PCs07 -My old PCs

My old personal computers 07

Fuji digital camera does not work on USB port of Windows 98 now
I tried taking in photos from Fuji's digital camera on Windows 98 as usual. But USB reader does not work. Fuji's installer showed,

Its software excludes PC that updated OS.
(OS wo update shita PC ha, dousa taishougai desu.)

I gave up it on Winddows 98. I always have to work with Fuji's digital camera on Windows XP only.
19:36 GMT+9

Adobe flash player

Player system requirement
Release	Version	Windows	Linux
2003	Macromedia 7	98: IE5.x, XP: IE6.0	Mozilla 1.2 and later, Netscape 7.1
2005	Macromedia 8	450MHz, 128MB	-
2006	Adobe 9	450MHz, 128MB	800MHz, 512MB
2011	Adobe 10.3	2.33GHz, 128MB	2.33GHz, 512MB

Adobe sometimes requests to install new version of flash player on Windows 98. How does Adobe run the program? I looked at startup folder to confirm. There is no startup programs. It is funny to recommend the new system requirement of 2.2GHz on my 400MHz PC.^[29] I read pdf files by Acrobat reader 5.0. I think that Adobe implemented such a program, when I installed it. Although I do not see flash on PC screen usually, Misumi site very often displays to install flash player when I look into its web catalog. I want to install flash player not to display the message. Adobe offers old versions of flash player, but the page does not show system requirement.^[31] The table shows flash player's version and system requirment. It seems to require 450MHz CPU at least. My PC is 400MHz only. Flash player 7 does not have limit of CPU, but their browsers are old.^[30] I use IE8 for browsing Yahoo mail now. I began download of flash player9 archive. Windows XP indicator showed that it would take two hours and 16 minutes. The transfer rate was 33KB/s. I found flash player9 installer in my download list. The file size was very small. I doubted whether the program would work. I tried the install of the program on Windows XP. I accessed to Misumi for a test, and confirmed that the pop-up message disappeared. Looking at the property of the exe program, Explanation was "Adobe Flash Player ActiveX Installer"
21:29 Jun16 GMT+9

NTP server responses at a delay of 562ms

Response of ntp.bbtec.net
Times	No.1	No.2	No.3	No.4
1st	129ms	19ms	18ms	18ms
2nd	19ms	19ms	108ms	299ms
3rd	514ms	18ms	562ms	18ms

Although Windows XP has a function to correct clock of PC, the correction does once per six days. It is few times to correct for 400MHz PC to access to my server, because my application synchronize the internal clock of my server. I have installed Sakura watch to correct clock for Windows 98 and 95. A site shows how to install the watch in Windows 7.^[27] I pinged to ntp.bbtec.net three times by command promt around 2 o'clock on 11 June. The worset is 562ms. I realized that the NTP server did not response quick this time. I got 60ms before on Windows 98. I wonder that the server or DSL is busy at midnight. It is not easty to register the program at startup on Windows XP. I had to change start menu into conventioanl menu once and restored the new start menu again.

By the way, I set up a tick at 108min for my 400MHz PC. Main characters, John and Jack keyed in a series of numbers every 108min in TV drama LOST. The terminal worked at character mode. If the PC works on DOS, automatic input program is more simple than Windows program.
11:05 Jun11 GMT+9

GDI.EXE of Windows XP is the size of 1/23 of Windows 98

GDI of 98 and XP
Name	Win98	XP
GDI.EXE	576KB	25KB
GDI32.DLL	156KB	280KB
KERNEL32.DLL	460KB	1,207KB
KERNEL386.EXE	129KB	91KB

I installed Windows XP Home edtion for GCC Developer Lite on 400MHz PC on 18 May. It includes 11 dll files only in System directory. While Windows 98 had xxx files. Although XP has 1174 dll files in System32 directory, Windows 98 has none. I do not know why XP did not adopt conventional 32-bit dll of Windows 98. I listed dll files of Windows XP to compare with Windows 98. Windows XP has 1504 DLL files in Windows and the sub directories by Explorer now. I list 1197 *.dll and 72 *32.dll files in the System32 directory. How is GDI.EXE? Windows 98 some times occurred errors of Ippan hogo error of GDI. The file sizes of GDI.EXE and KERNEL32.DLL are very different between Win98 and XP. I think that GDI.EXE of Windows 98 had endured too much functions. "In Windows 95, GDI still keeps many logical objects in a heap limited to 64K."^[26] Microsoft updated some dll files or added in System32 directory. The latest is on 7 March 2011.Microsoft updates XP even now.

