AXCEL216's MAX Speeed
UNique/Original Windows 95/98/ME + DOS 7.xx/8.00
©Tricks, Secrets, Tweaks, Speed-Ups, Hacks, Fixes
These topics refer to ALL Microsoft Windows 95, 98 + ME [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.00,
7.10 + 8.00] final (Gold) English releases, unless specified otherwise!
My UNique/Original Win9x/ME + DOS 7/8 ©tricks are also available at:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/ori.htm
WARNING: FIRST BACKUP ALL YOUR HARD DRIVES TO A SAFE LOCATION BEFORE
ATTEMPTING TO MAKE ANY SYSTEM CHANGES!
Take EXTREME CAUTION when modifying your System settings! Faulty
changes may result in computer crashes/lockups/permanent data loss,
or might lead to having you REINSTALL the ENTIRE Operating System(s)!
YOU are the ONLY one responsible for ANY changes YOU make!
ALWAYS HAVE YOUR MOST RECENT SYSTEM BACKUP READY!
BEWARE: ALL these ©tricks have been discovered and tried by me, but with NO
guarantee they will also work for YOU!
Please send me your comments, corrections, tips at:
axcel216@aol.com
MUST HAVE from SOFTWARE.TXT (included):
- WINDOWS 95/OSR2/98/2000/ME/XP ESSENTIAL FREE UPGRADES + FIXES:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/web.htm
- INTERNET EXPLORER 4/5/6 ESSENTIAL FREE UPGRADES + FIXES:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/web.htm#BRO
- 400+ Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP/2003 Power Toys [99.99% FREE(ware)]:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/toy.htm
MYTIPS95.TXT Contents: [New "©tricks" added at the BOTTOM]
95->98->ME COMPLETE SPECS> WININFO.TXT
WHICH 9X/ME VERSION/BUILD? VERSION.TXT
WINDOWS DOS BOX TIPS -> MEMORY.TXT
FAT16 -> FAT32 -> SECRETS.TXT
WIN.COM HIDDEN SWITCHES -> SECRETS.TXT
EMM386 HIDDEN SWITCHES -> SECRETS.TXT
HIMEM HIDDEN SWITCHES -> SECRETS.TXT
COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE [*][+]
MSDOS.SYS EDITING [+]
2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS [*]
DUAL BOOT
RESTORE DAMAGED REGISTRY [+]
MS-DOS PROMPT
RETURN TO DOS
SET TEMP [*]
UNATTENDED DEFRAG/SCANDISK
DOS HIGH [*]
LOCALLOADHIGH [*]
WORD VIEWER
CLOSE THAT BATCH! [+]
EXTRACT FROM CAB [+]
LASTDRIVE [*]
CONTROL PANEL
DITCH DRVSPACE
WIN.COM SWITCHES [+]
FIRST LOGO [+]
SWITCHES [*] [+]
SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS [*]
ANYTHING GOES
DATE/TIME FUN
RESTORE AFTER INSTALL
WATCH YOUR PROMPT
LOAD/RUN
AUTOMATIC ZIP
FIND FAST [+]
FAST, FAST, FAST
SOUNDS FROM THE PAST(E)
16-BIT VIDEO FIX [+]
RIGHT-CLICK ANYWHERE [+]
WRONG PATH
:: OR REM?
DOS NOW! [UPDATED 2-25-1998] [+]
ORDER, PLEASE!
GIMME BACK MY SYSTEM!
GOOD OL' UNDELETE [+]
SPEEDUP BOOT!
SYSTEM BACKUP
SYSTEM DLLS
OVERRIDE IO.SYS [+]
BOOTUP FLOPPY [+]
COMMAND.COM
THE RENAMING GAME
DUN MONITOR - Part 1
DUN MONITOR - Part 2
SWAP FILE - Part 1
SWAP FILE - Part 2 [+]
ALTERNATE DNS
FAST EXIT | RESTART! [+]
TIME SAVERS
FLOPPY (OR ANY OTHER DRIVE) ACCESS ANNOYANCE! [UPDATED 3-30-1999]
OUTSMART SMARTDRIVE [*]
CLOSE'EM ALL
SHELL ENVIRONMENT SIZE [*]
CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS [UPDATED 3-3-1998]
%WINDIR% VARIABLE [UPDATED 2-14-1998]
MORE FONT SPEED [+]
TEMP FILES, BE GONE! [+]
SHRINK THE REGISTRY! [UPDATED 3-11-1998]
DOUBLE BUFFER [+][*]
BLANK WIN.COM [+]
RESTART AFTER INSTALL
SERIAL KILLER! [UPDATED 4-24-1998]
CD-ROM NAME
STUBBORN CONTROL PANEL APPLET - Part 1
STUBBORN CONTROL PANEL APPLET - Part 2
ENABLE TELEPHONY APPLET
REPAIR TELEPHON.INI
IOS.INI TWEAKS [+]
CONTROL APPLET ICON
RELEASE MY MODEM! [+]
NEW DRIVE ICON [+]
NEW FOLDER ICON [+]
WHAT, NO MOUSE?
EXCLUSIVE GAME PLAY! [+]
ISPS KNOWN MTU VALUES [UPDATED 10-14-1998] [+]
PLAY AUDIO CDS [+]
56K MODEMS @ 56K SPEED! [+]
SERIAL MOUSE SPEED [+]
MEDIA PLAYER [+]
DUAL-BOOT DLL CONFLICT [+]
SAFE MODE CLEANUP [+]
NAMELESS ICON [+]
REGISTER ACTIVEX CONTROLS [+]
SPEEEDUP YOUR GUI STARTUP! [+]
LOCK UP THE DOS BOX [+]
BYPASS SAVER PASSWORD [+]
9X/2000/NT/ME/XP/3.1X MULTIBOOT SWAP FILE [+]
REPLACE SYSTEM FONT [+]
WINBOOT.INI [+]
WIN.INI DIRECTX + VIDEO SETTINGS [+]
SCANDSKW HIDDEN SWITCHES [+]
PLAY DOS GAMES WITH SOUND BLASTER LIVE! [+]
REBOOT WITH DEBUG [+]
URL PASSWORD [+]
95/98/ME SETUP + MEMORY MANAGERS [+][*]
MS IE 5.5 SP2 + 6.0 FIX [UPDATED 9-10-2002] [+]
3D CONTROLS FOR 3D EFFECTS [+]
EDIT BOOT FILES [+][*]
NOTES:
[*] = Memory management tips, also detailed in MEMORY.TXT (included).
[+] = Apply also to Windows 95B/95C OSR 2.x, 98/98 SE, ME, NT4, 2000 and/or
XP, and are referred to in OSR2TIPS.TXT, TIPS98.TXT, TIPSME.TXT, TIPSNT4.TXT,
TIPS2000.TXT and/or TIPSXP.TXT respectively (all included).
* ALL these UNique/ORIGINAL ©tricks were UNcovered by me unless stated
otherwise, and you canNOT find some of them ANYWHERE ELSE!
______________________________________________________________________________
COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE [*][+]
This is only a BRIEF explanation of ALL Windows 95/98/ME MSDOS.SYS entries,
including the UNDOCUMENTED ones. For FULL details + links go to my "Complete
MSDOS.SYS Reference" page:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm
To learn about the "official" MSDOS.SYS parameters [the documented ones anyway
:)] see this MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=118579
MSDOS.SYS is a plain text/ASCII file located in the root directory of your
boot drive (default is C:\). To learn how to edit MSDOS.SYS see "MSDOS.SYS
EDITING" below. To learn about the Windows 95/98 Startup Menu see "2 DOS OR
NOT 2 DOS" further below, or for COMPLETE details go to:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
FYI: Microsoft removed the Startup Menu from Windows Millennium Edition (ME),
but you can still access most of these options by hitting the "combo" keys at
bootup!
A MUST:
Microsoft REMOVED COMPLETELY the access to native/real MS-DOS mode from
Windows ME [a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00], but you CAN get it back by applying the
Unofficial Real DOS-Mode Patch [9 KB, freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from %windir%\COMMAND\EBD) + REGENV32.EXE
(from %windir%\SYSTEM), in order to be able to boot to native MS-DOS and use
DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), the Windows 95/98 style.
MSDOS.SYS consists of 2 sections and supports all following parameters:
1. The [Paths] section:
ENTRY DESCRIPTION DEFAULT VALUE NONDEFAULT
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WinDir=[0] Windows 9x/ME Install Directory C:\WINDOWS ?:\????????.???
WinBootDir= Windows 9x/ME Boot Directory C:\WINDOWS ?:\????????.???
HostWinBootDrv=[1] Windows 9x/ME Boot Drive [1] C ?
UninstallDir=[2] Windows 9x/ME Uninstall Directory C:\ ?:\????????.???
______________________________________________________________________________
* LEGEND:
[0] LIMITATION: The MS Windows 95/98/ME main install directory/folder MUST
abide by the old MS-DOS 8.3 (????????.???) Short File Names (SFNs) rules.
Trying to use Long File Names (LFNs) will generate Operating System (OS)
errors, because the Win9x/ME 32-bit GUI loads on top of the 16-bit MS-DOS
7.xx/8.00 layer at bootup time, which does NOT recognize LFNs!
[1] If using a disk compression utility (such as MS DrvSpace), change the
drive letter on the "HostWinBootDrv=" line to point to the host drive letter
(usually H).
[2] "UninstallDir=" points to the path you selected during Setup, ONLY IF you
have chosen to backup your old OS at install time.
2. The [Options] section:
ENTRY[3] DESCRIPTION DEFAULT VALUE NONDEFAULT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AutoScan=[4] Automatic ScanDisk after improper shutdown. 1 0 - 2
BootConfig=[5] Allow processing of alternative boot setup. N/A MYCONFIG
BootDelay=[6] Initial startup delay in seconds. 2/0 0 - 2
BootFailSafe= Invalid parameter! Use BootSafe= instead! 0 N/A
BootGUI= Automatic Windows 9x/ME GUI startup. 1 0
BootKeys= Enable startup keys: F4, F5, F6, F8. 1 0
BootMenu=[7] Hide Startup Menu (press F8 to display). 0 1
BootMenuDefault=Indicated menu option is highlighted.[8] 1 1 - 8
BootMenuDelay= Delay in seconds (1 - 99) before running 30 1 - 99
highlighted menu item (only if BootMenu=1).
BootMulti=[7] Startup key F4 enabled (old OS bootup 1 0
choice enabled).
BootSafe= Force Safe Mode startup. 0 1
BootWarn= Display Safe Mode startup warning and item. 1 0
BootWin=[9] Enable Windows 9x/ME as operating system. 1 0
DblSpace= Load DBLSPACE.BIN (if present). 1 0
DisableLog=[10] Create BOOTLOG.TXT in C:\ root upon bootup. 0 1
DoubleBuffer= SCSI, older ESDI/ATA drives and large FAT32 0 1 - 2
drives > 8 GB may need double-buffering.[11]
DrvSpace= Load DRVSPACE.BIN (if present). 1 0
LoadTop=[12] Load COMMAND.COM or DRVSPACE.BIN at top of 1 0
conventional memory (just below 640K).
Logo=[13] Display (animated) Logo while Windows boots. 1 0
Network=[14] Networking and/or TCP/IP "Safe Mode" enabled. 1 0
SystemReg=[9] Scan Registry modules on startup. 1 0
WinVer=[5] Display Windows 98, 98 SE or ME version.[5] 4.90.3000 [WinME]
4.10.2222 [Win98 SE]
4.10.1998 [Win98]
______________________________________________________________________________
* LEGEND:
[3] DEFAULT action is taken if a line does NOT appear under the [Options]
section. NONDEFAULT action is opposite to DEFAULT if NOT stated otherwise.
[4] "AutoScan=" applies ONLY to Windows 95B/95C OSR 2.0 - 2.5, 98/98 SE and
ME.
Valid values:
0 = NO scanning allowed.
1 = Prompt user for scanning (scan begins if NO input for 60 seconds).
2 = Allow automatic scanning (NO prompt).
See "BYPASS AUTOSCAN" in OSR2TIPS.TXT (included) for more details.
[5] "BootConfig=" and "WinVer=" are specific ONLY to Windows 98, 98 SE and ME!
"BootConfig=MYCONFIG" (example if using multiple boot configurations) is
UNDOCUMENTED and allows alternative boot setup. To make this work properly
CONFIG.SYS MUST also include this same EXACT string as a MENUITEM= under its
[MENU] section: MYCONFIG and also as a section by itself: [MYCONFIG] .
"BootGUI=" MUST also be set to 1 in MSDOS.SYS.
Selecting MYCONFIG from the Startup Menu will force Windows 98/ME to boot with
this particular option. Selecting any other option will default to native/real
MS-DOS mode.
[Thank you Bill (billwilliam@hotmail.com)!]
See my CONFIG.SYS (included) for multi-boot [MENU] examples.
[6] Delay allows time to press a Startup Menu function key or key combo (some
are UNDOCUMENTED): F4, F5, F6, F8, Ctrl, Shift, Ctrl+F5, Shift+F5 or Shift+F8
(the Ctrl key can be used ONLY with Windows 98/ME). Default is 0 if
"BootKeys=0". "BootDelay=" is NOT supported in Windows 98/ME (defaults to 0)!
[7] If "BootKeys=0", then "BootMenu=1" and "BootMulti=0" do NOT change default
action.
WARNING: Do NOT boot into your old/previous OS (MS-DOS 6.xx) if using Windows
95B/95C OSR 2.x or Windows 98/98 SE(U)! You won't be able to get back into
OSR2/Win98 unless you APPLY the "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" FIX FIRST, found in
OSR2TIPS.TXT (included)!
See also "DUAL BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more info.
[8] Startup Menu option 3 ("Safe mode") is highlighted if a previous Windows
95/98 load failed.
[9] "BootMulti=" and "BootWin=" are available ONLY IF using the dual-boot
feature built into Windows 9x/ME OS, AND still using a previously installed
version of MS-DOS (6.00 - 6.22).
[10] "DisableLog=" and "SystemReg=" are UNDOCUMENTED!
[11] Read "DOUBLE BUFFER" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details!
[12] "LoadTop=1" (default) may add incompatibilities with some older DOS
programs/TSRs which need to find COMMAND.COM at the bottom of the conventional
(low) memory area (below the 640K barrier). In such cases change this setting
to "LoadTop=0".
[13] "Logo=0" may solve 3rd party memory management conflicts if using
Symantec (Quarterdeck) QEMM386, Network Associates (Helix) NetRoom RM386,
Qualitas (IBM) 386MAX, Uwe Sieber UMBPCI (+ HIRAM) etc memory managers in
CONFIG.SYS.
See "95/98/ME SETUP + MEMORY MANAGERS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) and
MEMORY.TXT (included) for details and guidelines on using 3rd party memory
managers with your Windows 9x/ME OS.
[14] "Network=1" MUST be present for "Safe Mode with Network support" to
appear as option 4 on the Startup Menu.
* Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu key "combos" and what they do [also available
in Windows ME]:
- F4 = Previous version of MS-DOS (from 6.00 up to 6.22, or another 3rd party
DOS OS, if any).
- F5 = Safe mode without Network/TCP/IP support, bypassing CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT entirely (if any).
- F6 = Safe mode with Network/TCP/IP support (ONLY IF "Network=1" present
under the MSDOS.SYS [Options] section), bypassing CONFIG.SYS entirely (if
any).
- F8 = Safe mode (Win95/OSR1/OSR2 ONLY) or Logged mode (Win98/ME ONLY).
BOOTLOG.TXT is created in the root directory of the boot drive/partition
(usually C:\) in Logged mode.
- Shift (or Ctrl) + F5 = Safe mode command prompt only (native/real/true
MS-DOS mode with NO devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in memory). CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT are bypassed (if any).
- Shift + F8 = Step-by-step confirmation of ALL CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
lines (if any). This changes the [N] box to [Y], visible ONLY IF the Startup
Menu is displayed, and needs to be followed by pressing the Enter key. Then
you can enable (default) or disable each individual line, by pressing Y (for
"Yes") or N (for "No").
- Alt, Esc = Hold down (Alt) or press (Esc) while booting to force the Windows
bootup logo to disappear (ONLY IF "Logo=1" present under the MSDOS.SYS
[Options] section) and display underlying bootup messages (if any) generated
by loading memory manager(s) and/or devices/drivers/TSRs.
[Thank you HKMonkey (hkmonkey@lineone.net)!]
* Hidden features, oddities + BUGs I discovered:
ONLY IF "BootGUI=0" under the MSDOS.SYS [Options] section, you will notice
these changes at bootup:
- F8, Ctrl = Displays the Startup Menu ONLY IF "BootMenu=0" under the
MSDOS.SYS [Options] section.
- F5, F6, Shift = COMMAND.COM, DBLBUFF.SYS, HIMEM.SYS and IFSHLP.SYS load from
IO.SYS, bypassing their CONFIG.SYS lines (if any). If COMMAND.COM NOT found in
%winbootdir% (specified on the "WinBootDir=" MSDOS.SYS line under the [Paths]
section, usually C:\WINDOWS) or in the root directory of the boot drive
(usually C:\), or/and HIMEM.SYS and/or IFSHLP.SYS NOT found in %winbootdir%,
the bootup routine defaults to "Safe mode command prompt only"
(native/real/true MS-DOS mode with NO devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in memory).
- Shift (or Ctrl) + F5 = Command prompt only (native/real/true MS-DOS mode).
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are processed (if any).
- Windows 9x/ME automatically loads the interface (GUI) ONLY IF a "SHELL="
line is NOT present in CONFIG.SYS (example):
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /P /F
- The size of the COMMAND.COM module loaded in memory is about 2 KB smaller
than if "BootGUI=1", no matter if a "SHELL=" line is present or not in
CONFIG.SYS.
NOTES:
- The Ctrl key can be used ONLY in Windows 98/ME, NOT in Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2.
- If WINBOOT.INI is present in the root directory of the boot drive/partition
(C:\ by default) MSDOS.SYS is automatically bypassed.
See "WINBOOT.INI" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details.
MSDOS.SYS EDITING [+]
MSDOS.SYS is a Hidden, Read-only, System Windows 95/98/ME boot file, located
in the root folder (directory) of your boot drive (default is C:\), and if
using DrvSpace (Microsoft "disk-doubler" utility) to compress your FAT16 hard
drives/partitions, there is another MSDOS.SYS file located in the root folder
of your compressed volume (default is H:\). BOTH these files need to be
IDENTICAL to have your Windows 9x/ME computer boot properly with DrvSpace
installed!
To edit MSDOS.SYS I created a DOS batch file called SYS95.BAT (included).
CAUTION:
If dual-booting with MS-DOS 6.xx, make sure to NOT use DblSpace, the older
Microsoft disk compression tool, which is NOT compatible with Windows 9x/ME or
with Long File Names (LFNs)!
IMPORTANT:
If a WINBOOT.INI file is also present in the root directory of the boot drive
(usually C:\), MSDOS.SYS is automatically bypassed by the Win9x/ME bootup
routine!
See "WINBOOT.INI" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for complete details!
WINBOOT.INI MUST contain the SAME EXACT lines as MSDOS.SYS, so Windows can
boot properly. In this case MSDOS.SYS can be moved/deleted altogether, but
BEWARE of certain programs that may rely on its presence for proper operation.
Therefore if editing manually, you need to edit MSDOS.SYS first, make your
desired changes, and only after that you need to copy it as WINBOOT.INI
(overwriting the old one), to make sure BOTH their contents remain IDENTICAL.
SYS95.BAT routine detects the WINBOOT.INI presence, and performs all these
necessary tasks automatically, to keep them in "sync" at all times. :)
WINBOOT.INI is NOT renamed by Win9x/ME if dual-booting to an older MS-DOS
version, so it can be also edited from MS-DOS 6.xx, in which case it is copied
as MSDOS.W40 (which is actually MSDOS.SYS renamed by the Win9x/ME dual-boot
routine).
SYS95.BAT contains all necessary variables to edit MSDOS.W40 as well in MS-DOS
6.xx mode (using EDIT.COM), to avoid any possible headaches. :)
If running SYS95 from native/real MS-DOS, MSDOS.SYS will be edited in
EDIT.COM, and if running SYS95 from a Windows DOS box/session, MSDOS.SYS will
be edited in Notepad.exe. Both EDIT.COM and Notepad.exe are installed by the
Win9x/ME Setup routine in a folder listed in the path statement (default
install directories): EDIT.COM resides in C:\Windows\Command and Notepad.exe
is found in C:\Windows. Therefore there is no need to specify their paths in
SYS95.BAT. :)
Run SYS95.BAT from a PIF file (Windows MS-DOS Shortcut). To create a Win9x/ME
Desktop Shortcut:
1. Right-click on your Desktop.
2. Select New.
3. Select Shortcut.
4. Browse for SYS95.BAT to the folder where it resides.
5. Double-click on SYS95.BAT.
6. Click on Next.
7. Select a name for your Shortcut.
8. Click on Next.
9. Choose an icon. PIFMGR.DLL's icons are displayed by default for all MS-DOS
shortcuts, but you can change its icon later, after the shortcut is created
on your Desktop (see next paragraph).
10. Click Finish.
To change your MS-DOS Shortcut icon:
1. Right-click on your MS-DOS Shortcut.
2. Select Properties.
3. Click the Program tab.
4. Click Change Icon.
5. Browse through your local drives/folders for your favorite .DLL, .ICO,
.ICL or .EXE files containing Windows icons.
6. Select an icon.
7. Click OK when you're done.
8. Click OK/Apply again to exit and save changes.
Now you'll see a new shortcut on your Desktop (called SYS95.BAT if you kept
its original name):
1. Right-click on it.
2. Select Properties.
3. Click on the Program tab.
4. Check the "Close on exit" box.
5. Click the Misc tab.
6. Uncheck the "Warn if still active" box.
7. Click OK/Apply to save changes.
That's it.
From now on, you'll be able to view/edit MSDOS.SYS contents using your
favorite text editor (all Windows 9x/ME releases install both MS-DOS EDIT.COM
and Windows Notepad). Change/add MSDOS.SYS entries to customize your system,
then save your changes and close the editor when you're done.
You MUST reboot your machine for the new settings to take effect, ONLY IF you
have modified MSDOS.SYS.
No matter which text editor you are using, take a look at my MSDOS.SYS file
(included ONLY as example). You might not see all these entries on your
machine, depending on your Windows 95/98/ME startup configuration.
I assumed your bootup drive/partition is C. EDIT.COM should also be in a
folder in your path (resides in \WINDOWS\COMMAND by default). Change the drive
letter if different on your system.
Some (still) prefer to dual-boot: keep the ol' MS-DOS version 6.xx (+ MS
Windows/WfWG 3.1x) and have Win9x/ME installed in a separate directory. This
way you have the choice to boot with your Win9x/ME configuration, or with your
old version of MS-DOS, and eventually use Windows/WfWG 3.1x (if you kept them)
like I did. :)
If you dual-boot (see "DUAL BOOT" further below for details) and choose to
boot with your ol' MS-DOS version 6.xx, MSDOS.SYS is renamed to MSDOS.W40.
If also using MS-DOS 6.xx make sure the DOS directory (default C:\MSDOS) is
mentioned in your path (on the PATH line in your Autoexec.bat or Config.sys),
and that EDIT.COM resides in your DOS directory or in a directory in your
path.
NOTES:
- To PROPERLY dual-boot between MS-DOS 6.xx and Windows 95B/95C OSR2 or
Windows 98/98 SE, YOU MUST APPLY the workaround detailed in "DUAL-BOOT IN
OSR2/WIN98" from OSR2TIPS.TXT (included).
- Read "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" above to learn everything about
MSDOS.SYS parameters.
- To edit ALL MSDOS.SYS parameters (including the UNDOCUMENTED ones) from a
single, easy to use interface, see "FREE WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP BOOT
TWEAKERS" in SOFTWARE.TXT (included).
FYI:
See the "How to Create an Msdos.sys File Larger Than 1024 Bytes" MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=129998
2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS [*]
You might need, at some point, to exit Win95/98 to the plain ol' DOS (version
7.xx), to play a stubborn DOS game or to start a weird DOS application, that
won't run from inside Win95/98 at a DOS prompt (with the vmm32 module loaded
in memory). That's because Win95/98 takes over your system's memory resources
(even if it releases some for DOS programs, but not enough for some of them,
and sometimes causes serious conflicts, especially video memory allocation
conflicts, even locking up your system).
Example: a DOS game like "Magic Carpet" by Bullfrog, CANNOT BE PLAYED FROM
INSIDE WIN95/98 AT A DOS PROMPT (try to use solution C described below, if B
doesn't work).
Falcon 3.0 flight simulation on CD-ROM, on the other hand, requires at least
608 KB of free low DOS memory to start (Win95/98's "DOS-in-a-box" mode
provides a maximum of 615 KB of free conventional memory, by using MS
Win95/98's own memory managers, which could be insufficient for some "memory
hungry" DOS programs to operate).
This is Microsoft's official list of DOS games that require native/real/true
MS-DOS mode to play properly under the Windows 9x OS:
- "Games (A-H) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=132994
- "Games (I-Q) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=132995
- "Games (R-Z) Requiring or Performing Better in MS-DOS Mode":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=132996
So you have 3 solutions, to be able to run your favorite DOS programs/games
under the Win95/98 OS:
A. Create custom Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files for each DOS program/game
you want, replace the regular files with these ones (BUT BACK THEM UP FIRST!)
and then reboot your computer with that particular configuration, only to run
an app/game, and then reboot again with your old (original) files (time
consuming), or:
B. Other DOS games, like "STNG: A Final Unity" by Spectrum Holobyte and "Magic
Carpet 2" by Bullfrog, can be played through a custom PIF (MS-DOS Program
Information File), from inside Win95/98, by allocating all conventional memory
(600 KB or more) and at least 8 MB of extended memory to the PIF settings. For
this to work you need to start each DOS program/game (after creating custom
PIF files for them) from its own MS-DOS shortcut (give them suggestive names).
NOTE: If you'd like to have custom environment variables (SET lines), create a
shortcut for WINSET.EXE (located on your Win95 Setup CD-ROM, in the
\ADMIN\APPTOOLS\ENVVARS folder), and then enter any PATH= or/and SET
<variable>= lines into the WINSET command line.
Good news: Bullfrog released the new "Magic Carpet 2" that can be played from
within Win95/98's DOS box mode. Warning: this game requires at least 8 MB of
free extended RAM to play in plain VGA mode, and 16 MB for high resolution
(SVGA) graphics mode!
Lucas Arts' "The Dig" can also be played in a DOS session from inside Win9x/ME
(with the appropriate PIF settings, detailed in the game's documentation).
Or:
C. Try to get as much memory as you can, out of the Win95/98 GUI and JUST EXIT
WIN95/98 and start your DOS program/game, without rebooting.
When you're done with your DOS program/playing your favorite game, you can
return anytime to the Win95/98 GUI interface by typing WIN and pressing Enter.
To make sure you CAN exit Win95/98 to the real/true DOS prompt (when you
answered "Yes/OK" to "Restart the computer" from the Start button), you will
HAVE to:
1] Add/modify the line below to read:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:512 /L:128 /U:128 /P
or something similar as the LAST line in your CONFIG.SYS. That is provided
you have a copy of COMMAND.COM in your boot drive/partition root folder (C:\
is default).
Copy COMMAND.COM from \WINDOWS\COMMAND to C:\, if it's not present there.
If the PATH= line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT is pretty long (BTW: in MS-DOS 7.xx
you CAN exceed the 127 character long path limit), change "/E:512" to
"/E:1024" (in the example above), to make sure you can fit the entire PATH
statement into the environment memory pool. You'll need something bigger than
"/E:512" ONLY if you have VERY long PATH=, PROMPT= and/or SET WINPMT= and
lots of other (lengthy) SET lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT!
2] Move the files LOGOS.SYS + LOGOW.SYS from your Windows folder to any other
location (e.g. create a special folder called C:\WINDOWS\LOGOS).
3] Add/modify these lines under the [Options] section of your MSDOS.SYS file:
[Options]
BootGUI=0 -> To prevent the automatic start of Win9x GUI after processing
Autoexec.bat;
BootMulti=1 -> Allows bootup with your ol' OS (MS-DOS 6.xx) as a choice (if
you kept it when you installed Win95/98);
BootKeys=1 -> Startup keys enabled: F4-F8;
BootWin=1 -> Enables Win95/98 as OS;
BootMenu=1 -> Shows Boot menu options;
BootMenuDefault=5 -> To boot with the "Command prompt only" option [see the
"Microsoft Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu below];
BootMenuDelay=3 -> Delay in seconds until keypress if no option is chosen.
When you boot with all these MSDOS.SYS options, you will be presented with
the following startup screen (you'll have only 7 choices if you're not
connected to a Network or to a TCP/IP provider):
Microsoft Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu
======================================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Safe mode with network support -> Option 4 appears ONLY on
Networked/TCP/IP enabled systems
5. Step-by-step confirmation
6. Command prompt only
7. Safe mode command prompt only
8. Previous version of MS-DOS
Enter a choice: 5
F5=Safe mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8=Step-by-step confirmation[N]
FYI: Microsoft removed the Startup Menu from Windows Millennium Edition (ME),
but you can still access most of these options by hitting the "combo" keys at
bootup.
"Normal" (choice 1) allows you to boot into Win95/98 GUI, option 6 "Command
prompt only" boots to MS-DOS prompt without loading the "WIN" module into
memory (Win95/98 doesn't process the Registry), and if you want to boot
with your ol' MS-DOS 6.xx, choose option 8.
BEWARE: Do NOT boot into your old/previous OS (MS-DOS 6.xx) if using
Win95B/95C OSR2 or Windows 98! You won't be able to get back into OSR2/Win98,
unless you APPLY the "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" FIX FIRST, part of
OSR2TIPS.TXT (included)!
To be able to edit MSDOS.SYS, you need to change its attributes (Hidden,
Read-only, System). Run these commands at a DOS prompt:
ATTRIB +A -H -R -S C:\MSDOS.SYS
EDIT C:\MSDOS.SYS
ATTRIB -A +H +R +S C:\MSDOS.SYS
or better, use my dedicated SYS95.BAT batch file (included), which automates
all above operations.
4] Place all your DOS mode drivers/TSRs that you were running in the ol' DOS
version 6.xx (if still using it), and that will be needed to run your DOS
games (CD-ROM driver, Mouse driver, Sound driver, Smartdrv etc...) back into
your AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS [load them in upper memory with DEVICEHIGH in
CONFIG.SYS and with LOADHIGH (LH for short) in AUTOEXEC.BAT].
Start Win95/98 from a batch file (or from your Autoexec.bat), by including
these lines:
WIN.COM
MODE CO80
Now you're ready to reboot your system.
The line "MODE CO80" above returns the DOS display to the default of 80
columns text video mode after you have shut down Windows.
You can also create startup files with multiple bootup choices (in MS-DOS 6.xx
fashion). For an example of multiple choices bootup, open my Config.sys file
(included) with Notepad in Windows (or with EDIT.COM in MS-DOS). You will
notice a difference, after booting straight to DOS mode with the new
MSDOS.SYS, when you run "MEM /C /P": the module "WIN" is not in memory
anymore, and you have only one instance of the "COMMAND" module loaded in
upper memory (therefore you have more low RAM available, and with a little
luck you can free up to 625 KB conventional memory)!
NOTE: Do NOT use my startup files as they are, you need to modify them to
match your custom system settings!
5] Exit Win95/98: click "Shut down", select "Restart the computer" and answer
"Yes/OK", for all above changes to take effect.
From now on (after this first reboot), in order to run/play your favorite DOS
programs/games, all you need to do is just "Shut down" Windows 95/98 using
the default choice: "Shut down the computer". Then type WIN and press Enter
when you're done in the MS-DOS mode.
IMPORTANT: If running Win95B/95C OSR2 or Win98/98 SE on an ATX (ACPI enabled)
motherboard, you need to apply the "WIN98 ATX SHUT DOWN FIX" in TIPS98.TXT
(included), to be able exit Windows to native MS-DOS, instead of shutting down
your PC (default).
I found out that in this configuration, I can start ANY DOS program/game, and
NOT run out of memory (625 KB of free low RAM is theoretically enough to run
ANY DOS program/game), with ALL drivers/devices/TSRs loaded in upper memory
(above the 640 KB limit), using Win95/98's own HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE to
dynamically allocate up to 32 MB of extended memory as expanded only when
necessary (with the "AUTO" switch), and to provide all available Upper
Memory Blocks (UMBs) for loading devices/TSRs in the Upper Memory Area (UMA),
with the "RAM" switch. Example of such MS-DOS 7.xx memory management lines in
CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF M3 D=256 RAM AUTO NOTR
The switch "NOTR" is not documented (prevents EMM386 from detecting a Token
Ring Network Adapter, which detection may hang some machines at bootup).
"NOTR" is NOT enabled by default: you need to add it to the EMM386.EXE line
yourself.
WARNING: Avoid the "HIGHSCAN" switch on the EMM386.EXE line! It could prove
dangerous to your health: it may lockup your machine at bootup! The "RAM"
switch does the same job searching the Upper Memory Area (UMA) for unused
UMBs (Upper Memory Blocks), and providing the system with all available UMBs,
for loading devices high.
NOTE: For more info on HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE parameters, read the text files
CONFIG.TXT + MSDOSDRV.TXT located in your Windows folder, if you want to
"mess" with your CONFIG.SYS + AUTOEXEC.BAT files, to adapt/tweak them to your
system's needs.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Read MEMORY.TXT (included) for complete details and
memory management guidelines, to be able to MAXimize your free DOS memory!
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST: ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
More info:
- MSKB: Description of Restarting Computer in MS-DOS Mode:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=138996
- Starman: How To Create a Windows 9x DOS Boot Menu System:
http://www.geocities.com/thestarman3/DOS/menu/BootMenu.htm
DUAL BOOT
This is the step by step installation procedure to enable the dual-boot
feature for MS-DOS 6.xx + Windows/WfWG 3.1x under Windows 95/98/ME + MS-DOS
7.xx/8.00.
A MUST:
To PROPERLY dual-boot between MS-DOS 6.xx and Windows 95B/95C OSR 2.x or
Windows 98/98 SE, YOU *MUST* APPLY the workarounds detailed in "DUAL-BOOT IN
OSR2/WIN98" from OSR2TIPS.TXT (included)!
DrvSpace compressed drives can also be handled with this method, if used to
keep running your old programs under your old DOS6/Win31 OS, while also using
Windows 9x/ME. BEWARE that Win9x/ME do NOT support DblSpace (included only
with MS-DOS 6.00), and that you MUST use the DRVSPACE.* files included with
your Win95/98/ME release if dual-booting!
Make sure your dual-boot disk/partition is formatted using FAT16, because
MS-DOS 6.xx/5.00 do NOT recognize FAT32, NTFS or ANY OTHER File Allocation
Table (FAT) system!
Here we go:
A. Copy (duplicate) your whole Windows/WfWG 3.1x directory and all its
subdirectories to another directory, let's say \WIN3. Copy the \DOS directory
to a new one, let's say \DOS6.
B. Edit all INI files in the new WIN3 directory and change all references
from \WINDOWS to \WIN3 (open them with a plain text editor: Notepad in
Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS).
Start a Search/Replace pattern for all \WINDOWS instances to be replaced with
\WIN3. Also, while running the new copy of Win31, delete the REG.DAT file
(found in \WIN3), and then open File Manager, go to the \WIN3\SYSTEM
subdirectory of the current running Win31 copy, and double-click on all the
.REG files there, to create a new/updated REG.DAT file.
See "RESTORE CORRUPTED REG.DAT" in MYTIPS31.TXT (part of W31-11D.ZIP) for
MORE info:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/31.htm
You will also have to modify all the program groups (in Program Manager) and
all items in them, to point to the new \WIN3 directory.
C. Open your MS-DOS 6.xx version of AUTOEXEC.BAT in Notepad or EDIT.COM, and
REM the PATH= line. Copy it, and paste it as the next line, and then modify
the Windows directory to point to \WIN3, and \DOS to read \DOS6, respectively.
Change also the IFSHLP.SYS (the Win31 32-bit disk access driver) path in your
DOS6 CONFIG.SYS to point to \WIN3. If you load HIMEM.SYS and/or EMM386.EXE
from your DOS6 directory, you need to modify their paths too, to point to
\DOS6. Repeat this step for ANY other devices/drivers/TSRs that load from
\DOS6 or \WIN3 to point to the new directories, like SMARTDRV, MOUSE etc.
D. Reboot, restart Win31 and run Windows 9x Setup through Win31's Program
Manager's File/Run menu. Win9x install will rename your old CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT files to CONFIG.DOS and AUTOEXEC.DOS respectively. If you choose
to boot with the "Previous version of MS-DOS", from the Win9x Startup Menu:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
Win9x renames them back to CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, and backs up their
Win9x/DOS7 versions with the .W40 extension (AUTOEXEC.W40 and CONFIG.W40
respectively).
E. After Win9x install is finished, use the Win9x Notepad to edit CONFIG.DOS
and AUTOEXEC.DOS and change all \WINDOWS references in them to \WIN3, and
all \DOS references to \DOS6.
F. The following lines MUST appear in the [Options] section of your Win9x/ME
MSDOS.SYS file. If you use Drivespace disk compression you MUST change both
MSDOS.SYS files, the one on the boot drive's root directory (C:\) and the
one on the compressed drive's root directory (usually H:\), if using MS
Drvspace disk compression:
[Options]
BootGUI=1
Network=0
BootMulti=1
BootMenu=1
BootMenuDefault=7 => To boot in MS-DOS 6.xx (you have only 7 options if
Networking/TCP/IP is turned off in Win9x OS, by the "Network=0" line in
Msdos.sys). Use option 1 (default) to boot into Win9x/ME OS.
BootMenuDelay=30 => Default number of seconds to select an option.
NOTE: Microsoft removed the Startup Menu from Windows ME, but you can still
access most of these options by hitting the "combo" keys at bootup!
To add these lines, first open "My Computer" and enable "Show All files"
from View -> Options -> View, and also uncheck "Hide MS-DOS file
extensions". Then open the Win9x MSDOS.SYS file in Notepad, and see if it
contains the lines listed above. If it doesn't, you need to edit it and
put them in. Since MSDOS.SYS is a hidden/read-only/system file, you need to
change its attributes first and then use Notepad to insert/modify the new
lines. Save your file and exit Notepad when done.
Optional: you can change the Msdos.sys attributes back to original: Hidden,
Read-only, System.
To change the attributes: right-click on MSDOS.SYS in Windows Explorer ->
select Properties -> check/uncheck desired attribute boxes.
G. Exit Win9x/ME and reboot. Now you should see the dual-boot menu and will
be able to select which OS you want to boot with. The first option:
"Normal", allows you to boot into Win9x/ME, and option 8 (if the line
Network=1 is enabled in MSDOS.SYS), "Previous version of MS-DOS", lets you
boot with your old MS-DOS 6.xx + Windows/WfWG 3.1x.
The boot menu looks like this (you have only 7 choices if you're not
connected to a Network or a TCP/IP provider):
Microsoft Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu
======================================
1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Safe mode with network support -> Option 4 appears ONLY on
Networked/TCP/IP enabled systems
5. Step-by-step confirmation
6. Command prompt only
7. Safe mode command prompt only
8. Previous version of MS-DOS
Enter a choice: 5
F5=Safe mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8=Step-by-step confirmation[N]
H. Any Windows programs installed after doing this will ONLY appear in the
system you were running at the Win9x/ME install time!
Example: if you installed MS Word (the old 16-bit version) under Win9x/ME
you have to install it again under Win31 if you want to use it with both.
You can install the applications in the same directory both times, which
overwrites the same files to avoid having 2 sets of the same program on your
drive(s), thus saving disk space. If you have 2 different versions of the
same application, one for Win31 (older, 16-bit) and the other for Win9x/ME
(the 32-bit newer version, incompatible with Win31), install them into
different directories: one for Win9x/ME (32-bit), installed from the
Win9x/ME GUI, and another for Win31 (16-bit), installed from the Win31 GUI.
FYI:
- MSKB: "Multi-Boot Windows NT/2000/XP, Windows 95/98/ME + MS-DOS":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=217210
- David Bryan: Direct Boot Into WinNT/Win95/DOS:
http://www.bcpl.net/~dbryan/directboot.html
RESTORE DAMAGED REGISTRY [+]
If at some point you end up not being able to get back into Windows 95/98
after making changes to your Registry, there is still a chance: reboot your
computer to the native/true/real MS-DOS mode by holding F8 at the beginning
of the boot sequence [immediately after the BIOS POST (Power On Self Test)
screen] similar to selecting the "Command prompt only" option from the
"Microsoft Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu":
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
Then type:
REGEDIT
and press Enter. You will be presented with this help screen:
"Imports and exports registry files to and from the registry.
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] filename1
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /C filename2
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /E filename3 [regpath1]
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /D regpath2
/L:system Specifies the location of the SYSTEM.DAT file.
/R:user Specifies the location of the USER.DAT file.
filename1 Specifies the file(s) to import into the registry.
/C filename2 Specifies the file to create the registry from.
/E filename3 Specifies the file to export the registry to.
regpath1 Specifies the starting registry key to export from.
(Defaults to exporting the entire registry).
/D regpath2 Specifies the registry key to delete." [Win98/ME ONLY!]
... Which means YOU ARE SAVED, but ONLY IF YOU HAVE BACKED UP your Registry
files BEFOREHAND!
Microsoft designed the Registry Editor to work also in native MS-DOS mode for
the purpose of backing up and restoring the Registry, when everything else
fails.
To make it work, load the Windows GUI, run Regedit, click Registry, click
"Export Registry File", choose your backup folder (let's say E:\BACKUPS), then
type in a name for the exported file and save it as 9X.REG (saved by default
with the .REG extension, if you type only the file name).
Now go ahead and mess with the Registry to your heart content. :)
If Windows doesn't restart or work properly after you have made changes to
your Registry, exit Windows or reboot to native MS-DOS, and then run:
REGEDIT /E E:\BACKUPS\9X.REG
to backup your entire Registry to 9X.REG in MS-DOS mode.
To recreate the Registry from 9X.REG, run:
REGEDIT /C E:\BACKUPS\9X.REG
Win95, OSR1 and OSR2 also save a backup copy of the last working Registry as
SYSTEM.DA0 and USER.DA0 in the Windows folder, you can also use as alternate
backups, by renaming them to *.DAT in native MS-DOS mode.
Win98 and WinME backup the Registry automatically upon the first boot of each
new day. See "SCANREGW, SCANREG + SCANREG.INI" in TIPS98.TXT (included) for
details.
If you haven't backed up the Registry prior to a disaster, you have NO SAVED
.REG FILE to recreate the Registry from, and/or there is NO VALID BACKUP made
by Windows, there is still a LAST CHANCE: in your boot drive's root directory
(default is C:\), you can find a Hidden, Read-only file called SYSTEM.1ST,
which contains all the original Registry settings you started Win95/98 with
when you first installed it. Copy it as SYSTEM.DAT to your Windows folder,
using the command lines below (example):
@ECHO OFF
C:
CD\
ATTRIB -H -R -S %winbootdir%\SYSTEM.DAT
MOVE %winbootdir%\SYSTEM.DAT D:\BACKUPS
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\SYSTEM.1ST
COPY C:\SYSTEM.1ST %winbootdir%\SYSTEM.DAT
You can also cut & paste these lines into Notepad and save them as a DOS
batch file I called 1STREG.BAT.
Change the backup drive letter/folder name if different on your computer.
Run 1STREG.BAT ONLY from native MS-DOS mode!
And after doing this you'll have to restart customizing Windows from ground
up, but at least NOW it's working again. :)
IMPORTANT:
Download FixReg [51 KB, freeware] to learn how to PROPERLY recreate the
Registry from an exported .REG file in Windows 9x:
http://www.walbeehm.com/files/FixReg.zip
MS-DOS PROMPT
To go to the ol' MS-DOS command prompt screen from Win95/98 (which is so well
hidden by Microsoft under Windows GUI interface), there are 3 ways:
1. Click Start -> Programs -> MS-DOS prompt icon to start a DOS prompt session
inside Win95/98. Type EXIT and press Enter when done in DOS to return to the
Win95/98 interface.
To remind yourself that you are running a full screen DOS session from within
Windows, add/modify these lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT to read (example):
SET PROMPT=MS-DOS Mode!$_$P$G
SET WINPMT=Type EXIT & hit ENTER 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
The SET WINPMT= statement line is what you'll see as prompt during your DOS
session (Windows DOS box), and you won't forget to go back to Windows when
you're done working/playing in DOS.
2. To go to the native/real/true DOS (version 7.xx, called MS-DOS mode, which
is actually the 16-bit OS layer underneath Windows 95/98), click Start, Shut
Down, choose "Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode", and click Yes.
Your PC will perform a warm reboot, if you don't hold down the Shift key (and
if no modifications are made to your MSDOS.SYS file), loading the DOS
real-mode 16-bit drivers specified in DOSSTART.BAT, located in your Windows
folder (Win95/98 renames it to AUTOEXEC.BAT for that MS-DOS session).
More info:
http://www.forrestandassociates.co.uk/pcforrest/dosstart_bat.html
3. To boot to DOS with different configurations, if you need to run specific
(weird) DOS programs/games that require large amounts of memory or special
video modes (VGA, SVGA), and won't run (or will lock up) if started from a DOS
session/box, make separate shortcuts on the desktop (or create a new DOS Games
folder to include your MS-DOS prompt icons), and give them specific names
(similar to your DOS programs/games). Then right-click on each one of them and
select Properties to create custom CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files to load
your DOS real mode drivers/TSRs necessary for each application/game. Now you
can reboot with each different PIF file settings.
When you set up a Program Information File (PIF) to run an MS-DOS program in
MS-DOS mode, you can select the "Specify a new MS-DOS configuration" option.
If you select this option, you can create specific CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files to be used when you run that MS-DOS based program.
When you run a program this way from Win95/98, the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
files in your boot drive's root directory are renamed to CONFIG.WOS and
AUTOEXEC.WOS, and the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files specified in the PIF
settings are copied to the root directory. The only difference is that a new
entry "DOS=SINGLE" is added to the top of the new CONFIG.SYS specified by the
PIF to cause Win95/98 to start ONLY in MS-DOS mode. You can go back to
Win95/98's GUI when you're done in MS-DOS by typing EXIT and pressing Enter,
which performs a warm reboot.
When you quit the MS-DOS based program properly, the PIF-specific CONFIG.SYS
and AUTOEXEC.BAT files in the root directory are replaced again by your
original files (the OS renames the .WOS files back to AUTOEXEC.BAT and
CONFIG.SYS respectively).
If your computer locks up, you turn it off, or restart it while it is running
in "single" MS-DOS mode, the PIF-specific CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files
are retained in the root directory, and the computer restarts in MS-DOS mode
again, without letting you return to the Win95/98 GUI. If this happens,
remark the DOS=SINGLE line at the beginning of the CONFIG.SYS with a
semicolon (;). Then reboot, and now you can return to Win95/98's GUI.
Did I mention? :) BACKUP YOUR FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
RETURN TO DOS
To return to the plain DOS command prompt after you chose to "Shut down
Windows", by clicking the Start button, and then Shut Down, all you need is
edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT file (found in your root folder of your Win95/98 boot
drive), and add these two lines at the end:
WIN
MODE CO80
You can open AUTOEXEC.BAT with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
Save the file and reboot, for the changes to take effect.
You can also choose a different alternative: create a DOS batch file to
start Windows 95/98 from, and place a command line, as the last line in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT, to execute the batch. The batch file needs to have the same
two lines listed above (plus the "@ECHO OFF" line, to prevent the display of
each command line screen output):
@ECHO OFF
WIN
MODE CO80
After you're done at the DOS prompt, you can restart Win95/98 by running the
batch.
What really happens: when the Win95/98 shut down sequence is over, all you
see is the Win95/98 shut-down logo (by displaying the LOGOS.SYS file located
in your Windows folder), but you WON'T SEE the actual DOS prompt, 'cause
Microsoft wants to hide it, making you believe that you have a Windows only
graphical OS. [duh...]
By executing the "MODE CO80" command, you actually return to MS-DOS prompt's
default video mode of 25 lines by 80 columns, so you can freely type cryptic
DOS commands or run your favorite DOS programs/games, especially the ones
that won't work from a Windows 95/98 DOS prompt window/full screen
session/box, even started through customized PIF files. [double duh...]
It is possible to go back to the DOS prompt, after exiting Windows, because
Win95/98 is only a partially enabled 32-bit graphical OS, layered on top of
the 16-bit ol' MS-DOS plain command line OS! (a buffed up Win31 GUI core
actually). [triple duh...]
NOTE: See "DOS NOW!" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more details.
SET TEMP [*]
If for any reason (i.e. increased speed) you decide to choose a different
"temp" (temporary) directory for storing Windows temporary files, let's say
for example a RAM disk, or a different (hard) drive/partition, you will need
to add these 2 lines at the end of your CONFIG.SYS file (found in C:\ root):
SET TMP=D:\TEMP
SET TEMP=D:\TEMP
considering D:\TEMP the new "temp" directory on your secondary
drive/partition.
To create the new directory D:\TEMP, before rebooting with the new Config.sys,
run this command at any DOS prompt:
MD D:\TEMP
Then delete the Windows default "temp" directory: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP, and if
there are any SET TEMP= or/and SET TMP= lines in your Autoexec.bat you'll have
to remove or REMark them too.
Example of REMarked lines in Autoexec.bat:
REM SET TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
REM SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
Or try this REMark alternative [the double colon (::) notation below works
ONLY in Autoexec.bat, but you can use the semicolon (;) REMark notation in
Config.sys]:
:: SET TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
:: SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
Reboot, and you're done.
ADD-ON:
To "clean" your TEMPorary directory of obsolete .TMP files every time upon
boot, add these lines at the end of your Autoexec.bat, AFTER the "SET TEMP="
and "SET TMP=" lines (if you included them in this file):
IF NOT EXIST %TEMP%\*.TMP GOTO NO
ATTRIB +A -H -R -S %TEMP%\*.TMP
DEL %TEMP%\*.TMP
:NO
NOTES:
- MS-DOS 5.00 or older allows SET <variable> commands ONLY in AUTOEXEC.BAT,
but NOT in CONFIG.SYS.
- If the "temp" variable is not mentioned in your Config.sys, Win95/98 OS
automatically creates the default "temp" directory upon bootup, the \TEMP
subfolder under your Win95/98 folder, typically C:\WINDOWS\TEMP.
- To learn how to setup a RAM disk in Windows 9x/ME, see "BROWSER CACHE IN
MEMORY" in REGISTRY.TXT (included).
UNATTENDED DEFRAG/SCANDISK
To have Defrag run unattended every time you start Win9x/ME, create a shortcut
for Defrag with this command line and place it in your Startup folder:
%windir%\DEFRAG.EXE /ALL /F /NOPROMPT
Meaning: defragments ALL your hard (and RAM) drives, performs full and
unconditional defragmentation and exits automatically upon completion, without
prompting you for confirmation.
Same goes for Win9x/ME's ScanDisk: to run Scandskw unattended, type this in a
shortcut command line box (and optionally place it in your \Startup folder,
to have Scandskw run every time you start Win9x/ME):
%windir%\SCANDSKW.EXE /A /N
to scan ALL your hard (and RAM) drives, performing a standard scan (no surface
scan) and to exit upon completion, without confirmation prompt.
If you purchased the Microsoft Plus! Package for Windows 95, or if you have
Win98/ME, you can achieve all of the above by scheduling System Agent (Task
Scheduler) to do periodic unattended "runs" on all your (hard) drives using
the above Scandskw and Defrag switches.
WARNING: System Agent (Task Scheduler) puts a significant drain on your system
resources when enabled!
Windows 9x/ME Disk Defragmenter switches are displayed when you run:
DEFRAG /?
from the native MS-DOS prompt:
"DEFRAG [drive: | /all] [/F | /U | /Q] [/noprompt] [/concise | /detailed]
drive: Drive letter of the disk to be optimized
/ALL Defragment all local, nonremovable drives
/F Defragment files and free space
/U Defragment files only
/Q Defragment free space only
/CONCISE Display the Hide Details view (default)
/DETAILED Display the Show Details view
/NOPROMPT Unattended mode: do not stop to display confirmation messages."
Below are the Win9x/ME Disk Scanner parameters, shown when you exit Windows to
the real MS-DOS prompt, and run:
SCANDISK /?
"Runs the ScanDisk disk-repair program.
To check and repair a drive, use the following syntax:
SCANDISK [drive: | /ALL] [/CHECKONLY | /AUTOFIX [/NOSAVE]] [/SURFACE]
To check and repair an unmounted DriveSpace compressed volume file, use:
SCANDISK drive:\DRVSPACE.nnn [/CHECKONLY | /AUTOFIX[/NOSAVE]]
To examine a file for fragmentation, use the following syntax:
SCANDISK /FRAGMENT [drive:][path]filename
To undo repairs you made previously, use the following syntax:
SCANDISK /UNDO [drive:]
For [drive:], specify the drive containing your Undo disk.
/ALL Checks and repairs all local drives.
/AUTOFIX Fixes damage without prompting.
/CHECKONLY Checks a drive, but does not repair any damage.
/CUSTOM Configures and runs ScanDisk according to SCANDISK.INI settings.
/NOSAVE With /AUTOFIX, deletes lost clusters rather than saving as files.
/NOSUMMARY With /CHECKONLY or /AUTOFIX, prevents ScanDisk from stopping at
summary screens.
/SURFACE Performs a surface scan after other checks.
/MONO Configures ScanDisk for use with a monochrome display.
To check and repair the current drive, type SCANDISK without parameters."
WARNING:
There is A DANGEROUS UNDOCUMENTED SCANDSKW SWITCH (Win9x/ME GUI mode only) to
be avoided by *ALL MEANS* !!! Here it is:
SCANDSKW /O
/O = The letter O (ou), NOT zero (0) DELETES ALL Long File Name (LFNs)
references, with NO WAY of restoring them !!!
