Very Computer

> Geez, I had better go ahead and format that partition I have it running
> on.........and it's running so smooth too (shucks, guess it's just me
> convincing myself of it).

> Actually, I found a clean install of ME much easier than previous ones of
> 98. As far as drivers go, whose fault is it when a company doesn't put out
> drivers for their products? ME specs were released to developers long before
> it was released to the public. The same thing happens with any new OS
> releases.

> Personally, the only trouble I ran into was with the Adaptec burner software
> I have, so I just run it in Win98 only, Adaptec won't upgrade for free (and
> I won't get into the semantics of that). The only drivers I had to download
> were for my HP printer and Voodoo3 card.

> All-in-all, I like it, but I don't see it as a "mandatory" upgrade, just an
> optional one.

> just my 2
> --
> Best of Luck,

> Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase"

> Please reply only to newsgroup so that everyone can benefit. e-mail address
> changed just enough to block spam, but I don't respond to unsolicited
> messages. Thanks...

> > Having read lots of posts on ME, including the ones that recommend not
> > touching it with a barge pole unless you can clap your hands on ME tweaked
> > drivers for ALL your hardware, I wondered why it was ever produced in the
> > first place?  I can see that I'm going to have to build another machine
> to
> > play with it.  I don't know what posessed me a while ago to get a copy of
> > ME.  I'm gald that I haven't installed it on this machine, I think I
> prefer
> > to leave this one as it is - fully working.

> > regards, Richard Keirle

> > #*# Modern day IBM PC compatible computing consists mainly of upgrading
> > drivers,
> > and waiting for the ump*th time for the thing to REBOOT !!! ....AND
> going
> > past that "zombie" point where you simply cannot visually locate that huge
> > CLICK ME button that is currently smack-bang in front of you ! #*#

>regards, Richard Keirle

>#*# Modern day IBM PC compatible computing consists mainly of upgrading
>drivers,
>and waiting for the ump*th time for the thing to REBOOT !!! ....AND
going
>past that "zombie" point where you simply cannot visually locate that huge
>CLICK ME button that is currently smack-bang in front of you ! #*#

> I had Easy CD Creator v3.5c on my old Win98 machine, just bought a new
custom
> built Athlon (WinME) with a Plextor CD-RW that came with Easy CD version
4.02d -
> I went to Adaptec's (Roxio) site and downloaded their latest version ECDC
v4.03.

> It works just fine, no problems, actually none with v4.02d either but
decided to
> get the "latest." There is no charge for these upgrades unless you are
referring
> to their deluxe version.

> Fred

> > Really?

> > Geez, I had better go ahead and format that partition I have it running
> > on.........and it's running so smooth too (shucks, guess it's just me
> > convincing myself of it).

> > Actually, I found a clean install of ME much easier than previous ones
of
> > 98. As far as drivers go, whose fault is it when a company doesn't put
out
> > drivers for their products? ME specs were released to developers long
before
> > it was released to the public. The same thing happens with any new OS
> > releases.

> > Personally, the only trouble I ran into was with the Adaptec burner
software
> > I have, so I just run it in Win98 only, Adaptec won't upgrade for free
(and
> > I won't get into the semantics of that). The only drivers I had to
download
> > were for my HP printer and Voodoo3 card.

> > All-in-all, I like it, but I don't see it as a "mandatory" upgrade, just
an
> > optional one.

> > just my 2
> > --
> > Best of Luck,

> > Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase"

> > Please reply only to newsgroup so that everyone can benefit. e-mail
address
> > changed just enough to block spam, but I don't respond to unsolicited
> > messages. Thanks...

> > > Having read lots of posts on ME, including the ones that recommend not
> > > touching it with a barge pole unless you can clap your hands on ME
tweaked
> > > drivers for ALL your hardware, I wondered why it was ever produced in
the
> > > first place?  I can see that I'm going to have to build another
machine
> > to
> > > play with it.  I don't know what posessed me a while ago to get a copy
of
> > > ME.  I'm gald that I haven't installed it on this machine, I think I
> > prefer
> > > to leave this one as it is - fully working.

> > > regards, Richard Keirle

> > > #*# Modern day IBM PC compatible computing consists mainly of
upgrading
> > > drivers,
> > > and waiting for the ump*th time for the thing to REBOOT !!! ....AND
> > going
> > > past that "zombie" point where you simply cannot visually locate that
huge
> > > CLICK ME button that is currently smack-bang in front of you ! #*#

> I installed ME on a new machine, a fairly standard PIII 800Mhz with 128Mb,
> 20Gb hard drive and 50x CD drive.   I configured it with just a mouse,
> keyboard and network card, and It went straight through the process with no
> problems. It worked 100% on first reboot.   On the advice of the motherboard
> manufacturer, I installed the WinME motherboard drivers.

