SE vs. 98 + All Patches since 1999

As I just recently found out that I have Windows 98 , not Second Edition, I am wondering if I am missing out on anything neccesary. I've gotten every single patch since 1999. So is there something in SE that's not in all those hundreds of patches?

My version of 98 came OEM installed on a "Aptiva E Series 275 ".

 

I do not think you are missing out on anything necessary, unless you are running newer USB hardware, as some manufacturers state they will only support 98SE.

 

hmm............maybe this belongs in hardware but my 256 MB USB traveldrive is not being detected anymore after a week of use..................Even though it said it will only work on SE, I installed it and it function for 6 days.

 

If it worked before, I see no reason for it to want to go on strike. You could try this, Restart in Dos Mode, and do these two commands. The first will appear to do nothing.
scanreg /opt
scanreg /fix
When you get the message that windows has repaired the registry, reboot.

 

Upgrade Chances?

As I want this computer to do some more modern tasks like movie viewing and USB device usage, I want to upgrade to 98 SE while I add a stick of RAM. Does microsoft still offer Second Edition as a $19.95 USD CD? I would prefer a download of the said files instead of a CD . Links and info would be appreciated.

 

Having the CD is much better. If something should ( and can ) go wrong with the HD you will still have the 98SE files.

Then if you wish you can copy the files in the Win98 Folder of the CD into Directory on the HD ( preferabley a partition other than C: ) and then run setup from there. I have then in D:\OPTIONS.

This also makes it easiser if Windows should need the files.

I also have the Win98 folder of the SE CD burned to a CD with the activation # taped to the CD case. Plus I still have the original ( somewhere -) if I need it.

Downloads have a strange way of disappearing.

BillyBob

PS.
Plus downloads do not alway get everything. Get a bad connection or a slight hic-cup you may well have problems.

BB

 

I forgot.

98SE is considerably better than 98FE.

BB

 

I would have burnt the files onto a CD anyways afterwards. But after learning the "way of the CD" , a CD sounds better. But does Microsoft still offer the CD? And i'm talking about 98 --> 98SE files, not a whole OS CD.

to markp62:

when I used the scanreg/opt and scanreg/fix commands, it started working then some error came up.

EMM286 has detected error #01 in an application in memory address F00:E646. To minimize thw chance for data loss, EMM386 has halted your computer. For more information, consult your documentation. To reboot your computer, press ENTER.

Then it hangs there, requiring a power button push. Sometimes it locks-up before the error message at 0%-1% done.

(It actually took me about ten minutes to realize how to get out of "MS-DOS" Mode: C:/WINDOWS/exit)

 

I am almost certain that MS no longer offers the Win98SE upgrade.
Here are some retailers that do
http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/OutPDir.jsp?search=Win98+SE&node=300170&x=68&y=10
Unfortunately no longer $20.
The way to try to get it cheap is to find someone selling it on ebay.
Here is someone offering the Full install. The problem with it is that you probably will have to reformat your hard drive and lose all your personal data, pictures, etc. If you can back up those items perhaps that is not so bad.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41884&item=7130299737&rd=1
But if you lurk at ebay long enough you will probably find the upgrade CD.

 

You can use the full version without having to do that. It's just the same old win.com trick again. Rename win.com (in the windows folder) before trying to install it and the install should go over the top of the old.

 

About your Emm386.Exe error, you have a debugger interrupt, per this link. Probably some hardware is loading into memory that Emm386 is trying to page as Expanded Memory. The good news is Win98 does need an Expanded Memory manager, as it uses Extended Memory. Extended Memory use is made possible by Himem.Sys. Windows will provide expanded memory if needed if you have a program that does need it, and this would be an old dos based program, or a old TSR [Terminate & Stay Resident] program or driver you have loading.
I believe your problem could be solved by eliminating the dos version of Emm386 from loading at system startup.
Two solutions, with the same outcome. Edit C:\Config.Sys with Notepad so the line "device=c:\windows\emm386.exe' ends up like this.
rem device=c:\windows\emm386.exe.
Or use Start\Run, type in Msconfig and press Enter. Click on the Config.Sys tab, and uncheck the line for Emm386.Exe.
If your Config.Sys has more than these types of lines in it, please post what you have.

