[halohalo]

When browsing websites full of flash media and images, Firefox Portable 3.5.7 is still slower than Gecko 1.8.1.23 based SeaMonkey 1.1.18.
However it is fast enough to browse general websites with Fx3 now, and I also get higher score at Peacekeeper browser benchmark while using Fx3 with KernelEx 4.5 Beta 1 installed

[rainyd]

Bit off-topic: halohalo, you haven't problem with SeaMonkey 1.1.18?

Because of some issue, I'm still using SeaMonkey 1.1.17.

[halohalo]

rainyd, on Jan 20 2010, 07:43 PM, said:

Bit off-topic: halohalo, you haven't problem with SeaMonkey 1.1.18?

Because of some issue, I'm still using SeaMonkey 1.1.17.

Both speed and stability are as same as Firefox2, so I am satisfied with SeaMonkey 1.1.18.
Maybe there is something different with 1.1.17 and 1.1.18, but I have no problem with 1.1.18.

--------
Even with Flash 10.0 enabled, now Arora 0.10.0 browser becomes more stable than before. But the stablility is not good enough and Arora usually crashes.

[SMCorp]

(Note that I have updated and edited this post.)

Hi, I am a new user of KernelEx. I am using 98SE, Firefox 3.5.7, and KernelEx 4.5 Beta 1. It has three problems so far.

1) The main problem is that it has broken a program that was already running on 98SE, Adobe Photoshop 5.0. After using this for a day, I went to scan a document and when I opened Photoshop, it immediately blew up with an illegal operation:

PHOTOSHP caused an invalid page fault in
module PHOTOSHP.EXE at 01a7:0076fb80.
Registers:
EAX=80040154 CS=01a7 EIP=0076fb80 EFLGS=00010282
EBX=00000000 SS=01af ESP=00cdd970 EBP=00cddcc8
ECX=00cddcc4 DS=01af ESI=00cde00c FS=64ef
EDX=00000000 ES=01af EDI=bff772f8 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
8b 02 8b 4d fc 51 ff 50 08 8b 45 f8 8b e5 5d c3
Stack dump:
505c302e 4f544f48 2e313053 004c4c44 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000


I restarted, no good, uninstalled and reinstalled, same thing. It won't work.

I did some research and found the compatibility tab for Photoshop.exe, nothing was checked, I checked "Disable KernelEx extensions", same thing. I unchecked it, same thing. I checked to "Use specific compatibility mode: Windows 98 SE", same thing. I also set it to "Windows XP SP2", same thing. It blows up no matter what so I can't edit photos or use my scanner.

2) The second problem I noticed is that the hyperlinks from my mail browser are broken. Please read my thread on that in the Mozilla forum and reply to it there if you have suggestions. It is "Clicked Thunderbird links open in IE, not Firefox 3.5.7":

http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.ph...8&t=1705495

3) The third problem is just that the computer is broken. It isn't just hyperlinks, but if I click on an .html file on my local box, instead of opening it in Firefox, it doesn't do anything. I can not open an .html file without opening a new Firefox window first, then using the file menu>Open File to open it.

This post has been edited by SMCorp: 21 January 2010 - 01:24 AM

[trevor89]

OK, What I origonaly typed can be forgotten (It was lost when my computer crashed whilst re-enabeling my webserver anyway). MSN Messenger 7 build 7.0.0820 requires kex disabled to be able to connect.