> I added a DVD drive and it was identified and installed automatically.

> I then added a SCSI card and scanner, with W9x drivers, and that worked
> perfectly.

> I then added a parallel port flash card reader with W9x drivers, and again
> it was 100% - in fact, as previously installed on a W98 machine this device
> tended to disappear occasionally.  I haven't had that problem with the ME
> system.

> Then I added a USB gamepad, and again it went without a hitch.  I did have a
> problem with a joystick on the gameport that would be recognised only
> sometimes, but MS acknowledges this is a problem with this joystick and
> 'some' new PCs, so I don't think it's an ME problem.

> Finally I added a remote (network) WinPrinter with W9x drivers.  I would
> regard this as likely to create problems, but it didn't and the machine
> prints just fine.

> As far as I can tell, ME is very solid and very compatible with devices that
> have only W9x drivers.  YMMV.
> --
> Jeff Richards
> 1999 MVP (DTS)

> > Having read lots of posts on ME, including the ones that recommend not
> > touching it with a barge pole unless you can clap your hands on ME tweaked
> > drivers for ALL your hardware, I wondered why it was ever produced in the
> > first place?  I can see that I'm going to have to build another machine
> to
> > play with it.  I don't know what posessed me a while ago to get a copy of
> > ME.  I'm gald that I haven't installed it on this machine, I think I
> prefer
> > to leave this one as it is - fully working.

> > regards, Richard Keirle

> If you can change system behaviour by adjusting the graphics acceleration or
> changing the RAM bus speed then I would suspect hardware ahead of software.
> But I do know that problems have been reported with the Sandisk USB reader,
> and there have been several releases of the driver software.   You may have
> two different sets of problems.    I don't know enough about ME yet to offer
> specific advice (you'll do better in a proper ME forum) but if you have
> access to a good diagnostics suite, especially one that exercises RAM, then
> that could be a good place to start.
> --
> Jeff Richards
> 1999 MVP (DTS)

> > Jeff,

> > I noticed that you installed a flashcard reader. I have a WinME system,
> Athlon
> > 1GHz, 256MB, etc., and a SanDisk Flashcard reader. The flashcard reader is
> a
> > real problem in WinME although it works fine in Win98.

> > I find that the SanDisk reader installs fine, then after the next boot, it
> > installs itself again. Sometimes just inserting a flashcard causes it to
> install
> > again (Windows has found new hardware, etc. etc.). After four or five
> times the
> > system just would not boot without a protection error. Worse yet, the
> system
> > would not boot into safemode. It tried but gets to the safemode screen
> then
> > freezes, the mouse is gone, sometimes I can use the tab keys to move
> around.
> > Found out that I needed to REMOVE the SanDisk USB cord, THEN I could get
> into
> > SafeMode.  Above I mentioned the SanDisk works Ok in Win98, it does, but I
> found
> > that if I unplug it and reinsert it, it re-installs itself in W98 too. As
> long
> > as I don't plug and unplug it then it works fine. I also found that it
> messed up
> > SafeMode on the Win98 PC (Intel Chipset).

> > When there I found up to six installations of the Authenticated SanDisk
> storage
> > device, six storage disks entries, six USB entries for the flashcard
> reader.
> > Only after deleting all of them was I able to get back to normal, run
> scandisk
> > to fix improper shutdown errors, etc.

> > My system is using an ASUS A7V mobo, VIA chipset (some have said that
> might be a
> > factor) but others report problems with Intel chipsets too, I've installed
> the
> > 4-in-1 via updates, and so on.

> > I use Corel Suite 8 Presentations for digital pics slideshows which I put
> on CDs
> > for friends/family. PR8 has problems with WinME. Shows that run without a
> hitch
> > on W95 and W98 cause lockups, freezes, or sometimes just shut down. I had
> the
> > same things happen with Media Player too.

> > Gotta tell ya, a WinME service pak will be welcomed by me and quite a few
> > others.

> > I've got the slideshows working now by shutting down my AGP from 4X to 1X
> and
> > changing my CMOS for SDRAM speed from 133 to 100. This seems to help with
> the
> > PR8 software and Media Player.

> > This is not intended to be ultra critical but there are real problems with
> > WinME. The Newsgrourps are full of folks with serious problems and not all
> of
> > them are just "old" hardware - my system is one month old!

