Only getting 16 colors on the monitor.

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:

I have a Windows 98 system. The computer is a mutt. A friend helped
me Now I know it was working before, I don't know what happened to
lock

Any ideas? thanks in advance.

I am running windows ME and came up with the same problem on 4.20.09.
My computer shut off suddenly, and on restart, the screen was stuck
on 16 colors and 640x480 display. Also, the mouse didnt load. I had
to learn to navigate by keyboard only. I was able to restart in safe
mode once, but not again. I reinstalled my mouse and graphics card
and now my computer seems to be working fine.

Your problem was twice as bad. Good going.

Although, when
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to do
its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.

In response to another post, I did not know about the
640x480x16 option in the Advanced tab in Msconfig. I dont know if
that would have worked. However, when I had tried to change the
Diplay Settings, I would get a restart message identacle to the
message used by Msconfig.

Well, your problem was twice as bad. You did well.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to do
its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.

snip
In Win ME, the /Options/Install folder should contain all the Win ME
system files - in compressed form - such that a reinstall is actually
possible using the contents of that folder only.
doing what Luxisgod did makes the nVidia files that were unseen by the
installer visible to the system installer.
Unfortunately, some OEMs decided that users shouldn't have access to
system file backups in this way, and deleted the folder (possibly in a
mistaken attempt to increase available disk space on low-spec drives?)
thus meaning that workarounds like this have to be used.It's also
quite possible that some 'tweaking' tool has been used on the system
to 'regain lost disk space' - and it's deleted this rather useful
folder - or that the OEM moved the folder (some moved it to a
'C:\Win98' folder, rather misleadingly) without chaning the pointers
to it in the registry!
In a clean, new, ME install the folder contains 52 files, with a total
size of 153MB (160,613,945 bytes)

HTH
--
Noel Paton
www.crashfixpc.co.uk

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi

[]
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to do
its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.
[]
Those aren't part of a standard '98 install; the CABS one (I don't
recognise the OOBE one) is generally where people recommend copying the
contents of the \WIN98 folder from the CD, if you're going to do an
install by copying it from the CD to the HD then installing from there.
(I've never extracted a satisfactory explanation from anyone as to _why_
that particular directory - \Windows\Options\CABS - is used, but it is.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL-IS-P--Ch++(p)Ar@T0H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for ludicrously
outdated thoughts on PCs. **

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

Noel Paton wrote:
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to
do its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.

snip
In Win ME, the /Options/Install folder should contain all the Win ME
system files - in compressed form - such that a reinstall is actually
possible using the contents of that folder only.
doing what Luxisgod did makes the nVidia files that were unseen by the
installer visible to the system installer.
Unfortunately, some OEMs decided that users shouldn't have access to
system file backups in this way, and deleted the folder (possibly in a
mistaken attempt to increase available disk space on low-spec drives?)
thus meaning that workarounds like this have to be used.It's also
quite possible that some 'tweaking' tool has been used on the system
to 'regain lost disk space' - and it's deleted this rather useful
folder - or that the OEM moved the folder (some moved it to a
'C:\Win98' folder, rather misleadingly) without chaning the pointers
to it in the registry!
In a clean, new, ME install the folder contains 52 files, with a total
size of 153MB (160,613,945 bytes)

OK. Thanks for the primer on WinME. Sounds like there was a way to
compensate for that particular shortcoming.

Here is my Win98SE Options\ folder, which I have moved to E:...

E:\OPTIONS
....snip...
Total files listed:
1,057 file(s) 236,287,224 bytes
122 dir(s) 7,276.62 MB free

It seems bigger than your WinME version!

HTH

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
[]
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to
do its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.
[]
Those aren't part of a standard '98 install; the CABS one (I don't
recognise the OOBE one) is generally where people recommend copying
the contents of the \WIN98 folder from the CD, if you're going to do
an install by copying it from the CD to the HD then installing from
there. (I've never extracted a satisfactory explanation from anyone
as to _why_ that particular directory - \Windows\Options\CABS - is
used, but it is.)

Uh-huh. I guess I knew that, but thanks. This is a Compaq Presario 7470
Desktop, & they did the install. I didn't get any Windows Installation
CD; they gave me that CABS folder, instead, & two QuickRestore CDs.

The C:\Windows\Options\OOBE folder is empty (I guess it was used &
emptied during its install), but OOBE has a bunch of full folders at...

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OOBE DIR
....snip...
Total files listed:
254 file(s) 3,835,073 bytes
44 dir(s) 6,656.54 MB free

Seems to have to do with the internet, & is mainly full of .htm
messages.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
[]
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to
do its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.
[]
Those aren't part of a standard '98 install; the CABS one (I don't
recognise the OOBE one) is generally where people recommend copying
the contents of the \WIN98 folder from the CD, if you're going to do
an install by copying it from the CD to the HD then installing from
there. (I've never extracted a satisfactory explanation from anyone
as to _why_ that particular directory - \Windows\Options\CABS - is
used, but it is.)

Oh, I meant to add, having moved C:\Windows\Options to E:\ -- & even
having changed all Registry mentionings to E:\Options -- STILL some
Windows Updates deposited stuff in the original location...

