Auto-Patcher For Windows 98se (English)

[nathanson1947]

PS - nathanson1947, when you saw the above message, what happened after that? If its not clear, try adding the break points above and then try again. Be sure to tell me everything you see.

I don't know how to access and change the code, but I tried to run autopatcher again. This time, when I "pressed any key to continue", as instructed by the first error message, I actually got a second window which appeared as follows:

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6769/en...nt2finalun2.jpg

Following the instructions on this second window, I ran SYSEDIT. A whole bunch of windows appeared on the screen. Here are the two which mentioned the SHELL variable:

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9866/shell1finalwt9.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2079/shell2finalke2.jpg

[soporific]

PS - nathanson1947, when you saw the above message, what happened after that? If its not clear, try adding the break points above and then try again. Be sure to tell me everything you see.

I don't know how to access and change the code, but I tried to run autopatcher again. This time, when I "pressed any key to continue", as instructed by the first error message, I actually got a second window which appeared as follows:

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6769/en...nt2finalun2.jpg

Following the instructions on this second window, I ran SYSEDIT. A whole bunch of windows appeared on the screen. Here are the two which mentioned the SHELL variable:

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/9866/shell1finalwt9.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2079/shell2finalke2.jpg

1) OK, with SYSEDIT, this brings up all your configuration files --- the one you want is CONFIG.SYS --- it probably doesn't have much inside it. The ones you posted sshots of isn't the one you want. If you can, please post the text or the sshots of the contents of AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS -- they both should come up with SYSEDIT.

3) here's a custom version with breakpoints all the way thru the code. You will have to press the spacebar a few times and watch a few messages go by but at least we will know the exact point it goes dead. Please let me know the order of the messages as well as the last one you saw.

changes from v1.96.51 to v1.96.52:

* the ES test is slightly easier to pass - i was testing on a system with not much installed, and i would expect a few more bytes used up with a few apps installed as well.

* there are breakpoints all over the place which you have to press a key to get thru each time. So you aren't going to like installing this UNLESS you haven't been able to get AP to work or want to help out.

grab it here:

http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...6.52_update.exe

file size: 227kb

you MUST have v1.96.50 already installed. If you have v1.96.51 installed, its fine to simply install the newer version over the old one.

Edited May 27, 2007 by soporific

[soporific]

here's 3 screenshots about 'Improving Readability'

the first shot was buried in the help section for 1.96.50 so here it is in case you've never seen it:

+++

+++

The choice is pretty clear from where i'm sitting. Make the change today! - you will need to change the setting from Auto to your desired setting 2 or 3 times (for different files that are used) but your computer will remember your choices for future uses. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to spend the required 30 seconds playing around with all the options to get the optimal setting.

Edited May 27, 2007 by soporific

[nathanson1947]

1) OK, with SYSEDIT, this brings up all your configuration files --- the one you want is CONFIG.SYS --- it probably doesn't have much inside it. The ones you posted sshots of isn't the one you want. If you can, please post the text or the sshots of the contents of AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS -- they both should come up with SYSEDIT.

Here are the screenshots:

[nathanson1947]

3) here's a custom version with breakpoints all the way thru the code. You will have to press the spacebar a few times and watch a few messages go by but at least we will know the exact point it goes dead. Please let me know the order of the messages as well as the last one you saw.

I had a particular problem with both v1.96.51 and v1.96.52. Whenever I got a DOS window, and tried to press a key to continue, all the keys were deactivated, and pressing them had no effect. I finally got around the problem by the following method:

1. I tried to close the window by clicking on the x in the upper right hand corner. This caused a second window to appear:

2. I then clicked on "NO" on the second window, and the second window would disappear. But I then found that the keys were now active and I could continue on to the next window.

In any case, here are all the windows I got, in the order in which I received them. After the last window, everything disappeared from the screen.

[soporific]

Ah ha! It IS due to environment space! Notice the 'Out of environment space' messages .... i will attempt to overcome this by allocating more space for the processes. New version will be available soon ...

EDIT: i think i can see the problem -- you have your AUTOEXEC.BAT file adding very long strings to the PATH and CLASS PATH variables. To check if this is the case, adjust your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to REM out each line that starts with SET ie

SET PATH=(blah blah blah)

SET CLASSPATH=(blah blah blah)

becomes

REM -- SET PATH=(blah blah blah)

REM -- SET CLASSPATH = (blah blah blah)

(only the REM word is important)

then reboot your computer and see if AP works without errors. After we have determined if this is the problem, you can un REM the lines to return to the original state.

Regarding the point where no keys would work, this is probably due to the ES problem but i must admit i've never come across that particular issue.

New version:

changes from v1.96.52 to v1.96.53:

* the ES test is slightly harder to pass - its now back to the test version inside v196.51.