See also "SCANDSKW HIDDEN SWITCHES" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
DOS HIGH [*]
With all the devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in the Upper Memory Area (UMA),
using "DEVICEHIGH" in CONFIG.SYS and "LOADHIGH" ("LH" for short) in
AUTOEXEC.BAT, you may be able to get a maximum of 625 KB of conventional
memory at the native/true MS-DOS prompt OUTSIDE Windows 95/98, when you
choose to Shut down the computer from the Start -> Shut Down menu, without
using any special memory management "advanced" features (provided by most
of third party memory managers out there: QEMM, NetRoom, 386MAX). You'll
NEVER need more than 620 KB of conventional RAM for ANY MS-DOS program
anyway! This is possible because Win95/98 can move the FILES, STACKS,
LASTDRIVE and FCBS to the upper memory area (above the first 640 KB area).
The BUFFERS are moved to the High Memory Area (HMA), the first 64 KB of RAM
above the first MegaByte. These new features are implemented in the Win95/98
OS and can be achieved by adding these lines to the beginning of your
CONFIG.SYS file (the numeric values below are only average examples, and you
should change them to suit your system needs):
DOS=HIGH,UMB,NOAUTO
BUFFERSHIGH=10,0
FILESHIGH=60
LASTDRIVEHIGH=H
FCBSHIGH=1,0
STACKSHIGH=0,0
or go with the "conservative" version (let the OS do the work for you):
DOS=HIGH,UMB,AUTO
BUFFERS=10,0
FILES=60
LASTDRIVE=H
FCBS=1,0
STACKS=0,0
The AUTO switch doesn't need to be mentioned being the default.
NOTE: For more info about these new DOS 7 features READ these two text files
found in your Windows folder: CONFIG.TXT and MSDOSDRV.TXT. See also
MEMORY.TXT (included) to learn how to MAXimize your WinDOwS memory resources.
LOCALLOADHIGH [*]
For maximum DOS memory in a DOS session/box/window under Windows 9x/ME/3.1x,
add/modify this line to read:
LocalLoadHigh=1
under the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file, found in your Windows
directory/folder. This will give you an extra 2-12 KB (or more, depending on
your system configuration) of conventional (low) memory (RAM) in DOS sessions.
This setting determines the way Windows uses the Upper Memory Blocks (UMBs) in
a DOS session. Valid values are disabled (0, off, no or false) and enabled (1,
on, yes or true). Any of these values are recognized. Default is disabled,
equivalent to this SYSTEM.INI line:
LocalLoadHigh=0
If this line is absent (default), Windows uses the entire Upper Memory Area
(UMA) available, leaving no extra UMBs for DOS sessions running in protected
mode, each in its own Virtual Machine (VM).
If this entry is enabled, Windows does not use the entire UMA, thus making
UMBs available to each VM (DOS session).
If you load your DOS mode TSRs/drivers/devices high (in upper memory) in your
CONFIG.SYS and/or AUTOEXEC.BAT files (using "DEVICEHIGH" and "LOADHIGH"
respectively, enabled by the HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE memory managers "combo"
in your Config.sys), and have a memory configuration (on bootup, before
launching Windows) of less than 16 KB of free upper RAM (the Upper Memory
Area is the first 384 KB of memory above the 640 KB boundary), make sure to
remove, or better, remark the following line with a semicolon (;), in the
[386enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file:
; LocalLoadHigh=1
CAUTION: If this line is enabled, you may NOT be able to start Windows with
less than 16 KB of free upper memory on certain system configurations!
On some systems, you might find necessary to add/modify the following line
under the [386enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file to read:
EMMExclude=A000-FFFF
to provide better compatibility with 3rd party memory managers (i.e. QEMM,
NetRoom, 386MAX, UMBPCI.SYS etc) or TSRs (Terminate and Stay Resident
programs) loaded in your startup files (CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT).
Also, you might want to remove all the WIN= switches from the EMM386.EXE
line in your CONFIG.SYS file (located in the root directory of your boot
drive, usually C:\). Example of EMM386.EXE line with two WIN= switches:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE WIN=EE00-EFFF WIN=E000-ECFF I=B000-B7FF RAM AUTO
Remark the entire EMM386.EXE DEVICE line (put REM or a semicolon in front
of it), and copy it as the next new line, but this time delete the WIN=
switches. Open CONFIG.SYS with Notepad in Windows, or with EDIT.COM in DOS
(the MS-DOS text/ASCII editor), whichever you're comfortable with.
NOTE: You need to restart Windows every time after making ANY changes to your
SYSTEM.INI.
... And don't forget to BACKUP YOUR SYSTEM.INI BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
WORD VIEWER
For those of you who would like to view Word files, without having MS Word
or MS Office installed, the Windows 95 install CD-ROM provides a viewer:
pop in your Win95 Setup CD-ROM -> open Windows Explorer -> highlight your
CD/DVD drive icon -> go to the \OTHER\WORDVIEW folder -> run Setup.
That's it.
Now look in the your Start Menu -> Programs -> Accessories folder: you'll
find a new icon for MS Wordview.
From now on you can view all .DOC files without garble, because MS Wordpad
(default DOC viewer) does not provide MS Word type filters for viewing OLE
embedded icons/images into Word DOCuments. :(
UPDATE:
Get the updated 32-bit Microsoft Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME Word Viewer 97/2000
[3.8 MB, free]:
http://office.microsoft.com/downloads/2000/wd97vwr32.aspx
NOTE: MS Office + MS Word users do NOT need MS Word Viewer!
CLOSE THAT BATCH! [+]
To have your DOS style batch files close automatically upon completion,
whenever executed from a Windows icon/shortcut or by (double)-clicking the
respective program PIF (Program Information File = MS-DOS Program Properties):
- WinME users: you don't need to do anything. :)
PIF files are set by default to close automatically in Windows ME: the "Close
on Exit" box (see below) is already checked.
- Windows 95/98 users: right-click on the icon/PIF -> click Properties ->
select the Program tab -> check the "Close on Exit" box -> click the Misc tab
-> uncheck the "Warn if still active" box -> click OK/Apply.
- Windows/WfWG 3.1x users: run the PIF Editor (PIFEDIT.EXE = located in your
Windows directory) -> browse to the PIF file of your choice -> double-click on
it -> click Advanced -> check the "Close on Exit" box -> uncheck the "Warn if
still active" box -> click OK to apply changes.
- ALL Windows 9x/ME/3.1x users: add this line:
EXIT
as the LAST line in ALL your DOS batch files that run in a Windows DOS session
(box), to make sure they automatically return control over to the GUI
(Graphical User Interface) upon completion.
Edit your BATch files with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
EXTRACT FROM CAB [+]
When you run the Windows 95/98/ME EXTRACT tool without any command line
parameters from any DOS prompt, you'll see this help screen [Win98 SE(U)
version shown here]:
"Microsoft (R) Cabinet Extraction Tool - Version (16) 1.00.603.0 (08/14/97)
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corp 1994-1997. All rights reserved.
EXTRACT [/Y] [/A] [/D | /E] [/L dir] cabinet [filename ...]
EXTRACT [/Y] source [newname]
EXTRACT [/Y] /C source destination
cabinet - Cabinet file (contains two or more files).
filename - Name of the file to extract from the cabinet.
Wild cards and multiple filenames (separated by
blanks) may be used.
source - Compressed file (a cabinet with only one file).
newname - New filename to give the extracted file.
If not supplied, the original name is used.
/A Process ALL cabinets. Follows cabinet chain
starting in first cabinet mentioned.
/C Copy source file to destination (to copy from DMF disks).
/D Display cabinet directory (use with filename to avoid extract).
/E Extract (use instead of *.* to extract all files).
/L dir Location to place extracted files (default is current directory).
/Y Do not prompt before overwriting an existing file."
EXTRACT.EXE is a 16-bit DOS based utility, located in the %windir%\COMMAND
folder (default is C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND), and used to extract (or list) any
files from the installation CABinet files residing on your Win95/98/ME Setup
CD-ROMs or floppies.
The CABinet (.CAB) file format uses Microsoft's proprietary file compression
technology, and was designed to store MS Windows 95/98/ME installation files
in a smaller ("shrunken"), convenient way.
These examples use EXTRACT to copy any Windows Setup file(s) from your
Win9x/ME Setup CD-ROMs/floppies (presuming your CD/DVD drive letter is D =
change it if different on your computer) to your local hard disk/partition
(presuming your HD drive letter is C = change it if different on your
computer), by running these DOS commands (make sure the respective Windows
Setup CD-ROM is already inserted in your CD/DVD drive):
- Win95/OSR1/OSR2 users:
EXTRACT /A /L C:\EXTRACT D:\WIN95\WIN95_02.CAB *.DRV
to extract all .DRV files from all WIN95_*.CAB files to C:\EXTRACT.
Similar procedure if using the Win95 Setup floppies (make sure the first
Windows Setup floppy diskette is already inserted in your floppy drive):
EXTRACT /A /L C:\EXTRACT A:\WIN95_02.CAB *.DRV
- Win98/98 SE(U) users:
EXTRACT /A /L C:\EXTRACT D:\WIN98\BASE4.CAB *.DLL
to extract all .DLL files from all WIN98_*.CAB files to C:\EXTRACT.
- WinME users:
EXTRACT /A /L C:\EXTRACT D:\WIN9X\BASE2.CAB *.VXD
to extract all .VXD files from all WIN_*.CAB files to C:\EXTRACT.
To automate the task of extracting original files (in case they get corrupted
by a system crash or overwritten by a buggy program you installed) from the
CABs, I created a DOS batch file called ECD.BAT (included).
From now on, whenever you need to extract a particular file, just run:
ECD FILENAME.EXT
Replace FILENAME with the actual name of the file you're looking for, and EXT
with the respective file extension.
For example:
ECD VCOMM.VXD
extracts VCOMM.VXD to C:\EXTRACT.
WARNING:
EXTRACT.EXE is a DOS based tool and is NOT Long File Names (LFNs) compliant,
NOT even in a DOS box/session inside Windows, and ALL LFNs information will
be LOST upon extraction!
Therefore you need to respect the ol' DOS 8.3 (????????.???) Short File Names
(SFNs) convention when extracting a file by using EXTRACT.EXE.
Better, use Extrac32.exe to preserve the LFNs, the 32-bit Windows GUI
counterpart. See "CAB EXTRACT" in TIPS95.TXT (included) for details.
EXTRACT will search ALL MS Windows 95/OSR2, 98/98 SE, MS Plus! 95/98 and ME
installation .CAB files from the Setup CD-ROMs [make sure the appropriate
CD-ROM is present in the drive :)], and will extract the specified file(s) to
the C:\EXTRACT folder created by ECD.BAT.
For those who have the floppy version of Win95 (retail) Setup, use EF.BAT
(also included), to extract files from the floppy CAB files. Just make sure
your first Win95 Setup floppy is inserted into your primary floppy drive
(usually A) before running EF.BAT.
You can use DOS "wild cards" (*.* or FILE*.* or *.EXT) with these batch files
to extract multiple files at the same time.
Example: to extract all *.SYS files from all *.CAB files, run:
ECD *.SYS
Another example: to extract all files starting with AB* from all *.CAB files,
run:
ECD AB*.*
To see the complete list of all files contained in all CABs, run CABLIST.BAT
(included).
CABLIST.BAT uses EDIT.COM (default MS-DOS mode text/ASCII editor/viewer) if
you are in native/true MS-DOS mode or NOTEPAD.EXE (default Windows GUI mode
text/ASCII editor/viewer) if you are in Windows mode to view the entire list
of files contained in the CABinets, by creating CABLIST.TXT (a plain
text/ASCII file) in the C:\EXTRACT directory.
Beware that CABLIST.TXT is usually too large for Notepad, which is limited to
a maximum file size of ONLY 64 KB. :( That's why I recommend using a better
Notepad replacement able to handle huge files from this "FREE WINDOWS
9x/NT/2000/ME/XP TEXT EDITORS" list in SOFTWARE.TXT (included). I use
Programmer's File Editor 32-bit (PFE32) [608 KB, freeware]:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/editor/pfe101i.zip
You need to change your CD/DVD drive letter in CABLIST.BAT and/or ECD.BAT if
other than D, and/or your floppy drive letter in EF.BAT if other than A. Edit
them with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
The first time you run ANY of these BATches, ALL 3 will be copied to your
%winbootdir%\COMMAND folder (default is C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND), which is already
listed on your PATH, to avoid typing unnecessary directory names at the DOS
prompt, whenever using them thereafter. :)
FYI: More info @ MSKB:
- "How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=129605
- "How to Extract and Replace a Protected File in Windows ME":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=265371
LASTDRIVE [*]
If you don't specify a LASTDRIVE= line in your CONFIG.SYS, Windows 95/98 sets
the last drive to Z by default (that's a total of 26 drive letters, what a
waste!), similar to:
LASTDRIVE=Z
If you are not connected to or using a network or a direct cable/peer to peer
link, you lose a few hundred Bytes of low or upper DOS memory, because you
probably have a total of 3 to 9 drives (logical partitions and removable
drives included) in your system (about 7 if you use a disk compression
utility, like Drvspace or Dblspace, bundled with Win95/98 or MS-DOS 6.xx).
Every additional drive letter mentioned on your LASTDRIVE line takes up 96
Bytes of conventional memory in MS-DOS 5.00/6.xx, or upper memory in
Win95/98, but ONLY if using an extended/upper memory manager, i.e.
EMM386.EXE, included by Microsoft with your operating system/environment,
beginning with MS-DOS version 4.00.
If you use Drvspace, Dblspace, Stacker, or any other disk compression
utility, change (or add if not present) the LASTDRIVE= line to read:
LASTDRIVE=M
Examples:
If you don't use any disk doubler/compression tool, change it to:
LASTDRIVE=D
if you have 1 hard disk (HD) and 1 CD-ROM drive installed.
If you have 2 HDs and 1 CD-ROM or 1 HD and 2 CD-ROMs, you need:
LASTDRIVE=E
If you have 2 HDs and 2 CD-ROMs or 3 HDs and 1 CD-ROM:
LASTDRIVE=F
You get the idea.
The rule of thumb is to assign an additional drive letter to your system, on
top of the last letter used by your last drive/partition.
Some are using RAM (virtual drives in the system's memory) or removable
(backup) drives. Don't forget to count them in!
Don't bother counting the floppy drive(s) on your machine, they ALWAYS take
the first 2 letters: your first floppy drive is A (usually 3.5", 1.44MB), and
if you have a second (i.e. 5.25" 1.2MB floppy) drive, that would always have
assigned the letter B.
Even if you don't have a secondary floppy drive (B), your first (bootable)
hard drive/partition is always C.
NOTE: ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR STARTUP FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES:
AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS (located in the root directory of your boot
drive, C:\ by default).
From a DOS prompt, run:
MEM /C /P
and write down the amount of your free conventional/upper memory.
Then edit your CONFIG.SYS with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS, place
LASTDRIVE= as one of the first lines (after the DOS=HIGH,UMB line), save the
changes and reboot.
Go to that DOS prompt one more time, and run:
MEM /C /P
again, to see if you gained any more free upper or/and conventional memory.
CONTROL PANEL
This tip is designed to save you a few seconds when opening a Control Panel
Applet, not having to open the entire Control Panel folder from the Start
Menu, and then double-click your desired icon/item (time consuming, and a
waste of mouse clicks).
Open Explorer, click View, click Options, and then the Files Types tab.
Click New Type..., and type Control Panel in the "Description of type:" box.
Then type CPL in the "Associated extension:" box. Now click the "New..."
button at the bottom, type Open in the "Action:" box, and then type
C:\WINDOWS\CONTROL.EXE in the "Application used to perform action:" box.
Click OK, then OK again, and OK one more time. Now you should be back in the
Explorer's window, where you initially started.
From now on, when you double-click on a .CPL file in Explorer, or in File
Manager (all .CPL files are located in your C:\Windows\System folder), that
particular Control Panel File opens the same as it would from the
real Control Panel, and you can change/save settings (business as usual).
You can also create a shortcut to a particular Control Panel Applet on the
Desktop or in any Start Menu folder, by selecting a .CPL file on your
shortcut's Command line.
UPDATE:
".CPL files are automatically by default associated with:
%WINDIR%\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %1,%*
One may need to rename the:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cplfile\shell\cplopen
Registry key to 'open'."
[Thank you Yuri (kukina@nioch.nsc.ru)!]
DITCH DRVSPACE
If you don't use [and I strongly recommend NOT TO!], or have successfully and
entirely uninstalled DrvSpace, the disk compression utility bundled with
Windows 95 and updated by the MS Plus Pack for Win95 to version 3.0, also
included with Win98/98 SE (which now recognizes FAT32 drives/partitions, but
DOES NOT compress them!), it's good to free some disk space (and eventually
regain some upper/conventional memory) and delete all DRVSPACE files from your
hard disk(s) and all related references from your startup files.
1. Delete the following files:
In Windows Explorer or File Manager, start a File Search (File Find),
beginning with the root folder of your boot drive (default is C:\) for the
DRVSPACE files. Type this in the search box:
DRVSPAC*.*
and click OK. You will get a list of all Drvspace files, with the following
extensions: .BIN, .DLL, .DRV, .VXD, .EXE, .HLP, .INI, SYS etc. Highlight them
all and delete them. Don't worry about making backup copies, you can always
find them on your Win9x Setup cd-rom/floppies and reinstall them through the
Add/Remove Software menu, found in your Control Panel.
Some of these files might not show in the Find window, because you need to
set Windows Explorer (or File Manager) to display ALL HIDDEN AND SYSTEM FILES,
in order to make them "visible" to Windows.
If you ARE using DrvSpace, DO NOT DELETE ANY DRVSPACE FILES YET!
Better, start by upgrading your hard disk(s), because 1 GB (or larger) hard
drives sell now for under $50.
To be able to delete the DrvSpace files, UNINSTALL DrvSpace first, then reboot
your system, and ONLY AFTER THAT delete all related DrvSpace files SAFELY from
ALL your hard drives.
DrvSpace only slows down your system (and it's not 100% safe anyway, no matter
what Microsoft says), and of course, it is a cheap, temporary solution for
getting extra disk space. And you'll end up needing a larger hard drive some
day anyway. :)
2. To eventually free the upper or/and conventional memory tied up by the
DrvSpace devices/drivers memory modules, you'll need to modify your startup
files, as follows. But before doing this, you may want to see the size of the
loaded SYSTEM module in DOS mode. Just run:
MEM /C /P
from the native MS-DOS mode prompt (outside Windows), and write down the
SYSTEM size in KB on a piece of paper, or print the "MEM /C /P" screen output
to a file, or make a hard copy using your printer.
To print to a file, run (example):
MEM /C > C:\MEM95-1.TXT
Now you're ready for the memory cleanup:
A. Open Config.sys (found in the root folder of your boot drive, default is
C:\) with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS, and remark (REM) the
DrvSpace line(s). Example of such line:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
The same line REM-ed this time:
REM DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
or REMark it with a semicolon:
; DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE
B. Change the attributes of your MSDOS.SYS file (also found in the root
folder of your boot drive) to archive, running this DOS command:
ATTRIB +A -R -H -S \MSDOS.SYS
Now open Msdos.sys in Notepad or EDIT.COM, and modify the lines below, under
the [Options] section, to read:
DblSpace=0
DrvSpace=0
Save your work when done and reboot your system.
Now you may want to check again your SYSTEM module size, using the same MEM
command above, ONLY from the native MS-DOS mode, outside Windows:
MEM /C /P
or again, print this info to a file, by running:
MEM /C > C:\MEM95-2.TXT
Then compare the two text files for the new size of the SYSTEM module with
the old one, and you might see a difference (it might be significantly
smaller now).
UPDATE:
"Out of all 7 PCs I'm running, 6 are using HDDs compressed with DrvSpace, and
the 7th is a 4.3 GB using FAT32. The only compression problems I have
encountered to date have been from old drives that have "fallen over" on me
and that I have added to my pile of paperweights.
DrvSpace 3 that comes with MS Plus! and Win98/98 SE can increase disk space
by as much as double if used in conjunction with Compression Agent."
[Thank you Brian (bkemp@hn.pl.net)!]
WIN.COM SWITCHES [+]
When you run WIN /? from a DOS prompt, you get this screen:
"Starts Windows.
WIN [/D:[F][M][S][V][X]]
/D Used for troubleshooting when Windows does not start correctly.
:F Turns off 32-bit disk access.
Equivalent to SYSTEM.INI file setting: 32BitDiskAccess=FALSE.
:M Enables Safe mode.
This is automatically enabled during Safe start (function key F5).
:N Enables Safe mode with networking.
This is automatically enabled during Safe start (function key F6).
:S Specifies that Windows should not use ROM address space between
F000:0000 and 1 MB for a break point.
Equivalent to SYSTEM.INI file setting: SystemROMBreakPoint=FALSE.
:V Specifies that the ROM routine will handle interrupts from the hard
disk controller.
Equivalent to SYSTEM.INI file setting: VirtualHDIRQ=FALSE.
:X Excludes all of the adapter area from the range of memory that
Windows scans to find unused space.
Equivalent to SYSTEM.INI file setting: EMMExclude=A000-FFFF."
These switches are meant to provide you with command line options for
starting Win95/98 in special troubleshooting modes (safe, bootlogged etc) if
you are having problems running and/or loading Windows on your system.
Hope you'll never have to use them...
For example, to start Windows in safe mode, run:
WIN /D:M
which is similar with using boot option 3 (Safe mode) from the Microsoft
Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
Some of these WIN.COM switches can also be loaded by adding/modifying
SYSTEM.INI lines, under the [386enh] section (see above). SYSTEM.INI resides
in your Windows folder and can be edited using Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM
in DOS, but BACK IT UP FIRST!
To be able to load Windows manually after your PC is done processing your
CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files, from the DOS prompt, or from your
AUTOEXEC.BAT, you will have to edit MSDOS.SYS (a hidden, read-only, system
file, located in C:\ root by default), and add/modify the following line:
BootGUI=0
under the [Options] section.
To edit MSDOS.SYS in DOS mode run SYS95.BAT (included) from any DOS prompt.
FYI:
- To MAXimize your Windows performance read "SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS" in
MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
- To learn about the UNDOCUMENTED WIN.COM switches read "WIN.COM HIDDEN
PARAMETERS" in SECRETS.TXT (included).
- See the "Windows 95/98 WIN.COM Command Line Switches" MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=142544
FIRST LOGO [+]
Do you remember the logo that showed up on your screen when you booted into
your freshly installed Windows 9x/ME OS for the first time? Well, Microsoft
Setup routine wiped it out from your hard disk afterwards, so you can't see it
anymore. :(
But you can still have it displayed any time as your bootup logo. :)
Just extract the SULOGO.SYS (or LOGO_02.SYS) file from your Win95/98/ME Setup
CD-ROM by using EXTRACT.EXE, the Microsoft DOS mode CAB extracting tool,
located by default in C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.
See "EXTRACT FROM CAB" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more details.
Start by running these commands from any DOS prompt:
MD C:\EXTRACT
C:
CD\EXTRACT
and then run this one (using D as your CD/DVD drive letter, change if
necessary):
- Windows 95 users:
EXTRACT SULOGO.SYS D:\WIN95\WIN95_10.CAB
- Windows 95B/95C OSR 2.x users:
EXTRACT LOGO_02.SYS D:\WIN95\WIN95_04.CAB
- Windows 98 users:
EXTRACT SULOGO.SYS D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB
- Windows 98 SE(U) users:
EXTRACT SULOGO.SYS D:\WIN98\WIN98_52.CAB
- Windows ME users:
EXTRACT SULOGO.SYS D:\WIN9X\WIN_19.CAB
Make sure your Win9x/ME Setup CD is already present in the drive before doing
this. :)
Better, use the DOS style batch file ECD.BAT (included) to automate this task.
If you own the floppy version of Win95 Setup you need to use EF.BAT instead
(also included).
Run this command line from any DOS prompt (example):
ECD SULOGO.SYS
ECD.BAT will create the \EXTRACT folder on your C drive/partition and extract
SULOGO.SYS there. Now you need to move SULOGO.SYS (or LOGO_02.SYS) to your
boot drive/partition root directory (usually C:\) and then rename it to
LOGO.SYS. To do this copy & paste lines below into Notepad and save the file
as ROOTLOGO.BAT (example). Then run ROOTLOGO from any DOS prompt:
-----Begin cut & paste here-----
@ECHO OFF
IF EXIST C:\EXTRACT\SULOGO.SYS MOVE C:\EXTRACT\SULOGO.SYS C:\
IF EXIST C:\EXTRACT\LOGO_02.SYS MOVE C:\EXTRACT\LOGO_02.SYS C:\
IF EXIST C:\LOGO.SYS ATTRIB +A -H -R -S C:\LOGO.SYS
IF EXIST C:\LOGO.SYS REN C:\LOGO.SYS LOGO.ORI
IF EXIST C:\SULOGO.SYS REN C:\SULOGO.SYS LOGO.SYS
IF EXIST C:\LOGO_02.SYS REN C:\LOGO_02.SYS LOGO.SYS
EXIT
------End cut & paste here------
Note that ROOTLOGO also backs up your original LOGO.SYS (if any) by renaming
it to LOGO.ORI.
You can also delete the now empty \EXTRACT folder created by ECD.BAT.
Next time you'll boot into Windows you'll see the new logo displayed as your
startup screen.
FYI: The Win98/ME bootup logo is embedded into C:\IO.SYS (Hidden, Read-only,
System file), and a separate C:\LOGO.SYS file may not exist if you haven't put
one in C:\ root.
A MUST: To have a logo displayed while Windows 9x/ME starts up you need to
add/modify a line under the [Options] section of your MSDOS.SYS (Hidden,
Read-only, System file) found in the root directory of your boot
drive/partition (usually C:\) to read:
Logo=1
To edit MSDOS.SYS run SYS95.BAT (included) from any DOS prompt.
You can also use my custom LOGO.SYS (included here) or one of these fun(k)y
logos [547 KB, freeware]:
http://members.aol.com/files4u/95LOGOS.ZIP
as your Windows bootup logo. Just rename the .BMP file you like to LOGO.SYS,
then place it in C:\ root (after backing up yours) and reboot.
HINTS:
- See NEWLOGO.TXT (included) for all the "gory" details about Windows logos.
- See "WHERE IS LOGO.SYS?" in TIPS98.TXT and "OSR2 LOGO.SYS" in OSR2TIPS.TXT
(both included) for more details.
SWITCHES [*] [+]
Use this command ONLY in your CONFIG.SYS file, as the FIRST line:
SWITCHES=/E
With the value chosen here:
SWITCHES=/E:288
Windows 95/98 moves only 288 Bytes from the Extended BIOS (EBIOS) area to
conventional memory. Valid values for /E:nnnn are 48-1024.
You may gain up to 1 KB (1,024 Bytes) of free conventional memory by using
this line in your Config.sys.
I have recovered 768 Bytes of low memory using the SWITCHES line in the
example above.
You also need to have the lines below in your Config.sys, for this to work, to
provide Upper Memory Blocks (UMBs) to your system:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
You need to adapt the /E: parameter value on your SWICHES line to your own
system configuration, or start by using /E without any parameters.
You can begin with 512:
SWITCHES=/E:512
Reboot, and then go to a DOS prompt. Now run:
MEM /C /P
You'll see that the first module loaded in memory (on your MEM screen) is
SYSTEM. Look at its conventional memory footprint. You may be able to decrease
it by lowering the value on the SWITCHES=/E: line.
Decrease or increase its value in increments of 16. Reboot, and repeat the
operations above (go to a DOS prompt, and then run MEM /C /P again etc).
Compare the new size of the SYSTEM module in low memory. If it is smaller,
decrease (or increase) the SWITCHES value again by another 16, and keep
repeating these steps until you won't get any more free conventional memory.
Keep the value that gives you a maximum free low (conventional) memory (the
smallest SYSTEM module conventional memory footprint).
There is another useful parameter to add to your SWITCHES line:
SWITCHES=/F
The /F parameter skips the 2 second delay before processing the startup files
(CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT) at bootup. /F is valid for all MS-DOS versions
beginning with 6.00 and including Windows 95/98/ME (a.k.a. MS-DOS
7.00/7.10/8.00).
Use both parameters on the same line (you can have only one SWITCHES line in
your Config.sys). Example:
SWITCHES=/E:288 /F
NOTE: To learn about all available "SWITCHES" command line parameters, read
CONFIG.TXT (using Notepad), a text file located in your Windows folder.
Happy tweaking!
SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS [*]
A MUST: See this page for COMPLETE DETAILS using ALL Win9x/ME/3.1x releases:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/lastweek.htm#SYSINI
SYSTEM.INI is a Windows 95/98/ME/3.xx INItialization text file and resides in
your main Windows directory/folder (%windir% = default C:\WINDOWS).
First, let's see the Windows .INI files editing rules:
- You can replace "no" with "0", "off" or "false". Similarly, "yes" has the
same effect as "1", "on" or "true" (but don't type the quotes). This applies
ONLY to <boolean> entries (yes/no, 1/0, on/off, true/false), NOT to numeric
(decimal/hex) or string (text) values (i.e. DMABufferSize = 0 - 64 KB), which
have different measuring units, ranges or characters (exemplified below).
- Windows loads its built-in/default values (shown below) for all .INI
settings that are not present.
- All Windows .INI lines are case insensitive.
- You can comment (remark, disable) any Windows .INI entry (instead of
deleting it) by preceding it with a semicolon (;). Example:
; 32BitDiskAccess=ON
- Windows .INI files maximum allowed size is 64 KB, which is an annoying
limitation. Anything above that is NOT processed. :(
- You need to restart Windows every time after modifying ANY System.ini
settings!
- CAUTION: BACKUP your .INI files BEFORE making ANY changes!
- If you don't know what these lines do, YOU MUST READ your Windows help
files/documents/manuals BEFORE altering ANY configuration files, and BEWARE
that if you enter invalid values you may experience data loss and/or
unexpected machine lockups !!!
The following are helpful lines to add/modify (using Notepad/Sysedit in
Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS) under the [386enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI,
valid ONLY for Windows 95/98/ME if not specified otherwise.
And now that we've cleared it all up, let's have some fun... :)
32BitDiskAccess=ON To turn on 32-bit disk access in Windows for maximum
performance. To disable 32-bit access ONLY for
troubleshooting purposes (NOT recommended), replace ON
with OFF. This is equivalent with starting Windows by
running:
WIN /D:F
COMBoostTime=1 To speed up keyboard buffered operations (decrease character
download time) at high speed modem transfers (above 9600 bps),
using communications/internet applications. Affects the time
(in milliseconds) the Operating System processes a COM port
interrupt. Default value is 2. If you notice any loss of
keyboard characters while using internet/communications apps,
increase it to 4 or higher. Experimenting may be necessary to
determine your optimal setting.
COMxBuffer=1024 To increase the buffer size (in Bytes) for characters
sent/received by your communications device (modem) on
a specific COM port. Replace x with the COM port
number used by your modem. Valid COMx values: 1, 2, 3
and 4. Default Buffer value is 128. High values will
decrease modem transfer speed slightly, but might
prevent loss of characters at high baud rates (above
9600 bps). Experimenting may be necessary to find your
"sweet spot".
NOTE: BEFORE increasing the COMx Buffer value, you
need to add an empty (BLANK) COMxProtocol= line (see
setting below):
COMxProtocol= To specify whether Windows should stop simulating characters
in DOS boxes/sessions after the Virtual Machine (VM) sends an
XOFF character, if a DOS based communications/internet
program/game loses characters while performing text transfers
at high baud rates (above 9600 bps), on a specific COM port.
Replace x with the COM port number used by your analog modem.
Valid COMx values: 1, 2, 3 and 4. Valid values: XOFF (to stop)
or BLANK (to continue).
Default is any value other than XOFF. Set this line to BLANK
(leave it empty) when performing binary transfers.
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 Windows 98/ME ONLY: To disable the
"PageFile_Call_Async_Manager" feature that
allows the Memory Manager to asynchronously
write out swap file buffers during VFAT idle
times. This reverts swap file usage back to
Windows 95 style, and forces the use of the
computer's physical memory (faster) first,
before the use of the slower hard disk virtual
memory (swap file). Default is enabled (0).
See "CONSERVATIVE SWAP" in TIPS98.TXT
(included) for complete details.
DMABufferSize=64 To increase your 16-bit Direct Memory Access (DMA)
channel buffer to maximum size: 64 (in KiloBytes).
Affects ALL I/O (Input/Output) DMA operations: sound
card FM/wavetable, MIDI playback/recording, disk
buffered reads/writes. Default value is 16.
In Windows 9x/ME this can also be done in: Control
Panel -> System -> Device Manager tab -> System
devices -> Direct memory access controller -> Settings
tab -> check Reserve DMA buffer box -> 64 K bytes
reserved -> OK -> OK.
DualDisplay=ON Mandatory for compatibility with extended/expanded memory
managers (EMM386.EXE, QEMM386.SYS, RM386.EXE, 386MAX.SYS etc),
to allow Windows to use the B000-B7FF Upper Memory Area (UMA)
on VGA, Super VGA (SVGA) and eXtended VGA (XVGA) color
monitors, ONLY IF NOT using a secondary display
adapter/monitor. Default value is OFF.
You MUST also add/modify your memory manager CONFIG.SYS line
to include this area (example):
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF
EMMExclude=A000-FFFF To prevent Windows from searching the Upper Memory
Area (UMA) for unused memory (RAM) upon startup. Safer
if using any 3rd party memory managers (QEMM, NetRoom,
386MAX etc), or any real MS-DOS mode
devices/drivers/TSRs in CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT. This
is equivalent with starting Windows by running:
WIN /D:X
IRQx=4096 CONTROVERSIAL: May or may not work! More info:
http://cable-dsl.home.att.net/#SysiniTweak
To increase video/audio/network/modem card Interrupt (IRQ)
buffer to 4096 KB (4 MB) for more stable and faster
performance, especially useful for PCI cards that share the
same IRQ. IRQ steering MUST BE enabled! Default value is 1024
KB (1 MB), which in some cases is not enough. Replace x with
your PCI card's IRQ number. Multiple IRQx= lines are accepted.
NOTE: This decreases system RAM available to programs.
More info:
http://www.speedguide.net/Cable_modems/cable_irq.shtml
KeyBoostTime=0.1 To increase keyboard response (in seconds) to
keystrokes with several background Windows programs
running. Default value is 0.001 (1 millisecond =
1/1000 of a second).
LocalLoadHigh=1 To increase the amount of conventional (low) DOS
memory (RAM) available to each DOS session/box to
maximum. Default value is 0. See "LOCALLOADHIGH" in
MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more details.
MaxPagingFileSize=xxxxxx To define the upper (maximum) limit of the
swap file size in KiloBytes (KB). Default is
50% of available free space on target drive.
Maximum allowed has to match total available
free space on selected hard drive/partition,
equivalent to deleting this line. See "FIXED
SWAP FILE" in TIPS95.TXT (included) for more
details.
MinPagingFileSize=xxxxxx To define the lower (minimum) limit of the
swap file size in KiloBytes (KB). Default is
NONE. Minimum allowed is 0 KB, equivalent to
deleting this line. See "FIXED SWAP FILE" in
TIPS95.TXT (included) for more details.
MessageBackColor=8 To specify the BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) background
(screen) color. Default is blue (1). See "BLUE (OR ANY
OTHER COLOR) SCREEN OF DEATH" in TIPS95.TXT (included)
for complete details.
MessageTextColor=C To specify the BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death) foreground
(text) color. Default is bright white (F). See "BLUE
(OR ANY OTHER COLOR) SCREEN OF DEATH" in TIPS95.TXT
(included) for complete details.
MinSPs=8 To increase the spare stack pages, to prevent possible stack
fault situations. Default value is 2. Read "MINSPS" in
TIPS95.TXT (included) for complete details.
MinTimeSlice=40 To increase the minimum time (in milliseconds) a DOS
Virtual Machine (VM) is allowed to run before other
VMs can take over. Default value is 20. Smaller values
(i.e. 10) make multitasking smoother, but decrease
overall system performance.
PageBuffers=32 To increase the 4 KB page buffers number (in KiloBytes) for
storing asynchronous read/write pages, and thus boost Windows
fixed disk performance. Works ONLY if using 32-bit disk access
(FBDA) AND a permanent swap file. Default value is 4. Maximum
allowed is 32.
PagingDrive=X: To specify the (permanent) swap file fixed disk location
(substitute X with target drive/partition letter). Default is
C:. See "SWAP FILE - Part 1", "SWAP FILE - Part 2" and
"9X/2000/NT/ME/XP/3.1X MULTIBOOT SWAP FILE" in MYTIPS95.TXT
(this file) for more details.
PagingFile=X:\PATH\FILENAME.EXT To specify the (permanent) swap file
location: fixed disk (substitute X
with target drive/partition letter),
path (substitute PATH with target
directory name) and filename with
extension (substitute FILENAME.EXT
with WIN386.SWP for Windows 95/98/ME
or with 386SPART.PAR for Windows/WfWG
3.1x). Default is
C:\WINDOWS\WIN386.SWP for Win9x/ME or
C:\386SPART.PAR for Win31. See "SWAP
FILE - Part 1", "SWAP FILE - Part 2"
and "9X/2000/NT/ME/XP/3.1X MULTIBOOT
SWAP FILE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)
for more details.
PerVMFiles=60 To increase the number of private file handles (similar to the
native MS-DOS mode "FILES=" command in CONFIG.SYS) allocated
to each Virtual Machine (VM), needed by DOS programs running
in a DOS session. Default value is 30 for Win9x/ME. Maximum
allowed is 225. The specified number (0 - 225) is added to the
minimum of 30 VMFiles Windows allocates by default to each VM.
In this example: 60 + 30 = 90 VMFiles. More info @ MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=269030
RemovableIDE=1 To turn on support for removable (E)IDE/ATAPI drives: Iomega,
Syquest, Jazz, Shark, Orb, Zip, optical, CD, DVD, LS-120, tape
etc. Default value is 0 (off).
VGAMonoText=OFF To allow Windows to use the B000-B7FF Upper Memory
Area (UMA) if not used by other hardware devices
(monochrome video adapters) or graphics/video
(VGA/SVGA/XVGA) applications. Default value is ON.
If a hardware device/peripheral or an
upper/extended/expanded memory manager using this
memory range is installed, this area is NOT available
to Windows.
WindowUpdateTime=200 To decrease the time (in milliseconds) between display
updates for slower non-Windows (DOS based) programs
running in DOS sessions. Default value is 50.
Some of these settings can be loaded at Windows startup, as command line
parameters. To see which ones suit your needs, run:
WIN /?
from any DOS prompt. See also "WIN.COM SWITCHES" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)
and "WIN.COM HIDDEN PARAMETERS" in SECRETS.TXT (included) for more details.
NOTES:
1. Read the Resource Kit Help files from your Windows 95/98 Setup CD-ROMs for
more details on how to improve system performance by tweaking your SYSTEM.INI
settings.
2. See these Microsoft Knowledge Base (MSKB) articles to learn how to tweak
your SYSTEM.INI [386enh] section settings (most are valid for ALL Windows
9x/ME/3.xx releases):
- "Windows 3.1 Resource Kit SYSTEM.INI [386ENH] Section A-L":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=83435
- "Windows 3.1 Resource Kit SYSTEM.INI [386ENH] Section M-Z":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=83436
3. Download Microsoft Windows/WfWG 3.1x Resource Kits (RK) with tons of techno
details and extra tweaking + monitoring tools:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=124435
- Windows 3.10 RK [3.4 MB]:
http://www.dx21.com/SOFTWARE/WIN3X/DOWNLOADS/RSK/W31RSK.zip
- WfWG 3.10 RK [594 KB]:
http://www.dx21.com/SOFTWARE/WIN3X/DOWNLOADS/RSK/WFWRSK.zip
A MUST for all Windows/WfWG 3.1x afficionados.
ANYTHING GOES
In Windows 95/98 you can choose any icon file (.ICO format) as your mouse
pointer(s).
Open Control Panel, double-click Mouse, and browse through your .ICO files
folders (choose "All files" from the browser menu), pick your favorite icon
file and make it your default mouse pointer.
Click OK and you'll see your mouse pointer change to that icon instantly.
You can repeat this operation with any or all your Win95/98 mouse pointers.
If you are using Paint Shop Pro, Lview Pro, another image editor, or/and an
icon editor (like MicroAngelo, IconEditor Pro), you can create, edit,
convert a .BMP file to the .ICO format (or the other way around). You can
even decrease the size of a full screen bitmap (.BMP you created or scanned,
let's say in Paint Shop Pro) to 64x64 pixels (default Win95/98 large icon
format), in 256 colors, convert it to an icon (.ICO), and then make it your
main static mouse pointer.
The same principle applies to shortcut/link icons. To change a shortcut's
icon, right-click on a shortcut, click Properties, then click Shortcut, and
then click Change Icon. Browse through your image/icon/cursor files folders
(with "All files" choice highlighted), and click on any .BMP (Windows
bitmap), .CUR (static mouse cursor), .ANI (animated mouse cursor) or .ICO
(icon) file. Click OK.
You can also do all this in Explorer [... don't you love Win95/98 already?!
:-)]. In Explorer's main window click View, Options, File Types, highlight
the desired file type, and click Edit. Now click Change Icon, and browse
through your folders with the "All files" choice highlighted, until you
find an bitmap/icon/cursor to your liking. Click all the OK buttons till
you clear all the dialog boxes.
TIP: Download my Windows Icons archive (in .ICO format, 32x32 pixels, 16
colors):
http://members.aol.com/maxspeeed/MYICONS.ZIP
to use them for your favorite shortcuts/links/folders, or as static mouse
pointers. Enjoy.
NOTE: Compressed icon libraries (in .DLL, .ICL, .EXE file formats) CANNOT be
used as Win95/98 mouse pointers!
DATE/TIME FUN
Did you know that you can change the Windows 95/98 date and time display
format to your liking? The Control Panel -> Regional Settings -> Date/Time
won't let you mess around with those settings too much (you're limited to a
certain number of characters and symbols), so you'll have to hack a little.
It's very easy, as almost anything goes. Let me explain. Just open your
WIN.INI file (found in your Win95/98 folder) with Notepad.
NOTE: Before messing around with this file, MAKE A BACKUP COPY JUST TO BE ON
THE SAFE SIDE!... And, if you would like to be entirely on the safe side,
would you read (and eventually do) any of this?! :-)
Back to the business at hand: in WIN.INI, scroll down to the [intl] section
(stands for "International"). It looks something like this:
[intl]
iCountry=1
ICurrDigits=2
iCurrency=0
iDate=0
iDigits=2
iLZero=1
iMeasure=1
iNegCurr=0
iTime=1
iTLZero=0
s1159=AM
s2359=PM
sCountry=United States
sCurrency=$
sDate=/
sDecimal=.
sLanguage=enu
sList=,
sLongDate=dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy
sShortDate=MM/dd/yy
sThousand=,
sTime=:
And now for the fun changes. As you can see, the "iTime=" line has a value of
1 on my machine. Win95/98 assigns it a value of 0 by default.
It actually changes the looks of the time display in Explorer, File Manager,
Status Bar, and in whatever application/utility shows the date and the time.
When it is 0, the time looks like this: 12:00:00AM (don't you hate somebody
telling you it's 12, midnight?) I do, so with the value of 1, the date looks
like this: 00:00:00AM (we're doing better already..., just read on).
The line "iDate=" has 1 as default value. That means the date looks like this:
1/1/96. I don't like this look, so I changed it to 0. Now it looks like this:
01/01/96.
Also, the date and time separators, the "sDate=" and respectively "sTime="
lines, can be changed to use most any punctuation and/or symbol crosses your
mind. I personally tried these: / (default separator for the date), -, =, +,
\, |, : (default separator for the time), ;, ~, `, ', ", @, #, $, %, ^, &, *,
(, ), [, ], {, }, _, and even the . (period), and the , (comma). You decide
which ones you like best for your own date/"time machine".
You can also change the way the date shows the order: month/day/year, or a bit
bizarre: year/month/day etc. Just modify the "sShortDate=" line to the way
you see today's date.
Same principle applies to the way the long date shows: the "sLongDate=" line
(capital M on this line means the name of the month is going to begin with a
capital letter).
You can find infinite combinations, to make the date/time look good on your
screen, so... Make my day... :-)
Have fun.
But this can also be done by hacking the Registry. Run Regedit and go to:
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\International
Example: add/modify these String values (don't type the quotes): "sShortDate",
"sDate", "sTimeFormat", "iTime". Then double-click on each of them and type in
the characters below (these examples are the ones I use) to customize your
date/time "looks" (don't type the quotes):
"sShortDate"="M·d·yy"
"sDate"="·"
"sTimeFormat"="H:m:s tt"
"iTime"="1"
UPDATE:
"In all versions of Windows 9x/ME I have been able to alter these settings by
highlighting the required white box and retyping the appropriate settings (if
the box is grey you are unable to alter it).
You may have a small drop-down menu to choose from, but you are still able to
alter at your will. Examples of "Time style" entry:
h:mm:sstt 8:21am
HH:mm:ss 08:21
hh:mm:ss tt 08:21 am
You can also alter the "Time separator", "AM symbol" and "PM symbol" in a
similar fashion. The same applies to the Date settings."
[Thank you Brian (bkemp@hn.pl.net)!]
RESTORE AFTER INSTALL
Both DOS style BATch files (.BAT) described here: BACKUP9X.BAT + RESTOR9X.BAT
are included.
!!! *READ THIS FIRST* = VERY IMPORTANT:
1. BACKUP9X.BAT + RESTOR9X.BAT will detect if you are currently using an
Operating System (OS) other than MS Windows 95 or 98, e.g. MS-DOS 5.00/6.xx or
MS Windows NT/2000/XP/2003, and will ABORT, to avoid ANY system crashes. You
MUST (re)boot into MS Windows 95/98 FIRST for these BATch files to WORK
properly!
2. You MUST have ENOUGH disk space on your C drive/partition to accomodate a
NEW COPY of Windows (created by BACKUP9X.BAT): run Windows Explorer ->
left-click on your Windows folder -> right-click on it -> select Properties ->
look at the reported "Size:" in MB. Write down this number! Now left-click on
your [C:] drive -> right-click on it -> select Properties -> look at the "Free
space:" in MB. Should be at least EQUAL to or LARGER than the size of your
Windows 9x folder (in MB) displayed above!
If you have partitioned your only hard disk into more than 1 partition, or own
more than 1 hard disks, you can change the target backup drive letter (and
eventually the directory name) to point to a different drive/partition,
especially if you do NOT have enough room on your C drive/partition to
accomodate a new (backed up) copy of Windows 9x.
3. Make sure to run BACKUP9X.BAT ONLY from a Windows DOS box/session WITHIN
Windows GUI, NOT from native/real/true MS-DOS mode, to AVOID LOSING ALL Long
File Names (LFNs)!
4. Make sure to run RESTOR9X.BAT ONLY from native/real/true MS-DOS mode
OUTSIDE Windows, NOT from a DOS box/session/window (even full screen) WITHIN
Windows GUI, to AVOID ANY SYSTEM CRASHES, because RESTOR9X.BAT renames your
main RUNNING Windows 9x folder!
5. Make sure to run RESTOR9X.BAT ONLY AFTER running BACKUP9X.BAT, which needs
to create the Win9x/DOS7 backup directories/files used by RESTOR9X.BAT to
restore your original system properly!
6. IF your Windows 9x System resides on a remote/network drive OTHER than C,
AND/OR IF you canNOT log on as Owner, Default (MAIN) User OR as System
Administrator, OR IF you DO NOT OWN this computer, BACKUP9X.BAT + RESTOR9X.BAT
WILL NOT WORK!
Edit BACKUP9X.BAT + RESTOR9X.BAT (using Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in
DOS) and replace ALL (boot) drive letter instances to match yours IF OTHER
than C BEFORE using them!
7. You MUST have kept ALL these files INTACT in your C:\Windows\Command folder
(default) for PROPER operation, because both these BATch files use them:
ATTRIB.EXE, CHOICE.COM, DELTREE.EXE, FIND.EXE, MEM.EXE, MOVE.EXE, XCOPY.EXE +
XCOPY32.EXE [and also XCOPY32.MOD ONLY IF using Windows 98/98 SE(U)].
Typical Win9x setups use \WINDOWS as default folder name, but that does NOT
affect how both these BATch files work, and you do NOT need to modify them,
because they use the %winbootdir% and %windir% enviroment variables to
preserve whatever name you gave your Win9x folder at Setup time.
I realized the most reliable method of restoring the original files after a
Windows program/game install/setup routine modified/replaced/deleted/added
other files to the original Windows and/or Windows System folders is to create
separate directories/folders and copy there ALL Windows and respectively
Windows System files, before installing ANY new software, updates, drivers
and/or hardware.
This means you don't have to spend money to buy/try/regret any "Uninstaller",
"CleanSweep", "RemoveIt", or other fancy "install watch dog" utility. :)
This works wonders especially if your Win9x system crashed, or if you're
locked out of Windows, i.e. after installing any "buggy" software, drivers,
system updates/patches/fixes, or after "messing" with your system/registry
files. :)
This procedure works ALWAYS, with ONLY ONE exception that I know of: when you
install the Apple Quick Time Movie Player:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
to play .MOV (Apple Movie format) files and/or view .PIC (Apple Picture
format) files, at some point during the Setup process, the Quick Time
Installer will ask for your approval to delete ALL old versions of Quick Time
Movie files found on ALL your hard drive(s), which means it will also ERASE
the ones in your Windows BACKUP directory (including the one created by
BACKUP9X.BAT), IF you answer YES to that question. The FIX is to answer NO to
the question! Let it delete ONLY the files in your current (running) \WINDOWS
and \WINDOWS\SYSTEM folders.
To backup/restore ALL your Windows 95/98 folders/subfolders/files use the 2
batch files, both described (and included) here.
The first one is BACKUP9X.BAT.
What BACKUP9X basically does: copies ALL files + subfolders from your current
(running) Windows 95/98 folder to C:\BAK-WIN and your Boot files from your C:\
root folder to C:\BAK-DOS:
- MS-DOS 7.xx Boot files (if present): AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, MSDOS.SYS,
WINBOOT.INI, COMMAND.COM, IO.SYS + LOGO.SYS
- MS-DOS 6.xx Boot files (if present): AUTOEXEC.DOS, COMMAND.DOS, CONFIG.DOS,
IO.DOS + MSDOS.DOS
- Windows NT4/2000/XP Boot files (if present): NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI +
BOOTSECT.DOS.
Uninstall tools that use Shield Wizard Install features claim to remove all
traces of an installed program, usually through the "Add/Remove Programs"
function accessed through Control Panel, but in real life some of them leave
unnecessary (orphan) files scattered throughout your hard
drive(s)/partition(s), and/or "phantom"/invalid entries into your system
files: Registry (SYSTEM.DAT + USER.DAT), System.ini, Win.ini, Autoexec.bat,
Config.sys etc.
Some uninstallers will sometimes prompt you to manually remove some of the
files created by the install routines, but don't always count on that. :(
Some buggy (older) install programs will replace .386, .DLL, .VBX, .VXD, .DRV,
.EXE or/and other CRUCIAL Windows System files with their own (eventually
OLDER) versions, even if you already have the most recent versions installed!
The conclusion is that you won't be able to run your other programs that
require particular (eventually NEWER) versions of the replaced files after
such an installation!
This is valid mostly for older Windows programs, but I wouldn't count on that!
So BEWARE when you "unleash" a Setup/Install program to run "freely" on your
system!
I found out this recovery method from a buggy install works better and
painlessly. Give it a try.
Start by opening a Windows DOS box/session, and ONLY AFTER THAT run BACKUP9X.
Then setup/install your (trial) program, drivers, updates, etc, and if you are
not satisfied with them for any reason, or if you'd like to remove them
entirely from your system, exit Windows to the NATIVE/REAL MS-DOS mode, and
then run RESTOR9X from there, to REVERT back to your previous Windows
configuration, from before you installed the "buggy"
program/game/update/driver/patch/fix/etc.
The second BATch file is RESTOR9X.BAT.
What RESTOR9X basically does: copies the file MOVE.EXE from C:\Windows\Command
(default location) to C:\ root, then uses C:\MOVE.EXE to rename your current
Windows 9x folder to OLD-WIN, and replaces it with BAK-WIN (created by running
BACKUP9X), which is renamed back to your original Windows folder name (usually
C:\Windows) and then overwrites your MS-DOS 6.xx/7.xx + WinNT4/2000/XP (if
present) boot files (see above) from C:\ root with the ones from BAK-DOS
(created by running BACKUP9X).
The last step is to manually delete your (now obsolete) "trial" program's main
directory (and eventually subdirectories, if any) and files, which can be done
from Windows Explorer or File Manager (FM = C:\Windows\WINFILE.EXE) or by
running this command from any DOS prompt (generic example):
DELTREE /Y C:\PROGRAM
Replace the drive letter and folder name above with the real ones found on
your computer.
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED:
Open both these BATch files with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS to READ
ALL instructions on the ECHO lines BEFORE running them!
I hope you'll find this backup/restore method as useful as I did. :)
WATCH YOUR PROMPT
The (SET) PROMPT command can be typed at the DOS prompt, specified in
Autoexec.bat, and beginning with MS-DOS version 6.00, it can also be
mentioned in Config.sys (same as SET PATH, SET TEMP, SET TMP, and any other
SET lines).
Below are detailed two "bugs" I discovered in MS-DOS 6.00 and above, and
including MS-DOS 7.00, 7.10 and 8.00, bundled with Windows 95, 98 and ME
respectively, two issues that MS-DOS (ANY version) canNOT deal with on PROMPT
lines, or in Config.sys multiboot menus:
1. THE PROMPT BUG:
Don't use ANY equal signs ("=") ANYWHERE inside your PROMPT line!
If you do, MS-DOS will try to interpret ALL the characters after the "=" as a
command (or link to a command), will try to execute it, and you'll get this
error message:
"Syntax error"
Example of buggy "PROMPT" line that uses an equal sign (it's the second "=",
the first one is part of the prompt command line):
SET PROMPT=WINDOWS=My Computer$_$P$G
Same buggy "PROMPT" line example without the "SET" command and without the
"=" notation (which is not necessary, but it MUST be replaced with a space):
PROMPT WINDOWS=My Computer$_$P$G
NOTE: The "SET" prefix is not necessary in front of the "PATH" and "PROMPT"
commands, ONLY IF typed at the DOS prompt or included in your Autoexec.bat,
but it MUST be specified for all SET <STRING>=<VARIABLE> statements in your
Config.sys!
