[bristols]

Hello all.

I recently found that I had two versions of OLEAUT32.DLL in my Win 98SE installation:

version 2.40.4522 in c:\windows\system, and
version 2.40.4518 in c:\windows\options\cabs

I really just want to know whether this is OK or not, but more, whether it is desirable or not. Should I really have two different versions there? I read on MDGX's site that 2.40.4518 is installed by IE6 SP1 (only if a much older version exists in the OS prior to it). Should I now replace this older version in the cabs folder with 2.40.4522?

As a side note, after playing with TweakBIOS, having the OS lock up, and having to power down, Windows no longer boots. Explorer fails to start, and instead reports an error with OLEAUT32.DLL. In DOS, Scandisk reports a long filename, which of course it cannot repair. Because Explorer won't start, I can't do anything about it (it seems).

A bit of background info about this installation (behind which lies several hours of head-scratching over the best installation order to use):

this installation was a recent one, which included IE6 SP1, Gape's SE SP 2.02, MDGX's 98SE2ME (without the ME options), Maximus Decim's native USB & Cumulative Update projects, as well as all the applicable updates I could find with the help of MDGX's site and his 98/SE/ME patches & updates thread, ERPMan's Win 98/ME updates page, and other sources too.

I had looked at all the different installation guides on these forums to try to get an idea about the order in which all these components should be installed. None of these guides follow the exact same order, as many of you will have seen (mainly because not all of the various service packs here are included in every installation guide here). Through educated guesswork and some beginner's ignorance (or luck), I had seemed to have been able to make an ordered list from all these various guides, and had breathed new life into old Intel 430TX board with MMX CPU. Not that much life, but wow! - it was very satisfying to see the old beast doing so well. Probably all this head-scratching about the installation order was unnecessary, even though, after being a lurker on these boards for a couple of months, it still does seem an uncertain point. Maybe the OLE discrepancy is the result of the installation order I used. If anyone knows something I don't, please let me know!

I'm wandering off the point of this post, but one last thing. This is an excellent community, and I have it (and the generous work of several members of it in particular) to thank for making life with Windows 9x so much better.

This post has been edited by bristols: 05 October 2005 - 06:46 AM

[MDGx]

The most recent OLE update for 9x OSes is found here:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#OLE
These are the files installed by OLEUP.EXE:

ASYCFILT.DLL 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
OLEAUT32.DLL 2.40.4522 [Win2000 SP4]
OLEPRO32.DLL 5.0.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
STDOLE2.TLB 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]

These files are supported by and work properly with all Win95/98/ME OSes.

The "active" files used by the OS are always in %windir%\system = must exist for proper operation.
The OS "active" backup is in %windir%\sysbckup = optional, can be deleted.
The "inactive" backup is in %windir%\options\cabs = optional, can be deleted.


TweakBIOS:
your mobo BIOS may be incompatible with TweakBIOS or some BIOS setup settings you may have modified may not be compatible with TweakBIOS settings. [?]
Please keep in mind that TweakBIOS has not been updated since 1999, therefore it does not contain updates for BIOSes manufactured after 1999.
Try to reset all your BIOS settings to defaults, reboot, install TweakBIOS, run TweakBIOS, make your changes 1 at a time, reboot after each 1, make sure your computer works ok upon each reboot, then change another setting and reboot again.
Eventually write down each change in case your BIOS locks up, and u would have to go back to system defaults. This way at least you know which TweakBIOS settings work.
Trial and error is the game here.
TweakBIOS retail version keeps settings permanent, opposite from freeware version which does not, you have to reboot every time you modify freeware TweakBIOS settings.

Also, make sure u download most recent TweakBIOS DAT files:
http://www.miro.pair...bios/users.html
These work only with retail TweakBIOS versions.

Hope this helps.

[bristols]

Thanks MDGX. I had some suspicion that the OLE file in the cabs folder was a remnant of a previously installed component and that it didn't matter (I've only got some vague idea that .cab files are some kind of compressed files used in unpacking .exes).

When I get the chance, I think I'll try posting about a suggested installation order for an installation that uses all the various packs available here. Such things may be obvious to the more experienced people here, but I guess that I'm not alone amongst less advanced users in being confused about it.

The TweakBIOS tips are handy, thank you. I only have the freeware version (which, I thought, loses settings at reboot, doesn't it?).

[erpdude8]

MDGx, on Oct 4 2005, 11:51 PM, said:

The most recent OLE update for 9x OSes is found here:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#OLE
These are the files installed by OLEUP.EXE:

ASYCFILT.DLL 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
OLEAUT32.DLL 2.40.4522 [Win2000 SP4]
OLEPRO32.DLL 5.0.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
STDOLE2.TLB 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]

These files are supported by and work properly with all Win95/98/ME OSes.

