1. W95-11D.ZIP Driver
2. TIPSME.TXT File Contents

TIPSME.TXT Driver File Contents (W95-11D.ZIP)

			 AXCEL216's MAX Speeed
	  Windows ME + DOS 8.00 ©Tweaks, Secrets, BUGs + FIXes




These topics refer STRICTLY to ALL Microsoft Windows ME (Millennium Edition)
[a.k.a. MS-DOS 8.00] final (Gold) English releases, unless specified
otherwise!

My WinME + DOS8 ©tricks are also available at:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/wme.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: These ©tricks have been tried by others (and most by me), but with NO
	guarantee they will also work for YOU!

CREDITS: Some of the following tips I stumbled upon while browsing the
	 Internet, some have been kindly sent by concerned readers (all
	 authors/contributors are acknowledged and reliable sources given
	 proper credit), and some I discovered myself. Enjoy the ride!

NOTE:	Contributed tips (clearly marked) posted here do not necessarily
	reflect the opinion of the author of these files.

Please send me your comments, corrections, tips at:
axcel216@aol.com

MUST HAVE from SOFTWARE.TXT (included):
- WINDOWS ME ESSENTIAL FREE UPGRADES + FIXES:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/web.htm#WME
- 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


TIPSME.TXT Contents: [New "©tricks" added at the TOP]