> > What Flashcard reader are you using? I'd like to know because SanDisk is
> really
> > dragging their feet on this and I'm tempted to just return it and get
> something
> > different.

> > Thanks, Fred

> I noticed that you installed a flashcard reader. I have a WinME system,
Athlon
> 1GHz, 256MB, etc., and a SanDisk Flashcard reader. The flashcard reader is
a
> real problem in WinME although it works fine in Win98.

> I find that the SanDisk reader installs fine, then after the next boot, it
> installs itself again. Sometimes just inserting a flashcard causes it to
install
> again (Windows has found new hardware, etc. etc.). After four or five
times the
> system just would not boot without a protection error. Worse yet, the
system
> would not boot into safemode. It tried but gets to the safemode screen
then
> freezes, the mouse is gone, sometimes I can use the tab keys to move
around.
> Found out that I needed to REMOVE the SanDisk USB cord, THEN I could get
into
> SafeMode.  Above I mentioned the SanDisk works Ok in Win98, it does, but I
found
> that if I unplug it and reinsert it, it re-installs itself in W98 too. As
long
> as I don't plug and unplug it then it works fine. I also found that it
messed up
> SafeMode on the Win98 PC (Intel Chipset).

> When there I found up to six installations of the Authenticated SanDisk
storage
> device, six storage disks entries, six USB entries for the flashcard
reader.
> Only after deleting all of them was I able to get back to normal, run
scandisk
> to fix improper shutdown errors, etc.

> My system is using an ASUS A7V mobo, VIA chipset (some have said that
might be a
> factor) but others report problems with Intel chipsets too, I've installed
the
> 4-in-1 via updates, and so on.

> I use Corel Suite 8 Presentations for digital pics slideshows which I put
on CDs
> for friends/family. PR8 has problems with WinME. Shows that run without a
hitch
> on W95 and W98 cause lockups, freezes, or sometimes just shut down. I had
the
> same things happen with Media Player too.

> Gotta tell ya, a WinME service pak will be welcomed by me and quite a few
> others.

> I've got the slideshows working now by shutting down my AGP from 4X to 1X
and
> changing my CMOS for SDRAM speed from 133 to 100. This seems to help with
the
> PR8 software and Media Player.

> This is not intended to be ultra critical but there are real problems with
> WinME. The Newsgrourps are full of folks with serious problems and not all
of
> them are just "old" hardware - my system is one month old!

> What Flashcard reader are you using? I'd like to know because SanDisk is
really
> dragging their feet on this and I'm tempted to just return it and get
something
> different.

> Thanks, Fred

> > I can only speak from my own experience.

> > I installed ME on a new machine, a fairly standard PIII 800Mhz with
128Mb,
> > 20Gb hard drive and 50x CD drive.   I configured it with just a mouse,
> > keyboard and network card, and It went straight through the process with
no
> > problems. It worked 100% on first reboot.   On the advice of the
motherboard
> > manufacturer, I installed the WinME motherboard drivers.

> > I added a DVD drive and it was identified and installed automatically.

> > I then added a SCSI card and scanner, with W9x drivers, and that worked
> > perfectly.

> > I then added a parallel port flash card reader with W9x drivers, and
again
> > it was 100% - in fact, as previously installed on a W98 machine this
device
> > tended to disappear occasionally.  I haven't had that problem with the
ME
> > system.

> > Then I added a USB gamepad, and again it went without a hitch.  I did
have a
> > problem with a joystick on the gameport that would be recognised only
> > sometimes, but MS acknowledges this is a problem with this joystick and
> > 'some' new PCs, so I don't think it's an ME problem.

> > Finally I added a remote (network) WinPrinter with W9x drivers.  I would
> > regard this as likely to create problems, but it didn't and the machine
> > prints just fine.

> > As far as I can tell, ME is very solid and very compatible with devices
that
> > have only W9x drivers.  YMMV.
> > --
> > Jeff Richards
> > 1999 MVP (DTS)

> > > Having read lots of posts on ME, including the ones that recommend not
> > > touching it with a barge pole unless you can clap your hands on ME
tweaked
> > > drivers for ALL your hardware, I wondered why it was ever produced in
the
> > > first place?  I can see that I'm going to have to build another
machine
> > to
> > > play with it.  I don't know what posessed me a while ago to get a copy
of
> > > ME.  I'm gald that I haven't installed it on this machine, I think I
> > prefer
> > > to leave this one as it is - fully working.

