[rilef]

I recently installed three outstanding and free Windows XP applications on my Windows 98SE computers:

1. Prism 1.0b3 (standalone version). Prism opens web pages, from the start menu, desktop, or Quick Launch taskbar, as separate Windows' applications. Prism shares a version of the Gecko engine used by Firefox and uses Firefox plugins and addons, such as Adblock Plus.

2. AIMP 2.51.330. AIMP is a top-rated audio media player, uses Bass codecs, has an attractive and user-friendly interface, and many features.

3. RadioSure 2.1.950. RadioSure is an internet radio player and recorder, using the same Bass codecs used by AIMP. RadioSure has a searchable list of over 14,000 radio station URL's to choose from, or add your own.

All three programs required Kernelex to install and run. Additionally, Prism required the Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable to be installed (downloaded from http://www.mdgx.com/upd98me.php). AIMP required GDIPlus.dll (also available from mdgx). RadioSure was installed last, and did not require any additional dll's.

Prism 1.0b3 (standalone version) can be downloaded from http://prism.mozillalabs.com. AIMP 2.51.330 is a prior version of AIMP (AIMP 2.6x does not work in 98SE). Prior versions of AIMP can be downloaded from Filehippo.com or Brothersoft.com. RadioSure 2.1.950 is a development version of RadioSure (RadioSure 2.0.886 and prior do not work in 98SE). Download RadioSure 2.1.950 portable edition from the author's website RadioSure.com.

Prism does not come with an installer, and thus, should be installed and uninstalled manually, like a portable application. Once run, Prism will set up its application and configuration files in the Windows\Application Data\Prism folder, the Windows\Application Data\Webapps folder, and the Windows\Local Settings\Prism folder. Prism searches your computer for any Firefox plugins. Missing plugins also can be added by creating a "plugins" folder in the folder where prism.exe is located. Adblock Plus and other addon's can be installed using Prism's addon window (which is similar to Firefox's addon window). But, first download the addon's zip file from the author's website Unzip this zip file to find the addon's installation or xpi file. And, to access your Prism application's addon window, needed for installation, be sure to check the box "Show status messages and progress", in Prism, when first setting up your URL or webpage as a Prism web application.

The AIMP 2.51.330 setup program will install "Additional Utilities", including Audio Converter and Recorder programs, if the appropriate boxes are checked during installation. These additional utility programs will work, but performance is very poor (i.e. impracticably slow). Thus, I recommend that only the additional utility "Media Library" be installed. Also, select "Custom version" and "Single User Mode" during installation. After installation, before running AIMP for the first time, check "Select specific compatibility mode" and select XP in the Kernelex compatibility tab. Reboot. Then, start AIMP. Click on the "Main menu" button in the upper left corner of the AIMP window, select plugins, then uncheck "Load all found plugins". Close the plugins window to return to the main menu. Select options. For "Player" options, make sure that "Switch to state that player had before closing" is not selected (i.e. that either the "Start Playing" or the "Do Nothing" radio buttons are selected instead). Close the options window. Then exit AIMP.
Open again the Kernelex compatibility tab, under the AIMP program or shortcut properties, and uncheck "Select specific compatibility mode". AIMP is now installed.

AIMP's "Record Radio" feature is very resource intensive, and thus may cause older computers, with slower processors and/or limited memory, to become unstable, freeze or crash. Thus, such users should consider using RadioSure, instead of AIMP, for all their internet radio recording. Also, AIMP's radio recording may be slightly improved by replacing AIMP's lame.exe encoder with version 3.98.2 ("for older versions of Windows" from rarewares.org); by replacing AIMP's flac.exe encoder with version 1.1.3 ( from http://sourceforge.n...cts/flac/files/); by limiting encoding to flac at "Fast Compression" mode; and by limiting encoding to MP3 at lower bit rates- say from CBR32 to CBR96, depending on available computer resources. I also checked the "Select specific compatibility mode" boxes for all AIMP encoders, and selected Windows 95 compatibility for all. Another alternative is to set AIMP's radio recording to "WAVE" file output (the default). Then convert these wave files, offline, to other audio formats using "Multi Frontend" or other audio conversion program.