WINME WBEM (WINMGNT) BUG + FIX
DISABLE SCANDISK ON BOOT
CHANGE SYSTEM RESTORE DISK USAGE
WINME OEM AS UPGRADE
RESTORE SYSEDIT
RESTORE MS INFO
DISABLE REGEDIT LAST KEY
10 WINME OPTIMIZING TIPS
UNINSTALL PCHEALTH + SYSTEM RESTORE
SHOW FULL URL		->	REGISTRY.TXT
OPTIMAL VIDEO REFRESH RATE	REGISTRY.TXT
FIX COPY/MOVE/SEND TO	->	REGISTRY.TXT
KILL IE ABOUT: URLS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
FIX TASKBAR BUTTONS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
DETONATOR 22.XX BUG+FIX ->	REGISTRY.TXT
REAL TIME PRIORITY	->	REGISTRY.TXT
NETMEETING ADDRESS LIST ->	REGISTRY.TXT
FIX BUTTON SIZE		->	REGISTRY.TXT
REENABLE PRINTING	->	REGISTRY.TXT
BROWSING SPEEDUP	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CACHE WRITE DELAY	->	REGISTRY.TXT
MAXIMIZE NOTEPAD	->	REGISTRY.TXT
MORE AIM BUDDIES	->	REGISTRY.TXT
DELETE OUTLOOK PASSWORD ->	REGISTRY.TXT
CUSTOMIZE YAHOO MESSENGER>	REGISTRY.TXT
TWEAK WEB VIEW		->	REGISTRY.TXT
ADVANCED OPTIONS GALORE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
INCREASE NETBIOS SECURITY>	REGISTRY.TXT
CLEAR WM PLAYER HISTORY ->	REGISTRY.TXT
UNKNOWN FILE EXTENSION	->	REGISTRY.TXT
REMOVE NETSCAPE AIM	->	REGISTRY.TXT
REMOVE SYSTEM FOLDERS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
96-BIT VIDEO RESOLUTION ->	REGISTRY.TXT
CD-ROM/DVD+HD MAX CACHE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CD-ROM/DVD MAX SPEED	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CLEAR DOCS & MORE...	->	REGISTRY.TXT
NO "CLICK HERE TO BEGIN"->	REGISTRY.TXT
UNCLUTTER START MENU	->	REGISTRY.TXT
IE FONT FANCY		->	REGISTRY.TXT
TELNET TWEAKS		->	REGISTRY.TXT
FASTER INTERNET		->	REGISTRY.TXT
ENABLE EDITFLAGS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
ENABLE UDMA/RAID HD DMA ->	REGISTRY.TXT
DIRECTX TWEAKS		->	REGISTRY.TXT
IE CONTENT PASSWORD FIX ->	REGISTRY.TXT
TASKBAR TRAY TEXT	->	REGISTRY.TXT
TROJAN INFECTED .EXE FIX->	REGISTRY.TXT
DISABLE DEFRAG FILE ORDER>	REGISTRY.TXT
DIRECTX FIX: 2 3D CARDS ->	REGISTRY.TXT
DISABLE NEW SHORTCUT	->	REGISTRY.TXT
SAFE MODE ACTIVE DESKTOP->	REGISTRY.TXT
ALL IN ONE SEARCH	->	REGISTRY.TXT
RESTORE IE4 NEW WINDOW	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CPU PRIORITY		->	REGISTRY.TXT
NEW IE SEARCH BUTTONS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
WIN2000 COLOR SCHEME	->	REGISTRY.TXT
LEGAL NOTICE		->	REGISTRY.TXT
DELETE REG KEY/VALUE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
MAX CACHE SPEED		->	REGISTRY.TXT
UNATTENDED REGISTRATION ->	REGISTRY.TXT
FREE DVD PLAYER		->	REGISTRY.TXT
METAL BRIEFCASE		->	REGISTRY.TXT
UNCHECK OPEN WITH	->	REGISTRY.TXT
TOGGLE MENUS		->	REGISTRY.TXT
MANAGE YOUR POWER!	->	REGISTRY.TXT
FORCE ICON VIEW		->	REGISTRY.TXT
DISPLAY CPL + DLL ICONS ->	REGISTRY.TXT
TOOLTIP OFF		->	REGISTRY.TXT
FASTER 56K MODEM	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CHANGE OE5 IDENTITY	->	REGISTRY.TXT
TAME IE CACHE FOLDERS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
OE5 FOLDERS		->	REGISTRY.TXT
ACTIVE WINDOW TRACKING	->	REGISTRY.TXT
HTTP SERVER REQUESTS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CLEAR IE CACHE		->	REGISTRY.TXT
HIDE YOUR DRIVES!	->	REGISTRY.TXT
BROWSER CACHE IN MEMORY ->	REGISTRY.TXT
BRANDED MS IE		->	REGISTRY.TXT
DISABLE OUTLOOK SPLASH	->	REGISTRY.TXT
START MENU COLUMNS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
CUSTOM IE TOOLBAR	->	REGISTRY.TXT
STARTUP ORDER		->	REGISTRY.TXT
WRITE BEHIND CACHE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
SCREEN SAVER PASSWORD	->	REGISTRY.TXT
QUICKVIEW ALL FILES	->	REGISTRY.TXT
FILE SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
FORCED EXIT		->	REGISTRY.TXT
END TASK TIMEOUT	->	REGISTRY.TXT
COOL SWITCH		->	REGISTRY.TXT
IE AUTOSCAN		->	REGISTRY.TXT
REMOVE "SHORTCUT TO"	->	REGISTRY.TXT
INSTANT REFRESH		->	REGISTRY.TXT
SYSTEM RESTRICTIONS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
URL PREFIX FIX		->	REGISTRY.TXT
RENAME MS IE TITLE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
IE FULL SCREEN BAR	->	REGISTRY.TXT
MENUSHOWDELAY		->	REGISTRY.TXT
ICON BITMAP		->	REGISTRY.TXT
NAMENUMERICTAIL		->	REGISTRY.TXT
ANIMATED WINDOWS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
PERSONALITY CHANGE	->	REGISTRY.TXT
BLINK... NOT!		->	REGISTRY.TXT
NUMLOCK ON/OFF		->	REGISTRY.TXT
THE REGISTRY		->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
REGISTRY STRUCTURE	->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
REG FILES		->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
REGISTRY EDITING RULES	->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
REGISTRY BACKUP+RESTORE ->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
REGISTRY LINKS		->	REGISTRY.TXT [Intro chapter]
MODEM INI STRINGS	->	REGISTRY.TXT
GRAB THE FOCUS!		->	TIPS2000.TXT
FAX 95 TOOLS		->	TIPS98.TXT
REMOVE FIND ITEMS	->	TIPS98.TXT
BUGGY TWEAKUI 98	->	TIPS98.TXT
REGISTERED USER?	->	TIPS98.TXT
BRING BACK ATTRIBUTES	->	TIPS98.TXT
CONSERVATIVE SWAP	->	TIPS98.TXT
OS UPDATES MADE EASY	->	TIPS98.TXT
MAP THE CACHE		->	TIPS98.TXT
HARDWARE INFORMATION	->	TIPS98.TXT
ALWAYS UNLOAD DLLS	->	TIPS98.TXT
IDE BUS MASTER DMA FIX	->	TIPS98.TXT
CLEAN DEFRAG		->	TIPS98.TXT
FASTER APP LOAD		->	TIPS98.TXT
SCANREGW + SCANREG(.INI)->	TIPS98.TXT
WHERE IS LOGO.SYS?	->	TIPS98.TXT
MSDOS.SYS REFERENCE	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
MSDOS.SYS EDITING	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
SYSTEM.INI TWEAKS	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
FIRST LOGO		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
LOCALLOADHIGH		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
RIGHT-CLICK ANYWHERE	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
CLOSE THAT BATCH!	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
EXTRACT FROM CAB	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
LOAD/RUN		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
OVERRIDE IO.SYS		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
FAST EXIT | RESTART!	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
STUBBORN CPL APPLET - #1->	MYTIPS95.TXT
STUBBORN CPL APPLET - #2->	MYTIPS95.TXT
CD-ROM DRIVERS 4 DOS	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
IOS.INI TWEAKS		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
PLAY AUDIO CDS		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
FIND FAST		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
NEW FOLDER ICON		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
NEW DRIVE ICON		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
RELEASE MY MODEM!	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
MORE FONT SPEED		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
TIME SAVERS		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
NAMELESS ICON		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
GOOD OL' UNDELETE	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
SPEEDUP YOUR GUI STARTUP->	MYTIPS95.TXT
9X/2K/NT/ME/XP/3.1 MULTIBOOT	MYTIPS95.TXT
SWAP FILE - Part 2	->	MYTIPS95.TXT
WINBOOT.INI		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
WIN.INI DIRECTX + VIDEO ->	MYTIPS95.TXT
UNATTENDED DEFRAG/SCANDISK	MYTIPS95.TXT
SCANDSKW HIDDEN SWITCHES->	MYTIPS95.TXT
PLAY DOS GAMES + SB LIVE->	MYTIPS95.TXT
URL PASSWORD		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
SETUP + MEMORY MANAGERS ->	MYTIPS95.TXT
MS IE 5.5 SP2 + 6.0 FIX ->	MYTIPS95.TXT
3D CONTROLS 4 3D EFFECTS->	MYTIPS95.TXT
EDIT BOOT FILES		->	MYTIPS95.TXT
THE PLUS! PACKS		->	TIPS95.TXT
EXPLORE YOUR ROOTS	->	TIPS95.TXT
NORTON FIREWALL HIDDEN BAR	TIPS95.TXT
PROXY AD BLOCKER	->	TIPS95.TXT
PRODUCT KEY		->	TIPS95.TXT
COLORFUL HELP		->	TIPS95.TXT
NEW IE/OE BACKGROUND	->	TIPS95.TXT
REMOVE AIM ADS		->	TIPS95.TXT
UNIVERSAL BATCH CLEANER ->	TIPS95.TXT
NETWORK PASSWORD	->	TIPS95.TXT
FREE MORE MEMORY	->	TIPS95.TXT
CUSTOM NETSCAPE THROBBER->	TIPS95.TXT
DELETE MS IE UNINSTALL	->	TIPS95.TXT
RENAME START BUTTON	->	TIPS95.TXT
LOCK DESKTOP ICONS	->	TIPS95.TXT
WHEEL BACK + FORTH	->	TIPS95.TXT
DO NOT PERSIST!		->	TIPS95.TXT
NO NETSCAPE AOL AIM	->	TIPS95.TXT
NO NETSCAPE EMAIL ADS	->	TIPS95.TXT
LOVE(LY) VIRUS FIX	->	TIPS95.TXT
TOGGLE FILE VIEW	->	TIPS95.TXT
NO ADS THANK YOU!	->	TIPS95.TXT
BAD MEMORY?		->	TIPS95.TXT
HELP!			->	TIPS95.TXT
CAB EXTRACT		->	TIPS95.TXT
WINKEY W/O WIN95 KEYBOARD>	TIPS95.TXT
QUICK FIX ENGINEERING	->	TIPS95.TXT
95/98/ME SETUP SWITCHES	->	TIPS95.TXT
DOS MULTITASKING	->	TIPS95.TXT
MAP YOUR HOSTS		->	TIPS95.TXT
MSKB MADE EASY		->	TIPS95.TXT
SYSTEM FOLDERS		->	TIPS95.TXT
WINKEY SHORTCUTS	->	TIPS95.TXT
KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS	->	TIPS95.TXT
HOT KEYS		->	TIPS95.TXT
MINSPS			->	TIPS95.TXT
THE X.DUN FILES		->	TIPS95.TXT
POWERFUL XCOPY(32)	->	TIPS95.TXT
BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH	->	TIPS95.TXT
MULTIPLE FILE SEARCH	->	TIPS95.TXT
HIDDEN FOLDER		->	TIPS95.TXT
FIXED SWAP FILE		->	TIPS95.TXT
LOCK IT UP!		->	TIPS95.TXT
SUPPORT INFORMATION	->	TIPS95.TXT
SEND TO			->	TIPS95.TXT
NOTEPAD DATE/TIME STAMP ->	TIPS95.TXT
PC SPEAKER		->	TIPS95.TXT
BYPASS AUTOSCAN		->	OSR2TIPS.TXT
WINDOWS DOS BOX TIPS	->	MEMORY.TXT
MS IE 5/6 EASTER EGG	->	EGGS.TXT
JSCRIPT RESIZER EASTER EGG	EGGS.TXT
OSR2/NT/2K/ME/XP OPENGL EGG	EGGS.TXT
ANOTHER MS IE EASTER EGG->	EGGS.TXT
OE EASTER EGG		->	EGGS.TXT
SOLITAIRE EASTER EGG	->	EGGS.TXT
3D TEXT EASTER EGGS	->	EGGS.TXT
HEARTS EASTER EGG	->	EGGS.TXT
FREECELL EASTER EGGS + CHEATS	EGGS.TXT
IE 4.0X EASTER EGG	->	EGGS.TXT
95->98->ME COMPLETE SPECS>	WININFO.TXT
WHICH 9X/ME VERSION/BUILD?	VERSION.TXT
______________________________________________________________________________



