Version information:

There have been two release of Windows 98, The original version as well as a "Second Edition". Unfortunately the upgrade is not a free one. In order to Update the older version, you must purchase the Second Edition.

How can you tell which version you have? Open your Control Panel System's, General Tab, it Will State Microsoft Windows 98 - Second Edition.

What it adds (some things):

• Support for Fat32 (a better file system that allows you to utilize more of your hard drive).

• More and better hardware support.

• Internet Connection Sharing - the ability of more than one computer to share an internet connection (either dialup or direct Ethernet).

• DVD Support.

 

Version information:

There are four versions to Windows 95, the original release, versions A, B, and C. The way to tell which version you are using is displayed in your Control Panel System's, General Tab. It will have the version number under "System:"

System: Microsoft Windows 95 4.00.950 *

The * will either be a letter A (the original version of Win95 with Service Pack 1 installed), a B (The OEM release 2) or nothing (the original version of Win95). There are subtle differences between the versions. Service Pack 1 or A fixed several holes in Security while Version B added some functionality. Version C closely resembles Windows 98 and attempts to add a Web Browser "type" interface.

What service pack A does:

(taken directly form Microsoft)

• OLE32 Update:
The Windows 95 OLE 32 update addresses file-management behavior in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows 95. Because of the way these applications use OLE for file storage, files created by these applications might contain extraneous data from previously deleted files. This data is not visible while you use the applications. However, when such a document file is viewed by using Windows Notepad (for example), it might be possible to see pieces of information from the previously deleted files. This could pose information security or privacy concerns if you distribute electronic versions of files created using these applications.

The OLE 32 update addresses this problem. Although the problem is known to occur only in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for Windows 95, the OLE 32 update is designed to prevent any application from potentially causing the same problem.

Note:

If you use Microsoft Office with Windows NT, this problem does not affect you, because the operating system initializes (clears) any disk space used by deleted files. If you use Microsoft Word 6.0, Microsoft Excel 5.0, or Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 with Windows version 3.1 or on an Apple Macintosh computer, contact Microsoft Customer Services to obtain the "C" maintenance releases of these products. Early releases of these versions are known to have a similar extraneous-data problem, which is fixed in the "C" releases. If you use Microsoft Word 6.0, Microsoft Excel 5.0, or Microsoft PowerPoint 4.0 with Windows 95, you should also obtain the "C" releases of these products.

• Microsoft Windows 95 Shell Update:
This update to Shell32.dll makes it possible to browse NetWare Directory Service printers from the Add Printer wizard. The Add Printer Wizard is found in the Printers folder. This change is applicable to you if you have installed Service for NetWare Directory Services. This update to the Windows 95 Shell32.dll file also fixes a problem in which files copied onto themselves can be truncated to a zero-byte file size. This occurs only in the following circumstances:

1.-When you copy a file onto itself using two different views of the same network resource (these can be different mapped drive letters or UNC connections to a network resource).

2.-When you copy a file onto itself using a drive that was created by the SUBST command.

• Windows 95 Common Dialog Update for Windows 3.1 Legacy Printer:
Drivers In Windows 95, when 32-bit applications print using Windows 3.1 monolithic drivers or the Windows 3.1 Pscript.drv / Unidrv.dll driver, the applications sometimes fail. This update addresses that problem.
• Vserver Update:
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks This update is for a problem with File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks and a certain UNIX network client (Samba's SMBCLIENT). The update corrects a problem with share-level security documented in the Microsoft Knowledge Base on October 9, 1995. The update also includes a correction for a similar problem with user-level security that Microsoft recently discovered as part of its internal testing of the new driver.

Note:

The phrase "Microsoft Networks" refers to Microsoft's networking software, not MSN (The Microsoft Network online service). Windows 95 enables users of the Samba SMBCLIENT to gain unauthorized access to the drive on which sharing is enabled by accepting certain specific networking commands. The Samba client is the only known SMB client that sends such networking commands. SMBCLIENT users do not automatically have access to the Windows 95 drive, and must know the exact steps to send these commands. The updated driver prevents Windows 95 from accepting these commands, preventing SMBCLIENT users from accessing the drive on which sharing is enabled. With the updated driver, an SMBCLIENT user will have access only to those shared folders that a Windows 95 user has designated.

