Hmm. I've come across a command for DOS - scanreg /restore - which I didn't know was a thing. An early version of System Restore essentially. I chose the earliest, which is 01/01/97, and that brought the Safely Remove Hardware icon back, and seemingly stopped the Illegal Operation error, but everything I've installed since has been undone. So I'm a bit conflicted about it. I guess I might just have to bite the bullet and commit to it. And then reinstall all the Windows games. I don't think the DOS commands have been affected as they still load on restart, and DOS games and image files are still present on my D drive. I'm just a bit concerned if the issues come back again.

The Illegal Operations are getting ridiculous though. They're random and can lock the whole system up that I have to reboot. It happened right before finishing installing Broken Sword 2. >_>

The win98/95 logo is just a normal bitmap witj a small assembler program tacked on that cycles the bottom pixels.

It's names logo.sys, and is found in the windows directory.

If the file is missing, it obviously cant be displayed.

Additionally, there is a hidden configuration setting inside msdos.sys that turns the logo on and off. You'll need to unhide it, and make it not read only to be able to edit it, but it's just a text file inside. Look for the 'logo=' line.

Logo=0 disables the logo. Logo=1 turns it on.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-20, 22:35:

I've run into a few minor technical issues with Windows 98 SE. The main one I'd like to sort out, if possible, is that the Windows 98 logo no longer appears during boot, which I'd like for it to again. I think it's due to the amount of drivers that load up in DOS beforehand? I read that adding a command in msdos.sys called LOGO=1 should sort it, but it hasn't for me. So I figure the only way around it would be to delay the drivers that load on boot...? Is it possible to set them to load only if I restart into DOS or boot into it on startup from the boot menu?

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the end of the "DOS part" of the boot process, then it will display the logo again for the "Windows part" of the process. If you are using some kind of solid-state storage the "Windows part" may go very quickly.

This is different from the logo settings, which would hide the logo entirely from the "DOS part" of the boot process. Change it to LOGO=0 and you'll see things getting further away from what you want.

My recollection is that most of my 9x machines back in the day did this. Typically due to sound card-related DOS drivers. More likely to happen if it was an upgrade install over DOS/Win3.11. One other thing I remembered: make sure you don't have blank lines in autoexec.bat (or maybe config.sys too). I think blank lines may throw the "DOS part" of the boot process into text mode.

wierd_w wrote on 2024-11-20, 23:59:

The win98/95 logo is just a normal bitmap witj a small assembler program tacked on that cycles the bottom pixels. […]
Show full quote

The win98/95 logo is just a normal bitmap witj a small assembler program tacked on that cycles the bottom pixels.

It's names logo.sys, and is found in the windows directory.

If the file is missing, it obviously cant be displayed.

Additionally, there is a hidden configuration setting inside msdos.sys that turns the logo on and off. You'll need to unhide it, and make it not read only to be able to edit it, but it's just a text file inside. Look for the 'logo=' line.

Logo=0 disables the logo. Logo=1 turns it on.

I'll have to take a look next time and see if the file is still there or not. When I added logo=1 to msdos.sys, the line wasn't there originally; I had to add it myself.

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 00:20:

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the en […]
Show full quote

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-20, 22:35:

I've run into a few minor technical issues with Windows 98 SE. The main one I'd like to sort out, if possible, is that the Windows 98 logo no longer appears during boot, which I'd like for it to again. I think it's due to the amount of drivers that load up in DOS beforehand? I read that adding a command in msdos.sys called LOGO=1 should sort it, but it hasn't for me. So I figure the only way around it would be to delay the drivers that load on boot...? Is it possible to set them to load only if I restart into DOS or boot into it on startup from the boot menu?

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the end of the "DOS part" of the boot process, then it will display the logo again for the "Windows part" of the process. If you are using some kind of solid-state storage the "Windows part" may go very quickly.

This is different from the logo settings, which would hide the logo entirely from the "DOS part" of the boot process. Change it to LOGO=0 and you'll see things getting further away from what you want.

My recollection is that most of my 9x machines back in the day did this. Typically due to sound card-related DOS drivers. More likely to happen if it was an upgrade install over DOS/Win3.11. One other thing I remembered: make sure you don't have blank lines in autoexec.bat (or maybe config.sys too). I think blank lines may throw the "DOS part" of the boot process into text mode.

