French Version Beta 8 is here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/74408683/MESP1_FR.rar.html

The new WinMe SP has caused the same errors as the 3 previous unofficial SP versions I have tried. When I try to open the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, which I use a lot, I get this popup (***** MWEBCD - "FATAL ERROR: Unable to find the dictionary file!" *****). I also tried un-installing the SP from Add/Remove Programs and ,again, get this same error during the reboot: "Error loading gdi.exe. You must reinstall Windows." I re-imaged, again, so all is well.

These install attempts (installing only the updates & hotfixes) are being tried on a new rig I recently had built, it's still an 'internet virgin', no other updates. Keep up the good work. I'll be watching for the next unofficial release.

RE-install the Merriam-Webster Dictionary program from your CD (hey, I have this kind of program).

I'll have to check on the spupdate.inf and spuninst.inf files of the ME service pack and help the_guy correct problems with them. It looks like the wrong version of gdi.exe was restored (most likely from the mini.cab file when it should be restoring gdi.exe from any of the win_*.cab files).

[/quote]

I had already tried twice, in two different ways, in re-installing the dictionary from the CD. One way (twice done) was already having the dictionary installed prior to installing the SP, then un-installing it and re-installing it. Same error. The other way (twice done) was by NOT having the dictionary installed, installing the SP, then installing the dictionary. Same error. In both scenarios, the install(s) did not have any problem, the error appeared in all instances upon launching the program.

These un-installs and installs were also carefully triple cross-checked by MS RegClean, jv16 PowerTools, and SystemSuite Registry Cleaner for any components left behind in the registry that might have caused any error, as well as checking the HD for any files or folders left behind.

I had noted in my original post that this was a new rig I had custom build. I should add that the OS install was done with a new MS-CD of Windows Millennium purchased 9/12/3, and that I had 137 other programs installed at that point, the dictionary being the only one with error.

If I can be of any help in resolving the matter, please respond with any requests. Thank you for the response erpdude8.

MS RegClean is totally crap and worthless under WinME, txagpilot. You should have used WinME's built-in Registry Checker [Scanreg.exe or Scanregw.exe] program since it does a far better job checking for and fixing registry problems. MS RegClean is barely incompatible with WinME and can wreck an ME computer. any other registry utilities (beside Regclean) are okay by me.

After un-installing the Merriam-Webster Dictionary app, delete all registry entries referencing it, reboot WinME and re-install it; don't install the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Macros for Microsoft Word if you do not have MS Word installed, so I would do a Custom install of this program instead. Also, you may want to get the latest version of this app. I have version 3.0 of this program.

I've contacted the_guy almost a month ago about the problems with the latest beta of his WinME SP but got no response back. Seems like he's currently busy.

Hi the_guy:

Recently I download windows me sp1 2.02beta9 from mdgx.com. After I install it everything is working fine but after that, i tried to uninstall it. During the uninstallation process it show a file '1028' not found from precopy.cab. But i tried to locate it manually still cannot so I click the 'skip file'.

Then I restart my pc and it can't access windows me and turn off automatiaclly.

Anybody can help?

Hi, txagpilot!
I suggest you try the following:
1) Start from a re-imaged partition.
2) Make back-up copies of gdi.exe and gdi32.dll and store them in a new folder named prevgdi.
3) Install windows me sp1 2.02beta9
4) Make back-up copies of gdi.exe and gdi32.dll and store them in a new folder named nextgdi.
5) Disable file protection
6) Make a snapshot of the registry with regshot 1.8.1
7) Install the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary
8) Make the 2nd snapshot of the registry with regshot 1.8.1 and create the difference file. Now you'll know exactly what has chabged.
9) Test the dictionary. It probably won't work.
10) Uninstall it with a bootable floppy on the FDD, so that it boots to DOS
11) From DOS, copy gdi.exe and gdi32.dll from nextgdi to %windir%/system.
12) Eject the DOS floppy and reboot again. Hopefully it won't give you the error loading gdi.exe.
13) In case it does give the error all the same, repeat 11-12 using the files fro prevgdi.
Wow! Its a lot of work and won't necessarily solve the problem with the dictionary directly, but will provide you with more info to do it and maybe will solve the problem with the Add/Remove removal of the dictionary.
Sorry if I wasn't able to come up with something easier to do or more effective, but I think these steps really may be of help in finding the cause to your main problem. Good luck!

