Auto-Patcher For Windows 98se (English)

[soporific]

glocK_94, your list was invaluable!! The following is the result of my investigations:

- q240075: USB Devices May Not Work in Windows 98 Second Edition
 - kb913433: Hotfix for Vulnerabilities in Flash Player
 - kb918439: Hotfix for Vulnerability in ART Image Rendering
 - kb916281: Official Cumulative Update for Internet Explorer 6 sp1
 - q238453: Hotfix for Spoofed Route Pointer Vulnerability
 - q314941: Hotfix for Vulnerability in Universal Plug 'n' Play
 - q329048: Hotfix for File Decompression Function Vulnerability
 - kb891711: Hotfix for Cursor and Icon Format Handling Vulnerability
 - q323455: Directory Services Client Update for Windows 98
 - q310695: Hotfix for DVD Player Program Cannot Access Data bug
 - q315575: Hotfix for DCOM Program Hangs After Server Reboot

kb891711: code & file updated -- I was still using the old official hotfix. MDGX's is much better. Code has been improved as well.

q240075: code updated

kb913433: code updated

kb918439: the code should be right. It looks for %windir%\system\JGDW400.DLL and checks for file version 106.0.0.0 -- can you report back with the following info: do JGDW400.DLL or JGPL400.DLL exist on your system, and what are the file version numbers?

q314941: code updated

q329048: code updated

q310695: code updated

q315575: code updated

I will keep going through the list but the rest will be done tomorrow --- I will edit this post when I have more info. All these changes will eventually be also listed in the appropriate change log entry. These changes will appear in the next update.

[glocK_94]

Oups ! Sorry. Just checked and my files were not updated. I tried reinstalling the update and it ended by a crash so I guess it was in my update folder but didn't install correctly the first time. I'm gonna dowload that again.

Tell me if you have doubts about an other update, I'll check.

[KingAuther]

In topic "W98se updaters"...

I am running W98se, Compaq desktop, 600mghtz, 6gig...

Is there a simple core way to DESTROY all the updaters in 98se?.. yet still permit manual updating?..

Reason: I find when I'm on a roll in creative writing or pix editing.. when an auto updater initiates, it momentarily sucks up all the RAM.. thereby momentarily locking out the mouse and keyboard.. which can too easily crash a creative roll...

I am experiencing problems with various AVS's.. in that, no matter what I do to try to shut down their auto updaters, they continue to attempt their firewall-blocked connections, momentarily sucking up all the RAM every five minutes... It's like it isn't my PC anymore... I had to dump the AVS just to get a little peace from the updaters...

Please Advise...

Edited November 29, 2006 by KingAuther

[soporific]

Is there a simple core way to DESTROY all the updaters in 98se?.. yet still permit manual updating?..

Um... er.... I have no idea. Your best bet is to start a brand new thread and ask your question there... I could be wrong, but I don't think your question relates to this thread much at all. And so you aren't going to get the answers you want.

re: more info from GlocK_94's list...

q323455: code updated.

q238543: code updated --- this is a funny one. q238453 has been superceeded by q269388 but autopatcher installs both to try and trick Windows update into ignoring that q238453 isn't installed (if q269388 is installed then q238453 ishould not be needed, but try telling that to Windows Update). I had actually changed the name of the install from q269388 to q238453 so people wouldn't get apprehensive about seeing that it was not in the list of system updates. Because this is going to cause confusion on this board at least, I've decided to go back to calling the install q269388. But just remember that q238453 is installed just before q269388, and that q238543 will never appear in the report of missing updates. If q269388 isn't installed, its a good bet that neither is q238453.

FYI - when it says the code has been updated, most of the time the check has been changed from checking for the INF file left behind when the hotfix is installed normally, to checking for the file version of the latest file possible. Most changes to the code Glock_94 pointed out were made because in all of these instances, the updates were not installed using the official hotfix (most likely reason).

This means that for all people using unofficial update packs to upgrade you computer, any new code I write from here on in will mean those installs will work for you guys. I say this because it is the regulars on this site that will MOST MISS OUT ON THIS AUTOPATCHER WORKING PROPERLY! For all those who use the official hotfixes from Micro$oft, the code will definitely work for you --- it is all the unofficial hotfixes (and this includes all the unofficial service packs floating around) that will cause the code to not function as intended. SO PLEASE DO WHAT GLOCK_94 DID AND POST THE LIST OF REPORTED MISSING INSTALLS that are erroneous, ie the report says they are missing but you have confirmed they have been installed. Then we can go BETA !!!

Thanks to all those who have written even just one word of feedback, you are legends every single one of you. Bah humbug to the rest!!

[KingAuther]

Oops!.. sorry... I will...

