Auto-Patcher For Windows 98se (English)

[joe tweaker]

- Uncheck "Internet Explorer should check whether it is the default browser"

Only after that you may set Firefox as default browser and IE would never change that option again.

Got it! Thanks again!

[soporific]

Wow, AP discussion has been relatively quiet ... and now its coming thick and fast ... i actually have a theory that the less problems in AP leads to less discussion, and there are some issues with August 2007 which will need to be fixed quick smart.

I have not been totally ignoring AP, but to be honest, i haven't touched the code for 2 weeks (sorry Max!) but its definitely next on my to-do list. i have just cracked the last few problems with the next edition of the UBCD (custom setup billboards text!) and so my way is nearly clear to get AP focussed again.

First, i will be listing all the issues that are outstanding, so as soon as this list appears, please check to see if your issue is on it.

Should be up within a day or two. I will put the list in 2 places: first post, and as a message to this thread. Stay tuned !!

Thanks to all the posters who have provided info in the last few days, you rock! Remember, this is the last remaining Auto-Patcher for Windows left standing so any posters should feel part of the team helping to keep it alive!

[joe tweaker]

No rush on fixing the remaining issues with AP. Whenever you get to it is fine.

Just wondering if you have any thoughts on which patch/update may be causing Notepad+ to go weird on me?

And the question on having two Java Runtime Updates installed at the same time?

And what the purpose of the V4 folder is on the C: drive?

Thanks! And btw... You rock!

[soporific]

Just wondering if you have any thoughts on which patch/update may be causing Notepad+ to go weird on me?

And the question on having two Java Runtime Updates installed at the same time?

And what the purpose of the V4 folder is on the C: drive?

do you have Windows installed on a drive other than C: ? The code is not supposed to just install stuff onto the C drive, but onto the drive where you have installed Windows. Looks like there's a bug somewhere ... this reminds me that its been a while since i've done a test using a D drive Windows installation, so i shall set a test up and do a check on the August 2007 code ASAP.

the Java and notepad+ issues i've have to have a look at the code ... i'll get to it soon, promise.

Edited September 20, 2007 by soporific

[joe tweaker]

do you have Windows installed on a drive other than C: ? The code is not supposed to just install stuff onto the C drive, but onto the drive where you have installed Windows.

The Windows which AutoPatcher patched is installed on the C: (98SE) partition, in the standard folders. However, I do have a boot manager, which permits me to swap the boot partition via a menu which appears during startup, and I also have Windows installed on the J: (98FE) partition of the same hard drive. However, the manager always boots to the C: (98SE) partition by default - unless I override it. If I override the default, it swaps the two in the partition table (so that C: becomes J: and J: becomes C:). But for the entire run of AutoPatcher I let it default to C: (98SE), and never booted to J: (98FE).

However, I installed and ran AutoPatcher from the F: partition, which is a separate physical drive (because F: had over 30GB free space, and C: only had 800MB free). It didn't appear to have any problems running from F: instead of C: AutoPatcher found all of its modules on F: and wrote all of its reports there as well. The only logs that got left in C:\Windows\Temp were ENGSETUP.LOG, EngUtil.log, java_install_reg.log, and msievent.log. The only mystery is why "V4" was created on C: with only a cabfile and a text file in it (both named iuident). It looks like it was used to install something else, but not cleaned up when the install was finished. However I'm asking what to do before removing it because I could be wrong.

When I rerun the report module, Autopatcher tells me all the modules I selected are now installed with only two exceptions: HTML Help, and the August 2007 Rootsupd, so I think everything else was correctly installed.

I hope all this detail helps. Just let me know if you need anything else!

[soporific]

The only mystery is why "V4" was created on C: with only a cabfile and a text file in it (both named iuident). It looks like it was used to install something else, but not cleaned up when the install was finished. However I'm asking what to do before removing it because I could be wrong.

OK, i should have mentioned before, those files relate to WU_files.exe which is the Windows Update files (inside EssComp.bat). You can safely delete them, we don't need WU anyway. I was just saving a tiny bit of bandwidth for those who still feel the need to check their system to WU.

but they should be installing into %ProgFile%\WindowsUpdate where ProgFile equals the current location of your Program Files folder. This variable is determined by code as it is not native to Windows 98. It seems to be installing into C:\V4 correct? If so, the code doesn't work for your system which is strange. I'll probably have some more questions but i may as well try a D drive install test first. Oh, and Auto-Patcher should definitely work if installed on another drive other than C, it just needs to be able to wrtie to that drive. I really should change this so then Auto-Patcher could be run from a CD. I know SubMix8c wants me to get around to implementing this ... i may just get around to it soon ...

[joe tweaker]

but they should be installing into %ProgFile%\WindowsUpdate where ProgFile equals the current location of your Program Files folder. This variable is determined by code as it is not native to Windows 98. It seems to be installing into C:\V4 correct? If so, the code doesn't work for your system which is strange.

