Service Pack/Revolutions Pack/98SE2ME

[alt20]

Hi,

I stumbled across this forum quite randomly and am quite interested in using the unofficial service pack, the revolutions pack and 98SE2ME.

My question is - how do each of these pieces of software affect the speed of Windows and the size of it on the hard disk?

And also, are they compatible with 98lite?

Thanks

[MDGx]

Hi,

98SE2ME [the only 1 I develop + maintain] performance pros + cons, all quoted from 98SE2ME READ1ST.TXT, which is available here separately for reading or download:

http://www.mdgx.com/9s2m/READ1ST.TXT

and you can find more details on this subject in the 98SE2ME forum:

http://www.msfn.org/board/?showtopic=46349

Also, READ1ST.TXT [link above] contains more details on all WinME components/files installed, if you wish to read.

* Some of the major 98SE2ME benefits:

- fixed many OS BUGs + security vulnerabilities

- improved graphical user interface (GUI), Explorer + Shell, especially if

installed option 3

- faster + improved Dial-Up + Broadband Connections, TCP/IP, LAN/WAN, Winsock,

networking + internet

- faster + improved hard disk virtual cache

- faster + improved memory management

- faster + improved multimedia, audio + video playback

- better hardware compatibility: added more video resolutions (depending on

specific installed video drivers), better USB + IEEE 1394 (FireWire) driver

support for newer devices, better Windows Driver Model (WDM) audio driver

support for newer sound cards (depending on specific installed audio drivers)

- improved OS API components: Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), Dynamic Data

Exchange (DDE), Graphics Device Interface (GDI), Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs)

etc.

* Some of the advantages using Windows 98 SE + 98SE2ME versus Windows ME:

- faster UI/Shell/Explorer even on slower computers [without 98SE2ME option 3

installed]- keep better 98 SE system files and "transplant" newer/faster/fixed ME system

files [with 98SE2ME option 1 or option 2 installed]

- avoid ME annoyances: no System Restore (SR)/System File

Protection(SFP)/Windows File Protection (WFP)/PCHealth (PCH):

SR/SFP/WFP/PCH are BUGgy and take too many CPU cycles + too much system memory

which slows down performance significantly.

SR/SFP/WFP/PCH may fail to restore vital/critical system files, sometimes even

render the OS unusable.

SR/SFP/WFP/PCH may backup/restore virus infected system files, making [almost]

impossible for anti-virus scanners/cleaners to disinfect them

- full access to native/true/real/pure MS-DOS mode + AUTOEXEC.BAT/CONGIG.SYS:

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip1.htm#DOS

http://www.mdgx.com/last3.htm#DOS2DOS

without need for WinME Real DOS-Mode Patch:

http://www.mdgx.com/dos.htm#ME

- easier installation for system files (hot)fixes/patches/updates, which are

not protected by SR/SFP/WFP/PCH.

* 98SE2ME Option 3:

installs newer WinME system files [Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI),

Explorer, Shell, Dialog, Folders, Web Browser, Fonts, Effects, Documents,

Scrap + Network Drives Integration Controls, OLE DLLs + APIs] from WinME CABs.

CAUTION:

WinME files installed by option 3 may change and/or lose Win98 SE interface

functionality, stability and/or performance!

98SE2ME compatibility with 98lite [also quoted from READ1ST.TXT (see link above)]:

* I use all these extra tools [see "FREE TOOLS" chapter further below]because

some people/programs have deleted/moved/renamed certain executables NECESSARY

for 98SE2ME and many other programs PROPER operation.

Known BUG: one of 98lite options:

http://www.litepc.com/

removes completely %windir%\COMMAND [usually C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND] + ALL its

files.

BUG:

One of 98lite:

http://www.litepc.com/

options replaces Windows 98 SE EXPLORER.EXE with older Windows 95 version.

In such case 98SE2ME options 1, 2 + 3 fail to install.

FIX:

MUST perform all steps below in this exact order:

1. Backup to a safe location [%windir% = usually C:\WINDOWS]:

%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE

%windir%\SYSTEM\COMDLG32.DLL

%windir%\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL

BEFORE installing 98lite or 98SE2ME.

2. Install 98lite and switch to Windows 95 EXPLORER.EXE.

3. Create a new directory called %windir%\EXPLOR95 [example] and then copy

%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE + %windir%\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL into %windir%\EXPLOR95 .

4. Run 98lite and switch to Windows 98 SE EXPLORER.EXE.

5. Install 98SE2ME.

6. Copy %windir%\SYSTEM\COMDLG32.DLL into %windir%\EXPLOR95 and then open

%windir%\EXPLOR95\COMDLG32.DLL into a hex editor [for example XVI32]:

http://www.mdgx.com/toy.htm#HEX

and replace all SHELL32.DLL strings with SHELL31.DLL (2 instances).

7. Reboot into native/true/real/pure MS-DOS mode:

A. by holding down Shift + F5 at the same time during BIOS boot POST (Power On

Self Test) sequence.

B. OR by scrolling down using the down arrow to the "Command prompt only"

option and then pressing Enter from the Windows 98 Startup Menu:

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

C. OR from a Windows 98 SE Emergency/Bootup/Startup floppy/CD/DVD/USB/external

disc/stick/tape.

8. Run these commands from the C:\ prompt:

ATTRIB -H -R -S %winbootdir%\EXPLOR95\*.*

ATTRIB -H -R -S %winbootdir%\EXPLORER.EXE

ATTRIB -H -R -S %winbootdir%\SYSTEM\COMDLG32.DLL

ATTRIB -H -R -S %winbootdir%\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL

REN %winbootdir%\SYSTEM\SHELL32.DLL SHELL31.DLL

COPY/Y/Z %winbootdir%\EXPLOR95\EXPLORER.EXE %winbootdir%

COPY/Y/Z %winbootdir%\EXPLOR95\COMDLG32.DLL %winbootdir%\SYSTEM

COPY/Y/Z %winbootdir%\EXPLOR95\SHELL32.DLL %winbootdir%\SYSTEM

9. Reboot normal back to Windows.

CAUTION:

Some programs will NOT run with older SHELL32.DLL from Windows 95!

Thank you Marius '95.

Hope this helps.

[erpdude8]

CAUTION:

Some programs will NOT run with older SHELL32.DLL from Windows 95!

Win98se's WORDPAD.EXE and Spider Solitaire game are the two programs I know of that will choke with a "link to missing export" error message with Win95's shell32.dll file.

* 98SE2ME Option 3:

installs newer WinME system files [Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI),

Explorer, Shell, Dialog, Folders, Web Browser, Fonts, Effects, Documents,

Scrap + Network Drives Integration Controls, OLE DLLs + APIs] from WinME CABs.

CAUTION:

WinME files installed by option 3 may change and/or lose Win98 SE interface

functionality, stability and/or performance!

using Option 3 of the 98se2me pack will also resolve the empty taskbar screen saver icon problem mentioned in MS article 280722 and keep the bug from getting worse as I have verified this on a Win98se computer using 98se2me. You'll need IE 5.5 or better for option 3.

[os2fan2]

There was an alternate shell floating around LitePC (makers of 98lite &c), which was a hexedited version of Win95 explorer.exe and shell32.dll. This allowed you to still run proggies that needed the win98 shell32.dll but use the 95shell. I ran it for some good time on some ancient pentium with 16 MB ram, it went OK.

I have at various times, installed both SP2.1 and MDGX 98toME package. I did not see any evident drop in performance, from either kit.