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABSdir /a
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
HLINK DLL 68,096 11-16-04 1:32p HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 04-13-05 5:06p hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 04-14-05 12:44p hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 04-14-05 12:44p hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 04-14-05 12:44p itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 04-14-05 12:44p itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 11-24-05 4:54p t2embed.dll
FDISK EXE 64,460 05-18-00 8:35a FDISK.EXE
KB918547 EXE 8,256 04-24-06 2:24a KB918547.EXE
Q918547 DLL 4,288 04-24-06 2:24a Q918547.dll
10 file(s) 1,149,404 bytes

Therefore, MS must have instructed Compaq & others to use that folder to
keep things standardized. Other stuff may have also been depostited
there that I moved to E:\ a while ago-- & soon I will move these over
too!

These files will be chosen by SFC (& possibly even by EXTRACT, when /a
[process all cabinets] is used) to retrieve a file from the .cabs.
First, the parent folder is searched; only afterwards, the .cab files.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:41:25 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Noel Paton wrote:
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to
do its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.

snip
In Win ME, the /Options/Install folder should contain all the Win ME
system files - in compressed form - such that a reinstall is actually
possible using the contents of that folder only.
doing what Luxisgod did makes the nVidia files that were unseen by the
installer visible to the system installer.
Unfortunately, some OEMs decided that users shouldn't have access to
system file backups in this way, and deleted the folder (possibly in a
mistaken attempt to increase available disk space on low-spec drives?)
thus meaning that workarounds like this have to be used.It's also
quite possible that some 'tweaking' tool has been used on the system
to 'regain lost disk space' - and it's deleted this rather useful
folder - or that the OEM moved the folder (some moved it to a
'C:\Win98' folder, rather misleadingly) without chaning the pointers
to it in the registry!
In a clean, new, ME install the folder contains 52 files, with a total
size of 153MB (160,613,945 bytes)

OK. Thanks for the primer on WinME. Sounds like there was a way to
compensate for that particular shortcoming.

Here is my Win98SE Options\ folder, which I have moved to E:...

E:\OPTIONS
...snip...
Total files listed:
1,057 file(s) 236,287,224 bytes
122 dir(s) 7,276.62 MB free

It seems bigger than your WinME version!

reason is that caching of updated files takes place. I don't have a
Win 98 VPC handy, but suspect that in 98 the CAB files are extracted
rather than stored cabbed? any subfolders? - none in ME.

In a quick test I took my new clean VPC of ME, and installed all the
critical updates (except the two 'solo' updates - ie6SP1 and the SR
update). 16 files are added to the /install folder prior to the reboot

Note that ME also stores updated files elsewhere - in the
C:\Windows\OPTIONS\CABS folder, the same 16 files now exist.

adding IE6 results in (after disallowing newer file replacement caused
by out-of-sync updating) no changes in the Install folder, or in the
CABS folder - it also breaks Windows Updates g

going back to the start and adding SR first, then IE6SP1 results in
just the SR update being cached in both CABS and INSTALL (and a
slightly broken WU - need to use https to get in)
adding the rest of the critical updates (now 23) gives a total of 17
new files in CABS and INSTALL
adding 8 of the 'non-criticals' results in the OE patch not
installing (dunno why - yet! g - possibly because it's not been set
up?), and a new total of 22 files
adding DX9 puts no new files in the INSTALL folder, but there's now 26
files in the CABS folder (b&gger - didn't check that previously!) The
newer ones seem to be from the DX9 install, but the creation dates are
2005, rather than today.
hmmm - new sec patch for DX9....add that... OK
reinstall OE Patch - OK (!)
no new files
add WMP9...no new files
add .NET 1.1.... no new files

Thanks for forcing me to do this - it's something I've been meaning to
do for a while!!
--
Noel Paton
www.crashfixpc.co.uk

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi

Noel Paton wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:41:25 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Noel Paton wrote:
On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:11:55 -0400, "PCR"
wrote:

Luxisgod wrote:
"disneygeek" wrote:
snip
reinstalling the graphics card, a number of files were missing. I
was able to find them in C:\cabs\Win95-98\DISPLAY\Nvidia2 and copy
them to C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL. This allowed the installer to
do its job.

Win98SE seems not to have any such folder, but just...
C:\Windows\Options\CABS, &
C:\Windows\Options\OOBE.

snip
In Win ME, the /Options/Install folder should contain all the Win ME
system files - in compressed form - such that a reinstall is
actually possible using the contents of that folder only.
doing what Luxisgod did makes the nVidia files that were unseen by
the installer visible to the system installer.
Unfortunately, some OEMs decided that users shouldn't have access to
system file backups in this way, and deleted the folder (possibly
in a mistaken attempt to increase available disk space on low-spec
drives?) thus meaning that workarounds like this have to be
used.It's also quite possible that some 'tweaking' tool has been
used on the system to 'regain lost disk space' - and it's deleted
this rather useful folder - or that the OEM moved the folder (some
moved it to a 'C:\Win98' folder, rather misleadingly) without
chaning the pointers to it in the registry!
In a clean, new, ME install the folder contains 52 files, with a
total size of 153MB (160,613,945 bytes)

OK. Thanks for the primer on WinME. Sounds like there was a way to
compensate for that particular shortcoming.