2. THE MULTIMENU BUG:
If you are using a multiconfiguration bootup menu in your CONFIG.SYS and
AUTOEXEC.BAT [like I do :)], which must have the menu names in square
parenthesis in your CONFIG.SYS {i.e. [MYMENU]}, and GOTO type of colon
preceded menus/labels (i.e. :MYMENU) in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, then DO NOT USE
THE SAME WORDS FOR YOUR MENU NAMES AS THE FIRST WORDS ON YOUR PROMPT LINES!
If you do, you'll see another error message:
"Label not found"
Example of generic multiconfiguration menus in Config.sys using matching
words for menus, using Autoexec.bat matching prompts and also using equal
signs inside the PROMPT lines, to demonstrate both the PROMPT and the
MULTIMENU bugs:
* BUGgy Config.sys:
SWITCHES=/F
[COMMON]
DEVICE=C:\path\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
DOS=HIGH,UMB
[MENU]
MENUITEM=WINDOWS,Boot to Windows <- MULTIMENU BUG: WINDOWS
MENUITEM=DOS,Boot to Dos <- MULTIMENU BUG: DOS
[WINDOWS] <- MULTIMENU BUG: [WINDOWS]
DEVICEHIGH=C:\path\IFSHLP.SYS
SET CONFIG=WINDOWS <- MULTIMENU BUG: WINDOWS
[DOS] <- MULTIMENU BUG: [DOS]
DEVICE=C:\path\EMM386.EXE RAM AUTO
DEVICEHIGH=C:\path\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:MYCDROM
SET CONFIG=DOS <- MULTIMENU BUG: DOS
* ... And corresponding (BUGgy) Autoexec.bat:
@ECHO OFF
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\STUFF;etc...
GOTO %CONFIG%
:WINDOWS <- MULTIMENU BUG: :WINDOWS
SET PROMPT=WINDOWS=My Computer$_$P$G <- PROMPT + MULTIMENU BUGS: WINDOWS=
WIN %1
GOTO END
:DOS <- MULTIMENU BUG: :DOS
LH C:\path\MSCDEX /D:MYCDROM /M:16 /E
LH SMARTDRV 4096 16 A+ B- C+ D /N
SET MOUSE=C:\path
LH C:\path\MOUSE
SET PROMPT=DOS=My Computer$_$P$G <- PROMPT + MULTIMENU BUGS: DOS=
:END
SET WINPMT=Type EXIT & hit Enter 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
That's it.
Gee, it took me a while to figure out why I was getting weird error messages
at bootup...
LOAD/RUN
I discovered the following to be limitation in Windows/WfWG 3.1x. Could also
very well be a limitation in Windows 95/98/ME. Till proven otherwise, I'll
keep this as a Windows 9x/ME/3.1x BUG, and this topic as its FIX.
Here we go:
1. If the "load=" line in your WIN.INI's [windows] section exceeds 128
characters (the Windows programs/TSRs that load at startup), the executables
listed there beyond the 128 character limit WON'T BE PROCESSED by Windows.
It's just another Windows limitation. To have such programs load anyway, you
can load them from the "run=" line, found in the same section of your WIN.INI,
located in your Windows directory.
Example of "load=" line longer than 128 characters (consecutive programs MUST
be separated by a space) in Win.ini:
[windows]
load=c:\windoz\wintsr c:\winstuff\stufftsr c:\virus\virustsr c:\scan\scantsr c:\programs\progtsr c:\blahblah\blahtsr c:\whatever\whattsr
It is not necessary to specify the extension if that particular file is
recognized by Windows as an executable (.386, .DLL, .DRV, .EXE, .VXD etc).
Windows will load only the first 5 programs in the above example because the
last 2 are beyond Windows' capacity of recognizing lines longer than 128
characters.
But if you put the last 2 programs in this example on the "run=" line, they
will be processed, but ONLY AFTER Windows processes ALL executables on the
"load=" line:
[windows]
load=c:\windoz\wintsr c:\winstuff\stufftsr c:\virus\virustsr c:\scan\scantsr c:\programs\progtsr
run=c:\blahblah\blahtsr c:\whatever\whattsr
2. Another solution is to load/run your Windows startup programs from the
Startup group (which sometimes gets too cluttered for my taste).
Edit Win.ini with Notepad or Sysedit in Windows or with EDIT.COM in DOS.
3. A third solution (my favorite) to load/run executables or/and runtime
libraries (DLLs) under Win95/98, is to edit your Registry (using the
Registry editor, Regedit.exe, found in your Windows 9x folder). With Regedit
open, scroll down to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and look in the right hand pane. You'll see a list of programs there.
You can add/modify/delete them at your will (with CAUTION though).
To add an item to the list, highlight Run (left hand pane) and right-click
in the same pane. Select New, String Value. Name it something similar (or
identical) to the program name you want to add, and then right-click on it.
Select Modify, and now type the full path, file name and extension for your
program. Click OK. Done.
Restart Windows when you're done, so the changes can take effect.
And don't forget to BACKUP YOUR ORIGINAL FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
AUTOMATIC ZIP
This tip applies ONLY to MS-DOS command line afficionados! ;)
You could perform these backup chores [manually :(] by using one of the
free(ware) "WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP FILE SHRINKERS" in SOFTWARE.TXT
(included), but here's the "easy" way: [:)]
I included here two DOS style BATch files: ZIPHARD.BAT + ZIPFLOP.BAT. They are
designed to automate the task of backing up files, and compressing them the
same time, to save disk space. These batch files use PKZIP.EXE, part of
PKWare PKZIP + PKUNZIP v2.50 [202 KB, no nag shareware], THE essential DOS
ZIPping/unZIPping tools, Long File Names (LFNs) compliant ONLY in a Windows
95/98/ME DOS box:
ftp://ftp.pkware.com/PK250DOS.EXE
Install the PKWare files in an easy to remember directory (i.e. C:\ZIP), and
then add it to your path line (generic example):
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\STUFF;C:\ZIP;etc...
by editing your CONFIG.SYS (MS-DOS 6.00 or newer ONLY!) or AUTOEXEC.BAT file
(both located in C:\ root) with Notepad/Sysedit in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
Reboot when done.
For convenience place the 2 batch files mentioned above into the same
directory where PKZIP.EXE resides (C:\ZIP in this example).
Now you're ready to roll...
To zip up (compress) all files in a given directory (and all its
subdirectories for that matter) on your hard disk, run ZIPHARD from a DOS
prompt window, by creating a PIF for it (in Windows), or straight from the
plain (native) DOS command line, outside Windows.
All you have to do is type the name of the zip file (without extension, up to
eight characters), and you'll also have to type the name of the directory that
contains the files you want to zip up, all after the batch file name, leaving
a space between parameters.
That's it. If your zipped directory has subdirectories, the batch will take
care of that too, zipping all subdirectories and the files contained in them
(recursing all subdirectories).
To zip the files from a directory on your hard disk onto a floppy disk (the
default is A:), run ZIPFLOP from a DOS prompt (included). Just make sure to
mention the zip name (again, without extension), and the name of the directory
(subdirectory) where the files you want to compress reside.
ZIPFLOP is designed to make a single zip file which will be placed on multiple
floppies (spanned), if necessary, so make sure you have enough floppy disks
handy, to swap the floppies when prompted by PKZIP's routine!
Example of using ZIPHARD (same principle applies to ZIPFLOP):
ZIPHARD MYBACKUP MYDOCS
to zip all files in your \MYDOCS directory (and subdirectories, if any). The
zip file (MYBACKUP.ZIP) created by running this command line, is located in
the newly created \ZIPTEMP directory, on the same hard drive.
IMPORTANT: The zip filename has to be identical with your wanna-be compressed
directory name on your hard disk!
Make sure to change the drive letters (edit these BAT files with Notepad in
Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS) if different on your system: I presumed C is your
hard drive and A is your 3.5 inch (bootable) floppy. Change if necessary.
FIND FAST [+]
To find ANY file location (full path: drive letter + directory name) fast, in
ANY DOS mode, when you know its file name, or at least some of its file name
and/or file extension characters, I have created a small DOS style BATch file
called FIND!.BAT (included).
FIND!.BAT works ONLY with MS-DOS 6.xx, Windows 95/98/ME [a.k.a. MS-DOS
7.00/7.10/8.00] and Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 [no real DOS mode here :(], but
NOT with ANY MS-DOS release earlier than 6.00, because Microsoft added the
"/S" command line switch to the "DIR" command ONLY in MS-DOS 6.00 and newer,
making possible to search for files/directories an ENTIRE drive/partition by
using "DIR", ONLY IF the search starts in the root directory (X:\ = X
represents the drive/partition letter).
The only difference is that Windows 95/98/ME version of "DIR" adds the "/V"
(extended View) switch, NOT available in MS-DOS 6.xx or Windows
NT/2000/XP/2003.
To use it, simply type this command from any DOS prompt:
FIND! FILENAME.EXT
and then press Enter.
Here "FILENAME" is the name of the file you want displayed, and "EXT" is the
file extension in MS-DOS 8.3 Short File Names (SFNs) standard.
Don't type the quotes though. :)
You can also find files with Long File Names (LFNs) if using Windows 95, 98 or
ME, if you type a tilde ("~") after the first 6 characters in the file name,
which converts a LFN into its correspondent SFN. Example:
FIND! PROGRA~1.EXE
To locate multiple files, use typical DOS "wildcards" ("*" or "?").
This example:
FIND! *.TXT
locates ALL .TXT (text) files on your current (selected) drive/partition.
If your "SET PROMPT=" line contains the default string "$P$G", displayed by
running the SET command from any DOS prompt:
SET
then you can see your current (selected) drive/partition letter by simply
looking at your DOS prompt (drive C shown in this example):
C:\>
If you have more than 1 hard drive/partition, change to your other
drive/partition letter(s) by running (example):
D:
each followed by your particular FIND! command.
Another example: to locate all files beginning with letter "A" on your current
drive/partition, run:
FIND! A*.*
FIND!.BAT uses the "DIR" (stands for "DIRectory") internal MS-DOS command,
built into COMMAND.COM (the default MS-DOS command interpreter which loads in
memory upon bootup).
If your search report is longer than the standard DOS screen (80 lines by 25
columns), listing too many files to be displayed on a single screen, the BATch
file stops at the end of each page [due to the use of the "/P" (Page) switch
for the "DIR" command], and you need to press a key to continue to the next.
To see all available command line parameters for DIR, run:
DIR /?
from any DOS prompt.
FAST, FAST, FAST
For those of you who own a 28,800 (or faster) bps analog modem connected to a
fast 16550AF/16550AN UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) on
your system, there is a way to maximize your UART internal transfer speed.
There are actually 2 methods to achieve this:
1. One is to right-click on the "My Computer" icon -> then left-click on
Properties -> choose Device Manager -> Ports -> click the "Serial
Communications port" you want to set (the one that your modem is connected
to) -> select the Properties tab for that particular port -> in the "Port
Settings" screen, change the number to show 921600 bps (bits per second) ->
click OK to save your settings -> and you're on!
2. The other method is to open your WIN.INI file (located in your Windows
directory) with Notepad. Scroll down to the [Ports] section. There you'll
find the COM1:, COM2:, COM3: and COM4: lines, each followed by an equal sign,
and by some numbers and letters. Replace those lines with these:
COM1:=921600,n,8,1,p
COM2:=921600,n,8,1,p
COM3:=921600,n,8,1,p
COM4:=921600,n,8,1,p
MEANING:
- COMx: = physical COMmunications port number: x = 1 - 4 on most PCs.
- 921600 = internal COMmunications port speed measured in bits per second
[bps]. Maximum is 921600, depending on the UART type and speed. Default is
9600 bps.
- n = parity bit: n = none (default is e = even).
- 8 = data bits: 8 (maximum 8, default is 7).
- 1 = stop bits: 1 (maximum 2, default is 2).
- p = hardware shaking (default is x = software shaking).
Save your file and then restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
Or if you like, you can set this way only the COM port that has your
modem/fax card connected to (that's the one that is going to take advantage
of this speed improvement anyway). If you have a serial mouse connected to a
COM port, you may want to leave that COM port settings unchanged, since the
mouse baud rate is limited to 1200-2400 (and only in rare cases goes up to
9600 bps).
From now on, you will experience faster transfers when using your ISP (TCP/IP
protocol), Online Service (i.e. AOL), and all your Communications, Internet
and Fax applications/games.
TIPS:
- Check out this web page for more details on different UARTs used in computer
motherboards, and to download the modem driver patcher specific to your
system:
http://www.devdrv.com/shsmod/
- Read "RELEASE MY MODEM!" and "SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS" both in MYTIPS95.TXT (this
file), for more COMmunication ports settings.
SOUNDS FROM THE PAST(E)
For dual-boot users like me (that still run a copy of Win31 from time to
time), there is a way to have Win95 "import" the same sound events you got
used to in your old Win31. Just copy the entire [Sounds] section from Win31's
WIN.INI file (located in your Windows directory), and then paste it over the
[Sounds] section into your Win95's Win.ini file (found of course in your
Windows 95 folder). Next time you'll start Win95, you'll hear the familiar
sounds you were listening to in your Win31 days.
AND DON'T FORGET TO BACKUP YOUR FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
NOTE: Windows 95 deletes all lines under the [Sounds] section from Win.ini
every time upon loading, and keeps only this line:
[Sounds]
SystemDefault=,
no matter what sounds lines you've previously pasted there.
16-BIT VIDEO FIX [+]
I have purchased the excellent software tool WinProbe 95 [discontinued :(]
from the folks at Quarterdeck (makers of the famous QEMM memory manager), now
owned by Symantec. Among other features WinProbe 95 has a CD-ROM and Video for
Windows (VfW) AVI format testing benchmark utility.
But when I tried to play one of the AVI files from the WinProbe 95 CD-ROM I
got garble on the screen, and an error message telling me that:
"Video unable to play, YUV9 driver not installed" [?]
Can you believe that?!
I DO have ALL the components of MS Video for Windows 32-bit installed on my
Win95B OSR 2.1 system {look at the [drivers32] and [drivers] sections of your
System.ini to see if you do too}, task that was completed successfully when I
installed Win95 on my computer. But that stubborn AVI file refused to play,
and WAS supposed to play the AVI files with the default Windows 95 multimedia
video drivers installed. :(
Well it didn't, but I found a way... read "workaround". :)
I'm still running the old Windows for WorkGroups 3.11 + MS-DOS 6.22 in a
dual-boot setup, [my luck! :)] so I copied and pasted the lines below from my
WfWG 3.11 System.ini [drivers] section (my copy of WfWG resides in C:\WG)
under the [drivers] section of my OSR2 System.ini file, located in the
Windows 95 folder. Therefore my entire [drivers] section of my Win95
System.ini looks like this now:
[drivers]
wavemapper=*.drv
MSACM.imaadpcm=*.acm
MSACM.msadpcm=*.acm
wave=mmsystem.dll
midi=mmsystem.dll
VIDC.mvi1=mvicodec.dll
VIDC.mvi2=mvicodec.dll
; VfW 1.1e 16-bit AVI support [next 3 lines]:
VIDC.YVU9=C:\WG\SYSTEM\ir21_r.dll
VIDC.RT21=C:\WG\SYSTEM\ir21_r.dll
VIDC.IV30=C:\WG\SYSTEM\ir32.dll
The line preceded by a semicolon (;) is only a comment.
The video drivers listed under the "; VfW 1.1e 16-bit AVI support..." line are
imported from the Win31 SYSTEM.INI [drivers] section, and the files themselves
reside in C:\WG\SYSTEM.
You NEED Microsoft Video for Windows (VfW) 1.1e 16-bit Runtime Drivers/Codecs
installed in your Windows/WfWG 3.1x \SYSTEM subdirectory to make this fix
work.
I actually needed only this line:
VIDC.RT21=C:\WG\SYSTEM\ir21_r.dll
to be able to play that particular AVI file, but I don't want any more
possible video driver incompatibilities/error messages in the future, so I
didn't take any chances, and added those other VfW 1.1e lines to my Win95
System.ini [drivers] section.
BEWARE that when you install a new 32-bit video driver in Windows 95/98, i.e.
Microsoft Media Player2 v6.4 for Win9x/NT4 [3.5 MB, free]:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/
some of these lines might be DELETED and/or REPLACED, so BACKUP your
SYSTEM.INI FIRST!
If you don't have an older 16-bit version of Windows/WfWG 3.1x running on your
system, you can still benefit from this fix. Just use the Windows Explorer
Copy + Paste functions to copy your entire Win95 folders, subfolders and files
to the same hard drive, but to a different folder, and name it something like
WIN95 (if your original Win95 folder name is WINDOWS), and then modify these
MSDOS.SYS lines, found under its [Paths] section, to read (default Win95
installation example is shown here):
[Paths]
; WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
; WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinDir=C:\WIN95
WinBootDir=C:\WIN95
HostWinBootDrv=C
The old (default) Win95 folder lines are REMarked here with semicolons (;).
Msdos.sys is a hidden, read-only, system file located in the root folder of
your boot drive (C:\). You can edit it with a single double-click using the
SYS95.BAT file (included), no need to "strip" it of its attributes to be able
to modify it.
You also need to copy + paste (or add if not present) a new PATH line in your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file (also found in C:\ root), to show your new Win95 folder
location (C:\WIN95 in this example):
SET PATH=C:\WIN95;C:\WIN95\COMMAND;etc...
Also place a REM (REMark) switch in front of your original Autoexec.bat PATH
line, if you had one (this is the default, but it might be different on your
system, if you installed Win95 in a folder other than C:\WINDOWS):
REM PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;etc...
Save your work and reboot when ready.
Then get a copy of Microsoft Video for Windows (VfW) extensions v1.1e for
Windows/WfWG 3.1x [1.4 MB, free]:
http://www.cnunix.com/ftp/win3/WFW311/WV1160.EXE
The next step is to load Win95 from its new location, C:\WIN95 in this case,
ignoring the eventual error messages at startup due to renaming the Windows
folder (everything is OK, you'll rename it back again when done anyway).
Now open Windows Explorer and highlight the folder that contains your VfW
1.1e executable, assuming you've already downloaded it to your hard disk. :)
WV1160.EXE will decompress (it's a self extracting ZIP executable) to copy
the VfW installation files in the current folder. Then double-click on
SETUP.EXE, which will start installing VfW on your system. You may need to
use an Uninstaller/CleanSweap type of utility to monitor all the changes
made to your system during VfW Setup, and find out EXACTLY the NAMES of the
installed files, and WHERE they are located, C:\Win95\System in this case.
Now edit your Autoexec.bat file again, and reenable your old PATH line, by
removing the REM switch in front of it, and delete the new PATH line, the
one pointing to C:\WIN95.
You also need to change Msdos.sys back to the original, the same way, using
SYS95.BAT included with these files.
Then you can move ALL VfW 1.1e files to a new folder you can create, let's
say C:\WINDOWS\VFW, and edit your Win95 System.ini, to include these lines
under the [drivers] section:
[drivers]
; VfW 1.1e 16-bit AVI support [next 3 lines]:
VIDC.YVU9=C:\WINDOWS\VFW\ir21_r.dll
VIDC.RT21=C:\WINDOWS\VFW\ir21_r.dll
VIDC.IV30=C:\WINDOWS\VFW\ir32.dll
Reboot again to the native/true MS-DOS mode, by selecting the "Command
prompt only" option from the Win95/98 Start Menu (press F8 at the beginning
of the boot sequence to bring up the Start Menu).
HINT: To learn how the Windows 95/98 Start Menu looks and works, go to:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
Now exit Windows to the native MS-DOS prompt and safely remove the C:\WIN95
folder and all its contents (files and subfolders), by running:
DELTREE/Y C:\WIN95
Reboot your system once again, and load Win95 from C:\Windows. [Business as
usual... :)]
Looks like a long and winding road, but you might need the VfW 1.1e 16-bit
drivers one [dark cloudy :(] day to play a weird AVI file, like I did.
So now I CAN PLAY that darn AVI file (even full screen!) under Win95. YES!
FYI: See this IR21 Video page for another fix:
http://members.aol.com/slavtrainr/STsPage.html
RIGHT-CLICK ANYWHERE [+]
I bet you've heard of this one before, but here it is anyway... ;)
I have discovered some time ago that if you right-click on any command line
in any dialog box, you are presented with a Windows 9x/ME standard
"Undo/Cut/Copy/Paste/Delete/Select All" drop-down menu, and you can do any
or all of these operations on ANY open window that has the command line box
available. Most of them are available even in some of your Password dialog
boxes... Talk about MS Windows security! :(
BTW: The standard keyboard "combos" work here too:
- Ctrl + C = Copy
- Ctrl + V = Paste
- Ctrl + X = Cut
Example: I found this pretty useful when I want to paste a web address (URL)
from Netscape into Internet Explorer, or the other way around.
You can even paste your password this way into the Dial-Up Networking (DUN)
applet box to connect to the Internet, that is if you are using an ISP that
supports the DUN (TCP/IP) features under Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2 (this may NOT
work if using Windows 98 or ME though).
Cut & Paste away... ;)
WRONG PATH
BUG:
If you try to start an installation/setup program that installs a new
application/program on your Windows 9x system from a temporary folder that is
listed in your path (your PATH line is found in your Autoexec.bat file, in the
root directory of your boot drive, C:\ by default), it may end up
hanging/locking up your machine!
This BUG is valid for some older (read "poorly written") 32-bit and some BUGgy
16-bit Windows 3.xx programs that you might attempt to install under the
Windows 9x environment, and the Setup included with that particular program
uses an older routine, that requires the presence of all installation files in
a directory/folder NOT listed in your PATH.
SOLUTION:
To avoid this BUG, run any Windows Setup/Install program from a
(sub)directory/(sub)folder not listed on your PATH line, to ensure a "smooth"
installation. Also check your Autoexec.bat file for the contents of your PATH
or SET PATH lines.
You can edit Autoexec.bat with Notepad in Windows, or EDIT.COM in DOS, BUT
BACKUP your ORIGINAL file FIRST!
If you modify your Autoexec.bat, you'll need to reboot for the changes to take
effect, or create a batch file to include your PATH statement, and run it from
the native/true/real MS-DOS mode, OUTSIDE the Windows GUI, similar to booting
with the "Command prompt only" option from the Windows 9x Startup Menu.
TIP:
Read "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" and "2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS", both in
MYTIPS95.TXT (this file), to learn how to boot to native MS-DOS mode the easy
way.
HINT:
To see the Windows 9x Start Menu at work, go to:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
:: OR REM?
You can use the "::" (double colon) symbols, instead of using the well known
"REM" command in your Autoexec.bat file, to "remark" or disable the lines
you want. By using "::" (use no quotes), the MS-DOS bootup sequence skips
those lines all together, and does NOT process them, as it would if using
"REM", thus saving a few precious milliseconds (depending on your CPU speed)
at bootup. This command can be used in ANY DOS batch (.BAT) file. Example:
:: LH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE /1
This line is completely ignored by MS-DOS at bootup, and doesn't load your
MS-DOS mode mouse driver.
NOTE: The double colon remark notation canNOT be used in Config.sys. But you
can replace the standard Config.sys REM command with a semicolon (;) for same
effect.
DOS NOW! [UPDATED 2-25-1998] [+]
I found a fool-proof way to go to the real/true/native MS-DOS mode when you
click the Start button, then choose Shut Down, and select the default: "Shut
down the computer" in Windows 95/98.
No more nagging "Waiting to shut down" or "It's safe to turn off..." screens
either.
... And you can also boot directly to the native MS-DOS mode if you like. :)
To achieve this, you need to perform these 5 easy steps:
1. Move the LOGOW.SYS + LOGOS.SYS files [just Windows bitmaps with a different
extension :)] from your Windows folder (default is C:\Windows) to a backup
disk, eventually together with these other files listed below.
2. Move to an empty, formatted 1.44 MB floppy diskette all the following files
(you may not have all of them depending on your Win9x setup), located in the
root folder of your boot drive (C:\ is default):
File Name: Attributes:
---------------------------
BOOTLOG.PRV Hidden
BOOTLOG.OLD Hidden
BOOTLOG.TXT Hidden
DETLOG.OLD Hidden, System
DETLOG.PRV Hidden, System
DETLOG.TXT Hidden, System
MSDOS.--- Hidden
NETLOG.TXT Archive
OEMLOG.TXT Hidden
SCANDISK.LOG Archive
SETUPLOG.TXT Hidden
SUHDLOG.DAT Read-only, Hidden
SYSTEM.1ST Read-only, Hidden, System
W95UNDO.DAT Read-only, System
W95UNDO.INI Read-only, System
NONE of the files above are needed for Windows 95/98 proper operation! They
were created when you first installed Win95/98 and further updated when you
have made certain changes to your system configuration, or were created when
your Win95/98 system loaded/shut down improperly.
The only useful file (that I know of) on this list is SYSTEM.1ST, good to
restore your original Registry, in case of a sudden disaster (system lockup,
file corruption etc), when you're caught off guard, with no recent backups of
your Win9x Registry files.
See "RESTORE DAMAGED REGISTRY" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more details.
Just keep that floppy handy...
The easiest way to move all these files is by running File Manager (FM =
C:\Windows\Winfile.exe). But you can also do this in Windows Explorer.
If you use File Manager: make sure you can view ALL files in File Manager
(including Hidden, Read-only AND System files): left-click View, By File
Type..., and then check the "Show Hidden/System Files" box.
In File Manager highlight all the above C:\ root files by holding down Ctrl
and then left-clicking on each one of them. Now drag all highlighted files to
the A: drive icon, while holding down Alt (to move them instead of just
copying).
Release the left mouse button and then answer Yes to all those confirmation
screens. [nag... nag... :)]
3. Add/modify the SHELL line in your Config.sys file (located in C:\ root), to
look similar to this one:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1536 /L:128 /U:128 /P
Make sure you have a copy of COMMAND.COM in the root folder of your C:\ boot
drive, to make the line above work properly. You can usually find COMMAND.COM
in the C:\Windows and C:\Windows\Command folders.
Now reboot, so the new Command environment can take "charge".
4. Edit your MSDOS.SYS file (found in C:\ root) by using SYS95.BAT (included),
and add/modify this [Options] section line to read:
BootGUI=0
Save your work and exit the text editor.
This setting prevents the Windows GUI from loading, and you'll find yourself
at the plain DOS prompt after a (re)boot.
5. Now close all applications, click Start, click Shut Down, and answer Yes/OK
to the "Shut down the computer" selection. You'll find yourself at the plain
DOS prompt, to do whatever you want: type those cryptic DOS commands, or play
your coolest 3D SuperVGA DOS game [:-)] that won't run under the Win95/98
GUI... sounds familiar?!... instead of having to power off your PC, or reboot
again [what a pain... :(] into MS-DOS mode.
When you're done "playing" at [or with :)] DOS, just type WIN and press Enter
to reload the Windows GUI. No need for another reboot to get back to, or out
of Windows from now on.
That's it. Enjoy the DOS ride!
FYI:
- See "WIN98 ATX SHUT DOWN FIX" in TIPS98.TXT (included), if you own an ATX
motherboard and Windows 98 or 98 SE, to learn about an alternative "exit to
native MS-DOS" method.
- See "2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more native MS-DOS
tweaks.
- See the "Description of Windows Files Located in the Root Folder" MSKB
article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=151667
ORDER, PLEASE!
Below I have tried to list the detailed correlation between Config.sys and
Autoexec.bat command lines, the order in which devices (drivers, TSRs) load
in memory (conventional, upper, high, extended, expanded), and the
Win95/98/ME OS bootup sequence.
The order of loading devices into memory (RAM) is the order in which they are
loaded at boot time, depending on the availability of DOS UMBs (Upper Memory
Blocks), and on the mapping of all installed RAM above the first Meg
(MegaByte) as extended and/or expanded memory. This is provided by the
extended memory manager (Microsoft's HIMEM.SYS with or without the "help" of
EMM386.EXE), and depends on the amount of the largest contiguous upper RAM
region, available for drivers, known as UMBs (UMBs apply only to the Upper
Memory Area = UMA, and ONLY if an expanded/extended memory manager is loaded,
like EMM386.EXE, using the proper parameters to enable UMA and/or expanded
memory).
Each device driver (TSR = Terminate and Stay Resident) must find a "comfy"
(read contiguous, large enough) place to load in memory (its initial loading
size is usually larger than its final size).
Some Win9x/ME vital (essential) devices load first, independent of size, and
all the others follow, as the Windows 9x/ME OS boot routine (the MS-DOS part)
searches for what to load first when the computer boots up.
The drivers that load from Config.sys come ALWAYS before the ones from
Autoexec.bat. The OS processes these two startup files in this specific
order: Config.sys first, Autoexec.bat last.
The order of loading devices/drivers/TSRs from the startup files during
MS-DOS 7.xx bootup sequence:
First, Win9x/ME OS startup routine looks for IO.SYS and then for MSDOS.SYS in
the root directory of the boot drive (default is C:\). These are
hidden/system files. The OS gets the information about the directories where
the Bootup/System/Registry files are located by reading the [Paths]
section of MSDOS.SYS.
NOTE: For MSDOS.SYS complete parameters details read "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS
REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
A. Win95/98/ME System/Configuration files in C:\ root (default):
- MSDOS.SYS Load MS-DOS/Win9x/ME Operating System defaults.
- IO.SYS Load Operating System I/O defaults.
- COMMAND.COM MS-DOS/Win9x/ME command line interpreter.
- CONFIG.SYS Not necessary for proper operation.
- AUTOEXEC.BAT Not necessary for proper operation.
- WINBOOT.INI Not necessary for proper operation (only present during
Win9x/ME Setup, erased at the and of a successful setup).
Temporary installation file, the equivalent of Msdos.sys.
- WINSTART.BAT Not necessary for proper operation (only present during
Win9x/ME Setup, erased at the and of a successful setup).
Temporary installation file.
- MSDOS.DOS Previous MS-DOS 6.xx system file (if any).
- IO.DOS Previous MS-DOS 6.xx system file (if any).
- COMMAND.DOS Previous MS-DOS 6.xx system file (if any).
- CONFIG.DOS Previous MS-DOS 6.xx configuration file (if any).
- AUTOEXEC.DOS Previous MS-DOS 6.xx configuration file (if any).
NOTES:
1. All .DOS extension files above belong to the previous MS-DOS 6.xx version
and are present ONLY on Win95/98/ME AND MS-DOS 6.xx dual-boot systems!
2. Windows 98/ME's IO.SYS is renamed to JO.SYS (Windows 95/OSR2 renames its
IO.SYS to WINBOOT.SYS), if you are booting to an older MS-DOS version (6.xx),
in a dual-boot environment, provided by Win95/98's Startup Menu, option 8 (on
networked or TCP/IP enabled systems): "Previous version of MS-DOS".
Read "DUAL BOOT" further above, and "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" in OSR2TIPS.TXT
(included), to learn how to PROPERLY dual-boot with your version of Windows
95/OSR1 or OSR2/98/ME!
B. Windows 95/98/ME Registry files in the Windows folder (default C:\Windows):
- SYSTEM.DAT Win9x/ME Registry data file: read-only, hidden
- USER.DAT Win9x/ME Registry data file: read-only, hidden
- SYSTEM.DA0 Win95/OSR2 Registry backup: read-only, hidden
- USER.DA0 Win95/OSR2 Registry backup: read-only, hidden.
1. IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS (mandatory, processed before the startup files);
2. HIMEM.SYS (or a 3rd party memory manager that can provide extended memory
mapping, like: Quarterdeck QEMM386, Helix NetRoom RM386, 386MAX etc,
mandatory for the Windows 9x/ME GUI to load);
3. SYSTEM/MSDOS module (mandatory, loads part in upper memory if available,
part in conventional memory);
4. DOS=HIGH,UMB (if present in Config.sys, otherwise defaults to the DOS
presets: DOS=LOW,NOUMB if HIMEM.SYS is not present in memory);
5. BUFFERS, FCBS, FILES, LASTDRIVE, STACKS (if present in Config.sys,
otherwise default to DOS presets: BUFFERS=30; FCBS=4,0; FILES=40; LASTDRIVE=Z;
STACKS=9,256);
6. EMM386.EXE (or similar 3rd party expanded/extended memory manager, if any);
7. DRVSPACE.SYS (loads Drvspace.bin, which is mandatory, IF using MS
Win9x/ME's disk compression tool, DrvSpace 3.xx);
8. IFSHLP.SYS (mandatory for Windows 9x/ME 32-bit disk access compatibility
with MS-DOS mode);
9. All other DEVICEHIGH and DEVICE lines in Config.sys (if any);
10. All INSTALL and then INSTALLHIGH lines in Config.sys (if any);
11. The SHELL line in Config.sys (if any);
12. The SET COMSPEC command/line (mandatory, loads as a preset if the SHELL
line is not found). The bootup routine looks for COMMAND.COM in:
C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND and in C:\ root (if C:\WINDOWS is your Win9x/ME
folder, set in MSDOS.SYS). If not found, the boot sequence stops, prompting
the user for action, making necessary to manually type in the location (path)
of Command.com (the MS-DOS command line interpreter);
13. All other SET lines in Config.sys (if any);
14. SETVER.EXE (if found in its default directory, C:\WINDOWS);
15. All LOADHIGH (LH abbreviated), all SET and all other loading lines in
Autoexec.bat.
Autoexec.bat lines are processed in the order in which they are listed.
Some programs (like MS Windows) and some drivers (like SMARTDRV) need an
extended memory driver (like HIMEM.SYS) enabled in order to load properly
and access the provided extended memory (which is usually set to the maximum
of installed RAM on the respective system). Each extended memory device
driver has its own limits to the amount of memory it can provide to the
system (HIMEM.SYS v3.9x can enable up to 4 GB of extended RAM = SXMS).
If HIMEM.SYS or another extended/expanded memory manager is not present,
Windows (or/and SMARTDRV) display an error message and abort their loading
sequence.
Most other drivers load low (in conventional memory) if an extended LIM
(Lotus/Intel/Microsoft specifications) compatible memory manager is not
detected.
Windows 9x/ME (MS-DOS 7.xx/8.00 actually), loads HIMEM.SYS, IFSHLP.SYS,
SETVER.EXE and DRVSPACE.SYS (if disk compression is detected) even if they
are not present in your Config.sys, BUT it needs to find them in their
default locations, specified in Win9x/ME's Registry files AND in the [Paths]
section of your MSDOS.SYS.
Also if you have a SCSI, an older ESDI/IDE/ATA, or a large FAT32/FAT32X
(over 8 GB) hard disk, MS-DOS 7.xx/8.00 (COMMAND.COM) tries to load
DBLBUFF.SYS, the double-buffering device driver, to allow proper operation
under the SCSI/ESDI/ATA/FAT32/FAT32X standards. This is possible only if
you kept the file DBLBUFF.SYS in your Windows folder.
NOTE: For more double-buffering details, read the topics listed below, also
included here:
- "DOUBLE BUFFER" in MYTIPS95.TXT [Win95 and 98 users], and
- "WIN98 PHANTOM DRIVE BUG" in TIPS98.TXT [Win98 users].
If you use any real DOS mode programs, you may want to load all Config.sys
drivers with the DEVICEHIGH command, to gain more conventional memory (but
make sure you have an expanded/extended memory manager loaded, like
Microsoft's EMM386.EXE, to make this possible).
The only drivers that can ONLY load low (in conventional memory) are the
memory managers themselves (HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE, or similar 3rd party,
like QEMM, RM386, 386MAX etc), so their only choice is the DEVICE command
line in Config.sys.
The Autoexec.bat command counterpart for loading TSRs in upper memory (RAM)
is LOADHIGH (which can be abbreviated to LH).
FYI:
- See MEMORY.TXT (included) for guidelines on how to MAXimize your MS-DOS
memory resources under Windows 95/98/ME.
- MSKB: "Description of the Windows 95 Startup Process":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=174018
- MS TechNet: "Understanding the Windows 95 Boot Sequence":
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/win95/w9p9744.asp
GIMME BACK MY SYSTEM!
There is a folder(directory) under your Windows main folder, called SYSBCKUP.
It holds a backup copy of all vital system files that were modified when you
installed a Win95/98 driver or system upgrade. Actually the Sysbckup folder
holds the previous versions of your upgraded files, the ones you had in your
\Windows\System folder before the upgrade. This is a default Win95/98 safety
backup mechanism, to eventually recover those older system files if the
system becomes corrupted due to a buggy installation (and I've seen that
happening so many times, I don't even remember).
The purpose of this trick is to replace those older files with their new
versions you now have in your \Windows\System folder, as current. So track
down the \Windows\Sysbckup folder files, one at a time, and compare their
version with the same filenames in Windows\System. If the duplicates in
\Windows\Sysbckup are of an older version, then exit Windows to the
native/real MS-DOS mode, and replace those files with the newer copies found
in \Windows\System. Then restart Windows. The first few times from now on,
when you'll try to install new software that accesses the system drivers,
you'll see prompt error messages stating that the xxxxxxxx.yyy file was
replaced with an older version. IGNORE those messages, answer OK to the
prompt screens, and continue with your installation (this usually happens
when Win95/98 has to be restarted for the post-install changes to take
effect).
Don't panic, everything is really OK, it's just that Win95/98 doesn't find
the older versions of those files in \Windows\Sysbckup anymore, and
immediately issues a warning screen. Once you hit the OK button, everything
goes back to normal. But now, in the eventuality that a weird (buggy)
program tries to corrupt your system, Win95/98 will promptly copy those
system files back to \Windows\System, and you'll benefit from having the
new versions already installed, not needing to go through the pain of
finding that (driver) installation cd/floppy and reinstall it all over
again. I found this trick to be a real time saver.
WARNING: Before doing this BACKUP YOUR ENTIRE WINDOWS 95/98 SYSTEM ! And
don't blame me if you don't have a backup copy to restore Windows from,
'cause I told ya: BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP (and then BACKUP some more)!
GOOD OL' UNDELETE [+]
This tip applies to both Windows 95/98/ME AND MS-DOS 6.xx users who take
advantage of the Win9x/ME dual-boot feature, and also kept a copy of MS-DOS
6.xx and eventually Windows/WfWG 3.xx.
NOTES:
- To properly enable the dual-boot feature built into Win95/OSR1 OS, see "DUAL
BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)!
- To properly enable the dual-boot feature built into Win98/OSR2 OS, see
"DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" in OSR2TIPS.TXT (included)!
- *MUST READ*: "LOCK IT UP!" in TIPS95.TXT (included) for more details on
PROPERLY using UNDELETE.EXE with Win9x/ME OS!
If you use File Manager in Windows to take care of your routine file chores or
start programs [like I do, an old Win31 habit :)], you can recover files (even
entire directories/folders) accidentally deleted by the File Manager built-in
Delete tool, or by ANY other 16-bit application, including the MS-DOS DEL and
DELTREE commands.
This workaround saved some of my very important files (text documents) I was
working on, one (very dark) cloudy day. After saving my work, I accidentally
deleted all the files in that particular directory before making any backup
copies (... oops!).
But I remembered THE solution: I immediately shut down Windows, and rebooted
into MS-DOS 6.22. Then I ran the MS-DOS mode UNDELETE tool (in true/native DOS
mode, of course). Et voila, all my "lost" files showed up once again!
NOTE: File Manager (FM = %windir%\WINFILE.EXE) is a 16-bit Windows
application, so a file deleted by such a program CAN BE RECOVERED by
UNDELETE.EXE. Files/folders erased by a Win32 (32-bit) application MAY NOT BE
UNDELETED this way, you HAVE to use the built-in Recycle Bin or some other 3rd
party file/folder restoring tool!
UNDELETE.EXE is also found on the Windows 95 Setup CD-ROM (the original
release, NOT Win95B/95C OSR2), in the \OTHER\OLDMSDOS directory. It is not
copied to your C:\Windows\Command folder by Win95's install, so to use it, you
need to do this manually. Run this command at any DOS prompt:
COPY D:\OTHER\OLDMSDOS\UNDELETE.EXE C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
where D is your CD-ROM drive letter and C is your boot drive letter (you need
to change them if different on your machine).
When you run:
UNDELETE /?
from a DOS prompt, you get this screen:
"UNDELETE - A delete protection facility
Copyright (C) 1987-1993 Central Point Software, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Restores files previously deleted with the DEL command.
UNDELETE [[drive:][path]filename] [/DT | /DS | /DOS]
UNDELETE [/LIST | /ALL | /PURGE[DRIVE] | /STATUS | /LOAD | /UNLOAD
/UNLOAD | /S[DRIVE] | /T[DRIVE]-entrys ]]
/LIST Lists the deleted files available to be recovered.
/ALL Recovers files without prompting for confirmation.
/DOS Recovers files listed as deleted by MS-DOS.
/DT Recovers files protected by Delete Tracker.
/DS Recovers files protected by Delete Sentry.
/LOAD Loads Undelete into memory for delete protection.
/UNLOAD Unloads Undelete from memory.
/PURGE[drive] Purges all files in the Delete Sentry directory.
/STATUS Display the protection method in effect for each drive.
/S[drive] Enables Delete Sentry method of protection.
/T[drive][-entrys] Enables Delete Tracking method of protection.
UNDELETE, and UNFORMAT Copyright (C) 1987-1993 Central Point Software."
DO NOT TRY to use the TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) part of UNDELETE under
Win9x/ME OS, or you WILL damage the LFNs (Long File Names)! Undelete is only a
8.3 DOS short file name format recovering tool!
Example: if you know the name of the directory you want to recover files into,
just run:
UNDELETE C:\YOUR_DIRECTORY_NAME\*.*
to undelete all files in a given directory (you will be prompted to recover
each file separately, and a successful undelete operation needs a file
"sentry", a stored "image" of the given deleted file on the disk, in order to
restore it).
NOTE: This doesn't seem to work with files deleted using Windows Explorer, or
any other 32-bit Windows application, but that may not be true, it's only a
"trial-and-error" game. ;)
FYI: See "FAT32 DISK PARTITIONING, FORMATTING + RECOVERY TOOLS" in SECRETS.TXT
(included) for freeware FAT16/FAT32 hard drive data recovery utilities.
SPEEDUP BOOT!
Below are some of my own MSDOS.SYS file (located in the root folder of your
Win95/98 boot drive, C:\ by default) settings. I am referring here to the
[Options] section lines that might give you a few extra seconds at bootup
(depending on your System speed and configuration). Here are the lines that
might speedup your Win95/98 bootup sequence:
[Options]
BootDelay=0
BootGUI=0
BootKeys=1
BootMenu=0
BootMenuDefault=1
BootWin=1
DisableLog=1
LoadTop=0
Logo=0
Network=0
SystemReg=0
NOTE: The "BootDelay" parameter is not supported by Windows 98!
Using these settings in your own Msdos.sys, you actually boot to the plain
old MS-DOS real mode command prompt, and from there you can start Windows
95/98 by running WIN, or to make it easier, you can add the WIN command as
the last line in your Autoexec.bat file.
To understand what all these lines mean, see "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE"
in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
To edit MSDOS.SYS with a single mouse (double)-click, please use SYS95.BAT, a
DOS batch file I wrote, also included with these files (it uses EDIT.COM, the
MS-DOS mode ASCII plain text editor). SYS95.BAT actually strips Msdos.sys of
its hidden, read-only and system attributes to be able to modify it, and upon
exiting the editor, it restores the attributes back to the original, to make
Msdos.sys compatible with the Win95/98 OS bootup routine.
Oh, and how could I forget? BACKUP FIRST!
... Do U feeel the neeed 4 speeed?
SYSTEM BACKUP
I created a batch file called BAK95.BAT (included), aimed to backup your MS OS
VITAL System (.INI), Registry (.DAT + .1ST) + Boot (.BAT, .COM, .DOS, .INI,
.SYS + .W40) files to the C:\BAK-WIN + C:\BAK-DOS folders:
- Windows 95/98 Registry + System files: SYSTEM.DAT (+ SYSTEM.1ST if present
in C:\ root), USER.DAT, SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, CONTROL.INI + PROTOCOL.INI
located in your main Win95/98 folder (usually C:\WINDOWS) and:
- MS-DOS 7.xx Boot files (if present): AUTOEXEC.BAT, CONFIG.SYS, MSDOS.SYS,
WINBOOT.INI, COMMAND.COM, IO.SYS + LOGO.SYS
- MS-DOS 6.xx Boot files (if present): AUTOEXEC.DOS, COMMAND.DOS, CONFIG.DOS,
IO.DOS + MSDOS.DOS
- Windows NT4/2000/XP Boot files (if present): NTLDR, NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI +
BOOTSECT.DOS
located in the root folder of your boot drive/partition (default is C:\ on
non-compressed drives/partitions).
The other batch file is called RES95.BAT (also included). Its purpose is to
restore ALL your backed up Win95/98, MS-DOS 7.xx, MS-DOS 6.xx + WinNT4/2000/XP
(if present) System, Registry + Boot files from C:\BAK-WIN + C:\BAK-DOS (see
files list above), back to their original locations.
VERY IMPORTANT:
- BAK95.BAT can be run from ANY DOS prompt/box/session/window!
- RES95.BAT MUST be run ONLY from native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode OUTSIDE
Windows 9x, NOT from a DOS box/session/window WITHIN Windows GUI!
Therefore you need to EXIT (shut down) Windows 95/98 or REBOOT to native
MS-DOS 7.xx FIRST to run RES95!
- Both these BATch files are NOT meant for and will NOT run from Windows
NT/2000/XP/2003, MS-DOS 6.xx (or earlier), NOR from Windows Millennium
Edition (ME)!
- Open both these BATch files with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS and
READ ALL instructions from the ECHO lines BEFORE running them!
If not used properly YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR WIN95/98 SYSTEM, REGISTRY + STARTUP
FILES IRREVERSIBLY and/or YOU MAY BE FORCED TO REINSTALL YOUR MS OSes!
To learn how to (re)start your Win95/98 computer in native MS-DOS mode, see
"COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
SYSTEM DLLS
I don't agree with programs that keep their system DLLs (Dynamic Link
Libraries) into their own directories/folders, especially when they are older
versions (duplicates) of the ones normally located in \Windows\System.
I found out that the \Windows\System directory sometimes also contains the
same DLLs but usually of different (and if I'm "lucky", newer) versions, which
may conflict/interfere with some (poorly written), usually older programs.
So whenever I install a new Windows program, I usually compare the same name
duplicate DLLs, starting a search for that particular filename (present in
both program's directory and in \Windows\System) on the entire drive, and
erase (ONLY AFTER BACKING THEM UP!) all the older versions, to keep only the
newest ones in \Windows\System. The Windows System directory is accessed by
ALL properly installed applications, to find their shared (needed) Dynamic
Link Libraries (newest versions are usually better to keep for compatibility
reasons).
To uninstall a particular application properly, I keep a small text file,
named after the program executable (but with the .TXT extension) in the
application's folder, listing all DLLs used by it (and had duplicates at the
time of installation). You can create such a plain text file to list all files
present in a given directory, by running this command from any DOS prompt,
from within the folder of your choice:
DIR /A /O:GEN > C:\APPDIR\APPNAME.TXT
Replace APPPDIR and APPNAME in this example with your real folder name and
program name, respectively.
For details on the DIR command parameters, run:
DIR /?
from any DOS prompt.
This way I know which DLLs to delete from \Windows\System when uninstalling
that particular program, WITHOUT affecting ANY other apps on my machine.
Sounds like a whole lot of work, but it saved me from trouble more than one
time, since I don't trust handing this job over to commercial Uninstallers.
NOTES:
- The display of Long File Names (LFNs) is possible ONLY if you run DIR from
a DOS box/window/session within Windows 95/98, NOT from the true/native MS-DOS
prompt outside Windows.
- Win98 users can run Sfc.exe (System File Checker), a handy tool located in
\Windows\System, which verifies that all files in your Windows (sub)folders
are up to date, and logs a complete list to a text file (Sfclog.txt), found in
your Windows directory, and which can be viewed with Notepad.
OVERRIDE IO.SYS [+]
There are some basic startup (boot) options that are built into the Windows
95/98/ME OS, which make possible to start (load) the GUI even without the need
for any startup files (CONFIG.SYS and/or AUTOEXEC.BAT, both located in C:\
root).
The Win9x/ME bootup routine begins by processing IO.SYS, a hidden, read-only,
system file, located in your C:\ root folder (default bootup drive/partition),
BEFORE executing your startup files: CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, if present.
But if you have placed your own customized lines for these (and other) DOS
commands in your startup files, the IO.SYS defaults will be overwritten by
these entries.
These are the built-in IO.SYS commands that can also be added/modified into
your CONFIG.SYS for increased performance/compatibility (by using Notepad in
Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS):
DEVICE=%winbootdir%\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB,[AUTO|NOAUTO]
BUFFERS=30
FILES=60
STACKS=9,256
FCBS=4
LASTDRIVE=Z
DEVICE=%winbootdir%\IFSHLP.SYS
DEVICE=%winbootdir%\DBLBUFF.SYS
DEVICE=%winbootdir%\SETVER.EXE
SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
SHELL=%winbootdir%\COMMAND.COM /P
SET PATH=%winbootdir%;%winbootdir%\COMMAND;C:\;
SET TEMP=%winbootdir%\TEMP
SET TMP=%winbootdir%\TEMP
The actual entries in your CONFIG.SYS might look something like this (default
%winbootdir% directory is C:\WINDOWS):
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\UMBPCI\UMBPCI.SYS
BUFFERS=10,0
FILES=80
LASTDRIVE=M
FCBS=1,0
STACKS=0,0
DEVICEHIGH /L:1=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /L:128 /U:128 /P
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\BAT;C:\MAX;C:\ZIP;C:\3D;
SET TEMP=D:\TEMP
SET TMP=D:\TEMP
Above are my own Config.sys command lines, and I found out they work best on
my Windows machine. To squeeze maximum performance and for complete details on
how to customize your startup files, read MEMORY.TXT (included).
See my Complete UMBPCI.SYS Guide for details about using UMBPCI:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm
Change drive letters and/or folder names if different on your computer.
IMPORTANT:
If using Windows ME you MUST apply the Unofficial Real DOS-Mode Patch [9 KB,
freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) +
REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System), in order to be able to boot to native
MS-DOS and use DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), the Windows
95/98 style.
ADD-ON:
SETVER.EXE is a built-in IO.SYS Config.sys command, and if you don't have any
older (legacy) hardware/software devices/drivers/peripherals [reminiscent from
the ol' 286/386 DOS (in)compatibility days] that might need Setver loaded on
your System, you can safely start your Windows machine without it.
To disable the loading of Setver.exe you can: move this file to another
directory (Setver.exe is located by default in the main Windows folder),
delete it or add/modify the Config.sys lines above (example).
You do not need to back it up, because Setver.exe can be extracted from your
Win95/98/ME Setup CD-ROM or floppies, by using one of these commands:
- Win95/OSR1/OSR2:
EXTRACT D:\WIN95\WIN95_09.CAB SETVER.EXE
- Win98/98 SE(U):
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_42.CAB SETVER.EXE
- WinME:
EXTRACT D:\WIN9X\WIN_17.CAB SETVER.EXE
Change the CD/DVD drive letter if different on your system.
BOOTUP FLOPPY [+]
How many times did you need to boot from a startup/bootup floppy disk just
because your "beloved" Operating System screwed up one way or another? I for
one am used to doing this quite often. [unfortunately :(] So I added some
"new features" to the plain startup files (Config.sys and Autoexec.bat), and
some useful (read *VITAL*) DOS tools to my bootup floppy to make my
[computing] life a little easier. :)
This tip applies to ALL MS-DOS users (beginning with version 5.00), and to ALL
MS Windows users (beginning with version 3.10), except NT/2000/XP/2003.
NOTES:
1. If you reach the 1.44 MB floppy capacity limit before copying all the files
listed below onto your bootup floppy, you can select to copy only the files
you deem necessary, and skip others not so "vital" (like the Dosshell files).
Or you can copy the rest of these files that didn't fit on your first floppy
to a SECOND startup floppy, in case you don't have a recordable/rewritable
cd-rom or another removable drive (Zip, Orb, Jazz, Sparq, Shark, Syquest,
LS-120 etc) to boot from.
2. In the case you do have such a high capacity boot drive, and if your
motherboard BIOS/CMOS supports booting from a removable/cd-rom, you don't have
the limited (boot floppy) size problem. Just copy all your files on a cd-rom,
and label its jewel case as "Boot CD-ROM" (or if using a removable disk, label
its cartridge). Eventually you can have a full blown (or at least a "bare
bones") operating system running off a cd-rom/removable, by copying there all
your OS related directories and files from your boot hard disk. This is very
useful to access your most important files if you are a Windows 95/98/NT/3.1x
and/or MS-DOS 5.00/6.xx user, and if your (primary) hard drive has gone
"south" unexpectedly.
YOU MUST REMEMBER to stick a self-adhesive paper label on each of these
floppies, and name them let's say "BOOTUP FLOPPY #1" and "BOOTUP FLOPPY #2"
respectively.
From now on you can use the BOOTUP FLOPPY #1 whenever you need to boot from
something else other than your "temporarily impaired" hard disk.
This is my bootup floppy Config.sys file, which includes Microsoft's
upper/expanded memory manager (EMM386.EXE), the CD-ROM driver (VIDE-CDD.SYS)
and Microsoft's 32-bit disk access driver (IFSHLP.SYS):
SWITCHES=/F
DEVICE=A:\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /Q
DEVICE=A:\EMM386.EXE I=C800-EFFF I=B000-B7FF AUTO RAM NOTR
DOS=HIGH,UMB
BUFFERS=10,0
FILES=60
FCBS=1,0
STACKS=0,0
DEVICEHIGH /L:1=A:\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:MYCDROM
DEVICEHIGH=A:\IFSHLP.SYS
SHELL=A:\COMMAND.COM A:\ /E:512 /P
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;A:\;
SET TEMP=C:\TEMP
SET TMP=C:\TEMP
SET PROMPT=EMERGENCY FLOPPY BOOTUP!$_$P$G
SET WINPMT=Type EXIT & Hit Enter 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
The CD-ROM driver above (VIDE-CDD.SYS), freely distributed by Acer [176 KB]:
http://www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
is compatible with most popular internal IDE/ATAPI compatible cd-rom drives
out there: Acer, Creative Labs, NEC, Matsushita/Panasonic, Teac, Toshiba
etc, connected to the standard motherboard IDE controller.