WINME WBEM (WINMGNT) BUG + FIX



Courtesy of Elli.

"Since I "upgraded" from Win98 to ME I kept seeing Winmgnt.exe pop up in my
Tasks list, and then the mysterious problem with my resources slowly creeping
down until I killed that task. After extensive research on the net, I
collected in bits + pieces all the information below.
I have seen on usenet that WinXP also suffers somewhat from this issue.

BTW: Despite the warnings I was able to safely remove WBEM from my WinME setup
using an older release of System Restore Remover Pro (SRP).
SRP, back in version 1.2, used to have the ability to remove WBEM/WMI (Windows
Management Interface), but they discontinued this feature in later versions
(v1.5 is current):"
http://www.definition-software.com/

SRP author's explanation:

From: Shaun Janzen (support@definition-software.com)
Subject: System Restore Remover Pro

"We have run a series of test on systems using Windows ME and have come to the
conclusion that the amount of system resources used by Windows Management is
really quite small and in most systems unnoticable.
At the same time, Windows Management offers good things to the Windows ME user
and the decision was made to take out the removal of Windows Management. In
version 1.2 Final a check is made in the background for WMI and, if not
found, is replaced."

Older System Restore Remover Pro (SRP) v1.1 also removes WMI/WBEM [362 KB,
freeware]:
http://members.aol.com/maxspeeed/srp11.zip

BUGS + FIXES:

The Problem With WBEM (Web Based Enterprise Managment)

Google Dejanews thread on Windows ME and WBEM (Winmgmt) problems:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&threadm=%23%24t%23v2jsAHA.2248%40tkmsftngp05&rnum=43&prev=/groups%3Fq%3D%2B%2522what%2Bis%2BWBEM%2522%2Bproblems%2Bremove%26start%3D40%26hl%3Den%26rnum%3D43%26selm%3D%2523%2524t%2523v2jsAHA.2248%2540tkmsftngp05

Q: Sometimes my computer will start acting sluggishly. If I do CTRL+ALT+DEL I
notice Winmgmt is listed. Is this what's slowing things down? What does
Winmgmt do?

A: I suspect that this is the case. Winmgmt.exe can be initiated by both
Pchschd.exe (the PCHealth entry in MSConfig -> Startup and the PCHealth Data
Collection entry in the Task Scheduler) and/or MSInfo32.exe or the System
Information in Help & Support. Normally Winmgmt should exit after it has
collected its data, but there have been a number of similar reports (and I
have experienced this problem as well) of Winmgmt.exe not exiting correctly
and staying resident, and gradually using more and more CPU cycles until the
system grinds to a halt. In such cases I have simply killed Winmgmt.exe and
continued without further problems.

MSKB article Q278449:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=278449
contains some info regarding data collected by Winmgmt.exe.

Winmgmt -> WBEM

WBEM is an industry standard you can use to administer Internet Web
browser-based networked computers.

"WMI is the Microsoft implementation of Web-Based Enterprise Management
(WBEM), an industry initiative to develop a standard technology for accessing
management information in an enterprise environment. The purpose of this
initiative is to help companies lower their total cost of ownership by
enabling powerful enterprise-class management of systems, programs and
devices."

It is an option in the Windows 98 installation, but is not included by default
in either typical, portable or compact installations. This means that you must
have selected it in a custom installation or added it to Windows 98 after the
installation. I don't think DX8 uses it, but it is possible. I wouldn't worry
about it, unless it is causing problems, in which case it can be removed by
going to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, select the Windows Setup tab
and uncheck it from the Internet category.

Windows Management Interface (WMI)

Web Based Client Management technologies and tools for administering PCs via
HTTP. Unless you remotely administer PC Servers and Clients, or your PC is
remotely administered via HTTP or a web based interface you may safely remove
WMI. Dependencies: WBEM, ZAK and other HTTP PC administrative tools.