Here is my Win98SE Options\ folder, which I have moved to E:...

E:\OPTIONS
...snip...
Total files listed:
1,057 file(s) 236,287,224 bytes
122 dir(s) 7,276.62 MB free

It seems bigger than your WinME version!

reason is that caching of updated files takes place. I don't have a
Win 98 VPC handy, but suspect that in 98 the CAB files are extracted
rather than stored cabbed? any subfolders? - none in ME.

Windows installation files are in .cabs in Win98SE too. I've got 80
..cabs (including weird, unreadable ones like _sys1.cab & _user1.cab) &
215 loose files in my E:\Options\Cabs folder. That is where I have moved
them from C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. After that, Windows Update continued
to deposit loose files in the original folder (despite I fixed all
Registry mentionings!) -- which I've been moving over to E:\ -- but
there are 10 still to go...!...

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABSdir /a
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
HLINK DLL 68,096 11-16-04 1:32p HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 04-13-05 5:06p hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 04-14-05 12:44p hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 04-14-05 12:44p hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 04-14-05 12:44p itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 04-14-05 12:44p itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 11-24-05 4:54p t2embed.dll
FDISK EXE 64,460 05-18-00 8:35a FDISK.EXE
KB918547 EXE 8,256 04-24-06 2:24a KB918547.EXE
Q918547 DLL 4,288 04-24-06 2:24a Q918547.dll
10 file(s) 1,149,404 bytes

Can it be something else is putting files there too in addition to
Windows Update? These files are here in addition to being present in
system folders, like C:\Windows\System.

There are subfolders in my CABS folder, but they don't appear to contain
installation files. The biggest set of subfolders is in
E:\Options\Cabs\Tour, which really is an installed application that
explains Win98 improvements over Win95. (That thanatiod should see
that!)

In a quick test I took my new clean VPC of ME, and installed all the
critical updates (except the two 'solo' updates - ie6SP1 and the SR
update). 16 files are added to the /install folder prior to the reboot

Now I'm thinking your Install folder is something different from a .cabs
folder. I don't seem to have any folder called "Install" here in
Win98SE. If any such folder was used (Compaq did the install), it's been
properly deleted. I guess C:\Windows\Temp & possibly other locations are
used for that in Win98.

Note that ME also stores updated files elsewhere - in the
C:\Windows\OPTIONS\CABS folder, the same 16 files now exist.

That sounds like what Win98 is doing. Updated files are put there so
that SFC (& I think DOS EXTRACT) will take them (should one need to run
those), instead of the originals in the .cabs (if any). The folder that
holds the .cabs is searched for a loose file before the .cabs are
searched-- if found, the search is over!

adding IE6 results in (after disallowing newer file replacement caused
by out-of-sync updating) no changes in the Install folder, or in the
CABS folder - it also breaks Windows Updates g

IE6 appears to have its installation stuff in...
C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files
...., but it's basically just the original IE6 .cabs, ie6setup.exe &
ie6setup.ini that are there. Windows Updated IE6 files, like MSHTML.dll,
go into a system folder, like C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM, but not into the IE6
..cabs folder & not into the Windows .cabs folder, either, looks like.
The installation goes to...
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer
...., but that also doesn't get unpacked system IE6 files like
Mshtml.dll.

going back to the start and adding SR first, then IE6SP1 results in
just the SR update being cached in both CABS and INSTALL

I'm still trying to figure what WinME's INSTALL folder is. If Win98 had
an SR update to IE, it was Compaq who installed it for me. I'm the one
who took the SP1 update, though, & I confirm it appears not to put
updated files in the any .cabs folder.

(and a
slightly broken WU - need to use https to get in)

Sometimes it goes on the blink. Just try again later...
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

adding the rest of the critical updates (now 23) gives a total of 17
new files in CABS and INSTALL

These are identical files? And they also end up in a system folder, like
C:\Windows\System? If so-- why are you getting three???

adding 8 of the 'non-criticals' results in the OE patch not
installing (dunno why - yet! g - possibly because it's not been set
up?), and a new total of 22 files

I think it's best to do the criticals first, anyhow.

adding DX9 puts no new files in the INSTALL folder, but there's now 26
files in the CABS folder (b&gger - didn't check that previously!) The
newer ones seem to be from the DX9 install, but the creation dates are
2005, rather than today.

That's right. Creation Date is the date a file was last opened & written
to, not the date the file was moved from one location to another. That's
good!

But I'm not finding many DX9 files in my CABS folder, except maybe
DX70opk.exe. Name some of yours.

hmmm - new sec patch for DX9....add that... OK
reinstall OE Patch - OK (!)
no new files
add WMP9...no new files
add .NET 1.1.... no new files

Thanks for forcing me to do this - it's something I've been meaning to
do for a while!!