In topic W98se updates.. It seems that a few of the folks who worked on building the original W98's are still evolving their baby... Maybe a few die hards who just can't let their Precious fade into oblivion..? Does anybody have links to their project websites?.. namely for their latest experimental registry updates...

Who is it who is built this "W98se unofficial updater"?.. and what is the link to their latest ongoing breakthroughs?..

[elianse]

First of all - I think this is a great idea and work by soporific

Second - I am dealing with some laptops and old pc's in school and I have already made my "ultimate" win98se cd that contains setup, tweaks and yes - all updates. Reading all this made me wondering if there could be a possible way around to auto-install those M$ updates from CD where I have stored them. Since M$ won't make any new ones this could be very quick and less net speed dependent Autopatcher installation.

Correct me if I have missed this feature already added in, but since this patch is only 180MB I was not sure.

[Eck]

Um, I can't see how this confused people but...

This Autopatcher program does not connect to the internet to install any of the updates. You just run the 1.5 from your hard drive, close it without applying it, run the 1.6 update, then all the updates are applied by the Autopatcher.

It reboots your computer when necessary then continues its work. It will inform you when it is finished.

THIS right here is the thread where all the magic is discussed and developed.

Individual unofficial updates are discussed in the relevent threads in this forum. None of them are hard to find. (98SE2ME, etc.) Note that the 98SE2ME unofficial updater included in the Autopatcher is only a small section of the full MDGx 98SE2ME. If you want the full effect of that you need to download the full version and have a Windows Me cd in your possession.

Not certain, but I think you also need to apply the Dialup Networking 1.4 Windows Update before running the Autopatcher as otherwise it will only prompt you to manually install that before proceeding. Unless you use Virtual Private Networking, you should then go into Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components and remove the checkmark from Virtual Private Networking. Then also go into Network Properties and remove the additional items that say (Virtual Private Networking) after them. These items confused my cable internet and I couldn't connect until I removed them.

Of course, all that work can be avoided by installing Gape's Unofficial 98SE Service Pack before running the Autopatcher. Gape's pack installs Dialup Networking 1.4 without the Virtual Private Networking features. It also installs the rest of the nice Windows Me/Windows 2000 desktop icons and Windows 2000 color scheme so you have the complete set. Autopatcher only updates the My Computer icon and doesn't provide the nicer color scheme. If Gape's pack is installed first, Autopatcher won't mess with that stuff as it detects the proper Explorer.exe has been already installed. Gape's pack also fixes the Shell Icon Cache so you don't need to bother tweaking that either.

So at this point I would recommend installing the Gape Unofficial Service Pack, restarting twice (to make sure the registry is completely updated) then running the autopatcher stuff.

It appears that the 1.6 version of the Autopatcher now includes the latest Unofficial 891711 update so you won't need to mess with that. However I would run the latest WMF fix (918547) from MDGx AFTER using the Unofficial 98SE2ME. Make sure to tell it to overwrite if it asks. I'm also not certain that soperific has included the latest Internet Explorer Cumulative DLL Update. (918899 has been replaced by a newer one.) I would run the latest MDGx Unofficial one so you get the latest files there as well.

After the Autopatcher you can run the 98SE2ME (if you have a Windows Me cd), 98SE2XP, and WMP10 for 98SE Unofficial MDGx stuff, the WMF update, and you're finished.

All the work being done to these unofficial patchers is discussed right here in these forums in their clearly titled threads so there really isn't a lot of guess work to find this stuff. It's also easy to find the links through the mdgx.com website as MDGx has links to all this stuff.

So all those Windows Updates you have saved to a cdr wouldn't be necessary if you use the Autopatcher. It includes all the necessary files.

Edited December 2, 2006 by Eck

[NativeTexan]

Oops!.. sorry... I will...

In topic W98se updates.. It seems that a few of the folks who worked on building the original W98's are still evolving their baby... Maybe a few die hards who just can't let their Precious fade into oblivion..? Does anybody have links to their project websites?.. namely for their latest experimental registry updates...

Who is it who is built this "W98se unofficial updater"?.. and what is the link to their latest ongoing breakthroughs?..

Excuse me KingArthur,

This may be arriving a little late to do you any good, but; if you go to http://www.free-av.com/ and download their FREE version of AntiVir by Avira you may set the autodownload OFF and only have it run when you want or even set it to run when you are asleep.

I have a question for those of this forum on the UnOfficialWin98SE_SPx.x.x, what if I have installed the 98SE2ME software? Will the Updater for Win98SESP still be needed or do I need to use one for ME? Plus I am considering the Win98SE2XP but will be much farther down the road as I just installed the 98SE2ME about 2 hours ago and am very pleased with these results.

Thank you for reading my post,

[Eck]

If you had read the documentation for 98SE2ME you would have seen that it is recommended to install ALL 98SE updates before using 98SE2ME.

