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Posts: 42
| Hi. I am user of Windows 98 with Cole2k pack. After few weeks i found some serious bugs and in some cases fixes... so lets begin.
Hardware:
Pentium III, 1Ghz, tualatin, Ati Radeon 9800 Pro, 1,5 GB of Ram, 80 GB hdd. (as long as i know trouble is not caused by hardware)
OS:
I use Windows 98SE, with Internet Explorer 6.0, Unofficial Service Pack (from Exuberant software), Kernel Update Project (KUP), and DirectX 9.0c
Viruses:
No virus or other malware has not been detected.
Video Players:
Standard Mplayer2 contained in Win98SE, MicroDVDPlayer (MDVDP)
Formats wanted to play:
AVI (DivX, Xvid, H264, with and without AC3), MP4, WMV.
Installed Codecs and Codec Packs:
DivX 5 - debug purposes
Xvid 1.12 Final - debug purposes
Huffyuff - for lossless capturing
3vix d4.4.5.1 - for mp4 support only that works
Cole2k Media Codec Pack (Standard) - 6.0.8 - for h264 support only that works
k-lite codec pack 2.81 (basic) - debug purposes
Haali Media Splitter (Matroska) - no effect on tested video files, shall be removed
AC3 Filter 0.70b - for ac3 sound
x263 - x263 support (no test video file available)
wmp6cdcs - Windows Codecs (wmw support)
Adobe Flash Player - Flash video support (for internet)
Also i know that mixed usage of these codecs can cause trouble, but following bugs are definitely caused only by Cole2k
Bug 1.
During the very first installation setup reported error with "regsrvr32.*" file (possibly dll). The same file is causing system lockup during uninstallation. When i open systray (ctrl+alt+del) and i end the program manually unistallation shall continue. During uninstallation process this lockup happens two times so process with regsrvr32 must be finished two times manually. After few days i reinstalled the pack, and first error during installation didnt occur, but during uninstallation it happens always.
Bug 2.
I have been using Cole2k pack for few months and than i chosen older CD with older movie... The system freezed. In the right corner of screen appeared green arrow and i did not know what it means. Now i know that it is "Direct Vob Sub". This was not the cause of freezing, but just symptom. I installed "K-lite" codec and it helped me to diagnose and fix Problem.
Fix:
K-Lite codec pack contains software able to detect broken codecs. It gived me three error messages regarding to system registry. I made screenshots of them.
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec1.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec2.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec3.jpg
(rest of page is for Ultima Online Necromancers guild  )
During this i have chosen Yes (ano) to remove broken entries from system registry. Now i am able to view older subtitled video in any player. Also I repeated installation of Cole and Klite codec pack and these three errors in registries repeated constantly (including systen crash when registry was not fixed).
Also i tried to install Windows Media Player for better WMV support but it is hopeless but i am still able to install WMP 9 - it needs reinstallation of windows, so i rather try different player
At this point i am able to view most of desired videos, some with restrictions (WMV has still trouble), but i dont want to use K-Lite at all. I will be grateful if these bugs in your product shall be fixed (no other h264 codec is available for win98 )
I hope this report shall help.
If you are looking for win98 user to test it, i am here, able to rollback system few days ago when no codec was installed. Also look for file "klcodec281d.exe" which helped me to diagnose and fix registry entries.
Regards
Mir | |
Bot
Posts: Lots |
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Posts: 42
| So i did rollback of windows, no codec has been installed.
As first i installed Cole2k from this link and i gained Xvid, DivX and h264 support, support for movies with AC3 sound. MP4 file format WAS NOT SUPPORTED, Subtitled movie using Direct VobSub crashed computer. Other formats has not been tested - i dont have videos in these formats.
As second i installed K-lite codec. Then i realized that it has its own VobSub support (same green arrow, but different behavior). it has been marked as "Direct VobSub v 2.37". Strange is that it offers DivX version 6.2.5.34 althought last supported win9x version is DivX 5.2.1. (Which version is contained in C2kS?) I did not install this version of divx, just for now, i shall test it later.
After installation of K-lite, VobSub works normally without trouble, VobSub from c2k is freezing system... I think there lies the key for debug...
During K-lite installation FLV registry errors have been removed, but five new errors in registry occured, all of them are according to Matroska splitter.
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec21.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec22.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec23.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec24.jpg
http://cechnekru.mysteria.cz/codec25.jpg
As last codec i installed 3vix and it gave me support for MP4, but it was very strange - video was running too fast. As long i know this codec was causing trouble on Win98, but i cannot specify them... These errors with MP4 remained after reboot.
Installation of C2k
No error occured, i have chosen "expert installation", without toolbar, and i didnt change the settings.
Uninstallation process
Error with Regsrvr32 occured, but just only once. At the first time i pressed ctrl+alt+del twice accidentaly and that led system to unstability and i had to reboot it. At the second attempt i disabled regsrvr32 normally from systray without trouble, but i still need to turn it off manually.