No, no SSD. Just regular mechanical HDDs. It did use to show the logo before I was messing around with getting drivers to work in DOS. I had to set up the CD drive, mouse, and audio device drivers.

And blank lines...? You mean spaces/gaps after each command line? I don't believe I have any; they're stacked on top of each other, one line at a time.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 00:59:

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 00:20:

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the en […]
Show full quote

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-20, 22:35:

I've run into a few minor technical issues with Windows 98 SE. The main one I'd like to sort out, if possible, is that the Windows 98 logo no longer appears during boot, which I'd like for it to again. I think it's due to the amount of drivers that load up in DOS beforehand? I read that adding a command in msdos.sys called LOGO=1 should sort it, but it hasn't for me. So I figure the only way around it would be to delay the drivers that load on boot...? Is it possible to set them to load only if I restart into DOS or boot into it on startup from the boot menu?

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the end of the "DOS part" of the boot process, then it will display the logo again for the "Windows part" of the process. If you are using some kind of solid-state storage the "Windows part" may go very quickly.

This is different from the logo settings, which would hide the logo entirely from the "DOS part" of the boot process. Change it to LOGO=0 and you'll see things getting further away from what you want.

My recollection is that most of my 9x machines back in the day did this. Typically due to sound card-related DOS drivers. More likely to happen if it was an upgrade install over DOS/Win3.11. One other thing I remembered: make sure you don't have blank lines in autoexec.bat (or maybe config.sys too). I think blank lines may throw the "DOS part" of the boot process into text mode.

No, no SSD. Just regular mechanical HDDs. It did use to show the logo before I was messing around with getting drivers to work in DOS. I had to set up the CD drive, mouse, and audio device drivers.

And blank lines...? You mean spaces/gaps after each command line? I don't believe I have any; they're stacked on top of each other, one line at a time.

Right, that sounds normal - you should see 'Starting Windows 98' in text mode, then get the logo, then go back to text mode with the first DOS driver that throws it into text mode, then get the logo again when the boot process calls WIN.COM, then get the wallpaper and the mouse cursor, and then the logon screen or the desktop.

Actually, here is a thought I had - try to remove the mouse driver. Wouldn't surprise me if the mouse driver kicked you into text mode. (Also, isn't there another file that is triggered when you go to MS-DOS mode? And that's the file you'd put the mouse driver in? Sorry, I haven't done this in 25ish years, my retro 98SE project is... unplugged and unfinished.)

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 01:05:

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 00:59:

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 00:20:

I think that's normal - some DOS drivers will kick the boot screen into text mode, and then it remains in text mode until the end of the "DOS part" of the boot process, then it will display the logo again for the "Windows part" of the process. If you are using some kind of solid-state storage the "Windows part" may go very quickly.

This is different from the logo settings, which would hide the logo entirely from the "DOS part" of the boot process. Change it to LOGO=0 and you'll see things getting further away from what you want.

My recollection is that most of my 9x machines back in the day did this. Typically due to sound card-related DOS drivers. More likely to happen if it was an upgrade install over DOS/Win3.11. One other thing I remembered: make sure you don't have blank lines in autoexec.bat (or maybe config.sys too). I think blank lines may throw the "DOS part" of the boot process into text mode.

No, no SSD. Just regular mechanical HDDs. It did use to show the logo before I was messing around with getting drivers to work in DOS. I had to set up the CD drive, mouse, and audio device drivers.

And blank lines...? You mean spaces/gaps after each command line? I don't believe I have any; they're stacked on top of each other, one line at a time.

Right, that sounds normal - you should see 'Starting Windows 98' in text mode, then get the logo, then go back to text mode with the first DOS driver that throws it into text mode, then get the logo again when the boot process calls WIN.COM, then get the wallpaper and the mouse cursor, and then the logon screen or the desktop.

Actually, here is a thought I had - try to remove the mouse driver. Wouldn't surprise me if the mouse driver kicked you into text mode. (Also, isn't there another file that is triggered when you go to MS-DOS mode? And that's the file you'd put the mouse driver in? Sorry, I haven't done this in 25ish years, my retro 98SE project is... unplugged and unfinished.)

Yeah, that's exactly right. That's what should happen. Did happen.

Do you mean the autoexec.bat file? All my drivers/commands are loaded via that anyway. Plus I may have to add another one soon so it changes my CD drive to use an emulated one for reading disc images.