If you haven't installed 98SE updates, yes you still need them all. That's Internet Explorer, 98SE, WMP. Direct X, ALL of them.

You install 98SE versions when running 98SE regardless of whether you have 98SE2ME installed, however you should then reinstall the latest 98SE2ME following the updates. The exception being the Unofficial WMF update, which you should install after all of it as it will replace the Windows Me version with the patched 98SE GDI files (and you should let it replace the newer files when it asks.)

Same with 98SE2XP and the Windows Media Player 10 unofficial updates. You install those after all your 98SE, IE, WMP, DX updates and also after 98SE2ME. You do the 98SE2XP before the WMP 10 update as 98SE2XP updates WMP 9 files with the XP versions. Then when you run the WMP10 to 98 thing you get those updated to WMP10 versions.

The autopatcher will take care of nearly all of what you need before 98SE2ME, with the exception of 256 color tray icons, Windows 2000 color scheme, nicer desktop icons, a few registry tweaks, and most importantly Dialup Networking 1.4.

I don't think you'll have a problem if you install Dialup Networking 1.4, the Autopatcher, then reinstall 98SE2ME. But it would be easier as I've stated before, to install Gape's 98SE Unofficial Service Pack, then the Autopatcher, then reinstall 98SE2ME, then the WMF update.

Gape's pack will install the missing items I've mentioned (like Dialup Networking without hastling with Virtual Private Networking stuff) so you'll be all set to run the Autopatcher without missing out on anything.

AND - Just about any anti-virus scanner allows you to turn off auto updating. Some hide the options well, as they'd prefer to ensure that your definitions are updated so you don't blame them if a virus gets through.

[soporific]

Latest info on the upcoming v1.7:

Change log for v1.7 *not yet released*

Buxfixes:

- the ASPI installation has been improved to by-pass an unwanted message telling us that the .dll file has been "recently modified (yada yada yada)"

Improvements:

- the following installations have improved code (they should all now produce the proper report whether they have been installed or not)

- hotfixes: q240075, kb913433, q323455, q238543, kb891711, q314941, q329048, q310695, q315575

Additions:

- hotfixes: kb928388 (2007 Time Zones update), RunHelp (Unofficial HTML Help Expired Security Certificate Update)

- Components: Username & Organisation Name Change Tool (vbScript)

Planned additions still to come:

- VB runtime files

[gugutz]

will this work for non english versions of windows 98, like, say, brazilian portuguese?

[glocK_94]

More feedback for you Soporific!

Ok. This time I didn't do things half-way. I created a brand new Virtual PC, installed Win98se followed by EVERY SINGLE update I have (even the english-only one that mess up my french installation) just for autopatcher test purpose. Then ran the report function, checked what was wrong, reinstalled the updates that should not have appeared in the list just to be sure and finally ran the report again....

Here are the problems:

> q308567: Hotfix for Vulnerability in .ASF Processor in WMP

> q238453: Hotfix for Spoofed Route Pointer Vulnerability

> kb917344: Hotfix for Vulnerability in Microsoft JScript

> q323455: Directory Services Client Update for Windows 98

> qfechkup: the Update Information Tool

> q243199: Hotfix for bug in Win98se with NDIS Intermediate Drivers

> q240075: USB Devices May Not Work in Windows 98 Second Edition

> dun14-se: Dial-Up Networking 1.4 for Windows 98se

From what I've read, you've already corrected some of them but I was too tired to compare.

Of course, I can't test what I don't have so this test used version 1.5 of your autopatcher and for exemple, none of the unofficial updates have been tested. I'll download the missing hotfixes and stuff when I have more time and complete the list.

Hope that helps !

[gugutz]

soporific, tell me how can i help you to translate this tool.

i want to make a pt-br version of it.

[soporific]

will this work for non english versions of windows 98, like, say, brazilian portuguese?

I'm pretty sure it won't. A lot of the code checks for the english language version of certain registry keys and directory names. If you wanted to check for yourself, install a virtual machine application (ie VMware or MS virtual PC), install a clean copy of Win98 and then try to run the autopatcher. I for one would be very interested in the results.

Glock_94 thanks for your second list -- I'm working thru it now...

[bristols]

If this project is a success, I'll be so grateful.

I tried downloading Autopatcher v1.5. I have a dial-up connection, so you'll appreciate that it's rather a big download (not complaining, by the way). However, my ISP cuts my connection every two hours, so so the ability to resume downloads is essential to me. Unfortunately, the server you uploaded Autopatcher to doesn't allow the resumption of partial downloads. The 30-40 MB I did manage to download were of course completely useless to me and I had to give up.

Next time, if you can, please upload the Autopatcher to a server that allows download-resumption.

Thanks for your persistence with the project.