Note that the PATH line above applies ONLY to typical Windows 95/98 systems
installed in C:\WINDOWS (change the drive/directory if different on your
computer).
MS-DOS 5.00 - 6.22 users need this typical DOS/Windows/WfWG PATH line:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;A:\;
ATTENTION MS-DOS 5.00 users: You NEED to place ALL the SET lines (listed
above in my CONFIG.SYS) into your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, because MS-DOS 5.00
does NOT support this feature!
And below is my startup floppy Autoexec.bat file, including Microsoft's
CD-ROM extensions driver (MSCDEX.EXE), Microsoft's floppy/hard/cd-rom disk
cache (SMARTDRV.EXE) and Microsoft's Mouse driver (MOUSE.COM):
@ECHO OFF
LOADHIGH=A:\MSCDEX /D:MYCDROM /M:16 /E
A:\SMARTDRV 2048 16 A+ B+ C+ D+ E+ F /N
SET MOUSE=A:\
LOADHIGH=A:\MOUSE
SET DIRCMD=/A /O:GEN /P
SET COPYCMD=/Y
A:\MODE CON: RATE=32 DELAY=1
I've also added the files listed below to my startup floppies (I find them
VITAL for performing routine maintenance and diagnostics tasks, trying to
determine what might have caused a system lockup):
- COMMAND.COM (Microsoft DOS COMMAND line interpreter)
- HIMEM.SYS (Microsoft DOS HIgh/extended MEMory manager)
- EMM386.EXE (Microsoft DOS Expanded/extended Memory Manager)
- SYS.COM (Microsoft DOS mode SYStem files transfer tool)
- ATTRIB.EXE (Microsoft DOS mode modifying file ATTRIButes tool)
- IFSHLP.SYS (Microsoft Windows 32-bit disk access compatibility driver)
- MSD.EXE (MicroSoft DOS mode Diagnostics tool):
ftp://ftp.sac.sk/pub/sac/utildiag/msd301.zip
- SMARTDRV.EXE (Microsoft DOS mode floppy, hard and cd-rom drive cache
driver/tool)
- MOUSE.COM (Microsoft DOS mode MOUSE driver), or your own DOS Mouse driver:
http://cutemouse.sourceforge.net/
- MOUSE.INI (INItialization file needed by MOUSE.COM)
- VIDE-CDD.SYS (Acer DOS mode "universal" IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM driver):
http://www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
- MSCDEX.EXE (MicroSoft DOS mode Compact Disk EXtensions driver)
- FORMAT.COM (Microsoft DOS mode floppy/hard disk FORMATting tool)
- FDISK.EXE (Microsoft DOS mode hard disk partitioning tool)
- MEM.EXE (Microsoft DOS mode extended/upper/conventional MEMory specs
display tool)
- SCANDISK.EXE (Microsoft DOS mode floppy/hard DISK SCANning tool)
- SCANDISK.INI (INItialization file needed by SCANDISK.exe)
- EDIT.COM files (Microsoft DOS mode text file EDITor):
1. MS-DOS 5.00 - 6.22 EDIT.COM files:
- EDIT.COM
- EDIT.HLP
- QBASIC.EXE
- QBASIC.HLP
- QBASIC.INI
2. MS-DOS 7.00 - 7.10 [a.k.a. MS Windows 9x] EDIT.COM files:
- EDIT.COM
- EDIT.HLP
- EDIT.INI
- DOSShell files:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/SUP622.EXE
(Microsoft DOS mode "File Manager", almost as good at performing routine
file chores as its Windows "cousin"):
- DOSSHELL.EXE
- DOSSHELL.GRB
- DOSSHELL.HLP
- DOSSHELL.INI
- DOSSHELL.VID
CRUCIAL: ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR FILES BEFORE MODIFYING THEM!
NOTE: See these included topics for more details and guidelines:
- "OUTSMART SMARTDRIVE" part of MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "SET TEMP" in MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "LASTDRIVE" in MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "COMMAND.COM" in TIPS95.TXT;
- Details on: COMMAND.COM, FDISK.EXE, FORMAT.COM, HIMEM.SYS, EMM386.EXE in
SECRETS.TXT;
- Details on: HIMEM.SYS, EMM386.EXE, SMARTDRV.EXE, MSCDEX.EXE, MOUSE.COM in
MEMORY.TXT;
- "MS DOSSHELL Tips" in DOSTIPS.TXT.
FYI: Boot disks on the Internet: see "FREE WinDOwS CD/DVD DRIVERS + TOOLS"
in SOFTWARE.TXT (included).
COMMAND.COM
For y'all DOS fans out there I decided to list all Win95/98/ME [a.k.a. MS-DOS
7.xx/8.00] Command.com parameters, including the ones Microsoft "forgot" to
tell us about. :)
When you run:
COMMAND /?
from any MS-DOS prompt, you get this help screen:
"Starts a new copy of the Windows Command Interpreter:
COMMAND [[drive:]path] [device] [/E:nnnnn] [/L:nnnn] [/U:nnn] [/P] [/MSG]
[/LOW] [/Y [/[C|K] command]]
[drive:]path Specifies the directory containing COMMAND.COM.
device Specifies the device to use for command input and output.
/E:nnnnn Sets the initial environment size to nnnnn bytes.
(nnnnn should be between 256 and 32,768).
/L:nnnn Specifies internal buffers length (requires /P as well).
(nnnn should be between 128 and 1,024).
/U:nnn Specifies the input buffer length (requires /P as well).
(nnn should be between 128 and 255).
/P Makes the new Command Interpreter permanent (can't exit).
/MSG Stores all error messages in memory (requires /P as well).
/LOW Forces COMMAND to keep its resident data in low memory.
/Y Steps through the batch program specified by /C or /K.
/C command Executes the specified command and returns.
/K command Executes the specified command and continues running."
And the help display stops here. But now comes the nice part. :)
The Command.com switches below are NOT DOCUMENTED (so I added them to this
list):
/D Prevents the execution of AUTOEXEC.BAT at bootup [MS-DOS 5]
or disables floppy "Fail" response if using /F [MS-DOS 6/7].
/F Removes the floppy disk "Abort, Retry, Fail" message.
If the floppy disk is not ready automatically goes to "Fail".
/T Loads COMMAND module in low RAM and executes AUTOEXEC.BAT.
/Z Displays ERRORLEVEL return code messages after executing
external DOS commands.
IMPORTANT: To become familiar with COMMAND.COM's documented command line
switches:
1. Windows 9x/ME users: read the text file CONFIG.TXT (the "SHELL" topic),
located in your Windows folder.
2. ALL Windows 9x/3.xx and DOS users: run:
COMMAND /?
at any DOS prompt to display the Command.com help screen above.
2. MS-DOS 6.xx users: run this command from any DOS prompt:
HELP COMMAND
and read the topic.
The following Command.com parameters can be included on the Config.sys SHELL
line (makes the command interpreter permanent until the next reboot): /E, /F,
/L, /MSG, /P, /U and /Z.
Example of Win9x Config.sys SHELL line:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:512 /L:128 /U:128 /F /P /Z
All switches can be run from any DOS prompt command line (except /P and /MSG
if you already mentioned them on the SHELL line in your Config.sys).
NOTE: Read "COMMAND.COM HIDDEN PARAMETERS" in SECRETS.TXT (included) for
complete details on all COMMAND.COM undocumented switches.
THE RENAMING GAME
This message was sent by T.J. (9675.6100@trader.com):
"I want to thank you for your tips files. I am a blind computer user, and
this information is very, very helpful.
I have configured my system to use the dual boot feature of win95.
I am confused about the files that win95 renames during boot up. The
bak95.bat file fails to detect winboot.sys, when is winboot.sys to be in the
root directory? It is always in my root directory. Are the *.w40 files to be
hidden or visible?
Would you be able to explain the boot sequence of win95, what files are
renamed and when? If win95 is chosen, which files are renamed and active, if
dos 62 is chosen, which files are renamed and active?"
As a consequence, I decided to list here all Win9x/DOS 6.xx root directory
boot files, and the Win9x renaming routine, when you dual-boot on a machine
containing both Windows 9x (MS-DOS 7.xx) and MS-DOS 6.xx Operating Systems.
Here is my answer to TJ:
"I am deeply moved by your kind appreciation regarding my tips files.
About the Win95 file renaming issue:
Winboot.sys is only found when you boot into MS-DOS 6, and it's actually the
Win95 (MS-DOS 7) version of IO.SYS.
On a dual boot system (using Win95, a.k.a. MS-DOS 7, and MS-DOS 6), you'll
find the following renamed files (all located in the root directory of the
boot drive):
1. When you boot into DOS 6:
- DOS 7 Autoexec.bat is renamed to Autoexec.w40.
- DOS 7 Config.sys is renamed to Config.w40.
- DOS 7 Command.com is renamed to Command.w40.
- DOS 7 Msdos.sys is renamed to Msdos.w40 (hidden, read only, system
file).
- DOS 7 Io.sys is renamed to Winboot.sys (hidden, read only, system
file).
2. When you boot into Win9x (DOS 7):
- DOS 6 Autoexec.bat is renamed to Autoexec.dos.
- DOS 6 Config.sys is renamed to Config.dos.
- DOS 6 Command.com is renamed to Command.dos.
- DOS 6 Msdos.sys is renamed to Msdos.dos (hidden, read only, system
file).
- DOS 6 Io.sys is renamed to Io.dos (hidden, read only, system file).
So the purpose of my batch file is to properly execute the specific OS
backup/restore, depending on the existence of DOS 7 Io.sys, renamed to
Winboot.sys in DOS 6.
The file (WINBOOT.SYS) has the hidden, read-only and system attributes, but
that doesn't matter, it is recognized by the batch routine. Example:
IF EXIST C:\WINBOOT.SYS GOTO DOS6
IF NOT EXIST C:\WINBOOT.SYS GOTO DOS7
Why it can't be found on your system, the way I see it, there is only one
explanation: you need to modify the batch file to include the full path to
the file (as shown in the above example), which is always located in the root
directory of the boot drive, C:\ by default."
FYI:
Windows 98/ME's IO.SYS is renamed to JO.SYS (Windows 95 renames its IO.SYS to
WINBOOT.SYS), if you are booting to an older MS-DOS version (6.xx), in a
dual-boot environment, provided by Win95/98's Startup Menu, option 8 (on
networked or TCP/IP systems): "Previous version of MS-DOS".
Read "DUAL BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) and "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" in
OSR2TIPS.TXT (included), to learn how to properly dual-boot with your version
of Windows 98 or OSR2.
DUN MONITOR - Part 1
You don't have to search the net or shell out any money to get a fancy
Dial-Up Networking monitor to view your modem's transmited/received baud rate
(and much more).
Just open System Monitor (Sysmon.exe), a free tool Microsoft included with
Windows 95, found in C:\Windows (your default Win95 folder). Or run SysMon
from the shortcut located in your Start Menu\Accessories\Tools folder. If you
don't find the shortcut, you might have to install this small utility.
It is installed by default when you first setup Win95 on your machine, but
you may have chosen not to install SysMon at that time.
To setup SysMon on your hard drive, open the Control Panel, double-click the
Add/Remove Programs applet, click the Setup tab and scroll to Accessories.
Place a check mark in the System Monitor box. Click Apply or OK, after
inserting your Win95 install cd-rom in your cd-rom drive. This should start
SysMon's installation.
Now you can find Sysmon.exe in your Windows folder.
Play around with its settings, adding/removing different items from the list,
resize SysMon's window, modify the "looks" and refresh rates, view your
selections as bars, numbers, lines etc.
There are numerous categories of your Win95 machine's "innards" that can be
"watched" on Sysmon's display (the list below refers to my system):
- MIDI (Wave) Synth,
- Dial Up Adapter,
- File System,
- Kernel,
- Memory Manager.
You can see the entire list for each of the above categories, select any or
all items in that category, and/or customize each selection separately:
color, scale, or update interval.
When you've decided which components you want to monitor, you can get rid of
SysMon's frame and toolbar by double-clicking on an empty space between two
items. Double-clicking on an item, brings up the Chart Options for that
selection. It doesn't matter if your Internet connection is not established
when you started Sysmon, the monitoring begins only when your modem is
connected to your ISP server, or online service, (ONLY if you are using the
TCP/IP protocol).
Now you can finally see how fast a web page loads in your web browser or how
long your modem takes to download a huge file.
MANDATORY UPGRADES:
You need to install these free Microsoft communications upgrades for SysMon
to detect a valid Dial-Up Networking connection:
- ALL Windows 95/98 users: Dial-Up Networking (DUN) v1.4:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=285189
- ONLY Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2 users: Windows Sockets (Winsock) v2.0:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=182108
MS Winsock 2.0 MUST be installed BEFORE MS DUN 1.4!
BTW:
You can download System Monitor for Win95 direct from Microsoft [56 KB,
free]:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/sysmn.exe
Have fun!
DUN MONITOR - Part 2
You can also use System Monitor (Sysmon.exe, described in the "DUN MONITOR -
Part 1" topic above) to measure your modem's average file transfer speeds, no
matter what kind of Internet connection you are using (TCP/IP protocol or
Online Service client software).
To do this you HAVE to enable the modem report logging.
Open the Control Panel and double-click the Modems applet. Select your
installed modem, and click Properties. On your modem's Connection tab, click
the Advanced button. Place a check mark in the "Record a log file" box. Now
you're ready to measure your modem's performance. Log on to the Internet or
your Online Service as usual. Once connected, open SysMon, located as a
shortcut in the Start\Programs\Accessories\System Tools folder, click Edit
and select "Add Item". Choose your modem from the list (your modem will NOT
show up unless you're already connected!). Select: "Bytes received" and
"Bytes sent" from the list. System Monitor will display a real-time gauge
from now on, showing your modem's download and upload speeds.
Happy surfing!
SWAP FILE - Part 1
THIS TIP IS INTENDED FOR USERS OF THE WINDOWS 95/98/ME DUAL-BOOT FEATURE, AND
REQUIRES THAT YOU HAVE WINDOWS 95, 98 OR ME, WINDOWS/WFWG 3.1x + MS-DOS 6.xx
PROPERLY INSTALLED ON YOUR SYSTEM!
IMPORTANT:
To properly enable the dual-boot feature under OSR2/Win98 you MUST apply the
steps detailed in "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" from OSR2TIPS.TXT (included)!
CAUTION: UNDOCUMENTED AND DANGEROUS IF NOT DONE PROPERLY !
All different MS Windows specific issues are detailed below and all Windows
versions are clearly stated:
1. Windows 95/OSR2/98/ME (Win9x/ME) AND Windows/WfWG 3.1x (Win31) users:
Windows 9x/ME uses by default a permanent, resizable swap file (WIN386.SWP),
found in your Windows directory (default C:\WINDOWS). If you are a dual-boot
user (still running Win31+DOS6 and Win9x+DOS7 on the same machine), you are
probably using the Win31 permanent swap file (386SPART.PAR), located in the
root directory of your boot drive (usually C:\).
Win31's permanent swap file CAN ALSO BE USED by Win9x/ME as its own!
* FIRST BACKUP YOUR SYSTEM + REGISTRY FILES: BOTH WIN9X/ME + WIN31 VERSIONS !
2. Part for Windows 9x/ME and part for Windows/WfWG 3.1x users:
You need to edit Win9x/ME SYSTEM.INI file located in your Windows directory
(default C:\WINDOWS), and add/modify these lines under the [386enh] section:
PagingDrive=C:
MinPagingFileSize=10320 Defines the lower limit of the swap file (if
Win31's permanent swap file size is 10240 KB!)
PagingFile=C:\386spart.par To use Win31's permanent swap file as
Win9x/ME's.
Optionally, you can set this upper limit to your swap file (example):
MaxPagingFileSize=82560 To have a 80 MB maximum swap file size under
Win9x/ME.
Specifying the upper limit for the swap file, allows for a less frequent hard
drive thrashing, thus speeding up the reading from/writing to your fixed
drive(s).
Edit SYSTEM.INI with Notepad or Sysedit, save your changes and restart
Windows.
IMPORTANT:
You have to specify the correct size of your Win31 swap file! Example: if you
select a 10240 KB permanent Win31 swap file (from the 386 Enhanced icon in
Control Panel), then the Win9x/ME swap file size MUST be 10320 KB! The
principle is to choose a multiple of 1032 KB in Win9x/ME's SYSTEM.INI to match
Win31's swap file size specified as a multiple of 1024 KB in Win31's
SYSTEM.INI.
In this example 386SPART.PAR is 10,567,680 bytes (10 MB) in length.
Win9x/ME provides its own way of (re)sizing the swap file through the Device
Manager. To access it: right-click on "My Computer" -> select Properties ->
click the Performance tab -> click Virtual Memory -> check "Let me specify my
own virtual memory settings". Change the Minimum value to 10 (above example).
BEWARE: Win9x/ME might delete the line "PagingFile=c:\386spart.par" from
SYSTEM.INI's [386enh] section, after you resized the swap file using the
Device Manager. If this happens, add this line yourself (no quotes).
To prevent Win9x/ME from deleting the PagingFile line, add it one more time,
but with a semicolon (;) in front of it. Any line beginning with a ";" in any
Windows INI(tialization) file is treated as a comment, and won't be deleted.
You'll have to reboot/restart Windows after clicking OK, to make the changes
take effect. [Win9x/ME will prompt you to reboot anyway. :)]
3. Windows/WfWG 3.1x users ONLY:
In Win31's SYSTEM.INI file you MUST have the following lines under the
[386enh] header, to make 32-bit disk access work properly:
device=*pageswap
device=*pagefile
device=*wdctrl ONLY for (E)IDE/ATA hard drives smaller than 528 MB
(Win31 default driver).
If you have one or more hard disk(s) larger than 528 MB (with more than 1024
cylinders), use one of these 3rd party Windows/WfWG 3.1x 32-bit Fast Disk
Access (FBDA) drivers, compatible with ALL (E)IDE/(Ultra)ATA hard drives,
ONLY up to 8 GB, with ONLY up to 2 GB per logical partition, AND ONLY IF your
drives/partitions are partitioned with FAT16, because Windows/WfWG 3.1x do
NOT support FAT32:
device=WDCDRV.386 Western Digital driver.
or:
device=MH32BIT.386 Micro House driver.
or:
device=ONTRACKW.386 OnTrack driver.
or:
device=SEG32BIT.386 Seagate driver.
WARNINGS:
- Your motherboard chipset + BIOS/CMOS MUST support hard disk LBA (Logical
Block Addressing) and ECHS (Enhanced Cylinder/Head/Sector) standards for
these 32-bit drivers to work properly!
- Your (E)IDE hard disk(s) MUST be connected to the motherboard built-in
(E)IDE/(Ultra)ATA interface(s), NOT to 3rd party/add-on/proprietary
ISA/PCI/external (E)IDE/(Ultra)ATA/RAID controllers!
More info:
- Micro Firmware:
http://www.firmware.com/support/bios/win32bda.htm
- Michael McCormick:
http://users.exis.net/~gewkab/32bfafaq.html
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=126855
Other MANDATORY lines under SYSTEM.INI's [386enh] section:
device=ios.386 Protected mode Win31 386 enhanced device manager.
device=vxdldr.386 Virtual eXtended driver (VXD) for handling 32-bit
disk access in Win31.
device=vcache.386 Enables 32-bit File Access ONLY in WfWG 3.1x!
32BitDiskAccess=on Turns on 32-bit Fast Disk Access in Win31 AND
Win9x/ME!
PageBuffers=32 Increases the number of paging buffers (optional).
PermSwapDOSDrive=C Default uncompressed (fastest) swap hard
drive/partition.
PermSwapSizeK=10240 Win31's permanent swap file size in KB. Win9x/ME's
swap file size in this case MUST be 10320 KB!
... And this line under the [vcache] section of SYSTEM.INI (Win31 AND
Win9x/ME):
MinFileCache=2048 If you chose a 32-bit file access size of 2048 KB (2
MB) through Control Panel -> 386 Enhanced icon ->
Virtual Memory -> Change Virtual Memory Settings ->
Use 32-bit File Access -> Change size (Win31). In
Win9x/ME you'll have to edit SYSTEM.INI manually and
add/modify this line yourself.
Optionally, you can also set the upper limit for the file cache size, to
reduce hard drive thrashing, in SYSTEM.INI, the [vcache] section (Win31 AND
Win9x/ME):
MaxFileCache=4096
to allow the memory file cache to grow to a maximum of 4 MB.
Choose a MaxFileCache of 4 MB ONLY if your system has at least 16 MB of RAM
installed! A MaxFileCache greater than 4 MB won't increase performance
significantly anyway, especially if you have less than 10,000 files on each
drive/partition.
See "HARD DRIVE THRASHING" in REGISTRY.TXT (included) for more details.
Win31 32-bit protected mode Fast Disk drivers (all free):
- Western Digital WDCDRV.386 v2.6 [129 KB]:
http://www.vobis.de/bbs/firmen/wd/hrddrive/32pack.exe
- Micro House MH32BIT.386 v3.10 [74 KB]:
http://www.vobis.de/bbs/firmen/maxtor/main/win32bit.exe
- OnTrack ONTRACKW.386 v1.03 [43 KB]:
http://www.vobis.de/bbs/firmen/quantum/general/ontrk386.exe
- Seagate SEG32BIT.386 v840240 [72 KB]:
http://www.vobis.de/bbs/firmen/seagate/util/s32b0697.exe
In Win31's SYSTEM.INI, you can use only ONE of the 2 drivers mentioned above
depending on the size/model of your hard drive. Win31 default is "*wdctrl",
but you'll need one of these custom drivers if your (E)IDE hard drive(s) are
larger than 528 MB (and most newer hard drives are)!
If you have a SCSI hard drive you'll have to get a 32-bit Win31 disk access
driver from your drive manufacturer, only for the SCSI hard drives supported
by Win31's 32-bit disk access feature. :(
4. Windows 9x/ME users ONLY:
Reboot. Now you can safely delete the Win9x/ME default swap file (WIN386.SWP)
from your Windows folder.
5. Windows 9x/ME AND Windows/WfWG 3.1x users:
* MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY, AND CHOOSE YOUR OWN SWAP
FILE SIZE IN WIN31 ACCORDING TO YOUR NEEDS AND THE AMOUNT OF MEMORY (RAM)
INSTALLED IN YOUR SYSTEM! Otherwise you may get a:
- "Corrupt Windows swap file" message when Win31 loads, and you'll have to
delete it and reassign a new permanent swap file in Control Panel -> 386
Enhanced icon!
- A VFAT error message or a 32-bit disk access error while loading Win9x/ME,
especially if using the dual-boot feature!
6. Windows 9x/ME users ONLY:
After making such modifications, ALWAYS check the Device Manager Performance
tab for any "MS-DOS mode 16-bit access drivers" alert messages, that would
impair disk performance! You SHOULDN'T HAVE any such messages to start with!
The File System and Virtual Memory lines should ALL state "32-bit" and you
should see this message at the bottom:
"Your system is configured for optimal performance."
7. ALL Windows 9x/ME AND Windows/WfWG 3.1x users:
Good luck! :)
... And may you have NO Microsoft crashes!
FYI:
- See the "Troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility Mode on Hard Disks" MSKB
article [Win9x/ME users]:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=130179
- See "FIXED SWAP FILE" in TIPS95.TXT (included).
- See "9X/2000/NT/ME/XP/3.1X MULTIBOOT SWAP FILE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
SWAP FILE - Part 2 [+]
I found a better method to reduce hard drive thrashing while using Windows
95/98/ME.
By default Windows places its swap file in your main Windows folder located by
default on the boot drive (usually C:\Windows).
But if you are using one or more physical hard drive(s) larger than 2 GB (and
many of us do nowadays), you have probably partitioned it into multiple
logical drives (like I did), to comply with a well-known MS-DOS 7.00,
bundled with Windows 95 retail (and below) limitation: MS-DOS FAT16 does NOT
recognize partitions larger than 2 GB!
Win95B/95C OSR2.x, Win98/98 SE and Millennium Edition (ME) come with FAT32,
part of the improved MS-DOS version 7.10/8.00, which recognizes logical
partitions up to 2 TB (TerraBytes), and also drastically reduces the file
assigned cluster size, making more storage space available to your files, with
one (minor) disadvantage: FAT32 slows down a bit drive access speed, depending
on drive/partition size: larger means slower.
See "FAT16 -> FAT32" in SECRETS.TXT (included) for details.
FAT32 is (usually) not enabled by default, and to convert/(re)partition your
disk(s) you need to run a DOS based partitioning utility in true/native MS-DOS
mode, OUTSIDE the Windows GUI!
See "FAT32 DISK PARTITIONING, FORMATTING + RECOVERY TOOLS" in SECRETS.TXT
(included) for a review of the best non-destructive disk partitioning tools
(most are freeware).
So if you do have more than one hard drive letter showing in Explorer or in
File Manager, you probably have a physical drive larger than 2 GB. If this is
your case, the drives have different sizes. To view each drive's size,
right-click on a hard drive icon in Explorer, click Properties, and look for
its respective "Capacity" under the General tab.
The principle is to choose the fastest/smallest drive/partition to place your
Windows swap file on, preferably a different physical drive than the one your
Windows OS resides on.
Use a partitioning utility to resize your smallest partition to 400-500 MB
(but NOT BEFORE BACKING UP ALL YOUR DRIVES), and DO NOT use this new drive to
store ANY files (placing your temporary directory there is OK), EXCEPT the
Windows swap file.
Then I STRONGLY RECOMMEND to ScanDisk (run Scandskw.exe) for errors ALL your
hard drives FIRST, and then fully Defragment them (run Defrag.exe).
When you're done, right-click the "My Computer" icon (or whatever you renamed
it to), and click Properties. Click the Performance tab, then select "Virtual
Memory", and change the location of your swap file to your new
drive/partition. Check the "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings"
box. Browse to your desired drive letter and select it. Now click Apply/OK to
save your changes. You will be prompted to reboot. Do so, and when Windows
interface shows up again, you'll be running [hopefully :)] a little faster
than before.
ALTERNATE DNS
If your web browser (when connected to your ISP) is unable to reach certain
web sites consistently and keeps bugging you with messages such as "Could
not locate remote server," then you might have Domain Name Service (DNS)
problems. Each web address you type (example: www.microsoft.com) is
translated to an Internet address (example: 207.68.156.58) through a Domain
Name Server. If the server you are using is running slowly or has shut down
for any reasons, you're in trouble!
BUT luckily there are a couple of ways to work around this:
1. One is to add a secondary DNS. Contact your ISP (Internet Service
Provider) and ask for the name and IP (Internet Protocol) number of a
backup server. Once you have the new IP address of a reliable backup server,
click Start, Settings, Control Panel. Double click the Network icon and then
click the Configuration tab. In the box labeled "The following network
components are installed:" select "TCP/IP Dial-Up Adapter" and click the
Properties button. Then click the DNS Configuration tab. Under the title
"DNS Server Search Order," enter the new IP address(es) you have obtained
from your ISP.
IMPORTANT: If you are connected to a local network, do NOT change the DNS
settings without first checking with the network administrator! Otherwise
you may not be able to reconnect to the network!
Also, write down the existing settings before making ANY changes!
2. The other way is to locate your current Dial-Up Connection, by double
clicking your Dial-Up Networking folder in Explorer or in My Computer.
Now select your current DUN icon, that usually has your ISP's name, and drag
and drop it on your Desktop.
This will create a .DUN file with your ISP connection name (mine is called
Worldnet.dun).
Open the new DUN file in Notepad and modify the DNS lines (under the [TCP/IP]
section) to match the ones you obtained by running TRACERT with your known
ISP IP number, till you find one fast enough to use most of the time when
connecting to the Internet.
NOTE: TRACERT is a small DOS mode tool, located in your Windows folder.
To use TRACERT, start a DOS box (window), and run:
TRACERT 204.127.129.1
Substitute the IP number above with your own (this one belongs to my ISP, so
it is of no use to you, if you're not a WorldNet user).
When Tracert is done "poking" your ISP address, you'll see something like
this on your DOS box screen:
"Tracing route to ns1.worldnet.att.net [204.127.129.1]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
1 197 ms 195 ms 199 ms 192.168.255.253
2 203 ms 200 ms 204 ms 165.238.193.193
3 248 ms 240 ms 234 ms 199.37.159.45
4 236 ms 260 ms 240 ms 205.174.69.24
5 241 ms 242 ms 241 ms ns1.worldnet.att.net [204.127.129.1]
Trace complete."
Now call your ISP support voice phone number (usually a toll free call), and
ask the permission to use an alternate DNS address, eventually one on the
TRACERT list (explaining that you repeatedly encounter the same problems
trying to connect to certain web servers most/all the time).
If you're lucky and they approve of this, they might also have their own DNS
numbers that might work better/faster in your neck of the woods.
Now you're ready to edit your Dial-Up Networking file. In Explorer (or File
Manager), open your .DUN file (in the \Windows\Desktop folder, where you
"dropped" it if you followed the above guidelines) with Notepad.
Scroll down to the [TCP/IP] section and change the numbers on your
"DNS_address" and/or "DNS_Alt_address" lines with the ones you obtained from
your ISP.
Example (the lines below refer ONLY to WorldNet Service DNS numbers):
[TCP/IP]
DNS_address=204.127.129.1
DNS_Alt_address=204.127.160.1
Save the file, and close Notepad. Now you're ready to start your new DUN
connection from the Desktop.
WARNING: You can't log on to alternate DNS addresses without permission from
your ISP, or if you use the ones returned by TRACERT, you might experience
slowdowns or network errors!
You can duplicate your DUN files as much as you like, but make sure to
choose a different name every time (if you plan on keeping them into the same
folder, i.e. on the Desktop, for faster access).
When you're done, double-click on your new DUN desktop icon to connect.
Happy surfing!
FAST EXIT | RESTART! [+]
How would you like to EXIT, SHUTDOWN, POWEROFF, LOGOFF, RELOAD, RESTART or
REBOOT Windows 95/98/ME FAST, with 1 mouse click, without the pain of going
through the default 4 steps procedure: click the Start button -> click "Shut
down" -> check the "Shut Down" or "Restart" box -> finally click the Yes/OK
button? I know you would, 'cuz I did too... :) So here is how you do it:
1. Left-click on (highlight) an empty Desktop spot -> right-click on it ->
choose New -> select Shortcut from the drop down menu.
2. In the Command line box copy & paste (Windows 98/ME only):
RUNDLL32.EXE SHELL32.DLL,SHExitWindowsEx #
The # flag can be any integer number between -1 and 9. Depending on the
particular value substituted as parameter on the command line above, you can
force Windows 9x/ME to carry out one of the following actions:
* -1 = Reload Shell: close and then restart the Windows graphical shell
[which by default is Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe), located in the main
Windows folder] or whatever other (eventually 3rd party) shell executable you
are using on the SYSTEM.INI "shell=" line, under the [boot] section.
This option may prove useful for recovering from an Explorer or Kernel crash,
i.e. an irrecoverable GPF (General Protection Fault) or BSOD (Blue Screen Of
Death).
* 0 = Logoff (similar to the Start Menu Logoff button): terminate all running
processes/threads/executables/TSRs and close all open programs, then log off
the current user and then restart the Windows graphical shell.
* 1 = Shutdown: terminate all running processes/threads/executables/TSRs and
close all open programs, then shut down the Windows GUI to the
native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode and then display the "It is safe to turn
off the computer" graphical message on the screen, ONLY IF the Logos.sys file
is present in the main Windows folder, otherwise it may [or may not :(] show
this message as plain text at the MS-DOS prompt.
* 2 = Reboot (similar to the Shutdown Menu Restart button): terminate all
running processes/threads/executables/TSRs and close all open programs, then
shut down the Windows GUI and then "cold" reboot the computer to the BIOS
POST screen and then restart the Windows graphical shell, ONLY IF: the
MSDOS.SYS "BootGUI=1" line is present under the [Options] section, or if the
WIN command is present in AUTOEXEC.BAT, or if the WIN command is run from the
native/real/true/pure MS-DOS command prompt (Windows 98 ONLY).
* 4 = Forced Shutdown (unsafe: may generate data loss!): terminate
unconditionally all running processes/threads/executables/TSRs and all open
programs without warnings, and without "flushing" the data from the memory
cache buffers back to the fixed disk(s), eventually powering off the computer
if a supported ATX motherboard is detected.
Avoid using this option if possible!
* 5 = Exit To DOS: the "Exit To DOS.PIF" MS-DOS shortcut (Program Information
File) is created ONLY IF using Windows 98 (Microsoft REMOVED completely
native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode from Windows ME!), then close all running
processes/threads/executables/TSRs and close all open programs, and then shut
down the Windows GUI to the native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode prompt, which
can be "unhidden" by running the MODE CO80 command. Read "2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS"
in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) to learn how to do this properly.
FYI: You CAN regain access to MS-DOS mode if using Windows ME by applying the
Unofficial Real DOS-Mode Patch [9 KB, freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) +
REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to allow Windows ME to boot to native
MS-DOS and use DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), the Windows
95/98 style.
* 8 = Poweroff (ONLY IF a supported ATX motherboard is detected): terminate
all running processes/threads/executables/TSRs and close all open programs,
shut down the Windows GUI to the native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode, then
display the "It is safe to turn off the computer" graphical message on the
screen (ONLY IF the Logos.sys file is present in the main Windows folder,
otherwise it may show this message as plain text at the MS-DOS prompt) and
then completely power off the computer (the power cord may need to be
unplugged and then plugged back in, in order to bring the power back on), ONLY
on PCs with APM (Advanced Power Management) enabled, but this feature needs to
be activated beforehand (if supported) in the BIOS Setup menu.
NOTES:
- You can add up some of these actions by using two # flags at the same time
for combined effect. Example: 1 + 8 = 9, therefore you can use 9 as command
line parameter, in case you wish to perform a Shutdown followed by Poweroff.
- In all these cases except for option 4 (Forced Shutdown) Windows file cache
routine safely "flushes" (writes) all data from the memory cache buffers back
to the fixed disk(s) to avoid any information loss.
CAUTION: Older, cheap, low quality, incompatible and/or defective computer
hardware components, poorly written software drivers and/or programs may
sometimes be responsible for undesirable lockups or data loss during the
Windows shutdown/poweroff sequence.
3. Or you can use this line with all Windows 95/98/ME releases:
RUNDLL32.EXE USER.EXE,ExitWindows
and call it "Shutdown!" or "Poweroff!" if using Win95B/95C OSR 2.1 - 2.5 or
Win98/ME, because these OSes perform also a complete poweroff on ATX
motherboards supporting this feature.
4. For the Windows "Restart!" ("warm" reboot) shortcut (all Windows 95/98/ME
releases) use:
RUNDLL.EXE USER.EXE,ExitWindowsExec
Note that you canNOT use RUNDLL32.EXE for this last command with Win98/ME
because their GUI does NOT support this 32-bit DLL API redirect from the
command line, and after all USER.EXE is only a "plain" 16-bit executable. :(
5. Click Continue, and name these new shortcuts whatever you like.
6. Click Finish.
From now on, (double)-click on one of the shortcuts created above, and
you'll be taken to the plain DOS prompt, back to the GUI, or stare at the
black monitor screen in only 1 swift move. :)
Don't forget to SAVE your work and close ALL open programs FIRST, BEFORE
shutting down or restarting Windows!
Have fun.
FYI: More info on Win9x/ME shut down switches using RUNDLL redirects:
- Shutdown and Reboot:
http://www.robvanderwoude.com/shutdown.html
- "How to Exit Windows 98/ME Automatically Using a Batch File" MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=234216
TIME SAVERS
For those who make frequent changes to their Win95/98/ME systems [tweakers
apply first :)], there are a few Desktop shortcuts/links you might enjoy.
My all-time favorites are:
- System Manager
- Display Screen Saver Preview
- Mouse Settings
- Sound Volume.
First things first: you need to associate your .CPL files (a.k.a. Control
Panel Applets) with CONTROL.EXE, if this is not already done on your system.
To associate a file extension with an executable, program or runtime library
(DLL), you need to follow these steps:
1. Open an Explorer window and select View from the menu.
2a. On Win95 systems without MS IE 4/5 installed select the File Types tab.
Or:
2b. On Win9x/ME systems with MS IE 4/5 installed select Folder Options and
then click the File Types tab.
3. Click New Type... and type "Control Panel Applet" (no quotes) in the
Description of type box.
4. Type CPL in the Associated Extension box.
5. Click the New button (under the Actions menu) and Browse to the location
of Control.exe (found in your Windows folder). DO NOT check the DDE box!
6. Click OK several times (to save your work), until the new association
appears on your File Types list.
Now you're ready to create the FAST Desktop shortcuts described below:
1. Start by highlighting your Desktop: left-click on an empty spot.
2. Right-click and select New -> Shortcut.
3. In the Command line box type respectively (using a separate shortcut with
its own command line for each link mentioned at the beginning of this topic):
C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSDM.CPL,System,1
or:
C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSDM.CPL,,1
for the "System Manager" link;
NOTE: To have the other System Properties tabs open automatically from
separate shortcuts, replace 1 in the SYSDM.CPL command lines above with:
2 = for the Hardware Profiles tab, or
3 = for the Performance tab.
C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DESK.CPL,InstallScreenSaver
for the "Display Screen Saver Preview" link;
C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MAIN.CPL
for the "Mouse Settings" link;
C:\WINDOWS\SNDVOL32.EXE
for the "Sound Volume" link, in case you don't like the yellow speaker icon
displayed on your taskbar, for everybody to mess with it.
FYI:
You don't have to mention the full paths for any of these files, since your
\Windows and \Windows\System folders are already included on your PATH.
But I placed the file/folders names here to speed up the access to each file,
by not letting your system search through the PATH line for the location of
each file, which is a little bit time consuming. [And we DO want FASTER
performance, don't we? :)]
4. Click Continue and name each shortcut respectively (no quotes): "System
Manager", "Display Screen Saver Preview", "Mouse Settings" and "Sound
Volume".
5. Click Finish, and finally click OK.
Now just (double)-click on each new Desktop icon to go there FAST, every time
you want to:
- Change/adjust your hardware/system configuration;
- Preview a new (fancy) screen saver, without selecting it as your default
Windows saver. Even if you'd like to select a saver as your Windows default
screen saver, by running this particular shortcut, YOU CAN'T DO THAT, you will
have to start the normal Display settings menu to enable it!;
- Tame your rodent's settings: speed, animated/static cursors etc;
- Pump up da volume!
Have fun!
UPDATE:
".CPL files are automatically by default associated with:
%windir%\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %1,%*
One may need to rename the:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cplfile\shell\cplopen
Registry key to 'open'."
[Thank you Yuri (kukina@nioch.nsc.ru)!]
FLOPPY (OR ANY OTHER DRIVE) ACCESS ANNOYANCE! [UPDATED 3-30-1999]
I'm sure you have noticed this at some point. Heck, I have received a lot of
e-mail from frustrated users: a non-stop (annoying) floppy drive LED turned
on for a minute or so, upon Windows startup. This means that your floppy
drive is accessed at regular intervals for some obscure reason.
But it doesn't stop here. Same thing also happens sometimes with your hard
drive(s), or more likely with add-on/removable drives: external, cartridge,
tape etc, as well.
Obscure till I figured it out...
So far I could determine the following reasons that can lead to this
"annoyance" (read "pain in the neck").
FYI: More info + tools:
- Known and Unknown Autostart Methods:
http://www.tlsecurity.net/auto.html
- Startup Problems:
http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
- Startup Content:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm
- Startup List Items:
http://www.azpchelp.com/StartupList.htm
- Startup Items List:
http://www.northlanddigital.com/startup.htm
- Floppy Drive Access Bug:
http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/floppybug.htm
- StartupList for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 (freeware):
http://www.spywareinfo.com/files/startuplist.zip
- Freeware Startup managers: "FREE WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP SYSTEM
ENHANCERS" in SOFTWARE.TXT (included), also at:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/toy.htm#ENH
Here we go:
1. You have an AntiVirus tool installed (like McAfee VirusScan/WebScanX, or
Norton AntiVirus etc), which is set to check/scan/detect your floppy/add-on
drive(s) for viruses upon Windows startup/shut-down, and/or at preset
regular intervals.
WORKAROUNDS:
I. FIRST SCAN and CLEAN ALL your drives (including removable) for potential
VIRUSES!
There have been reports the Neuville virus can also cause this!
II. Just start your antivirus tool and disable the floppy (or other add-on
drives) check/scan/detect option.
2. At some point you have accessed/opened/worked with/saved files located on
your floppy/add-on drive(s) with programs included with MS Windows, like
Wordpad, Notepad, MS Paint, or with a huge number of
commercial/retail/shareware Microsoft/3rd party apps/utilities.
WORKAROUNDS:
I. Consider NOT saving files to floppy/add-on drives (you might need to have
to configure some of these apps to do so, read "behave").
II. Remove ALL disks/diskettes from your floppy/add-on drive(s), and see if
you get a pop-up (error) message at Win95/98 startup or whenever you run
such a program. If you do, you need to select another target drive for
saving files, reconfiguring the respective program.
3. Every time you open ANY file associated with a program/executable in
Win95/98, a link/shortcut to that document, zip, graphic, scrap, template
etc file is created in the Recent Documents subfolder (C:\Windows\Recent
usually). And your Recent subfolder contains ALL previously opened documents
(the max limit is 15) IF its contents has not been purged lately!
Example:
Every time you open let's say a ZIP file (associated in Win95/98/NT with an
zipping/unzipping tool, like Winzip 32-bit), a link to that ZIP file is
created in the Recent documents folder.
WORKAROUNDS:
I. To clear ALL Recent documents, just right-click on the Taskbar (on an
empty raised spot, NOT in the sunken area where the time is displayed).
Select Properties, and click on the Start Menu Programs tab.
Now click the Clear button. Voila! All your saved links to previously opened
docs/files are gone.
If this was the reason why your floppy/removable drive was being accessed,
you won't have any problems from now on, ONLY IF you empty your Recent folder
on a regular basis!
You can also use the Microsoft TweakUI Power Toy [110 KB, free, unsupported]
to delete the Recent folder contents automatically upon every Win9x startup:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/winme/Install/1.0/WinMe/EN-US/Tweakui.exe
II. You can also do an "automatic cleaning" (my favorite) every time you boot
up or shut-down Windows 95/98:
A. Add a line to your Autoexec.bat file,
or:
B. If you start Win95/98 from a dedicated batch file (like I do), add this
line there:
ECHO Y | DEL %winbootdir%\RECENT\*.*
C. A more radical approach, which can be achieved ONLY from outside the
Windows GUI, in native/real MS-DOS mode:
DELTREE.EXE/Y %winbootdir%\RECENT
A similar solution is described in "CLEAR DOCS & MORE...", part of
REGISTRY.TXT (included). You can also use CLEAR.BAT (included here) in a
Windows DOS box for the same purpose.
4. If you haven't disabled the "Floppy Seek" in your BIOS, your primary floppy
drive is usually accessed every time upon bootup, even if you boot from your
master hard disk (like most of us do these days).
WORKAROUND:
When you see the first CMOS POST (Power On Self Test) screen during boot,
press Del, F1, or the appropriate key to access your BIOS Setup. Go into the
"BIOS Features Setup" menu (title might be different depending on your
motherboard/BIOS type/model), and disable the "Boot Up Floppy Seek" option
(title might be different). Save your changes and reboot.
WARNING: Certain boot sector viruses can "invade" your BIOS and render your PC
"unbootable"! Therefore scan ALL your drives AND your computer's memory
periodically, using your favorite Virus Scanner tool, especially after
downloading files from untrusted Internet sites.
5. Open your System.ini file (located in the Windows folder) with Notepad or
Sysedit. Scroll down to the [386enh] section, and look for the
"device=filename.ext" lines listed there. The "device=" lines in System.ini
load Win95/98 specific protected mode device drivers or TSRs/programs,
installed by the OS, and/or by software you are or WERE using. Some of these
entries might be obsolete (especially if you uninstalled some "buggy" programs
that placed such lines in System.ini).
WORKAROUND:
To isolate the possible "culprit", remark those device= lines one at a time,
using a semicolon (;) in front of each line. Example:
[386enh]
; device=vsbpd.386
Now start a search for all these devices/files on ALL your drives, and then
safely delete all "device=filename.ext" entries that don't point to actual
files anymore (but BACKUP FIRST!).
Reload Windows and see if that annoying floppy LED still goes on.
IMPORTANT: Do NOT remark/delete ANY System.ini "device=*" lines that have an
asterisk (*) as the first character after the equal sign! These are Win95/98
virtual drivers, NOT real files, and they are needed for Windows 95/98 proper
operation! Example:
[386enh]
device=*dynapage
6. Open your Win.ini file (found in your Windows folder) using Notepad.
Look for the "load=" and the "run=" lines under the [windows] section.
All programs/files listed there are Windows programs/TSRs that load/run at
startup. Example:
[windows]
load=c:\windoz\wintsr c:\stuff\winstuff
run=c:\myprogs\myprog.exe
WORKAROUND:
Remark one file at a time (by using a semicolon in front of the file name,
and moving that file entry on a separate line), to prevent Windows from
trying to load/run it at startup. Example:
[windows]
load=c:\windoz\wintsr
; c:\stuff\winstuff
run=
; c:\myprogs/myprog.exe
Restart Windows and see if the floppy drive is still accessed.
Now start a search for all files listed on the "load="/"run=" lines, on ALL
your drives, and then safely delete all "filename.ext" entries that don't
point to existing files (but BACKUP FIRST!).
7. It has been brought to my attention that there is another System.ini line
which can contain executables that automatically run when Windows loads.
It is the "drivers=" line, found in the [boot] section of your System.ini.
This line looks usually like this:
[boot]
drivers=mmsystem.dll
but it may also have other devices/drivers besides the Windows default
"mmsystem.dll". All drivers (executables) on this line can have one of these
file extensions: .DLL, .DRV, .386 or .VXD. No matter how many drivers are
listed, they MUST ALL be on this same line, each separated by a space.
Example:
[boot]
drivers=mmsystem.dll driver.vxd c:\stuff\weird.386
Note that all files located in C:\Windows\System (default for your Windows
System folder) don't need to have their path mentioned on System.ini's
"drivers" line.
WORKAROUND:
If your "drivers" line has other commands listed, beside "mmsystem.dll",
proceed with the same steps as described at paragraph #5 (above), to disable
(remark) them, one at a time. Restart Windows and notice any differences.
8. Another place to look for loading programs is your Startup folder (default
is C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup).
WORKAROUND:
Run Explorer, open your Startup folder, and determine which entries
(shortcuts/links) are not valid anymore (actual files on your drives).
Delete them (but BACKUP FIRST!).
9. Run Regedit.exe (located in your Windows folder), and scroll down to the
following keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
Look in the right hand pane of each key above. You'll see a list of programs
there.
More info @ MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=179365
WORKAROUND:
Write down/print a hard copy of all programs/executables found under these
Registry keys, and then search ALL your drives for the correspondent file
names.
BACKUP your Registry and System files (SYSTEM.DAT, USER.DAT, SYSTEM.INI,
WIN.INI, CONTROL.INI), and then safely delete/or move to a backup drive/folder
all obsolete entries under the Registry keys above. Highlight each item you
want to delete, and press Del. Answer OK to the confirmation screen.
10. With Regedit started, check this Registry key for references to .DLL or
.OCX files that might reside on your floppy/removable drive:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID
WORKAROUND: Find the incriminated floppy/removable disk, copy the .DLL or
.OCX files you found to a directory on your hard disk, and then change their
path in the correspondent CLSID Registry subkey to point to the new
destination.
11. This one is not frequent, but you never know: search for a file called
WINSTART.BAT, on ALL your local hard drives. ANY command line listed there
will be executed BEFORE Windows 95/98 loads!
WORKAROUND:
If WINSTART.BAT is on your path line, specified in your Autoexec.bat, move it
to a different location, NOT in your path! You can also open WINSTART.BAT with
Nopepad, to see the program names listed there. Then if you decide to keep
WINSTART.BAT in its original location, you can "remark" the program(s) you
don't want Windows to run upon startup with a double colon (or using the old
fashioned "REM"), followed by a space. Remark one line at a time, and then
restart Windows after each change. Example:
:: C:\PROGRAMS\MYPROG
12. This topic is valid only for the hard drive your Windows 95/98 swap file
is located on. Basically, if your swap file size is too small, or/and if your
machine has only 8 MB (or less) of RAM, Win95/98 accesses the hard drive VERY
frequently.
WORKAROUNDS:
I. Read "SWAP FILE - Part 1" and "SWAP FILE - Part 2", both in MYTIPS95.TXT
(this file), for details on how to adjust Win95/98's swap file to your needs
[see especially "FIXED SWAP FILE" in TIPS95.TXT (included), on selecting
the swap file size based on your system installed memory amount].
II. Buy more memory (no more excuses, the memory chips prices dropped so low
now).
13. Search ALL your drives for existent .PIF (Windows MS-DOS Shortcut) files
that might point to programs/apps located on floppy/removable drives.
WORKAROUND:
Obviously, you need to delete/move ALL such PIF files (but BACKUP first!), or
avoid running those programs.
FINALLY:
This step might be necessary for all topics above: REBOOT, RESTART or RELOAD
Windows to cure the problem!
UPDATES:
1. Maggie (choukoud@xs4all.nl) sent me her own tips on "squashing" the
"drives access bugs". Many thanks for sharing, Mags!
"Some programs keep their own Recent file history in Win.ini, others do so
in the Registry. Whenever my A: led flashes, the first thing I do is start
Regedit and Sysedit, find A:, very often I find the entry.
On some rare occasion I found it in another .ini file.
The "FindFast" from MS Office '97 installs, even when you tell setup not to.
It not only accesses A:, but all directories on all drives.
Today I reinstalled Office, as well as a lot of other programs on my new 9
gigabyte hard disk, and forgot about FindFast. On the worst possible moment
this bug-with-a-name started indexing my 9 gig...
My system was so slow that even starting Regedit took me two cups of coffee.
Only after deleting all keys containing "findfast" the noise of clicking HD
heads stopped.
Back to floppies:
After installing IE4 I found out that Mijenix Explorer Plus was constantly
accessing A:. A free updated version of Explorer Plus solves this problem."
NOTE: This MSKB article explains how to disable FastFind:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=158705
2. Here is another cool trick to circumvent the A: floppy drive from being
accessed, courtesy of Dwayne (dwayne.pivac@team.xtra.co.nz):
"I have another answer that fixed this problem for me.
Using TweakUI (or something similar) you can hide the A: drive from the My
Computer or Windows Explorer screens. The problem I was having is whenever I
open these windows it would access the Floppy Drive, and hiding it fixed the
problem (good ole Windows). If you don't have TweakUI, you can hide the A:
Drive in the registry, go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Create a new Binary Value called NoDrives, with value 01 00 00 00, or
create a .REG file in Notepad:
-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoDrives"=hex:01,00,00,00
------End cut & paste here------
Oh yeah, you can always add a shortcut to the A: Drive on your Desktop or
Start Menu if you still wish to access it, or do like I do and use the Windows
key and R together (on a MS Natural Keyboard), then type A: and press Enter.
Or if you don't have a Windows key try Ctrl-Esc then R (unless you have an
application in your Start Menu starting with R)."
NOTE: See "HIDE YOUR DRIVES!" in REGISTRY.TXT (included) for details.
3. Bradford (Bradford.Bucca@compaq.com) found yet another Windows 98/98 SE(U)
"floppy annoyance", and he also offers the solution:
"Under System -> Performance -> File System -> Floppy Disk -> uncheck the
"Search for new floppy disk drives each time your computer starts" box.
But the Biggie (at least for me with tape drive backup SW installed), there
are 3 VXDs in C:\Windows\System\Iosubsys: unless you have a floppy/parallel
port tape drive you should rename DRVWQ117.VXD and DRVWPPQT.VXD to something
like *.OLD, as these sniff the floppy/printer ports, causing unwanted floppy
access at startup. Search also the Registry and *.INI files for references to
them, but the renaming is quicker. And NEVER access anything from a floppy in
Win95/98, copy whatever you need to a HD first."
NOTE: See "SPEEEDUP YOUR GUI STARTUP!" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details
on how to do this.
4. This one comes from Richard (marich@worldnet.att.net):
"While my tip correcting the floppy drive being accessed and the drive light
left on during bootup annoyance by renaming HSFLOP.PDR and letting Windows use
the DOS floppy driver works, I finally located the source of my problem.
A patch was required so that OSR2 would handle my AMD 380 MHz CPU. That patch
contains an updated floppy driver. The problem arose when the patch didn't
remove the references to the old driver in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\fdc\0000
The patch placed the new driver information under a key that contained the old
floppy driver date. By deleting all entries referencing the old floppy driver
(for some reason I had 5) and correcting the date in the remaining key to
coincide with the subordinate listing the new driver date, the problem was
solved, but ONLY AFTER doing this: Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager
-> Floppy disk controllers -> Standard Floppy Disk Controller -> Properties ->
disabled the hardware profile. Floppy drive works fine and the light doesn't
turn on anymore."
5. Try also this one from Todd (ToddW@westcoasteagles.com.au):
"This has always worked for me: in Explorer, select View -> Folder Options and
choose the File Types tab. Run slowly down the list of file associations one
by one with the down arrow on your keyboard, until you hear your A drive seek.
Then either edit or remove the offending association (you may have more than
one)."
6. This "fix" appears courtesy of Jor (Joranthalus@foxvalley.net):
"If you install Aladdin DropZip:
http://www.aladdinsys.com/products/
(for MAC Stuffit decompression) in Windows 98, any time you right-click on a
shortcut or compressed file, it will attempt to access your A: drive. I found
2 ways around this:
- uninstall the damn thing,
- or use TweakAll:
http://www.codeforge.co.uk/mainframes.htm
to take "Add to DropZip" off your right-click menu."
ADD-ON:
"Here are the instructions to fix frequent floppy access with Aladdin DropZip
in Win95/98 caused by a corrupt shortcut to the A:\ floppy drive located in
the \Windows\SendTo subfolder:
http://www.aladdinsys.com/support/techsupport/qanda.php?id=96
For Windows NT, 2000 and ME there are downloadable patches to fix this issue."