You are welcome. Glad you got it straightened out. Some day I swear
again I must do a fresh install of my own just to see how that goes! But
afterwards I'd have to restore my current install for all the extras
Compaq added, like Microsoft Works, Encarta, CeQuadrat (probably runs my
CD-R/W drive), & the Built in Technician-- just to name a few! I don't
have separate installation CDs for those, but only two Compaq
QuickRestore CDs that has everything encrypted on it!


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR

On Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:52:50 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Noel Paton wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:41:25 -0400, "PCR" wrote:


reason is that caching of updated files takes place. I don't have a
Win 98 VPC handy, but suspect that in 98 the CAB files are extracted
rather than stored cabbed? any subfolders? - none in ME.

Windows installation files are in .cabs in Win98SE too. I've got 80
.cabs (including weird, unreadable ones like _sys1.cab & _user1.cab) &
215 loose files in my E:\Options\Cabs folder. That is where I have moved
them from C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. After that, Windows Update continued
to deposit loose files in the original folder (despite I fixed all
Registry mentionings!) -- which I've been moving over to E:\ -- but
there are 10 still to go...!...

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABSdir /a
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
HLINK DLL 68,096 11-16-04 1:32p HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 04-13-05 5:06p hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 04-14-05 12:44p hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 04-14-05 12:44p hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 04-14-05 12:44p itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 04-14-05 12:44p itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 11-24-05 4:54p t2embed.dll
FDISK EXE 64,460 05-18-00 8:35a FDISK.EXE
KB918547 EXE 8,256 04-24-06 2:24a KB918547.EXE
Q918547 DLL 4,288 04-24-06 2:24a Q918547.dll
10 file(s) 1,149,404 bytes

Can it be something else is putting files there too in addition to
Windows Update? These files are here in addition to being present in
system folders, like C:\Windows\System.

There are subfolders in my CABS folder, but they don't appear to contain
installation files. The biggest set of subfolders is in
E:\Options\Cabs\Tour, which really is an installed application that
explains Win98 improvements over Win95. (That thanatiod should see
that!)

In a quick test I took my new clean VPC of ME, and installed all the
critical updates (except the two 'solo' updates - ie6SP1 and the SR
update). 16 files are added to the /install folder prior to the reboot

Now I'm thinking your Install folder is something different from a .cabs
folder. I don't seem to have any folder called "Install" here in
Win98SE. If any such folder was used (Compaq did the install), it's been
properly deleted. I guess C:\Windows\Temp & possibly other locations are
used for that in Win98.

Note that ME also stores updated files elsewhere - in the
C:\Windows\OPTIONS\CABS folder, the same 16 files now exist.

That sounds like what Win98 is doing. Updated files are put there so
that SFC (& I think DOS EXTRACT) will take them (should one need to run
those), instead of the originals in the .cabs (if any). The folder that
holds the .cabs is searched for a loose file before the .cabs are
searched-- if found, the search is over!

adding IE6 results in (after disallowing newer file replacement caused
by out-of-sync updating) no changes in the Install folder, or in the
CABS folder - it also breaks Windows Updates g

IE6 appears to have its installation stuff in...
C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files
..., but it's basically just the original IE6 .cabs, ie6setup.exe &
ie6setup.ini that are there. Windows Updated IE6 files, like MSHTML.dll,
go into a system folder, like C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM, but not into the IE6
.cabs folder & not into the Windows .cabs folder, either, looks like.
The installation goes to...
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer
..., but that also doesn't get unpacked system IE6 files like
Mshtml.dll.

going back to the start and adding SR first, then IE6SP1 results in
just the SR update being cached in both CABS and INSTALL

I'm still trying to figure what WinME's INSTALL folder is. If Win98 had
an SR update to IE, it was Compaq who installed it for me. I'm the one
who took the SP1 update, though, & I confirm it appears not to put
updated files in the any .cabs folder.

(and a
slightly broken WU - need to use https to get in)

Sometimes it goes on the blink. Just try again later...
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

adding the rest of the critical updates (now 23) gives a total of 17
new files in CABS and INSTALL

These are identical files? And they also end up in a system folder, like
C:\Windows\System? If so-- why are you getting three???

adding 8 of the 'non-criticals' results in the OE patch not
installing (dunno why - yet! g - possibly because it's not been set
up?), and a new total of 22 files

I think it's best to do the criticals first, anyhow.

adding DX9 puts no new files in the INSTALL folder, but there's now 26
files in the CABS folder (b&gger - didn't check that previously!) The
newer ones seem to be from the DX9 install, but the creation dates are
2005, rather than today.

That's right. Creation Date is the date a file was last opened & written
to, not the date the file was moved from one location to another. That's
good!

But I'm not finding many DX9 files in my CABS folder, except maybe
DX70opk.exe. Name some of yours.

hmmm - new sec patch for DX9....add that... OK
reinstall OE Patch - OK (!)
no new files
add WMP9...no new files
add .NET 1.1.... no new files

Thanks for forcing me to do this - it's something I've been meaning to
do for a while!!