The "active" files used by the OS are always in %windir%\system = must exist for proper operation.
The OS "active" backup is in %windir%\sysbckup = optional, can be deleted.
The "inactive" backup is in %windir%\options\cabs = optional, can be deleted.

I believe you can also use those OLE Automation files under NT4 with SP6a installed. Wonder if there's a newer build of the oleaut32.dll file higher than v2.40.4522 that can work properly under Win9x/ME/NT4 systems.

[erpdude8]

MDGx, on Oct 4 2005, 11:51 PM, said:

The most recent OLE update for 9x OSes is found here:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#OLE
These are the files installed by OLEUP.EXE:

ASYCFILT.DLL 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
OLEAUT32.DLL 2.40.4522 [Win2000 SP4]
OLEPRO32.DLL 5.0.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
STDOLE2.TLB 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]

These files are supported by and work properly with all Win95/98/ME OSes.

The "active" files used by the OS are always in %windir%\system = must exist for proper operation.
The OS "active" backup is in %windir%\sysbckup = optional, can be deleted.
The "inactive" backup is in %windir%\options\cabs = optional, can be deleted.

NOT under Windows ME. Even with those specific versions of those four files mentioned, there were problems with the Help and Support Center feature not working correctly as I get a "Cannot Display Page" error and the Help & Support Center buttons wont work. Had to use version 2.40.4522 of ALL the four files mentioned to get Help & Support Center in WinME to function correctly.

revert back to version 2.40.4522 of those four OLE Automation files if using Win95, 98, ME or NT4 and forget about using 2.40.4526 of those files as the files from Q886765 are meant only for Win2000 and work properly under Win2000 only.

[bristols]

A while back, I did actually install that 2.40.4526 version in Windows 98SE, and suffered all kinds of runtime errors when trying to open any file whatsoever, as I remember. Needless to say I reverted back to 2.40.4522 pretty sharpish.

I recall this just in order to reinforce your advice erpdude8.

This post has been edited by bristols: 14 October 2005 - 06:22 PM

[erpdude8]

when I installed version 2.40.4526 of the asycfilt.dll, oleaut32.dll, olepro32.dll and stdole2.tlb files under my neighbor's Win98se computer (which is NOT connected to the internet and with few programs), things seem to be ok. nothing was wrong with it. but since I see some people suffering from version 2.40.4526 of the OLE Automation files and have made posts here in this forum, I've decided to revert back to the previous version which is v2.40.4522.

I may have to ask MDGx to revise his OLE automation pack again to revert back to version 2.40.4522 of ALL those OLE automation files for Windows 95, 98, ME & NT4. no more using any of the files from KB886765 as they should be used under Win2000 only.

[MDGx]

Please see this post regarding ole update files:
http://www.msfn.org/board/?s=&showtopic=52...ndpost&p=405103

Hope this helps.

[erpdude8]

erpdude8, on Oct 14 2005, 09:28 AM, said:

NOT under Windows ME. Even with those specific versions of those four files mentioned, there were problems with the Help and Support Center feature not working correctly as I get a "Cannot Display Page" error and the Help & Support Center buttons wont work. Had to use version 2.40.4522 of ALL the four files mentioned to get Help & Support Center in WinME to function correctly.

revert back to version 2.40.4522 of those four OLE Automation files if using Win95, 98, ME or NT4 and forget about using 2.40.4526 of those files as the files from Q886765 are meant only for Win2000 and work properly under Win2000 only.

let's try experimenting this with oleaut32.dll version 2.40.4531 from Win2k KB921503 patch. If it works, great. If not, then it'll have to be version 2.40.4519 from the Visual Basic 6.x KB924053 patch.

[celtish]

MDGx, on Oct 5 2005, 06:51 AM, said:

The most recent OLE update for 9x OSes is found here:http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#OLEThese are the files installed by OLEUP.EXE:
ASYCFILT.DLL 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
OLEAUT32.DLL 2.40.4522 [Win2000 SP4]
OLEPRO32.DLL 5.0.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
STDOLE2.TLB 2.40.4526 [Win2000 Q886765 hotfix]
These files are supported by and work properly with all Win95/98/ME OSes. The "active" files used by the OS are always in %windir%\system = must exist for proper operation. The OS "active" backup is in %windir%\sysbckup = optional, can be deleted. The "inactive" backup is in %windir%\options\cabs = optional, can be deleted.

Whenever I install OLEUP.EXE I find that after rebooting OLEDLG.DLL has disappeared and I have to replace it from my backup pool. (Roboform won't load without OLEDLG.)