• NWServer Update:
File and Printer Sharing for NetWare Networks This update is for a problem with File and Printer Sharing for NetWare Networks which might affect data security for corporate users. If your computer is configured for file and printer sharing and Remote Administration is enabled, another user on the network might gain read-only access to your computer after the administrator has logged off the computer and before you have restarted your computer. To correct this problem, Microsoft has issued an updated driver for File and Printer Sharing for NetWare Networks. The updated driver ensures that only valid administrators have access to the computer's drive.
• Vredir Update:
The Vredir Update fixes a problem that affects only Windows 95 users who use Samba UNIX servers. The problem arises from the basic Windows 95 and UNIX filename formats. UNIX allows filenames that include the backslash (\) and asterisk (*) characters, but in Windows 95, these are wildcard characters. Suppose that a Samba server contains a file named \\server\share\*.*, a legal UNIX filename. If a Windows 95 user connects to that server and tries to delete the *.* file by using Windows Explorer, all the files on \\server\share are deleted instead. This updated version of Vredir prevents this from happening by rejecting filenames that contain the \ or * characters.
• Windows 95 Password List Update:
The Windows 95 Password List Update protects your password file against potential security violations. When you connect to a password-protected resource, such as a network drive, you can choose to save that password. Windows then stores the password in an encrypted file on your hard disk. An algorithm was posted on the Internet for decrypting this file. If someone has access to your password file and knows the decryption algorithm, they may be able to decrypt it and the passwords it contains and then gain access to the password-protected resources. The Password List Update provides vastly improved encryption that is 2^96 (2 to the 96th power) harder to decrypt than the previous encryption method.
• Microsoft Plus! Update (System Agent Update):
The Microsoft Plus! Update provides an updated version of Sage.dll to fix a minor problem with System Agent: When version 1.0 System Agent is running, programs that perform floating-point calculations might be slightly off in precision. This problem does not occur if System Agent is turned off.

Note:

If you do not have Microsoft Plus! installed on your computer, this update will have no effect on your system. If you install Microsoft Plus! at a later date (after the Microsoft Plus! Update has been installed), Microsoft Plus! Setup will leave the updated version of Sage.dll file on your system.

• Printer Port (Lpt.vxd) Update:

This Lpt.vxd Update adds support for ECP (Enhanced Communication Parallel) port bi-directional communications used with certain printers (such as the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet Series 4 and 5 printers, some Lexmark Laser Printers, and possibly others). It may prevent time-out errors when printing.

Note:

The Lpt.vxd Update was also included in the Drivers\Printer\LPT folder on the Windows 95 CD-ROM; however, it was not installed by default during setup.



Windows 95 Secrets

Msdos.sys resides in the root directory. It is a hidden file. Use explorer, choose the option to show all and edit it with a text editor.

Under the [Options] header:

BootMulti=1 gives you the ability to boot into the old dos mode by pressing f4 when the Starting Windows 95 logo appears (timing is important). This is your original dos version not 95's.

BootGUI=0 boots in Windows 95 dos mode (not your old dos version), and bypasses the starting of Windows 95.

BootMenu=1 automatically brings up the boot menu options (same as if you hit f8 while booting).

BootMenuDefault=# sets the default boot to whatever number is represented by #.

BootMenuDelay=20 sets the amount of delay time before choosing the default boot member selected by BootMenuDefault value. The value can be any number (20 = 20 seconds).

BootDelay=# sets the amount of time the "Starting Windows 95" remains on the screen.

BootFailSafe=# the default is 0, buy changing it to 1, it forces your computer to boot into safe mode.

BootWin=0 Automatically boots the computer into the "Old" Dos mode.

Logo=0 Eliminates the windows 95 startup graphic.

Quick DOS Access (To launch a DOS session by right clicking on any folder)

Open a folder and select View from the menu. Next select the Options menu item. Select the File Type tab and scroll down until you find Folder. Hit the Edit button and then select New. Type "Shell to DOS" in the Action line and "c:\windows\command.com /K cd" in the Application used to perform action line. Select OK and then close all windows. Now try right clicking on a folder and you get another option to "Shell to DOS". It will also cause the folder you are pointing at to be the active folder.