You are welcome. Glad you got it straightened out. Some day I swear
again I must do a fresh install of my own just to see how that goes! But
afterwards I'd have to restore my current install for all the extras
Compaq added, like Microsoft Works, Encarta, CeQuadrat (probably runs my
CD-R/W drive), & the Built in Technician-- just to name a few! I don't
have separate installation CDs for those, but only two Compaq
QuickRestore CDs that has everything encrypted on it!

This is turning into another one of our famous 'longest post in the
world' threads!
The files you have are pretty much the same as mine if you allow for
the differences in OS -
Volume in drive C is WIN ME
Volume Serial Number is 1C6C-19EA
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
File Name Size Allocated Modified Accessed
Attrib


IFSMGR VXD 185,910 188,416 19/09/00 14:10 28/04/09 A
IFSMGR.VXD
VSERVER VXD 112,896 114,688 25/09/00 18:34 28/04/09 A
VSERVER.VXD
MOVIEMK EXE 774,219 778,240 12/01/01 15:18 29/04/09 R
A MovieMk.exe
SMGR DLL 225,552 229,376 23/02/01 13:45 28/04/09 A
SMGR.DLL
SSDPAPI DLL 38,672 40,960 28/09/01 16:52 28/04/09
SSDPAPI.DLL
SSDPSRV EXE 56,592 57,344 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
SSDPSRV.EXE
UPNP DLL 128,272 131,072 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
UPNP.DLL
HHCTRLUI DLL 88,064 90,112 20/05/02 11:09 28/04/09 A
HHCTRLUI.DLL
DZIP32 DLL 130,320 131,072 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DZIP32.DLL
DUNZIP32 DLL 98,064 98,304 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DUNZIP32.DLL
XENROLL DLL 172,664 176,128 09/07/02 8:45 28/04/09 A
XENROLL.DLL
ZIPFLDR DLL 193,296 196,608 10/09/02 16:13 28/04/09 A
ZIPFLDR.DLL
CRYPT32 DLL 468,752 471,040 12/09/02 15:51 28/04/09 A
CRYPT32.DLL
CRYPTDLG DLL 90,384 94,208 25/09/02 12:36 28/04/09 A
CRYPTDLG.DLL
HELPCTR EXE 499,984 503,808 08/01/03 9:24 28/04/09
HELPCTR.EXE
MSCONV97 DLL 116,288 118,784 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
MSCONV97.DLL
HTML32 CNV 311,864 315,392 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
HTML32.CNV
HLINK DLL 68,096 69,632 16/11/04 13:32 28/04/09 A
HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 12,288 13/04/05 17:06 28/04/09 A
hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 520,192 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 40,960 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 147,456 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 131,072 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 163,840 24/11/05 16:54 28/04/09 A
t2embed.dll
Q918547 DLL 4,288 8,192 24/04/06 2:24 28/04/09 R
A Q918547.dll
KB918547 EXE 8,256 12,288 24/04/06 2:24 28/04/09 R
A KB918547.EXE
.. DIR 28/04/09 9:20 28/04/09 D
..
... DIR 28/04/09 9:20 28/04/09 D
...
LIST TXT 0 0 29/04/09 11:11 29/04/09 A
list.txt
27 file(s) 4,776,737 bytes
2 dir(s) 4,841,472 bytes allocated


Volume in drive C is WIN ME
Volume Serial Number is 1C6C-19EA
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL
File Name Size Allocated Modified Accessed
Attrib
[52 defaults files listed, then]......
IFSMGR VXD 185,910 188,416 19/09/00 14:10 29/04/09 A
IFSMGR.VXD
VSERVER VXD 112,896 114,688 25/09/00 18:34 28/04/09 A
VSERVER.VXD
MOVIEMK EXE 774,219 778,240 12/01/01 15:18 28/04/09 R
A MovieMk.exe
SMGR DLL 225,552 229,376 23/02/01 13:45 28/04/09 A
SMGR.DLL
SSDPAPI DLL 38,672 40,960 28/09/01 16:52 28/04/09
SSDPAPI.DLL
SSDPSRV EXE 56,592 57,344 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
SSDPSRV.EXE
UPNP DLL 128,272 131,072 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
UPNP.DLL
HHCTRLUI DLL 88,064 90,112 20/05/02 11:09 28/04/09 A
HHCTRLUI.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 12,288 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
HH.EXE
HHSETUP DLL 37,888 40,960 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
HHSETUP.DLL
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 147,456 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
ITIRCL.DLL
ITSS DLL 122,368 122,880 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
ITSS.DLL
DZIP32 DLL 130,320 131,072 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DZIP32.DLL
DUNZIP32 DLL 98,064 98,304 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DUNZIP32.DLL
XENROLL DLL 172,664 176,128 09/07/02 8:45 28/04/09 A
XENROLL.DLL
ZIPFLDR DLL 193,296 196,608 10/09/02 16:13 28/04/09 A
ZIPFLDR.DLL
CRYPT32 DLL 468,752 471,040 12/09/02 15:51 28/04/09 A
CRYPT32.DLL
CRYPTDLG DLL 90,384 94,208 25/09/02 12:36 28/04/09 A
CRYPTDLG.DLL
HHCTRL OCX 516,192 520,192 16/12/02 13:10 28/04/09 A
HHCTRL.OCX
HELPCTR EXE 499,984 503,808 08/01/03 9:24 28/04/09
HELPCTR.EXE
MSCONV97 DLL 116,288 118,784 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
MSCONV97.DLL
HTML32 CNV 311,864 315,392 26/06/03 22:19 29/04/09 A
HTML32.CNV
.. DIR 23/11/03 19:00 23/11/03 D
..
... DIR 23/11/03 19:00 23/11/03 D
...
LIST TXT 0 0 29/04/09 11:04 29/04/09 A
list.txt
75 file(s) 165,136,810 bytes
2 dir(s) 165,273,600 bytes allocated