There are some files listed in the SPUNINST.INF file of the unofficial ME SP that should not be on there and prompts for certain files that are non-existent in the precopy.cab file. It's an "uninstall" problem of the ME SP that can be fixed easily by making the proper changes to the SPUNINST.INF file.

It looks like the Unofficial ME Service Pack project is on Stand By until the_guy can make any new comments here.

Hey dencorso,

Thanks for the reply. Step #5 you mention disabling SFP on WinMe (not as easy to find as with Win98). I forgot how (it's been awhile since I did it to WinMe on my laptop). If I remember correctly, it was a register value that had to be changed. Could you please give me a refresher heads-up on the registry key to change.

Thanks,
txagpilot

To prevent SFP from loading on WinME startup, use the MSCONFIG tool and uncheck the *Statemgr entry, click OK to save changes and restart WinME. That basically shuts down SFP entirely.

Still no response from the_guy. It looks like the ME service pack project is now on hold.

Hey erpdude8,

Thanks for the reply. I see that the_guy is still active in the forums. I hope he will soon still address what are probably the last of any issues with the unofficial SP, it's coming up on 2 years in progress.

Being an advanced user, I was already aware of the statemgr (and any other 'hampers' in the startup) and System Restore is off. Specifically, I cannot get the 'Cookies' and 'History' 'working' folders moved to another partition, without SFP re-building or still locking them to the OS on C partition. I didn't have any trouble with moving the 'Recent', 'Temp' or 'Temp Internet Files' folders to partition E. Six years ago, with some reg trick info I had run across on the internet/forums (I was too naive to make myself a 'real note' of the reg fix at that time (I keep plenty of detailed notes now lol), I just did the fix to my OEM Compaq WinMe laptop and moved all those folders to partition E and happily hopped along. daaah). I have also tried modifying the reg entries directly that direct to the folders locations, they get reset. The fix was either a DWORD or String Value, either added or changed, possibly a 'no run' or 'no load'. I've been trying to track the fix down for a year+ now, trying to duplicate my laptop setup.

One more question/fix. At startup there is the System BIOS screen, then Windows Me, then a flash with the Windows Me screen again, then the desktop. Again it was another tip/fix I had run across on the internet/forums that stopped the second Windows Me screen from appearing, allowing one to see the 'real' screen that would show messages, such as 'Please wait while Setup updates your Configuration Files, this may take a few minutes. Completed updating files, continuing to load Windows...' screen. Have you any ideas as how to fix/set this screen action so that the second Windows Me startup screen does not show?

Thanks for any help,
txagpilot

the_guy did promise to release a 'release candidate' edition of the WinME SP by the end of last year (2007) but that never happened.
he might be active in these forums but haven't found time to revise his WinME service pack.
a bunch of files needed to be updated in his ME SP including the WinTop files that are currently corrupted and needed to
be replaced with clean ones.

hey does this have all the updates from the mircosoft website all the ones thay made for windows me?

the guy i downloaded your update thing just got a few things i gotta say
i installed main updates [all updates and hotfixes]
but didit install adaptec aspi update [4.60.1021]
tweakui 1.33
command pompt here
perfomance tweaks [reqires at least 64mb of ram]
wintop

because i dont know what they are
can you explain them please

i downloaded it from this http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...7&start=400
but this is not the newest one right?
the newest one am gussing its this
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...400#entry633925
but you said it temporary
how do i get the newest one

i installed main updates [all updates and hotfixes]
but didit install adaptec aspi update [4.60.1021]
tweakui 1.33
command pompt here
perfomance tweaks [reqires at least 64mb of ram]
wintop

because i dont know what they are
can you explain them please

try not to double post, starcraftmaster.

the_guy seems to be very busy this time of year, so I'll provide some answers to your questions.

