[oscardog]

jimmsta, on Aug 17 2007, 12:17 AM, said:

I wandered into VMWare and ran a Windows 95B virtual machine. I enabled debug logging, and watched the log fill up - it seems that VMM32 is what controls the CPU functionality in 9x. There's this topic over on boot-land: http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?...d&pid=15326 which is essentially how to make your own 32-bit DOS using Win9x files.

I went ahead and created this 'new' DOS... When used, it is essentially what happens when you create a dos-box in Windows 95 - Windows 95 initializes a new DOS session, in protected memory. An actual multi-tasking 32-bit DOS. Of course, the limitations are still present - it seems that the services within VMM32.VXD in windows 95 hold the key to how the kernel gains access to the CPU. I'm certain that such a project IS possible, but it would take YEARS to get it working. And what definition of 'working' do I mean...

It boils down to the aptitude of people, rewriting the kernel is not necessary, that is why we have ntkern written by people who had the foresight before we were directed to migrate to nt5, IMO identifying the driver (obviously not the kernel/ntkern) that can access the registers of dual core cpus is the main stumbling block, parsing this to vmm is secondary, hence dissecting win2ks uni/multicore cpu ability may be helpful, which it is more than capable of doing, although struggling in scheduling hyperthreading. I imagine the information is available for people to do this now, it will probably happen after such people desire to write device drivers for latter day hardware and move on from that.

[ed209uardo]

Sfor, on Aug 15 2007, 05:48 AM, said:

So, we are facing a law related problem, possibly. Is it legal to add a multicore support to Windows 98?

... If I remember this correctly, Microsoft designates the licensing by CPU, not the cores in the CPU. So my guess is you'd be safe as long as you were working to access ONE multicore CPU. Good luck...

[oscardog]

Out of interest has anybody altered SetThreadAffinityMask to the second core of a dual core cpu, (disclaimer ms says this shouldnt be done on win9x) or ran any cpu info utility to see if it produces any data whatsoever regarding the extra core/s.
As a side note while looking into this subject, I notice that the 20 odd year old os/2 based os has a dual core add in available from ecomstation. I am not saying this will be useful to us but might indicate what could happen. Perhaps again from glancing at os2s achievements, people who like win9x could go the way of http://www.os2world.com/bounties if they require dual core or hardware drivers etc. I do not know if this would motivate people who would not normally get involved or not, but might be worth considering.
As a side side note I also see win4lin (should be cheaper now they have given up on win9x although recent modified nix kernels can still be bought) can run win9x apparently near native speed whilst running a linux single/multicore aware kernel simultaneously.
All the best

[ohmss006]

Quote

I wandered into VMWare and ran a Windows 95B virtual machine. I enabled debug logging, and watched the log fill up - it seems that VMM32 is what controls the CPU functionality in 9x. There's this topic over on boot-land: http://www.boot-land...?...d&pid=15326 which is essentially how to make your own 32-bit DOS using Win9x files.

I went ahead and created this 'new' DOS... When used, it is essentially what happens when you create a dos-box in Windows 95 - Windows 95 initializes a new DOS session, in protected memory. An actual multi-tasking 32-bit DOS. Of course, the limitations are still present - it seems that the services within VMM32.VXD in windows 95 hold the key to how the kernel gains access to the CPU. I'm certain that such a project IS possible, but it would take YEARS to get it working. And what definition of 'working' do I mean...

can you try it for Windows 98?

[BenoitRen]

There wouldn't be a point. Windows 98 and 95 are very similar at their core, being different snapshots of the Win9x codebase.

[ohmss006]

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There wouldn't be a point. Windows 98 and 95 are very similar at their core, being different snapshots of the Win9x codebase.

yes yes, u are right there, terribly sorry about that.

what i actually meant was, can you do the same for Windows NT 4? i would like to know what is the big cheese.

[ohmss006]

anyone at all may i ask?

Quote

I wandered into VMWare and ran a Windows 95B virtual machine. I enabled debug logging, and watched the log fill up - it seems that VMM32 is what controls the CPU functionality in 9x. There's this topic over on boot-land: http://www.boot-land...?...d&pid=15326 which is essentially how to make your own 32-bit DOS using Win9x files.

I went ahead and created this 'new' DOS... When used, it is essentially what happens when you create a dos-box in Windows 95 - Windows 95 initializes a new DOS session, in protected memory. An actual multi-tasking 32-bit DOS. Of course, the limitations are still present - it seems that the services within VMM32.VXD in windows 95 hold the key to how the kernel gains access to the CPU. I'm certain that such a project IS possible, but it would take YEARS to get it working. And what definition of 'working' do I mean...

i just wanted to know, if you were running NT4 on that virtual machine, i would liked to know in the logging, what process would have filled it up as with Win95B, it was VMM32, as in which he described, seems to have somesort of direct function to the CPU.

if someone can help me on htis, we can gain a better knowlege on what connects NT to the CPU itself. u never know, it might not be such a big difference afterall.

[BenoitRen]

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anyone at all may i ask?

Urgh, stop harrassing the forum with this question! If someone is up to it, he/she will come forth by himself/herself!

