Explorer be gone! (YAU-PC)

by Alan Zisman (c) 1999. First published in Toronto Computes, December 1999

Geoffrey Wilson wondered:

I?m running Windows 98. I want to run with Netscape.  Is there a way of removing Internet Explorer 4, so as to free up hard drive space?

Alan Zisman suggested:

IE4 is integrated deeply into W98, making it part of the code that's used for (for example), the file Explorer, the Active Desktop features (even if you disable those, they're still there), and the Help subsystem.

As a result, a lot of IE4 code is pre-loaded at boot-- which is why IE4 starts up much faster than Navigator.

Thus, it's not easy to remove-- it can be done, however... you might want to take a look at Shane Brooks' W98Lite... which is a way to strip-down W98 to improve speed and free up disk space:

http://www.98lite.net

 Ronald Rocheleau wrote:

Can anyone tell me if Mac external CD-Rom are compatible with PC?. I have one and was trying to make it work on my PC without luck.

Alan Zisman replied:

The CD-ROM may look like it can connect to your PC's parallel port--but it doesn't!

Prior to the iMac, all Mac external CD-ROMs used the SCSI interface... , while SCSI is built into all (pre-iMac) Macs, it is an option on PCs, one that isn't generally included.

As a result, in order to get your Mac CD-ROM to work, you would need to add a SCSI adapter to your PC?which, frankly, given the low cost of new IDE CD-ROMs is probably not worth your time or money.

Armando Silva asked:

Is there a way to change the default browser in windows 95 ?

Alan Zisman answered:

Both Netscape and Microsoft browsers check whether they are the default on browser startup... if they find they aren't, they will give a dialogue box notifying you of that fact, and offering to change. The dialogue box has an option to turn off the check, but it can be turned back on in the program's options.

Since being 'default browser' basically means that it's the program that starts up for a *.HTM, *.HTML, or *.URL file, one could change the program associated with those extensions, in any of the standard Windows ways, such as:

Find a saved *.HTM file, shift+right-click on it, and choose OPEN WITH from the dialogue box. This will give a list of installed programs, checking the option to ALWAYS USE THIS PROGRAM...

Repeat for *.URL files.

Steve Quarrella pondered:

Is it possible to change the shutdown screens in '95/'98?  If so, how?

Alan's comments:

Like the startup cloud screen, the shutdown screens are simply 320x400x256 BMP files. They can be created in any paint program, such as Windows paint, as long as you make them the right size and colour depth, and save them with the correct names and locations.

-- The "Wait while Windows shuts down your screen" picture should be named Logow.sys and saved in the \Windows directory, while the "It's safe to shut off your computer" picture is Logos.sys in the same location.

Feel free to make your own replacements.

And on a similar theme?

Mike Klassen commented:

I was looking to change the startup splash screen in windows 98, but when I went to the C:\ folder and looked for LOGO.SYS (which it was in Win95) I realized I couldn't find it. Any ideas where this one is?

Alan amplified:

In both W95 and W98, there doesn't need to be a LOGO.SYS-- if C:\LOGO.SYS doesn't then the default logo, embedded in IO.SYS is used. Many machines come with a custom-made LOGO.SYS, modifying
the default to add the manufacturers name, for example-- but it's not necessary under either Win 95 or 98.

To replace the default logo, create a C:\LOGO.SYS file-- 320x400, 256 colours (as in the previous answer).

Personally, I like something with my name, address, and drivers license number-- to surprise purchasers, should the machine be stolen.

Gerald Van e-mailed:

 I recently and reluctantly installed Windows 98 (as result of long and painful experiences,  I hate everything about Microsoft); and discovered that they have eliminated Win 95's Clipboard.  What, if anything,  replaces it?

Alan Zisman wrote back:

I'm a little confused by your message... certainly, Win98 continues to have the Clipboard-- i.e. where things go when you select something, then choose Edit/Copy (or Ctrl+C), in order to Paste.

It's possible that you mean the Clipboard VIEWER utility that allows users to view/save items in the Clipboard... this too is still included-- though it isn't necessarily installed by default?in either Win 95 or 98. To add it, go to Control Panel, Add-Remove Programs, Windows Setup... scroll down to System Tools, and double-click to see the list of possible items... one of which is the Clipboard Viewer. Add a checkmark, if necessary, with your Win98 CD handy.

You're welcome to hate Microsoft-- certainly you have a lot of company-- just make sure you hate them for the right reasons!