Using Kernel Ex with Windows ME? (now becoming XP vs. 98)

[98 Guy]

(now becoming XP vs. 98)

Only because someone else took us there.

WinXP ain't bad if you get it set up right, which, admitedly,
takes some experience.

I really wish there was a way to get a simple file-find working
on XP exactly the same as it works on win-98.

There are going to be things each does better, and (very arguably)
that is one of them.

There's better (at some deep, structural or foundation level) and
there's different (at a superficial level that's the result of a policy
decision and not for technical reasons).

The search interface, as implimented in XP (and further mangled in Vista
and Server 2008 and 7) is a function of a planning or policy decision by
Micro$haft, and one that I utterly have no time or patience for enduring
as a user.

You _can_ get command-line access to NTFS - just not from a
floppy boot.

You _can_ get command-line access in win-98, floppy or not (I don't
understand what your reference to a floppy was meant to indicate - you
don't need to boot from a floppy to start a win-98 system in pure DOS
mode).

But NTFS is strongly pushed by the XP installation process.

"Strongly" is a strong word.

The XP install process, when confronted with a pre-formatted FAT32
volume as the target for the installation, asks you only once (if I
recall correctly) if you want the volume formatted as NTFS - and easily
accepts NO for an answer.

though also a slight feeling that NTFS's claimed advantages don't
apply _for me_.

They don't apply to most people who use windoze on personal PC's or
within a SOHO environment. Only when you get to the managed
environments of the corporate, institutional or enterprise world does
the extra baggage of NTFS *really* come into play.

But when the koolaid tastes good, everyone drinks it.

I don't know what USB devices you have that you can't
use with win-98

Most (yes, not all) wi-fi dongles now; some wireless internet
dongles; many cameras (to use as a camera e. g. webcam, not
just as a card reader) ...

Well, I guess that's where we have to draw some lines.

In my world, Win-98 is not a portable operating system. It's a desktop
OS. In my world, desktop PC's are hard-wired to the internet, so right
off the bat stuff like wireless comm USB dongles are a non-issue.

Cameras? I find that dedicated IP cameras (with their own network
connection) are more ergonomic for remote viewing (I have several in and
outside my home, to allow for remote viewing from other locations for
example).

I suspect quite a few more esoteric devices, such as the
dreamcheeky missile launchers ... the vast majority of
TV sticks ...

I don't know what a "dreamcheeky missle launcher" is.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <***@Guy.com>, 98 Guy <***@Guy.com> writes:
[]

Post by 98 Guy

I really wish there was a way to get a simple file-find working
on XP exactly the same as it works on win-98.

There are going to be things each does better, and (very arguably)
that is one of them.

There's better (at some deep, structural or foundation level) and
there's different (at a superficial level that's the result of a policy
decision and not for technical reasons).
The search interface, as implimented in XP (and further mangled in Vista
and Server 2008 and 7) is a function of a planning or policy decision by
Micro$haft, and one that I utterly have no time or patience for enduring
as a user.

Obviously I must have only needed to do simple searches in XP, as I
haven't found it as irritating as you and some other people clearly do.
(Granted, I do find the namby-pamby way it treats you irritating, but
then that applies to much of every new Windows version.)

Post by 98 Guy

You _can_ get command-line access to NTFS - just not from a
floppy boot.

You _can_ get command-line access in win-98, floppy or not (I don't
understand what your reference to a floppy was meant to indicate - you
don't need to boot from a floppy to start a win-98 system in pure DOS
mode).

If the system files on your FAT HD are screwed to the point that it
won't even boot into DOS, you can still boot from a floppy (which will
also give you CD drive access).

Post by 98 Guy

But NTFS is strongly pushed by the XP installation process.

"Strongly" is a strong word.
The XP install process, when confronted with a pre-formatted FAT32
volume as the target for the installation, asks you only once (if I
recall correctly) if you want the volume formatted as NTFS - and easily
accepts NO for an answer.

OK, but it does default to assuming yes (IIRR, it even has a timeout,
but I may be wrong there), and I'm pretty sure it doesn't give the
option if presented with a completely unformatted drive.

Post by 98 Guy

though also a slight feeling that NTFS's claimed advantages don't
apply _for me_.

