DOSFIX Version 2 now available:

Dosfix was written originally to enable people to use programs like Partition Magic 5 on the Win ME computer.

However the response has been pretty overwhelming , the program is being used by so many different people at the moment that I couldn't mention even half of them :). There have been a few things that people have requested from me so I have happily obliged them .

The original Dosfix program was a fairly limited program , in that once installed it could not be removed , there were also a few minor bugs the biggest of which was the loss of a safe mode :(.

These things have been fixed in the new version , with the full undo feature if you need safe mode or just want to go to dos for a simple experiment you can now fully undo the patch and return Windows ME to a pre-modified version without any hassles.

I have still included the removal of both System Restore and also PCHealth for your convenience but have tried to improve the speed of the un-install of these features.

By popular demand (or rather respectful request ) I have also written a VERY basic boot loader for the choice of entering Dos mode. All you have to do is choose 1 or 2 . Windows ME = 1 , Dos mode = 2. This boot loader will in no way affect your multi-boot system , it only comes into play if you try to enter Windows ME.

This file is a self extracting .ZIP file.

Download Dosfix Version 2 here.

To use this patch you will need to do the following :-

1. Back up your critical data!
2. Download the Patch
3. Create a standard Windows ME start disk
4. Once Dosfix is downloaded extract it to a Formatted Floppy
5. Once you have created these 2 disks mark them accordingly
6. Re-boot the PC using the WinME Start Disk
7. Choose option 4 "Minimal Boot"
8. remove the Start disk and insert the DosFix disk
9. From an A:\ (prompt) Type the following
   
   run.bat

You are now in the program and it is pretty self explanatory
Just follow the on screen instructions.

If you have any questions or just wanna chat :)
Please e-mail me at smnwlls3@icqmail.com

Note from Agg: Thanks Simon! I don't have a WinME box here, so I can't check this out myself. Be aware that it changes some critical system files, so there's always the chance of something horrible happening. Back up your important data first..

Info for the original version of Dosfix:

I have put together a little program that will enable real mode dos support in Windows Millennium. I have tried to make it as easy to navigate as possible.

To run this program all you need to do is to :-

1. Extract the files contained in the ME Dos Fix file to a floppy disk.
2. Create a standard Windows Millennium start up disk
3. Re-boot your computer using the start disk
4. Choose option 4 (minimal boot)
5. Insert the disk containing the ME dos fix files
   (Hint: you can put these on your start disk)
6. Type RUN from the A prompt and follow the onscreen options.

That's it ! :o) , I have also included a couple of options to remove the system restore and PCHealth "features" of Windows Millennium . Please remember that System Restore backs up your system , this is a huge performance hog , so this file may be quite large and take a while to remove! , mine was nearly 1 gig and took 40 mins!. PCHealth will be much smaller and therefore quicker to remove!.

Once you have successfully used this patch you will be able to use any program that needs real mode dos support.

What does this mean?

Well put very simply you will be able to run a program that requires you to re-start in dos mode to complete it's functions. For example Partition Magic 5 (6 has ME support built in ).

Can this patch be removed?

NO this patch actually replaces a few system files (io.sys , command.com , regenv32.exe , autoexec.bat and config.sys) with modified files to enable dos. The only way to undo this is to do a re-install over the top of it's-self , this will return Windows ME to it's pre mod status , but you will re-enable Restore and PCHealth (but you can remove them again with the dos fix ) .

Can I just remove System Restore or PCHealth?

Yes you just choose the options you want as the program runs! :)

How many of us that have installed Win Me have been confronted with either weird problems or untraceable problems?

These can be anything from errors shutting down, to random blue screens.

Well there is a fix! , I will not guarantee that this file will fix all problems, but it has been reported that it fixes a heap of different errors.

So, what is this file?

The file is called cabsfix.exe (1.5MB), actually the file contains all the .vxd files that should have been installed with Windows , but for some reason they are 'left out' or windows can't find where they are.

How do I know if I need this file?

Go to your device manager and have a look at your mouse, go to driver file details, do you have a driver like this? (vmmouse) , if it has the brackets around it then there is a problem with windows finding the file, after you install the Cabs Fix, you will notice that the brackets will be gone!

How do I install these files?.

I have compressed the .vxd's into a self extracting file , all you need to do is to extract these files to 2 locations.

C:Windows\system\vmm32

C:Windows\system32\drivers

Please remember that you will be adding files to your system so please make sure you backup any important information.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at smnwlls3@icqmail.com.

Simon