Warning for NOT removing WMI from Windows ME

Problems have been experienced in the past with Windows ME clients where the
resources on the machine were down to 3 or 4% free. Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL
revealed that WINMGMT was always at or near the top of the heap. As soon as
the "End Task" button was used to kill the WINMGMT task, resources on the
client immediately shot back up to the 70% range.

Microsoft were unable to explain this behavior even after proposing a 30 day
test which involved removing a different task each day and then seeing what
happened. In an effort to resolve these problems the "Script to Remove WBEM
from Windows 9x/NT Computers" was downloaded from SWYNK and run.
This cured the problem in so far as the dramatic memory losses, but then broke
the Windows ME System Information tool (MSInfo32.exe). Whenever an attempt was
made to use this tool without WMI being installed, MSInfo32 would not work,
specifically saying that there were problems with WMI.
To resolve the problem, WinME was reinstalled over the existing OS, and the
installation detected that WBEM was in need of reinstalling.
After doing this however the memory problems returned and are still on-going.

Temporary WBEM removal [breaks nothing, but comes back eventually :(]: click
the Start button -> type this in the Run box -> click OK or hit Enter:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\WINMGMT.EXE /kill

Permananet WBEM removal: disable this Registry entry using MSConfig.exe:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
"WinMgmt"="C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WBEM\WinMgmt.exe"

Script to Remove WBEM from Windows 9x/NT Computers:
http://www.swynk.com/trent/Articles/RemoveWBEM.asp

WARNING: If you use this script under Windows ME, you will lose some built-in
functionality of WinME's System Information tool.

Download SMS Installer Script:
http://www.swynk.com/trent/Files/wbemkill.ipf

Download Executable:
http://www.swynk.com/trent/Files/wbemkill.exe

Reinstall WBEM:
http://www.swynk.com/trent/Articles02/ReinstallWBEM.asp

If the WBEM components are corrupted or giving you fits, you can reinstall
them. Do this by shutting down the Windows Management service (WBEM), deleting
the WBEM registry key, deleting the WBEM files and directories, and then
reinstalling the WBEMSDK from the SMS server directory structure.
The SMS Installer script available for download from this page provides that
functionality for you.
You just need to modify the WBEMLOC variable in the SMS Installer script to
point to the WBEMSDK executable on the network.

Download SMS Installer Script:
http://www.swynk.com/trent/Files02/ReinstallWBEM.ipf

See also this MSKB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=274736

Type the following (where "C:\Windows" is your Windows installation folder)
and press ENTER after each line:
CD C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
COPY REGSVR32.EXE WBEM
CD WBEM
FOR %%f IN (*.DLL) DO REGSVR32 /S %%f
WINMGMT /REGSERVER
EXIT

See also this Google Discussion Groups thread:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&th=3f60e65bc7ab5753&seekm=3ABD1647.8751BC60%40train.missouri.org#link1

AXCEL216's FIX:

If using Windows ME, and upgraded from Windows 98/98 SE, extract MSINFO32.EXE
from your Win98 Setup CD-ROM by running this command from any DOS prompt
(presuming D is your CD/DVD drive letter = change if different):
EXTRACT MSINFO32.EXE C:\TEMP D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB
Then backup your WinME MSINFO32.EXE by renaming it (example using default
location):
REN C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\MSINFO\MSINFO32.EXE MSINFO32.OLD
Now move Win98's MSINFO32.EXE from C:\TEMP to your
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo folder (default
location):
MOVE C:\MSINFO32.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\MSINFO
You can also use Windows Explorer to rename the new file and then move the
older file as described above.
This will fix ANY MS System Information tool problems you may have, because
Win98 SE's older MSInfo32.exe [build 4.10.2222] does NOT rely on WMI (WBEM)
to run properly. :)



DISABLE SCANDISK ON BOOT



In Windows 95B/95C OSR2 and 98/98 SE the DOS mode Disk Scanner
(SCANDISK.EXE, located in your main Windows folder) can be prevented from
starting upon bootup by adding/modifying this line under the MSDOS.SYS
[Options] section:

[Options]
AutoScan=0

See "BYPASS AUTOSCAN" in OSR2TIPS.TXT (included) for more details.

This may NOT work in Windows ME if using a default setup, or may work on a
"modded" copy, ONLY IF native/real MS-DOS mode is restored by installing 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) and
REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to allow Windows ME to boot to
native/true MS-DOS 8.00 and use Autoexec.bat + Config.sys files, the Windows
95/98 style.
But even if it doesn't work, there is another fix, described in this MSKB
article:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=152404
To do this, run Regedit and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem
Right-click in the right hand pane -> select New if absent or Modify if
present -> click Binary Value if New -> name it "DisableScandiskOnBoot" ->
click OK -> double-click on it -> type 01 -> click OK or press Enter.
Close the Registry editor.
Done.

UPDATE:
"There is an easier way to do this: run MSCONFIG from the Start button ->
Run... box -> click the Advanced button -> check the "Disable Scandisk after
bad shutdown" box -> click OK twice."
[Thank you Peter Roberts (Peter.Roberts8@btinternet.com)!]



CHANGE SYSTEM RESTORE DISK USAGE



Courtesy of Marlon Skinner (MoDaP3000@yahoo.com)...

"To reduce the minimum and/or maximum hard disk space Windows ME's System
Restore uses, e.g. to go below the 200 MB minimum allowed, start Regedit and
go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StateMgr\Cfg\ReservedDiskSpace
and also:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\StateMgr\ReservedDiskSpace
Change the "Max" and "Min" DWORD Values in the Decimal boxes to whatever you
want."