They don't apply to most people who use windoze on personal PC's or
within a SOHO environment. Only when you get to the managed
environments of the corporate, institutional or enterprise world does
the extra baggage of NTFS *really* come into play.

You're preaching to the converted here ...

Post by 98 Guy
But when the koolaid tastes good, everyone drinks it.

I don't know what USB devices you have that you can't
use with win-98

Most (yes, not all) wi-fi dongles now; some wireless internet
dongles; many cameras (to use as a camera e. g. webcam, not
just as a card reader) ...

Well, I guess that's where we have to draw some lines.
In my world, Win-98 is not a portable operating system. It's a desktop
OS. In my world, desktop PC's are hard-wired to the internet, so right
off the bat stuff like wireless comm USB dongles are a non-issue.

I have a '98 laptop. (Actually I don't keep it on my lap as it's heavy -
it's one of the very few [it's a Toshiba Armada] with the power supply
inside - a much more sensible option IMO. But it's still a portable.) I
do have a wireless thing that works with it - a Hawking dish - but most
new such don't have '98 drivers.

Post by 98 Guy
Cameras? I find that dedicated IP cameras (with their own network
connection) are more ergonomic for remote viewing (I have several in and
outside my home, to allow for remote viewing from other locations for
example).

Horses for courses: I'm referring to webcam and similar applications.

Post by 98 Guy

I suspect quite a few more esoteric devices, such as the
dreamcheeky missile launchers ... the vast majority of
TV sticks ...

I don't know what a "dreamcheeky missle launcher" is.

I don't have one, but those little toys with altitude and azimuth
control, that fire foam missiles across the office of people who have
too much time on their hands. DreamCheeky is the huge Chinese company
that makes a lot of peripherals, particularly USB ones - see
http://www.dreamcheeky.com/home to see the sort of thing they make, many
of which you'll have seen from your favourite outlet: don't try to buy
direct from them, unless you want things by the containerload! Things
like the missile launcher, roll-up piano and drum kit, ... most of which
won't I suspect come with '98 drivers.

[98 Guy]

Furthermore, I can install as large a HD as I like, without worrying
about it. :-) I'm currently using two *SATA2*, 250 GB, internal
drives, which is considered somewhat small these days.

Yes, I would say that 250 gb is small.

I have a 400 gb, 500gb , 750gb and 1.5 TB drives connected to my win-98
systems. All SATA drives.

I've formatted a 500 gb SATA drive as a single volume using 4kb cluster
size resulting in 120 million clusters and have installed and run
win-98se on such a volume. DOS scandisk works just fine on it.

If you take windows scandisk and defrag from windows ME (scandskw.exe,
diskmaint.dll, defrag.exe) and copy them over to a win-98 system, then
you'll be able to use them on up to a 1 tb volume (using 32 kb cluster
size).

The DOS fdisk.com program (May 2000 version) can create partitions on
drives as long as the drives are 500 gb in size or smaller. A free
program (Free Fdisk) can create partitions on drives at least as large
as 2 tb.

http://web.archive.org/web/20060110183341/ffdisk.webaps.de/fdisk121.zip

The DOS format.com program can correctly format volumes at least as
large as 1.5 tb.

A modified version of ESDI_506.PDR is available on MDGX.com that allows
win-98 to work with IDE drives larger than 128 gb.

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=78592
http://www.mdgx.com/files/ME48BLBA.EXE

Anyone with a motherboard based on Intel 8xx chipset (from 810 up to
860) can use the Intel Application Accelerator package to replace
ESDI_506.PDR with IntelATA.mpd.

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/4857/eng/iaa23_enu.exe

So, just to be clear: Anyone claiming that win-98/ME is limited to a
max hard drive size (or volume size) of 128 gb (aka 137 gb) is horribly
misinformed - or is outright lying.

[Sean B]

Post by 98 Guy

I really wish there was a way to get a simple file-find working
on XP exactly the same as it works on win-98.

There are going to be things each does better, and (very arguably)
that is one of them.