[Thank you Nick (NickR@ClearSystems.co.uk)!]
OUTSMART SMARTDRIVE [*]
Even now, in the "modern" Windows 95/98 days, it takes a long time to load the
Windows 32-bit GUI, with all its (way too) many virtual drivers (VXDs).
As you well know, Windows 95/98 32-bit Graphical User Interface (GUI) is still
layered (loaded) on top of ol' MS-DOS command line based Operating System
(16-bit OS). :(
So I found the solution to decrease Win95/98's loading time. [after all we DO
want more speeed! :)]
I simply load SMARTDRV in my Autoexec.bat, the MS-DOS mode disk cache.
SMARTDRV.EXE v5.0x is provided with MS-DOS 6.xx and with Win9x, found in your
Windows 95/98 folder, or in your DOS directory if using MS-DOS 6.xx.
But the proper way to do this, AND saving memory the same time can be tricky!
You can customize the SMARTDRV line to your needs, to cache all your floppy,
hard, AND cd-rom/dvd drives in your system; though you need to include a line
for MSCDEX in your Autoexec.bat BEFORE the SMARTDRV line, AND also load your
DOS mode supplied cd-rom/dvd driver from your Config.sys, if you want to have
your cd-rom/dvd available in native MS-DOS mode, AND to have it cached by
Smartdrv. Example:
SMARTDRV 2048 16 A+ C+ D /N /Q
where A is the floppy drive, C is the hard drive, and D is the cd-rom/dvd
drive. Notice the absence of a plus sign after D, because cd-rom/dvd drives
are read-only. :)
I prefer the Acer "universal" CD-ROM/DVD driver for DOS [VIDE-CDD.SYS v2.14,
176 KB, free]:
http://www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
because it is compatible with most internal IDE/ATAPI cd-roms/dvds of ANY
speed, and takes only 5 KB of upper memory.
NOTE: See "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for complete
details.
Alternatively you can load Smartdrv from Config.sys using INSTALLHIGH, AHEAD
OF ALL OTHER INSTALL/INSTALLHIGH lines, if any (example):
INSTALLHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE 2048 16 A+ C+ D /N /Q
to cache your other devices/TSRs that eventually load later in the sequence
from your Config.sys, thus speeding up disk access.
In this case you need to specify the FULL path and the file extension (.EXE).
I suggest using the /N parameter with CAUTION! It allows the return to the
MS-DOS command prompt BEFORE writing the entire data back to disk (before the
completion of the previous DOS command), which may result in data loss,
especially if a sudden power surge occurs!
The /Q switch (Quiet) tells Smartdrv not to display its status info while
loading.
The first number (in this case 2048) sets the DOS mode cache size (also called
"InitCacheSize") to 2048 KB, and the second number (16), called
"WinCacheSize", "shrinks" the cache size under Windows 3.1x/9x to 16 KB to
preserve memory.
The minimum "WinCacheSize" valid value is said to be 128 KB (per Microsoft
guidelines), but I found out that 16 KB is THE minimum accepted, if using
SMARTDRV.EXE version 5.00 (included with MS-DOS 6.xx) up to 5.02 (bundled with
Windows 9x). Windows 9x loads its own 32-bit disk cache, and if properly
configured doesn't use Smartdrv anyway.
In the above example, the Smartdrv extended memory size (if Microsoft
EMM386.EXE or a similar 3rd party memory manager is loaded in your Config.sys,
and set to provide extended/expanded/upper memory, with the RAM switch) is
2048 KB (2 MB). Also, the default Smartdrv upper memory cache buffer is 16 KB.
[kinda huge, huh...]
But you CAN decrease Smartdrv's upper memory read-ahead BUFFER size by using
the /B:xxxxx switch. Example:
SMARTDRV 2048 16 A+ C+ D /N /Q /B:8192
which takes only 8 KB (8192 Bytes) of upper memory, not 16 KB as in the
previous example (with no /B switch).
Another Smartdrv parameter you may want to adjust is the ELEMENT size (the
/E:xxxxx switch). The default Smartdrv element size is 16384 Bytes (16 KB).
Meaning that Smartdrv moves/copies a 16 KB "chunk" of data at a time. This may
be enough for routine MS-DOS mode operations (copying/moving files around),
but if you do frequent DOS disk maintenance tasks involving huge files, a 16
KB element might not be good enough. You can increase the element size to
32768 Bytes (32 KB).
NOTE: SmartDrive's BUFFER and ELEMENT sizes can be adjusted ONLY in 8 KB (8192
Bytes) increments, from a minimum value of 8 KB up to a maximum of 64 KB
(65536 Bytes), and the ELEMENT size MUST be a multiple or at least equal to
the BUFFER size!
And this is an example of fully optimized Autoexec.bat Smartdrv command:
SMARTDRV 2048 16 A+ C+ D /N /Q /B:8192 /E:32768
Now you're talking! This particular Smartdrv line takes only 22 KB of upper
memory, and only 2 MB of extended memory, while improving disk performance!
To determine if your disk performance has REALLY increased after all this
tweaking, keep in mind that SMARTDRV's cache "hit rate" must stay around
80-85% (ideal value), or at least 70%. To do this, start by running:
SMARTDRV /S
from the native MS-DOS prompt. You'll see a screen similar to this:
"Microsoft SMARTDrive Disk Cache version 5.02
Copyright 1991,1993 Microsoft Corp.
Room for 256 elements of 8,192 bytes each
There have been 2,150 cache hits
and 350 cache misses
Cache size: 2,097,152 bytes
Cache size while running Windows: 16,384 bytes
Disk Caching Status
drive read cache write cache buffering
-------------------------------------------------
A: yes yes no
C: yes yes no
D: yes no no
Write behind data will not be committed before command prompt returns."
The Smartdrv settings shown here are the ones used in the example above.
Now calculate Smartdrv's effective cache "hit rate" using this formula:
CH : (CH + CM) x 100 = HR%
where:
- CH = Cache Hits
- CM = Cache Misses
- HR% = Hit Rate percentage
By substituting these parameters with the real values above, you get:
2150 : (2150 + 350) x 100 = 86%
It is best to keep Smartdrv's hit rate between 70 and 85%.
If your hit rate is less than 70%, the cache isn't very effective, and you
should increase the "InitCacheSize" number.
Beyond 85% typically means that you allocated SMARTDRV more RAM than it really
needs. In this case, decrease the "InitCacheSize" number until your "hit rate"
falls around 80-85%, and let other "memory hungry" programs use the extra RAM
(i.e. MS Windows), especially if your computer has only 32 MB or less of
installed memory.
If you prefer to determine your disk cache hit rate "the easy way" [:)],
download one of these DOS utilities:
- SysChk diagnostics + benchmark tool (nag shareware):
http://www.syschk.com/beta.htm
- Cache Control (CC.EXE) tool, part of the InkUtils pack (freeware):
http://www.inkland.f9.co.uk/inkutils/
To view all SMARTDRV available parameters from any DOS prompt, run:
SMARTDRV /?
You'll get this screen:
"Installs and configures the SMARTDrive disk-caching utility.
SMARTDRV [/X] [[drive[+|-]]...] [/U] [/C | /R] [/F | /N] [/L] [/V | /Q | /S]
[InitCacheSize [WinCacheSize]] [/E:ElementSize] [/B:BufferSize]
/X Disables write-behind caching for all drives.
drive Sets caching options on specific drive(s). The specified
drive(s) will have write-caching disabled unless you add +.
+ Enables write-behind caching for the specified drive.
- Disables all caching for the specified drive.
/U Do not load CD-ROM caching module.
/C Writes all information currently in write-cache to hard disk.
/R Clears the cache and restarts SMARTDrive.
/F Writes cached data before command prompt returns (default).
/N Doesn't write cached data before command prompt returns.
/L Prevents SMARTDrive from loading itself into upper memory.
/V Displays SMARTDrive status messages when loading.
/Q Does not display status information.
/S Displays additional information about SMARTDrive's status.
InitCacheSize Specifies XMS memory (KB) for the cache.
WinCacheSize Specifies XMS memory (KB) for the cache with Windows.
/E:ElementSize Specifies how many bytes of information to move at one time.
/B:BufferSize Specifies the size of the read-ahead buffer."
Depending on how much memory (RAM) is installed in your system, you can
further tweak the Smartdrv size to cache more (and larger) files. My Pentium
II machine has 128 MB SDRAM, so I set Smartdrv's "InitCacheSize" to 6144 KB (6
MB), and the "WinCacheSize" to 16 KB (minimum allowed). This is my
Autoexec.bat SMARTDRV line:
SMARTDRV 6144 16 A+ C+ D /N /Q /B:8192 /E:32768
There is no need to load Smartdrv with "LOADHIGH" ("LH" for short) in
Autoexec.bat, since it is "smart" enough to find the optimum memory
configuration upon loading, provided you have EMM386.EXE (or a similar upper
memory manager) loaded in your Config.sys.
These are my OWN recommended optimum Smartdrv "InitCacheSize" values based on
your installed RAM amount:
* 4 MB: [shame on you if you "torture" yourself watching your PC "crawl" with
this "much" memory!... :-)] => SMARTDRV size = 128 KB or none!;
* 8 MB: [still waiting for Windows to load, huh... :-)] => SMARTDRV size =
256 - 512 KB;
* 16 MB: [c'mon, you can do better than THAT!] => SMARTDRV size = 1024 - 2048
KB;
* 32 MB: [decent, but still not enough by today's standards. But who am I to
judge your "boring, business-only" desktop PC?... :-)] => SMARTDRV size =
2048 - 4096 KB;
* 40 MB: [a little better, you must a beginner "PC gamer"... :-)] => SMARTDRV
size = 4096 - 6144 KB;
* 64 MB: [now you're talking! Optimum for running Win95/98... But not for
long...] => SMARTDRV size = 6144 - 8192 KB;
* 128 MB: [smart guy, you're slightly ahead of today's requirements. You must
be an WinNT user!] => SMARTDRV size = 8192 KB (beyond 8192 KB Smartdrv's
efficiency doesn't increase by much anyway);
* 256 MB: [your PC must be soaring through Win9x/NT or ANY OS for that matter.
I bet you have a dual Pentium II/III system!] => SMARTDRV size = whatever you
want it to be!;
* 512 MB: [you're a darn lucky dog!... Deep into the CAD/DTP/professional 3D
animation/graphics/video editing business, I presume... But I pity you, that
means you probably don't OWN this mean machine... :-)] => SMARTDRV size = NO
limits (maximum allowed Smartdrv size is 64 MB = 65536 KB)!
As a rule of thumb try to keep Smartdrv's "InitCacheSize" within 1/6 of your
installed RAM, and at 1/8 if you have less than 32 MB.
REQUIRED ADDENDUM:
By loading ONLY the HIMEM.SYS device at startup (which can be further tweaked
in your Config.sys file), your machine provides ONLY EXTENDED memory available
to programs/TSRs, NOT upper or/and expanded!
To enable the use of UMBs (Upper Memory Blocks) and the Upper Memory Area
(UMA) for loading devices/drivers/TSRs high, and/or EXPANDED memory (still
needed by some older DOS programs), you need to add/tweak a Config.sys line
for EMM386.EXE, the default Microsoft upper/expanded memory manager (comes
with MS-DOS 6.xx and Win9x).
Below are EMM386.EXE alternative configurations to properly load Smartdrv in
upper AND extended memory (and AVOID the use of CONVENTIONAL memory), you can
further tweak to match your system needs:
1. Example of EMM386 line in Config.sys to provide ONLY EXTENDED memory AND
UMBs (Upper Memory Blocks) for loading devices/TSRs high:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS I=B000-B7FF D=256
2. Example of EMM386 line in Config.sys to provide extended, EXPANDED memory
and UMBs:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM I=B000-B7FF D=256 AUTO
The expanded memory version above takes an extra 64 KB of UMA to load
EMM386's Page Frame. The "AUTO" switch yields the use of expanded or extended
memory to programs, as needed.
Windows 95/98 users: open the MSDOSDRV.TXT file with Notepad (located in your
Windows folder) to see all available EMM386.EXE parameters.
MS-DOS 6.xx users: run:
HELP EMM386.EXE
from any DOS prompt, to see all available EMM386.EXE switches.
NOTE: Read also the related EMM386.EXE and SMARTDRV.EXE topics in MEMORY.TXT
(included) for more details.
Have a "smart" computing day!
FYI: Check out these Smartdrv related pages:
- The "SMARTDrive and 32-Bit Disk Access" MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=83325
- MS-DOS 6 Commands: Smartdrv:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/msdos/comm7.asp
- My UMBPCI.SYS Guide, to learn how to use a better upper memory manager and
specific Smartdrv settings using UMBPCI.SYS:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm
- Driving for Performance: SMARTDrive, Part 2:
http://www.tcs.org/ioport/read9711.htm
CLOSE'EM ALL
If you have more than one open window on your Desktop (and when was the last
time you hadn't), there is a way to close them all with only one swift move,
as long as they were all generated by the same application/program.
Just hold down the Shift key and left-click the Close window button (the x
button) in the upper right corner of your last open window.
Done.
SHELL ENVIRONMENT SIZE [*]
This posting answers my good friend's question below, and appears here to
benefit ALL WinDOwS users.
NOTE: This topic applies also to MS-DOS 6.xx and Windows/WfWG 3.1x systems,
with these exceptions: the /L:xxxx and /U:xxx COMMAND.COM parameters, and the
"winbootdir" environment string apply ONLY to Win95/98 [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.xx]
OSes!
Q [The Captain]:
"What are your recommendations for a Win95 OSR 2.5 system with 32 MB RAM for
a Config.sys "shell=" line parameters? What about a 16 MB system?
I am currently using "SHELL=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM /P /E:1024".
I have no real mode drivers loading, it's all 32-bit."
A [axcel216@aol.com]:
"The SHELL Command.com environment parameter length, set by the /E:xxxx switch
(used in Config.sys), doesn't depend on your installed memory (RAM), but on
how MANY and how LONG are your SET statements in your Config.sys and/or
Autoexec.bat files, including the PATH and the PROMPT lines.
A safe bet is to set your Config.sys SHELL line to read:
SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /E:1024 /L:128 /U:128 /P
Change the path above if your Command.com copy is located somewhere else.
You may want to increase the environment size, let's say to /E:1536 if your
PATH line is pretty long, and/or if you have a bunch of SET lines in your
startup files, like I do.
For details on the /L and /U switches (and for all Win95/98 Command.com
available parameters), run:
COMMAND /?
at any DOS prompt.
If you don't have a SHELL line in your Config.sys, Win95/98 automatically
starts the GUI at the end of processing the startup files (Io.sys, Msdos.sys,
Config.sys and Autoexec.bat), even if you have the "BootGUI=0" line present
in your Msdos.sys file, the [Options] section. At least that's what happens
on my machine, and I noticed this to be valid with both Win95 OSR1 and Win95B
OSR2 releases.
There is a good DOS diagnostics tool called SysChk (no nag shareware):
http://www.syschk.com/
which reports the total, used and free environment memory amounts in bytes
(among many other details about your system), when you select option #7 from
SysChk's main screen menu. If your free environment size is below 100-200
bytes, you might need to increase it, to have at least 400-500 bytes free,
because Windows 3.1x/95/98 and their DOS sessions also add to the length of
the environment size (like the "windir" line, present only with Windows/WfWG
3.1x/95/98 started). Also, Win9x adds the "winbootdir" string to the
environment upon bootup, reading the Msdos.sys file, the [Paths] section,
which contains the "WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS" line.
To see all the SET lines/strings displayed on your screen, just run:
SET | MORE
from any DOS prompt. Adding "| MORE" to the SET command, allows viewing all
SET lines one screen at a time, and you can press a key to move to the next
screen, that is if all your SET lines don't fit into the default DOS screen
of 25 lines.
Run SysChk from a Windows DOS prompt box, and press 7, which displays all
environment variables/strings and sizes (a lot more useful details compared
to using the plain "SET | MORE" command).
Also, when you start a DOS session in Windows 95/98, the Command environment
size defaults to /E:2048 /L:1024 /U:255 (maximum sizes allowed by the OS, in
order to accomodate all your SET/environment strings/lines). This loads a
huge COMMAND module into memory, usually too big for your needs. But you can
restrict/customize the environment size in a Windows DOS session by starting
it from a custom PIF file (MS-DOS application shortcut).
All you have to do is type something like:
COMMAND.COM /E:1024 /L:128 /U:128
in your PIF file's "Cmd line" dialog box, by modifying the "MS-DOS Prompt"
item already present in your Start Menu (Win95/98) or in the Main Program
Group (Win/WfWG 3.1x), or by creating a new one.
In Windows/WfWG 3.1x you need to start PIFEDIT.EXE located in your Windows
directory to modify/create a PIF executable (Program Information File)."
UPDATE:
"To determine exactly the proper size for your environment, open a DOS session
under the Windows GUI, type this line, and hit Enter:
SET > C:\HOWMUCH.TXT
This plain text file is exactly the same size as your environment. You can
open HOWMUCH.TXT (the name is of no importance) using Notepad in Windows or
EDIT in DOS to see what strings your environment currently contains.
Note that the environment size is different in a Windows DOS box from the
native MS-DOS prompt, because Windows adds the "windir=C:\WINDOWS" variable to
the SET list."
[Thank you Early Bird (morning_person@yahoo.com)!]
CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS [UPDATED 3-3-1998]
This topic applies to ALL owners of (E)IDE/ATAPI internal
CD-ROM/CD-R(W)/DVD-ROM/DVD-R(W)/DVD-RAM drives using MS Windows 9x/ME/3.1x
and/or MS-DOS 6.xx.
My 8x speed internal IDE ATAPI CD-ROM drive (Turtle Beach NEC IDE 8000, 256 KB
buffer, 145 msec), loads a smaller DOS device driver (Acer's IDE ATAPI CD-ROM
device driver VIDE-CDD.SYS) in upper memory (5 KB), compared to my ol' 2x
speed Creative Labs/Matsushita OMNI (proprietary 8-bit interface) CD-ROM
drive, using Creative Labs' proprietary SBCD.SYS CD-ROM driver, which was
taking 13 KB of upper RAM (or my newer NEC/Turtle Beach ATAPI CD-ROM driver
that was occupying 22 KB of upper memory).
Download Acer "Universal" CD-ROM/DVD driver for DOS [VIDE-CDD.SYS v2.14, 176
KB, free]:
http://www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
Acer CD-ROM/DVD drivers for DOS:
http://www.benq.com/drivers/storage_drivers.html
Apicd214.exe is a self-extractive zip which contains the VIDE-CDD.SYS cd-rom
driver version 2.14 for MS-DOS, designed for Acer internal IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM
and DVD drives. To my knowledge, VIDE-CDD.SYS works GREAT with ANY internal
IDE 100% ATAPI compliant CD-ROM/DVD drive of ANY speed, that uses the default
16-bit IDE, or 32-bit EIDE motherboard connector (most all Pentium, Pentium
Pro and Pentium II/III/IV motherboards provide the dual EIDE PCI interface,
for all IDE, EIDE or/and ATAPI drives in your system, including CD-ROM/DVD
drives).
Also, one of the most compatible (read "Universal") IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM DOS mode
drivers I have found is made by Teac. It is designed to work with Teac
IDE/ATAPI internal CD-ROMs, but I discovered it does a great job with my
Turtle Beach NEC 8x CD-ROM drive. Download TEAC_CDI.SYS v1.27Q [37 KB, free]:
http://www.teac.com/DSPD/downloads/drivers/atapicd.exe
Teac CD-ROM/DVD drivers for DOS:
http://www.teac.com/DSPD/downloads/drivers/dtide_d.htm
TEAC_CDI.SYS version 1.27Q works with almost ANY IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM/DVD of ANY
speed! Takes only 9-13 KB of upper DOS memory on my machine when loaded with
DEVICEHIGH in Config.sys.
ADDENDUM:
If you have an IDE/ATAPI cd-rom drive connected to a Sound Blaster (SB) card
interface (the IDE interface on some Creative Labs SB cards, like the SB AWE32
PnP, or SB AWE64 PnP), you may NOT be able to use the DOS drivers mentioned
above, because the SB IDE interface (controller) uses a different interrupt
and hex base address.
Example: the standard secondary (E)IDE controller on the motherboard uses
interrupt 15, and base address 170h (hex notation). Sound Blaster IDE
interface uses by default interrupt (IRQ) 5 (same as the sound card chip),
and base address (BA) 220h.
Also, if you have an SB card featuring the older Matsushita/Panasonic
proprietary 8-bit cd-rom interface (like the Sound Blaster 16 CD/16 ASP, NOT
PnP), you canNOT use the cd-rom drivers listed here. In this case you will
have to use the driver(s) provided by Creative Labs (bundled with your sound
card or cd-rom drive), usually called SBCD.SYS (which takes 13 KB of memory).
The Panasonic/Matsushita cd-rom connector uses (to my knowledge) interrupt 5
and base address 220h, and cannot be changed.
The standard (E)IDE motherboard controller interface in most Pentium (and
newer) systems uses the following Interrupt ReQuest lines (IRQ) and hex Base
Addresses (BA):
- Primary Master & Slave: IRQ = 14; BA = 1F0h (port 1);
- Secondary Master & Slave: IRQ = 15; BA = 170h (port 2).
Alternative IRQs and BAs used by non-standard (supplemental/add-on) (E)IDE
controllers:
- Tertiary Master & Slave: IRQ = 12; BA = 1E8h (port 3);
- Quaternary Master & Slave: IRQ = 10; BA = 168h (port 4).
NOTES:
* See these pages for detailed info on ATAPI/(E)IDE CD/DVD drives:
- Turtle Beach Knowledge Base:
http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/kb_ftp/635.asp
- BenQ (Acer) CD-ROM FAQ:
http://209.218.28.213/support/faqDetail.asp?CATEGORY_ID=240000037
* All the above standard hardware settings are supported by both VIDE-CDD.SYS
and TEAC_CDI.SYS DOS drivers.
* To my knowledge the following internal (E)IDE/ATAPI CDs/DVDs work with
VIDE-CDD.SYS and/or TEAC_CDI.SYS, ONLY IF connected to the standard IDE/EIDE
motherboard controller:
- most Acer and Aopen IDE cd-roms;
- some Creative Labs IDE cd-roms (NOT OMNI/Matsushita proprietary);
- some Matsushita/Panasonic IDE cd-roms (if NOT connected to the sound card
IDE or proprietary controller);
- all NEC IDE cd-roms;
- all Teac IDE cd-roms;
- all Turtle Beach IDE cd-roms;
- most Toshiba IDE cd-roms;
- most Pioneer IDE dvd-roms;
- all Imation IDE cd-roms/cd-rs/cd-rws;
- some Memorex IDE cd-roms/cd-rs/cd-rws;
- some Mitsumi IDE cd-roms [Thank you Roberto (robloz@iol.it)!];
- some Waitec IDE cd-roms/cd-rs/cd-rws [Thank you Roberto (robloz@iol.it)!].
Please send me e-mail at axcel216@aol.com if you have knowledge of any other
internal (E)IDE/ATAPI CDs/DVDs that DO or DO NOT work with VIDE-CDD.SYS and/or
TEAC_CDI.SYS.
UPDATES:
1. "The BUSLink R56 internal CD-ROM drive does NOT work with VIDE-CDD.SYS."
[Thank you Karl (karlschmitz@ber-dec.com)!]
2. Older proprietary IDE Matsushita CD-ROM drives (1x-2x speed) manufactured
around 1993 and earlier, and sold under the brand names of Creative Labs, JVC,
Panasonic, Plextor and Reveal do NOT work with the newer CD standards using
more than 640 MB (> 63 minutes audio). This includes 650, 700, 740 and 800 MB
CDs/CD-Rs/CD-RWs. An example is Activision's MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries CD-ROM
game for Windows 9x/ME.
3. Most Pioneer internal (E)IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drives do NOT work with Acer or
Teac drivers above. Pioneer drive owners need to download:
- ATAPI108.EXE for 4-24x speed CD drives [29 KB, free]:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/Pioneer/Files/atapi108.exe
- ATAPI307.EXE for 24x speed and faster CD drives [86 KB, free]:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/Pioneer/Files/atapi307.exe
4. Certain Panasonic/Matsushita (Creative Labs) CD-ROMs do NOT support the
Acer or Teac IDE/ATAPI drivers, especially if connected to a Creative Labs
Sound Blaster (MKE/Panasonic) proprietary (non-standard) IDE controller. An
example is the Creative Panasonic CD drive CR563.
[Thank you Michael (mike.morley@zetnet.co.uk)!]
5. This update courtesy of The Captain:
"TEAC_CDI.SYS or VIDE-CDD.SYS do NOT work with my Compaq Presario CDTV 510 486
class PC with an IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM drive. The only driver working in DOS mode
is the one included with the computer: CPQIDECD.SYS. See Compaq Support for
more info:"
http://www.compaq.com/support/
6. CD-ROM Drivers on the Internet: see "FREE WinDOwS CD/DVD DRIVERS + TOOLS"
in SOFTWARE.TXT (included).
7. See this help page:
http://www.bootdisk.com/readme.htm#cdromdos
%WINDIR% VARIABLE [UPDATED 2-14-1998]
%WINDIR% is a variable used by ALL MS-DOS 6.xx, 7.xx and 8.00 commands, both
internal and external.
Internal MS-DOS commands (built into the OS, NOT real files): COPY, DEL, MD,
RD, CD etc.
External MS-DOS commands (actual files on your disk, located by default in
C:\Windows\Command): XCOPY.EXE, MOVE.EXE, ATTRIB.EXE, DELTREE.EXE etc.
BEWARE: The %WINDIR% variable is available ONLY with the Windows GUI started,
therefore can be used ONLY in a Windows DOS session/box prompt and in batch
files executed ONLY from within Windows, it canNOT be used in native/true
MS-DOS mode outside Windows!
So if you are running such commands from the native MS-DOS prompt, use the
real name of your Windows folder, or use the %winbootdir% variable followed
by a backslash (\) in front of your file names, to point to a valid path.
Example:
XCOPY <parameters> %winbootdir%\*.INI C:\WINBAK
The %WINDIR% variable shows off its usefulness when you have Windows 9x/ME
installed in a folder other than the default C:\Windows, and/or would like to
use the same batch file(s) on multiple Windows PCs (eventually connected to a
network), without having to customize it/them individually for each machine.
The Windows 9x/ME directory (set <windir>) is an internal MS-DOS variable,
specified in Msdos.sys (a system file located in C:\ root), which is
processed by the Win9x/ME boot routine. Io.sys (which is processed first at
bootup) looks into Msdos.sys's [Paths] section to determine the location of
your Windows 9x/ME directory, and loads it in the MS-DOS environment memory.
This Msdos.sys example uses default values:
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\Windows
If you run the SET command from a DOS prompt (using "| MORE" to display one
screen at a time):
SET | MORE
you'll see all MS-DOS variables, including "windir".
Notice that the internal ones ("windir" and "winbootdir") appear in small
characters, and the external SET variables (specified in Config.sys and/or
Autoexec.bat by the SET <variable> command lines) appear in capitals.
Example of a common SET variables list at a Win9x/ME DOS box prompt:
windir=C:\WINDOWS
winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;etc...
WINPMT=$P$G
PROMPT=Type EXIT & hit Enter 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
SOUND=C:\SB16
MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
MOUSE=C:\MOUSE
COPYCMD=/Y
DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P/V
etc...
Now notice the difference if you run the same "SET | MORE" command from the
native MS-DOS:
winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;etc...
PROMPT=$P$G
WINPMT=Type EXIT & hit Enter 2 return 2 Windows!$_$P$G
SOUND=C:\SB16
MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
MOUSE=C:\MOUSE
COPYCMD=/Y
DIRCMD=/A/O:GEN/P
etc...
MORE FONT SPEED [+]
I have noticed an increase in Win95/98/ME loading time lately, and what is
more annoying, the pop-up menus/dialog boxes/shortcuts take a long time to
show up! I have narrowed down my sluggish system response to the (too) many
fonts I have installed over the past 2 years (over 250!). So I trimmed them
down, backed up and moved away about 100, but the pop-up menus were still
showing a slow response.
Now this was war! But I managed to detect the "culprit": the default system
font for most of the Desktop appearances is "Arial". Arial is a True Type
Font (.TTF file extension), which means it takes some time to render on the
menus/pop up boxes, especially with the Microsoft Font Smoother utility
installed [173 KB, free]:
http://www.microsoft.com/typography/grayscal/smoother.htm
NOTE: Do NOT install MS Font Smoother if you installed MS Plus! for 95, OSR2,
Win98 or WinME!
So I changed the system desktop font to a screen (raster/plotter) font, which
doesn't take for ever to render, having no edges to "smooth". I chose the
plain "System" font.
To do this, right-click on an empty spot on your Desktop, select Properties,
click on the Appearance tab, and click once on the "Normal" desktop setting.
In the "Font:" list, scroll down to the "System" font. Select it and then
click Apply to make the change "stick" instantly, or click OK to make it
permanent.
Repeat the above steps with the "Selected", "Active Window", "Inactive
Window", and "Message box" Appearance settings. Choose the "System" font for
ALL of them. Not only it is available strictly in Bold, so it stands out much
better on the screen than "Arial" (which by default is in Regular), but it
also takes less time to draw a window/menu/pop-up tab.
Depending on your installed fonts, you may have other neat screen fonts (all
the ones with the .FON extension) to "play" with, like: "Courier", "Modern",
"Roman", "Fixedsys", "MS Serif", "MS Sans Serif" etc.
To view each individual font, open the "Fonts" icon in Control Panel, and
double-click on the one(s) you wish (all screen/plotter fonts have a red "A"
icon assigned).
TEMP FILES, BE GONE! [+]
MS Windows 9x/ME/3.1x users are well aware of this annoyance: disk clutter!
One easy way to ditch unneeded temporary/backup files under Win9x (which in
time can occupy significant amounts of disk space), is to run a batch file,
which deletes all: *.---, *.000, *.001, *.002, *.B~K, *.BAK, *.BMK, *.CHK,
*.DA1, *.DAT, *.FND, *.FTG, *.FTS, *.GID, *.INK, *.LHX, *.LOG, *.OLD, *.OUT,
*.PAR, *.PRV, *.$$$, *.SYD, *.SYK, *.SWP, *.TMP, *.~MP, *.TXT, MSCREATE.DIR,
*.*$, _*.*, ~*.*, *.~*, *.*_, *.*~, *.^* etc files from ALL your fixed hard
drive(s)/partitions.
Specific programs/tools create specific temporary/backup files (examples):
- *.---, *.B~K, *.BAK, *.DAT, *.LOG, *.OLD, *.PRV, *.TXT = in the root folder
of your boot drive (usually C:\), when you first installed Win9x/ME and when
you made system changes (installed apps);
- *.FTG, *.FTS, *.GID = in your Win9x/ME Help folder (usually
C:\Windows\Help), whenever you clicked a "Help" button and/or used the Help
Search option;
- *.FND = in your Win9x/ME Desktop folder (usually C:\Windows\Desktop),
whenever you saved a Search (by using the "Find" tool);
- *.SYD = in your boot drive/partition root directory (C:\) and/or your
Windows directory, as backups created by SysEdit.exe, a system file
(Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, System.ini, Win.ini) editing tool, located in
C:\Windows\System;
- *.CHK = in the root directory of the drive checked for
cluster/file/directory errors by using the native MS-DOS mode Microsoft
CHKDSK.EXE tool bundled with MS-DOS 7.xx (a.k.a. MS Windows 9x) and MS-DOS
6.xx, can be safely erased;
- WIN386.SWP = Windows temporary swap file, located by default in your Windows
directory, can be safely erased ONLY from native/real MS-DOS mode!
- MSCREATE.DIR = 0 Byte hidden files created by Microsoft programs at Setup
time in the respective program's folder(s), can be safely erased. More info:
- PC Forrest:
http://www.forrestandassociates.co.uk/pcforrest/mscreate_dir.html
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=132978
Some of these files have the read-only, hidden and/or system attributes.
Therefore you need to "strip" them of their attributes to be able to delete
them.
Example: create a batch file to include the DOS command lines below, to delete
these temp files from C:\ root:
@ECHO OFF
C:
CD\
ATTRIB.EXE -H -R -S +A \*.OLD
ATTRIB.EXE -H -R -S +A \*.PRV
ATTRIB.EXE -H -R -S +A \*.TXT
DEL \*.OLD
DEL \*.PRV
DEL \*.TXT
WARNING:
Do NOT delete ANY *.DA0, *.DAT, *.INI, *.LOG or *.TXT files from your Windows
directory!
A radical approach to getting rid of ALL files that pile up in your temporary
folder (usually C:\Windows\Temp), is to include these DOS commands in a batch
file:
@ECHO OFF
ECHO Y | DELTREE.EXE %winbootdir%\TEMP
MD %winbootdir%\TEMP
It is recommended to delete your Windows temporary files ONLY from native
MS-DOS, or if you'd like to do this from inside the Win9x GUI (a DOS box),
make sure you close ALL open programs FIRST!
Open W95.BAT (included) in Notepad, to see how I keep my hard drives "filthy
clean", every time I shut-down/exit Windows to MS-DOS.
UPDATES:
- "*.000 and *.001 are frequently used by D*Space [Drvspace/Dblspace].
Careful when deleting them, if using one of these disk compression tools!"
[Thank you Yuri (kukina@nioch.nsc.ru)!]
- "*.LOG files are used by some Uninstall programs to keep a log of what is
installed during the process, essential for a successful uninstall."
[Thank you Raymond (raymond.tau@personet.net)!]
- What Can You Safely Delete?:
http://www.clickopedia.com/safelydelete.htm
SHRINK THE REGISTRY! [UPDATED 3-11-1998]
This is a tremendous time saver. Windows 95/98 Registry database made by
these two Hidden/Read-only/System files: SYSTEM.DAT + USER.DAT, both located
in your Windows folder, grows every time you install a new program/aplication,
or make changes to your machine (install/upgrade hardware peripherals) to
"Gargantuelian" proportions. This only slows down the overall performance of
your system.
But because you sometimes also uninstall programs, the Registry contains
"holes" that do not reduce its size, but clutter the .DAT files and therefore
slow down Windows GUI operation. You'd be surprised how many times Win9x
accesses the Registry files only by executing a routine task, like simply
clicking something with your mouse. :(
Happily I found a solution to this problem. All you need to do is use the
Registry editor (%windir%\REGEDIT.EXE, found in your Windows directory), but
ONLY IN NATIVE/TRUE MS-DOS MODE OUTSIDE WINDOWS!
Use REGEDIT's command line switches to recreate the Registry from a .REG file.
FYI:
"1. The fastest way to 'shrink' the Registry in Win98/ME is to run SCANREG
with the /OPT switch, in native MS-DOS mode outside Windows. It's much faster
than running REGEDIT with the /E and then the /C switch. This works ONLY with
single user systems, because user profiles are NOT enabled!
WinME users can use either method, since both SCANREG and REGEDIT can compress
USER.DAT files for multiple users (CLASSES.DAT, SYSTEM.DAT + USER.DAT).
2. The fixed REGEDIT.EXE also prevents accidental merging of REG files in
Win95/OSR2. When double-clicking on a *.REG file, it will prompt whether to
add the info into the Registry or not, just like the Win98/ME versions of
Regedit."
[Thank you Emmanuel (erpmanila3w@hotmail.com)!]
MANDATORY:
1. Download the FIXed REGEDIT.EXE [53 KB, free]:
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~flibble/reg/reg.zip
for ALL Win95/98 releases (NOT WinME!) and replace the executable in your main
Windows folder (default is C:\Windows) with this one.
A backup is NOT necessary, because ALL original REGEDIT.EXE files from ALL
Win95/OSR2/98/98 SE Setup CD-ROMs are BUGgy!
2. Exit to the native MS-DOS mode C:\ prompt OUTSIDE Windows and run:
REGEDIT
You will be presented with this screen:
"Imports and exports registry files to and from the registry.
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] filename1
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /C filename2
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /E filename3 [regpath1]
REGEDIT [/L:system] [/R:user] /D regpath2
/L:system Specifies the location of the SYSTEM.DAT file.
/R:user Specifies the location of the USER.DAT file.
filename1 Specifies the file(s) to import into the registry.
/C filename2 Specifies the file to create the registry from.
/E filename3 Specifies the file to export the registry to.
regpath1 Specifies the starting registry key to export from.
(Defaults to exporting the entire registry).
/D regpath2 Specifies the registry key to delete." [Win98/ME ONLY!]
I created a batch file called REGSHORT.BAT (included), to do all these
operations in 1 swift move. To view/edit the REGSHORT.BAT lines, open it in
Notepad.
No need to backup your Registry, because REGSHORT also copies your original
Registry files: SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT to the newly created C:\REGBAK folder.
With a little luck, this trick may "shrink" your Registry anywhere from 500 KB
to 1 MB! Wow! Talk about saving time and disk space!
And from now on you'll notice a slight speed increase while happily working
in Windows. :) Have fun!
IMPORTANT:
1. Go to this page and download FixReg [51 KB, freeware], to learn how to
PROPERLY recreate the Registry from an exported .REG file in Windows 9x:
http://www.walbeehm.com/mrcode.html
2. Go to this well documented web site and download SmallReg [19 KB,
freeware], to learn how to FIX your exported Registry in Windows 9x:
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~flibble/regsmall.html
3. READ this MSKB article explaining the Win9x Regedit.exe BUG:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=132064
[Thank you Wally (wallychrome@mindspring.com)!]
4. READ the "How to Troubleshoot Registry Errors" MSKB article regarding the
Windows 95 import/reconstruct Registry issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=131431
[Thank you Andrew (AJobes@dial.pipex.com)!]
5. To learn how to COMPACT the Registry in Windows 98/ME, READ "SCANREGW,
SCANREG + SCANREG.INI" in TIPS98.TXT (included).
DOUBLE BUFFER [+][*]
If you have any:
- SCSI hard disks,
- older ESDI/IDE/ATA drives,
- newer IDE/EIDE hard drives (especially larger than 8 GB) partitioned with
the new Win98/OSR2 FAT32 file system,
Windows 95/98 tries to load DBLBUFF.SYS, the double buffering device driver
(located in C:\Windows by default) to allow proper operation under the
SCSI/ESDI/FAT32 standards.
Double Buffering/Smartdrv advantages:
A. If you don't use any DOS programs, you can speed up the loading of the DOS
portion of your Win95/98 GUI.
B. If you DO use ANY MS-DOS based programs/games, you can speed up a bit (in
some cases) ALL disk I/O (Input/Output) reads and writes in native MS-DOS
mode.
There are actually two ways of doing this:
1. The old way is to add a SMARTDRV line to your Config.sys file, after the
command that loads HIMEM.SYS:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /DOUBLE_BUFFER
Note that this portion of the Smartdrv module canNOT load in upper memory!
This is reminiscent from the MS-DOS 6.xx days, when Smartdrv itself was used
to provide double buffering.
2. The new way (implemented by Win95/98) is to add this line to your
Config.sys, after the HIMEM.SYS command:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DBLBUFF.SYS
DBLBUFF.SYS can ONLY load in conventional memory. You will get an error
message at bootup, and the Dblbuff.sys loading process aborts if you try to
load it in upper memory with DEVICEHIGH!
No matter which method you choose, both these CONFIG.SYS lines MUST be
present BEFORE ANY other DEVICE(HIGH) or INSTALL(HIGH) commands!
NOTE: For complete DBLBUFF.SYS guidelines/parameters, read MSDOSDRV.TXT,
located in your Windows 9x folder.
You can choose which way to enable double buffering, since both methods
described above work under Win95/98.
The double buffer module takes under 3 KB of low (conventional) memory.
Valid for both methods above:
1. You need an adequate BUFFERS line in your Config.sys, for this to work.
Example:
BUFFERS=12,6
The second number on this BUFFERS line provides double buffering capabilities.
The BUFFERS load automatically in the High Memory Area (HMA), if HMA is
properly enabled by these Config.sys lines:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
NOTE: To learn more about DOS memory layout and how to "squeeze" the last Byte
out of your conventional/upper memory in DOS and Windows, read MEMORY.TXT,
REGIONS.TXT and EMM386.TXT (included).
2. You also need a SMARTDRV line in your Autoexec.bat, to activate the double
buffering feature. Example:
SMARTDRV 2048 16 A+ C+ D /N
NOTE: For Smartdrv complete details and guidelines read "OUTSMART SMARTDRIVE"
in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
Now that you're done, reboot your system, and then run this command:
SMARTDRV /S
from any DOS prompt, to see which drive(s) on your system have double
buffering enabled (only if needed).
TIP: To have SMARTDRV load in upper memory (and save some precious
conventional memory), you need a memory manager loaded in your Config.sys
(like EMM386.EXE, provided by Microsoft with Win95/98).
Example of EMM386.EXE Config.sys line (with expanded memory enabled by the
"RAM" switch):
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF D=256 RAM AUTO
To learn how to use ALL EMM386.EXE parameters, read MSDOSDRV.TXT, a plain
text file found in your Windows 9x folder. Then read MEMORY.TXT (included),
to learn how to maximize + optimize your DOS/Windows memory resources using
EMM386.EXE.
TIP: If you use Win98, read "WIN98 PHANTOM DRIVE BUG" in TIPS98.TXT
(included).
BLANK WIN.COM [+]
I have included 3 modified versions of "WIN.COM" (MS Windows 9x executables)
for ALL Win95/98 releases:
- Windows 95 (retail) + 95a OSR1 (upgraded with SP1) = WIN95.COM [22,679
Bytes],
- Windows 95B OSR 2.0, 95B OSR 2.1 + 95C OSR 2.5 = WINOSR2.COM [24,503 Bytes]
and
- Windows 98 (retail), 98 SP1 (upgraded with SP1) + 98 SE(U) [Second Edition
(Updates)] = WIN98.COM [24,791 Bytes]
in the WINBLANK.ZIP archive [34 KB, FREEware, separate file]:
http://members.aol.com/maxspeeed/WINBLANK.ZIP
More WIN.COM info @ MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=136630
USAGE GUIDE:
1. Use one of the freeware "unZIPpers" from the "WINDOWS 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP FILE
SHRINKERS" list in SOFTWARE.TXT (included) to decompress WINBLANK.ZIP into an
empty folder.
2. Rename your original WIN.COM (found in your main Windows folder) to
something like WINORI.COM (example).
3. Rename the one (WIN95.COM, WINOSR2.COM or WIN98.COM) that matches your
Windows version to WIN.COM. To tell EXACTLY your Windows version/build, follow
the guidelines in VERSION.TXT (included).
4. Place this new WIN.COM file into your main Windows folder.
The purpose of these files is to get rid of this annoying/nagging DOS message,
displayed when you shut down Windows 95/98, and find yourself "starring" at
the native/true MS-DOS C:\> prompt:
"You can now safely turn off your computer.
If you want to restart your computer, press CTRL+ALT+DEL."
To see this DOS prompt message generated by the original WIN.COM, you need to
delete/move (but BACKUP FIRST) the waiting-to-shut-down (LOGOW.SYS) and the
shut-down (LOGOS.SYS) logos from your Windows folder, which are displayed on
top of the DOS prompt during and after the shut-down sequence, if they are
present.
To exit/close/shut down Windows 95/98:
- Using your mouse: left-click the Start button -> select Shut down... ->
check or select Shut down -> click OK.
- Using your keyboard: press the Alt and F4 keys simultaneously -> hit Enter.
- Using a dedicated shortcut: see "FAST EXIT | RESTART!" in MYTIPS95.TXT
(this file).
But if you use the modified executable that matches your Windows version, the
annoying DOS prompt message will be completely GONE!
NOTES:
- To properly exit/shut down Win95/98 to the real/native MS-DOS mode, APPLY
the STEPS detailed in "DOS NOW!" from MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
- If you have an ATX motherboard you MUST load the NOOFF.COM TSR in memory
(i.e. from AUTOEXEC.BAT) BEFORE starting Windows, otherwise your PC will power
off before you get a chance to see the MS-DOS prompt. See "WIN98 ATX SHUT DOWN
FIX" in TIPS98.TXT (included) for complete details on how to do this.
How I did it: plain and simple, I opened each WIN.COM file with the old
16-bit version of Write.exe (the primitive word processor included with
Windows/WfWG 3.1x), and replaced the two text lines (see above) that make up
the annoying message with spaces (blanks). :)
IMPORTANT: If you try to do this, keep in mind that the EXACT size of the
original WIN.COM has to be preserved, otherwise Windows will lock up upon
loading!
There is actually another [some may say "easier" :)] way to do all this, by
starting Windows 95/98 from a plain DOS BATch file, or by adding these lines
at the end of your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:
@ECHO OFF
WIN.COM %1 %2 %3
MODE.COM CO80
... but that's no fun! :-)
RESTART AFTER INSTALL
There are cases when some program installations/setups insist on rebooting
your system (for the changes they have made to take effect), even if they
haven't made ANY CHANGES to your system/startup files (Msdos.sys,
Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, System.ini, Win.ini, Registry etc), the only ones
that would require a reboot IF modified during an installation process.
In this case a computer reboot IS NOT necessary! All you need to do is restart
ONLY the Windows GUI (Graphical User Interface).
To do this, first answer No/Cancel to the prompt screens, whenever a
particular install routine wants to reboot your system. After that you can
restart Windows manually, 3 ways:
I. Temporary: Click the Start button -> click "Shut Down" -> select "Restart"
-> click OK or hit Enter.
II. Unsafe: Click the Start button -> click "Shut Down" -> select "Shut down"
AND hold down the Shift key at the same time -> click OK or hit Enter.
III. Permanent: Create a DOS batch (.BAT) file with this single line:
@EXIT
and save it as RESTART.BAT.
Next, create an MS-DOS shortcut (.PIF = Program Information File) for
RESTART.BAT:
1. Right-click on an empty spot on your Desktop -> select New -> click
Shortcut.
2. In the "Command line" box -> browse to the folder where RESTART.BAT resides
-> name this shortcut Restart! -> click OK -> click Finish.
3. Right-click on Restart! -> select Properties -> click the Program tab ->
click the "Change Icon" button -> browse to your favorite DLL, EXE, ICL or ICO
file -> select the icon you want (if more than one) -> click OK/Apply.
Your newly created MS-DOS shortcut (Restart!.PIF = the .PIF file extension is
NOT visible by default!) should appear now on your Desktop, if you haven't
changed its default location.
4. Right-click on Restart! -> select Properties -> click the Program tab ->
check the "Close on exit" box -> click the "Advanced" button -> check the
"MS-DOS mode" box -> uncheck the "Warn before entering MS-DOS mode" box ->
check the "Use current MS-DOS configuration" box -> click OK/Apply twice to
save your changes.
Now you're all set. You can (double)-click on your Restart! shortcut whenever
a program installation that HASN'T MADE ANY CHANGES to your system (startup)
files prompts you to reboot.
To make sure there are no changes made to your system (startup) files, you can
compare your old files (from before installing a new program) with the new
ones (after the setup process is over). Two ASCII (plain text) files, like
Autoexec.bat, Config.sys, Msdos.sys, System.ini, Win.ini, saved Registry (.REG
file) etc... can be compared by opening them side by side in Notepad.
HINT: Notepad will NOT open files larger than 64 KB, so you need a better text
editor/viewer: I recommend Programmer's File Editor (PFE) 32-bit for Windows
9x/NT/2000/ME/XP, which opens ANY text/ASCII file of ANY size, limited only by
your installed memory [608 KB, freeware]:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/editor/pfe101i.zip
This implies that you have made BACKUPS (to compare to) BEFORE ANY CHANGES
have been made to your system!
If there are NO changes after program installation is completed, there is NO
need for a reboot. :)
In this case, just (double)-click on your Desktop Restart! shortcut, and when
the Windows GUI shows up again, you can safely run your newly installed
program.
Voila.
SERIAL KILLER! [UPDATED 4-24-1998]
This tip is intended for all PC users who:
- have a serial mouse connected to a COM port (usually COM1 or COM2);
- own an internal ISA modem/fax card that can be configured to be connected
to any of the four COM ports supported by the PC/AT BIOS.
* FIRST CASE:
If you have a serial mouse connected to the COM1 serial port, you need to set
your internal modem for COM4, and if your mouse is on COM2, your modem needs
to be set for COM3.
Why? Simple, because the IBM PC clone has a major limitation: [I wish it
would be the only one... :(] it has only 15 usable IRQs (hardware interrupts),
and a maximum of 4 COM (communication) ports. And it's not used to share (the
hardware resources anyway). This is the complete PC/AT COM ports list of valid
(hardware default) assigned resources:
Interrupt ReQuest line (IRQ) decimal values:
COM1 = IRQ 4
COM2 = IRQ 3
COM3 = IRQ 4
COM4 = IRQ 3
Base Address (BA) hex (h) values:
COM1 = 3F8h
COM2 = 2F8h
COM3 = 3E8h
COM4 = 2E8h
As you can see, the four COM ports share a total of only 2 (two) IRQs:
- COM1 + COM3 use the same IRQ = 4
- COM2 + COM4 use the same IRQ = 3
So if you hook up your serial mouse to COM1, you can't connect your modem to
COM3, because they share the same interrupt (IRQ 4). You could have your
serial mouse and modem share the same IRQ, but you'll experience conflicts.
Better avoid them. Same is valid with COM2 and COM4 (they share IRQ 3).
EXAMPLE:
Therefore, I had to set my modem (Philips PCM33IA internal PnP modem/fax
33.6/14.4 kbps, jumper adjustable) to use COM3, while my serial mouse is
connected to COM2. In ANY other configuration my modem was unable to properly
access the internet.
I had to assign this particular COM port configuration on 3 different PC/AT
Pentium class motherboards:
- Intel Plato II Premium Intel Pentium 90MHz + Award BIOS;
- Tyan Tomcat 1 S1562 Triton II HX Intel Pentium 200MHz + Award BIOS;
- Megatrends HX83 Triton II HX Intel Pentium 233MHz MMX + AMI BIOS.
* SECOND CASE:
Connect your serial mouse to COM port 1. Then if your motherboard BIOS
supports it, go into SETUP (usually by pressing the Del key while your machine
is stepping through the boot up sequence). In the Peripherals screen
(available on AMI BIOSes) or similar (depending on your BIOS type), disable
Serial/COM Port 2 entirely. Reboot. Now set your internal ISA modem to use COM
port 2 in all your DOS and Windows applications.
EXAMPLE:
I have done this on a Megatrends HX83 Pentium motherboard with AMI BIOS, using
an ISA internal PnP jumperless 3COM/US Robotics 56K V.90 Winmodem.
... I really hope the new USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard will do away
with this annoying limitation once for all.
NOTE: These workarounds don't apply to newer PnP modems that can also use
other IRQs, besides the two standard IRQs (3 and 4) used by the four standard
COM ports (newer 3COM/US Robotics modems can also use IRQ 7 or 9).
ADD-ON:
Windows 95/98 can use higher COM ports (COM5 - COM8) beyond the 4 physical
serial communication ports (default) on a PC/AT computer, alternate IRQs and
different base addresses for each of them, in order to avoid hardware
conflicts. For example, you can assign your modem to COM5, IRQ9 and BA180h
(this won't work in native MS-DOS mode!), but if ONLY you are using a PnP
jumperless modem (or a modem that supports other IRQs besides 3 and 4). And to
make all this possible, your PnP BIOS has to support more than four COM ports
in Windows.
Using higher IRQ numbers also gives you the advantage of giving your modem
higher priority over the standard COM (lower) IRQs: 3 or 4.
PS/2 mice/pointing devices have IRQ 12 assigned by default (usually not used
by other devices on a standard PC), therefore avoiding such compatibility
issues. BUT to my knowledge, the PS/2 mouse interface is slower than a COM
port, IF your motherboard COM ports have a fast UART chip to boot: at least
a 16550A. Therefore if you have both a serial AND a PS/2 mouse adapter (some
mouse vendors will provide both), and both an external serial (COM) port AND
a PS/2 mouse interface on the back of your computer case, then I suggest
using the serial plug to hook up your rodent, and then configure your
BIOS/Operating System properly to accept it, and avoid IRQ/BA conflicts.
IMPORTANT: To learn your hardware specs and supported standards, read your
motherboard/BIOS and modem manuals and help files.
FYI: More info @ MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188572
Good luck...
CD-ROM NAME
This BUG fix applies to all Windows/WfWG 95/98/3.1x users who own a
CD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-ROM/DVD-R/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM/etc drive and load the MS-DOS
(native/real mode) 16-bit CD/DVD device driver from Config.sys and the CD
Extensions TSR (i.e. MSCDEX.EXE) from Autoexec.bat.
Do NOT create/rename a directory bearing the same name as your MS-DOS CD/DVD
drive name, mentioned on the Config.sys CD-ROM device driver line and on the
Autoexec.bat MSCDEX line!
Generic CONFIG.SYS lines for CD/DVD MS-DOS mode device drivers:
- (E)IDE/ATAPI CD/DVD drive:
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\path\CDROM.SYS /D:MYCDROM
- SCSI CD/DVD drive:
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\path\ASPIDOS.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\path\ASPIHLP.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\path\ASPICD.SYS /D:MYCDROM
Replace all "drive", "path" (no quotes) and file names with your actual drive
letter(s), directory name(s) and file name(s).
See "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details on DOS
mode CD/DVD drivers and (in)compatibilities.
You also need to load MSCDEX.EXE (MicroSoft Compact Disc EXtensions) or a
similar TSR in your AUTOEXEC.BAT, for your CD/DVD drive to be properly
recognized by the system in native/true MS-DOS mode.
Generic AUTOEXEC.BAT line for MSCDEX:
LOADHIGH=drive:\path\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MYCDROM
In this example MYCDROM is the CD/DVD drive name and MUST be IDENTICAL with
the one on your CD/DVD device driver line in your CONFIG.SYS!
The CD/DVD drive name specified with the /D:XXXXXXXX switch on your MSCDEX
line may NOT exceed 8 characters (case insensitive), and spaces or
punctuation symbols are NOT allowed!
Therefore, do NOT create/rename a directory on ANY of your fixed/local
drives/partitions with the name MYCDROM!
If you do, it won't be recognized, and you'll get an error message like this:
"Unable to run/copy/move/rename/etc XXXXXXXX.YYY file/directory"
whenever you try to access any file(s) or subdirectories located in that
directory, or if you try to delete/rename/move/etc that particular directory.