Load DosKey in a DOS box automatically:

Right-click on DOSPRMPT.PIF (in your Windows directory), and select Properties. Click on the Program tab, and enter "DOSKEY" in the field labeled Batch File. Or you can just add it to your autoexec.bat

Edit the "Send To" menu:

The Send To menu is only a directory on your hard disk (C:\Windows\SendTo). Just drag any folders, programs, or drive icons into this folder to add their shortcuts to the Send To menu.

Format a: /u at the MS-DOS prompt (substitute A: for whatever drive letter you wish).

If you've ever formatted a disk through Windows GUI you know that it tends to utilize around 99 percent of the cpu (and you can't do much else). Try using DOS instead of Windows to format floppies. You'll get better multitasking, meaning you'll be able to do other things while formatting floppies. If you use the /u parameter, it will do an unconditional format, meaning that it won't save unformat information, resulting in a faster format and more free diskette space.

Choosing Shut Down from the Start Menu gives you several choices, including restarting your computer. However, to restart Windows without restarting your computer:

Hold down the Shift key while pressing OK in the Shut Down box.

To make an icon on your desktop to shut down your computer. Open a text editor such as Notepad.exe, type the following by itself: @EXIT Save the file, call it shutdown (or whatever else you'd like) and then create a shortcut on your desktop. Then right-click on the shortcut, select Properties, select the Program tab, and select the Close on Exit. Then, click Advanced, and select MS-DOS mode. Also make sure Warn before entering MS-DOS mode is turned off. Now you have a shortcut on your desk top to shut down your computer.

To get rid of your Network Neighborhood icon on your desktop.

Start the System Policy Editor (poledit.exe) from your Windows95 CD-ROM (it's in the Admin\Apptools\Poledit folder - I prefer to copy it to my hard drive). If you are asked to "Open a Template File," choose admin.adm in the same folder, and click OK. Select Open Registry from the File menu. Double-click on the Local User icon. Open Local_User\ Shell\ Restrictions. Check Hide Network Neighborhood. Click OK, and select Save from the File menu. You'll have to restart Windows for this change to take effect.

Getting Rid of the Inbox Icon (try one of the following)

Right-click on the Inbox icon on the desktop. Select Delete, and press OK.

Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE). Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ explorer\ Desktop\ NameSpace\. Look for the key 00020D75-0000-0000-C000-000000000046, that has a default value of Inbox. Delete the entire key (not just the default value), and close the Registry Editor. Click on the desktop, and press F5 to refresh the desktop and the Inbox icon will be gone.

Getting Rid of the MSN Icon (try one of the following)

Solution #1: Right-click on the MSN icon on the desktop. Select Delete, and press OK.

Note: You must delete the icon before using Add/Remove Programs to remove the MSN icon. If you use Add/Remove Programs first, the delete option on the MSN icon goes away.

Solution #2: If Solution #1 doesn't work, or if the MSN icon doesn't have a Delete option, you can also create a new folder, drag the MSN icon into that folder, and then drag the folder into the Recycle Bin.

Change the Registered User Information

You can change the Registered Owner, Registered Organization, or Product ID to anything you want. Here's how you do it:

Using the Registry Editor: Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE). Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion. To change the values of the RegisteredOrganization, RegisteredOwner, or ProductId, simply double-click on them.

Note: This will only change the registered user information for Windows95, not for the applications on your system.

Turn Off the Bouncing Click Here to Begin Arrow

The Click Here to Begin arrow that bounces off the start menu when you first start Windows95 was irritating right off the bat. I suppose it's useful for those folks who can't figure out what Start means, but many of us think it's fairly stupid. Microsoft claims that it is impossible to get rid of the little bouncing arrow, but we've figured it out:

Run the Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE). Open HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer. If it's not there, create a binary value and call it NoStartBanner. Double-click on NoStartBanner, and enter the value 01 00 00 00, and press OK. Repeat the same steps for HKEY_USERS\ .Default\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer.

Note: This setting can also be changed with TweakUI, one of Microsoft's PowerToys which can be found at http://kyle.mtholyoke.edu/miscutil.htm.

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This page is maintained by - kslate@mtholyoke.edu

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