FYI: See this page for more details:
http://www.forrestandassociates.co.uk/pcforrest/winme_srr.html



WINME OEM AS UPGRADE



Windows ME OEM/VAR (Original Equipment Manufacturer/Value Added Reseller)
releases bundled with new PCs or PC hardware are meant to be installed only on
empty (blank) hard drives, without ANY preexisting Operating Systems.
If you try to install one of these WinME "distros" on a PC with another
Microsoft OS (Win95, OSR2, Win98, MS-DOS 6.xx) or Environment (Win31, WfWG
3.1x) previously installed, you'll see an error message such as this one:
"You are trying to setup the OEM release of Windows ME on a computer that
already has an Operating System installed. Get the upgrade version and try
again."
and Setup will abort. :(
But there is a workaround [:)]:
1. Make sure you are running MS Windows (whatever version you have).
Pop in your "shiny" WinME Setup CD-ROM and copy the entire \WIN9X folder
to your hard drive, either from a DOS box/session:
MD C:\WIN9X
COPY D:\WIN9X\*.* C:\WIN9X
or by using Windows Explorer [or File Manager (FM) = C:\Windows\Winfile.exe]:
highlight and drag the D:\WIN9X directory to your C:\ drive.
This requires at least 160 MB of free space on your target drive/partition.
These examples presume that D is your CD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD drive letter.
Change it if different.
2. Reboot to the native/true MS-DOS prompt: hold Shift and press F5 during the
BIOS POST (Power On Self Test) bootup screen, or select the "Command prompt
only" option from the Microsoft Windows 98 (95) Startup Menu:
http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm#MEN
if using Windows 95/OSR2/98, or REMark with a double colon (::) the WIN
command (if any) from your Autoexec.bat file (edit it with Notepad in Windows
or EDIT.COM in DOS), if using Windows/WfWG 3.1x.
3. Rename the WIN.COM and WINVER.EXE files located in your (old) main Windows
directory (usually C:\Windows) to something like (example):
REN C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM WIN.CO!
REN C:\WINDOWS\WINVER.EXE WINVER.EX!
The principle is to change these files' extensions (.COM and .EXE) to
something else.
If you have more than one MS Windows copies on your hard disk(s), make sure to
rename ALL WIN.COM and WINVER.EXE instances!
4. Now run the WinME Setup from C:\WIN9X (see paragraph 1 above), preferably
in GUI mode, from inside your old Windows copy.
BEWARE that if your older MS Windows release was installed in C:\Windows, you
may need to rename the target folder in which Setup will attempt to install
WinME, from (typical case) C:\Windows.000 to C:\Windows (or whatever else you
called it), to MATCH your existing Windows directory.
To do this, hold Alt and press Tab BEFORE letting Setup proceed with the
installation, and open Windows Explorer: highlight C:\Windows.000 ->
right-click on it -> select Rename -> type Windows (or whatever folder name
holds your existing Windows copy) -> press Enter. You can also do this from
File Manager: highlight C:\WINDOWS.000 -> select Rename from the File menu ->
type WINDOWS (or whatever directory name holds your existing Windows copy) ->
press Enter.
Now hit the Alt + Tab "combo" once again to return to WinME Setup, and resume
the installation.
5. Over and out.

FYI:
SU0168 Error During Installation:
http://www.nvdi.com/whertra/w950823.htm



RESTORE SYSEDIT



You may [or may not :)] have noticed after a fresh WinME install (NOT on top
of Windows 95 or 98, which include this file!), that the System Configuration
Editor (SysEdit.exe) is missing. :(
If you don't know what it does, or have never used it, SysEdit edits the DOS
mode startup files found in the boot drive root directory (C:\): AUTOEXEC.BAT
+ CONFIG.SYS, and the Windows initialization files: PROTOCOL.INI, SYSTEM.INI
+ WIN.INI, found in C:\Windows, creating also corresponding backup copies
with the .SYD extension.
To get it back, you need to have a Win98 retail or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM. Pop it
in, open a DOS prompt box, and run:
- Win98 retail:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_41.CAB SYSEDIT.EXE %windir%\SYSTEM
- Win98 SE:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB SYSEDIT.EXE %windir%\SYSTEM
This presumes that your CD-ROM/CD-R/CD-RW/DVD drive letter is D. Change it if
necessary.
Type EXIT and hit Enter to close the DOS box.
Finally, you can create a shortcut for it, i.e. under Start Menu -> Programs
-> Accessories -> System Tools -> call it System Configuration Editor.
Done.

FYI:
Alternatively, or if you don't have a Win98 or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM, try this
freeware System Editor [36 KB, works with ALL Win95/98/ME releases], which
does a similar job using a better interface:
http://downloads.planetmirror.com/pub/3dfiles/tweakfiles/misc/sysEdit_ME_v1.5.zip



RESTORE MS INFO



Courtesy of Conny Jonsson (connysgraphic@telia.com):
http://connect.to/conny/

"If you have removed, or installed WinME without PCHealth or/and System
Restore [see "UNINSTALL PCHEALTH + SYSTEM RESTORE" further below], you have
probably noticed that MS Info (MsInfo32.exe) is missing. :(
To get it back, you need to have a Win98 or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM. Pop it in,
open a DOS prompt box, and run:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_24.CAB MSINFO32.CHM %windir%\Help
Then create this folder if not present:
MD C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo
Then run:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB MSINFO32.EXE C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\MSInfo
This implies that D is your CD/DVD drive letter. Change it if necessary.
Type EXIT and hit Enter to close the DOS box.
Finally, you can create a shortcut for it under Start Menu -> Programs ->
Accessories -> System Tools -> call it Microsoft System Information.
Done.
Do NOT try to extract or run the MSINFO32.EXE file from the WinME Setup
CD-ROM. It doesn't work!"

FYI:
1. More MsInfo32 details:
http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/msinfo32.htm
2. Alternatively, or if you don't have a Win98 or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM, try the
free Hardware Info (C:\Windows\HwInfo.exe) tool bundled with WinME, which
does a similar job.
For HWInfo usage details see "HARDWARE INFORMATION" in TIPS98.TXT (included).



DISABLE REGEDIT LAST KEY



Workarounds #1 + #2 courtesy of Paul (pawl@nbnet.nb.ca).