Interesting that the Movie Maker update(MOVIEMK EXE) is the only
read-only file there, while Q918547.DLL and KB918547.EXE are both
present and read-only in the CABS folder (along with the MM update)

Dunno why?.

As you suggest, the reason for having the files in the /options
heirarchy is for access by standard extraction tools.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Setup
has the value
"SourcePath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\OPTIONS\\INSTALL\\"
which is the only visible entry in the registry for the \options
heirarchy - the rest must be hard-coded and therefore it's probable
that there are hang-overs from Win98 caused by the rushed advent of ME

Yes, the IE6SP1 setup files are in their own folder - which is good
for a reinstall if required - C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files

Ah - the help files that I thought had been updated by Dx9 were in
fact updated by
"Windows Millennium Edition Q896358 Update"
"Windows Millennium Edition Q323255 Update"
and
"Windows Millennium Edition Q811630 Update"

--
Noel Paton
www.crashfixpc.co.uk

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi

Noel Paton wrote:
On Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:52:50 -0400, "PCR" wrote:

Noel Paton wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:41:25 -0400, "PCR"
wrote:


reason is that caching of updated files takes place. I don't have a
Win 98 VPC handy, but suspect that in 98 the CAB files are extracted
rather than stored cabbed? any subfolders? - none in ME.

Windows installation files are in .cabs in Win98SE too. I've got 80
.cabs (including weird, unreadable ones like _sys1.cab & _user1.cab) &
215 loose files in my E:\Options\Cabs folder. That is where I have
moved them from C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. After that, Windows Update
continued to deposit loose files in the original folder (despite I
fixed all Registry mentionings!) -- which I've been moving over to
E:\ -- but there are 10 still to go...!...

C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABSdir /a
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
HLINK DLL 68,096 11-16-04 1:32p HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 04-13-05 5:06p hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 04-14-05 12:44p hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 04-14-05 12:44p hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 04-14-05 12:44p itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 04-14-05 12:44p itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 11-24-05 4:54p t2embed.dll
FDISK EXE 64,460 05-18-00 8:35a FDISK.EXE
KB918547 EXE 8,256 04-24-06 2:24a KB918547.EXE
Q918547 DLL 4,288 04-24-06 2:24a Q918547.dll
10 file(s) 1,149,404 bytes

Can it be something else is putting files there too in addition to
Windows Update? These files are here in addition to being present in
system folders, like C:\Windows\System.

There are subfolders in my CABS folder, but they don't appear to
contain installation files. The biggest set of subfolders is in
E:\Options\Cabs\Tour, which really is an installed application that
explains Win98 improvements over Win95. (That thanatiod should see
that!)

In a quick test I took my new clean VPC of ME, and installed all the
critical updates (except the two 'solo' updates - ie6SP1 and the SR
update). 16 files are added to the /install folder prior to the
reboot

Now I'm thinking your Install folder is something different from a
.cabs folder. I don't seem to have any folder called "Install" here in
Win98SE. If any such folder was used (Compaq did the install), it's
been properly deleted. I guess C:\Windows\Temp & possibly other
locations are used for that in Win98.

Note that ME also stores updated files elsewhere - in the
C:\Windows\OPTIONS\CABS folder, the same 16 files now exist.

That sounds like what Win98 is doing. Updated files are put there so
that SFC (& I think DOS EXTRACT) will take them (should one need to
run those), instead of the originals in the .cabs (if any). The
folder that holds the .cabs is searched for a loose file before the
.cabs are searched-- if found, the search is over!

adding IE6 results in (after disallowing newer file replacement
caused by out-of-sync updating) no changes in the Install folder,
or in the CABS folder - it also breaks Windows Updates g

IE6 appears to have its installation stuff in...
C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files
..., but it's basically just the original IE6 .cabs, ie6setup.exe &
ie6setup.ini that are there. Windows Updated IE6 files, like
MSHTML.dll, go into a system folder, like C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM, but not
into the IE6 .cabs folder & not into the Windows .cabs folder,
either, looks like. The installation goes to...
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer
..., but that also doesn't get unpacked system IE6 files like
Mshtml.dll.

going back to the start and adding SR first, then IE6SP1 results in
just the SR update being cached in both CABS and INSTALL

I'm still trying to figure what WinME's INSTALL folder is. If Win98
had an SR update to IE, it was Compaq who installed it for me. I'm
the one who took the SP1 update, though, & I confirm it appears not
to put updated files in the any .cabs folder.

