Auto-Patcher For Windows 98se (English)

[Eck]

Well I just installed my saved copy of Shockwave 10.2.022 because all the download links there SAY they are giving you 10.2.023 but they REALLY give you 10.3.CRASHANDBURN.

You can right click the downloads and they are all that newer buggy version, even thought the directory it is downloading it from is the 10.2 one. I found out when Firefox crashed with it and then I checked the version.

Apparently they meant to go back to the older version but they put the same newer files in there I guess by accident.

So I can't even get the latest 10.2 version because .022 is all I've got. I'll deal. They'll fix it and update I'm sure.

At least I won't crash.

[soporific]

Hey everyone,

I've been following the discussion avidly and i've come to the conclusion that my previous fears about more incompatibilities for our dear old OS are coming true. Never again will i simply add a new update to Auto-Patcher without waiting some time to see if its any good. Stability is the key here. I've noted the conclusions down and i will get a new version of AP out soon. Cheers, keep the discussion going.

[Eck]

Heh heh. More excitement. I did have to clean house. I got 10.2.023 from filehippo.com but the uninstall and reinstall, and the reboot asked for left Shockwave without some needed file.

So I used the Shockwave 8 and 10 uninstallers in the System/Macromed folder, and the downloaded Flash Uninstaller. I clicked all the entries of them in Add/Remove Programs and when it couldn't find uninstallers I let it remove the entries. I checked out the Windows Components tab and saw that the Shockwave entries are no longer available. Then I deleted the contents of that Macromed folder and restarted the computer.

I went to Adobe in Internet Explorer and had it install Flash. I installed my downloaded Flash for Firefox installer. I installed my downloaded Shockwave 10.2.023 from filehippo.

All is now perfect and the tests on their site work.

Soporific, I really suggest that the best way for folks to get the latest Flash and Shockwave on their machines is to go and download and install the stuff themselves. I can't see it working correctly with the fresh stuff installed immediately with Auto-Patcher right after a new installation unless perhaps if nothing that is installed includes their own older Flash and Shockwave versions. Once they are on there (Flash 7 and Shockwave 8), they really need a cleaning of the house, wiping all of that, before the new versions can install properly on a Flash and Shockwave barren machine.

Sheesh, their Adobe Reader just gave me fits getting it upgraded. The downloader they use couldn't write the second update into the \Windows\Application Data folder they use. The first worked, but from then on only my going to their site and clicking the updates tab and downloading each one myself and installing them worked. Something was interfering with their updater downloading the files to that folder. I could see the incomplete 0 bit file there.

Anyway, all updated now.

[RetroOS]

Okay, I thought everything was running fine with Dec 2007 Final...

However, since I updated (only JSCRIPT.DLL was newer for me), I got an empty square window appear often while using Internet Explorer.

I had to close it (using the 'X') to continue.

I figured it was probably when JSCRIPT.DLL was being called?

It sounds a bit like what some others have posted recently.

However, I did not get any installing or crashing, just an empty window.

So... I deinstalled Java 6 Update 4 and reinstalled Update 3 that I had earlier.

I also back-dated JSCRIPT.DLL to the previous version I had, then de-registered and re-registered it, and rebooted.

No change!

This is really weird since at this point everything should be as it was when it worked!!!

Rolling forward again, I removed Java 6 Update 3 and reinstalled Update 4, and reinstalled the Unofficial Scripting 5.6 update again.

No change as expected.

So! I downloaded the Unofficial Scripting 5.7 update from MDGx and installed it.

...No problems so far!

The only thing that bugs me is that I recall some discussion a while ago regarding Scripting 5.7 having problems in Windows 98SE...

I'll have to locate the discussion and see what the issues were.

The conclusion is that I do not know what made my 98SE go silly on me... But Scripting 5.7 fixed it...

On a side note, I also found that Windows was creating a bootlog.txt files every time I used Windows and updating it during use and closing Windows.

All this was adding some overhead to Windows.

I had one font error (explained in another topic) that I resolved, but this did not stop the bootlog.txt being created.

In the end I had to put the Disablelog=1 option in the MSDOS.SYS file...

I had noticed the logging over some time, but thought maybe it was from a crash or something...

I don't know when it started doing this... Maybe RP7 or 98SE2ME?

Anyone else noticed continuous boot logging?

[soporific]

Okay, I thought everything was running fine with Dec 2007 Final...