"WinME's Regedit.exe added a new feature: always displays the last accessed
Registry key [sometimes an annoyance :(] without a way of disabling it from
within the GUI. But there are 2 workarounds:

1. First, rename WinME's C:\Windows\Regedit.exe to RegedME.exe if you ever
wish to use it again.
For this you need to have a Win98 or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM. Pop it in, open a DOS
prompt box, and run this command:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB REGEDIT.EXE %windir%
to extract the Win98/98 SE version of Regedit.exe to your Windows ME folder.
This implies that D is your CD/DVD drive letter. Change it if necessary.
Type EXIT and hit Enter to close the DOS box.

2. If you don't have a Win98 or 98 SE Setup CD-ROM, place this REGEDIT.VBS
file [right-click to save!]:
http://www.mvps.org/dts/Other_Files/regedit.vbs
into the folder of your choice.
Finally, create a shortcut for either of these files above, i.e. under Start
Menu -> Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> call it Registry Editor.
From now on run this shortcut every time you want to edit your Registry,
instead of WinME's Regedit executable, to temporarily disable the "LastKey"
feature."

UPDATE:
"This doesn't work if VBS (MS Visual Basic Script) file types are disabled (do
NOT execute) when (double)-clicked. My Registry Editor shortcut points to:
C:\WINDOWS\WSCRIPT.EXE regedit.vbs
in order to run the VBS script properly."
[Thank you Gal (gal@freedom2surf.net)!]

3. Workaround #3 courtesy of Carlo (camur@supereva.it).

"Use Notepad to create a Registry file to contain the text below (between the
Cut & Paste lines), and name it for example LASTKEY.REG:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit]
"LastKey"=""

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit]
"LastKey"=""

------End cut & paste here------

This canNOT be done directly using Regedit.exe, because this way it WILL
"remember" this Reg key as the last accessed one. :(
Then create a DOS batch file in Notepad (e.g. REGEDIT.BAT) with these 2 lines:

@START.EXE /W %windir%\REGEDIT.EXE
@%windir%\REGEDIT.EXE /S %windir%\LASTKEY.REG

and place it into your main Windows ME folder (usually C:\Windows).
Then create a new MS-DOS shortcut: right-click on a Desktop empty spot ->
select New -> Shortcut -> type REGEDIT.BAT in the "Command line:" box -> click
Next -> type Registry Editor in the "Select a name for the shortcut:" box ->
click Next -> choose a suggestive icon -> click Finish -> place your newly
created PIF (MS-DOS Program Information File) shortcut into the
C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools folder (see above).
From now on run this DOS shortcut instead of Regedit.exe to wipe out its last
accessed key every time upon exit."



10 WINME OPTIMIZING TIPS



Courtesy of Terry (tblount2@flash.net), Crack Talk Newsletter editor:
http://newswork.netfirms.com/

"These are 10 modifications I have made to Windows ME to gain SIGNIFICANT
increase in speed, performance and security. I have tested these settings for
over a month and haven't encountered any problems. After applying these tweaks
my free resources increased from 95% to 99%.

Before you decide to actually give up these WinME features for the extra
speed, you should read this page:
http://www.microsoft.com/PressPass/features/2000/sept00/09-05winme.asp

NOTE: After you read that info keep in mind that the developers and testers
for these features never encountered a worm or trojan, or they would have
known that PC Health and System Restore will usually reinstall a trojan,
because they take your system back to the previous state, before your
"cleaning" modifications were made. Their ideas are good, but unfortunately
they don't live in the real world, and they can probably afford 1+ GHz
processors and fast hard drives and don't notice the deterioration of speed
compared to Win9x.

1. Disable System Restore + Floppy Check:
Open Control Panel -> System -> Performance Tab -> File System ->
Troubleshooting area -> Disable System Restore.
While in here, click the Floppy Disk tab -> uncheck the box so the system
doesn't check for a NEW floppy drive every time it starts.

UPDATE:
System File Protection (SFP) is a feature implemented in Windows ME which
ensures that files critical to system operation are not replaced by older
versions or versions not approved by Microsoft.
This means that even applications developed by Microsoft cannot replace
"protected" files with older versions. It also means that a 3rd party product
can replace system files, but only if the file ships with a catalog signed by
Microsoft that references the newer file. It is important to note that SFP
cannot be normally turned off without altering the Registry: see "UNINSTALL
PCHEALTH + SYSTEM RESTORE" in TIPSME.TXT (this file) for details!
I thought this was going to create problems, and sure enough this Microsoft
report came out:
"We did a couple of things with Windows Me that really helped solve a bunch of
other issues but ended up creating temporary issues with 8 applications," said
Greg Sullivan, product manager for Windows Me at Microsoft. "The good news is
virtually all of them have updates available, or will shortly." Basically, the
problems are caused by a new feature in Windows Me: System File Protection.
This feature "prevents core files from being overwritten," according to
Sullivan. In the past, many outside applications overwrote certain system
files, an action that Microsoft says results in a more crash-prone PC. By
eliminating the ability to overwrite system files, Windows Me is less likely
to crash, Sullivan says. But some application developers have not yet updated
their programs to recognize this change."
I have not experienced this myself, although I do run programs from Symantec
and Adaptec that are listed as having such problems.

2. Uninstall Pc Health:
Start -> Run -> type:
%windir%\Pchealth\Support\Pchsetup /UNINSTALL
This also REMOVES the Help engine (uninstalls Windows Help), no longer
available in the Start Menu or anywhere else. There is no way of restoring
Help (that I'm aware of), short of reinstalling WinME. :( But few people have
found Help useful anyway. :)
See also "UNINSTALL PCHEALTH + SYSTEM RESTORE" in TIPSME.TXT (this file).

3. "Normal" Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files still canNOT be used [WinME
overwrites/deletes them upon EVERY (re)boot :(], unless one applies the Real
DOS-Mode Patch [9 KB, freeware]:
http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/
which modifies COMMAND.COM + IO.SYS (from C:\Windows\Command\EBD) and
REGENV32.EXE (from C:\Windows\System) to allow Windows ME to boot to
native/true 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. :)
See MEMORY.TXT (included) for complete memory management guidelines.

4. Turn off Automatic Updating:
This will hog your modem for up to 30 minutes every day the first time you go
on line if not turned off.
Start -> Settings -> Taskbar -> Advanced -> check Expand Control Panel ->
close it -> click Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Automatic Updates ->
turn OFF Automatic Updating.

