[Gape]

98 SE SP [2.2 or 2.5]:

* Updated INFEX.EXE to 0.3.
* Updated METAPAD.EXE to 3.51.
* Added RESHACKER scripts to modify these files: UPDATE.SYS (new microcodes) , SYSTRAY.EXE (icons), HOTPLUG.DLL (icons), EXPLORER.EXE (bitmaps and icons), SHELL32.DLL (avis and icons).
* Added new option: Uninstall MS JVM [?].
* Added new option: "Copy to" and "Move to" Shell Handlers.
* Added "LocalLoadHigh=1" (Note 1) into the TWEAKS.INF.
* Added MSHDC.INF from Q276602.
* Added Q305575 (REG).
* Added Q897225 (REG).
* Added QFE information and QFECHECK tool [?].

98 SP [2.2 or 2.5]:

* Will be added later.

(Note 1): This setting tells the operating system to load its local drivers into upper memory by default as opposed to trying to squeeze them into conventional memory. Even though you'd think this wouldn't matter anymore, DOS still does play a role in how fast the operating system and leaving it whatever resources it might need is important.

This post has been edited by Gape: 09 December 2005 - 11:30 AM

[Acheron]

Why not call this future SP 2.2?

I don't see any reason to make such a big jump in version numbering like:

• nforce4 support
  
• >128GB support
  
• >512MB RAM support
  
• New installer / uninstaller
  
• Any new software

I also would like that image conversion plug-ins for Windows Paint mdgx told about.
Meaby there is also the possibility to include drivers for mainboard chipsets, cpu drivers, ide / scsi controllers which can be problematic to install manually.
A better USB Mass Storage Device Driver would also be nice. Meaby we can use the current XP driver. I don't care about legal issues.

This post has been edited by hp38guser: 28 November 2005 - 03:20 AM

[The_Frag_Man]

If you can add stuff from XP, do it. Require an XP disc inserted if you must.

[miko]

mmmmm i don't own an XP disc
nor would/will i

This post has been edited by miko: 28 November 2005 - 07:38 AM

[Eck]

I'd like the forceASPI 1.7 kept in the pack. The newer ASPI worked when Adaptec first released it, but recently caused havoc in my drives. No DMA, no digital audio extraction, pausing forever when copying files, etc.

The old version still works perfectly nearly all the time, while 4.71a2 sometimes works and oftentimes programs won't detect it properly.

C'mon, why change it?

[miko]

i'd second that, at least make it optional anyway.
(pity the installer can't do an either/or function with 1.7 as default and 1.8 as optional)

1.7 is the most compatible imo (and many others). i know Gape knows this so why the change it ?

don't upgrade for upgrades sake alone Gape !

i thought that was one of the ideals behind this SP (kinda)

This post has been edited by miko: 04 December 2005 - 06:33 AM

[Gape]

miko, on Dec 4 2005, 05:57 AM, said:

1.7 is the most compatible imo (and many others). i know Gape knows this so why the change it ?

It was only an idea, but I removed it from the list. Thanks for the feedback.

[Eck]

Cool. Thanks.

You'd think that Adaptec might update 4.71a2 seeing as how I recall it always working in the past, but for some reason causing problems when used now. Perhaps it's something they could fix?

In any case the 4.60 one installed by ForceASPI 1.7 still works fine.

[ssmokee]

hp38guser, on Nov 27 2005, 06:53 PM, said:

I also would like that image conversion plug-ins for Windows Paint mdgx told about.

Can I get a link? Ive always wanted to be able to save to jpg and png from mspaint.

[MDGx]

ssmokee, on Dec 9 2005, 04:47 PM, said:

hp38guser, on Nov 27 2005, 06:53 PM, said:

I also would like that image conversion plug-ins for Windows Paint mdgx told about.

Can I get a link? Ive always wanted to be able to save to jpg and png from mspaint.

Here:
http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#PNT
File name GRPHFLTS.EXE [1.65 MB].

Note that you should install fixed MSPAINT.EXE [9x/ME] first.

Enjoy.

[Petr]

So here is a candidate for new version, VIP.386 4.10.2227 from Q269388 kindly made available by maximus-decim, for those who don't like Rapidshare I have repost the hotfix here:

http://www.winpack.o.../269388USA8.EXE

Edit: And also 4.10.2003 for the First Edition Service Pack.