STUBBORN CONTROL PANEL APPLET - Part 1
I have received reports about annoying Control Panel Applets that are not
deleted during an uninstall process. Therefore, certain stubborn Applets
still appear in the Control Panel folder, even if their parent applications
have been removed from your Windows 9x/ME system.
To get rid of them for good, determine which ones do not link to any
programs/tools (by double-clicking on them nothing happens) anymore, and
first move them to another folder (one at a time). Then reopen Control
Panel, see if they are gone. If the functionality of your system is not
affected by their removal, you can safely delete them from your disk.
These files usually have the .CPL extension, and are all located in your
C:\Windows\System folder.
Here is a list of frequently installed .CPL applets [most 3rd party tools
below are detailed in SOFTWARE.TXT (included), and they are free(ware)]:
File name Icon name Applet title Installed by
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3dcc.cpl Color Settings JasMIN 3D Color Changer 98/3000 Jasmin's 3D Color Changer 98/3000
Access.cpl Accessibility Windows Accessibility Control Panels Win9x/ME
Apppaths.cpl Application Paths MS Windows Application Paths Application Paths Changer
Appwiz.cpl Add/Remove Programs Add/Remove Programs Properties Win9x/ME
Audiohq.cpl AudioHQ AudioHQ Creative Labs SB Live!/Audigy
Ctdetect.cpl Disk Detector Creative Disk Detector Creative Labs SB Live!/Audigy
Desk.cpl Display Display Properties Win9x/ME
Diagnose.cpl BCM Diagnostics BCM Diagnostics BCM Diagnostics
Directx.cpl DirectX DirectX Properties MS DirectX SDK 5/6/7/8/9
Findfast.cpl FindFast FindFast Settings MS Office 97/2000
Iascfg.cpl Quake 2 IAS Interactive Around Sound Engine Quake 2 IAS for SB Live!
Inetcpl.cpl Internet Options Internet Properties Win9x/ME + MS IE 3/4/5/6
Infrared.cpl Infrared Infrared Properties Win9x/ME
Intl.cpl Regional Settings Regional Settings Properties Win9x/ME
Jetadmin.cpl Hewlett-Packard JetAdmin Control Panel Applet Win9x/ME
Joy.cpl Joystick Properties/Game Controllers in DirectX 5/6/7/8 Win9x/ME + MS DirectX 5/6/7/8
Lfctpl.cpl Logitech WingMan Logitech Game Controller Properties Logitech WingMan Joysticks
Main.cpl Mouse Mouse Properties Win9x/ME
Mlcfg32.cpl Exchange/MS Mail Microsoft Mail Configuration Library Win9x
Mmsys.cpl Multimedia Multimedia Properties Win9x/ME
Modem.cpl Modems Modems Properties Win9x/ME
Morecon.cpl More Control More Control More Control
Mp3cnfg.cpl MPEG Layer III Config MPEG Layer-3 Codec Configuration Kristal Software Divx MPEG
Mswebcpl.cpl MS Web Server Microsoft Web Server Control Panel Win9x + MS Web Server
Netcpl.cpl Network Network Win9x/ME
Odbccp32.cpl 32-bit ODBC ODBC Data Source Administrator MS Visual Basic + MS C++
Password.cpl Passwords Passwords Properties Win9x/ME
Qtw16.cpl Quick Time Quick Time Control Panel Apple Quick Time 16-bit 2
Qtw32.cpl Quick Time Quick Time Control Panel Apple Quick Time 32-bit 2
Quick Time.cpl Quick Time Quick Time Settings Apple Quick Time 32-bit 3/4/5/6
Powercfg.cpl Power Management Power Management Properties Win98/ME
Prefscpl.cpl RealPlayer G2 Preferences RealPlayer 5/6/7/8/9
Sancpl.cpl SiSoft Sandra SiSoft Sandra Control Panel Extension SiSoft Sandra
Startup.cpl Startup Startup Control Panel 1.0/2.0 Mike Lin's Startup applet 1/2
Sticpl.cpl Scanners and Cameras Scanners and Cameras Properties Win98/ME
Sysdm.cpl System System Properties Win9x/ME
Themes.cpl Desktop Themes Desktop Themes MS Plus! + OSR2 + Win98/98 SE
Timedate.cpl Date/Time Date/Time Properties Win9x/ME
Telephon.cpl Telephony Telephony Properties Win9x/ME
Tweakall.cpl TweakAll TweakAll Abton Shed's TweakAll 1/2
Tweakui.cpl Tweak UI Tweak UI TweakUI MS Power Toy
Wnetprop.cpl WorldNet AutoDial AT&T Worldnet Service Properties AT&T Worldnet ISP
Wgpocpl.cpl MS WorkGroup PostOffice Microsoft WorkGroup PostOffice Admin Win9x/ME
Wuaucpl.cpl Windows Update Windows Update WinME
Xqxsetup.cpl X-Setup Xteq X-Setup 4.x/5.x/6.x Xteq's X-Setup 4/5/6
These MSKB pages also have a comprehensive Win9x/ME .CPL files list:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=192806
and:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=149648
Also, you can move some/all .CPL files to a different folder, and then
create separate shortcuts for them. Such a shortcut command line must
include Control.exe in front of the .CPL file, ONLY IF the .CPL files are
not associated with the Control Panel executable on your system. Example:
C:\Windows\Control.exe C:\YourFolder\Modem.cpl
NOTE: To learn how to associate .CPL files with the Control Panel
(Control.exe) read "CONTROL PANEL" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
UPDATE:
".CPL files are automatically by default associated with:
%WINDIR%\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %1,%*
One may need to rename the:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cplfile\shell\cplopen
Registry key to 'open'."
[Thank you Yuri (kukina@nioch.nsc.ru)!]
STUBBORN CONTROL PANEL APPLET - Part 2
There is yet another way of getting rid of unwanted/obsolete Control Panel
Applets (.CPL files), located in your C:\Windows\System folder.
FIRST: BACKUP your CONTROL.INI file, found in your Windows folder!
Now make sure your Control Panel is CLOSED, then open Control.ini with
Notepad, and scroll down to the [Don't load] section (or add it if it is not
present).
You might find a few lines under this header, especially if you upgraded from
the ol' Windows/WfWG 3.1x (example below shows my Control.ini lines,
inherited from my WfWG 3.11 days):
[Don't load]
snd.cpl=no
joystick.cpl=no
midimap.drv=no
This means that the old Win31 Sound Applet loads in WfWG's Control Panel
(replacing "no" with "yes" on the "snd.cpl=" line, would disable it,
preventing this applet/icon from showing).
The Win95/98/ME counterparts for the .CPL applets mentioned above are:
Win95/98/ME Windows/WfWG 3.1x
---------------------------------
Mmsys.cpl Snd.cpl
Joy.cpl Joystick.cpl
This way you can add/modify/delete/remark these lines to enable/disable
ANY/ALL Control Panel Applets, without moving or deleting the actual files.
Example:
[Don't load]
Desk.cpl=yes
This line disables the Display Properties, preventing it from appearing in the
Control Panel. Therefore changing it to:
Desk.cpl=no
enables (shows) the Display Properties in Control Panel.
Note that you can replace "no" with "0", "off" or "false". Similarly, "yes"
has the same effect as "1", "on" or "true" (but don't type the quotes).
Save your Control.ini file and close Notepad when you're done. Changes take
effect next time when you open Control Panel.
This is useful to block access to your system settings if someone else shares
your PC, and you would like to keep your own customized Desktop, for security
purposes.
NOTE: For a complete list of all Win9x/ME Control Panel Applets and what they
do, see "STUBBORN CONTROL PANEL APPLET - Part 1" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
CAUTION:
I have noticed on some Win95/OSR2 systems (especially with MS IE 4/5
installed), that ANY value/letter(s)/number(s) after the equal sign prevents
an applet/icon from appearing in Control Panel!
So if you disabled a .CPL applet under the Control.ini [Don't load] section,
and you don't want to delete that particular line, just remark it with a
semicolon (;). Example:
[Don't load]
; Desk.cpl=no
UPDATES:
1. ".CPL files are automatically by default associated with:
%WINDIR%\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL %1,%*
One may need to rename the:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\cplfile\shell\cplopen
Registry key to 'open'."
[Thank you Yuri (kukina@nioch.nsc.ru)!]
2. The TweakUI Power Toy can also disable selected Control Panel applets from
its Control Panel tab [110 KB, free, unsupported]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/winme/Install/1.0/WinMe/EN-US/Tweakui.exe
ENABLE TELEPHONY APPLET
Windows 95 has a built-in Telephony tool, useful for troubleshooting TAPI
(Telephony Application Programming Interface), TCP/IP or Dial-Up Networking
(DUN) problems or bugs.
It is located in Control Panel (this applet is called Telephony.cpl).
BUT Win95 setup doesn't install it by default. All you have to do is rename
the Telephon.cp$ file, found in your C:\Windows\System folder to
Telephon.cpl. Restart Control Panel to access it, and double-click on the
Telephony icon. You'll see a list of TAPI Drivers (providers).
You can add/remove items to/from the list, and/or configure the Dialing
Properties.
Only BACKUP your System first!
REPAIR TELEPHON.INI
The TELEPHON.INI file MUST be present in your Win95 folder, to enable the
proper operation of ALL TAPI (Telephony Application Programming Interface)
programs: HyperTerminal, Dial-Up Networking (DUN), TCP/IP connections, Fax
etc, handled by your modem/fax card.
If Telephon.ini is corrupted or missing, your TAPI applications might not work
properly, or freeze, because the TAPI settings are stored in this file.
BUT there is a way to repair/rebuild it. Just start Tapiini.exe, the Telephony
initialization program located in your C:\Windows\System folder. Done.
IOS.INI TWEAKS [+]
IOS.INI (meaning Initializing Operating System) is a plain text file found in
your Windows folder. Nothing unusual so far. But the lines contained in
IOS.INI are a powerful filter for the OS.
Let me explain: Windows 9x/ME boots, and then starts the GUI, loading its
32-bit protected mode disk paging VXDs (Virtual eXtended Drivers), but needs
to know that there is NO real DOS mode (legacy, 16-bit) device/driver/TSR
(Terminate and Stay Resident program) that can interfere with Windows 32-bit
disk operation.
Some well known and some less known (to Windows 9x/ME) such programs might
drive the OS "crazy", forcing it to start with one of those alert/warning
messages: [we all have grown to hate ;)]
"A new MS-DOS resident program named 'CACHDISK' may decrease your system's
performance. Would you like to see more information about this problem?"
Also, at this point, if you are using any animated mouse cursors (using the
high color mode or better resolution only), you will notice that they have
been "frozen". Now right-click on My Computer icon, click Properties, and
select the Performance tab. Surprise!
Here is what you'll see: [nag, nag :-)]
"File System All drives are using MS-DOS compatibility mode.
Virtual Memory MS-DOS compatibility mode.
CACHDISK in Autoexec.bat forces MS-DOS compatibility mode.
Compatibility mode paging reduces overall system performance."
But everything is cool, no need to panic... :)
The whole "secret" lies in the list found under Ios.ini's [SafeList]
section.
If one of your "weird" drivers/TSRs loaded in memory from a Config.sys or
Autoexec.bat command line is not present on this list, the OS might "spit"
a message similar to the one above, and aborts the loading of its 32-bit
disk drivers, which causes performance to degrade.
All you need to do (ONLY if you determined that your particular program
WILL NOT interfere with Windows proper operation) is add a line under
Ios.ini's [SafeList] section to include the "culprit" (edit Ios.ini with
Notepad). Example: if this is your Autoexec.bat line:
LOADHIGH C:\MYPROGS\CACHDISK.EXE
this is the appropriate Ios.ini line for your TSR:
[SafeList]
CACHDISK.EXE ; My MS-DOS Cache Disk TSR
Characters after the semicolon (;) are ignored and considered comments.
You can alternatively type the filename without extension, using a DOS
"wild card" (*), to include all programs/drivers bearing the same name:
CACHDISK.* ; My MS-DOS Cache Disk TSR
Ios.ini has yet another section you might consider keeping an eye on:
[CDUnsafe]. All drivers/TSRs listed under this header are considered
"unsafe" by the OS, and Windows will show you a message to prove it, or
will stop from loading (in case you try using one of them).
The [CDUnsafe] section can be used to enumerate known buggy drivers/TSRs
to make sure an older or poorly written application (especially MS-DOS
programs created before Win95's "birth") doesn't "infiltrate" such an
incompatible driver in your startup files, which might cause Windows to
"drop" its 32-bit paging mode in favor of the slower MS-DOS compatibility
mode. :(
This is Ios.ini's default "unsafe" list:
[CDUnsafe]
plextor.sys ; Plextor 6plex cd-rom driver.
Stay safe: BACKUP YOUR FILES FIRST!
CONTROL APPLET ICON
Q [Joe Beech (beech@netpathway.com)]:
"How do I change a Control Panel icon?"
A [AXCEL216 (axcel216@aol.com)]:
"I'm afraid the only way I know is to create a separate (new) shortcut on your
Desktop, to make it easier, but you can move it somewhere else after that
using Explorer or the Taskbar Properties menu, for each Control Panel applet
you want (.CPL files are located by default in C:\Windows\System).
To create a Control Panel applet shortcut on your Desktop, open the Control
Panel folder, and left-click and drag the item you want onto an empty area on
the Desktop. To change its icon, right-click on your new shortcut, click
Change Icon, and then choose from your icons (.ICO) or icon libraries (.CPL,
.DLL, .EXE, .ICL etc) the one you like.
Common Windows 9x icon libraries (.DLL, .EXE, .CPL) and their default
locations:
- SHELL32.DLL [C:\Windows\System]: contains 80 "Microsoft" icons, selected by
default for Windows applications shortcuts;
- PIFMGR.DLL [C:\Windows\System]: contains 38 "fun(k)y" icons, selected by
default for MS-DOS programs shortcuts;
- COOL.DLL [C:\Windows\System]: ONLY if you have MS Plus! for Win95 or
OSR2/Win98/WinME, contains 45 "entertainment" high-color (256 colors), large
size (48x48 and 128x128 pixels) icons. These are actually small bitmaps (.BMP)
converted to .ICO format and compressed in a single library (.DLL);
- MORICONS.DLL [C:\Windows]: contains 106 "alternative" icons for most popular
3rd party apps/tools;
- PROGMAN.EXE [C:\Windows]: contains 46 "Microsoft" icons for most used
Windows/DOS programs/tools;
- EXPLORER.EXE [C:\Windows]: contains 7 "system" icons;
- USER.EXE: [C:\Windows\System]: contains 7 "system" icons, selected by
default for warning/error messages and info/help dialog boxes;
- RNAUI.DLL [C:\Windows\System]: contains 7 "communication" icons, selected by
default for Dial-Up Networking (DUN) and Dial-Up Server (DUS) shortcuts;
- MODEMUI.DLL [C:\Windows\System]: contains 4 "modem" icons, selected by
default for Telephony shortcuts;
- MMSYS.CPL [C:\Windows\System]: contains 34 "audio/MIDI/music/sound/wave"
icons;
- REGEDIT.EXE [C:\Windows]: contains 9 "building block" icons;
- MPLAYER.EXE [C:\Windows]: contains 9 "multimedia" icons;
- DRVSPACE.EXE [C:\Windows]: contains 9 "hardware" icons.
And if you own MS Plus! for Win95 or/and MS Plus! for Win98, you also have a
bunch of icons to choose from (.ICO format, 256 colors, 48x48 or 128x128
pixels), in your C:\Program Files\Plus!\Themes subfolders.
PS: You can also use the .DLL file [MYICONS.DLL] included here, which contains
223 icons (16 colors, 32x32 pixels) for popular PC Windows/DOS games/apps.
MYICONS.DLL together with same 223 icons in .ICO format (individual files),
are also available separately here:"
http://members.aol.com/maxspeeed/MYICONS.ZIP
RELEASE MY MODEM! [+]
This applies ONLY to dial-up (phone line based) modems connected to one of
your computer's COM(munication) ports in Windows 9x/ME/3.1x.
If you are using both Windows and MS-DOS based communications/fax programs,
you may experience occasional error messages such as:
"Another program is using the selected Telephony device. Try again after the
other program completes."
or:
"Cannot initialize COMx port"
This means your modem/fax device may not be properly released for further use
upon exiting a DOS based communications/fax application (running in a DOS
box/session/window). But there is a workaround.
The state of a device contention in Windows 9x/ME/3.1x is determined by the
"COMxAutoAssign=n" setting under System.ini's [386Enh] section, where x is the
serial (COM) port number (usually 1 to 4), and n can have any integer value
from -1 up to 1000.
Windows default setting is -1. This causes Windows to NOT release a serial
port previously used by a non-Windows (DOS) based application.
To enable the "hot-swapping" capability between Windows and MS-DOS based
communications/fax programs, open your System.ini file (found in your Windows
directory) with Notepad or Sysedit, and add/modify these entries under the
[386enh] section to read:
COM1AutoAssign=0
COM2AutoAssign=0
COM3AutoAssign=0
COM4AutoAssign=0
Save your work and restart Windows for the changes to take effect.
NEW DRIVE ICON [+]
This works with ALL Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP releases.
To change a drive icon displayed in Explorer, use Notepad to create a new
text file with the following lines:
[Autorun]
ICON=Drive:\Path\Filename.Extension,Number
and save it as AUTORUN.INF into the root directory of the hard/removable
drive you want to change the icon for.
Replace "Drive" above with a valid drive letter, and "Path" with your icon
file's folder name.
"Filename" can be anything you want, but the "Extension" must be one of the
following: .ICO, .ICL, .DLL or .EXE.
If you choose an icon library with the .DLL or .EXE extension (these usually
contain more than one icon), you need to specify the position of the icon
displayed by inserting a comma (,) followed by the icon's "Number". Example:
ICON=C:\Icons\Icons.dll,3
Press F5 to refresh your desktop when done.
Now start Windows Explorer and check out your new drive "look". :)
NEW FOLDER ICON [+]
This works with Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2/NT4 ONLY with MS Internet Explorer 4/5/6
with the shell integration (Active Desktop = Web View) enabled, and with ALL
Windows 98/2000/ME/XP releases.
CREDITS: Corrections courtesy of Arual the Wyrd (aruwyrd@doorpi.net).
To change a folder icon displayed in Windows Explorer, use Notepad to create a
new text file with the following lines:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=Drive:\Path\Filename.Extension[,Number]
IconIndex=Number
and save it as DESKTOP.INI into the folder (directory) you want to change the
icon for.
Replace "Drive" above with a valid drive letter, and "Path" with the folder
name your icon file resides into.
"Filename" can be anything you want, but the "Extension" must be one of the
following: .CPL, .DLL, .ICL, .ICO or .EXE.
If you choose an icon library with the .DLL or .EXE extension (these usually
contain more than one icon), you need to specify the position of the icon
displayed by inserting a comma (,) followed by the icon's "Number" on the
"IconFile" line, or by specifying the icon "Number" on the "IconIndex" line
(example):
IconFile=C:\Icons\Icons.dll,3
IconIndex=3
Then you MUST change your selected folder's attributes to "Read Only" by
running this command from any DOS prompt (example):
ATTRIB +R C:\MYFOLDER
Optionally, you can change the DESKTOP.INI attributes to "Hidden" by running:
ATTRIB +H DESKTOP.INI
Press F5 to refresh your Desktop when done.
Now start Windows Explorer and check out your new folder "look". :)
UPDATE:
"The MS Windows preferred DESKTOP.INI format is:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconFile=Drive:\Path\Filename.Extension
IconIndex=Number
The "IconIndex" line is needed for icons contained in other files. A separate
icon only needs "IconFile=Drive:\Path\Generic.ico".
You can also: open Windows Explorer -> right-click on any folder -> choose
Properties -> check the "Enable thumbnail view" option (if available) -> click
OK or press Enter.
A new DESKTOP.INI file will magically appear in that folder. Open it in
Notepad (after removing all its attributes except "Archive"), add/modify the
icon lines, save it, and voila! Done.
The correct icon number in a *.DLL may not be shown by some icon viewing
utilities. If you have a *.DLL or *.ICL with lots of icons you want to use
this way, it may be more convenient to make a plain text list, with numbers
(corrected, if necessary) and descriptions.
If there is a problem with an icon in an *.EXE file not showing as a folder
icon, the icon can be extracted (using a dedicated 3rd party tool) and used
separately. For folders that are deleted regularly, such as Cookies (created
by MS IE 4/5/6), the icon file should be placed in a different folder,
eventually create a dedicated Icons folder."
[Thank you Arual the Wyrd (aruwyrd@doorpi.net)!]
WHAT, NO MOUSE?
We are all used (maybe too much) to clicking the mouse, and we have
forgotten there are (in case of a mouse failure) some well or less known
shortcut key "combos": Alt+Tab, Alt+Esc, Alt+X, Alt+F4, Ctrl+F4 etc, that
allow us to get back into "action" without mouse support.
NOTE: To learn about the most used Windows 9x/ME hot key "combos", read
"KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS" in TIPS95.TXT (included).
But unfortunately NOT everything can be accomplished using the keyboard. :(
Examples of Windows 9x/ME actions that canNOT be performed WITHOUT a mouse:
- Move the vertical bar that divides the Folder Tree and the File Listing
window in Explorer.
- Modify the: Filename Column size, Total Size, Free Space and Type if you
selected the Details View in Explorer.
- Display a Folder's context menu by right mouse-clicking on the icon at the
top left hand corner of that Folder's window in Explorer.
- Access Media Player's VCR control buttons: Play, Stop, Pause etc.
And now for the good news: :)
Let's presume you accidentally moved an Explorer or Control Panel window off
the screen (off the top, bottom or sides), and/or eventually changed your
screen resolution. Normally you canNOT move them back using the mouse.
There are two solutions to this problem:
A. Enlarge the screen size and drag the open window back onto the screen
(may not always work though):
1. Increase your Desktop screen resolution to the maximum setting supported
by your video card and monitor, by right-clicking on an empty spot on your
Desktop, select Properties -> Settings tab -> drag the slider all the way
up to the right -> click Apply/OK -> restart your machine (if prompted to).
2. Drag the open window to the center of the screen using the mouse.
3. Close that window.
4. Restore your screen size as described above.
B. Luckily you can move/resize an open window using only the keyboard, by
following these steps (works in all cases):
1. Hold down ALT and press Space.
2. Hold down M and press Enter to move the open window.
3. Use the keyboard cursor arrows: Up, Down, Right and/or Left to move the
window towards the center of your screen, until its title bar shows up.
4. Press Enter again when you're satisfied with your window's new position.
5. Close that window.
To be prepared for potential mouse failures, activate the Accessibility
Options in Control Panel:
1. Click the Start button.
2. Scroll down to Settings.
3. Select Control Panel.
4. (Double)-click the Accessibility Options applet (install it if not
present).
5. Click the Mouse tab.
6. Place a check mark in the "Use mouse keys" box.
6. Click on Settings.
7. Place a check mark in the "Use shortcut" box. This enables the use of
the left Alt + Shift + Keypad numeral keys in Windows. You can also choose to
have NumLock pressed or not to activate them.
8. Click Apply/OK twice to save your changes.
From now on you can navigate the cursor on the screen using the Keypad arrow
keys (Up, Down, Right, Left) by holding down Alt + Shift. The 5 key in the
middle of the Keypad acts like a mouse left-click.
EXCLUSIVE GAME PLAY! [+]
Have you ever seen Windows 95/98 "complain" that you need to allocate more
memory or/and sytem resources to an application or game you were trying to
run?
Well, brace yourself, help is under way. :-)
There is an EXTREME solution to this problem (especially useful on systems
with less than 32 MB of RAM).
All you have to do is modify the "shell=" line under the [boot] section of
your SYSTEM.INI file (located in your Windows directory), to start another
application/game instead of Explorer. Default "shell=" line reads:
shell=Explorer.exe
Replace "Explorer" (don't type the quotes) with the program's executable that
gives you "headaches". Example:
shell=C:\Jedi Knight\Jedi.exe
In this example, Windows 95/98 will start as usual, BUT will NOT load/run ANY
other programs/drivers/TSRs specified in the Registry "Run" keys, on your
"load=" or "run=" lines found under WIN.INI's [windows] section (WIN.INI
resides also in your Win95/98 folder), or listed in your StartUp folder.
It will simply execute the Lucas Arts' Jedi Knight (Dark Forces II) DirectX
3D game (see example above) EXCLUSIVELY, with NO overhead.
You can use ANY Windows based program filename on the "shell=" line, just
make sure to type its extension (.exe).
The drawback is that when you're done playing Jedi Knight (or whatever
app/game you want), you'll have to shut down Windows by pressing Ctrl + Alt +
Del, since no other programs are running (and if Explorer is not the shell,
you don't have a Start button or menu available).
Therefore you need to be able to see the true/native MS-DOS mode prompt after
Windows shut-down, in order to edit your System.ini using EDIT.COM, the
MS-DOS text (ASCII) editor, which in this configuration is not possible from
Windows (i.e. using Notepad). To learn how to shut-down to MS-DOS, see "2 DOS
OR NOT 2 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
Alternatively, you can boot directly to the native/real MS-DOS mode, by
selecting the "Command prompt only" option from Windows 95/98's Start (bootup)
Menu, or by modifying the "BootGUI=" line under the [Options] section of your
MSDOS.SYS file (located in C:\ root) to read:
BootGUI=0
Use the SYS95.BAT batch file (included with these files) to automate
Msdos.sys editing. Save the file when done and reboot.
To see the Win95/98 Start Menu at boot time and be able to choose a different
way of starting your system, modify the "BootMenu=" line under the [Options]
section of your Msdos.sys to read:
BootMenu=1
To understand the meaning of Msdos.sys lines and how to customize them, read
"MSDOS.SYS COMPLETE REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
NOTE: Network/modem game play and Internet access are DISABLED if you start
your game from the System.ini "shell=" line, therefore you can play your game
only in SOLO mode!
UPDATE:
"No rebooting is required when changing the shell line in Win95/98. With
Explorer as shell, open System.ini with Notepad or Sysedit and replace
Explorer.exe with let's say Litestep.exe, a freeware shell alternative:
http://www.litestep.net
The new shell line should now look like this:
shell=C:\Litestep\Litestep.exe
Exit all running applications. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then select End task with
"Explorer.exe" highlighted. The Shut Down screen will appear. Click NO. After
a few seconds a nagging screen shows up saying "this program is not
responding blah... blah...". Press End Task. The Start button and Desktop
will be gone and will be replaced by the new program you specified on the
shell line."
This update courtesy of Akmal Khamis (kamis@pc.jaring.my).
ISPS KNOWN MTU VALUES [UPDATED 10-14-1998] [+]
If you connect to the Internet using:
- a 28 - 56 kbps analog modem,
- an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Online Service (i.e. AOL),
- Windows 95/98 TCP/IP Dial-Up Networking (DUN) PPP (Point to Point Protocol),
- or/and AOL 32-bit software version 3.0, 4.0 or 5.0 (AOL members only),
you might find useful to determine exactly the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit)
value used by your ISP/Online Service, to change it accordingly in the Windows
95/98 Registry for maximum performance.
Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2's default MTU, found in the Registry as "MaxMTU" (String
value), is set to 1500, if you haven't added/changed it, under your TCP/IP
"NetTrans" keys. Fortunately you can adjust the MaxMTU to ANY value, to MATCH
your ISP's at server end. Read "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO? - Part 1" in REGISTRY.TXT
(included) for details.
Windows 98/98 SE's default MTU, found in the Registry as "IPMTU" (String
value), is set to: Large (1500), Medium (1000) or Automatic (1500, 1000 or
576), under the TCP/IP "Net" keys, but ONLY IF the Control Panel -> Network ->
Dial-up Adapter -> Properties -> Advanced -> "IP packet size" is set to
"Automatic" (changes dynamically to one of these 3 values depending on the MTU
used by your ISP/Online Service).
Win98's limitation is that it does NOT accept a MTU smaller than 576 (by
default, but I found out HOW), even if your Internet Provider uses a lower
value. :) Read "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 2" in TIPS98.TXT (included) to
learn how to adjust Win98/98 SE's IPMTU to ANY value you want.
Therefore you will see significantly improved performance in most cases
(faster downloading speeds), IF you MATCH Win98/98 SE's IPMTU or
Win95/OSR1/OSR2's MaxMTU with your provider's (used at server end).
This is a list of known MTU values used by some popular ISPs:
ISP/Online Service Location MTU value URL
-------------------------------------------------------------------
America Online (AOL) USA 1500 [*] http://www.aol.com/
America Online (AOL) Canada 1500 [*] http://www.aol.ca/
AT&T Worldnet USA 576 http://www.att.net/
CompuServe (CS) USA 576 http://www.compuserve.com/
Concentric Network USA 576 http://www.concentric.net/
EarthLink USA 576 http://www.earthlink.com/
GTE USA + Hawaii 576 http://www.gte.com/
MicroSoft Network (MSN) USA 576 http://www.msn.com/
NetZero USA 576 http://www.netzero.net/
Prodigy USA 576 http://www.prodigy.com/
SNiP USA 576 http://www.snip.net/
TheGrid USA 576 http://www.thegrid.net/
Tritium Network USA 576 http://www.tritium.net/
[*] = AOL in USA/Canada: MTU = 1500. But AOL servers do NOT support the "do
not fragment bit" protocol, therefore you NEED to use MTU = 576 with AOL for
maximum performance! For details on how to tweak your AOL connection to the
MAX, read "AOL MAXMTU REVISITED" in AOLTIPS.TXT (included).
To obtain your ISP's EXACT MTU value:
A. Log on to your ISP/Online Service, open a DOS box and run this PING command
(parameters are case sensitive):
PING -f -l MTU www.your_isp_name.com
or for ISPs that have the "net" suffix instead of "com":
PING -f -l MTU www.your_isp_name.net
You MUST use a MTU packet size (i.e. 576) IDENTICAL with or LOWER than the one
in your Registry [see "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 2" in TIPS98.TXT (included)
for complete details!], to obtain non-fragmented "pings". Using a MTU larger
than the one in your Registry will return ALL packets as fragmented! Replace
"your_isp_name" above (don't type the quotes) with your actual ISP name.
Example:
PING -f -l 576 www.att.net
if using AT&T WorldNet as your ISP.
Compare the PING times with different packet sizes and adjust your MTU for
maximum speed, as described in "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 2", part of
TIPS98.TXT (included).
NOTE: In certain cases you need to add 28 to the MTU value returned after
pinging your ISP's server, because some ISPs do NOT account for the IP or ICMP
header values when reporting their MTUs!
B. Ask your ISP's tech support (by e-mail or phone call) to tell you the MTU
value they are using at server end. Unfortunately, some ISPs do not release
this information. :(
C. Run Rob Vonk's EasyMTU v3.0 for Windows 9x/NT/AOL [includes FindMTU, 358
KB, freeware]:
http://www.rob.cybercomm.nl/easymtu.zip
D. Read "FIND YOUR ISP'S MTU" in TIPS95.TXT (included).
E. Check out these MTU reference links for more info:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/modem.htm
The table below contains the Win95/98 recommended Internet settings for the
following ISPs and AOL, valid in USA and Canada:
ISP MTU RWIN TTL Cachesize Port speed Modem speed FIFO Buffers COMBoostTime
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AOL 576 2144 128 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
AT&T Worldnet 576 2144 64 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
CompuServe 576 2144 64 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
EarthLink 576 2144 128 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
MSN 576 2144 64 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
Prodigy 576 2144 64 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
Tritium 576 2144 64 16 921,600 115,200 Full 4
IMPORTANT: To learn how to modify your MaxMTU (Win95 users) or IPMTU (Win98
users) values, and many other important Win95/98 settings (DefaultRcvWindow,
DefaultTTL, cachesize, COM Port speed, COMBoostTime etc) to boost your
Internet connection to the MAX, read these related topics (included):
- "AOL MAXMTU REVISITED" in AOLTIPS.TXT: only Win9x AOL users;
- "AOL 4.0/5.0 MTU FIX" in AOLTIPS.TXT: only Win9x AOL users;
- "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO? - Part 1" in REGISTRY.TXT: only Win95 users;
- "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO? - Part 2" in REGISTRY.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 1" in TIPS98.TXT: only Win98 users;
- "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 2" in TIPS98.TXT: only Win98 users;
- "56K MODEMS @ 56K SPEED!" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "MAP YOUR HOSTS" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "SPEEDUP MY DUN!" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "FAST, FAST, FAST" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users.
NOTE: If you have knowledge of MTU values used by other ISPs not listed here,
recommended settings for your ISP, or have corrections regarding this topic,
please e-mail me at axcel216@aol.com.
I will NOT post your name or e-mail address here for privacy reasons, because
some ISPs don't like to have their MTU values made available publicly (?), but
your time and concern are greatly appreciated nonetheless.
PLAY AUDIO CDS [+]
In Windows 95/OSR2/98/ME you need to follow the steps below to properly be
able to play audio CDs (.CDA):
1. Make sure your CD-ROM is properly detected and present in the System
Properties applet: right-click My Computer -> Properties -> Device Manager
tab -> CDROM. You MUST NOT have a yellow exclamation sign (!) or a red X mark
next to the "CDROM" item. Try to select the optimal "Hard disk controllers"
for your system in Device Manager, until such marks dissappear, or redetect
your hardware by running the "Add New Hardware" applet from Control Panel. For
CD-ROM drives connected to a separate drive controller (SCSI or proprietary,
i.e. the one on your sound card), install the newest (current) driver releases
from your vendor/manufacturer's WWW/FTP site.
2. Make sure your sound card drivers are properly installed and configured:
right-click My Computer -> Properties -> Device Manager tab -> Sound, video
[and game] controllers. You MUST NOT have a yellow exclamation sign or a red X
mark next to the "Sound, video [and game] controllers" item. Install the
newest (current) sound card drivers (provided free) from your
vendor/manufacturer's WWW/FTP site.
3. Open Control Panel -> Multimedia -> CD Music tab. Drag the CD Music Volume
slider all the way to the right. Click OK/Apply.
4. Open Control Panel -> Multimedia -> Audio tab. Check the "Show volume
control on the taskbar" box. Click OK/Apply.
5. Double-click the Volume icon on the Taskbar. Make sure the Line in,
Main/Master/Play control and CD Audio/Digital CD volume sliders are positioned
near the top.
6. Make sure your powered speakers/earphones are properly connected, or your
sound card "Line out" jack is hooked to your (Hi-Fi) stereo receiver/amplifier
if using an external amplifier, and don't forget to turn on the power
switch(es) and bump up the volume knob(s). :)
7. Restart Windows if prompted to do so, i.e. if you make changes to your
hardware settings, using the Device Manager or Add Hardware wizard.
8. Now insert an audio CD into your CD-ROM drive, and start:
- one of these freely included Microsoft CD Players, found in your Windows
95/OSR2/98/ME main folder: CDPLAY.EXE or MPLAYER.EXE,
- or your sound card provided,
- or 3rd party CD Audio Player.
- Microsoft Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP Media Player2 (WMP = WMPLAYER.EXE, free)
also plays audio CDs:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/
9. Select an Audio CD track (.CDA) and click Play. You should be able to hear
some music in your speakers/earphones. ;)
FYI: Type "cd play" (no quotes) in the "My question is:" box at the MSKB
search page to read related articles if you experience problems playing audio
CDs in Windows 9x/ME:
http://support.microsoft.com/
56K MODEMS @ 56K SPEED! [+]
If you own a 56K analog modem, connect to the Internet using DUN (Dial-Up
Networking) through PPP (Point to Point Protocol) in Windows 95/98/ME,
subscribed to an ISP (Internet Service Provider) or Online Service (like
America Online), and canNOT connect to the advertised speeds (at least
44-46K, the ideal being 53-54K), there are a few things you can do, to make
sure you have done everything "humanly" possible to get the best results from
your ISA/PCI/USB modem card.
More info:
http://www.scn.org/help/modemsp.html
1. Make sure your modem firmware is "flashed" with the latest BIOS upgrade
from your modem vendor, which MUST include the new ITU (International
Telecommunications Union) V.92 PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) transfer protocol
standard:
http://www.itu.int/
no matter what proprietary 56K protocol your modem was using (3COM/US
Robotics' x2 or Lucent/Rockwell's 56KFlex) when you purchased it.
Also check your modem's vendor web site frequently (or subscribe to their
periodical e-mail newsletter/notification, if possible) for FAQs,
troubleshooting tips, solutions, software/firmware upgrades/patches, or even
free modem replacements (in case earlier models might have had hardware
problems), regarding your particular modem.
Troubleshooting/upgrade web sites:
- 3COM:
http://support.3com.com/software/
- US Robotics:
http://www.usr.com/support/
2. Make sure your modem newest drivers (usually plain .INF files which can be
downloaded from your modem's vendor web site) are installed under Windows
95/98/ME, and that your OS recognizes the modem properly.
If you own a 3COM/US Robotics 56K modem go to 3COM/USR upgrade web pages (see
above), and download the file that matches EXACTLY your modem model AND
number, NONE other!
Then install (upgrade) your new modem driver by running: Control Panel ->
System -> Device Manager -> Modem -> Your modem name -> Driver tab -> Update
driver...
Alternatively you can delete your modem from Device Manager's Modem list,
restart Windows 9x/ME, and then point to the location of your new/updated
drivers (.INF file) when the new device is detected by the Hardware Wizard
upon restarting Windows.
3. Perform ALL steps detailed in "SPEEDUP MY DUN!" [part of TIPS95.TXT
(included)].
4. Try rewiring your modem/phone lines between the terminal block (phone plug)
and your modem using either 2-wired shielded cable or CAT-5 UTP (Category 5
Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable.
Doing so may cut out interference, help improve your connection, lower ping
times and significantly boost your modem throughput from a mere 28.8 to a
lightning fast 53.3 kbps!
Check with your nearest Radio Shack store:
http://www.radioshack.com/
or dedicated internet based vendors for details/pricing.
5. In this paragraph we will discuss possible causes (and their remedies) for
getting high PING values while connected to an online gaming network. [All you
"quakers" out there need to pay attention! :)]
There are a number of possible problems that can cause a high PING number:
A. If your phone lines (the ones running through the wall, and out to the box)
are below CAT-3 quality. This could cause the V.90/V.92 protocol to have a
hard time connecting at speeds higher than 33.6 Kbps. So upgrade to CAT-3 UTP
(Category 3 Unshielded Twisted Pair) wiring whenever possible.
B. The distance between your location and your ISP can also slow you down and
increase your PING number. Therefore you may need to shop around to find a
good ol' local ISP which provides reliable V.90/V.92 connections.
In case you are using a national ISP, you might experience signal loss, or
even frequent disconnects. Most of them provide users with local phone numbers
to avoid extra long distance costs, but their network servers are sometimes
too far away to ensure a good quality connection.
C. Precipitations (rain or snow) or cold can cause a lot of line noise
(reducing the signal speed) for your V.90/V.92 connection. Not much to do
here, just wait for a sunny day to kick your friend's butt at Quake/UT. :)
D. If you upgraded your modem to V.90 or V.92, make sure your gaming software
is also V.90 or V.92 compatible. Upgrade it if necessary.
E. Higher transfer speeds may increase the PING number, because you are either
sending too many small packets, or too few large packets.
The remedy in this case is to install the latest BIOS upgrade and/or drivers
for your modem. If that doesn't seem to decrease PING times, you may need to
force your modem to drop connection speed from 56k to 33.6k. Your modem manual
should tell you which initialization strings to use.
Useful 56K links for quakers (and not only):
* Enable/disable V.90/V.92, x2 and 56Kflex strings:
http://www.56k.com/buyer/v90upfaq.shtml
* How to reduce PING times:
- WAGZ Ping Guide:
http://www.wagz.net/ping-guide.html
- Connection Optimization:
http://home.attbi.com/~c4_warhead/net_conn.htm
- Lag City:
http://www.quakeworld.com/lagcity/
- X2 Quake Workshop:
http://www.navpoint.com/~zephed/qx2.html
- Flying Penguin FAQ:
http://www.soldcentralfl.com/quakecoop/glfaq2.htm#17
6. Call your local telephone provider (telco) and ask them to test the quality
of your phone line(s). 611 is the number to call in most cases. And while
you're at it, ask them to run a "routing check". This is to detect if there
are more than one analog-to-digital conversions along your line. If this is
true, ask your telco to reroute your line (if possible). If you have only one
analog-to-digital conversion, and you still can't connect at speeds higher
than 33K, all you can do is wait until your telco decides to upgrade their
system, or better, switch to a cable modem (if such service is available in
your area) to bypass the phone lines for Internet/Network hookups.
7. Also, depending on your phone company lines and on your location (how far
your residence is from the line booster/amplifier), you could have an older
(analog) switch. Telcos do NOT replace switches unless they fail, or IF you
order the Caller ID service. Therefore you can convince your telco into
installing a new switch by ordering it bundled with Caller ID (you may need to
wait for a special sale to get the best deal). Later you can cancel the
premium Caller ID service, and keep the new switch, counting on your telco to
leave it into place, because it might be cheaper for them to do so (but do NOT
rely on this trick 100%).
8. If you're lucky, and the switches in your area are all digital (like
Northern Telecom's DMS100 or AT&T's 5ESS), conduct a local phone line test, to
make sure your lines are truly 56K capable. 3COM/US Robotics posted such a
testing tool at their web site:
http://www.3com.com/56k/need4_56k/linetest.html
The US Robotics test line dials a long distance number (using fiber optic
lines), therefore you connect to US Robotics' test line without suffering
digital-to-analog conversions in the signal. But when you dial your local ISP
(Online Service), you're using your local telco's phone lines to connect (not
fiber optic, and probably not digital either unless you live really close to
the local central office). X2, K56Flex and V.90/V.92 modems rely on the
ability of the phone signal to reach your home in either a digital or
digital-analog hybrid format to connect at speeds over 33,600 bps. ISPs are
digital at their end, but you are not digital at your end (when using an
analog modem). While it's possible that upgrading to Caller ID could force
your telco to put you on a digital switch, your signal could still fail a
digital-to-analog conversion elsewhere in the local phone system. Go to
Troubleshooting 56K Modems Central for more info:
http://www.56k.com/trouble/
The quality of the digital line switches affects only the PSTN (Public
Switched Telephone Network) portion of call dialing, not its transport, which
is almost always analog, unless you have a digital conversion installed, or if
you have a digital line, like ISDN or T1. Call 611 and ask your telco's
central office to consult COSMOS (a facilities assignment database used by
most BellCore telcos) to see if you are running a POTS (Plain Old Telephone
Service) line with any kind of special equipment or digital conversions.
Examples of such special equipment:
- DAML: used to digitally piggy-back a second phone line,
- Pair-Gain: digitally piggy-backed lines on systems with sufficient
facilities going the last mile to your residence, but insufficient facilities
feeding the area from the central office,
- Repeaters, Boosters or Amplifiers: used to "boost" (amplify) the signal when
your distance from the central office exceeds 20 miles (33 kilometers).
If the COSMOS database indicates that your RZ (Ring Zone) exceeds 13 (an
arbitrary scale NOT related to the mileage from the central office), then you
probably have some sort of line card repeater (i.e. a 5AReg line card).
Unfortunately, there is no way for any of these pieces of hardware to be
changed out by your telco as a result of a simple user request. In this case
the only way to upgrade your class of service is to order a digital line
(ISDN, T1, DSL etc). But this kind of service might be unavailable if you're
too far away from your telco's central office, since your local provider won't
recondition your line unless the area you're in can be served by that class of
service.
What you can do, is take your computer [including the modem :)] to a friend's
or coworker's residence located in a different local area, and see if modem
connection rates differ in any way. If they do, the bottleneck is your local
telco, and unfortunately there is not much you can do about it, except moving
to another (better) location. :(
9. Other things you can do to ensure of highest quality connections, and avoid
EMI (Electro Magnetical Interference), which might impair your connection
speed:
- make sure your computer is the FIRST, or better, the ONLY device hooked to
that particular phone line,
- make sure the wall phone jack is not too close to ANY other outlets,
- make sure your modem cable is at least a couple of inches (5 cm) away from
ANY other surrounding cables or wires,
- make sure your modem cable(s) are of good quality and in good condition,
- make sure your modem cable length is 6 feet (2 meters) or shorter,
- avoid using ANY Y-splitters, adaptors, extensions or
modem-through-phone/external fax machine hookups,
- do NOT hook your phone/external fax machine to the phone jack provided on
your modem, but to a separate cable, preferably to a separate (dedicated)
phone line, and last but not least,
- use a dedicated, good quality modem/fax line surge suppressor.
If everything else fails and you still can't connect at 56K (actually 53K,
limited by the FCC regulations), you can have your phone company rewire the
entire line from the pole to your box, as a last resort, but keep in mind that
this might cost you an arm and a leg!
10. You can also try adding custom initialization strings to override the
default ones used by your modem in Win9x: Control Panel -> Modems -> Your
modem name -> Properties -> Connection tab -> Advanced -> Extra settings box.
Examples of initialization strings (you might need to MODIFY them to make them
work properly with YOUR modem):
- 3COM/US Robotics 56K V.90/V.92 modems [to enable hardware flow control (&K3)
and V.90/V.92 ITU protocol (default), but NOT x2 USR protocol (S32=34)]:
AT&F1&H1&K3&I0&M5&N25S32=34
- Rockwell/Lucent 56Kflex V.90/V.92 modems [to enable hardware flow control
(&K3) and V.90/V.92 ITU protocol (default), but NOT 56Kflex Rockwell protocol
(%C2)]:
AT&FE0V1&C1&D2%C2S95=47S0=0
- Hayes Accura/Optima 56K modems (and compatibles):
AT&F&C1&D2S7=50S95=0
- Motorola VoiceSurf 56K external modems [to enable hardware flow control
(&K3)]:
AT&F&C1&D2&K3\V1\N3L1S0=0
- Diamond SupraExpress 56Kflex V.90/V.92 modems [to enable V.90 ITU protocol
(default), but NOT 56Kflex Rockwell protocol (S=12,1)]:
AT&FW2+MS9=20S10=75S=12,1
- ALL 56K V.90/V.92 modems [to cut dialing delay in half (S11=50) and disable
V.42 protocol selective reject (S27=64), in milliseconds]:
ATS11=50S27=64
Note that the AT string above is not necessary in the Win9x Control Panel
Modems applet Extra settings box (it is automatically added).
More modem strings:
- Modem Help: INI Strings:
http://www.modemhelp.org/inits/
- Modem Help: Command Sets + Modem Manuals:
http://www.modemhelp.org/sets.html
- 56K Modems Central: Inits + Drivers:
http://www.56k.com/inits/
- SCN: Modems and Modem Initialization Strings:
http://www.scn.org/help/modem.html
- Modem Command Sets:
http://www.banjo.com/modem1.html
- MSKB: AT Modem Command Reference:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=164660
11. READ these included topics to set the MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit),
RWIN (default Receive WINdow), TTL (Time To Live), COMBoostTime (COM port
Boost Time) etc, to their optimal values for your OS/modem/ISP setup:
- "AOL MAXMTU REVISITED" in AOLTIPS.TXT: only Win9x AOL users;
- "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO? - Part 1" in REGISTRY.TXT: only Win95 users;
- "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO? - Part 2" in REGISTRY.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 1" in TIPS98.TXT: only Win98 users;
- "FASTEST INTERNET 98 - Part 2" in TIPS98.TXT: only Win98 users;
- "FASTER 56K MODEM" in REGISTRY.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "MAP YOUR HOSTS" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "SPEEDUP MY DUN!" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "MODEM INITIALIZATION STRINGS" in REGISTRY.TXT: all Win9x/ME users;
- "FAST, FAST, FAST" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "DON'T DROP BACK!" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "ISPS KNOWN MTU VALUES" in MYTIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users;
- "FIND YOUR ISP'S MTU" in TIPS95.TXT: all Win9x users.
Also check out these 56K + MTU reference links for more info:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/modem.htm
WARNINGS:
A. Windows 95/98 reports a FALSE packet fragmentation when using the built-in
PING tool, IF your MTU (IP packet size in Bytes) Registry setting is set to
576, or any value lower than 1500. If you run (PING command line switches are
case sensitive):
PING -f -l 1500 www.your_isp_name.com
or:
PING -f -l 1500 www.your_isp_name.net
with MTU set to 576, all packets will be reported as fragmented.
B. Windows 98 adds another BUG, because the default MTU (if you have never
adjusted it) is set to "Automatic", which means it is (dynamically) set to 576
if your connection speed is below 112 kbps. In Windows 98 you need to reset
the MTU to "Large" (fixed at 1500): Control Panel -> Network -> Dial-Up
Adapter -> Advanced -> IP Packet Size -> change from "Automatic" to "Large".
Click OK as many times as necessary to save the new setting and then restart
Windows 98. Now PING your ISP (as shown above) one more time.
Therefore the recommended MTU for most ISPs/Online Services (including AOL) is
576, in Windows 98/OSR2/OSR1/95.
C. Additionally, 3COM/US Robotics 56K modems (and other newer 56K modems)
adjust connection speed aggressively according to line conditions on the fly,
falling forward (higher speeds) when permitted, and back (lower speeds) when
line noise increases. As a consequence, the initial connection speed report
doesn't matter if using such a modem. :(
TIP: Use Ultima Online's Trace Route tool [64 KB, free]:
ftp://ftp.owo.com/pub/uo/uotrace/uotrace.exe
to determine eventual packet loss.
12. Good luck!
SERIAL MOUSE SPEED [+]
There are two ways you can make sure your serial rodent (connected to one of
your computer's serial COM ports) runs at top speed in Windows 9x:
1. This applies especially to LogiTech serial mice owners, but other users
who installed the free LogiTech MouseWare drivers linked at "FREE WinDOwS
MOUSE DRIVERS + TOOLS" from SOFTWARE.TXT (included) can benefit too.
Start Regedit and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Logitech\MouseWare\CurrentVersion\Serial\0000
Note that the "Serial" subkey above might have other values like: "SerialM",
"SerialV" or "GTI0001" on some systems, depending on your mouse hardware type.
In the right hand pane of the "0000" subkey (default, but yours might actually
be 0001, 0002 etc) scroll down to the "BaudRate" String.
Modify its value (default is 1200) by double-clicking on it. Type 9600 in the
Value Data field. Click OK.
Exit the Registry Editor. Press F5 on the Desktop to make changes take effect
without rebooting.
2. Pop in your Windows 9x Setup CD-ROM, and extract the file VCOMM.VXD.
Use the EXTRACT command lines below, presuming your CD-ROM drive letter is D
(change if necessary).
- Win95/95a OSR1 users:
EXTRACT.EXE D:\WIN95\WIN95_03.CAB VCOMM.VXD
- Win95B/95C OSR2 users:
EXTRACT.EXE D:\WIN95\WIN95_04.CAB VCOMM.VXD
- Win98 users:
EXTRACT.EXE D:\WIN98\WIN98_48.CAB VCOMM.VXD
Then move VCOMM.VXD to your C:\Windows\System\Vmm32 subfolder. Reboot.
This way Windows 9x will use this protected mode 32-bit driver instead of the
one built into VMM32.VXD, a "generic" Virtual eXtended Driver (VXD) file
located in C:\Windows\System, the OS created at install time, and which takes
care of the basic hardware setup. But your hardware configuration might have
changed since, therefore it's a good idea to rely on individual drivers to
rule out potential bugs, because VCOMM.VXD takes care of ALL your
communication ports, including the one your modem is connected to.
MEDIA PLAYER [+]
You can configure Media Player (MPLAYER.EXE) located in your Win95/98 folder,
to open, play once, and then close any media clip file: .AVI, .FLI, .FLC,
.MID, .RMI, .WAV, .MPG, .MPE, .MVB, .MOV etc.
In Explorer click View, Options, and then the File Types tab. Choose the file
type you want to be played once and then closed by Mplayer (any of the media
files listed above, if listed on your Files Types list).
In the File Types window, choose for example the MIDI Sequence (RMI, MID)
files, click Edit, highlight "Actions:", click Play, click Edit, and then
Browse to find Mplayer.exe. In the "Application used to perform action:" box,
type a space after "C:\Windows\Mplayer.exe", and then type "/play /close".
The text in the box should look like this (no quotes):
C:\Windows\Mplayer.exe /play /close
Click OK three times to close all open dialog boxes. Now you should be again
in Explorer's main window, back where you first started.
You can repeat this operation with all media clip files listed above (and
more if you have any other file types installed by your audio/video software
on your machine).
From now on, when you (double)-click a .MID or .WAV file, Mplayer will play
the file once, and then exit, without prompting you for confirmation, nor
waiting for you to manually click all necessary exit buttons.
This is also useful for previewing new media files you download, or from a
new cd-rom.
HINT: You can also create a shortcut in the Startup folder, to play once and
then automatically close your favorite media clip file, when Win95/98 loads.
Have fun!
UPDATE:
You can use the same command line above (/play /close) with Microsoft Media
Player2 Update, which can be downloaded [3.5 MB, free] from:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/
Microsoft DirectX/ActiveX Media Player2 v6.0 runtime extensions: ActiveMovie,
DirectAnimation, DirectShow [4.46 MB, free]:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=11771
MPlayer2 uses ActiveX controls and DirectX APIs, and can also be used as a MS
IEx/Netscape browser plug-in, to play ALL Multimedia file formats: .AVI,
QuickTime (.MOV), NetShow (.ASF), Video/Sound MPEG Layer 1 (.DAT, .MP3, .MPE,
.MPG etc), General/Extended MIDI (.MID, .RMI), Microsoft Wave (.WAV), CD
Audio (.CDA), Real Audio/Video (.AU, .RA, .RAM) etc.
This is the MPlayer2 command line used to play once and then close a
Multimedia file (default installation):
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Media Player\Mplayer2.exe" /play /close "%L"
Type the quotes to allow the proper use of Long File Names (LFNs) on the
command line.
FYI: See the "DocErr: Media Player Command-Line Switches" MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=126869
DUAL-BOOT DLL CONFLICT [+]
In a dual-boot environment, using Windows 9x/OSR2's dual-boot menu feature,
and an older copy of Windows/WfWG 3.1x that loads on top of MS-DOS 6.xx (when
you select to boot into the "Previous version of MS-DOS" option from the
Windows 9x/OSR2 Startup menu), in certain cases you may experience conflicts
or weird error messages in Windows applications, in both Windows 9x and
Windows/WfWG 3.1x environments.