Wintop is an old Win95 Kerneltoy that monitors CPU usage of programs.
Command Prompt Here powertoy displays a "command prompt" menu command when right-clicking on a folder in Windows Explorer.
Performance Tweaks make efficient use of RAM, Vcache and may improve overall system performance in some computers.
TweakUI 1.33 Powertoy is used to customize the Windows user interface; try Googling "TweakUI", starcraftmaster, if you want a better explanation than what I'm saying here.
Adaptec ASPI Update (4.6.0.1021) installs Adaptec ASPI drivers for ASPI/SCSI adapters.

FYI - the latest available ME service pack is 2.02 Beta 9 posted at MDGx's web site:
http://www.mdgx.com/spx/MESP1.EXE

thanks for the help erpdude8

thanks for the help erpdude8

damm i double post again sorry

Don't do it again or you may be banned from this forum. You have been warned!

I'm making a request to the moderators of this Win9x forum to delete starcraftmaster's "extra" posts in this thread.

hey i have a problom i installed windows me update and the proformance thing but i had to do some thing so i unstalled the window me unoffiacl update in add and remove
but now when i try to boot the system it gets past the windows me splash sceen then trys to load the desktop but the computer restarts all a sudden

so i tryed safe mode but it shuts down insted of restarting lol

lucky i had a norton ghost image to recover from becasue i would have been stuffed

all right. I'm now dead wrong on Q296773. I've just emailed MS for this and they sent me the hotfix with the "correct" digital signatures on the EXE package. File size of the patch should be 316224 bytes, not 316416 bytes like the one packaged in some Dell OS update package. So it IS still available.

So MDGx, if you are reading this latest post of mine, I will send you the Q296773 WinME hotfix that has the valid digital signatures in it.

I selected all the options except Wintop. Upon reboot I get a message saying that KB918547.EXE expects a newer version of Windows.

turn it off in msconfig
go to start and then run and type in msconfig and then go to the start up tab and find KB918547.EXE and then unlick it and then go to OK and then it will say you want to restart and say yes

The ASPI 4.6 option in the Unofficial WinMe service pack 1 2.02 beta 9 screws it up by putting the ASPI files in C:\Windows instead of where they're supposed to be in Windows\system (winaspi.dll and wnaspi32.dll) and Windows\system\iosubsys (apix.vxd)

WinMe doesn't have aspienum.vxd, the file extractor in msconfig doesn't find it.

Since they're in the wrong places, the kill aspi batch file with force aspi can't remove them, but it does remove all the original WinMe aspi files.

And since those other aspi files are in the wrong place, installing any other aspi still won't fix it.

After getting this straightened out with WinMe's original ASPI files, the Phillips CDD4801 drive works.

Hello all


I've always felt sad no official sp for ME was ever made and am glad a few peeps here took the efford to create their own. Unfortunately I'm using a dutch version of ME.

I've been reading on these forums for a couple of years now and am wondering if theres anything I could do to help create a dutch version of the service pack.
Unfortunately the french version of the service pack seems to be unavailable or I could've compared the 2 versions and 'modded' a dutch version from the english version.

I suppose a dutch version of this sp was never made or started?

the same is true for me. I would love a german version.

Because the SP makes ME really more stable and fixes lots of stuff I use now a english ME, for the SP alone..

As far as I can see the main problem is not only translation but hotfixes that are available only in US-English. Thanks to MDGX who has them all on his homepage.

We need to know which of these fixes can be applied to non-US Windows without breaking things. Most "behind the scene" dlls, like the ACPI and IO-Subsystem would be ok I would guess. Troublesome is everything that has an effect to User applications like the RestoreUI and so.

Why Make A Service Pack For Windows ME?