I believe this is what it's like at the moment:

SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 T6
SET SBPCI=C:\DOSDRV
C:\DOSDRV\SBLOAD
C:\DOSDRV\SBINIT.COM
C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE
LH MSCDEX /D:OPTICAL
LH C:\DOSDRV\MOUSE.COM /P4

And then there's the config.sys file:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOSDRV\VIDECDD.SYS /D:OPTICAL
DOS=HIGH, UMB

I think there is meant to be something else right after DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS, but I can't remember what.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 02:10:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM

Why EMM386.EXE RAM ?? I almost always use EMM386.EXE NOEMS

"RAM=mmmm-nnnn Specifies a range of memory to be used for UMBs. If you specify RAM without a value, EMM386.EXE allocates all available extended memory,
an EMS page frame is established in upper memory, and all remaining upper memory space is converted to UMBs.

NOEMS Specifies that access to UMBs be provided, but not for expanded memory; that is, an EMS page frame is prohibited."

"For most people, the DEVICE= line that loads HIMEM.SYS can be very simple:
DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS
The full syntax for HIMEM.SYS can seem intimidating, but all the optional parameters have appropriate defaults:
DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS /A20CONTROL:onoff /CPUCLOCK:onoff /EISA /HMAMIN=min /INT15=size /NOTEST /NUMHANDLES=num /MACHINE:machcode /SHADOWRAM:onoff /VERBOSE /V"

Typically DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS /NOTEST is used.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 02:10:

Do you mean the autoexec.bat file? All my drivers/commands are loaded via that anyway. Plus I may have to add another one soon so it changes my CD drive to use an emulated one for reading disc images.

No, autoexec.bat is run before starting WIN.COM and going into Windows. I... thought... there was another file run for MS-DOS mode. Quick google suggests DOSSTART.BAT might be it? And you can have a custom autoexec.bat in an MS-DOS mode .pif too.

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386.

The /notr flag skips a check / load no handler for, token ring network adapters, which otherwise do bad stuff with emm386. It makes it run a teensy bit quicker, and iirc, makes it take a teensy bit less ram.

The /notest flag on himem.sys can have a rather big impact on slow machines, or machines with gobs of ram, but often can conceal memory related issues.

I try not to use it.

Horun wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:21:

Why EMM386.EXE RAM ?? I almost always use EMM386.EXE NOEMS […]
Show full quote

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 02:10:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM

Why EMM386.EXE RAM ?? I almost always use EMM386.EXE NOEMS

"RAM=mmmm-nnnn Specifies a range of memory to be used for UMBs. If you specify RAM without a value, EMM386.EXE allocates all available extended memory,
an EMS page frame is established in upper memory, and all remaining upper memory space is converted to UMBs.

NOEMS Specifies that access to UMBs be provided, but not for expanded memory; that is, an EMS page frame is prohibited."

"For most people, the DEVICE= line that loads HIMEM.SYS can be very simple:
DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS
The full syntax for HIMEM.SYS can seem intimidating, but all the optional parameters have appropriate defaults:
DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS /A20CONTROL:onoff /CPUCLOCK:onoff /EISA /HMAMIN=min /INT15=size /NOTEST /NUMHANDLES=num /MACHINE:machcode /SHADOWRAM:onoff /VERBOSE /V"

Typically DEVICE=drive:\path\HIMEM.SYS /NOTEST is used.

Okay. I have no idea what all that full syntax does. ^^; But I must have left it at EMM386.EXE RAM from my last experiments. I can't quite remember if that was carried over from someone else's suggestion. But another autoexec and config file, in my sound drivers folder, does have it set to how you put it - NOEMS - so I can change that. 😀 But what does NOTEST do?

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:27:

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 02:10:

Do you mean the autoexec.bat file? All my drivers/commands are loaded via that anyway. Plus I may have to add another one soon so it changes my CD drive to use an emulated one for reading disc images.

No, autoexec.bat is run before starting WIN.COM and going into Windows. I... thought... there was another file run for MS-DOS mode. Quick google suggests DOSSTART.BAT might be it? And you can have a custom autoexec.bat in an MS-DOS mode .pif too.

I see. So, should I put the contents of my autoexec into DOSSTART.BAT instead?

wierd_w wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:52:

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386. […]
Show full quote

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386.