Well, there's a few issues...

* one is that the Unofficial Scripting Update 5.6 is the one causing that message about needing to download 0 bytes to install it. Using the 'never download it' option seems to fix this but i haven't tested extensively.

* two, the Unofficial Scripting Update 5.7 is still causing errors for my CSCRIPT.EXE scripts so i can't include it in UBCD and i'm reluctant to include it in AP without further testing.

I'm in two minds about what to do with this.

[Eck]

What you could do is make a module especially for the scripting update. Make the default of Auto-Patcher to install the older official Scripting 5.6 update. Make a toggle available for installing the Unofficial 5.7, which would explain that it is experimental and to only install if compatibility is desired for newer technologies. This would install 5.7 instead of the 5.6 update. Certainly remove that unofficial 5.6 as it is obviously not working well. If we tell Internet Explorer not to install when it asks, we won't have the scripting support so that is not a desired option, even if it removes the nagging. So the Unofficial 5.6 really shouldn't be used.

5.7 works fine, as far as I know. My software has been installing fine with a few exceptions, if scripting does have anything to do with it.

That Adobe Reader updater not being able to write to that folder, PowerDVD 6 not being able to run the latest update (but I installed the older 2003e update and it worked fine). It is possible that the latest one can't install on 98SE but they removed the older update anyway. It complains about not being able to run setup, but when I extracted the update with WinRAR and ran setup myself, that runs, but just like the compressed download it complains that it could not run setup. I think it's a setup within the setup? Whatever, PowerDVD works fine with the 2003e update and I think that the latest one is some minor single update and not the whole thing anyway. The file is much smaller than the 2003e update is. I don't think it includes the previous fixes and that makes it just a blunder on their part that they removed the 2003e update from the download section.

And DivX Media Filter made a complaint that it had errors, but it works fine in Windows Media Player. It just doesn't offer the system tray icon like it does on XP/Vista. Maybe that's what it didn't successfully install, but it isn't really needed. Windows Media Player uses the DivX 5.21 codec to play the files and it even did the usual check for update the first time and shows the DivX watermark briefly when the playback starts. That's how I know it's using the DivX codec from them rather than the one installed by PowerDVD 6 Deluxe.

Don't know whether some of those install errors were due to Scripting or not. The Adobe one was strange, but the others could be explained by the installers expecting Windows XP stuff.

Nero, RealPlayer, QuickTime, Java, Flash and Shockwave (once I cleaned it out and started fresh) had no problems installing and running.

I'd leave Sun Java, Flash, and Shockwave out of Auto-Patcher. These are all better left to the user to get and install.

[RetroOS]

Hi soporific,

Did you ever compile the system tweaks, specifically the caching and RAM limit tweaks, that you established from the VCACHE topic?

Also, look at my post regarding settings for 1.5GB of RAM - these have been working flawlessly ever since.

I know that the AP settings are currently wrong for 1.5GB of RAM...

[Eck]

That maybe the next thing I look into. I turn off those tweaks in Auto-Patcher (or don't turn them on if they are off by default) because 98SE2ME puts in the traditional ones that Gape's pack always did anyway. I just do the VCACHE max to 393216 at the first boot after install so it won't have a problem with my 1 Gig of Ram. I notice he doesn't do the ConservativeSwapfileUsage =1 anymore and I didn't add it. I did make my min and max virtual memory customized to 3X my Ram right away too. I'll check out that thread to see what folks are doing now.

I just installed Norton Utilities 2002 to my 250GB hard drive that's one big partition installed with 120GB then expanded to about 191 usable by PartitionMagic. I ran DiskDoctor, had it fix what it found, rebooted, and ran SpeedDisk. I just set it not to optimize the swap file. I already customized it and don't want it to mess with that.

I turned off the Surface Scan too. As long as things are working I'd rather not sit and wait while it checks out the unpartitioned space.

Things haven't blown up! But I guess I won't really know if it trashed anything (regarding 48bit LBA addressing) unless I start getting a lot of weird problems. I haven't run WinDoctor yet. Not sure I believe in that kind of thing anymore. In the old days I used to let it whirl away at the registry but I figure if it isn't broke, don't fix (break) it.