5. Disable these Start menu settings:
Start -> Run -> type Msconfig and press Enter. Click the Startup tab ->
UNCHECK PcHealth, StateMgr, SchedulingAgent and TaskMon. Finally reboot, so
all these changes can take effect.

UPDATE:
"TaskMon is VITAL for monitoring the loading of programs so that they can be
optimized during Defrag for faster loading. Therefore I recommend NOT
disabling it."
[Thank you Guy (dr_teeth@bigfoot.com)!]

6. Run Windows Explorer -> click on Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> select
"Show hidden files and folders" -> browse the C: drive -> delete the _Restore
folder. Hold your Shift key so it doesn't move it to the Recycle bin while you
press Del. This folder can have hundreds of megs of Temp files if you have
been running WinME for a while with the system Restore and PC Health on. If
you get a "Sharing violation" error message or if the _Restore folder
reappears again in the future, you haven't successfully turned off Pc Health
and System Restore.

NOTE: If you update MS IE 5.5 to enjoy the advanced Cookie control:
http://www.windowsupdate.com/
it may (re)create the _Restore folder.

7. See if anything unnecessary is running all the time:
Press Ctrl + Alt + Del at the same time, after you have first booted up and
see what programs are loaded. You may find several programs running that don't
need to run all the time. Most of them, if actually needed, can be loaded from
the Start -> Programs menu.

8. Don't let Windows run HTA, SHS, VB and Windows Scripts automatically:
These file associations allow viruses [like "ILOVEYOU" and its "clones" -> see
"LOVE(LY) VIRUS FIX" in TIPS95.TXT (included)] to infect your system.
Open Windows Explorer -> click Tools -> Folder Options -> File Types -> go to:
HTA (HTML Application), SHS (Scrap Object), VBE, VBS (VB Script), JS, JSE
(Java Script), WSF and WSH (Windows Script). Highlight each File Type above ->
click the Advanced button -> click the Edit button -> click the New button ->
add a new action called (for example) Run -> type this command line (including
the quotes) in the "Application used to perform action:" box:
C:\Windows\Notepad.exe "%1" %*
Click OK -> click Set Default to make Run the default action -> click Close.

9. EVERY week:
Backup all modified files, Defrag the system, Update virus definitions and
scan the whole system with Norton AntiVirus:
http://www.symantec.com/nav/
AND AntiViral Toolkit Pro:
http://www.avp.com/
Run Ad-Aware:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
to fight spying that at least 100 programs are known to perform. I do this
mainly to save wasted bandwidth for data and ads passing back and forth. I'm
running ZoneAlarm Pro:
http://www.zonelabs.com/
to monitor all programs and report if anything tries to access the internet. I
don't like programs "calling home" without my permission. :)

10. WinME does not use C:\Command.com or %windir%\Win.com.
I have found that deleting these files (which are NECESSARY for Win95/98) does
not make any difference for WinME.
BACK THEM UP FIRST!
Many trojans and viruses target these 2 programs in order to take control and
spread.

BONUS! Cool DOS feature:
DOSKEY.COM runs automatically from C:\Windows\Command\CMDINIT.BAT when a DOS
box/session is started. This allows recalling the past commands you have run
from the DOS prompt by pressing the up arrow or Page Up keys.
See this MSKB article for more info:"
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=250204



UNINSTALL PCHEALTH + SYSTEM RESTORE



Enjoy this original WinME tip courtesy of Conny Jonsson
(connysgraphic@telia.com):
http://connect.to/conny/

"Here is how to permanently uninstall the PCHealth and System Restore tools
from Windows ME, to be able to prevent System Restore from making new backups,
AND unprotect ALL "_Restore" folders and files, to allow their deletion (to
rid your disk of bloat files), which would be otherwise impossible.
The only disadvantage is that the Help item from Start Menu and the Windows
Help system has to go too [:(], but you can still access Help from your
applications' Help menu, or if you hit F1. :)

WARNING: COMPLETELY uninstalling PCHealth + System Restore may IMPAIR the
WinME capability of UPDATING certain system files that depend on these tools,
e.g. from Microsoft automatic Windows Update web site:
http://www.windowsupdate.com/

1. Launch Notepad, and cut & paste this:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSMHelp"=hex:01,00,00,00

------End cut & paste here------

Save this text file as NOHLP.REG. Double-click on it to merge this information
into your Registry. Reboot.
You may also have to delete the "VXDMon" value from the Registry before going
any further (and then reboot). Run Regedit and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\VxDMon

2. To remove PCHealth from your system, copy the text below, paste it in the
Start Menu -> Run box, and then click OK:
rundll.exe setupx.dll,InstallHinfSection Uninstall 132 %windir%\INF\PCHealth.inf

This text string is found under this Registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PCHealth

This should suffice, but some PCHealth strings are left in the Registry. They
won't do any harm, but you might want them out anyway. :)

3. With Regedit open, find and delete these strings:

"PCHealth" from:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft

"PerUser_PCHealth" from:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components
and:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components

Then go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{273380E8-1438-4B2C-95B0-713284FBC302}\ToolboxBitmap32

and delete the text content in the right hand pane.

4. Finally search in Regedit for StateMgr.exe and delete all matching keys.

5. After uninstalling PCHealth, System File Protection will stop working!
But if you have a Win98 retail or Win98 SE Setup CD-ROM, you can regain some
security by running System File Checker (Sfc.exe).
Pop in the Win98/98 SE CD-ROM (drive letter D used here, change if different),
open a DOS box, and run:
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_46.CAB SFC.EXE %windir%\SYSTEM
EXTRACT D:\WIN98\WIN98_40.CAB SFCDLL.DLL %windir%\SYSTEM
Now run Sfc.exe and update all system file versions manually!
Finally, check your file versions (using SFC) on a regular basis, especially
after you have installed new software or a system update.

6. After uninstalling PCHealth + System Restore, Windows ME insists on
creating the (empty) C:\_Restore folder every time upon startup. :(
SOLUTION: Replace your WININIT.EXE file located in C:\Windows with this one
[42 KB]:
http://members.aol.com/xqxsetup/sg1.zip
This way you can say goodbye to C:\_Restore for good! :)

7. Done!
This hack works fine for me and hopefully it will do the same for you, with or
without any modifications to the steps above."