Device=C:\Windows\Himem.sys
Device=C:\Windows\Emm386.exe
Dos=High,Umb
Files=XX
Buffers=XX

If I remember correctly, about this 98 Update CD, it is mostly Y2K fixes for the 98 FE, it doesn't give you 98SE when done.
What you want is the 98 SE Upgrade CD, which is the full 98SE, and will do a full install on a clean drive, if you have a previous version of windows CD for it to check, or a current previous OS on the system. I picked up a copy for $50 on ebay.
Microsoft, to my knowledge, has never offered any OS for download.

 

Not really.

That is not necessary either.

If you have the full CD ( or even just the files in the Win98 folder ) you can boot to a floppy. Change to the Win98 folder on the CD ( or where ever you have the files ) and run setup. This will pick up everything that is installed and keep right on going. ( has for me on three machines anyway )

BUT YOU MUST boot from a floppy. NOT the HD. Booting from the HD, UNLESS the USER watches carefully may create a new Windows folder. And some things may get loaded from the Autoexec that may interfer.

When doing this however it is a good idea to set the Video back to standard VGA. Helps prevent driver conflict as SE does need different drivers.

Audio may or may not create a problem. On one of my machines it did. but downloading and updating the Creative drivers fixed that.

Also shutdown everything possible that is loading at startup.

BillyBob

 

Ok, I barely got into Windows normally. I'll try scanreg/fix later.

This is the contents of my config.sys file:

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

DEVICE=C:\essolo.sys
Files=50
Buffers=30
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
REM DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE
DOS=HIGH,UMB

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\DRVSPACE.SYS /MOVE

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

And I got another error on boot-up I want to know if this file is related to something essential or if not, how to remove the rest of it.

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

Cannot find a device file that may be needed to run windows or a windows application.

The windows registry or system.ini file refers to this device file, but the device file no longer exists.

If you deleted this file on purpose, try uninstalling the associated application using its uninstall program.

If you still want to use the application associated with this device file, try reinstalling that application to replace the missing file.

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vshinit.vxd

Press a key to continue...

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

Eventually, it boots Windows 98 but it comes up every time I turn on my computer.

 

Dave932932--vshinit.vxd is a McAfee Antivirus file. Something has become corrupt or that file is a leftover from an earlier uninstall.
Do you still run McAfee? If yes, delete the program from Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs and then reinstall. If not, reinstall the program and delete it from Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs.
Concerning essolo.sys, see here
http://www.elhvb.com/mboards/OEM/Mitsubishi/misc/faq.htm

 

Thanks

Sinece I know that it's an leftover from my McAfee uninstallation, (to save precious RAM until my 128 MB stick gets here through the mail) I unchecked the line from system.ini that made McAfee Update start on boot-up and it's not returned .

 

Dave932932--Thanks for posting back. Glad to hear a suggestion helped, though your approach was easier than mine.

 

Welshijm

For some unknown reason, it came back . I checked the system.ini file for referneces. So it must be a registry entry. Do you have a list of McAfee registry entries?

 

Dave932932--I understand you mean that the error message about vshinit.vxd came back.
Have you looked in Start|Run|type msconfig to see if any McAfee programs are still in there and the boxes checked? If they are, uncheck them|Apply.
If that does not help, as has already been suggested, reinstall McAfee and then uninstall from Control Panel. Have you looked on the McAfee website for any special instructions for uninstalling?
I do not know where all the McAfee keys are in the Registry. When you open the Registry, click Edit|Find and type in McAfee. Then keep clicking F3 after you find each (if any) McAfee keys. Be careful what you eliminate. Back up each key before you delete in case you need to restore (File|Export).
I think the most important Key (if it still exists) will be the one in HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Active Components\Installed Components. The problem is that you will have to click on each of those CLSID's to find the one for McAfee. So the Edit|Find route may find it for you. If you find the one for McAfee, you can delete or change the IsInstalled value to 0.