The complete dll files list of my 400MHz PC is xpdll.txt. They are 1197 files in System32 directory. The file size of GDI.EXE for Windows 98 is very big.
3:49 Jun10 GMT+9

A way to use mechanical CAD for positioning precious pitch to drill holes

CADs version on my 400MHz PC
Windows	JWW	D2CAD	CADLUS Design
98	6.21	1.31	4.5
XP	7.04	1.31	4.5

I began using mechanical CAD for design and drawing, when I was at Shimadzu. I sometimes had designed mechanical assys since then with CADAM for IBM, AUTOCAD for DOS and Windows and JWW. I proposed that I began JWW when I was at Osaka University, as the labo did not have CAD. Although JWW does not have mechanical libraries and ballon or reference for assy, it is enough because we make assembly not by others but by ourselves. I installed JWW ver 6.21 on Windows 98 and XP. I drew outline and four holes of my designed PWB ( Print Wired Board ) because I have lost the drawings and a scale is difficult to measure the pitches of the holes. I have no working printers connected with 400MHz PC, so I also installed JWW ver 7.04 in my family Windows 7. I printed out the drawing by fax & printer and Microsoft file sharing in our kitchen. The fax & printer is a local machine. I confirmed no eccentricity between the printed out holes and the bare board. I fixed the paper on the bottom of a case. I drilled 4 holes and could fix the rebuild PWM driver board.

I would see the drawing and draw again after the printout. The JWW did not show the drawing on the display. It showed blank white. I found that the old version did not show the file of the new version.^[25] I remembered that I drew a circle and copied three times for the pitch referrence. I was to try ver 7.04 on Windows 7. So I installed ver 7.04 on Windows XP. I have given up seeing drawings of new version files on Windows 98.
Jun09 GMT+9

Compare CADLUS Design with D2CAD for circuit editor or drawing

Comparision CADLUS Design with D2CAD
	Symbol creation	Net list	Pdf Output	File size	Overwriting time
CADLUS Design	Good	NG	NG	Not so good	BAD
D2CAD	Not so good	OK	OK	Good	Good

I have evaluated CADLUS Design comparing with D2CAD actually, when I tried restoring my designed circuit drawing on Windows XP. It is more simple or fine for CADLUS to creat precise circuit symbols, but CADLUS Design does not support output of netlist and pdf of drawing. And CADLUS Design's file size is bigger about ten times. The drawing was 384KB. It takes one minute 8 seconds to save or overwrite a drawing for CADLUS Design. I suppose that CADLUS is better than K2CAD for PWB design. I also have installed D2CAD on Windows XP now. I will draw a circuit for no PWB uses by D2CAD again. And I have found a few old designed circuits by D2CAD, when I wrote down folder names of MO disks. I can reuse my created symbols too.
19:44 Jun03 GMT+9

How to back up files

Free space of my MO disks
Label	Freespace(Capacity)
MO-1	47MB(605MB)
MO-2	173MB(599MB)
MO-3	50MB(599MB)
MO-4	77MB(215MB)
MO-5	45MB(215MB)
Total	437MB(2,448MB)

I had lost my documents of mechanical and electronic drawing files, when the HDD of 400MHz PC crushed. Alas, I have to restore a circuit drawing to rebuild the circuit of PWM driver. I often see and read the pattern of PWB, when I began trying a water pump driver by rebuilding the original driver.