UPDATES:

A. "System Restore Remover Pro (freeware):
http://www.definition-software.com/
safely removes System Restore and PC Health without breaking WinME Help."
[Thank you Rick (rickdale@hotmail.com)!]
FYI:
You can also use Beta 10 OppCommME (freeware):
http://www.beta10.com/oppcom.htm
to add/remove/restore ANY Windows ME optional components at will, including PC
Health and System Restore.

B. "There is a simpler way to disable System Restore alone, but this will NOT
stop System Restore from creating further backups, you won't permanently get
rid of this tool, and you won't be able to delete the protected "_Restore"
directories and files. To do this: open Control Panel -> System -> Performance
Tab -> Troubleshooting area -> check the "Disable System Restore" box."
[Thank you Ken (kgcampbell@sprint.ca)!]
More info:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.htm

C. "If you uninstall PCHealth as described above, System File Protection will
stop working. Therefore to disable PCHealth AND System Restore do as follows:
1. Open Control Panel -> System -> Performance Tab -> Troubleshooting area ->
check the "Disable System Restore" box.
2. Open Regedit and change the RunServices State Manager item from:
"*StateMgr"="C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe"
to read:
"Stmgr.exe"="C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\Stmgr.exe"
either manually (don't type the quotes), or by running this REG file:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices]
"Stmgr.exe"="C:\\WINDOWS\\System\\Restore\\Stmgr.exe"
"*StateMgr"=""

------End cut & paste here------

This will allow System File Protection ONLY to run AND protect system files
from being overwritten.
You can also configure WinME to notify you when it restores replaced system
files by changing the "ShowPopups" DWORD Value from 0 to 1 in the Decimal box,
or by running this REG file:

-----Begin cut & paste here-----
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemFileProtection]
"ShowPopups"=dword:00000001

------End cut & paste here------

This allows the display of a dialog prompt whenever a protected file is
restored or a security catalog is added/removed.
By default ("ShowPopups" set to 0) replaced system files are restored
silently, without prompting."
[Thank you Marc (Marc@ragusa.com)!]

D. "To change the "_Restore" directory location, run Regedit and go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\VxDMon
Change ALL directory listings there: "LogDir", "TempDir", "VxdCfg" and
"VxdDat" to point to the path of your choice.
Then open C:\Windows\System\Restore\Datastor.ini in Notepad and change the
System Restore target directory location to match the one in the Registry
values above."
[Thank you Roger (roger-day@newyorkcity.com)!]

E. "I've made this custom "tweaked" Setuppp.inf file (included) to avoid
installing System Restore, PcHealth, MovieMaker and Windows Media Player 7
during a clean WinME Setup.
The only condition is that you need to run Setup from the C:\WIN9X directory,
where you also need to copy ALL WinME Setup files from D:\WIN9X (substitute D
with your CD-ROM/DVD drive letter if different).
Necessary steps:
1. Boot from a MS-DOS 6.xx or MS Win9x Startup floppy with real mode MS-DOS
cd-rom support.
2. Change directory to C root (C:\):
C:
CD\
3. Create the new WIN9X directory on C:
MD C:\WIN9X
4. Copy all files from D:\WIN9X (WinME Setup CD-ROM) to C:\WIN9X:
COPY D:\WIN9X\*.* C:\WIN9X
5. Copy the custom-made Setuppp.inf file (saved on the same floppy) to
C:\WIN9X:
COPY A:\SETUPPP.INF C:\WIN9X
6. Change directory to C:\WIN9X:
CD\WIN9X
7. Run Setup.exe from there:
SETUP
No need to worry about the Setuppp.inf inside the CAB installation file, as
this file will overwrite it. :)
The only disadvantage is that the WinME Help Engine will NOT work!
However, ALL application Help files still work: hit F1 or click Help from
inside any 32-bit (Win32) program with built-in Help menu.
NOTES:
- The System Restore "Disk space use" slider is now grayed out.
- The "C:\_Restore" and "C:\Windows\Pchealth" folders are still created by
Setup, but can be safely removed: see paragraph #6 above for the solution!"
[Thank you Dfushtor!]

F. "I followed your suggestions about disabling/removing PCHealth and System
Restore. However, I have discovered one side effect: some people (myself
included) were not able to install the latest MS Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
Update:
http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm
After some experimentation, we found out that one cannot install the MS JVM
build on WinME unless these two "features" are enabled. I have yet to find
another MS patch/upgrade that insists on having them enabled."
[Thank you Randy (a12795@yahoo.com)!]

G. "Here's how to remove PCHealth without losing the Windows ME Help system:
1. Install the freeware RegCleaner tool:
http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml
2. Run RegCleaner, go to Options -> Uninstall Menu and select "Show all
software".
3. Click the Uninstall Menu tab and place a check mark in the "PCHealth" box.
4. Click the "Uninstall" button at the bottom.
5. Reboot.
Now you should be able to delete the "_Restore" folder, and it shouldn't come
back. 
WARNING:
After doing this I'm getting "Error in Jit.dll" messages with web pages and
apps that use Java Scripting. :("
[Thank you Dave (belial@belial666.com)!]

H. "Another way to get rid of System Restore while preserving Windows Help:
Turn off System Restore while in WinME.
Reboot to MS-DOS. Then run:
DELTREE /Y C:\_Restore
to delete the System Restore folder. Then run:
EDIT C:\_Restore
to create a 0 byte file named _Restore. Then run:
ATTRIB +H +R +S C:\_Restore
to make the file hidden, read-only and system.
I've had System Restore set like this for about 2 months with no problems,
except when I install a program or system update, I get some errors with
this notice:
"Please wait while Windows updates your configuration files."
The errors don't seem to be causing any problems, so I figured WinME is
trying to write to the read-only _Restore file.
The _Restore file on both my hard drives stays at zero bytes and the
_Restore directory is never rebuilt."
[Thank you Chuck (chuck_ro@swbell.net)!]
More info:
http://www.emulators.com/secrets.htm#KILLSYSREST