Petr

This post has been edited by Petr: 11 December 2005 - 03:20 AM

[cosma_sebastian]

Hey first of all. Great job Gape.
A question. Can you add that thing in right clik shell "Open with" with the comportament of that open with from win me or xp? Sorry for my bad english.
Thx.

[erpdude8]

maybe in version 2.2 or even 2.5 of 98SE SP Gape might want to include the MS Active Accessibility 2.0 files:

msaatext.dll ver. 4.2.5406.0
oleacc.dll ver. 4.2.5406.0
oleaccrc.dll ver. 4.2.5406.0

use the setup.exe, msaa9x.inf, MSAATextA.dll, oleaccA.dll and oleaccrc.dll files to install the MSAA 2.0 files.

And another inclusion for the service pack is the wmi9x.exe file, which installs Windows Management Instrumentation version 1.5 for Win98se.

let the SESP installer run wmi9x.exe file with the /s switch as this .EXE file is a self-extracting WISE installer.
The /s switch installs WMI 1.5 silently. then after running "wmi9x.exe /s" the WMI 1.5 updates Q282949 and Q285895 can be installed on top of WMI 1.5.

[bristols]

erpdude8, on Dec 16 2005, 07:38 PM, said:

And another inclusion for the service pack is the wmi9x.exe file, which installs Windows Management Instrumentation version 1.5 for Win98se.

let the SESP installer run wmi9x.exe file with the /s switch as this .EXE file is a self-extracting WISE installer.
The /s switch installs WMI 1.5 silently. then after running "wmi9x.exe /s" the WMI 1.5 updates Q282949 and Q285895 can be installed on top of WMI 1.5.

Perhaps WMI 1.5 shouldn't be a part of the the next Service Pack. WMI/WBEM is not only a resource hog, but it would seem from almost all accounts that it is a buggy resource hog. Accounts about its excessive use of CPU are not hard to find. It has very specific and in almost all cases, it seems, unnecessary functionality, as far as 9x systems go.

Please contradict this with any evidence to the contrary. I have tried to find out myself the benefits of installing WMI v.1.5 on 98 SE. It would be great to find a good reason for having it, or any reason for why it is needed, provided that its resource-hogging bugs can be addressed.

If included, its installation ought to be optional.

This post has been edited by bristols: 16 December 2005 - 05:54 PM

[erpdude8]

bristols, on Dec 16 2005, 05:48 PM, said:

If included, its installation ought to be optional.

yes, it should be optional and not forced upon. besides, some third party apps require WMI 1.5 to be installed and may not work correctly without WMI.

WMI buggy? yeah right!!! I know for sure Windows ME has WMI 1.5 installed and removing it may break ME, especially it's Help & Support Center feature. Win2000/XP/2003/Vista also have embedded WMI and it worked well. The Win2k, XP & later versions of WMI seem to be more stable than the ones for W9x/NT4. But at least I know how to setup WMI 1.5 under 9x systems and configure it to work with little or no problems.

Also an inclusion for next release of 98SE SP - MDGx's unofficial OLE Automation build 4526 update that includes these specific files:

ASYCFILT.DLL version 2.40.4526
OLEAUT32.DLL version 2.40.4522 (we all know build 4526 doesnt work well on 9xME systems)
OLEPRO32.DLL version 5.0.4526
STDOLE2.TLB version 2.40.4526

This post has been edited by erpdude8: 16 December 2005 - 08:13 PM

[erpdude8]

bristols, on Dec 16 2005, 05:48 PM, said:

Perhaps WMI 1.5 shouldn't be a part of the the next Service Pack. WMI/WBEM is not only a resource hog, but it would seem from almost all accounts that it is a buggy resource hog. Accounts about its excessive use of CPU are not hard to find. It has very specific and in almost all cases, it seems, unnecessary functionality, as far as 9x systems go.

Please contradict this with any evidence to the contrary. I have tried to find out myself the benefits of installing WMI v.1.5 on 98 SE. It would be great to find a good reason for having it, or any reason for why it is needed, provided that its resource-hogging bugs can be addressed.

If included, its installation ought to be optional.

then why are the Q282949 wbemprox.dll and Q285895 cimwin32.dll updates for WMI 1.5 are in the 98se SP, bristols? can you answer that, huh? HUH!

maybe we'll let Gape or Petr answer this question and explain to you why those two WMI 1.5 updates are included, which they should be included in the SP and they are.