The /notr flag skips a check / load no handler for, token ring network adapters, which otherwise do bad stuff with emm386. It makes it run a teensy bit quicker, and iirc, makes it take a teensy bit less ram.

The /notest flag on himem.sys can have a rather big impact on slow machines, or machines with gobs of ram, but often can conceal memory related issues.

I try not to use it.

Hmm. I'm not sure I understand. Do you suggest I add /notr at the end of the EMM386 line...? What does /notr mean? I've been learning all of these new commands in DOS lately. 😜

Also, does WIn98 have access to the scan command sfc /scannow? If so, I may have to give that a run and see what it turns up. Similarly for dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 12:05:

VivienM wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:27:

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 02:10:

Do you mean the autoexec.bat file? All my drivers/commands are loaded via that anyway. Plus I may have to add another one soon so it changes my CD drive to use an emulated one for reading disc images.

No, autoexec.bat is run before starting WIN.COM and going into Windows. I... thought... there was another file run for MS-DOS mode. Quick google suggests DOSSTART.BAT might be it? And you can have a custom autoexec.bat in an MS-DOS mode .pif too.

I see. So, should I put the contents of my autoexec into DOSSTART.BAT instead?

I don't think all of it...

I would try moving the mouse driver in there and see what happens.

Okay.

Also, my config.sys is a bit different to what I thought. It's actually:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS NOVCPI
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DOSDRV\VIDECDD.SYS /D:OPTICAL
DOS=HIGH, UMB

Progress!

I'm afraid moving the mouse driver to DOSSTART.BAT didn't make any difference. The logo.sys file is present. Also, when restarting the logo did display very briefly before shutting down. It disappeared way faster than it used to. Whilst looking for those files, I did come across the MS-DOS for games shortcuts. I sent both to the desktop. I tried the first one, which enables EMSS and XMS...? That fixed another issue I was having with a game, but it also kicked something into touch and now the logo has started displaying again. 😁 Even if I restart and load Windows as normal.

All that's left now are these random Illegal Operations and the missing Safely Remove Hardware icon. I have a suspicion that a Norton utility affected that. I remember after installing the Windows 98 Plus! program, it installed some Norton virus checker? I swear I read somewhere online that Norton software can cause problems? I'm pretty sure that icon vanished sometime after that was installed. The only thing I can think of trying now is reverting to the earliest registry point and reinstalling some stuff.

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 12:10:

wierd_w wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:52:

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386. […]
Show full quote

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386.

The /notr flag skips a check / load no handler for, token ring network adapters, which otherwise do bad stuff with emm386. It makes it run a teensy bit quicker, and iirc, makes it take a teensy bit less ram.

The /notest flag on himem.sys can have a rather big impact on slow machines, or machines with gobs of ram, but often can conceal memory related issues.

I try not to use it.

Hmm. I'm not sure I understand. Do you suggest I add /notr at the end of the EMM386 line...? What does /notr mean? I've been learning all of these new commands in DOS lately. 😜

it means 'no token ring'

otherwise, emm386 has a check routine that looks/tests for token ring network adapters. this flag skips that codepath. this detection routine can hang some computers, and is skippable. if you dont have a tokenring adapter in there, just skip the test.

wierd_w wrote on 2024-11-21, 15:28:

DustyShinigami wrote on 2024-11-21, 12:10:

wierd_w wrote on 2024-11-21, 03:52:

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386. […]
Show full quote

The only 'fancy' flag I give, is to emm386.

The /notr flag skips a check / load no handler for, token ring network adapters, which otherwise do bad stuff with emm386. It makes it run a teensy bit quicker, and iirc, makes it take a teensy bit less ram.

The /notest flag on himem.sys can have a rather big impact on slow machines, or machines with gobs of ram, but often can conceal memory related issues.

I try not to use it.

Hmm. I'm not sure I understand. Do you suggest I add /notr at the end of the EMM386 line...? What does /notr mean? I've been learning all of these new commands in DOS lately. 😜

it means 'no token ring'

otherwise, emm386 has a check routine that looks/tests for token ring network adapters. this flag skips that codepath. this detection routine can hang some computers, and is skippable. if you dont have a tokenring adapter in there, just skip the test.

Oh. 'Course. 😜 But yeah, I don't believe I do. So I'll add that as well. Thanks.