Other unspecified bugs:
- player crashes after movie ends, or when its window is closed, or when new media is opened from explorer
* this bug is appearing and disappearing. It occured also with Storm codec pack. It seems that is caused by FDDShow in win98...
Performance for loading and using the FDD is great.
Conclusion:
C2k is best filter pack for win98 that is known to me. It cant be used standalone now - MP4 support has to be "patched" with 3vix codec (or maybe standard matroska), VobSub has to be "patched" with K-lite codec. After that most video formats are available.
Also i want to recomend to add "reboot computer" after installation and uninstallation - w98 have to reload their registries before using new settings - only way is reboot. Without reboot it can cause errors, or some systems and codecs shall work even if they have been uninstalled.
Since there is Win98 community i have something that may interest you. Most codecs are designed for W2k or higher systems. Your codec pack is one of the best, and only one that works great on w98.
I know some guys which have great knowledge about win98 and they shall help you more as i can do. w98 is facing reality that newer games and formats are no longer supported by software developers, but there is large unoficial support from other users (some os limitations have already been broken).
It can help us both. Bugs in your standard pack can be detected and fixed by rather small w98 community, and we gain single codec pack most suitable for this OS and supporting newest movie formats. Are you interested in cooperation?
Edited by Mir 6/1/2007 1:45 PM
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Posts: 42
| New bunch of bugs coming:
Bug 1:
I installed Cole2kS as standalone codec (no other codec was installed). Then i opened video encoded in h264. If mouse was moving over the screen it slowed down the image... If i went to fullscreen image quality was poor (choppy, no blur i saw sharp pixels)
Fix:
I installed DivX 5.2.1 codec and all errors vanished. Pretty strange to me... What has DivX 5 to do with H264? Even K-lite with its higher support was unable to fix this, only standalone divx5... Maybe you should know the answer
Additional info:
I also tried DivX 4.12 and DivX Antifreeze with no sucess. Only 5.2.1 helped. Also standard DivX package contained "Generic MPEG-4 Playback component" and "DivX player 2.6". I didnt installed those components and i installed codec only.
Bug 2.
I installed Cole2kS. then i uninstalled it and installed again. When i tried to unistall it for the second time i get error message that Cole2k has been already removed (even it was not true)
Fix:
This is common bug amongs newer aplications. W98 needs to reboot to clear the registry...
ad: DivX
I have taken look at their page. Updated as i see - no OS limitations - DivX for windows and no closer specification...
Nope... original DivX 6 codec gived mi Error message that Win9x/Me is no longer supported. If Fddshow have ability to decode them i do not need original DivX 6.
I have TV tuner so if i need to capture and compress them i can use Xvid (better alternative, and no os limitations)
ad: Storm codec and FDDshow
I have reinstalled whole system several times... (full erasement in dos and reinstall) With Stormcodec were described errors standard, without it they occur sometimes - very rarely but it happens...
ad: Compatibility
W98 gives me all that i need - it supports older Dos apps and it can support most newest, if software is compatible to read new formats... I do not need to upgrade under that circumstance.
At some point Os can give to user all that he need. I know people which are using 8bit computers for gaming, writing, printing... I reached that limit with Win98, all i (and many other win9x users) want is to have so much compatibility as possible without paying for useless "bells and whistles" in WinXP (or higher. XP also means loss of compatibility - it doesnt support dos aplications)
We just want to have even older OS kept up2dated and for now we have reached many goals without leaving win98 - some people found a way how to update core of OS, and codecs are important too... Cole2kS could be solution for us...
At this point is community grateful for each compatible software solution - i can still run most services that i need except one (Hamachi), and only one aplication is not worthty for me to change OS and left older dos aplications (more than 100 games) without ability to run correctly (in dos mode). | |
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Posts: 42
| Bug 3.
I opened Start >> Programs >> Cole2k >> Haali Config.
Nothing happened after i run it. Also i was unable to find "Control.exe" in c:\windows\system directory - control.exe is located in "c:\windows" directory - bad link...
Edited by Mir 9/1/2007 12:17 AM
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Owner
Posts: 589
| h.264:
DivX has nothing to do with h.264, x264 when another h.264 decoder is installed.
I'm surprised you was even able to play a h.264 file as it requires a great deal of processor power.
DivX 4.12 with DivX AntiFreeze:
Both are obsolete, DivX AntiFreeze only works with DivX 3.11 files and the DivX 3.11 decoder.
Haali:
I know about the problem loading the configuration, it's what I'm working on right now.
VSFilter/VobSub:
Version 2.37 locks my system when trying to load subtitles.
Control.exe path:
I know about that problem, thats the path for Windows 2000,2003,XP,MCE,Vista.