(and a
slightly broken WU - need to use https to get in)

Sometimes it goes on the blink. Just try again later...
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

adding the rest of the critical updates (now 23) gives a total of 17
new files in CABS and INSTALL

These are identical files? And they also end up in a system folder,
like C:\Windows\System? If so-- why are you getting three???

adding 8 of the 'non-criticals' results in the OE patch not
installing (dunno why - yet! g - possibly because it's not been
set up?), and a new total of 22 files

I think it's best to do the criticals first, anyhow.

adding DX9 puts no new files in the INSTALL folder, but there's now
26 files in the CABS folder (b&gger - didn't check that
previously!) The newer ones seem to be from the DX9 install, but
the creation dates are 2005, rather than today.

That's right. Creation Date is the date a file was last opened &
written to, not the date the file was moved from one location to
another. That's good!

But I'm not finding many DX9 files in my CABS folder, except maybe
DX70opk.exe. Name some of yours.

hmmm - new sec patch for DX9....add that... OK
reinstall OE Patch - OK (!)
no new files
add WMP9...no new files
add .NET 1.1.... no new files

Thanks for forcing me to do this - it's something I've been meaning
to do for a while!!

You are welcome. Glad you got it straightened out. Some day I swear
again I must do a fresh install of my own just to see how that goes!
But afterwards I'd have to restore my current install for all the
extras Compaq added, like Microsoft Works, Encarta, CeQuadrat
(probably runs my CD-R/W drive), & the Built in Technician-- just to
name a few! I don't have separate installation CDs for those, but
only two Compaq QuickRestore CDs that has everything encrypted on it!

This is turning into another one of our famous 'longest post in the
world' threads!

Yep. Soon there will be complaints!

The files you have are pretty much the same as mine if you allow for
the differences in OS -

Yea. These look like files I've got. But I said, I've got 216 loose
files in my CABS folder & 10 more (though some at least have the same
name) in my original CABS folder yet to be moved over. Of that total, 83
are an .exe or a .dll.

Volume in drive C is WIN ME
Volume Serial Number is 1C6C-19EA
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS
File Name Size Allocated Modified Accessed
Attrib


IFSMGR VXD 185,910 188,416 19/09/00 14:10 28/04/09 A
IFSMGR.VXD
VSERVER VXD 112,896 114,688 25/09/00 18:34 28/04/09 A
VSERVER.VXD
MOVIEMK EXE 774,219 778,240 12/01/01 15:18 29/04/09 R
A MovieMk.exe
SMGR DLL 225,552 229,376 23/02/01 13:45 28/04/09 A
SMGR.DLL
SSDPAPI DLL 38,672 40,960 28/09/01 16:52 28/04/09
SSDPAPI.DLL
SSDPSRV EXE 56,592 57,344 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
SSDPSRV.EXE
UPNP DLL 128,272 131,072 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
UPNP.DLL
HHCTRLUI DLL 88,064 90,112 20/05/02 11:09 28/04/09 A
HHCTRLUI.DLL
DZIP32 DLL 130,320 131,072 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DZIP32.DLL
DUNZIP32 DLL 98,064 98,304 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DUNZIP32.DLL
XENROLL DLL 172,664 176,128 09/07/02 8:45 28/04/09 A
XENROLL.DLL
ZIPFLDR DLL 193,296 196,608 10/09/02 16:13 28/04/09 A
ZIPFLDR.DLL
CRYPT32 DLL 468,752 471,040 12/09/02 15:51 28/04/09 A
CRYPT32.DLL
CRYPTDLG DLL 90,384 94,208 25/09/02 12:36 28/04/09 A
CRYPTDLG.DLL
HELPCTR EXE 499,984 503,808 08/01/03 9:24 28/04/09
HELPCTR.EXE
MSCONV97 DLL 116,288 118,784 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
MSCONV97.DLL
HTML32 CNV 311,864 315,392 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
HTML32.CNV
HLINK DLL 68,096 69,632 16/11/04 13:32 28/04/09 A
HLINK.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 12,288 13/04/05 17:06 28/04/09 A
hh.exe
HHCTRL OCX 519,168 520,192 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
hhctrl.ocx
HHSETUP DLL 38,912 40,960 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
hhsetup.dll
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 147,456 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
itircl.dll
ITSS DLL 128,000 131,072 14/04/05 12:44 28/04/09 A
itss.dll
T2EMBED DLL 163,600 163,840 24/11/05 16:54 28/04/09 A
t2embed.dll
Q918547 DLL 4,288 8,192 24/04/06 2:24 28/04/09 R
A Q918547.dll
KB918547 EXE 8,256 12,288 24/04/06 2:24 28/04/09 R
A KB918547.EXE
. DIR 28/04/09 9:20 28/04/09 D
.
.. DIR 28/04/09 9:20 28/04/09 D
..
LIST TXT 0 0 29/04/09 11:11 29/04/09 A
list.txt
27 file(s) 4,776,737 bytes
2 dir(s) 4,841,472 bytes allocated