Some are due to the presence of different versions of the same resource
libraries (DLLs = Dynamic Link Libraries) in both Windows 9x/OSR2 System
subfolder (default is C:\Windows\System) and in the Windows/WfWG SYSTEM
subdirectory (default is C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM). Although on such dual-boot
computers the Win31 or Win9x default folder might have different names, to
accomodate two different versions of Windows on the same drive/partition.
This happens ONLY IF one or BOTH these \System subdirectories are mentioned
on your AUTOEXEC.BAT file PATH line, if a program has added them there during
installation, or if you have added them manually.
Example: if you installed Win95 in C:\Win95, and WfWG 3.11 is installed in
C:\WFWG, the Autoexec.bat PATH line that includes both \SYSTEM subdirectories
looks like this:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WIN95;C:\WIN95\COMMAND;C:\WIN95\SYSTEM;C:\WFWG\SYSTEM;etc...
Notice that in such dual-boot setups there are two copies of AUTOEXEC.BAT and
CONFIG.SYS files (with different extensions) present in the root directory of
the boot drive (C:\), each being used separately by the different Windows
version at boot time.
When you boot into Windows 9x/OSR2, the startup files are renamed to:
AUTOEXEC.BAT -> Win9x/OSR2 file
CONFIG.SYS -> Win9x/OSR2 file
AUTOEXEC.DOS -> MS-DOS 6.xx file
CONFIG.DOS -> MS-DOS 6.xx file
When you boot into MS-DOS 6.xx (and start Win31), the startup files are
renamed to:
AUTOEXEC.BAT -> MS-DOS 6.xx file
CONFIG.SYS -> MS-DOS 6.xx file
AUTOEXEC.W40 -> Win9x/OSR2 file
CONFIG.W40 -> Win9x/OSR2 file
provided you have both these Operating Systems installed on your machine.
For details on properly setting up a dual-boot system, read these topics
(also included in this archive):
- "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "DUAL BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT;
- "DUAL-BOOT IN OSR2/WIN98" in OSR2TIPS.TXT.
The solution is simple: remove C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM (or whatever name you gave
your Windows System subfolder) that points to the OTHER Windows version (not
used in the current session) from BOTH Autoexec.bat PATH lines, and reboot.
SAFE MODE CLEANUP [+]
Each hardware component/device installed in your Windows 9x computer has its
own Registry keys, may it be PnP (Plug and Play) or not.
If you have ever made changes (and who doesn't), like moving a PCI card to
another slot, or added/removed hardware devices, like a new AGP/PCI video
controller, ISA/PCI modem, serial/PS2 mouse, PCI/ISA sound card etc, the
Windows 9x Add Hardware Wizard adds new Registry keys for every one of them.
Over time your Registry gets cluttered with such unneeded/obsolete keys.
But you can decrease (in some cases by a lot) the size of your overgrown
Registry by deleting these old keys, thus improving your system's reliability
and speeding up the Windows GUI loading process.
Just follow these steps:
1. Reboot.
2. Press F8 during the BIOS POST routine, while the bootup messages appear on
screen. This restarts your machine in "Safe Mode".
3. When the Windows 9x GUI has completed loading, right-click on your My
Computer icon -> select Properties -> click the Device Manager tab.
4. Expand each device menu one at a time.
5. Skip the FIRST item in each category, and then DELETE ALL others with
identical or similar names, EXCEPT if you have more than one device of same
type (i.e. more than one floppy/hard drives, 2D/3D video adapters etc).
6. Reboot again in "Normal Mode". [Don't touch that dial! :)]
7. Now watch for any messages like:
"New Hardware found"
"Windows has found a new device and is installing software for it"
"Please insert installation disk #1"
Follow the instructions to reinstall your hardware if necessary, inserting
your vendor provided driver cd-rom/floppies, or pointing to the drive and
folder where your drivers reside. Then restart Windows when prompted to do so.
8. Run Regedit.exe -> click the Registry item -> select "Export Registry
file..." -> browse to C:\ root, type NEW.REG in the "File name:" box, and
finally click OK or press Enter, to export your entire Registry to NEW.REG (or
call it whatever you want, just keep the REG extension).
9. Download the FixReg program [51 KB, freeware]:
http://www.walbeehm.com/files/FixReg.zip
10. Run FixReg (ONLY from Windows!) to FIX eventual Registry errors.
11. Exit Windows again to the native MS-DOS mode, and run:
REGEDIT /C C:\NEW.REG
to compact (shrink) the FIXED Registry.
12. Restart Windows by typing:
EXIT
and then pressing Enter.
13. Defragment ALL your hard drives/partitions, and if you have Windows 98,
enable the "Rearrange program files so my programs start faster" option.
14. Done.
Your Windows 9x system should load a little faster from now on.
NOTES:
- Read "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more
details on bootup options.
- Read "SHRINK THE REGISTRY!" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for more details on
how to PROPERLY compact (shrink) your Registry.
CAUTION: Do NOT change ANY device properties while in Safe Mode!
NAMELESS ICON [+]
In Windows 9x/ME all icons need to have a name assigned, and it must not
contain only spaces, otherwise (as you may have noticed) when creating a new
shortcut or renaming an icon, it will automatically prompt you to give it a
name, and won't let you save it without one.
But you can go around this limitation by using non-printing (ASCII)
characters, which are not displayed by either Windows or DOS.
To change a Desktop icon's name to "nameless", hit F2 to rename it. Now turn
on the Num Lock key. Next hold down Alt and type 0160 or 0255 (depending on
the "blank" character supported by the icon title font) on the Numeric pad.
Finally press Enter to save the change. On some systems though, such a
combination of ASCII characters can be entered ONLY in DOS mode. :( ... But
read on, because there IS a way of doing this in Windows.
The only thing you will see from now on in the icon's name area (and ONLY IF
it is highlighted/selected) will be an empty space.
And it gets better: if you change the color of the highlighted item/icon to
MATCH the Desktop background (in case you don't use a Desktop wallpaper) you
won't see the icon title box, even when selected/highlighted.
To do this: right-click on the Desktop background (empty spot) -> select
Properties -> click the Appearance tab -> choose Selected Items in the Item:
box -> change BOTH colors here to match the Desktop color -> click OK/Apply to
save your changes.
Disadvantage: you won't see any highlighted/selected items anymore, if your
Window background color is the same. Therefore you need to change it to a
different color in the Appearance tab (see above).
You also need to change the color of the ToolTip item under the Appearance tab
(see above) to match the Desktop background color.
For those who like to see a pretty picture on the Desktop [like I do :)],
there is a solution for making "nameless" icon titles invisible: download and
install the small TransText tool for Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME [freeware]:
http://www.chaossoft.com/trtext.shtml
TransText changes or removes and monitors the Desktop icons background and
foreground colors.
To display the ASCII character set for a particular font, open the Character
Map tool (Charmap.exe), located in your Windows folder.
Charmap may not be installed on your Win9x/ME system. To get it: pop in your
Win9x/ME Setup cd-rom -> open Control Panel -> select Add/Remove Programs ->
click the Windows Setup tab -> double-click on System Tools -> check the
Character Map box -> click OK/Apply twice.
To determine which font is used on your machine for icon titles: right-click
on the Desktop background (empty spot) -> select Properties -> click the
Appearance tab -> select Icon from the Item: scroll box -> look at the font
displayed in the Font: box -> choose another if you wish -> click OK/Apply to
save it if changed.
Now start Charmap and select the same font shown above in the Font: box.
Look for the last character on the map (lower right corner), which is usually
blank (empty box). It will probably display Alt0160 or Alt0255 in the
Keystroke: box.
Most fonts list only two non-displaying character codes: one is the first
character in the set which represents the Space key, and the other is the last
character described above.
Now double-click in the last blank box of your selected icon title font to
copy it to the Clipboard. Exit Charmap.
Finally highlight the Desktop icon you want to change to "nameless". Hold down
Ctrl and press V to paste the ASCII character into the title box, or
right-click on it and select Paste. Hit Enter to save the new name. Voila.
UPDATE:
"There is a freeware replacement called Extended Character Map [189 KB]:
http://www.alphabetsoup.net/free.shtml
It gives a larger rendering of each character in a particular font and a large
preview of a selected character. It's useful for small screen users, and those
of us who must squint at the Windows version to make out the characters."
[Thank you Ojatex (Ojatex@aol.com)!]
REGISTER ACTIVEX CONTROLS [+]
Occasionally you may get an error message while trying to run an application
that uses ActiveX or OLE2 controls or libraries in Windows 9x.
Don't dispair, you don't have to reinstall your program or the entire
operating system. Everything is cool. :)
It's all in the Registry... If a .DLL, .EXE, .OCX, .TLB or .VXD file is only
copied to the C:\Windows\System folder, but NOT properly registered, it canNOT
be used. In this case you need to make the Registry "aware" of its presence
manually.
All you have to do is type a command like this in the Start -> Run box, and
press Enter or click OK (example assuming Win9x is installed in C:\Windows):
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /I C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHDOCVW.DLL
Then [MS IE 5 users ONLY!]:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /I C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHDOC401.DLL
And then:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /I C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSHTML.DLL
This will register the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4/5 "Shell Doc Object and
Control Library" with Windows 9x, and will reenable the thumbnail preview of
graphic files (.BMP, .GIF, .JPG) and the right-click context menu when using
the Active Desktop feature.
Note that you HAVE to type the full path, file name and file extension to the
file you want registered. File names and parameters are case insensitive.
If the operation was succesful, you'll get a confirmation message like:
"DllRegisterServer in C:\Windows\System\shdocvw succeeded."
Other examples:
- (re)register the OLE2 control:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OLEAUT32.DLL
- reset the MS IE 4/5 cache:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\CACHEVU.DLL
- repair "branded" (slightly modified) versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer
3/4/5, like the ones installed by AOL 3.0/4.0/5.0 32-bit, Go!Zilla, MSN etc:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ACTXPRXY.DLL
and then:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /I C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHDOCVW.DLL
If Regsvr32.exe is not present in your C:\Windows\System folder, you need to
extract it from your Win9x Setup CD-ROM, or MS IE 4/5 Setup .CAB files.
Pop in your Win9x Setup cd-rom and run (assuming your cd-rom drive letter is
D):
- Windows 98/98 SE users:
EXTRACT /L C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM /Y D:\WIN98\WIN98_42.CAB REGSVR32.EXE
- Windows 95/OSR2 users:
EXTRACT /L C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM /Y D:\WIN95\WIN95_20.CAB REGSVR32.EXE
This will copy Regsvr32.exe to C:\Windows\System (assuming your Win9x folder
name is C:\Windows).
Another way of registering a control is to right-click on a .DLL (.OCX or .TLB
for this matter) file in Explorer -> select "Open with..." -> browse to
Regsvr32.exe and highlight it -> check the "Always use this program to open
this type of file" box -> click OK (or hit Enter). This will create a
permanent association of ALL your DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries) with
Regsvr32.exe.
From now on you can register ANY unregistered DLL just by double-clicking on
it in Explorer or File Manager.
A third method is to create a DOS batch file using Notepad, containing this
line:
@%windir%\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE %windir%\SYSTEM\%1
Save it as REGISTER.BAT (or whatever name you want, but keep the .BAT
extension) in a folder on your path, and then just run something like:
REGISTER SHDOCVW.DLL
This applies ONLY to files located in C:\Windows\System, but most controls are
(and should be) located in the System subfolder.
To "undo" this action (unregister a control or library), run (example):
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /U C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SHDOCVW.DLL
Similarly, to unregister a file by using a batch file, copy this line into
a new file in Notepad:
@%windir%\SYSTEM\REGSVR32.EXE /U %windir%\SYSTEM\%1
and save it as UNREG.BAT in a folder on your path.
Then run (example):
UNREG SHDOCVW.DLL
Note that you can run these batch files ONLY from a Windows 9x DOS
session/box, NOT from the native/real MS-DOS mode.
To learn how to use all Regsvr32 command line parameters, run it by itself:
REGSVR32
UPDATE:
"There is a much simpler way to register controls via the GUI, by using Xteq
Systems' (makers of X-Setup) freeware utility named Xteq COM Reg Extension,
which allows running REGSVR32 without a command line:
- Complete info and screen shots page:
http://xteq.com/products/comr/
- Download page:
http://xteq.com/downloads/index.html#comr
- Direct download [17 KB]:
http://xteq.com/downloads/xq-comregisterex.zip"
This update courtesy of The Captain.
SPEEEDUP YOUR GUI STARTUP! [+]
If your Windows 9x/ME system takes way too loooong to completely load the GUI
(Graphical User Interface) upon bootup, even if you have a fairly new X86 CPU
(300 MHz or faster), there are a few things you can do to cut down on that
%$#&@ GUI loading time.
1. Download the BootLog Analyzer tool [233 KB, freeware]:
http://www.vision4.dial.pipex.com/files/bla.zip
BootLog Analyzer checks your BOOTLOG.TXT file found in C:\ root, times and
reports about slow loading drivers, like .386, .DLL, .DRV, .VXD etc. Just
follow the guidelines in BLA.TXT to install it.
2. Edit MSDOS.SYS (also located in C:\ root) using Notepad in Windows or
EDIT.COM in DOS, and make sure you have these lines present under the
[Options] section:
BootMenu=1
BootMenuDefault=2
DisableLog=0
The "BootMenu=1" switch allows the "Microsoft Windows 95 (98) Startup Menu":
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
to be displayed on your screen at boot time.
The "BootMenuDefault=2" parameter tells the OS to boot with the 2nd option
from the Startup Menu: "Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)".
The "DisableLog=" entry is UNDOCUMENTED, and if its value is 0 (default), it
enables the "boot-logged" Win9x/ME GUI startup (Windows creates a new, or
updates an existing BOOTLOG.TXT file in C:\ root), for troubleshooting
purposes.
NOTE: To learn how to tweak all MSDOS.SYS parameters (even those UNDOCUMENTED)
to optimize your Windows OS startup, read "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" in
MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
First you need to "strip" MSDOS.SYS of its default Hidden, Read-only and
System attributes, to be able to modify it.
This can be done two ways:
A. In Windows: open Explorer -> in the left hand pane click on the C:\ drive's
root folder -> highlight MSDOS.SYS in the right hand pane -> right-click on it
-> select Properties -> click on the General tab -> uncheck ALL "Attributes"
boxes -> finally click OK/Apply.
B. In DOS: run this command:
ATTRIB C:\MSDOS.SYS -H -R -S
I recommend using SYS95.BAT (included), an optimized DOS batch file that
allows you to perform all above operations in one swift move. SYS95.BAT opens
MSDOS.SYS in Notepad (if running SYS95 from Windows GUI or DOS session) or
EDIT.COM (if running SYS95 from native MS-DOS) for editing (after stripping it
of its attributes), and after YOU modify the file and save your changes, it
reenables its default attributes.
3. Reboot your computer, and choose the "Step-by-step confirmation" option
from the "Windows 9x Startup Menu". Type Y for "Yes" to "Load all Windows
drivers" when prompted. Now have your stop watch ready and start timing from
the moment you press Y. Then stop the timer when the Win9x/ME "Working in
Background" cursor stops spinning (if you are using an animated cursor, like
I am), or until it is replaced for the last time by the default "Normal
Select" cursor (if using static cursors).
4. Open BootLog Analyzer (BLA.EXE), and take a look at all the drivers that
loaded successfully. Mark down the longest times (6-10 seconds and above).
Possible "culprits" that you might not even need on your particular Win9x/ME
system, and should consider removing, are (default locations used here):
- C:\Windows\System\VNBT.386
- C:\Windows\System\NDISWAN.VXD
- other Networking (LAN, WAN, Novell, IBM etc) .386, .DLL, .DRV, .EXE or .VXD
drivers/executables in C:\Windows\System, ONLY IF you KNOW you are NOT
connecting to or using such Networks!
- C:\Windows\System\Iosubsys\DRVWPPQT.VXD
- C:\Windows\System\Iosubsys\DRVWQ117.VXD
The first 2 drivers on this list belong to the "Microsoft Virtual Private
Networking Adapter" (VPN), which is NOT installed or used on my machine.
AOLers: Beware that AOL 4.0/5.0/6.0/7.0 32-bit client for Windows 9x/ME ALWAYS
installs (BUT DOES NOT USE!) the VPN component, which allows sharing [talk
about privacy! :(] user information over the internet! Therefore I STRONGLY
RECOMMEND, IF NOT using VPN, to delete the files above!
Cable/xDSL modem users: Do NOT delete NDISWAN.VXD or ANY other Wide Area
Network (WAN) related files or Registry entries! If you do, your broadband
connection will STOP working!
BootLog Analyzer reported these 2 were EACH taking about 15-20 seconds to
load! Geez... Talk about watching that spinning hour-glass! So I moved them
"PRONTO" from C:\Windows\System to a backup file (.ZIP).
Further more, BootLog Analyzer reported a total loading time of 15 seconds for
all the "TAPEDETECTION" sections (about 6 of them!) in my BOOTLOG.TXT. Since I
don't use, or have any intention of getting a tape drive, I started a Registry
search using the built-in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe, located in the Windows
folder) for the TapeDetect string: click Edit -> select Find -> type the text
string you want in the "Find what:" box (TapeDetect in this case).
Then I deleted ALL references (Registry keys, subkeys and values) returned by
the search (BUT I MADE A FULL REGISTRY BACKUP FIRST!), and also moved the two
.VXDs (DRVWPPQT.VXD + DRVWQ117.VXD above) from C:\Windows\System\Iosubsys to
the same .ZIP backup file.
And there's more: if you [like me :)] never used or intend using MS Backup, a
primitive file/folder backup/restore utility, which is actually a
stripped-down version of the older Seagate Backup tool (licensed by Microsoft,
and included with all Win9x/ME releases), I suggest deleting (AFTER MAKING
BACKUPS FIRST!) also these files and folders from their default locations:
- C:\Windows\System\DRVWFFD.DLL
- C:\Windows\System\DRVWCDB.VXD
- C:\Windows\System\PNPWPROP.DLL
- C:\Windows\Inf\PNPWPPT.INF
- C:\Program files\Accessories\MSBackup
and all their Registry references, by doing a Regedit search (see above) with
these keywords: DRVWFFD.DLL, DRVWCDB.VXD, PNPWPROP.DLL, PNPWPPT.INF, MSBACKUP.
5. Finally, I rebooted one more time. Guess what? This way I managed to "shave
off" almost an entire minute from the GUI loading time. Aha! Now we're
talking!
ADDENDUM:
* See "INCREASE NETBIOS SECURITY" in REGISTRY.TXT (included) for more GUI
speeed-up tips.
* See these BOOTLOG.TXT related MSKB articles:
- "Description of Windows Files Located in the Root Folder":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=151667
- "Load Failures Listed in the Bootlog.txt File":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=127970
- "Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems and Error Messages":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188867
- "Troubleshooting Windows 95 Startup Problems":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=136337
... Do U feeel the neeed 4 speeed?! :)
LOCK UP THE DOS BOX [+]
If you don't use any MS-DOS based applications or games from within a
Windows/WfWG 9x/3.xx DOS box/session, and/or would like to prevent all other
users that have access to your computer from running such programs for
security reasons, take a look at these simple ways of locking up all DOS
sessions.
1. Add this line at the end of your Autoexec.bat file:
C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM %1 %2 %3 > NUL
if you prefer to start Windows from Autoexec.bat.
In these examples I presumed you have Windows/WfWG installed in C:\Windows.
2. To run all your batch file (.BAT) commands in "stealth" mode (invisible),
by redirecting all standard on-screen messages from the display device (CON)
to NUL, add this command as the first line (this is also recommended for
Autoexec.bat):
@CTTY NUL
Then add this as the last line into your batch files (and in Autoexec.bat) to
restore the output to the CONsole:
CTTY CON
This line is mandatory for making the MS-DOS prompt visible again, and this
affects all DOS based programs that issue on-screen messages during operation.
3. Create a DOS batch file using Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS
containing this single line:
@C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM %1 %2 %3 > NUL
call it WIN.BAT, and place it in the root directory of your boot drive,
usually C:\.
For added security, you can write protect it (make it read-only), so casual
users won't be able to modify it (but this won't stop advanced users who know
their way around), by typing this command and pressing Enter from any DOS
prompt:
ATTRIB +R C:\WIN.BAT
By running WIN.BAT, the entire screen (CONsole = display) output from WIN.COM
will be redirected to the NUL device, which makes it invisible every time one
tries to shell out to a DOS box/session/window, even full screen.
It is known that a batch file with the name WIN.BAT is run BEFORE the Windows
WIN.COM executable if such a file exists in C:\ root, which is valid for ALL
MS-DOS executables: .COM and .EXE.
4. For added protection you can use BAT2EXEC.COM, a PC Magazine DOS tool [34
KB, free]:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/simtelnet/msdos/batchutl/bat2ex15.zip
to convert any batch (.BAT) file to a .COM (binary) executable bearing the
same name, for faster execution, and/or to hide the purpose of your converted
batch.
Example: to convert WIN.BAT (see above) to WIN.COM, just run:
BAT2EXEC WIN.BAT
from the same directory. Then place the new WIN.COM into C:\ root.
5. Now modify the PATH line in your Autoexec.bat or Config.sys (the latter is
a feature supported only by MS-DOS 6.00 and newer) to start with C:\; instead
of C:\DOS; (MS-DOS 6.xx and Windows/WfWG 3.xx users) or C:\WINDOWS; (Windows
9x users). Note that you need to type a semicolon (;) at the end of EACH
directory listed on your PATH line, so MS-DOS/MS Win9x can process it
correctly. Examples of modified PATH lines in Config.sys:
- Windows 9x [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.xx]:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;etc...
- Windows/WfWG 3.xx [+ MS-DOS 6.xx]:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;etc...
Edit your startup files using Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS. Save your
work and reboot when done.
From now on whenever one types WIN and hits Enter from the native MS-DOS this
starts WIN.BAT from C:\ root, instead the Windows/WfWG 9x/3.xx executable
(WIN.COM) located in C:\Windows (default).
LIMITATION:
DOS programs that use a graphical interface can still be run this way, ONLY IF
one knows the executable filename and its location. Therefore keep such
apps/games directories out of your PATH to minimize this risk.
6. Moreover, you can make the entire DOS prompt disappear, both in
real/native/true MS-DOS mode and/or in Windows DOS boxes/sessions.
For this you need to start by adding a line to your Config.sys for the ANSI
console device driver, included with all MS-DOS and MS Windows releases
beginning with MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.0 (example):
- Windows 9x users:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS /X
- MS-DOS 6.xx users:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS /X
I presumed that you want to load ANSI.SYS in Upper Memory Area (UMA) in order
to preserve conventional RAM for other DOS programs/games (if using any).
This is possible only by loading a memory manager like EMM386.EXE, QEMM,
NetRoom, 386MAX, UMBPCI.SYS etc in your Config.sys file. All DEVICE,
DEVICEHIGH, INSTALL and/or INSTALLHIGH lines (if any) MUST follow the memory
manager line(s) in Config.sys for proper operation.
In this example MS EMM386 provides upper and expanded memory:
- For MS Windows 9x:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF D=256 RAM AUTO
- For MS-DOS 6.xx:
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF D=256 RAM AUTO
Change the path if different on your computer.
Now add/modify your SET PROMPT= and SET WINPMT= lines in Autoexec.bat or
Config.sys (the latter supports SET <VARIABLE> commands only in MS-DOS 6.00
and newer) to read something like this (example):
SET PROMPT=[0;30;40mReal MS-DOS mode!$_$P$G
SET WINPMT=[0;30;40mWindows DOS box!$_$P$G
The first line is what you'll see as prompt message at the plain real/native
MS-DOS mode, and the second takes care of the Windows DOS session/box prompt.
This is possible by using the ANSI.SYS ACSII escape sequencies to force the
background (screen) color to black (30) and the foreground (text) color also
to black (40), thus making all text output unreadable.
The Esc character () can be typed only in EDIT.COM, because Notepad does not
support extended ASCII characters: hold down the Ctrl key and then tap
simultaneously P and Esc until you see a left arrow.
Save your work and reboot when done so the new prompts can take effect.
7. Windows 9x ONLY: read "SYSTEM RESTRICTIONS" in REGISTRY.TXT (included) to
learn how to modify the "Disabled" and "NoRealMode" DWORD values under the
Policies "WinOldApp" Registry subkey, to disable completely ALL MS-DOS Prompt
modes/sessions (and more).
8. Windows/WfWG 3.xx ONLY: read "RESTRICTED ACCESS" in MYTIPS31.TXT, part of
W31-11D.ZIP:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/31.htm
to learn how to modify your PROGMAN.INI settings to disable completely ALL
MS-DOS Prompt modes/sessions (and more).
Voila. :)
BYPASS SAVER PASSWORD [+]
This tip applies ONLY to 16-bit (Win16) Screen Savers written for Windows/WfWG
3.xx, and to 32-bit (Win32) Screen Savers that run on Win31 systems ONLY with
Microsoft Win32s 32-bit Extensions Add-on v1.30c installed [2.4 MB, free]:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/PW1118.EXE
but most of them can be used also on Windows 9x systems.
Most 32-bit (Win32) Screen Savers written specifically for Windows 9x/NT save
their passwords in the Registry, and are discussed in "SCREEN SAVER PASSWORD"
in REGISTRY.TXT (included).
In case you have forgotten one of your Screen Saver (SS) password(s), you can
easily regain control by deleting it (them) from CONTROL.INI.
Edit your CONTROL.INI file (located in your Windows directory) with Notepad
(but back it up first!), and scroll down to the "incriminated" SS section,
displayed in square parenthesis.
A typical SS CONTROL.INI section looks something like this:
[Screen Saver.SSName]
Just substitute the SSName string above with your actual Screen Saver name,
and change one (or both) of these lines (depending on your particular SS
settings) under the SS section of your choice:
Password=#@$%& [or any other weird characters = encrypted password]
and/or:
PWProtected=1 [password protection ON]
to read:
Password= [leave it blank = NO password]
and/or:
PWProtected=0 [password protection OFF]
Alternatively, if you'd like to get rid of a particular SS, just open
Explorer (Win9x users) or File Manager (Win31 users) and search for the .SCR
files, located by default in your Windows or Windows\System directories.
Now delete (or move to a safe location) the .SCR file(s) you want.
Some 3rd party Savers install other files in these (see above), and/or other
(separate) directories, so you may want to erase/move them too, to properly
remove them from your system, and keep your hard drive(s) as "clean" as
possible.
If a particular SS allows it, you can also (completely) remove it by:
- Windows 9x users: using your Control Panel "Add/Remove Programs" applet;
- Windows/WfWG 3.xx users: running your provided SS "Uninstall" Program
Manager icon (if available).
9X/2000/NT/ME/XP/3.1X MULTIBOOT SWAP FILE [+]
If you use and multi-boot among different versions of Microsoft Windows, which
include: Windows NT/2000/XP/2003, Windows 95/98/ME and/or Windows/WfWG
3.10/3.11, you are probably wasting tons of disk space, because each of these
Windows releases uses different names and locations for their swap file:
- Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 uses PAGEFILE.SYS as its permanent page file,
located by default in your WinNT/2000/XP/2003 drive/partition root folder.
- Windows 95/98/ME uses WIN386.SWP as its permanent swap file, located by
default in your Win9x/ME folder.
- Windows/WfWG 3.1x uses 386SPART.PAR as its permanent swap file, located by
default in C:\ root, or WIN386.SWP as its temporary swap file, located by
default in your Win31 directory.
But there is a way to overcome this "annoyance", and force ALL MS Windows
versions on your computer to share the SAME FIXED page/swap file.
Just follow these steps:
1. In Windows NT/2000/XP/2003: start Control Panel -> System -> Advanced ->
Performance -> Advanced (WinXP/2003 only) -> Change Virtual Memory -> Specify
Pagefile settings -> select IDENTICAL Maximum and Minimum sizes, and change
its location to point to your fastest FAT16 (or FAT32) drive/partition.
You can also do this by modifying the Registry. Run Regedt32 and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Look (or create if not present) in the right hand pane for the "PagingFiles"
MultiString Value [REG_MULTI_SZ]. Edit it with a right-click, and give it
these values: 80 80 to match the ones from Windows 9x/ME/3.1x System.ini (see
example below).
2. Reboot into Windows 9x/ME.
3. In Windows 9x/ME: start Control Panel -> System -> Performance -> Virtual
Memory -> check the "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings" box ->
select the SAME IDENTICAL Maximum and Minimum sizes as you did in
WinNT/2000/XP/2003, and change the swap file location to the SAME FAT16 (or
FAT32) disk/partition you selected for WinNT/2000/XP/2003.
Don't reboot Windows 9x/ME when prompted! Click No or press Esc at the prompt
dialog box.
4. Open the Windows 9x/ME SYSTEM.INI file (located in your Windows folder)
with Notepad -> scroll down to the [386enh] section -> make sure ALL lines
listed below are present:
PagingFile=X:\PAGEFILE.SYS
PagingDrive=X:
MinPagingFileSize=xxxxxx
MaxPagingFileSize=xxxxxx
Where X: is the drive/partition letter you selected for the Win9x/ME swap
file, and xxxxxx represents both the Maximum and Minimum sizes (which should
be IDENTICAL) of PAGEFILE.SYS in KiloBytes.
Modify/add them to show actual values, depending on your system configuration
and preferences. Example using drive E: and an 80 MB fixed swap file:
PagingFile=E:\PAGEFILE.SYS
PagingDrive=E:
MinPagingFileSize=81920
MaxPagingFileSize=81920
Now highlight and copy all these lines to the Clipboard.
5. Then open the Windows/WfWG 3.1x SYSTEM.INI file (located in your Win31
directory) with Notepad -> scroll down to the [386enh] section -> delete ALL
lines listed above (you might not have them all, depending on your particular
Win31 swap file settings) -> paste the lines you copied from the Windows
9x/ME SYSTEM.INI.
6. Reboot one more time into the Windows version of your choice.
7. Delete ALL unused (obsolete) swap files from ALL your drives/partitions:
WIN386.SWP, 386SPART.PAR etc.
8. Done.
FYI:
- Do NOT place the common swap file on a FAT32 or NTFS drive/partition! It
won't be recognized by Windows releases other than the one you set it up on,
because Win31 doesn't support FAT32/NTFS, Win9x/ME do not support NTFS, and
WinNT doesn't support FAT32! Win2000/XP/2003 are the ONLY Microsoft OSes (to
date) that support ALL these file systems.
- Read "SWAP FILE - Part 1" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details on
dual-booting Win9x/ME and Win31 using the same swap file.
- Read these topics: "SWAP FILE - Part 2" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) and
"FIXED SWAP FILE" in TIPS95.TXT (included) for details on optimizing your
Win9x/ME swap file.
- MS Win2000: "Change the size of the virtual memory paging file":
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/sysdm_advancd_perform_change_vmpagefile.htm
- MS Win2000: "Multibooting with Windows 2000 and Windows XP":
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp
- MSKB: "Multi-Boot Windows NT/2000/XP, Windows 95/98/ME + MS-DOS":
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=217210
REPLACE SYSTEM FONT
There is a way to replace the default MS Sans Serif system font that appears
in text dialog boxes, pop up windows, shortcuts, Windows apps etc, and that
canNOT normally be changed. This is how to do it, step by step:
1. Shell out (or reboot) to the native MS-DOS mode [as detailed in "MS-DOS
PROMPT" from MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)] -> run the command below to move the
two MS Sans Serif font files (SSERIFE.FON and SSERIFF.FON) to another folder
(NOT in your path: I suggest C:\Windows\Config):
MOVE C:\WINDOWS\FONTS\SSERIF*.FON C:\WINDOWS\CONFIG
I used here the default Win9x drive letter and folder name: C:\Windows.
Substitute them if different on your computer.
2. (Re)start Windows by typing WIN and pressing Enter.
3. Edit your WIN.INI file (located in your Windows directory) with Notepad or
Sysedit, but BACK IT UP FIRST!
Scroll down to the [FontSubstitutes] header, and add a new line right
underneath this section name (example):
MS Sans Serif=Arial
You can replace the Arial font here with ANY other font installed on your
system. There are two types of fonts you can use:
- .FON = raster/display/printer/Terminal/DOS box font (not scalable)
- .TTF = True Type Font (scalable)
To see the complete list of installed fonts: open Control Panel ->
(double)-click on Fonts -> (double)-click on the one you want -> remember its
name as shown in the window title -> type its name into the new WIN.INI line
you just created above after the equal sign -> save your file.
4. Restart Windows so the change can take effect.
5. Have fun.
WINBOOT.INI [+]
WINBOOT.INI is a temporary file created by the Windows 9x/ME installation
process, and by default should be deleted from your system at the end of a
successful Windows Setup. In some cases (buggy/unfinished installations),
Winboot.ini can still be found in the root folder of your boot drive (C:\).
Winboot.ini is the equivalent of MSDOS.SYS (Win9x/ME C:\ root system file), is
not necessary for proper operation, and usually contains the same sections and
settings as its sibling.
The nice part is that Windows 95/98/ME bootup routine looks FIRST for (and
processes ONLY) Winboot.ini in the root folder of your boot drive/partition
(default is C:\), BEFORE searching for Msdos.sys, which is NOT processed
anymore IF Winboot.ini is found.
Therefore to speed up the OS boot routine by a second or more (depending on
your CPU clock speed), create a new Winboot.ini file in C:\ root, and you will
notice a shorter delay next time you boot up.
To make this happen, run these commands from any DOS prompt (the 3rd line is
optional):
ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\MSDOS.SYS
COPY C:\MSDOS.SYS C:\WINBOOT.INI
ATTRIB +H +R +S C:\MSDOS.SYS
Now reboot.
Once Winboot.ini is created you can even delete Msdos.sys, but BACK IT UP
FIRST!
Better, use SYS95.BAT (included), which takes care of all necessary Msdos.sys
and Winboot.ini editing chores with a simple mouse (double)-click [:)]: opens
Msdos.sys with Notepad in Windows (you only need to make desired changes), and
then copies Msdos.sys as Winboot.ini, in order to maintain all boot settings
"synchronized" in both these files. SYS95.BAT can do the same from native/real
MS-DOS mode, using EDIT.COM for editing.
Thus the mere presence of Winboot.ini in C:\ root can "shave off" 1-2 seconds
from your bootup sequence. :)
Winboot.ini, unlike the other Win9x/ME system files from the root folder of
the boot drive/partition, is not renamed if you also dual-boot using your old
MS-DOS 6.xx (using the "Previous version of MS-DOS" option from the Windows
95/98 Startup Menu), because it does NOT have a correspondent into the MS-DOS
6.xx system files.
Also, certain 3rd party programs may "choke" [and eventually issue error
messages :(] if Msdos.sys is NOT found in C:\ root. That's why you need to
keep Msdos.sys, even if also using Winboot.ini.
And from now on, if you want to tweak the Win9x/ME bootup process, you can
edit Winboot.ini in the same manner you would Msdos.sys.
See "COMPLETE MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details.
WIN.INI DIRECTX + VIDEO SETTINGS [+]
If you have installed (and I STRONGLY recommend you do too!) the current
Microsoft DirectX APIs + Drivers [free]:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/downloads/
on your Windows 9x/ME machine, I have a few tweaks 4 ya to enable some hidden
DX features. MS DirectX 5.0 or newer (current DX release is 9.0a) is required,
and they work on ALL Windows 95, 98 and ME systems, but... BACKUP YOUR SYSTEM
FILES BEFORE MAKING ANY CHANGES!
Ready? Alrighty then:
1. WIN.INI is a Windows 9x/ME/3.xx INItialization file, residing in your main
Windows folder (%windir% = default C:\WINDOWS), and can be edited with
Notepad/Sysedit in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
Note that all *.INI entries are case insensitive.
Here they are:
[Direct3D]
debug=0
[DirectDraw]
debug=0
nohwblt=0
nohwtrans=0
nohwfill=0
[DirectPlay]
BreakOnAssert=0
debug=0
[Debug]
DMBAND=0
DMCOMPOS=0
DMIME=0
DMLOADER=0
DMUSIC=0
DMSTYLE=0
DMSYNTH=0
DINPUT=0x00
Some of these settings can be enabled/disabled also by using the DirectX
Diagnostic Tool (DxDiag.exe, located in C:\Windows\System), bundled with MS
DX6 and all newer versions.
Most of these lines are used (if set to 1) for debugging purposes if DirectX
(5.0 up to 9.0a) seems to cause GPFs (General Protection Faults), errors,
lockups etc, by creating Debug.txt files, which can be sent to Microsoft
support (e.g. via e-mail), together with the user's hardware/OS specs, for
troubleshooting.
In normal conditions it is recommended to set them all to 0, to allow MAXimum
speed with all DirectX 3D apps and games, ONLY IF DirectX works properly on
your Win95/98/ME machine.
Most of them are NOT set to 0 by default [surprise! :)] if NOT present in
Win.ini as listed above, and these default settings attract DirectX apps/games
slowdown, which is unacceptable in my book. :) Therefore it is STRONGLY
recommended to turn them all OFF: make sure all lines under the [Debug]
section are set to 0, which disables the DX error logging ("debugging") mode.
Though to create Debug.txt files, one also needs to download the separate
DXInfo.exe, DXBug.exe, DXTool.exe + Directx.cpl tools, as part of Microsoft
DirectX 9.0 SDK (Software Developers Kit) [222 MB, free]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/0/e/80ebbf72-fc51-4799-a2f4-7fcca37b8bb3/dx9sdk.exe
Grab the "forbidden" DX 5/6/7/8/9 Control Panel applets (CPLs) [196 KB, free,
right-click to save!]:
http://www.freewebz.com/firecat/archive/dx_cpc.zip
One disadvantage is that for example DXBug also creates the Dxbug.ini
(unencoded, plain text) file, which contains personal user info: name,
company, address, email etc. [Talk about privacy!]
To my knowledge "BreakOnAssert" can be set to 1 to improve gameplay (game
controller response) over the internet/network/LAN in multiplayer environment
with 3D intensive games like Quake, Unreal Tournament etc. I know Quake and UT
use OpenGL APIs for graphics rendering, but all newer 3D games (including
Quake II and Quake III Arena) use the DirectPlay component of DX anyway for
joysticks, wheels, throttles etc for direct access at hardware level, and
DirectSound for direct hardware access to the sound card.
The only Win9x/ME tweaking tool I know of that handles most of these DX
settings is DirectControl [106 KB, freeware]:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/3dfiles/utility/bgr/setupdcontrol.exe
2. Speaking about Win.ini...
3dfx Banshee 2D+3D video card owners (especially the ones manufactured by
Creative Labs) might benefit from adding these lines to Win.ini, to tweak the
RGB (Red Green Blue) gamma settings to their heart content, to brighten up the
display for all 2D+3D programs, including the Windows desktop GUI:
[3dfx]
SSTH3_RGAMMA=1.5
SSTH3_BGAMMA=1.5
SSTH3_GGAMMA=1.5
These are the recommended values for most users, if the screen appears too
dark in 3D (Glide 3dfx) games/apps. Minimum - maximum RGB gamma values = 1.0 -
4.0. Each color can be changed individually, but "normal" (color calibrated)
screen output is obtained by synchronizing all sliders (R, G and B) at the
same level.
3. Add (if not present) a new section to your System.ini, named [Display] and
these lines beneath it (example), to speed up all Windows screen (re)draws,
and enhance video quality and resolution, especially in 32 (24) bit true (16
million) color modes:
[Display]
BlockWrite=1
DDC=1
Five6Five=1
DevBmp=0
VAD=1
OutEngine=1
SwCursor=0
Mmio=1
RefreshRate=xxx
System.ini is the other "vital" Windows 9x/ME/3.xx initialization file, found
also in your Windows folder, and can be also edited using Notepad or Sysedit
in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS.
Some of these settings are specific only to ATI and/or 3dfx video chipsets,
but some can be also used on most other video accelerator brands to improve
graphics performance. Try to see if they make any difference with your video
board:
MEANING:
- BlockWrite=1 speeds up video to memory writes.
- DDC=1 turns on the Display Data Channel on older (2D only) graphics boards.
- Five6Five=1 forces the 5-6-5 mode in 16-bit resolution (65k colors), even if
it is disabled by default on some controllers (i.e. older ATI chipsets).
ATI cards are known to work better with DevBmp=0 (turns off DeviceBitmap).
- VAD=1 turns on the external VGA feature connector on ATI cards, if hooked up
to an MPEG, video capture or TV card.
- RefreshRate=85 (85 Hz in this example) must match its Registry "twin", the
"RefreshRate"="85" String Value, found under this key (as shown by Regedit):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Display\0000\DEFAULT
The 0000 subkey can be 0001, 0002 etc, depending of your video driver
location.
Together these two settings force Windows to use a predefined vertical refresh
rate (also known as vertical frequency), measured in Hertz (abbreviated as
Hz). This allows fluorescent multi-scan CRT monitors, able to change screen
resolutions, color depths and refresh rates on the fly, to take advantage of
higher frequencies built into their cathode tubes, thus avoiding eye strain
caused by flicker.
Brief explanation: most human eyes can perceive [and can get irritated by :(]
lower refresh rates (60, 70, and even 75 Hz) produced by the time interval
necessary for each video/TV/monitor/kinescope/oscilloscope/etc electron beam
(spot) to complete an entire horizontal sweep of the screen, from top to
bottom.
Windows 95/OSR1 use mainly the System.ini line, and Windows OSR2/98/ME use
exclusively the Registry entry.
If you experience video errors/lockups after adding these lines to your
System.ini, disable them by replacing 1 with 0, or just remark them by typing
a semicolon (;) in front of them.
Note that ANY System.ini changes require a Windows restart to take effect.
4. Open Control Panel -> System applet -> Performance tab -> Graphics button
-> drag the "Hardware acceleration" slider all the way to the right (to
"Full") -> click OK/Apply -> finally reboot, to take advantage of all these
video settings. But in the rare cases your video controller freezes up on the
"Full" position, drag the slider back one notch to the left for more
reliability, at the expense of using fewer accelerator functions (slower
video performance).
The default Windows 95/98/ME Graphics setting is "Full", which turns on all
available graphics hardware acceleration features built into the display
driver. That's why it is VERY IMPORTANT to ALWAYS install the available
CURRENT (most recent) set of video drivers for your particular video
controller, to take advantage of enhanced/added functions, and eventually of
the patches for bugs plaguing previous driver releases.
A. The first notch to the left corrects eventual mouse pointer issues
(disables hardware cursor support) by adding the "SwCursor=1" line (switches
to Software Cursor) under the [Display] section of System.ini, and this String
value (Windows 98/ME ONLY) under the Registry key below (you can access by
running Regedit):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Config\0000\Display\Settings
"SwCursor"="1"
Note that 0000 might show as 0001, 0002 etc... in your Registry, depending on
the specific key name your video driver is installed under.
B. The second notch can correct certain display errors (disables bit block
transfers to and from the video card and disables memory mapped I/O for some
display drivers) by adding the "SwCursor=1" and "Mmio=0" lines under the
[Display] section of System.ini, the "SafeMode=1" line under the [Windows]
section of Win.ini, and these String values (Windows 98/ME ONLY) under the
Registry key below:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Config\0000\Display\Settings
"SwCursor"="1"
"Mmio"="0"
C. The third [and last :)] notch ("None") can correct severe hardware issues
(i.e. the machine often stops responding to input) by adding the "SafeMode=2"
line under the [Windows] section of Win.ini. This removes ALL driver hardware
acceleration support, forcing Windows to use only the Device Independent
Bitmap (DIB) engine rather than bit block transfers for displaying images.
The "None" setting usually corrects IPF (Invalid Page Fault) error messages
like:
"Program X caused an invalid page fault in module UNKNOWN"
that pop up upon system startup, indicating a problem between the display
driver and the Windows software based DIB engine.
FYI:
- More info @ MS TechNet:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/win98/reskit/part5/wrkc26.asp
- See "DIRECTX TWEAKS" in REGISTRY.TXT (included) for more DirectX settings.
- See "SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) to learn how to boost
your system, communications, disk, cache, DMA, keyboard etc performance to
the MAX.
And of course you can use Dxdiag.exe (see above) to enable the DirectX 3D
video Hardware Acceleration Layer (HAL). Though in some situations (i.e.
buggy video drivers) you may want to disable HAL for slower but more stable
operation, especially if you own an older (i.e. 2D only and/or ISA based)
video controller.
BTW: ALWAYS upgrade your video drivers to their current release from your
video board vendor or chipset manufacturer web site, and try to avoid using
the generic (usually older, and lacking enhanced/custom features) drivers
included with your Windows 9x/ME installation disk(s).
SCANDSKW HIDDEN SWITCHES [+]
I finally [:)] decided to list here all hidden (some are NOT even documented!)
Windows 95/98/ME ScanDisk (Scandskw.exe, located in your main Win9x/ME folder)
command line parameters, you can type in when you scan your fixed
drives/partitions for errors and repair them (if any), by opening the Run box
from the Start menu.
Valid syntax (multiple switches are accepted on a single command line):
SCANDSKW [drive1: drive2: etc...] [/ALLFIXEDDISKS] [/NONINTERACTIVE]
[/OLDFS] [/PREVIEW] [/SAGERUN:x] [/SAGESET:x] [/SILENT]
- SCANDSKW drive1: drive2: etc... = Specify drive/partition letter(s) to scan.
- SCANDSKW /A (ALL or ALLFIXEDDISKS) = Checks and repairs ALL fixed (hard)
disks/partitions.
- SCANDSKW /N (NONINTERACTIVE) = Starts and ends unattended without prompting
for parameters. Summary screens are displayed.
- SCANDSKW /O (OLDFS) = Converts ALL Windows LFNs (Long File Names) on target
disk(s)/partition(s) to MS-DOS style 8.3 SFNs (Short File Names).
*VERY DANGEROUS* = ALL folder AND file LFNs will be IRREVERSIBLY LOST !!!
- SCANDSKW /P (PREVIEW) = Preview mode: scans, but makes NO changes to target
disk(s)/partition(s).
- SCANDSKW /SAGERUN:x = Starts and ends unattended using System Agent (Task
Scheduler) settings from the SETn Registry key, where n = 0 - 50:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Plus!\SystemAgent\SAGE\Scandisk for Windows\Setn
- SCANDSKW /SAGESET:x = Displays System Agent (Task Scheduler) Settings dialog
box and saves them under the SETn Registry key, where n = 0 - 50:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Plus!\SystemAgent\SAGE\Scandisk for Windows\Setn
- SCANDSKW /SILENT = Does NOT allow ANY command line parameters. Summary
screens are NOT displayed.
Registry keys used by Scandskw.exe:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Check Drive
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Check Drive\LastCheck
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Check Drive\LastSurfaceAnalysis
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Check Drive
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Check Drive
Registry keys used by Scandskw.exe + Task Scheduler (System Agent):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Plus!\SystemAgent\SAGE\Scandisk for Windows
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Plus!\SystemAgent\SAGE\Scandisk for Windows\Setn
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Plus!\SystemAgent\SAGE\Scandisk for Windows\Result Codes
System Agent also saves these settings in Schedlog.txt (located in %windir%,
usually C:\Windows).
More Scandisk + Scandskw info:
http://www.mvps.org/serenitymacros/winprogs.html
FYI: See also these topics (all included) for more ScanDisk issues:
- "UNATTENDED DEFRAG/SCANDISK" in MYTIPS95.TXT [all Win9x users],
- "START ME UP!" in TIPS95.TXT [all Win9x users],
- "FREE SPACE BUG!" in TIPS98.TXT [only Win98/ME users] and
- "NEW SCANDISK OPTION" IN TIPS98.TXT [only Win98/ME users].
PLAY DOS GAMES WITH SOUND BLASTER LIVE! [+]
Do you use Windows 95 or 98?
Do you own a Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! PCI card?
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/sblive/
Do you still play DOS based games that require native MS-DOS mode?
If you answered YES to all these questions, you're in for a treat. :)
First, to learn how to boot directly to native MS-DOS to play your favorite
games, see "2 DOS OR NOT 2 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file).
These are the necessary steps to successfully play your old DOS games that
require native/true/real MS-DOS mode (and canNOT be run from a Win9x DOS
box/session!) with sound enabled:
It is known that the SB Live! cards (ANY flavor: Full, Value, OEM/1024,
X-Gamer, MP3, Platinum etc) provide only SB16 FM synthesis emulation support
in all DOS modes. This means you won't be able to play any fancy Wavetable or
Extended MIDI sequences, only basic sounds, and eventually CD audio, if your
software can emulate it. :(
If you're a DOS die-hard fan [like I am :)], there is an alternative solution
to this problem: get a Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE64 Gold ISA card:
http://www.crus.com/hardware/specs/multimedia/ljud2.html
[that is if your motherboard has any ISA slots available :)], the best audio
board for DOS applications/games, featuring full MIDI and Wavetable support in
native MS-DOS.
You can find this card for really cheap at popular internet vendor sites:
http://castle.pricewatch.com/search/search.idq?qc=AWE64
If you do get one, and if this is your only ISA device in your computer, make
sure you enable the "Passive Release" and "Delayed Transaction", and increase
the "8-bit I/O Recovery" setting to maximum (usually 8) in your BIOS "Advanced
Chipset Features" (or similar) Setup screen, to have your ISA card(s) perform
without a hitch together with all your PCI devices.
This is necessary because the PCI clock frequency is much faster (33 MHz) than
the ISA counterpart (16 MHz), and it has to be forced to wait longer (more
clock cycles) for the ISA device(s) to "catch up". Otherwise you may
experience sudden machine lockups. If enabled, these settings will slow down
the overall system speed a bit, but your PC will run more reliably.
The BIOS configuration above applies to Abit BE6-II mobos:
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?model=119
If you have an Abit BH6 mainboard:
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?model=98
these settings are found under the "Chipset Features Setup" BIOS menu. On all
Abit mobos press the Del key to access BIOS Setup when the AWARD POST (Power
On Self Test) display appears.
If you do NOT have any ISA devices installed in your computer (all your mobo's
ISA slots are empty or your mainboard does not have any ISA slots), it is
highly recommended to disable/decrease to minimum these BIOS settings, to gain
maximum performance on all PCI/AGP based PCs!
If you'd like to avoid "messing" with your BIOS Setup altogether, you can do
this the "easy" way. :) Get TweakBIOS for DOS [freeware and $20 registered
versions available]:
http://www.miro.pair.com/tweakbios/
the ultimate BIOS configuration tool, which fine tunes most hidden settings
not available in BIOS Setup (use with CAUTION!) without rebooting.
Back to SB Live!:
By default, when you first install the Win9x Live! drivers from your CD, you
will be asked to setup the "Creative SB16 emulation" for DOS programs.
Answer "Yes" to let Setup enable DOS support. Then edit (using Notepad in
Windows or EDIT in DOS) your Autoexec.bat file (found in C:\ root), or create
one if it is not present, though this should not be necessary, because the SB
Live! installation routine will create one for you, and will add these lines
at the top (your paths may differ):
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=C:\WINDOWS
C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM
in this EXACT order. The "SET <variable>" lines MUST appear BEFORE the SBEINIT
line, because SBEINIT.COM uses these environment values to determine your SB
Live! DOS hardware settings.
Note that drive letter/directory name and/or hardware assignments [memory
address: A220, interrupt line: I5, low/high DMA channel: D1/H5 etc] may be
different on your computer, depending on your custom setup.
This should get you started in some cases, but [there's always a "but" :)]
there are a couple of things you need to do first, to ensure that SBEINIT
initializes the card correctly upon boot.
Edit (using Notepad in Windows or EDIT in DOS) your Config.sys file (found
also in C:\ root), or create one if not present, to include these lines at the
top:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF RAM D=256 AUTO
Note that SBEINIT will NOT load without expanded memory (EMS) enabled by
EMM386.EXE's "RAM" parameter! And make sure your EMM386.EXE command does NOT
contain the "NOEMS" switch, because this disables EMS, and SBEINIT will abort!
See this MSKB article for more details:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=229186
Do NOT try to use another 3rd party enhanced/expanded memory manager like
QEMM, NetRoom, 386MAX etc. SBEINIT works ONLY with Microsoft's EMM386.EXE! :(
Also, you need to load SBEINIT at the beginning of your Autoexec.bat, BEFORE
ANY OTHER drivers/TSRs (especially SMARTDRV or RAM disks), because it uses a
huge amount of free upper memory to initialize.
SBEINIT takes about 5 KB of low (conventional) RAM after loading.
SBEINIT canNOT load in upper memory (UMA), therefore you may NOT use the
"LOADHIGH" ("LH" for short) command. If you do, your machine will freeze, and
you will have to press the Reset button to reboot. :(
UPDATES:
* "I load SBEINIT high without problems on my machine (Asus P2L97-S mobo,
Win98 OS), but as long as the SB Live! Windows drivers change these
AUTOEXEC.BAT lines (typical examples):
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=C:\WINDOWS
C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM
to force the emulation driver to load into low memory, we need a workaround.
There are 2 ways of loading SBEINIT into upper memory:
1. Place all AUTOEXEC.BAT lines above in your CONFIG.SYS, and load SBEINIT
using "INSTALLHIGH=" in your CONFIG.SYS (example):
INSTALLHIGH=C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM
Then skip the (now useless) AUTOEXEC.BAT lines this way (starting with the 1st
line at the top, which is usually "@ECHO OFF"):
@ECHO OFF
GOTO SKIPSBL
SET MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET CTSYN=C:\WINDOWS
C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\DOSDRV\SBEINIT.COM
:SKIPSBL
etc...
This is necessary because if using the "REM" or "::" commands to comment them
out, the SB Live routine removes the comments every time when the Windows GUI
loads, reenabling these lines. :(
2. If loading SBEINIT (as explained above) from CONFIG.SYS fails, try to use
4DOS (shareware COMMAND.COM replacement):
http://www.4dos.com/
and load SBEINIT from 4START.BAT, or create a separate batch file which loads
SBEINIT, and call this BATch from your AUTOEXEC.BAT (example):
CALL C:\SBLIVE.BAT
Both methods work on my system, and I get about 622 KB of free conventional
RAM after booting, and before loading Windows, using the HIMEM.SYS and
EMM386.EXE releases shipped with Windows 98 (build 4.10.1998)."