Well the Sun Jave Runtimes installed correctly into C:\Program Files\Java, so it seems that code translated %ProgFile% into "Program Files" while the Windows Update code did not. BTW I still have TWO Sun Java Updates (06 and 12) installed. Is it ok to take the 06 out now via the control panel "Add/Remove"? If so my C: drive could use the reclaimed space.

Also, during the patching of my OS my firewall asked me to permit web access twice. I permitted it both times. I'm thinking it was during the setup of IE6 SP1 and maybe Windows Media Player, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it not possible to install all the updates without web access? I know the full IE6 setup is a huge file, almost 80MB if I recall correctly, but then the AutoPatcher August 2007 Full was more than 3x bigger (248MB). Was I correct in letting AutoPatcher thru my firewall? What if I wish someday to patch a computer with no net access? Would that require using the UBCD instead?

[soporific]

but they should be installing into %ProgFile%\WindowsUpdate where ProgFile equals the current location of your Program Files folder. This variable is determined by code as it is not native to Windows 98. It seems to be installing into C:\V4 correct? If so, the code doesn't work for your system which is strange.

Well the Sun Jave Runtimes installed correctly into C:\Program Files\Java, so it seems that code translated %ProgFile% into "Program Files" while the Windows Update code did not. BTW I still have TWO Sun Java Updates (06 and 12) installed. Is it ok to take the 06 out now via the control panel "Add/Remove"? If so my C: drive could use the reclaimed space.

Also, during the patching of my OS my firewall asked me to permit web access twice. I permitted it both times. I'm thinking it was during the setup of IE6 SP1 and maybe Windows Media Player, but I'm not 100% sure. Is it not possible to install all the updates without web access? I know the full IE6 setup is a huge file, almost 80MB if I recall correctly, but then the AutoPatcher August 2007 Full was more than 3x bigger (248MB). Was I correct in letting AutoPatcher thru my firewall? What if I wish someday to patch a computer with no net access? Would that require using the UBCD instead?

RE: Sun Java --- i would uninstall both, and then re-install the latest one.

RE: web access --- AP should run totally fine on a computer without net access. What is happening is certain setups (ie IE 6) still check for net access even though we aren't going to need anything from the net. MS has a long history of doing this, so i'm not surprised in the least.

As soon as i have September 2007 ready, i shall out out a call for testers ... you should put your hand up!

[Eck]

Well, I now triple-boot with 98SE and XP PRO SP2 on one hard drive (hidden from each other, both are C:) and Debian GNU/Linux Lenny on the 2nd hard drive.

The 98SE install is fine and I intend to keep it updated by using your updated Auto-Patcher versions as you release them. However I'd like to have the stable final rather than a beta version as Grub is installed to the 98SE drive's MBR. A 98SE partition format must be avoided at all costs since I'm a guru at this point in some Linux stuff but reinstalling the specific Debian Grub for an updated to testing (Lenny) for which I have no DVD for (it's an Etch DVD) is not something that I think I can get to go well. It's a different Kernel than what's on the DVD too. It would just be a disaster.

So, beta testing is unfortunately out for me. It would be different of course if I was still using this in VMWare but I'm not.

But I look forward to your next updated release. I'll of course always give you whatever feedback I can for things I notice while using Auto-Patcher. But I can't risk needing to reinstall either Windows installation as that would replace Grub, which I use to boot all of these operating systems (for Windows unhiding one, hiding the other, and setting the one I want active and chainloaded). So no risking of hosing Windows is my aim. It was too much thinking to get it right the first time!

[soporific]

Well the Sun Jave Runtimes installed correctly into C:\Program Files\Java, so it seems that code translated %ProgFile% into "Program Files" while the Windows Update code did not.

The code that adds a ProgramFiles variable to the WU installation isn't the same as the Java install. The code that determines the location of 'Program Files' is not working on your system, and i want to get to the bottom of it, if possible.

Q: have you installed the Unofficial Microsoft Scripting Engines v5.7 ???

Everyone else:

here's the list of outstanding issues, please advise if it is missing anything:

loop problems:

- DX_Media, HTMLHelp, kb937143, Servic9x, RootsUp

Issues:

- Unnoficial Notepad Update issues, doesn't play well with Rogsoft Notepad+, the initial solution is to make the the update optional

- Java just installs update 12 without uninstalling Update 06 first

- some updates that report they have been 'set to skip' don't have any way to be set to skip, eg 98KrnlUp, and kb933360 (this has now been fixed, it is only a cosmetic bug, nothing bad can happen)

- the Unofficial Scripting Engine Update 5.6.0.8832 is available in the menu, but it never installs -- this is because i hadn't added this to the Optional Components module. D'OH!

- MSXML 4.0 SP2 Update (kb936181) breaks MSXML in Win98 (is there anymore info on this?)

do i have them all?

more info on Choice.sav

- this is the file that records your module choices. As soon as you make a change to the module selections, the save file is deleted. Also, you can't carry your SAV file thru different versions of AP, you have to make a new one.

- i know this feature is pretty basic but i can't see how to improve it without adding more complexity to the program as it is.