> > > regards, Richard Keirle

> > Jeff,

> > I noticed that you installed a flashcard reader. I have a WinME system,
> Athlon
> > 1GHz, 256MB, etc., and a SanDisk Flashcard reader. The flashcard reader is
> a
> > real problem in WinME although it works fine in Win98.

> > I find that the SanDisk reader installs fine, then after the next boot, it
> > installs itself again. Sometimes just inserting a flashcard causes it to
> install
> > again (Windows has found new hardware, etc. etc.). After four or five
> times the
> > system just would not boot without a protection error. Worse yet, the
> system
> > would not boot into safemode. It tried but gets to the safemode screen
> then
> > freezes, the mouse is gone, sometimes I can use the tab keys to move
> around.
> > Found out that I needed to REMOVE the SanDisk USB cord, THEN I could get
> into
> > SafeMode.  Above I mentioned the SanDisk works Ok in Win98, it does, but I
> found
> > that if I unplug it and reinsert it, it re-installs itself in W98 too. As
> long
> > as I don't plug and unplug it then it works fine. I also found that it
> messed up
> > SafeMode on the Win98 PC (Intel Chipset).

> > When there I found up to six installations of the Authenticated SanDisk
> storage
> > device, six storage disks entries, six USB entries for the flashcard
> reader.
> > Only after deleting all of them was I able to get back to normal, run
> scandisk
> > to fix improper shutdown errors, etc.

> > My system is using an ASUS A7V mobo, VIA chipset (some have said that
> might be a
> > factor) but others report problems with Intel chipsets too, I've installed
> the
> > 4-in-1 via updates, and so on.

> > I use Corel Suite 8 Presentations for digital pics slideshows which I put
> on CDs
> > for friends/family. PR8 has problems with WinME. Shows that run without a
> hitch
> > on W95 and W98 cause lockups, freezes, or sometimes just shut down. I had
> the
> > same things happen with Media Player too.

> > Gotta tell ya, a WinME service pak will be welcomed by me and quite a few
> > others.

> > I've got the slideshows working now by shutting down my AGP from 4X to 1X
> and
> > changing my CMOS for SDRAM speed from 133 to 100. This seems to help with
> the
> > PR8 software and Media Player.

> > This is not intended to be ultra critical but there are real problems with
> > WinME. The Newsgrourps are full of folks with serious problems and not all
> of
> > them are just "old" hardware - my system is one month old!

> > What Flashcard reader are you using? I'd like to know because SanDisk is
> really
> > dragging their feet on this and I'm tempted to just return it and get
> something
> > different.

> > Thanks, Fred

> > > I can only speak from my own experience.

> > > I installed ME on a new machine, a fairly standard PIII 800Mhz with
> 128Mb,
> > > 20Gb hard drive and 50x CD drive.   I configured it with just a mouse,
> > > keyboard and network card, and It went straight through the process with
> no
> > > problems. It worked 100% on first reboot.   On the advice of the
> motherboard
> > > manufacturer, I installed the WinME motherboard drivers.

> > > I added a DVD drive and it was identified and installed automatically.

> > > I then added a SCSI card and scanner, with W9x drivers, and that worked
> > > perfectly.

> > > I then added a parallel port flash card reader with W9x drivers, and
> again
> > > it was 100% - in fact, as previously installed on a W98 machine this
> device
> > > tended to disappear occasionally.  I haven't had that problem with the
> ME
> > > system.

> > > Then I added a USB gamepad, and again it went without a hitch.  I did
> have a
> > > problem with a joystick on the gameport that would be recognised only
> > > sometimes, but MS acknowledges this is a problem with this joystick and
> > > 'some' new PCs, so I don't think it's an ME problem.

> > > Finally I added a remote (network) WinPrinter with W9x drivers.  I would
> > > regard this as likely to create problems, but it didn't and the machine
> > > prints just fine.

> > > As far as I can tell, ME is very solid and very compatible with devices
> that
> > > have only W9x drivers.  YMMV.
> > > --
> > > Jeff Richards
> > > 1999 MVP (DTS)

> > > > Having read lots of posts on ME, including the ones that recommend not
> > > > touching it with a barge pole unless you can clap your hands on ME
> tweaked
> > > > drivers for ALL your hardware, I wondered why it was ever produced in
> the
> > > > first place?  I can see that I'm going to have to build another
> machine
> > > to
> > > > play with it.  I don't know what posessed me a while ago to get a copy
> of
> > > > ME.  I'm gald that I haven't installed it on this machine, I think I
> > > prefer
> > > > to leave this one as it is - fully working.

> > > > regards, Richard Keirle