[Thank you ACiD StOUt (ACiDStOUt@Thunderdome.zzn.com)!]
* "I haven't had any trouble loading SBEINIT.EXE in upper memory with EMS
disabled (NOEMS). I had trouble running it with SmartDrive, though. :( I'm
using Win95C OSR 2.5 with HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE in Config.sys.
IMPORTANT: You can stop AUTOEXEC.BAT and DOSSTART.BAT from being edited by SB
Live! every time you boot by moving CTSYN16.DRV from C:\Windows\System or by
renaming it.
The sound card works fine in Windows, but I haven't tried in DOS yet."
[Thank you Martin (spiny@lost.fsnet.co.uk)!]
To tweak your SB16 emulation hardware settings to your liking (but make sure
to avoid a hardware conflict if another device in your computer uses the same
interrupt or DMA channel!), you can use SBESET.EXE, a DOS based configuration
tool, also located in the same \DOSDRV subfolder. Run:
SBESET /?
from native MS-DOS to display all available parameters.
To see all your free hardware resources (IRQ, DMA, Base Address etc) that can
be safely used by SBESET, run (with Windows GUI started!): Control Panel ->
System -> Device Manager tab -> double-click on Computer -> scroll through
the IRQ, DMA, I/O and Memory resources lists -> write down the ones that
appear NOT to be used by ANY hardware device -> exit Windows 9x to native
MS-DOS [see "DOS NOW!" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)] -> run SBESET with the
appropriate switches to reflect one of your free Device Manager resources for
each setting -> reboot into Windows -> reopen the resources lists -> check for
ANY question or exclamation marks. If you find any, try different settings for
SBESET until all conflicts are resolved. Then reboot one more time.
You can also add a line for SBESET in your Autoexec.bat to keep these settings
"alive" at all times. But BEWARE: if you later add new hardware to your
machine that needs an IRQ, DMA channel, I/O and/or memory address to function,
or for some reason you or your OS change(s) ANY hardware resources, you need
to repeat ALL above steps afterwards, to ensure "smooth" operation. :)
If using SBESET from Autoexec.bat, make sure the SBEINIT line appears AFTER
the SBESET command, and BEFORE the SMARTDRV.EXE [see "OUTSMART SMARTDRIVE" in
MYTIPS95.TXT (this file)] and/or RAM Disk, i.e. XMSDSK.EXE/EMSDSK.EXE:
http://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/xmsdsk.zip
lines, if any!
This is my Autoexec.bat SBESET line (example) which enables SB FM emulation
and the use of joystick/flight-stick (connected to the SB Live! 16 pin
joystick/MIDI port) in native MS-DOS mode for all my DOS based games:
E:\LIVE\DOSDRV\SBESET.EXE -d0 -j1 -w0 -A220 -I5 -D1 -H5 -J200 -P330
All SBESET command line parameters are case sensitive.
Any hardware assignments altered by SBESET require a reboot to take effect.
If everything goes well, you should be able to enable sound and music in your
favorite DOS games from now on, by choosing the appropriate sound card (try
first Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster 16, SB16, AWE32 or similar) in your game's
Setup/Options menu. Wrong sound board selection may lockup your game and most
likely your computer too. :(
BTW: If you'd like to have more than one boot choices, for example one for
running Win9x GUI without EMM386.EXE, or with EMM386.EXE but without EMS
enabled (only upper and extended memory support: add "NOEMS"), and another
for playing native MS-DOS games (and eventually include the SB Live! lines
detailed above), you can create multi-boot Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files.
Take a look at mine (included) to learn how to do this.
Have fun!
REBOOT WITH DEBUG [+]
This tip applies to ALL Windows 95/98 [a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.xx] and MS-DOS 6.xx
users who want to reboot their PCs at the touch of a single key, and can be
achieved ONLY from the native/true/real MS-DOS mode prompt, NOT from a Windows
DOS session/box.
A. Necessary steps:
1. The DEBUG.EXE file must be present somewhere in your path, specified by the
Config.sys "SET PATH=", or by the Autoexec.bat "PATH" statement. Typical
examples:
- MS Win9x + MS-DOS 7.xx:
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;C:\STUFF;etc...
- MS-DOS 6.xx:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\STUFF;etc...
Default DEBUG.EXE locations:
- MS Win9x + MS-DOS 7.xx: in the C:\Windows\Command folder.
- MS-DOS 6.xx: in the C:\DOS directory.
Now create a DOS style BATch file (using Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in
DOS) to contain these lines (the DEBUG script is responsible for rebooting):
- MS Win9x + MS-DOS 7.xx:
@ECHO OFF
%winbootdir%\COMMAND\MEM.EXE/C | %winbootdir%\COMMAND\FIND.EXE/I "vmm32">NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO NO
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO OK
:OK
ECHO G=FFFF:0000 | %winbootdir%\COMMAND\DEBUG.EXE
:NO
EXIT
- MS-DOS 6.xx:
@ECHO OFF
C:\DOS\MEM.EXE/C | C:\DOS\FIND.EXE/I "win386">NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO NO
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO OK
:OK
ECHO G=FFFF:0000 | C:\DOS\DEBUG.EXE
:NO
EXIT
Call it for example REBOOT.BAT, and place it in a directory in your path (see
above).
The other lines are necessary to have REBOOT.BAT detect whether you're in a
Windows DOS box/session (in which case the BATch will abort and return to
Windows GUI), or in native/true MS-DOS (in which case the BATch will proceed
rebooting your PC).
Alternatively you can use DEBUG.EXE to create a small (6 Bytes) COM(mand) file
I named BOOT.COM.
For convenience you can paste the contents of this BATch file into Notepad,
and save it as BOOTCOM.BAT (example):
-----Begin cut & paste here-----
@ECHO OFF
C:
CD\
ECHO N BOOT.COM >> BOOT.!
ECHO E 0100 48 50 53 CB 0D 0A >> BOOT.!
ECHO RCX >> BOOT.!
ECHO 0006 >> BOOT.!
ECHO W >> BOOT.!
ECHO Q >> BOOT.!
DEBUG < BOOT.!
DEL BOOT.!
EXIT
------End cut & paste here------
Then just run BOOT (created in this example in C:\ root) from the
native/real/true MS-DOS mode to have your PC perform a "cold" reboot.
No matter which of these rebooting methods you are going to use, if using a
disk caching tool like MS SMARTDRV.EXE, it is VERY IMPORTANT to "flush" (dump)
the memory cache buffer contents to the hard disk before rebooting, otherwise
you may experience data loss! This is the necessary command line:
SMARTDRV/C
Of course, both these commands can be placed into a batch file you can call
for example REBOOT.BAT:
@ECHO OFF
SMARTDRV/C
BOOT
Place REBOOT.BAT into a directory listed in your PATH. To display your PATH
line, just run this command from any DOS prompt:
SET | MORE
NOTE: Certain motherboard/chipset/BIOS configurations may NOT allow using
these DEBUG scripts. In such cases use the rebooting method described at
paragraph B (see further below), ONLY IF running Windows 95 or 98.
2. The ANSI.SYS driver (found by default in the same directories as DEBUG.EXE)
must be loaded from Config.sys. These examples use the default Microsoft
extended/upper/expanded memory managers to load the ANSI device "high":
- MS Win9x + MS-DOS 7.xx:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF NOEMS D=256 AUTO
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS /X
- MS-DOS 6.xx:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF RAM D=256 AUTO
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS /X
To save extra conventional RAM (up to 629 KB!), and speed up your system's
overall performance, you can use UMBPCI.SYS, the best freeware upper memory
extender, compatible with most Pentium, Pentium Pro/II/III/IV/Celeron/Xeon,
AMD/Cyrix CPUs and motherboard chipsets. See the "Complete UMBPCI.SYS Guide"
for details:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm
Note that UMBPCI.SYS does NOT provide expanded memory (EMS).
Examples using UMBPCI.SYS in combination with MS HIMEM.SYS to load the ANSI
device in the Upper Memory Area (UMA):
- MS Win9x + MS-DOS 7.xx:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\UMBPCI\UMBPCI.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS /X
- MS-DOS 6.xx:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICE=C:\UMBPCI\UMBPCI.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOS\ANSI.SYS /X
The "/X" ANSI.SYS command line parameter enables independent key remapping.
3. Create a plain text file with Notepad in Windows or EDIT.COM in DOS, to
include the ANSI escape sequences (also called ASCII codes) for key remapping.
In this example the F12 key is remapped to reboot the computer by running
REBOOT.BAT:
Esc[0;134;"REBOOT";13p
Name this file let's say REBOOT.TXT, or whatever you want, but keep the TXT
extension.
4. Add this line (example) to your Autoexec.bat, before the WIN command (which
starts the Windows GUI), if any:
TYPE C:\REBOOT.TXT
5. From now on, all you need to do is hit F12, to instantly reboot your
machine from the native MS-DOS prompt.
6. Done. :)
FYI: See "F1-F12 Remapping = MS-DOS Mode + ANSI Driver" in DOSTIPS.TXT
(included) for more details.
B. Windows 95/OSR1/OSR2 and 98/98 SE users (this does NOT work with the
Windows ME WIN.COM release!) can use the undocumented "/WX" WIN.COM switch to
same purpose. In this case, REBOOT.BAT would look like this:
@ECHO OFF
%winbootdir%\COMMAND\MEM.EXE/C | %winbootdir%\COMMAND\FIND.EXE/I "vmm32">NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO NO
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO OK
:OK
%winbootdir%\WIN.COM /WX
:NO
EXIT
All other steps are identical (see paragraph A above).
FYI: See "WIN.COM HIDDEN PARAMETERS" in SECRETS.TXT (included) for more
details.
URL PASSWORD [+]
This trick applies to most internet sites that use server based HTML, DHTML,
XML, CSS, Java(TM) or JavaScript(TM) password boxes to allow access to their
members/subscribers/users, no matter what Operating System or web/ftp browser
you are using.
This may or may NOT work with sites that use Active Server Page (ASP)
programming or other server side (proprietary) methods for access.
Note that this won't let you view such restricted WWW pages/FTP sites IF you
are NOT an authorized user, but will speed up the typing process.
To bypass these [annoying :)] few extra steps: type in your URL, or go there
using your Bookmarks (Netscape Navigator/Communicator users), your Favorites
(MS Internet Explorer users), or your URL shortcuts splattered all over your
Desktop [:)], and only after that type in your User ID [Name] and Password in
the appropriate boxes, just do this...
Add your User ID [Name] followed by a colon (:) and your Password followed by
an at sign (@) as shown below in front of your target URL (Uniform Resource
Locator), after the "http://" or "ftp://" prefix.
This is only a generic example, it won't take you anywhere [:)]:
http://username:password@www.!.com/restricted/
opposite to the "normal" URL:
http://www.!.com/restricted/
Remember: passwords are ALWAYS case sensitive!
Have fun.
95/98/ME SETUP + MEMORY MANAGERS [+][*]
Windows 95/98/ME in all their "incarnations", especially during installation
(Setup), are very "allergic" to most 3rd party (proprietary), also called "386
enhanced" memory managers, used in the good old MS-DOS days to generate extra
conventional (low) RAM by "cramming" as many devices/drivers/TSRs into upper
memory (UMA) as possible, and provide at the same time extended (XMS) and
expanded (EMS) memory, necessary for running various DOS based apps/games.
If you are still using DOS programs that require expanded memory and/or oodles
of conventional RAM, then you probably still need your old 3rd party memory
manager loaded from customized CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT lines.
Though I recommend using the Microsoft HIMEM.SYS + EMM386.EXE "combo" instead
(bundled with all MS-DOS 5.xx/6.xx and Windows 9x/ME releases), to ensure 100%
compatibility with ALL your programs and MS OSes (dual-boot users).
Suggested EMM386.EXE 4.95 CONFIG.SYS line (applies to ALL EMM386.EXE releases
beginning with 4.45), which provides maximum free conventional DOS memory and
optimal compatibility with Windows 9x/ME (EMS enabled by the RAM switch):
DEVICE=drive:\directory\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF RAM A=64 H=120 D=256 AUTO NOTR
or with EMS disabled by the NOEMS switch:
DEVICE=drive:\directory\EMM386.EXE I=B000-B7FF NOEMS A=64 H=120 D=256 AUTO NOTR
Replace "drive:" with your drive letter and "directory" with the directory
name where your file resides [and don't type the quotes :)].
Note however that Windows ME loads HIMEM.SYS from IO.SYS, therefore before
CONFIG.SYS is processed, and a HIMEM.SYS line in CONFIG.SYS will generate an
error message at bootup, like:
"ERROR: An Extended Memory Manager is already installed."
This also prevents most 3rd party memory managers (except UMBPCI.SYS) that
rely on their own memory mapping routines from working properly with WinME.
Also, some newer programs written specifically for WinME will NOT work with
EMM386.EXE loaded from CONFIG.SYS, especially with expanded memory (EMS)
enabled by the EMM386.EXE RAM switch. In such cases try to add the NOEMS
parameter to your EMM386.EXE line in CONFIG.SYS (see example above), and then
reboot. If that doesn't work, remove the EMM386.EXE line completely. :(
See REGIONS.TXT, MEMORY.TXT + EMM386.TXT (all included) for complete memory
management details.
The purpose of this article is actually to tell you that you need to DISABLE
ALL your CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT lines that load/enable such memory
managers/emulators and/or upper memory loaders, in order to install Windows
9x/ME smoothly WITHOUT lockups, over a previous OS: MS-DOS 6.xx or an earlier
version of Windows 3.xx/95/OSR2/98.
And you can always reenable them after Setup has successfully completed if
using Windows 95, OSR2 or 98, but NOT Windows ME, because Microsoft REMOVED
COMPLETELY the access to native/real MS-DOS mode from Windows Millennium
Edition (ME), a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00. :(
But you CAN get it back by applying the Unofficial WinME Real DOS-Mode Patch
[9 KB, freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) +
REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to allow Windows ME to boot to native
MS-DOS and use DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), the Windows
95/98 style, to be able to use your (old) MS-DOS based apps/games that do NOT
work from within a Windows DOS session/box, and tweak your CUSTOM AUTOEXEC.BAT
+ CONFIG.SYS files to free MAXimum conventional DOS memory. :)
To REMark (disable) a command line: add a semicolon (;) in CONFIG.SYS or a
double colon (::) in AUTOEXEC.BAT in the front of the respective line.
To reactivate (reenable) a REMarked command line: remove the semicolon (;) in
CONFIG.SYS or the double colon (::) in AUTOEXEC.BAT from the front of the
respective line.
Create/edit the startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS = plain text/ASCII),
located in C:\ root, with EDIT.COM in DOS or Notepad/Sysedit in Windows.
To be able to Setup Windows 9x/ME without a "hitch" on your computer you also
need to add a line for HIMEM.SYS (the basic high and extended memory manager
included with all Windows 9x/ME releases and MS-DOS 5.xx/6.xx) at the
beginning of your CONFIG.SYS file (example):
DEVICE=drive:\directory\HIMEM.SYS /TESTMEM:OFF
HIMEM.SYS 3.10 is included with MS-DOS 6.xx (6.00 up to 6.22).
HIMEM.SYS 3.95 is included with Windows 95/98 (a.k.a. MS-DOS 7.00/7.10).
HIMEM.SYS 3.99 is included with Windows ME (a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00), and is loaded
automatically from IO.SYS, rendering the CONFIG.SYS HIMEM.SYS line obsolete.
To install Windows 9x/ME from the plain MS-DOS command prompt you need to:
1. Enable your CD (Compact Disc): CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM,
DVD-R, DVD-RW etc... drive in native/real/true/pure MS-DOS mode (presuming you
have only 1 CD drive installed):
A. Add a line into CONFIG.SYS for your CD DOS mode driver if not already
present (examples):
* IDE/ATAPI CD drive ("universal" IDE CD driver):
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:MYCDROM
Get VIDE-CDD.SYS 2.14 [176 KB, free]:
http://www.benq.com/ss_download/drivers/storage/cd-rom/drivers/dos/apicd214.exe
See "CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details.
* SCSI CD drive (typical SCSI CD drivers):
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPIDOS.SYS
and/or:
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPIHLP.SYS
and:
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\ASPICD.SYS /D:MYCDROM
Note that all Windows 98/ME releases can create bootable floppy diskettes with
CD support.
B. Add a line into AUTOEXEC.BAT for MSCDEX (native MS-DOS mode MicroSoft
Compact Disc eXtensions) driver if not already present (example):
LH drive:\directory\MSCDEX /D:MYCDROM
Note that the CD drive name on the CONFIG.SYS driver line (MYCDROM above) MUST
MATCH EXACTLY the CD drive name on the AUTOEXEC.BAT MSCDEX line: maximum 11
characters allowed, case insensitive, special/punctuation symbols or spaces
NOT allowed!
Reboot when done.
2. Eventually (to decrease considerably installation time) copy all files from
D:\WIN9*\*.* (where D is your CD drive letter; replace if different) to your
fixed hard drive/partition if you have enough unused disk space (~ 200-300 MB)
to hold them: run CHKDSK or DIR from any DOS prompt, and look at the number of
available/free bytes. Then run Windows SETUP from there.
Typical installation files directory names on Setup CDs:
- Windows 95/OSR2 -> \WIN95
- Windows 98/98 SE -> \WIN98
- Windows ME -> \WIN9X
Microsoft has determined that the following 3rd party memory managers are
incompatible and/or cause problems/lockups with Windows 95/98/ME Setup, when a
previous command line based OS (like MS-DOS, DR-DOS, PC-DOS, FreeDOS etc) is
already installed:
- All Charge memory manager 3.xx: ALLEMM4.SYS.
- Compaq memory managers: CEMM386.SYS.
- Hewlett Packard (HP) memory managers: HPEMM386.SYS, HPEMM486.SYS, HPMM.SYS.
- Intel memory managers/expanded memory emulators: IEMM.SYS, ILIM386.SYS.
- Maximizer memory manager: MAXIMIZE.EXE.
- Network Associates (formerly Helix) NetRoom memory manager 2.xx: RM386.SYS.
RM386.EXE 3.04 (current release) is compatible with Windows 9x/ME.
If using Helix NetRoom 3.xx memory manager (RM386.EXE) you MUST disable
CACHECLK.EXE, STACKS.EXE + SETCFG.EXE from your CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT.
Remove ALL SysCloak/VidCloak switches from your CONFIG.SYS RM386.EXE line.
You MUST disable ALL SYSCLOAK.EXE, SYSCLOAK.SYS, VIDCLOAK.SYS + XLOAD.SYS
lines from your CONFIG.SYS/AUTOEXEC.BAT.
Refer to your NetRoom tech manuals (usually residing in the NetRoom directory)
for further details.
Suggested RM386.EXE 3.04 CONFIG.SYS line (applies to ALL NetRoom releases
beginning with 3.00), which provides maximum free conventional DOS memory and
optimal compatibility with Windows 9x/ME (SysCloak/VidCloak disabled!):
DEVICE=drive:\directory\RM386.EXE X=F000-FFFF I=B000-B7FF AUTO H=128 NMION NOT NOTR
Tweak your startup files manually by "shuffling" devices/drivers/TSRs loading
order until you reach the best memory configuration for your system/needs, and
avoid using the limited NetRoom Customiz tool, which may produce errors under
certain circumstances.
You also need to add/modify these SYSTEM.INI (found in your Windows directory)
lines under the [386enh] section to allow Windows to load properly with
NetRoom:
[386enh]
EMMExclude=A000-FFFF
DualDisplay=ON
Edit SYSTEM.INI with Notepad or Sysedit, and make your changes ONLY AFTER
BACKING IT UP! Restart Windows so your changes can take effect.
Owners of older versions can upgrade (usually for a fee) to the current
release by contacting Network Associates:
http://www.nai.com/
- Symantec (formerly Quarterdeck) QEMM 5.xx/6.xx/7.xx/8.xx: QEMM386.SYS.
QEMM386.SYS 9.00 (current release) is compatible with Windows 9x/ME.
These drivers/loaders are automatically removed by Windows Setup from
CONFIG.SYS: DOSDATA.SYS, DOS-UP.SYS, ST-DBL.SYS, ST-DSPC.SYS.
Remove ALL Stealth switches, turn off QuickBoot and QSetup from your
CONFIG.SYS QEMM386.SYS line.
Beware that DOSDATA.SYS and DOS-UP.SYS interfere with Windows 9x/ME proper
operation and with the dual boot feature, forcing a Windows reboot even if the
"Previous version of MS-DOS" option is selected from the Windows 95/98 Startup
Menu:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
Therefore you need to remove these 2 QEMM drivers from your CONFIG.DOS and/or
CONFIG.SYS files if using dual boot.
Refer to your QEMM tech manuals (usually residing in the Technotes QEMM
subdirectory) for further details.
Suggested QEMM386.SYS 9.00 CONFIG.SYS line (applies to ALL QEMM releases
beginning with 7.00), which provides maximum free conventional DOS memory and
optimal compatibility with Windows 9x/ME (Stealth disabled!):
DEVICE=drive:\directory\QEMM386.SYS X=F000-FFFF I=B000-B7FF RAM AU BE:N DM=128 HA=240 MA=128 TA=32
Tweak your startup files manually by "shuffling" devices/drivers/TSRs loading
order until you reach the best memory configuration for your system/needs, and
avoid using the limited QEMM Optimize tool, which may produce errors under
certain circumstances.
You also need to add/modify these SYSTEM.INI (found in your Windows directory)
lines under the [386enh] section to allow Windows to load properly with QEMM:
[386enh]
EMMExclude=A000-FFFF
DualDisplay=ON
Edit SYSTEM.INI with Notepad or Sysedit, and make your changes ONLY AFTER
BACKING IT UP! Restart Windows so your changes can take effect.
Owners of older versions can upgrade (usually for a fee) to the current
release by contacting Symantec:
http://www.symantec.com/
- QMAPS memory manager 5.xx: QMAPS386.SYS.
- Qualitas/IBM 386Max/BlueMax memory managers 5.xx/6.xx/7.xx: 386MAX.SYS or
BLUEMAX.SYS.
These drivers/loaders are automatically removed by Windows Setup from
CONFIG.SYS: EXTRADOS.MAX, EXTRADOS.PRO.
Edit your 386MAX.PRO file (residing in your 386MAX/BLUEMAX directory) and
delete ALL lines starting with PRGREG, HPDAREG, STACKREG.
You need to set the EXT parameter on your 386MAX CONFIG.SYS line to 64 because
Windows 9x/ME Setup fails with any other EXT values.
Refer to your 386MAX/BLUEMAX tech manuals for further details.
I have no experience with 386MAX/BLUEMAX, therefore I have no suggested
CONFIG.SYS line. :(
386MAX and BLUEMAX 7.02 and newer are compatible with Windows 9x/ME.
Owners of older versions can upgrade (usually free of charge) to the current
releases by contacting Qualitas:
http://www.qualitas.com/download.htm
Qualitas 386MAX Updates + Patches (free for owners):
ftp://ftp.qualitas.com/pub/binaries/max/
- UMB PRO 1.xx: UMBPRO.SYS.
FYI: Open PROGRAMS.TXT (found in your Win9x/ME folder) with Notepad and read
the "THIRD-PARTY MEMORY MANAGERS" section for more info.
... And now for the good news: ;)
I [and many others :)] have determined that the following 3rd party memory
manager is COMPATIBLE with most Windows 95/98/ME configurations, even during
Setup! This is true if you have another OS already installed, but ONLY IF
using MS-DOS 6.xx or Windows 3.xx/95/OSR1/OSR2/98 as previous OS!
BTW: MS-DOS 6.xx can be kept "alive" after installing Windows 9x/ME for dual
booting purposes. See "DUAL BOOT" in MYTIPS95.TXT (this file) for details.
Just make sure to BACKUP your startup files BEFORE "unleashing" the Win9x/ME
Setup on your computer, because some lines will be erased/disabled during
installation, or even worse: your AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files will be
DELETED ENTIRELY when setting up WinME! :( In this case just apply the
unofficial WinME Real DOS-Mode Patch:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
afterwards, to regain control of native MS-DOS mode, and be able to use
startup files.
... And the "winner" is:
- Uwe Sieber's UMBPCI.SYS upper memory extender (freeware, the BEST in my
opinion):
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm
using Microsoft HIMEM.SYS high/extended memory manager to provide Upper Memory
Blocks (UMBs), enabled by this CONFIG.SYS line:
DOS=UMB
which needs to appear BEFORE the UMBPCI.SYS line.
UMBPCI.SYS can be used safely with ANY Windows 95/98/ME release, ALL Intel
Pentium/Pro/II/III/IV/Celeron/Xeon CPUs and most AMD/Cyrix CPUs to load
everything in the UMBs, but ONLY IF your motherboard chipset is supported. See
the list of CPUs + chipsets supported by UMBPCI:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm#REQ
UMBPCI.SYS allows a maximum of 629 KB free low RAM, with everything loaded
"high", proving also to be the FASTEST memory manager by leaving the X86 CPU
(Intel/AMD/Cyrix) in "real mode". All other "enhanced" memory managers
(including Microsoft EMM386.EXE, Quarterdeck QEMM386.SYS, Helix RM386.EXE,
Qualitas 386MAX.SYS etc...) place the CPU into "protected mode", which is much
slower.
Suggested UMBPCI.SYS CONFIG.SYS line, presuming the C800-EFFF upper memory
region is NOT occupied by IDE/ROM/SCSI/Video BIOS on your system (even if
supported, in most situations UMBPCI doesn't need command line parameters):
DEVICE=drive:\directory\UMBPCI.SYS
IMPORTANT: If using Microsoft SmartDrive (SMARTDRV.EXE) to cache your drives
in native MS-DOS, and if your motherboard chipset doesn't allow ISA DMA
shadowing in the UMBs, make sure to disable floppy cache for ALL your floppy
drives on your SMARTDRV AUTOEXEC.BAT line (example with 2 floppy drives and 1
hard disk in single partition):
SMARTDRV 4096 16 A- B- C+
See this UMBPCI guide for more details:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm#RES
Consider also loading LOWDMA.SYS in conventional RAM (canNOT load in upper
memory!) from CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=drive:\directory\LOWDMA.SYS
to avoid ISA DMA errors/lockups with SMARTDRV in native MS-DOS mode.
LOWDMA.SYS is part of the free DOSLFN package [118 KB]:
http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/hs_freeware/freew.html
Moreover, if using Windows 95, OSR1, OSR2 or 98 you can take advantage of
HIRAM.EXE v1.9 (freeware):
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/umb.htm#HIR
which allows UMBPCI.SYS to load HIMEM.SYS in upper memory, thus freeing the
last byte of conventional DOS RAM. :)
LIMITATION: HIRAM does NOT work with Windows ME because HIMEM.SYS loads
automatically in conventional memory from IO.SYS at boot time BEFORE
CONFIG.SYS is processed. :(
To successfully load HIMEM.SYS in UMA, you need these CONFIG.SYS lines in this
EXACT order:
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=drive:\directory\UMBPCI.SYS
DEVICE=drive:\directory\HIRAM.EXE
DEVICEHIGH=drive:\directory\HIMEM.SYS
The ONLY disadvantage is that UMBPCI.SYS does NOT provide expanded memory
(EMS). But according to Uwe Sieber's guidelines, you can enable EMS in a DOS
session/box under the Windows GUI (IF ANY of your native/real MS-DOS mode
apps/games need EMS), by adding/changing this SYSTEM.INI (found in your
Windows directory) line under the [386enh] section (edit SYSTEM.INI with
Notepad or Sysedit):
[386enh]
EMMPageFrame=C800
provided the C800-D7FF upper memory area is CONTIGUOUS AND FREE when Windows
loads. Also make sure NO OTHER expanded/extended manager loads from your
CONFIG.SYS EXCEPT HIMEM.SYS, because UMBPCI.SYS is an extension to HIMEM.SYS.
Want more proof? Take a look at my Windows 98 SE memory configuration in
DOS95MEM.TXT + WIN95MEM.TXT and my startup files: AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS
(all included), I also use for Windows ME. The only difference is HIRAM canNOT
be used with WinME, thus forcing HIMEM.SYS to load in conventional RAM. :(
Have fun!
MS IE 5.5 SP2 + 6.0 FIX [UPDATED 9-10-2002] [+]
As you may [or may not :)] know, Microsoft released on September 9th 2002 yet
another MS IE upgrade, Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 Final [build 6.00.2800.1106]
32-bit for Windows 98/NT4/2000/ME/XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/evaluation/ie6sp1.asp
MS IE 6.0 SP1 Features:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/evaluation/features/
See also my "INTERNET EXPLORER (IE) 4/5/6 ESSENTIAL FREE FIXES" in
SOFTWARE.TXT (included).
Windows 98, 98 SE, NT4, 2000, ME + XP (ANY version) users: it is STRONGLY
RECOMMENDED to install MS IE 6.0 SP1, because it fixes lots of BUGs/security
vulnerabilities/risks from previous builds!
Windows 95, 95a OSR1 and 95B/95C OSR 2.x (ANY version) users: you MUST
install MS IE 5.5 SP2 [build 5.51.4807.2300] 32-bit for Windows
95/98/NT4/2000/ME [84.1 MB, English]:
http://downloads.evolt.org.uk/browsers/ie/32bit/5.5_SP2/ie55sp2.exe
the LAST MS IE release compatible with these MS OSes, because MS IE 6.0 SP1
does NOT support them! :(
BTW: MS IE 5.5 SP2, 6.0 + 6.0 SP1 (ALL builds) "feature" the same BUG:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=303401
introduced "by design" according to Microsoft, and detailed below together
with its FIX!
... And now that you have installed IE 5.5 SP2 or are using WinXP + IE 6.0
SP1, all is well, or at least it seems like it is, and you probably
congratulate yourself for swatting swarms of Microsoft BUGs, or/and brag to
all your friends/coworkers that you own the coolest MS OS to date. :)
NOT quite [:(]: that is until you try to view ANY Internet based Quick Time
Movie (QTM) flic (usually in .MOV format):
http://www.apple.com/trailers/
UNLESS you install the Apple QTM Codecs, Movie Player, Pic Viewer + Plugins
Standard Edition 6.xx 32-bit for Windows 98/NT4/2000/ME/XP [10.5 MB, free]:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/standalone/
And there is still another BUG "alive" in your "shiny" new browser: ALL MS IE
5.5 SP2, 6.0 + 6.0 SP1 builds REMOVED support for ALL Netscape style browser
plugins (Netscape proprietary technology that allows compatible browsers to
use small "plug-ins" for various purposes, i.e. to play/view
audio/music/animations/movies in different 3rd party formats) that are NOT
ActiveX enabled, otherwise available if using MS IE 5.5 SP1 [build
5.50.4522.1800] 32-bit [84.5 MB, English]:
http://downloads.evolt.org.uk/browsers/ie/32bit/5.5_SP1/ie55sp1.exe
for Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME, or ANY other OLDER MS IE release.
But wait, I found a FIX... :)
This FIX applies to ALL Windows 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP users, and works with MS IE
5.5 SP2, 6.0 + 6.0 SP1 (ALL builds)!
CAUTION: DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!
1. WinNT4/2000/XP users ONLY: Download this MS IE 5.5 SP1 patch:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/q323759ie/
for your particular language, which among other patched MS IE files includes
a fix for MSHTML.DLL [build 5.50.4731.2200], a NEWER version than the one
installed by MS IE 5.5 SP1 Setup, but OLDER than the ones from MS IE 5.5 SP2,
6.9 + 6.0 SP1.
This is the MS IE 5.5 SP1 English patch [2.47 MB, free]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie55sp1/p28_IE/5.5_sp1/W98NT42KMe/EN-US/q323759.exe
For details about this patch see Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-047:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms02-047.asp
2. WinNT4/2000/XP users ONLY: Do NOT run the executable, instead extract the
files from Q323759.EXE, by running this command line from the Start menu ->
Run... box:
Q323759.EXE /C /Q /T:C:\TEMP
into the (preferably empty) folder of your choice (C:\TEMP in this example).
3. WinNT4/2000/XP users ONLY: Delete all extracted files except MSHTML.DLL,
which will be used here to replace yours, located in C:\Winnt\System32
(WinNT4) or C:\Windows\System32 (Win2000/XP). Default setup folders were used
in these examples, please change if different on your computer(s).
4. Win95/98/ME users ONLY: I have included here 2 files for convenience:
IEBUGFIX.BAT (a DOS style BATch file) + IEBUGFIX.INF (a Win9x/ME INFormation
file) to automate the installation of this FIX. To make this work properly
you MUST run ONLY IEBUGFIX.BAT, NOT IEBUGFIX.INF, because the BAT file does
it all for you. :)
But FIRST you MUST have MS IE 5.5 SP2, 6.0 or 6.0 SP1 ALREADY installed. To
verify if this is true: right-click on Iexplore.exe (located by default in
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer) -> select Properties -> scroll down to
"Product Version" -> look at the build number. Should be 6.00.2800.1106 for
IE 6.0 SP1, 6.00.2600.0000 for IE 6.0 or 5.51.4807.2300 for IE 5.5 SP2. More
info @ MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=164539
Also, you MUST be ALREADY connected to the internet. [Duuuh! :)]
If ANY of these 2 conditions are NOT met, please do so FIRST, and ONLY AFTER
that run IEBUGFIX.BAT again!
What IEBUGFIX.BAT actually does:
A. Sets your MS Internet Explorer download folder to C:\ root.
B. Starts your copy of MS IE 5.5 SP2, 6.0 or 6.0 SP1.
C. Downloads MS IE 5.5 SP1 English Patch [Q323759.EXE] from Microsoft web
site:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/ie55sp1/p28_IE/5.5_sp1/W98NT42KMe/EN-US/q323759.exe
into your C:\ root folder.
D. Applies the BUG FIX with the "help" of IEBUGFIX.INF.
E. Resets your MS IE download folder to your original setting.
F. Restarts Windows, so the "patch" can take effect.
If for any reason you wish to uninstall this FIX: open Control Panel ->
(double)-click Add/Remove Programs -> scroll down to "FIX Netscape Plugins
in MS IE 6.0 + 5.5 SP2" -> highlight it -> click the Add/Remove button ->
done. :)
What this FIX actually does:
- Install:
MSHTML.OLD from C:\ root is copied to C:\Windows\System and IEBUGFIX.INF is
copied to C:\Windows\Inf. When you restart Windows afterwards, Wininit.exe
reads the Wininit.ini file created by the FIX in C:\Windows, and renames
your newer MSHTML.DLL to MSHTML.ORI, and MSHTML.OLD to MSHTML.DLL.
Mow MS IE is using the older but functional DLL. :)
- Uninstall:
MSHTML.DLL is renamed back to MSHTML.OLD, MSHTML.ORI is renamed back to
MSHTML.DLL, and MSHTML.OLD and IEBUGFIX.INF are deleted.
Now MS IE is using your original DLL. [back to square 1 :)]
5. ALL remaining steps below refer ONLY to WinNT4/2000/XP users, who need to
do this manually:
BACKUP your current MSHTML.DLL file from %systemroot%\System32 to a safe
location BEFORE replacing it!
6. SOLUTION [Thank you Captain SiskoX (cptsiskox@hotmail.com)!]:
"Install the WRC (Windows Recovery Console) tool. Then boot to the command
prompt and replace MSHTML.DLL along with the WFP (Windows File Protection)
backup copy from the command line, reboot, and it would have nothing else to
"restore" except that copy. :)"
UPDATE [Thank you Pierre Szwarc (pierre.szwarc@laposte.net)!]:
"The DOS prompt won't help if you have Win2000/XP installed on an NTFS
partition. Workaround: download Inuse.exe [790 KB, free]:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/inuse-o.asp
part of Windows 2000 Resource Kit tools:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/
Inuse.exe lets you replace system files from within the running OS, i.e.
from Service Packs and Hot Fixes. The actual replacement takes place at the
next reboot.
The Maintenance Console (see WRC above) can be run directly from the
Win2000/XP Setup CD or can be installed on the hard disk.
To run it from the CD, you must boot from the CD first, and then select the
Repair path to get to the screen from which you can select "Repair using
console".
Win2000/XP Maintenance (Recovery) Console (WRC) hard disk installation:
a. Login as Administrator.
b. Open a command prompt.
c. Change directory to \I386 on the Win2000/XP Setup CD (or to a copy of
that directory on your hard disk, if you made one).
d. Run this command:
WINNT32 /CMDCONS
WRC will be installed in the C:\Cmdcons directory.
NOTE: WRC is FAT specific. If converting your boot drive/partition (C) from
FAT16 or FAT32 to NTFS you MUST reinstall WRC! More info:
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBF/TIP2600/rh2661.htm
From now on the Maintenance Console will be added as an extra option to the
Win2000/XP multiboot menu. To be able to use it you must change the boot
menu default selection delay to more than zero seconds [:)]: System
Properties -> Advanced tab -> Startup and Recovery button.
The WRC install process is described in the Getting Started Win2000 booklet.
The Maintenance Console is a (secure) character mode only boot tool with
limited capabilities, and can be used for copying, deleting or renaming
system files, creating or deleting partitions, performing advanced disk
scanning etc.
To be able to navigate outside of the \Winnt (%systemroot%) directory and
copy files to/from a removable drive, you must enable the appropriate
Recovery Console policy from: Administrative Tools -> Local Security
Settings (the policy name is self explanatory).
Then, once booted into the console, you will have to explicitly change an
environment variable (run the HELP command at the console prompt for
details). The environment variable change has to be done EVERY time you
start the console (variable names are also self explanatory)!
BTW: The Windows File Protection (WFP) default backup location is the
%systemroot%\System32\Dllcache directory."
More WRC info:
- MS WinXP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/recovery_install_console.asp
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=314058
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=229716
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=307654
- MSKB:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=312149
- MS TechNet:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prmc_str_bjid.asp
- PixelLab:
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy33.htm
7. Now move your extracted MSHTML.DLL file to %systemroot%\System32
(default is C:\Winnt\System32 for WinNT or C:\Windows\System32 for
Win2000/XP): see Captain's SOLUTION and Pierre's FYI above to learn how to
rename your current MSHTML.DLL first, and then replace it with the
extracted one.
8. Finally, reboot Windows NT4/2000/XP.
9. Done. :)
From now on enjoy your restored MS IE compatibility with ALL current (and
future) Netscape style browser plugins, just as you used to.
KNOWN BUGs:
- "This fix disables typing of new messages in MS OE 6.0 [MS IE 6.0] on my
Win98 PC.
The message field displays the ~ sign, the font bar is grayed out and I
cannot type anythingg by left-clicking in the message field.
This MS OE bug is restored after uninstalling the MSHTML.DLL fix."
[Thank you Aleksandr (algart@earthlink.net)!]
- "This fix may disable the Internet Explorer right-click function if using
Windows ME + MS IE 6.0."
[Thank you Pat (a_parent@sympatico.ca)!]
- "Replaced MSHTML.DLL as suggested in WinXP Pro, which allowed the Prizm
plug-in (special version from TMS Sequoia used by Boeing = renames .TIF
image files to .IBO and views them in MS IE) to install. It didn't install
before the fix.
The plug-in associated the files properly, but these pictures are not
viewable nor downloadable. :(
The IE Help About screen works OK on my PC after applying the fix."
[Thank you Daniel (Thody@moment.net)!]
- "After applying the MS IE 6.0 bug fix I cannot fill out forms at my
online banking web page anymore."
[Thank you Wayne (reddoh@dingoblue.net.au)!]
- "After applying the MS IE 6.0 bug fix IE systematically crashes when
clicking News.com Real-Time Stock Quotes boxes:"
http://www.news.com/
[Thank you Francois (frdsm@usa.net)!]
- After replacing the original MS IE 6.0 MSHTML.DLL with the older one (as
detailed above), the About box (which can be brought up by clicking Help ->
About Internet Explorer from the File menu) pops up this error message
instead of displaying the normal About credits window [:(]:
"An error has occured in this dialog.
Error 96:
Unspecified error."
NOTES: It is recommended to install the current Apple QTM Codecs/Players in
case you decide to upgrade your MS IE build in the future, because it is
likely that Microsoft will not bring back Netscape and/or QTM plugin
support to upcoming Internet Explorer releases. :(
It is also likely that some 3rd party Netscape-only style plugin developers
will add MS IE ActiveX compatibility to their future releases, but I
wouldn't count on that.
3D CONTROLS FOR 3D EFFECTS [+]
MS Windows (ANY release beginning with Windows 3.10) 16 and 32 bit
applications and games written to take advantage of displaying "3D-like"
raised/depressed buttons, window borders, dialog boxes, windows etc NEED these
DLLs (Dynamic Link Libraries), which NEED to reside in these directories
(folders):
- %windir%\SYSTEM = Win31, Win95, Win98 + WinME.
- %systemroot%\SYSTEM32 = WinNT, Win2000 + WinXP.
Default locations are:
- C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM = Win31, Win95, Win98 + WinME.
- C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 = WinNT.
- C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 = Win2000 + WinXP.
NECESSARY STEPS:
Get Microsoft 3D Controls [51 KB, ZIPped, free]:
http://members.aol.com/files4u/3DCTRLS.ZIP
Then use your favorite (freeware) ZIPping/unZIPping tool from:
- Win9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP users:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/toy.htm#ZIP
- Win31/NT3 users:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/w31toy.htm#W31
to extract all *.DLL files into an empty directory.
Get Windows/WfWG 3.1x modified 3D Controls, the Windows 9x/ME style:
http://www.smspower.org/maxim/16bit/ctl3d.htm
DLLs in 3DCTRLS.ZIP [current releases]:
- CTL3D.DLL = 16-bit 3D Controls Library V1 v2.31.000 [Win31, Win9x + WinME].
- CTL3D32.DLL = 32-bit 3D Controls Library v2.31.000 [WinNT + Win2000].
- CTL3D32S.DLL = 32-bit 3D Controls Library Extensions v2.31.000 [Win31, Win9x
+ WinME].
- CTL3DV2.DLL = 16-bit 3D Controls Library V2 v2.31.001 [WinNT + Win2000].
WinXP installs these XP ONLY newer versions [do NOT replace them!]:
- CTL3D32.DLL v2.31.000.
- CTL3DV2.DLL v2.99.000.
These DLLs are NOT included with, NOR installed by:
- CTL3D.DLL: Win31, Win95/OSR1/OSR2, WinNT3/NT4, Win2000 + WinXP.
- CTL3D32.DLL: Win31, WinNT3, Win9x + WinME.
- CTL3D32S.DLL: ANY Windows release.
- CTL3DV2.DLL: Win31, WinNT3, Win9x + WinME.
ONLY Win98 retail, Win98 SE (Second Edition), WinME (Millennium Edition),
Win2000 and WinXP (eXPerience) install (some of) these files properly when you
Setup your OS. ALL other Windows releases DO NOT include or DO NOT install
(some of) these files!
Therefore you need to place them into proper locations (see above) manually.
IMPORTANT: You MUST DELETE ALL your (older, obsolete) 3D Control DLLs, EXCEPT
the ones in your Windows System(32) directories/folders, to ensure ALL your
programs/games perform properly!
To do this: open Windows Explorer [C:\Windows\Explorer.exe = 9x/NT4/2000/ME/XP
users] or File Manager [FM = C:\Windows\Winfile.exe = 31/NT3 users] -> start a
Find/Search operation on ALL your local fixed (hard) drives/partitions for
CTL3D*.* -> DELETE ALL FILES you found EXCEPT the ones residing in the default
locations (see top).
To display any Windows file version using:
* Windows Explorer: highlight a file -> right-click on it -> select Properties
-> click Version tab -> in Item Name: box scroll down to Product Version ->
look at the number shown in the Value: box.
* File Manager: highlight a file -> click File menu -> select Properties ->
look at the number shown in the Value: box.
ONLY IF the files you found in default locations (see top):
- are older versions: overwrite them with the ones included here;
- are missing: move the ones included here to the locations above.
To be able to overwrite (replace) files already in use, you may have to:
- exit or reboot (eventually using an emergency bootup floppy) Win31/9x/ME to
native/real MS-DOS mode and then replace the older files in your
%windir%\System directory;
- reboot (eventually using an emergency bootup floppy) WinNT/2000/XP to Safe
mode or to Command prompt [if the Windows Recovery Console (WRC) tool is
installed in Win2000/XP] and then replace the older files in BOTH your
%systemroot%\System32 and %systemroot%\System32\Dllcache folders: see "MS IE
5.5 SP2 + 6.0 FIX" step 6 (SOLUTION + UPDATE):
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/newtip21.htm#WRC
also in MYTIPS95.TXT [part of W95-11D.EXE]:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/95.htm
to learn how to replace Windows 2000/XP system files already in use.
Restart or reboot Windows when done.
NOTE:
To be able to use CTL3D32.DLL + CTL3D32S.DLL under Windows/WfWG 3.1x you need
to install Microsoft Win32s 32-bit Extensions Add-on v1.30c [2.4 MB, free]:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/softlib/mslfiles/PW1118.EXE
to allow Windows/WfWG 3.1x to run 32-bit (Win32) applications/games supporting
this implementation.
EDIT BOOT FILES [+][*]
How many times have you typed too many characters at the DOS prompt, only to
perform common/repetitive tasks over and over, that could actually be
automated just by creating simple DOS based BATch (.BAT) files?
I know I have. :(
I'm talking here about editing your MS-DOS mode boot files (if using any!):
AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS, located in the root directory of your boot
drive/partition (default is C:\).
MEANING:
- AUTOEXEC.BAT = AUTOmatically EXECuted BATch file.
- CONFIG.SYS = CONFIGuration SYStem file.
See "MS Windows 95/98/ME + MS-DOS 7.xx/8.00 = *VITAL* BACKUP ISSUES" in
READ1ST.TXT (included) for more details.
A MUST for ALL Windows ME users:
Microsoft REMOVED COMPLETELY the access to native/real MS-DOS mode from
Windows Millennium Edition (ME) [a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00]! :(
But you CAN get it back by applying the Unofficial Real DOS-Mode Patch [9 KB,
freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from %windir%\COMMAND\EBD) + REGENV32.EXE
(from %windir%\SYSTEM), in order to be able to boot to native MS-DOS and use
DOS mode startup files (AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS), the Windows 95/98 style,
to be able to use your (old) MS-DOS based apps/games that do NOT work from
within a Windows DOS session/box, and tweak your CUSTOM AUTOEXEC.BAT +
CONFIG.SYS files to free MAXimum conventional DOS memory. :)
Instead of going through all these annoying, time consuming steps: shell out
to a DOS prompt window (if doing this from within Windows GUI), type something
like:
EDIT C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
or:
NOTEPAD C:\CONFIG.SYS
then press Enter, and finally type EXIT and hit Enter [again :(] to close the
DOS box (if running Windows) when done, you could simply use these 2 DOS style
batch files (both included): EAB.BAT + ECS.BAT, for convenience and to save
precious time.
Both these BATches bear suggestive names:
- EAB.BAT = Edit Autoexec.Bat.
- ECS.BAT = Edit Config.Sys.
I strongly recommend to place them in a directory/folder listed in your PATH,
to avoid changing directories in order to run them. Type PATH and hit Enter
from any DOS prompt to display your current path line.
Alternatively you can create a new dedicated directory/folder (example):
MD C:\BATCHES
but make sure to add it to your "SET PATH=" statement (if any), in CONFIG.SYS
or AUTOEXEC.BAT, which should look something like this (examples using default
install locations; modify if different on your system):
- Win9x/ME:
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\;C:\STUFF;C:\BATCHES;
- MS-DOS 6.xx:
SET PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\STUFF;C:\BATCHES;
Start by creating a handy MS-DOS shortcut (.PIF = MS-DOS Program Information
File) for each of them:
- Windows 9x/ME users: right-click on an empty Desktop spot -> select New ->
Shortcut -> browse to the directory where you have placed EAB.BAT (and when
done repeat all these steps also for ECS.BAT) -> (double)-click on it -> click
Next -> click Finish -> right-click on your new MS-DOS shortcut -> select
Properties -> Program tab -> check the "Close on exit" box -> Misc tab ->
uncheck the "Warn if still active" box -> click Apply/OK.
I recommend to rename these 2 PIF shortcuts to something more suggestive:
right-click on each one [one at a time :)] -> select Rename -> type "Edit
Autoexec.bat" instead of EAB.BAT, and then "Edit Config.sys" instead of
ECS.BAT (but don't type the quotes) -> hit Enter.
Optional: if you'd like to change the default "ugly" MS-DOS icon (assigned by
default to all PIF files from %windir%\SYSTEM\PIFMGR.DLL): right-click on each
PIF shortcut [one at a time :)] select Properties -> Program tab -> click
Change icon -> browse to your favorite icon file (.ICO) or icon library (.DLL,
.EXE or .ICL) -> scroll through the icons if more than one -> (double)-click
the one you want -> click Apply/OK.
Note that by default the .PIF file extension is hidden in Win9x/ME, unless you
use File Manager (FM = %windir%\WINFILE.EXE) to "see" it.
- Windows/WfWG 3.1x users: open (if not already running) Program Manager
(ProgMan = %windir%\PROGMAN.EXE) -> create/open/select desired Program Group
-> click File -> select New -> check Program Item -> type "Edit Autoexec.bat"
for EAB.BAT, and then "Edit Config.sys" for ECS.BAT in the Description box
(but don't type the quotes) -> browse to the directory where you have placed
EAB.BAT (and when done repeat all these steps also for ECS.BAT) ->
double-click on it -> click Change Icon -> browse to your favorite icon file
(.ICO) or icon library (.DLL, .EXE or .ICL) -> scroll through the icons if
more than one -> double-click the one you want -> click OK.
From now on you will be able to edit your boot files from within Windows with
a single mouse (double)-click. :)
If running them from native MS-DOS mode (outside Windows), just type EAB (or
ECS) and press Enter. That's it.
NOTES: Both EAB.BAT + ECS.BAT are "smart" enough [;)] to...
* Take in consideration if you dual-boot between Win9x/ME and MS-DOS 6.xx, and
open the correspondent boot files (only if present) for editing.
* Use a different text/ASCII editor/viewer depending on current Windows/DOS
mode:
- Notepad (%windir%\NOTEPAD.EXE = MS Windows 9x/ME/3.1x default editor) if
running them from a Windows DOS prompt box/session/window.
- EDIT.COM (%windir%\COMMAND\EDIT.COM in Win9x/ME, or C:\DOS\EDIT.COM or
C:\MSDOS\EDIT.COM in MS-DOS 6.xx = MS-DOS default editor) if running them from
the native/real/pure/true MS-DOS 6.xx/7.xx/8.00 mode C:\> prompt.
* Use the built-in VER command for OS detection to check for running MS-DOS
and/or MS Windows versions, thus editing the proper boot files (only if
present):
- AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS = used by ALL MS Windows 95/98/ME + MS-DOS
6.00/6.20/6.21/6.22 OSes.
- AUTOEXEC.DOS + CONFIG.DOS = MS-DOS 6.xx AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files
renamed by Win9x/ME Startup Manager when booting to MS Windows 9x/ME.
- AUTOEXEC.W40 + CONFIG.W40 = MS Windows 9x/ME AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files
renamed by Win9x/ME Startup Manager when booting to MS-DOS 6.xx.
* Abort and exit if using ANY MS-DOS release older than 6.00, because Win9x/ME
do NOT support dual-booting with MS-DOS 5.0 or ANY other earlier build. :(
* Close automatically upon completion, returning control to the running OS.
* Automatically create BACKUPS of your ORIGINAL files in C:\ root, BEFORE you
start making ANY changes:
- AUTOEXEC.D6X + CONFIG.D6X = if using MS-DOS 6.xx.
- AUTOEXEC.W9X + CONFIG.W9X = if using MS Windows 9x/ME.
* Require ALL these files for proper operation: ATTRIB.EXE, CHOICE.COM,
FIND.EXE, MEM.EXE, START.EXE [Win9x/ME only], NOTEPAD.EXE + EDIT.COM to reside
in their DEFAULT directories/folders, which are normally listed in the system
PATH!
Of course, you could use the SysEdit tool (%windir%\SYSTEM\SYSEDIT.EXE)
bundled with ALL MS Windows 95/98/3.1x releases to modify your AUTOEXEC.BAT +
CONFIG.SYS, but SysEdit canNOT edit boot files other than the ones used by the
current OS, or with different file extensions (.DOS or .W40). :(
The only advantage is that SysEdit creates backups of your original system
files (BUT ONLY IF you modify them first!) with the .SYD extension:
AUTOEXEC.SYD + CONFIG.SYD in C:\ root.
Microsoft removed SYSEDIT.EXE from Windows ME. :(
See "RESTORE SYSEDIT" in TIPSME.TXT (included) for details on how to get it
back.
You can view and/or further modify EAB.BAT + ECS.BAT if you wish, to adapt
them to your particular needs, by opening them in Notepad in Windows or
EDIT.COM in DOS.
IMPORTANT:
If you experience any problems/errors/lockups after modifying your boot files,
you can always RESTORE your ORIGINAL AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files (if any)
from the existent BACKUPS (ONLY IF you have ALREADY used EAB.BAT + ECS.BAT!),
by copying the respective *.D6X and/or *.W9X files located in C:\ root back to
*.BAT, *.SYS, *.DOS and/or *.W40, respectively. Examples:
- Using MS Windows 9x/ME:
COPY C:\AUTOEXEC.W9X C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
- Using MS-DOS 6.xx:
COPY C:\CONFIG.D6X C:\CONFIG.SYS
In case your PC locks up, you can either:
- (Re)boot from a bootup/startup backup floppy diskette or CD-ROM (only if
this feature is supported by your motherboard BIOS) containing the system
files (MSDOS.SYS, IO.SYS + COMMAND.COM) for your specific MS OS, or
- Hold Shift (or Ctrl) and press F5 while (re)booting to bypass the startup
files and boot "clean", without any devices/drivers/TSRs loaded in memory.
Then restore your original files as described above.
You MUST reboot when done.
A MUST: If you DO use boot files and/or DOS based programs/games, especially
certain ones that canNOT run properly from within Windows, see MEMORY.TXT
(included) for detailed guidelines on how to MAXimize your memory resources
and speed up the bootup sequence in Windows 9x/ME and MS-DOS 6.xx, by tweaking
your MSDOS.SYS [Win9x/ME only], AUTOEXEC.BAT + CONFIG.SYS files.
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.