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New ideas for the next version


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High priority:

- Add EXTRACT.EXE from IE 6.0 SP1.

- Remove modified EXPLORER.EXE and SHELL32.DLL files.

- Optional fix for IE 6.0 SP1 file deletion problem with IE 5.5 SP2 files.

- Install "MaxFileCache" fix on only 512+ MB of RAM systems.

- Petr's UPDATE.SYS work.

- Better FORMAT and FDISK tools.

Low priority:

- Tweak: Change the Number of Simultaneous Connections.

- Add QFE info.

Can some of these be explained? Just wondering what some of this stuff means?

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First ... let me say ... I LOVE WIN98 SE SP 2

As someone who thinks Win98 is the best OS for any PC, it's great to have something that not only updates, but gathers together all the best ideas into one area. It's the way software always should be.

Anyway, my favorites include:

---------------------------------------------------------

-- Notepad. WOW! This is so much better than the original. Anyone that doesn't like it must also prefer to wash their clothes in a running stream instead of using a washing machine.

I have a personal favorite - NoteTab Light found at http://www.notetab.com

It is a tabbed text editor and it will convert text to html at the click of a button. You can have it replace Notepad or revert to Notepad also.

I am not suggesting that you add this to the SP, especially since it's not open source, but it is freeware that any of you could download and install on your computers. I love it! Give it a try.

ivman

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For me it's no problem which notepad replacement you take, but if it's Metapad, please replace the icon, it looks bad, the pink color make it look like a children's toy, just my opinion, don't know what others say, but I think it makes it worse because of that...

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I revised the list, again. Please look at it.

Can you be more specific?

OK. Well first, thanks for the link regarding Petr's UPDATE.SYS work. That was a very interesting read and made me think more about what really does get upgraded when Windows updates files.

I guess my main question regards these bullets:

- Add EXTRACT.EXE from IE 6.0 SP1.

- Add IPROP.DLL from NT 6.0 SP6a.

What updates were done to EXTRACT that would be needed. It's just an unpacking tool, correct? And what can you tell me about IPROP.

This bullet needs some clairification also:

- Optional fix for IE 6.0 SP1 file deletion problem with IE 5.5 SP2 files.

I think the main reason I ask this is based on the Order of Install:

If someone follows the path:

-- Full 98 SE install

-- Apply UNOFFICIAL SE SP2.0.1

-- Upgrade DirectX 9.0c

-- Apply IE 6.0 SP1

-- etc. etc. etc.

should the order then be reversed?

-- Full 98 SE install

-- Upgrade DirectX 9.0c

-- Apply IE 6.0 SP1

-- Apply UNOFFICIAL SE SP2.0.1

-- etc. etc. etc.

And what is the "file deletion problem" anyway?

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What updates were done to EXTRACT that would be needed. It's just an unpacking tool, correct? And what can you tell me about IPROP.
You're right about EXTRACT.EXE. Probably every Windows 98 installation has it, SP will update it with the newer version.

IPROP.DLL is a part of DCOM (Distributed COM). Probably most Windows 98 installation has it, SP will update it with the newer version.

This bullet needs some clairification also:

- Optional fix for IE 6.0 SP1 file deletion problem with IE 5.5 SP2 files.

Please look at this link: Win98 hangs or locks up when deleting files. I also added this link into the my new features list.

I think the main reason I ask this is based on the Order of Install:

Did you look at the my Installation Guide?

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-- MS released MDAC 2.8 SP1 on 5/10/2005. Will that be included someday? More importantly, is there *any* MDAC upgrades installed?

what about adding the actual MDAC 2.8 permanetly to the SP (instead of the already included version 2.1)?

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Gape:

The old delete files > 50 MB with IE6 bug decribed here:

http://www.frankprovo.com/win98ie6filesproblem.htm

has been fixed by MS in newer versions of:

BROWSEUI.DLL = latest IE 6.0 SP1 security patch:

http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm#IEC

BROWSELC.DLL = build 6.00.2900.2180 from XP SP2:

http://www.mdgx.com/xp.htm#SP2

I'm using this file for 6 months now, and had no errors.

I'm also using these other files [not counting the 21 WMP9 files ;)] from XP SP2, with zero problems so far:

ADVPACK.DLL

ASCTRLS.OCX

CABINET.DLL

PNGFILT.DLL

SHDOCLC.DLL

SQLSRV32.DLL

and these files from 2003 SP1:

MSHTML.TLB

MSHTMLED.DLL

MSHTMLER.DLL

About MDAC:

MS stated that this [2.1 SP1] is the last MDAC release they posted as separate update package on their servers.

From now on all MDAC updates will be released only as part of future service packs for XP, 2003 + Longhorn.

Hope this helps.

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The old delete files > 50 MB with IE6 bug decribed here:

http://www.frankprovo.com/win98ie6filesproblem.htm

has been fixed by MS in newer versions of:

BROWSEUI.DLL = latest IE 6.0 SP1 security patch:

http://www.mdgx.com/ietoy.htm#IEC

BROWSELC.DLL = build 6.00.2900.2180 from XP SP2:

http://www.mdgx.com/xp.htm#SP2

I'm using this file for 6 months now, and had no errors.

Thanks!

Can anyone else confirm that?

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Gape:

I don't think adding IPROP.DLL from NT4 SP6a is a good idea.

Look at the different sizes + builds:

IPROP.Source   Size       Build         Date
=================================================
IPROP.DCOM98   96,016    4.0.1381.6     8-20-1997
IPROP.NT4SP6a  96,016    4.0.1381.326  11-18-1999
IPROP.98FE    110,592    4.0.1381.4     5-11-1998
IPROP.98SE    110,592    4.0.1381.4     4-23-1999
IPROP.ME      110,592    4.0.1381.4     6-08-2000

Newest is from DCOM98.