For the looping issues, can people also report back if the above updates DIDN'T loop on your system. Ta.

Edited September 24, 2007 by soporific

[briton]

Well, I now triple-boot with 98SE and XP PRO SP2 on one hard drive (hidden from each other, both are C:) and Debian GNU/Linux Lenny on the 2nd hard drive.

The 98SE install is fine and I intend to keep it updated by using your updated Auto-Patcher versions as you release them. However I'd like to have the stable final rather than a beta version as Grub is installed to the 98SE drive's MBR. A 98SE partition format must be avoided at all costs since I'm a guru at this point in some Linux stuff but reinstalling the specific Debian Grub for an updated to testing (Lenny) for which I have no DVD for (it's an Etch DVD) is not something that I think I can get to go well. It's a different Kernel than what's on the DVD too. It would just be a disaster.

So, beta testing is unfortunately out for me.

I am not really sure why you are getting "cross-pollination" between your partitions but I suppose that might depend on how you are setting up your partitions and how you manage your OSes. Personally, all my partititions are visible to all the other ones and all can read the others (yes, simple free DOS utilities allow you to read NTFS, Linux etc). As I never let any OS installers or updaters to get away with changing my boot management or partition table, nothing ever messes up the other partitions (well, unless I want it to lol). And the best thing is that all the utilities and management are free (although not all open source). I control boots using XOSL (for the Linux partitions I point XOSL at GRUB or LILO to allow them to ensure the latest kernel is in use). I control partitions using Ranish Partition Manager which means that when a new OS is installed, I plan the partition(s) for it beforehand and set up the exact spaces in RPM before letting the installer at them. To move/resize partitions I use GParted on a stick (I modified their LiveCD to run from DOS on a USB memory stick to simplify things). Whenever something installs that is likely to change the MBR, I go first back into RPM to check that the partitions are as I want them, then go to DOS to change things like boot.ini which WinXP invariably "unfixes" and then restore XOSL from somewhere else (another partition or a backup) and then set it to include the new OS. All of which takes no time at all once you understand how it all works.

Doing that, you can use any Auto-Patcher to your heart's content. It will ONLY affect the Win98SE partition(s). Can't think why it would affect any others - mine are all visible and the auto-patcher has never affected any of the other partitions except the one containing the specific Win98SE OS on which it is run. The others include Vista, XPpro (more than one), Win98SE (more than one), DOS (more than one) and various Linux distros. And various combinations on various boxes. Never a problem outside the specific Win98SE partition on which the auto-patcher is running - oh, except that it helps to tell your boot manager to boot that partition as the default while autopatcher is running which saves you supervising it or having to reboot manually back from the default OS each time it reboots (and even then it doesn't CHANGE anything on the other partitions).

Am I missing something here? Anyone else found the autopatcher does things to other partitions?

[joe tweaker]

The code that adds a ProgramFiles variable to the WU installation isn't the same as the Java install. The code that determines the location of 'Program Files' is not working on your system, and i want to get to the bottom of it, if possible.

Q: have you installed the Unofficial Microsoft Scripting Engines v5.7 ???

I set AP to install the Scripting Update. However I did bypass the CD File System update directly above it.

In the AP Result log right after CDFS reports being set to "by-pass" the next line says "all titles have finished installing."

I find NO mention of the Scripting Update in my AP Result log, nor can I find it in Add/Remove programs.

The WSCRIPT.EXE file in my C:\WINDOWS folder is version 5.6.0.8825 - size 114,688 bytes - date 08/09/04.

AP says the update should be version 5.6.0.8832. So I guess it didn't install, even though I set it to do so.

Could this be due to my choosing to bypass the CDFS update?

[joe tweaker]

Issues:

- the Unofficial Scripting Engine Update 5.6.0.8832 is available in the menu, but it never installs -- this is because i hadn't added this to the Optional Components module. D'OH!

OOPS! You already explained why the scripting engine didn't update - even though I selected it!

Looks like the cause is already known!

So does this also explain the creation of the V4 folder on my C: drive?

[joe tweaker]

loop problems:

- DX_Media, HTMLHelp, kb937143, Servic9x, RootsUp

For the looping issues, can people also report back if the above updates DIDN'T loop on your system. Ta.

The only two modules that I had looping issues with were HTMLHelp, and the Aug 07 RootsUp.

My Results log shows the DX_Media, KB937143, and Servic9x all installed successfully.

I think I went with the default settings in AP except in the Tweaks, 3rd party Apps, and

Optional Windows Components modules. I did turn off a few of those. Hope this helps.

[joe tweaker]

Issues: - the Unofficial Scripting Engine Update 5.6.0.8832 is available in the menu, but it never installs -- this is because i hadn't added this to the Optional Components module. D'OH!

Have you patched the COMPNTS.BAT module to install Scripting Update 5.6.0.8832 yet?

If you have, can we download just that patch now w/o having to download the entire project again?

(I'm assuming we'd only need to replace COMPNTS.BAT for that single fix.)

Or would you prefer that we wait til the next full release?