To install RadioSure, unzip RadioSure 2.1.950 portable edition to a folder of your choice. Create Start Menu, Desktop, and/or Quick Start Menu shortcuts. Right click the RadioSure program or shortcut, select "Properties", then check "Select specific compatibility mode" and select XP in the Kernelex compatibility tab. Then start the RadioSure program. You should note that RadioSure starts normally, but something is wrong with the program's display. This problem is easily fixed by minor modification of two RadioSure skin files, "skin.rsn" and "skin2.rsn". These files are located in the "Standard.rsn" folder in the RadioSure "Skins" folder. Exit the RadioSure program by right-clicking towards the top of the RadioSure window and selecting "Exit" from the popup menu. Then make a backup copy of the Standard.rsn folder. To modify the skin.rsn and skin2.rsn files, first open the skin.rsn file in Notepad or other text editor (I use Notepad++ version 5.0.3). Search the text file for the word "Spectrum". Within the two instances of the word Spectrum, find the text "<visible>1</visible" (i.e. visible=true). Change this text to "<visible>0</visible" (i.e. visible=false). Save the modified file. Repeat this process for the skin2.rsn file. Then restart RadioSure. You should note that the program's display window has been fixed by your modifications. Note also, that some RadioSure dropdown menus do not work in Windows 98SE (for bitrate selection in recording options, as a workaround, use your arrow keys to scroll through the bitrate options. Or press the "a" key to select the "auto" bitrate option, the "3" key to select the "32" bitrate option, the "1" key to select the "128" bitrate option, etc). Note also, some radio stations listed by RadioSure cannot be played in 98SE or can be played in 98SE only with Windows Media Player.

[caymanfleck]

This may be a little off topic...but would something like Kernelex be possible for XP? From what I understand this works by patching system files, which I don't believe is possible on XP due to signing. I'm curious because KernelEx's being able to run Firefox 3 and Flash 10 essentially brings some new life to old computers running 9X. It seems like this situation will also occur when XP program support ends (especially FF and Flash). I think there will still be a decent number of older systems on XP. Think Kernelex or an equivalent for XP is possible?

[dencorso]

Sure. Not KernelEx but something like it. BTW, there already is something like it for Win 2k... its called KDW. Look in the NT/2k/2k3 forum for more info.

[caymanfleck]

dencorso, on 08 April 2010 - 06:48 PM, said:

Sure. Not KernelEx but something like it. BTW, there already is something like it for Win 2k... its called KDW. Look in the NT/2k/2k3 forum for more info.

Wow, I didn't notice that project before...I'll have to try it out. I guess more things like this will come up as more programs drop XP support (especially browsers, etc.) Seems like if it can be done for 9X it shouldn't be too difficult to do it for XP.

[luluthefirst]

Could you add theses API in somes DLL:

---KERNEL32.DLL---
GetComputerNameExW

---NTDLL.DLL---
RtlAdjustPrivilege
RtlLengthSecurityDescriptor

---ADVAPI32.DLL---
SystemFunction040

Im just trying to run winlogon.exe on Win9x to see what happen.

[M()zart]

At last I could get to my Win98 PC and perform testing. Somehow neither issue was reproduced. KernelEx was successfully uninstalled and no problem with shortcuts happened. After installing KernelEx again I have successfully rebooted several times and everything was OK. I could not shutdown correctly again however, but I have tried just once. May be the previous errors occurred because I uninstalled KernelEx after the first boot after its installation? However I can test it only in a few weeks again.

[halohalo]

Installed Java 6.0 Update 20 without problem.
Because avast 4.8 home conflicts with the installer, I disabled avast by tweaking Msconfig.exe before installation.

Then I closed jusched.exe by deleting "SunJavaUpdateSched" in
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\".

I also installed Foxit Reader 3.2.1.0401.

This post has been edited by halohalo: 16 April 2010 - 03:48 PM

[RodgerOver]

halohalo, on 16 April 2010 - 05:36 AM, said:

Installed Java 6.0 Update 20 without problem.
...
I also installed Foxit Reader 3.2.1.0401.

Hallo Halo,
you don't seem to be impressed by halos !
Very Good !
But what is the advantage of Foxit Reader 3.2.1.0401 over Foxit Reader 2.2 ?
???
Roger

[RodgerOver]

Sorry I sent the same message twice
Roger

This post has been edited by RodgerOver: 16 April 2010 - 02:06 PM

[halohalo]

RodgerOver, on 16 April 2010 - 02:03 PM, said:

But what is the advantage of Foxit Reader 3.2.1.0401 over Foxit Reader 2.2 ?
???
Roger

I also keep 2.2 and 2.3, so I can replace 3.2.1 with old version if it is not stable.

[herbalist]

I was using Foxit but got tired of the resource problems with newer versions. PDFxchange works well with KernelEX and doesn't have that problem. It seems to integrate well with SeaMonkey if you want it to work that way. The only problems I've had with it is conflicting with themes in RP9, and it comes with the ask toolbar installer. You're supposed to be able to opt out of that if desired. I blocked the toolbar install with SSM instead. It seems very well behaved, lots of features, almost to the point of being cluttered.