All other Progs I have seem to still work

Trev

[MDGx]

4.5 B1 added here:
http://www.mdgx.com/web.htm#KEX
and here:
http://www.mdgx.com/upd98me.php

* Unofficial Windows 98/98 SP1/98 SE/ME Kernel Extensions (KernelEx) 4.5 Beta 1 allows to install + run NTx-only + XP-only applications + games (free GPL, multilingual):
http://www.msfn.org/...howtopic=130936
KernelEx 4.5 Beta 1 [210 KB]:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/project...x-4.5-Beta1.exe
KernelEx Release Notes:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/project...ase%20Notes.txt
Requires Microsoft Layer for Unicode (MSLU) 1.1.3790.0 (UNICOWS.DLL) [261 KB, English]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/7...642/unicows.exe
More info:
http://sourceforge.n...jects/kernelex/

HTH

[halohalo]

Firefox Portable 3.6 is faster than 3.5.7.
Although Firefox 3.6 is slower than SeaMonkey 1.1.18 and Firefox 2.0.0.20 in Win98SE, it is hard to tell the difference when compared with 3.5.7.

[RodgerOver]

Hi Xeno (and Tihiy ?):
Runs REALLY nice your 4.5 on WIN 98 SE 4.10.2222 !

[edit: Sorry my fault: I restaured original KERNEL 32.DLL from cabs, the re-installed KernelEX - everything is fine now].

Good luck
Roger

This post has been edited by RodgerOver: 22 January 2010 - 02:53 PM

[halohalo]

PCSX2 0.9.4 (PlayStation2 emulator)
http://pcsx2.net/

KernelEx 4.5 beta 1 works with PCSX2 TLB (non vm) version and compatible with GSdx9 0.10.0 GPU plugin.
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k167/hal...ernelex/ps1.jpg

SetPoint 2.60 (Logitech mouse driver for Win98/ME)
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/429/156&...cl=us,en?osid=2

It is necessary to disable/uninstall KernelEx 4.5 beta 1 during installing/uninstalling SetPoint 2.60, or SetPoint shows an error message and OS crashes. Since SetPoint 2.60 is inferior to MouseWare and doesn't support the configuration for multiple-button trackball, it is better to use MouseWare driver instead.

[M()zart]

Hi!

Glad to hear about the new KernelEx version. At last we've got the WebKit browser working on Windows 98!

Currently there are only 3 missing APIs for another (better) one - QtWeb: CreateTimerQueue, CreateTimerQueueTimer, CreateTimerQueueTimer. But I know, they are hard to implement... Just want this browser on Windows 98 May be somebody can, but not me.

Well, that was a dream.

Xeno86, Tihiy, still no advice about how to build and extend KernelEx!

Today I've tried to do this. I wanted to implement InitiateSystemShutdownEx and CreateProcessWithLogonW functions for Advapi32.dll. These two are the only missing for compiled AutoIt 3 scripts and maybe AutoIt 3 itself after KernelEx 4.5 beta 1. The examples of such compiled scripts are Rainmeter addons. These compiled scripts are compressed with UPX, so these imports are hidden, you need to decompress them to see missing dependencies. However I could not build most KernelEx projects at all. I followed the specified order - Kexcrt, Core, other ones but no luck.

So, the following questions appeared. I think most people, who will try extending KernelEx, will encounter them. SO PLEASE ANSWER!

1. Are you sure that it is enough to have pure Visual C++ 6.0 SP 6? I'm getting many missing declarations when building Kexbases and Kexbasen. As I see, most of them are constants, which are not declared in my include files from VC++6 SP6, but they are present in WxDevCpp or VS2008 include files (I haven't checked all of the constants). Are you using newer include files? Where to get them? WHAT ELSE I NEED TO INSTALL TO HAVE ALL DEPENDENCIES PRESENT?

UberGDI.c contains #include <usp10.h>. There are no such file in VC++6 SP6. Well, I have found it in Wine, but shouldn't it be put with KernelEx?

One of the undeclared identifiers is SHILCreateFromPath. I have not found its declaration neither in VC++ 6 nor in wxDevC++ and VS2008. I know, there is such API, but what I should include?

I put some my compilation logs here if you are interested.

2. I have to decide, where to put these API, to kexbaseS or to kexbaseN without any advice or docs, just with pure intuition.

Well, as I understood, kexbases contains API with no non-static variables. Am I right?