I Used To Like ME Untill I Found Out About Its Horrible DOS Compatibility. So Thats Why I Stick With 95 & 98 For DOS Games

lol why do you use XP Pro x86 then lol thats ment to have the worse dos Compatibility
goodiesguy
Group: Members
Posts: 3
Joined: Yesterday, 12:03 AM
Member No.: 235334
OS: XP Pro x86

and windows me has good dos compatibility

ME is not for DOS-Freaks.

ME is a modern Multimedia general purpose OS for a networked multimedia Home or a personal Laptop.

ME is the most evolved Win9x OS and [b]is more stable than 95,98 and SE. [/b]

Don't buy the "Me is Beta" phrase that everybody badmouthes ME. The Truth : it shipped with prereleases of IE 5.5 and WMP 7.0, now what's that about - install IE 5.5 final or IE6 and WMP 7.1 or 9 and voila everythings solved. In fact the german ME edition came on two CDROMs : one OS, and one with WMP 7.0 final plus some bonus stuff to satisfy customers. The systemresore bug is a bug indeed, but theres a well-known and available hotfix and afterwards its solved. Systemresore works exactly like in XP and it is very reliable.

It's few glitches can all be worked out, in generally it depends all on compatible Drivers : ME had the same problem as vista - when it came out there were only 98 drivers around, but ME wants WDM only. Otherwise ACPI wont work and system stability is in danger.Another thing to consider is that ME needs a lot of CPU power and RAM. 500 MhZ and far more than 128 MB will work wonders.

ME has capabilities not found elsewhere in win 9x :

• full ACPI aware: improving cold boot time, pre and post-logon boot times and time required for resuming from hibernation, OS-controlled ACPI S4 sleep state and other power management features without manufacturer-supplied drivers
  
• WDM Driver modell throughout the OS, less use of VXDs for more stability. Needed for ACPI to work its magic.
  
• Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) instead of TWAIN , still used in XP, support for PICT-Cameras and Scanners ( lots modern devices use this protocol ).
  
• Universal Plug and Play ( UpNp) , detects devices on the network automatically.
  
• Built in Windows 2000 TCP/IP and NDIS networking stack and architecture, more reliable, full-featured, stable and offered better performance over the 98SE stack .
  
• Support for networking over FireWire, IrDA, ( Bluetooth capable with 3rd party drivers like Toshibas famous stack ) a network diagnostic troubleshooter, outstanding Home Networking Wizard which let people share folders,printers or set up a connection-sharing with offline-machines.
  
• native USB support for Mass-storage Devices and external CD/DVD devices, better USB-printer support.
  
• native Firewire support, for DV-Camcorders and the like (think of the Moviemaker application )
  
• far better memory handling than 98SE, especially if more than 256MB Ram is present. Depending on mainboard you wont have to workaround the 512MB - "bug", I have seen PCs with 1GB and ME without any tweak running stable.
  
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) , Distributed COM+ ,MDAC and JET database working in background like in XP, mainly used for diagnostic-wizards and the PC-Health services like :
  
• SystemRestore, automatic Regstry backups,Signature-Checkers for Files ( ME uses *.CAT files like 2000 and XP ), resulting in System File Protection, automatic recovery of overwritten or deleted core-files ( that's why a Servicepack is hard work, you cannot simply overwrite OS-files with custom ones )
  
• Help and Support Center is by far more userfriendly and interesting to use than 98SE's HTMl-Help. You can access the Microsoft Knowledgebase / Support website inside this application. When you click on the support options you get access to DXdiag,Systeminfo, WMI,Dr Watson and all other system-diagnosis tools. Built in wizards and Troubleshooters.
  
• Multimedia inside, unseen in any Consumer-OS before : MovieMaker , WMP , Internet Games, DirectX Voice chat,DVD,Onlinestuff, MS Agent "merlin" as your talking OOBE- wizard makes this the total multimedia-Windows out of the Box .
• DVD player supports software decoding for playback of DVD movies without a dedicated decoder card

Better and feature rich Windows 2000 like Explorer :

• Image Preview: In Windows Me, images can be viewed by using the Image Preview utility. It allows users to rotate an image, print or zoom in/out an image. Image Preview supports images with .BMP, .DIB, .EMF, .GIF, .JPEG, .PNG, .TIF and .WMF file formats.
  