So far, no problems or conflicts with KernelEX on lite98SE. Working very well. No stability issues. It would be easy to forget it's even installed. Excellent work!

[halohalo]

The installer for QtWeb Internet Browser 3.3 works at Win2000 compatibility mode.

At XP mode, QtWeb will crash if I point on the menu. So I use Win2000 mode instead and have no problem.http://i88.photobuck...nelex/qtweb.jpg
But there will be an error message when I close QtWeb, and it occurs at both XP and 2000 mode:

QTWEB caused an invalid page fault in
module USER.EXE at 0004:00006307.
Registers:
EAX=0002bb38 CS=1777 EIP=00006307 EFLGS=00000202
EBX=00010002 SS=5db7 ESP=00000000 EBP=00000012
ECX=0002001e DS=167f ESI=0002bb28 FS=587f
EDX=00000002 ES=0aaf EDI=000000a8 GS=0000
Bytes at CS:EIP:
52 50 89 76 f4 89 5e f6 9a 02 0f 8f 17 52 50 57
Stack dump:
0002bb28 ffff00a8 00101ed3 d7b3d431 00367d60 177763a3 00000000 00a8001e 0002bb28 0002bb28 bb2800a8 02360002 00c92365 005ad419 177763a3 00000000

Besides, the error message about javascript appears when I test QtWeb with Peacekeeper benchmark.
Anyway I think QtWeb is stable than other WebKit-based browsers at the moment.

I also tried Midori 0.1.8 at 2000 mode, but it can't display web content normally.

[M()zart]

halohalo, on 17 April 2010 - 05:29 PM, said:

The installer for QtWeb Internet Browser 3.3 works at Win2000 compatibility mode.

At XP mode, QtWeb will crash if I point on the menu. So I use Win2000 mode instead and have no problem.

Great news! I always wanted QtWeb on Win98, but I have not tried Win2K mode.

[schwups]

I've installed (Win ME, KEX 4,5 beta2, RP9) the K-lite Codec Pack 5.83 without error.
The Media Player Classic inside doesn't work.

Skype 3.0/3.1 - These versions are the best to use video. It is still possible that the programm crashes after start Video. I hope you can solve this.

Google Earth 4.1 mod. for Win98/ME: Worked useless without KEX and RP9 - now fine like in XP. Important: -driver Nvidia 82.16: use OpenGL Mode / directX: no layers in sidebar

-driver Nvidia 82.69: use directX Mode / GE doesn't start in OpenGL Mode
To check directX delete in GE programmfolder alchemy\ogl the three
files - start GE. Now check Tool/Options/3DVIEW directX and restart GE.
Now GE works fine.

- driver NV 77.72 not recommendable for GE
- driver NV 81.98 not testet.

(directX 9c and NET Framework 1.1/2.0 installed)

This post has been edited by schwups: 23 April 2010 - 11:02 AM

[HardDriv'n]

schwups, on 22 April 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:

(directX 9c and NET Framework 1.1/2.0 installed)

Does KernelEx allow an installation of a later DirectX 9.0c package than the vanilla Windows 98/ME does?

[CharlesF]

HardDriv, on 26 April 2010 - 08:22 AM, said:

Does KernelEx allow an installation of a later DirectX 9.0c package than the vanilla Windows 98/ME does?

Have a look here: DirectX 9.0c User Runtime June 2008 Update, starting in post #26

[rainyd]

I hope this wonderful project wasn't frozen because there's no new updates on sourceforge since February.

[Tihiy]

It's paused / suspended since Xeno86 is busy with diploma and i'm busy back with RP.
Please report critical issues (ex.: broken MSYS) to be fixed in stable release.

[rainyd]

Tihiy, on 27 April 2010 - 08:21 AM, said:

It's paused / suspended since Xeno86 is busy with diploma and i'm busy back with RP.
Please report critical issues (ex.: broken MSYS) to be fixed in stable release.

Thank you for the explanation.

[HardDriv'n]

schwups, on 22 April 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:

I've installed (Win ME, KEX 4,5 beta2, RP9) the K-lite Codec Pack 5.83 without error.

I've installed the K-Lite codec pack 5.90, but no video will play back... Did this work out or you on 5.83?

schwups, on 22 April 2010 - 11:07 AM, said:

The Media Player Classic inside doesn't work.

Not sure why that happened, but the latest stable build from their sourceforge page does work: http://sourceforge.n...s/mpc-hc/files/
The one labeled 2009-08-26