3. Do I have to modify _advapi32_apilist.c and _advapi32_apilist.h or they are generated automatically?

4. What I should write in my code except the API itself?

5. How can I extend another, non-extended dll?


I understand, that this is a free project, you don't have to answer. I say BIG THANK YOU for your work, it is really great and very useful for me. I just wanted to participate, to do something for it, but unfortunately could not.

I put my implementation of InitiateSystemShutdownEx and CreateProcessWithLogonW here (Functions.zip), please add them to KernelEx if they are OK.

Attached File(s)

•  logs.zip (8.5K)
  Number of downloads: 3
•  Functions.zip (1.01K)
  Number of downloads: 7

[halohalo]

Compatible with CPU-Z 1.53.1 (non Win98 version)
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

CPU-Z 1.53.1 fails to show information about motherboard, memory etc, and both Win98 version and non Win98 version have same problem. I can't solve it by disabling KernelEx, but I found it only occurs on latest 1.53.1, so I think the bug has nothing to do with KernelEx.

Besides, 1.53 and before have no problem.

[RetroOS]

M()zart, on Jan 23 2010, 09:57 AM, said:

...
1. Are you sure that it is enough to have pure Visual C++ 6.0 SP 6? I'm getting many missing declarations when building Kexbases and Kexbasen. As I see, most of them are constants, which are not declared in my include files from VC++6 SP6, but they are present in WxDevCpp or VS2008 include files (I haven't checked all of the constants). Are you using newer include files? Where to get them? WHAT ELSE I NEED TO INSTALL TO HAVE ALL DEPENDENCIES PRESENT?
...

M()zart, one of your questions was answered some posts back:
http://www.msfn.org/board/kernelex-4-5-bet...6-page-430.html


KernelEx 4.5 Beta 1 testing results so far

Firstly let me say, that Xeno86 and Tihiy, you guys deserve medals!
Excellent work pulling together this latest creation.

Improvements:

In KernelEx 4.0 Final 2, I could not get Motherboard Monitor 5.3.7 to work.
The System Tray readings worked, but the Dashboard and Settings failed with an application error.
Now in KernelEx 4.5 Beta 1, with KernelEx extensions disabled, Motherboard Monitor 5.3.7 works as it should.
This tool is really useful, especially for older hardware, to monitor MB/CPU/HDD temperatures, fan speeds, and so on.

There is a general improvement in performance!
And I thought Window 98SE was tweaked as far as it could go!
Never say never!

Bugs:

SSL (https) pages in Internet Explorer 6 SP1 do not work. They start loading and then hang, or don't load at all.
The same pages in Firefox 3 work with no problem.

Also, in Internet Explorer 6 SP1, after browsing for only a short time, going to a new web page does not work.
The IE globe spins and nothing happens. At all... A restart of Windows is needed to get it working again.

The Save As... dialog box is having problems.
In Internet Explorer 6 SP1, it will hang for about a minute before showing the folder list.
In Office Word XP (2002), it hangs indefinitely.


Aside from this small list of problems, it looks like a goody!

Keep up the good work lads!

[trevor89]

Yes, I am experiancing this problem right now (IE6). It takes me to click a lot of times a link bofore eventualy going. sometimes going back fixes othertimes refreshing works. Usualy these result in hang on white page and a re-type of address.


Trev

[herbalist]

Quote

Firstly let me say, that Xeno86 and Tihiy, you guys deserve medals!
Excellent work pulling together this latest creation.

Completely agree. When I first tried KEX, it conflicted with SSM, the core of my security package. It seemed that I had to choose between being able to use the newer software on 98 or being able to secure 98 using one of the few means still available. Reluctantly, I stayed with what I had and removed KEX. In addition to enabling new software to work on 98, I was very concerned that the added API's would also make 98 vulnerable to more malicious code that didn't run on it before. I didn't think it was going to be possible, but something you two did fixed the conflict between SSM and KEX. I don't know if SSM is able to monitor these new API's on a 9X system but it's now possible to explore this issue. I'm only now getting a system set up that will allow me to investigate this.