Haven't run 98 in a while and got used to a zillion things loading at startup not really bothering XP, Vista, or of course Linux. I'm going to have to look into that though. I have eleven system tray icons and I startup with about 41% resources free. Goes down to the 30's quick when I start doing things. That might not be the best way to run 98, eh?

For security I have Avast Home set to its defaults with the email scanner and all its web stuff on and ZoneAlarm with the email, virus scanner detection and alerts off.

I'm wondering what to do about Spyware detection. I always used Spybot Search and Destroy but I've been reading that the new version is broken on 98SE. Not only that, but the older one automatically updates it to the new, broken version. I'll try to read their forums to see what people are doing. I know I need something. Ad-Aware stopped supporting 98SE but I used to prefer Spybot S&S anyway, although sometimes I used them both. Now it looks like either is a hassle to use. And the Yahoo Toolbar stuff (haven't bothered with it yet and would rather not) doesn't include the Spyware detector on 98SE either. What do we do? Gotta have something to scan and remove that stuff if we catch anything. Kind of miss McAfee, as their stuff includes spyware detection and removal. But their last 98SE version was just a hassle with its messing up their updating process using wininit and writing the file incorrectly. I had to make sure to delete the nonsense they wrote and keep the correct lines every update. Well, I let all of the subscriptions for it expire and canceled the automatic renewals.

Out of the Auto-Patcher topic, but then we're not too many folks now and where else but here can we ramble on about Windows 98?

Edit -

I installed Spybot Search and Destroy 5.2 (latest) to see. It went fine! I unchecked to have it update while installing, unchecked SDHelper and TeaTimer (never use TeaTimer and I immunize after the first update), and told it not to run after the install. I restarted the computer, went through the wizard, got all updated and immunized, ran a scan and it removed the usual stuff it does to a fresh Windows installation, and all is well.

Gotta say that maybe turning everything on and running right away and not rebooting might be one of the things causing the new version troubles in 9x systems. Maybe my treading gently and carefully made it register what it needed properly.

Then again, maybe it's dumb luck or a newer version of the program. I just downloaded it before installing.

Edited February 19, 2008 by Eck

[thydreamwalker]

:whistle:To:Retro OS*** note @ thee wierd window in left top screen(best seek justice from our higher power MICROSOFT )-it has to do with older 98se report issue on older versions of RPCRT4.dll,as i had issues with my reaching the internet when i had windows 3.1 and 3.11upg installed ;Its like a spy of some sort-tough to get rid of ,too!!!Especially bothersome when downloading a lot...will screen every move and reports accumalate then mysteriously disappear...like being sent while your not aware.Can't remember the CURE ,yet found it on MDGX's site ..<thydreamwalker>

[thydreamwalker]

DOWNLOAD FOR 10.2.023=<http://oldapps.com/shockwave.php>....works great with APRC2+RP7.11.5+RENOVATIO! ! !

[Monroe]

Hi All ...

... just wanted to ad that I am using Shockwave Full v10.2.023 and Flash Player 9.0.115.0 (IE) from FileHippo and both are working just fine in my two Win 98SE notebooks. I also use Proxomitron and have tested both Shockwave and Flashplayer at the test sites mentioned a few posts back. I have downloaded Autopatcher (Oct 2007) but have never used it ... just Gape's older v2.1a and Maximus Decim Cumulative Update ver.2.50 for Windows 98SE. I do like the Auto-Patcher project by Soporific but I don't need everything that's in it ... so I update using the two I mentioned earlier. Maybe there are some conflicts with programs and Shockwave and Flashplayer ... but the latest versions seem to be working for me.

A question for Sop and maybe just some information for some. I have stayed with the older WMP v6.4 but have installed the K-Lite Codec Package v3.4.5 (Full) with Media Player Classic ... this is the "last" version that will work with Win 98SE. Have you ever thought of adding this nice codec package to Auto-Patcher ... and I just mention it in case others have never heard of it. It is on FileHippo.

duffy98

[Eck]

That's not the latest version of Shockwave. The latest, and the one in the current Auto-Patcher is 10.3.023. Quite buggy. Adobe changed the file name in the links to 10.2.023 (previous, working version) but neglected to have it point to the named version. It still downloads the buggy 10.3 version. So File Hippo is a good place to get that working 10.2.023 one, like I did.

