fire(just in case). Google seems to be unsure if the wupg98 is trustworthy..

 

Download(English):

Via Google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hpPqrdnn-vB_TkgKdCQfIYKgfbTeleOG/view?usp=sharing

Mediafire: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ljxrncfis3zb2k3/wupg98-AFLl_v0116_en.exe/file

 

Download (German/Deutsch):

Via Google drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rl2Zv9vFJiqndwikEljFcDRsFDVMMlwG/view?usp=sharing

Mediafire: https://www.mediafire.com/file/dsmutqt3e66hup8/wupg98-AFLl_v0116_de.exe/file

 

 

And actually the old usbmt was more or less based on one the two mentioned. I want to apologize for everyone that feels deceived now.

I added Wintop Taskmananger that I found pretty usefull when programs on Windows 98 seem to be frozen (if you compare it with the risky CTRL+ALT+DEL) which is also mentioned by the german partner page "creopard" here: 

https://www.creopard.de/download/detail/wintop_fuer_windows_9x/59.htm

Mostly nothing new. A few system.ini and outdated or irregular "tweaks" were removed or added in case of config.sys.

Other than that: Dont expect anything "big". Its more about having WUPG98 run with less disk space usage and being a "Patch" for an Upgrade Pack.

I found the NTFSro tool rather risky since it allows access to NTFS and writing to disks may lead to file corruption atleast that was true when I hung up a notebook hdd some years ago (already after WUPG98 Afterlife Edition). I recommend using Total Commander(unluckily shareware) with the plugin that supports exFAT/NTFS (readonly) (https://www.ghisler.com/plugins.htm)

I didn't update KernelEx for nostalgic reasons (some like older versions) and pure lazyness.

And I want to point out that I didnt get paid by any of the mentioned software distributors or Microsoft etc for mentioning links here.

When reading the current MSFN message board I was highly motivated to continue finishing a release for WUPG98. So this is why I added this "minor" changes in an "updated" light edition.

As "producer" of the WUPG98 I wanted to stay true too the promise that only official Microsoft Updates are included. Thats why the Daylight Saving Time update wasn't added (and because time zones change very often... there are tools to fix this manually luckily!). Thats not to say that it wasnt not impossible to do so with registry keys but I lacked the motivation.

Since the "2011" WUPG98 is a available on many servers I thought I should also contribute something to the community. Even if its not something big but rather small this time.

A few infos (changelog) can also be found online on:

https://wupg98.blogspot.com/2022/05/upgrade-pack-windows-98-january-2016.html

Edited May 29, 2022 by winxpi
besided->besides was->wasn't

[Nerdulater]

Uhh? all of the download links are broken. 

Edited May 27, 2022 by Nerdulater

[winxpi]

17 hours ago, Nerdulater said:

Uhh? all of the download links are broken. 

You are right! Sorry.

I uploaded the project now on Github.

So I really appreciate if any fellows on MSFN want to contribute or improve the WUPG98 from this code base on. But I dont expect it. 

German DIY WUPG98 Afterlife light Edition!

Download:

https://github.com/wupg98/wupg98-AFLl_de

DIY Guide zur Erstellung des SFX in Winrar:

https://github.com/wupg98/wupg98-AFLl_de/blob/main/Anleitung_zum_Portieren

 

English DIY WUPG98 Afterlife light Edition!

Download:

https://github.com/wupg98/wupg98-AFLl_en

DIY guide for creating the portable installer in Winrar:

https://github.com/wupg98/wupg98-AFLl_en/blob/main/Building SFX

I had an manically urge to finish this project when I saw that the WUPG98 was never forgotten on the net.

Be it MDGX, the web archive or Creopard. Even the tracker of the "offline" webpage still showed up "recent" visitors when host.sk was down for years. Its a funny sidestory: Althought bpa23.host.sk is down for ever the tracking code landed on the web.archive.org and seems to be operational as we speak. And since the tracking page still exists tracking also continues on web archived pages xD. Would be interesting to know what "EU" thinks about General Data Protection Regulation when european pages are still now on the web.archive but tracking code dates back to time where the law was not passed yet... 

Web archive really is like Time Travelling the Web ;D

Love the community here. All the best

Edited May 28, 2022 by winxpi

[winxpi]

  

On 5/27/2022 at 9:04 AM, Nerdulater said:

Uhh? all of the download links are broken. 

As for Google Drive:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hpPqrdnn-vB_TkgKdCQfIYKgfbTeleOG/view

I get following message (I translated from German) "This file looks suspicious. The file is visible only to the owner."
I clicked on the button to let it get reviewed by Google. But seems they are not satisfied which the Executable File.

 

Apparently also "McAfee" will claim, that the Wupg98 executable might be a threat.

Whereas Kaspersky online scan finds no threat.

And virustotal is ambivalent (depending on virus scanner):

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/2d5e682cf2ba05079ea543765e2239337e3be10ed2b3deca53e9376c8ef702f9

To make this clear:

This apparently has to do with one batch file that executes a restart of the pc/lapop once all the updates have finished.

The option was either surpressing reboot for all updates and reminding from MS-DOS that you have to restart your machine (what might have been not so good for novice users but user-friendlier for heavy users). Or having the automatic reboot.

Avoding reboot isn't really an option. The advantage is that you only have to do it once instead of after every entire Update/Hotfix. And when you install the WUPG98 (regardless if it was a previous version or the Afterlife or the Afterlife light) you have to be ready for a reboot so have all important windows closed already.

The behaviour of MCAfee is also bit silly. I activated the program today and both files english and german language where deleted immediately after a few minutes I redownloaded them.

But its also a good example as with alot of programs: Its either usability(user has more options) or acting without users consent (file gets deleted without chance of quarantine or user interaction). I would be lying if I said Upgrade Pack doesnt lack usability. But when the choices to either install the whole package, only the updates, only a few things or exit was added. It was actually the first and last time a blink of usability was added to the pack. Nothing big. But I think it was a good improvement. Atleast just for the pause that the user has time to read. It was sure annoying or making the user nervous if the batch file ran immediately without any dialog or user interaction before.... 

But also: Some users expect from an Upgrade Pack something to be that comes near to unattended (silent)installation/automatic slip streaming etc. thats why the usability here is limited. Even if its only one or two key strokes: For some users thats already too much!

As always with programs and software: Theres no one size fits all!

Edited June 1, 2022 by winxpi
Antivirus program. Restart in Bat. Usability vs. silent inst.

[Nerdulater]

Got it! Ups.zip has all the updates, am i right?

[winxpi]

14 hours ago, Nerdulater said:

Got it! Ups.zip has all the updates, am i right?

Yesss! The Microsoft released Windows Updates.

Edited May 28, 2022 by winxpi