As exciting as it is to be modernizing 98, we may also be introducing NT system vulnerabilities into it, which we will most likely have to patch ourselves or find other ways to mitigate, since we no longer exist as far as the security software vendors are concerned. But thanks to the work you've done, we now have the opportunity to try.

[rainyd]

As I presume, it could be problem of my old Windows installation (it was installed on 13 March 2004!) but Firefox 3.6 isn't stable enough with beta version of KernelEx.

Because of that, I've switched to KernelEx 4.0 Final 2 and Firefox 3.5.7 and that duo working very well.

Interesting, that ffdshow (rev. 3200) and MediaInfo Lite 0.7.27 are still working (looks like that was just an installation problem).

This post has been edited by rainyd: 24 January 2010 - 12:31 PM

[glocK_94]

herbalist, on Jan 24 2010, 02:57 AM, said:

As exciting as it is to be modernizing 98, we may also be introducing NT system vulnerabilities into it, which we will most likely have to patch ourselves or find other ways to mitigate, since we no longer exist as far as the security software vendors are concerned. But thanks to the work you've done, we now have the opportunity to try.

Interesting point. However, if you're worried, choose the paranoid mode. I should neutralize any virtual vulnerability.

Thanks again Xeno86! Will upgrade as soon as I can.

[Steven W]

Never thought this info would come in handy for Win 98/ME user, but Xeno86 says TextMaker Office 2008 is working so...

If you want Ashampoo Office 2008 (This is TextMaker's version with the Ashampoo "brand" slapped on it) for free:

Visit:
http://www.softmaker...eg/ash08_en.htm
Note, free registration required

Download the program here:

http://download16.ashampoo.com/m/ashampoo_...2008_310_fm.exe


There's an update here:
http://www.softmaker...down/ofw505.exe

Additional dictionaries and proofing tools here (link should be provided in the email with registration info):

http://www.softmaker...n/smw08dict.exe

Swiss German, French, French (Canada), Italian, Spanish, Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Dutch, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian.

This post has been edited by Steven W: 24 January 2010 - 06:14 PM

[loblo]

Excellent update guys

Gimp 2.4 and 2.6 which were slow as a pig with the previous version now run beautifully (but the very latest Gimp 2.6.8 does not run at all as the Gimp devellopers felt they needed to add a new dependency in a file that doesn't even exist on 9x systems, dnsapi.dll )

It's now possible to register and use 2K/XP only shell extensions. I am currently testing Open++ and it's all good so far. http://dengdun.webs.com/en/openxx.htm

The superb fractal flame renderer Apophysis 2 is now fully functional and runs without a hitch when put in 2K compatibility mode. http://sourceforge.n...ects/apophysis/ (The more featured Apophysis7x variant has the same issues as the regular version but they don't go away when changing compatibility mode btw http://sourceforge.n...s/apophysis7x/)

The latest version of the Riot image optimization tool is now running fine. http://luci.criosweb.ro/riot/

The latest version of the excellent free photoshop plugin SmartCurve is now fully functional. http://free.pages.at...ter/curves.html

All VST audio plugins compiled with the latest (and still beta) version of Synthedit now run as normal instead of failing to initialize.

Cheers

[M()zart]

I'm terribly sorry for my previous post. I indeed shoud have read the previous pages before it.
I've read Compile.txt attentively (as I thought) several times when trying to build KernelEx, but somehow missed the Platform SDK mention every time until was PM'ed by Tihiy.

[Chozo4]

Just like with RetroOS, I'm having a similar issue with internet Explorer with this version. Disabling Kernel Extensions and it is fine but will then report that shockwave 10 is not installed. However, enabling them will cause my ability to POST information to be lost (no data transfer or any indication of a file POST occuring) such as a file upload via imagecross.com for example. Oddly enough, it's fine under my laptop but that one doesnt have shockwave installed.

.. will have to do more fiddling around and see what happens from there.