There's better (at some deep, structural or foundation level) and
there's different (at a superficial level that's the result of a policy
decision and not for technical reasons).
The search interface, as implimented in XP (and further mangled in Vista
and Server 2008 and 7) is a function of a planning or policy decision by
Micro$haft, and one that I utterly have no time or patience for enduring
as a user.

By far the best file search program for W98 or XP (possibly W7 as
well) is LOCATE32 freeware from
http://locate32.net/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
The source code is also available but I've never bothered with it.
I think it was last updated in 2007.

It keeps a small db with all your filenames in it and a search takes
just a few seconds. The db is updated whenever you want to do it or
think it need doing. It doesn't run all the time. I usually run mine
whenever I leave the computer for a few minutes. The db update can
also be run from a seperate DOS program selected from an icon on your
desktop or quick launch bar. It isn't a DOS commandline prog.

I use it to mostly find photographs. A drop down menu lets you select
just search for Jpegs.

Prior to this program I used to use the File Finder that comes with
Powerdesk, which is good but a lot slower because it searches and
reads the HDD at the same time. I still have it on the W98SE machine.

I'm not connecetd with Locate32 I came accross it on a blog.

Sean

[Esra Sdrawkcab]

On Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:31:34 -0000, Sean B

Post by Sean B

Post by 98 Guy

I really wish there was a way to get a simple file-find working
on XP exactly the same as it works on win-98.

There are going to be things each does better, and (very arguably)
that is one of them.

There's better (at some deep, structural or foundation level) and
there's different (at a superficial level that's the result of a policy
decision and not for technical reasons).
The search interface, as implimented in XP (and further mangled in Vista
and Server 2008 and 7) is a function of a planning or policy decision by
Micro$haft, and one that I utterly have no time or patience for enduring
as a user.

By far the best file search program for W98 or XP (possibly W7 as
well) is LOCATE32 freeware from
http://locate32.net/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
The source code is also available but I've never bothered with it.
I think it was last updated in 2007.
It keeps a small db with all your filenames in it and a search takes
just a few seconds. The db is updated whenever you want to do it or
think it need doing. It doesn't run all the time. I usually run mine
whenever I leave the computer for a few minutes. The db update can
also be run from a seperate DOS program selected from an icon on your
desktop or quick launch bar. It isn't a DOS commandline prog.
I use it to mostly find photographs. A drop down menu lets you select
just search for Jpegs.
Prior to this program I used to use the File Finder that comes with
Powerdesk, which is good but a lot slower because it searches and
reads the HDD at the same time. I still have it on the W98SE machine.
I'm not connecetd with Locate32 I came accross it on a blog.
Sean

Not tried that; I use Cathy - have done for a fair while.
http://www.mtg.sk/rva/
(PgDn to after the sokoban port)
it sounds similar to locate32, in that you need to update the db, it isn't
automatic (so no background task constantly slows your PC).

[Sean B]

Post by Esra Sdrawkcab
On Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:31:34 -0000, Sean B

Post by Sean B
By far the best file search program for W98 or XP (possibly W7 as
well) is LOCATE32 freeware from
http://locate32.net/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
The source code is also available but I've never bothered with it.
I think it was last updated in 2007.
It keeps a small db with all your filenames in it and a search takes
just a few seconds. The db is updated whenever you want to do it or
think it need doing. It doesn't run all the time. I usually run mine
whenever I leave the computer for a few minutes. The db update can
also be run from a seperate DOS program selected from an icon on your
desktop or quick launch bar. It isn't a DOS commandline prog.
I use it to mostly find photographs. A drop down menu lets you select
just search for Jpegs.
Prior to this program I used to use the File Finder that comes with
Powerdesk, which is good but a lot slower because it searches and
reads the HDD at the same time. I still have it on the W98SE machine.
I'm not connecetd with Locate32 I came accross it on a blog.
Sean

Not tried that; I use Cathy - have done for a fair while.
http://www.mtg.sk/rva/
(PgDn to after the sokoban port)
it sounds similar to locate32, in that you need to update the db, it isn't
automatic (so no background task constantly slows your PC).

I use Cathy for cataloging stuff I archive to DVD. Quite a crude
interface, more Window 3 than 98. It's not as good as a filesearch
program which gives you a lot more ammunition to search with.