Windows 98 needs to be restarted after installing and uninstalling codec's.
Compatibility:
Windows 98 is now 9 years old and no longer officially supported by Microsoft, 95%+ software developers no longer support it and a large amount of hardware won't work with it. | |
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Posts: 42
| h264:
win98 can spare a lot of system resources - mostly processor and ram. I have extremely large Ram and quite strong CPU for my OS and i can still upgrade...
did you try to install divx5.2.1? it really helped, even when i repeated that process. i can load it on FTP if you need... It seemes that presence of DivX 5 is working as some kind of software accelerator, or its presence is removing some errors during play...
Compatibility:
that about hardware is myth. w98 can handle most drivers developed for higher windows. Right now i am using WDM sound card driver developed for Win2k and WDM driver for Tv Tuner and driver for my Lan card was also developed for w2k.
90 percent of drivers and new aplications can handle win98 environment, 5 percent with patched windows... As long i know win98SE is first OS which can support WDM. Althought win95, 98, 98se and ME have same core they are very different, my win is 98SE with KUP which means it has new core and is ready for XP based aplications with no limit (except os test during install).
Edited by Mir 9/1/2007 9:15 AM
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Owner
Posts: 589
| Codec Pack Update:
I think enabling the h.264/x264 decoder again in ffdshow will prove to be a better option than adding DivX 5.2.1 (just to use the generic MP4 profile).
I've fixed all of the problems with the Haali splitter and was able to play .mkv, .ogm and .mp4 files on the test system.
I still haven't found a foolproof version of VSFilter/VobSub for Windows 98 yet.
I also still have to add a restart command for install and uninstall.
I haven't updated the version I uploaded yet, I'd rather finish everything and test the uninstaller before I do so.
Windows 98 in general:
Windows 98 may have a great deal of support for general hardware, but it is not compatible out of the box with multiple core, multiple processor or hyperthreading systems.
Windows 98 (not 98SE) does not support multi channel audio without a patch.
Windows 98 cannot use NT network authentication.
Windows 98 does not support very large disk volumes.
Windows 98 does have much more support than Vista right now though.
Don't get me wrong, Windows 98 does have it's uses and anyone who likes it shouldn't change just because everyone else has, but modified versions of Windows 2000 and 2003 can be made to run as quickly as 98, with advantages of greater security and hardware support.
I've built a large number of systems for a variety of tasks, for example multimedia PC's, workstations, in-car pc's, virtual PC's, file servers, NAS servers, web servers, application servers, database servers, firewall/router systems, network terminals/thin client terminals.
The most used operating system has been Windows 2003 Server, obviously for servers, but in some instances installed on just 1GB of compact flash instead of a hard drive.
The second most used operating system has been Windows XP MCE, for multimedia PC's, but in one instance installed on just 2GB of compact flash instead of a hard drive.
In the past I've run 3 virtual PC's operating on Windows 2000 to enable me to use 3 internet connections through 1 PC.
I've also used linux a lot for very basic NAS servers and firewall/router systems. | |
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Posts: 42
| ad codec pack: is the test pack already available?
ad windows 98:
What is not well known is that windows 98(se) is able to use WDM driver format. In fact it can use most drivers that have been developed for windows 2k. Even if there is no direct support, but as long i have tested all w2k drivers worked
Graphic drivers (from ati and nvidia) are very badly designed - their w98 drivers are VXD based and their WDM drivers have some artifical blocks that avoid installation on win98 althought driver should work, but packages allow installation on windows 2000 and higher.
(i have analyzed their drivers and it maked me angry... althought they have possibility to support w98 they have blocked it, and they are saying that cause is in OS what is really not true)
In fact win98 is very similar to newer windowses, but i am searching for most wided 32 bit compatibility. Higher OSs dont have real dos, and lower OSs cannot use some drivers and thats the most importatnt for me as user.
At all Cole2k is only codec pack that is supporting some video formats in w98, and for that i am very grateful... | |
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Owner
Posts: 589
| The test pack isn't available yet, I haven't had time to finish the uninstaller yet.
Software and hardware companies will always try and force everyone to buy something new, it's simply good business to them. | |
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Owner
Posts: 589
| I've uploaded a test build here: http://cole2k.net/test/Cole2k.Media.-.Codec.Pack.V6.0.9.-Standard-....
You should use the custom install feature and swap the VSFilter version in "Other Filters" from 2.33 to 2.37.
I've changed the version of the Haali splitter used and fixed all problems.
The Haali splitter configuration shortcut now functions correctly.
ffdshow's ability to decode h.264 and x264 has been restored but needs to be enabled manually.
The control.exe shortcuts for On2 VP6 & VP7 have been fixed.
Restart on install and uninstall hasn't been added yet.
VSFilter selection needs to be changed so that users are not forced to install at least one version. | |
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Windows 98. Some bugs and some fixes for Cole2k pack