I have a MO drive to back up my data. I could not control five MO disks well before. This time I labelled the disks names. I created folders of the same name in the work drive. I also edit a text file to write folder names of all the disks by Hidemaru. So I can see the contents of the disks at glance. The table shows freespace and full capacity of the disks. I also bought a rewritable CD-RW of 700MB because my family computer has rewritable CD drive. I transferred a file of 200MB to write it on the CD-RW drive of my family computer. Windows Msgbox showed that it took 20 minutes! The computers conntect by a 100Mbps bride and a wireless router at LAN. I do not know why it takes much time. Rewritable CD is good to back up, because all of the three PCs have a CD drive. I have to prepare another MO drive, when the MO drive breaks down. But Kakaku.com shows only two kinds of MO drive now. I will stop to power on the MO drive all the time to elongate life. Konica finished selling MO drive in September 2010.^[23] Was Konica was the last maker of MO drive? I am to back up my work files at a floppy disk once a day. There are some site to offer free server for backup.^[24] I may think a little, if my PCs and the MO disks will have risk to damage at once on fire or earthquake. Shimadzu Corp. carried away drawings once, when the factory burned a long time ago. An old officer told us the incident. I agree with him now, the installation or machines can get by power of money. But drawings or documents will not come back, if they are lost by fire. They includes precious knowledge for us.
15:13 Jun03 GMT+9

Microsoft had updated MFC42.DLL even since Windows 98 SE
I wanted to open an old D2CAD file to look into the circuit. So I tried installing since the HDD crash. After installing, Windows 98 showed a message,

System file error
最近実行したprogramによって，次のsystem fileが古いversionに置き換えられました。これらのfileは現在使われていて，自動的には修復できません。Windowsを終了して再起動し,次下のfileを自動的に修復するまでは,Windowsが正しく動作しない可能性があります。
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MFC42.DLL

I ran D2CAD, and restared Windows 98. Googling, Microsoft refers to MFC42.DLL.^[22] The last version is 6.00.8447.0 and 995,383 bytes. I confirmed the property of the file are 6.00.8665.0. I think that Microsoft had updated the file even since Windows 98 SE.
15:23 May23 GMT+9

My server hang-up because of thunder?
When my 400 MHz PC hangs up, I can always use it by restart. Now, I work my server of 66 MHz PC. If the PC or commnunication devices hangs up, Visitors are to see 404 error. This is records of these cases.

The bridge might hang up because of effect of thunders
14:15 May29 GMT+9

XP: Rewrite hosts file to recognize my server in LAN
I have been able to have access my 66MHz server by http protocol on Windows 98. It simply could do rewrite hosts file in Windows system directory.^[21] Wikipedia explains it about different Windows. I looked for host by explorer, Hosts and lmhosts were found. I could open hosts file by notepad. I edited and added,

Windows XP recognized my server as enokie.ddo.jp. in LAN
11:04 May28 GMT+9

VB: Run-time error, Invalid Procedure call
I have troubled with run-time error, Invalid Procedure call, though I rewrote sequential file codes. The error occurred at 12:10, 12:51 and 13:24 on 25 May. I seperated the program into small pieces to debug. I changed some expressions to have formula into variables in the doubltful function. I implemented a few magic codes. The last one was effective. It lasted an hour not to occurre Invalid Procedure call on 26 May.
0:23 May28 GMT+9

VB: Open sequential file
I have worked a programming to open a sequential file, as the program watches updated time every minute. I troubled with run-time errors. The VB IDE said,

Input past end of file

Can't contain an embedded peorid or type-declaration character

Invalid procedure call

Open sequential may not have expression of type, as open random does. Helpfile recommends that EOF code may describe at first. Line input # may not use. It was useful for me to read lines by CRLF linefeed. I rewrote the codes that reads lines at once. I had to program for selecting elements by poor character processing of VB4. I worried about "Invalid procedure call" error, because VB4 IDE pointed at other procedure.
23:48 May24 GMT+9

VB: Function FileDateTime has precision of 2 seconds

Debugging result
minute:second	Type	Value
55:56	Single	40685.46
55:52	Single	40685.46
11:01	Double	40685.459375
11:03	Double	40685.4610185185
22:52 22:54	Double Difference	2.31E-5

Function FileDateTime returns updated date and time of a file. I tried it for detecting updated measuremnt file of Tektronix DSO output by If syntax, but it did not work. I also tried Windows API's function, but it did not work. I tried FileDateTime by debugging. I compare datetime of two files. FileDateTime returns a variant that has expression of xx:yy. xx and yy are minute and second. I converted variant to Single or Double by function CSng and CDbl. The table shows the result of debugging. The difference of two seconds is 2.31E-5. This is equivalent to 69.3E-5 per minute. Microsoft tells 0.25 for 6am, 4 hours.^[20] 1/(24*60) is 6.94E-4. VB4 helpfile does not describe the information. I was wrong. As for the precision of FileDateTime has resolution of 2 seconds.
1:06 May23 GMT+9