• Compressed Folders: Windows Me includes support for ZIP files through a shell extension known as Compressed Folders; allows users to create, access and extract files from ZIP archives similar to a regular folder in Windows. The user can also restrict access to files with a password.
  
• Search facility is integrated into Windows Explorer ( very much like the XP one )
  
• Accessibility extras : Onscreen Keyboard,magnifier, Speech .. prettty good for people that need it.

Well.. that's not all, but the topnotch argument to choose this over 98 my friend.

last my own extra Remark : I have a MS wired keyboard 500 with multimedia buttons, pause/play/Home/Favorites/Calc and such..

In Windows 98 and 2000 I need " the Intellitype software" to make them work..

Only In ME and XP they work without any running software at all ;-)

Those little surprises are worth it, believe it or not..

Like I said it is NOT for DOS-freaks..

but for XP-feature seeking and multimedia-loving people on older or less powerful hardware or the need to have games and apps running fast as possible ( I do a lot of Photoshop 7, Poser 5 on a 256MB equipped ME Machine - dont even think of that under XP !).

Unfortunately I don't own an english version of ME.
I'm well aware some of these updates won't work on a non-english version of ME but I suppose that atleast some of the hotfixes, even though they may be english, will actually work on a non-english version.
As I use a lot of english software on my dutch windows I wouldn't realy mind if a few minor portions of my OS are in english because of the english hotfixes, I don't think many dutch people still using ME would realy mind that.

I've found the hard way it's becoming quite tedious to find these hotfixes nowdays. I do own the dutch version of the MS security cd which has some files for 9x
Does anyone still have the french version of the SP and if so, could they please upload it somewhere? nvm, found it on the MDGx site

btw, the dutch version of ME also comes on 2 disks

yer good one smartie
windows me is the best
i rather have it then windows 98 becasue i never had a problom with win me but probloms with windows 98 like needing to get drivers for usbs from the internet and really slowing down after a year use (i only played games on it like pharaoh)
and dont say win 98 is faster becasue win me boots much faster then my 98 machine
i mean you gotta tweak win me a bit like get rid of sfp and system restore and once thats gones it a great and stable

Windows ME was definitely marketed and built for consumers/home users, not for business operations. Business & corporate users have steered clear of ME.

smartie77, I also found out that WinME has an improved version of the Spider Solitaire game that included options of choosing difficulty settings, which was not found in the Plus!98 edition of Spider Solitaire. My HP Pavilion 7840 desktop PC came pre-installed with ME back in early 2001.

btw, I may have plans to make an updated version of the unofficial ME SP this summer, if and only if the_guy (original creator of the ME SP) has no longer interest in making a new one. has anyone heard from the_guy lately?

i dont think so
hes probloy doing work or school or some thing

We haven't seen him for quite a while. You could PM him if you wanna know more I guess.

the_guy hasn't posted in this topic since Oct 2, 2007 erpdude8
What with 9 months to be born, 9 months to declare a project abandoned is a fairly safe measure
Best to get mod/admin approval jic though, even if no one appears to know what happened
After 2 yrs of dedicated commitment, on the verge of an RC, without a word to at least you or MDGx, is a bit odd
I do hope he and his loved ones are ok.
I'm pretty sure, that most of us know you'll do the right thing by him, if/when you do take it over... even us lurkers
I'd hate to see all the effort everyone has put into this, to be just left hanging on the edge of completion.
If nothing else, it should be finished in memorial jic, he deserves that much regardless.

Windows Me is MODERN? and it is MORE STABLE THAN 98 AND 95?
Are you serious? I just need to know.

I am testing the service pack's stability improvements

after 22 hours of a normal day use of a low traffic HTTP webserver

Windows me continue to show signs of high stability

before the service pack

it would be quite unstable after 12 hours
and VERY unstable after 1 day uptime