This post has been edited by erpdude8: 16 December 2005 - 08:22 PM

[bristols]

erpdude8, on Dec 17 2005, 02:05 AM, said:

besides, some third party apps require WMI 1.5 to be installed and may not work correctly without WMI.

Perhaps you could name a few.

Quote

WMI buggy? yeah right!!! I know for sure Windows ME has WMI 1.5 installed and removing it may break ME, especially it's Help & Support Center feature. Win2000/XP/2003/Vista also have embedded WMI and it worked well. The Win2k, XP & later versions of WMI seem to be more stable than the ones for W9x/NT4. But at least I know how to setup WMI 1.5 under 9x systems and configure it to work with little or no problems.

I would call a component that uses 90%+ of system resources on the 9x systems of what does seem to be a worrying number of people who make mention of WMI to indicate that WMI has problems running correctly on 9x systems. Or, perhaps this is all in order, and WMI is supposed to use resources like this? You tell me. I will bow to your greater knowledge on the matter. Also, although from what I have read, problems are less frequent on NT-based systems, the same kind of problem (resource-hogging) is still sometimes reported. Go ahead and Google - I'm not making this up. This is what people tend to say about WMI for 9x.

Let's be clear: I'm sure that this spiralling-out-of-control CPU usage isn't how it is for everyone. But I just want to chip in here to let people here know what I have found both from personal experience and from seeking the reports of others. That's all. Please erpdude8, if you do know how to configure WMI correctly to prevent the way it gobbles-up resources, do the community a favour (to add to those you've done it in the past) and let us all know. I truly would be grateful for this information, man - I spent long enough trying to find out.

Quote

Also an inclusion for next release of 98SE SP - MDGx's unofficial OLE Automation build 4526 update that includes these specific files:

ASYCFILT.DLL version 2.40.4526
OLEAUT32.DLL version 2.40.4522 (we all know build 4526 doesnt work well on 9xME systems)
OLEPRO32.DLL version 5.0.4526
STDOLE2.TLB version 2.40.4526

100% agreed.

Quote

then why are the Q282949 wbemprox.dll and Q285895 cimwin32.dll updates for WMI 1.5 are in the 98se SP, bristols? can you answer that, huh? HUH!

But as you say, this is a question for Gape and Petr, not me. I would guess that, like other components of SP2.1a, Q282949 and Q285895 are there just in case you have a specific component installed (in this case, WMI v.1.5). If you have WMI v.1.5 installed, then hey - here are two updates for that. If not, then so be it. It doesn't mean that Gape or Petr are necessarily endorsing WMI v.1.5 as a great thing to have for 98 SE (but please consult Gape and Petr for their own actual opinions - what do I know? ).

This relates to a question I want to ask actually - what would a person have to have installed before installing SP2.1a to get the full benefit of it? Clearly, for example, I won't get IE5.5-only updates from SP2.1a if I have IE6 SP1 installed prior. I would love to see some kind of list detailing an 'optimum pre-SP2.1a software/OS environment'.

This post has been edited by bristols: 16 December 2005 - 10:27 PM

[Petr]

bristols, on Dec 17 2005, 05:23 AM, said:

Quote

then why are the Q282949 wbemprox.dll and Q285895 cimwin32.dll updates for WMI 1.5 are in the 98se SP, bristols? can you answer that, huh? HUH!

But as you say, this is a question for Gape and Petr, not me. I would guess that, like other components of SP2.1a, Q282949 and Q285895 are there just in case you have a specific component installed (in this case, WMI v.1.5). If you have WMI v.1.5 installed, then hey - here are two updates for that. If not, then so be it. It doesn't mean that Gape or Petr are necessarily endorsing WMI v.1.5 as a great thing to have for 98 SE (but please consult Gape and Petr for their own actual opinions - what do I know? ).

This is exactly my opinion. SE SP just checks if WMI 1.5 is installed and in positive case it performs Q282949 and Q285895 fixes.

Petr

[Gape]

* New INFEX is improved much. The ugly BATCH window has gone (No RUNPOST.BAT).
* Slipstream support is improved.
* Windows 2000 icons and color scheme will only be installed if you choose "Windows 2000 Theme".
* Unofficial updates are added such as UPDATE.SYS, VOLTRACK.VXD and KRNL386.EXE.

Of course, there is some new official updates.

 sp22.png (6.41K)
Number of downloads: 138

[Tihiy]

Good, i hope some day slipstreaming will be as good as 2000/XP one, it's the only thing i wanted for ages.