[ohmss006]

i would say i was harrassing hte foru, as u can see now it has been awhile.

well, not too long ago me and my friend where talking about how to make or to see if it is possible to make the operating recognize Dual-Core, or multiple cores. We were reading htrough it and see as well to further understand what the others are trying to say about Windows 98 and MS-DOS with the fact of running multiple cores. also, one things for sure, one way to make this happen is if there was some sort of source code that we can manipulate, although no source code of the OS was ever leaked (unliked NT4 and Win2000 which i have), we can break it down and decompile it as well. but first things first, we have to know what connects the operating system directly to the processor and hten mess aroud there. after succeeding that, we can move on to other things like taking advantage of newer hardware and if u like, take advantage of the Geforce8 series (by the way, i have an 8800GTS 640MB for £80, the only catch is, one of the capacitors snapped off but its a clean snapp, so maybe a new one can be soldered on), and so on.

there are many good decompiling software, even one made to cease operations on Win98 whenever (i think htat is correct), what do u think anyways may i ask?

[ohmss006]

hey, its been awhile i know. and through time to time i have been reading through this as well.

i thought i come back here (as i was quite busy) and confidentally say i have my new PC or Rig up and running. i may have mentioned before that i was building my PC up but if anyones interested, here are the spcs:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Asus P5B Deluxe/ WIFI Edition
Crucial Ballistix 2GB DDR2-6400 800Mhz RAM
Seagate 500GB Hard drive
7600GT Nvidia graphic card
2 x DVD-R/W RAM drives
USB 2.0

and installed on it right now is Windows XP SP2, and its a clean install, with only the motherboard drives installed. but for some odd reason, its not exactly what i imagined, as i thought it would have been slightly faster, but i jsut dont see it, and it kinda lets me down. now im just wondering how Windows 98SE will work on it, even though it might not at all recognise the hardware inside it.

anyways, readoing through here, it is still possible to make Windows 98 recognise dual core, and that possibly rewriting the kernal might not be necessary, and that 'maybe' use the leaked OS's source codes to help provide the ability of making Win98 recognize multiple cores from the NT Kernal perhaps. and because of that, it can pass through the VMM32 which connects everything from drivers to hardware inorder to make it work.

perhaps before that can be done, is to decompile it? soeone correct me on htis. i am not too sure. Volenteers would be great as that i have been asking and as other websites or threads here have been asking, as i have now a fully running PC with hardware not exactly made for Win98 as a testing bed and willing to go through it.

look forward to your rpelies again

Excellent.

[eidenk]

ohmss006, on Sep 29 2007, 09:10 AM, said:

and installed on it right now is Windows XP SP2, and its a clean install, with only the motherboard drives installed. but for some odd reason, its not exactly what i imagined, as i thought it would have been slightly faster, but i jsut dont see it, and it kinda lets me down.

Well, the problem with dual cores is that to benefit from it you need to have applications that are dual core aware and this is latest versions of high end video and audio applications only as far as I am aware.

Neither your OS nor any of your old apps are going to run faster than what a single core allows.

I think it is very unfortunate, and IMO one big flaw in design, that those chips can't be switched in a mode where the two cores can be used as if they were a single core.

[ohmss006]

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I think it is very unfortunate, and IMO one big flaw in design, that those chips can't be switched in a mode where the two cores can be used as if they were a single core.

i think htat would make a very good idea for a patch or a work around. brilliant! another hting to think about as well.

and i installed Windows XP Pro SP2, and it does recognise dual core, this by telling through the system specs on My Computer, Device Manager and Task Manager. maybe i need to do some updating from the net?

either way, what did u think of hte Win98 idea htat i mentioned?

[eidenk]

ohmss006, on Sep 29 2007, 01:03 PM, said:

and i installed Windows XP Pro SP2, and it does recognise dual core, this by telling through the system specs on My Computer, Device Manager and Task Manager. maybe i need to do some updating from the net?

I don't think you'll see a big change with updates. But if you install also 98 on that box, tell us how it fares.

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either way, what did u think of hte Win98 idea htat i mentioned?

Which one ? Support for dual cores ? As said there is not much interest in it as I don't think there are applications running on 98/ME that are able to take advantage of dual cores.

Both your idea and mine would be nice but it is beyond the scope of what we can do here I am afraid unfortunately.

[ohmss006]

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Which one ? Support for dual cores ? As said there is not much interest in it as I don't think there are applications running on 98/ME that are able to take advantage of dual cores.

yes, the oeprating system to take advantage of dual or multiple core processors. u could probably run a benchmark on Win98, record the results and when one day it recognizes the 2 cores, run the benchmark again on that, and u'll probably see the figures will have doubled. that is something what i am aiming for.

i am just abit worried that, IF the operating system doesnt see the extra cores, then the applications that do, wont at all on the OS. is that corect may i ask?

and hopefully today, im going to install Win98SE on my new rig and to see how it turns out as well. as i asid, i am willing to go ahead and use my computer as a testing bed for whatever tweaks or adjustments made.

we kinda need to spread the word, probably into the Unofficial Service Packs page?