* the breakpoints have been removed

* the space allocation has been increased by 1024 --- this should solve the problems.

grab it here:

http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...update.exe

file size: 227kb

you MUST have v1.96.50 already installed. If you have v1.96.51 or v1.96.52 installed, its fine to simply install the newer version over the old one.

EDIT 3: can someone say something so i can reply ... i want to post my 500th message! ..... not that i'm counting or anything ... and it's not because i want to "level up" which is what's going to happen at 500. Really, truly!

edit 4: i suppose i could just cheat ...

Edited May 28, 2007 by soporific

[nathanson1947]

Regarding the point where no keys would work, this is probably due to the ES problem but i must admit i've never come across that particular issue.

New version:

changes from v1.96.52 to v1.96.53:

* the ES test is slightly harder to pass - its now back to the test version inside v196.51.

* the breakpoints have been removed

* the space allocation has been increased by 1024 --- this should solve the problems.

EDIT 3: can someone say something so i can reply ... i want to post my 500th message! ..... not that i'm counting or anything ... and it's not because i want to "level up" which is what's going to happen at 500. Really, truly!

edit 4: i suppose i could just cheat ...

I just ran version v1.96.53. It passed the environment space test, and the keys all worked. However, it only remained on for a second before everything disappeared. I managed to find a couple of logs. The question: Did my computer not need any updates, or did the program abort for some reason???

This log file for Auto-Patcher 1.96.53

was generated on Monday, 28 May 2007 at 12:07pm.

- the most recent log is at the end of this log file.

- only titles that installed or were blocked from installing will be logged.

Report for Auto-Patcher 1.96.53 generated on Monday, 28 May 2007

- the time is now: 12:09pm

- the most recent report is at the end of this log file.

The following list of updates were not found on this computer:

[soporific]

I just ran version v1.96.53. It passed the environment space test, and the keys all worked. However, it only remained on for a second before everything disappeared.

no the report text is normal for a session that exits out ungracefully. ... Nathan my son, the fix was always only a stop gap, it doesn't help us explain what's going on with your system. If you could do that REMming out in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file as i described in the previous post that would actually help us determine one way or they other. This stabbing in the dark is quite time consuming for us both. Although. i should have just lashed out and given you an extra 2048 bytes of space instead of a measly 1024 and the taking out of the breakpoints was a bit premature! So i'll do another one but only after you report back how you went with the REM stuff. Ask if you need more clarification ...

Edit: 'Senior' sooooooo gives the wrong impression about me

Edited May 28, 2007 by soporific

[nathanson1947]

I just ran version v1.96.53. It passed the environment space test, and the keys all worked. However, it only remained on for a second before everything disappeared.

no the report text is normal for a session that exits out ungracefully. ... Nathan my son, the fix was always only a stop gap, it doesn't help us explain what's going on with your system. If you could do that REMming out in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file as i described in the previous post that would actually help us determine one way or they other. This stabbing in the dark is quite time consuming for us both. Although. i should have just lashed out and given you an extra 2048 bytes of space instead of a measly 1024 and the taking out of the breakpoints was a bit premature! So i'll do another one but only after you report back how you went with the REM stuff. Ask if you need more clarification ...

Edit: 'Senior' sooooooo gives the wrong impression about me

Actually, I do need some clarification. I need to know how to convert the AUTOEXEC.BAT file into a form that I can edit and replace. If it needs to be done in DOS, I need to know the DOS commands to do so, and if going into DOS is not necessary, I still need instructions on how to access and replace the code. Presumably. the REMming of the appropriate lines is the same as editing text or HTML, but I have to know how to get there before doing it. I took some courses in BASIC in the mid 1980's, but even if I remembered it all, even the DOS commands may have changed completely between 1986 and 1999 (when Windows 98SE came out).

[soporific]

Actually, I do need some clarification. I need to know how to convert the AUTOEXEC.BAT file into a form that I can edit and replace.

Nah, its much easier than having to employ your BASIC skills, it really is dead easy otherwise i wouldn't have suggested it ...

when you use SYSEDIT to bring up your configuration files, they are loaded into a notpad style window which you can edit. If you want to make a back-up first, just open notepad, navigate to the root of the c: drive, make sure you select all file types, and you should be able to open AUTOEXEC.BAT and then save a copy as you would a normal text file.

REMming out a line simply means putting REM at the start of the line ... i added the two dashes just for aesthetic reasons. Don't think of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file as anything else other than a text file with some text inside it.

But if you needed to make a backup of your autoexec.bat file i would have said. REMming out your PATH statements simply means you can't use those programs until you put them back in. Just use SYSEDIT to adjust your file. Reboot. Test AP. Use SYSEDIT again to unREM the lines. and reboot. Your computer is back to normal.