Volume in drive C is WIN ME
Volume Serial Number is 1C6C-19EA
Directory of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\INSTALL
File Name Size Allocated Modified Accessed
Attrib
[52 defaults files listed, then]......
IFSMGR VXD 185,910 188,416 19/09/00 14:10 29/04/09 A
IFSMGR.VXD
VSERVER VXD 112,896 114,688 25/09/00 18:34 28/04/09 A
VSERVER.VXD
MOVIEMK EXE 774,219 778,240 12/01/01 15:18 28/04/09 R
A MovieMk.exe
SMGR DLL 225,552 229,376 23/02/01 13:45 28/04/09 A
SMGR.DLL
SSDPAPI DLL 38,672 40,960 28/09/01 16:52 28/04/09
SSDPAPI.DLL
SSDPSRV EXE 56,592 57,344 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
SSDPSRV.EXE
UPNP DLL 128,272 131,072 28/09/01 16:53 28/04/09
UPNP.DLL
HHCTRLUI DLL 88,064 90,112 20/05/02 11:09 28/04/09 A
HHCTRLUI.DLL
HH EXE 10,752 12,288 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
HH.EXE
HHSETUP DLL 37,888 40,960 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
HHSETUP.DLL
ITIRCL DLL 143,872 147,456 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
ITIRCL.DLL
ITSS DLL 122,368 122,880 10/06/02 12:56 28/04/09 A
ITSS.DLL
DZIP32 DLL 130,320 131,072 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DZIP32.DLL
DUNZIP32 DLL 98,064 98,304 18/06/02 16:33 28/04/09 A
DUNZIP32.DLL
XENROLL DLL 172,664 176,128 09/07/02 8:45 28/04/09 A
XENROLL.DLL
ZIPFLDR DLL 193,296 196,608 10/09/02 16:13 28/04/09 A
ZIPFLDR.DLL
CRYPT32 DLL 468,752 471,040 12/09/02 15:51 28/04/09 A
CRYPT32.DLL
CRYPTDLG DLL 90,384 94,208 25/09/02 12:36 28/04/09 A
CRYPTDLG.DLL
HHCTRL OCX 516,192 520,192 16/12/02 13:10 28/04/09 A
HHCTRL.OCX
HELPCTR EXE 499,984 503,808 08/01/03 9:24 28/04/09
HELPCTR.EXE
MSCONV97 DLL 116,288 118,784 26/06/03 22:19 28/04/09 A
MSCONV97.DLL
HTML32 CNV 311,864 315,392 26/06/03 22:19 29/04/09 A
HTML32.CNV
. DIR 23/11/03 19:00 23/11/03 D
.
.. DIR 23/11/03 19:00 23/11/03 D
..
LIST TXT 0 0 29/04/09 11:04 29/04/09 A
list.txt
75 file(s) 165,136,810 bytes
2 dir(s) 165,273,600 bytes allocated

Interesting that the Movie Maker update(MOVIEMK EXE) is the only
read-only file there, while Q918547.DLL and KB918547.EXE are both
present and read-only in the CABS folder (along with the MM update)

Dunno why?.

I agree MS should have made every system file to be read-only. I guess
not everyone got the memo!

As you suggest, the reason for having the files in the /options
heirarchy is for access by standard extraction tools.

Yep. And I think that ability to take loose files from the folder that
holds the .cab files must be hardcoded into SCF & EXTRACT-- because none
of my Registry changes has affected the outcome! Getting them into the
folder must be the work of an .inf, though.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Setup
has the value
"SourcePath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\OPTIONS\\INSTALL\\"
which is the only visible entry in the registry for the \options
heirarchy - the rest must be hard-coded and therefore it's probable
that there are hang-overs from Win98 caused by the rushed advent of ME

I have...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Setup
CommandLine "/T:C:\WININST0.400 /SrcDir=E:\OPTIONS\CABS
/IS /IW /IQ /ID /IV /IZ /II /NR /II /C
/U:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
OLSSrcPath "E:\OPTIONS\CABS\OLS"
SourcePath "E:\OPTIONS\cabs\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\SysDM
SearchLocation "E:\OPTIONS\cabs"

But those were all changed from C:\Windows\Options\Cabs. And everything
else is in MRU (Most Recently Used) lists.

Yes, the IE6SP1 setup files are in their own folder - which is good
for a reinstall if required - C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files

Right. In fact, I've got a folder full of IE6 installation files...
C:\WINDOWS\Windows Update Setup Files
....& a 2nd one full of IE5 installation files...!...
C:\Windows Update Setup Files
....& C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer has both a copy of IE6Setup.exe
& IE5Setup.exe! I vaguely recall I answered to keep the option to revert
during the install of IE6.

Ah - the help files that I thought had been updated by Dx9 were in
fact updated by
"Windows Millennium Edition Q896358 Update"
"Windows Millennium Edition Q323255 Update"
and
"Windows Millennium Edition Q811630 Update"

OK. I've got those too in Win98. Very similar, then.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
Should things get worse after this,
PCR