One doesn't need a codec pack to get MediaPlayerClassic. And one doesn't need to trust a 3rd party codec pack to play various file formats in any preferred player. Folks who don't like the commercial versions of RealPlayer and QuickTime can choose to install RealAlternative and QuickTimeAlternative. DivX 5.2.1 works on 9x and there is a web plugin and format filter that has been tweaked to install on 9x and plays the on line DivX videos just fine. But if you want the player you should update the one installed with 5.2.1 to the 6.2 update.

The Auto-Patcher offers the legacy Windows Media Player 7 , the Windows Media Encoder 7, and Windows Media Player 9 along with a combined install that installs the Microsoft Windows Media Player Codecs for the 9 Series Player, updating the package with the additional codecs included in the Windows Media Player 9 and 10 on XP.

If you want to do without the newer Windows Media Player versions, Microsoft offers a codec package for the Windows Media Player 6.4 called something like Windows Media Player 9 codecs for the 6.4 player. Then of course there is MediaPlayerClassics ability to be tweaked to replace the 6.4 player and have even more codecs.

FFDSHOW is constantly updated to include the latest versions of codecs. It is customizable so you can turn off its native codecs for most things and only use it for the obscure codecs not otherwise available on Windows. I don't install it unless I need it for one of those.

Nero 7 Ultra installs a ton of codecs, as does PowerDVD 6 Deluxe. But if one does not want to purchase things then the stuff mentioned above can provide similar.

The afterdawn.com and free-codecs.com sites offer tons of different codecs and software to play and encode.

Auto-Patcher likely cannot stay completely patent compliant if it starts including 3rd party codec packages and players that sometime include patented IP that is not free to distribute by anyone other than the patent holder and its licensed distributors. Plus, some include nasty spyware. So including that stuff is highly unlikely. If you want it, install it on your own.

[Eck]

Hmm.

Soporific, try installing the Maximus-Decim latest MDAC updater he released recently (like yesterday I think). I have no idea if it would have an effect on your problems after installing the Unofficial Scripting 1.7, but after installing it Winamp Pro 5.35 (with the in_cdda_5.34) stopped having several problems opening plugin configurations like the Direct Sound output plugin and also some playback problems.

I think there's stuff he has in there that 98SE needs to work with various things. No idea what, or which things, but it fixed that Winamp problem for me.

Might want to consider it for the manual installs folder. It's always helped me easily get MDAC stuff on properly and now it's been updated to the most recent items.

Now, there's something that's a real system update that everyone would likely get benefits from.

[soporific]

Now, there's something that's a real system update that everyone would likely get benefits from.

I agree. i initially baulked at the lack of a true silent switch but i've just used AutoIT to get around it for inclusion in my latest version of UBCD and so i may as well chuck it in AP. It adds quite a few updates up and above what AP gives you so its madness not to use it. New AP version coming soonish... thanks for the heads up re: the new version.

Edited February 21, 2008 by soporific

[submix8c]

Just a quick question. How can I remove the two flashing monitor icon from the systray next to the clock. Please make your reply easy to follow. Thanks.

Hi Ken,

In Control Panel, from Add/Remove programs, uninstall the Unofficial Improved Replacement Tools.

Cheers,

Sop.

Better late than never...

To stop Connections Systray (on the right) from running:

- Double-click on TOOLS9SU.REG

- Reboot

- Program can be still be accessed via

"Connection_Manager Network Connections Replacement Tool"

in Start Menu->Programs->Accessories->System Tools

(shortcut may be copied into main menu anywhere within "Windows\Start Menu"

To reinstate Systray execution (what automatically happens during install)

- Double-click on TOOLS9SI.REG

- Reboot

TOOLS9SU.REG -

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{35CEC8A3-2BE6-11D2-8773-92E220524153}]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad]
"SysTray"=""

TOOLS9SI.REG -

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{35CEC8A3-2BE6-11D2-8773-92E220524153}]
@="SysTray"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{35CEC8A3-2BE6-11D2-8773-92E220524153}\InprocServer32]
@="STOBJECT.DLL"
"ThreadingModel"="Both"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad]
"SysTray"="{35CEC8A3-2BE6-11D2-8773-92E220524153}"

It also seems that this little tool causes a WINIPCFG.EXE failure since it "hooks" the info (try it and you'll see what I mean). I just "uninstall" the REG entry and use it at-will from the "System Tools" selection...

HTH

(will this "break" anything else? responses anyone?)

Edited February 25, 2008 by submix8c