[nathanson1947]

But if you needed to make a backup of your autoexec.bat file i would have said. REMming out your PATH statements simply means you can't use those programs until you put them back in. Just use SYSEDIT to adjust your file. Reboot. Test AP. Use SYSEDIT again to unREM the lines. and reboot. Your computer is back to normal.

Three lines in Autoexec.bat were REMmed, AP was tested, and then the three lines were unREMmed. AP appeared to work properly, and the log file is an attachment to this message.

I_Result.Log_May_29_2007.txt

[soporific]

Three lines in Autoexec.bat were REMmed, AP was tested, and then the three lines were unREMmed. AP appeared to work properly, and the log file is an attachment to this message.

Excellent! We have worked out what was wrong and I suspect others are in the same boat. So, it looks like i'm upping the space allocation. nathanson, we haven't finished yet. We want to get it working without you REMming stuff out but i think i know what is going to work. Back soon ...

EDIT: Ok the next version will have 2 changes:

* the space allocation has been doubled in 2 places

- START_ME.bat and RUN-MOD.bat which are the 2 files that dole out the memory.

grab it here:

http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...update.exe

file size: 227kb

you must have v1.96.50 already installed. If you have v1.96.51, v1.96.52, or v1.96.53 installed, its fine to simply install the newer version over the old one.

Edited May 29, 2007 by soporific

[celtish]

Just a note from a non-techny who's becoming increasingly confused by the multiplicity of patches, upgrades, and previews and by the difficulty in finding clear download links for this, that, and the other!

- It's becoming increasingly difficult to see the wood for the trees. How about clearing out all the deadwood from the topic pages and just having a straightforward thread with all the links and explanation in the one place?

- postscriptum - when I visited your website I was tizzied further to find that the links there referred to WinXP and the like... HEEELLLPPPPPP!!!!

- post-postscriptum - I have now tracked down what seem to be the three main files i.e

first - http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...2_installer.exe

second - http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...1.96_update.exe

third - http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...6.54_update.exe

and have installed them in what appears to be chronological sequence and am attaching the three report files for your interest

- I got a lot of error messages including some implicating explorer and kernel32 and I notice that all the DOS windows were headed 'out of environmental space' whatever that means. (BTW, the installs knocked out my recycle bin ico and reinstated the old-style icon)

- However AP now seems to be installed and we shall see how it goes!

Edited May 29, 2007 by plonkeroo

[nathanson1947]

Three lines in Autoexec.bat were REMmed, AP was tested, and then the three lines were unREMmed. AP appeared to work properly, and the log file is an attachment to this message.

Excellent! We have worked out what was wrong and I suspect others are in the same boat. So, it looks like i'm upping the space allocation. nathanson, we haven't finished yet. We want to get it working without you REMming stuff out but i think i know what is going to work. Back soon ...

EDIT: Ok the next version will have 2 changes:

* the space allocation has been doubled in 2 places

- START_ME.bat and RUN-MOD.bat which are the 2 files that dole out the memory.

With the latest update, Autopatcher aborted shortly after the following screen:

[soporific]

far out. i just can't win. OK, what you need to do is send me the actual text of the contents of the AutoExec.bat file. I want to know just how long those path statements are ... i was so sure this was the last one.... just PM me ... no need to tell the world what you have ...

EDIT:

great news: I am replicating your problem right in front of my eyes.. so there's no more stabbing in the dark.

bad news: well, it seems your autoexec.bat file is screwed up. I'll suggest the changes soon, but do something for me can you. Reboot your machine, and when its rebooting, if you have your boot logo still turned on, press ESC to see the boot messages, and tell me if you see the following:

notice the "too many parameters" message

did you get that on your machine? If not, please double-check the text of the autoexc.bat file you sent ... cheers.

EDIT 2: i can see the problem in AP. There is a command to run Run-Mod.bat with no extra space allocated at all. It didn't matter until the path of the program location was long enough to trip the ES warning on systems that were using lots of ES space to start with. Wow, i've just made the adjustments, and it all works. This was a bona fide bug !! The next version is the winner! Coming soon ...

here it is: http://soporific.dsleague.com/downloads/Au...6.55_update.exe

by the way, you still had a problem with your Autoexec.bat file ... the reason is due to the order of installation .. the fix is to move the entire line with diskeeper lite in it below the one with gtk in it. When you reboot, you will see there's no parameter error. The reason is due to the long path name for diskeeper. As you can see, it is added to your path statement fine, but when some more text is added to the path the second time the diskeeper path is missing the quotes, hence the errors. IF you swap them around, this problem doesn't appear.

Edited May 29, 2007 by soporific