Oldest is from NT4 SP6a.

Looking at the different sizes, the code is probably [?] different on 9x from NTx.

From MSDN database [not sure if this article helps]:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/st...openpropstg.asp

----------------------------------------

Edit:

DOS based Format + Fdisk alternatives [all are free GPL]:

http://www.mdgx.com/secrets.htm#FDPT

These are the ones I'm talking about:

* FIPS v2.0 16-bit for DOS FAT32 dynamic nondestructive hard disk (re)partitioner:

http://www.igd.fhg.de/~aschaefe/fips/

Direct download [158 KB, free GPL]:

http://www.igd.fhg.de/~aschaefe/fips/fips20.zip

* Free FDISK v1.3.0 16-bit [also part of FreeDOS: http://www.freedos.org/]

improved Microsoft FDISK.EXE replacement for DOS partitions/resizes hard disks

up to 180 GB, supports Microsoft's FDISK undocumented parameters (see below),

FAT32 and non-DOS partitions, extended command line for batch disk cloning,

includes BootEasy compact multiboot loader, highly customizable:

http://www.23cc.com/free-fdisk/

Direct download [195 KB, free GPL]:

http://www.23cc.com/programs/fdisk130.zip

Courtesy of Brian, author of Free FDISK.

* XFDisk v0.9.3 Beta 16-bit for DOS, Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP/2003, Linux and

OS/2 partitions/resizes hard disks up to 1 TB, includes Boot Manager:

http://www.mecronome.de/xfdisk/

Direct download [41 KB, free GPL, English]:

http://www.mecronome.de/xfdisk/files/xfd093en.zip

* FORMAT.EXE v0.91 16-bit [also part of FreeDOS: http://www.freedos.org/]

improved Microsoft FORMAT.COM replacement for MS-DOS 5/6 + Windows 9x/ME [86

KB, free GPL]:

http://www.23cc.com/programs/xmat091.zip

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* Free FDISK v1.3.0 16-bit [also part of FreeDOS: http://www.freedos.org/]

improved Microsoft FDISK.EXE replacement for DOS partitions/resizes hard disks

up to 180 GB, supports Microsoft's FDISK undocumented parameters (see below),

FAT32 and non-DOS partitions, extended command line for batch disk cloning,

includes BootEasy compact multiboot loader, highly customizable:

http://www.23cc.com/free-fdisk/

Direct download [195 KB, free GPL]:

http://www.23cc.com/programs/fdisk130.zip

Courtesy of Brian, author of Free FDISK.

There are problems with this FDISK - or maybe some uncertainity.

http://www.23cc.com/free-fdisk/ page refers to version 1.2.1 only (last stable version) and there is also written as the first feature: "Supports hard disks up to 128GB in size." but also "Free FDISK 1.1.1 (Beta) has been tested with hard disks up to 180GB in size."

It seems that 1.3.0 is beta version only.

Please read all attached files, I'm not sure that it is suitable for everybody.

It is GPL, it means some obligations, like adding the GPL license and providing source code either directly or a reference (I'm not expert on GPL)

For localized SP versions it would be necessary to translate this FDISK, compile it., and distribute the source code. Unfortunately, "International language support will be completed in a future release." - that will probably never appear. :-(

I'm not sure if this software is still maintained, it does not look like this.

Brian did not responded to my e-mail.

* FORMAT.EXE v0.91 16-bit [also part of FreeDOS: http://www.freedos.org/]

improved Microsoft FORMAT.COM replacement for MS-DOS 5/6 + Windows 9x/ME [86

KB, free GPL]:

http://www.23cc.com/programs/xmat091.zip

I cite:

Known bugs/problems:

1. Will, under some circumstances, fail to format due to dma overruns.

2. The FAT32 format may not be compatible with MS's operating systems.

and all the above mentioned uncertainities.

I think that the above mentioned FDISK and FORMAT tools are not good replacement of standard W98 FDISK and FORMAT. I'd suggest them as an addition for >137GB disks, but not as standard.

Serious testing shall be done.

Petr

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Serious testing shall be done.
Good point.

I've never used these tools [i use Partition Magic 8 exclusively], and my [2-3 years old] knowledge of these programs comes only from reading about other users' experiences.

I posted them here only because these are the best free [GPL] tools I'm aware of.

I really hope [some of these] turn out ok, so Gape can add them to future SP releases.

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Gape:

I don't think adding IPROP.DLL from NT4 SP6a is a good idea.

Look at the different sizes + builds:

IPROP.Source   Size       Build         Date
=================================================
IPROP.DCOM98   96,016    4.0.1381.6     8-20-1997
IPROP.NT4SP6a  96,016    4.0.1381.326  11-18-1999
IPROP.98FE    110,592    4.0.1381.4     5-11-1998
IPROP.98SE    110,592    4.0.1381.4     4-23-1999
IPROP.ME      110,592    4.0.1381.4     6-08-2000

Newest is from DCOM98.

Oldest is from NT4 SP6a.

Looking at the different sizes, the code is probably [?] different on 9x from NTx.

From MSDN database [not sure if this article helps]:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/st...openpropstg.asp

----------------------------------------

MDGx,

I have NO problems whatsoever using iprop.dll from NT4 SP6a under my WinME computer and my neighbor's Win98 machine. so to me, it's pretty much safe to use it. No, newest IS the one from NT4 SP6a. I interpret iprop.dll from NT4 SP6 as version 4.00.1381.0326 and iprop.dll from dcom95/dcom98 as version 4.00.1381.0004.

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