HDD partition for Windows XP

C: partition 1: [FAT32]	12002MB
Unused	13876MB
I: partition 5: [Unknown]	41237MB
Unused	63954MB
Unused	21556MB

When I tried Windows XP Home edition on HDD of 400MHz machine, the installer recoginized the size of 152626MB disk0 Id0 (bus0 apapi 上) [MBR]. I erased small partitions, the installer showed the table. Simply the installer finished, I wanted to change the partions. I typed fdisk by command prompt. Windows XP has not supported fdisk, I am afraid that the the new partition command line is not easy. I confirmed numbers of dll files by command prompt. I changed the partions by the installer, and stopped installing again. I restarted Windows XP, but the message showed, "hall.dll ga kowareteiru". I installed on the end. MBR displays three cases, Windows XP, broken Windows XP and Windows 98.
23:08 May20 2011 GMT+9

TDS1 shows online measurements of Tektronix DSO on my server
I run TDS1.exe in daytime now. TDS1 shows online measurements of Tektronix DSO on my server. People can look at the data, when clicking Measurements on my page. But run time error occurred at 0:26, 18:46 on 19 May, and 11:09 on 20. Error code is 70, "Permission denied". Help file writes,

You tried to write to a file that another process has locked.
Wait to open the file until the other process releases it.

22:28 May20 2011 GMT+9

VB: Str function contains a leading space
I wrote "0" & Str(5) for padding zero, but Debug.Print returned 0 5
VB Helpfile says,

If number is positive, the returned string contains a leading space and the plus sign is implied. Use the Format function to convert numeric values you want formatted as dates, times, or currency or in other user-defined formats. Unlike Str, the Format function doesn't include a leading space for the sign of number.

23:06 May19 GMT+9

VB: Couldn't it be possible to process two files in an infinite loop?
I could run a tiny program in 400MHz PC to read Meas.txt in 66MHz PC by http local host or Microsoft sharing, and write a log.dat of String and Single. I tried combining it with TDS.exe. But the combined TDS.exe does not work in loop.

Do
    DoEvents
    Open Meas.txt output As #1
    ( codes )
    Close #1
    Call MeasToLog
Loop

Subroutine MeasToLog includes a file process. Couldn't it be possible to process two files in infinite loop?
19:05 May16 2011

MTU ( Maximum Transmission Unit ) limits 1500 bytes according to TCP/IP protocol
I will upload measured historical data of solar cells on my 66MHz server. How much do I limit size of the data? Cluster size of 500MB HDD is 8 KB for FAT16. While frame size of TCP/IP is 1,500 bytes.^[19] I may have better limit 1500 bytes, and more considering my communication capacity. I knew that the size was called MTU ( Maximum Transmission Unit ).
14:48 May13 2011

Format of VB seems to express 3 effective digits with scientic notation
I tried Format function for value of scientific description. Format returns value, when I input with numerical characters and E notation. I got 7 digits effective.

Dim i As Single

i = CSng(-5.55555555555555)

Text1.Text = Format(i, "0.0000000")
Text2.Text = Format(i, "Scientific")

The returned values were -5.5555550 and -5.56E+00. Format(i, "0.0000000") does not carry upat least digit 5. While the scientific expression carries up, but shows only three digits. I have hoped that Format of VB expresses like FORTRAN.
21:57 May12 2011

What is Drvspace.bin for?
I had opened seal labels of Microsoft starter disks to reinstall Windows 98 before. Microsoft recommends to copy disks. I formatted a floppy for starting from control panel. I found an unfamiliar file, Drvspace.bin except for Command.com, Io.sys and Msdos.sys. What is the file for? I prepare for installing Windows XP with Windows 98
21:25 May12 2011

It may be better for recording by Single than charaters to shrink file size
Naturally sends Tektronix DSO numerical characters and index, as follows,

-3.9999999106E-2 The value needs 16 characters or 16 bytes, while Single type data of VB is 4 bytes only. It may be better for recording the data by Single ( binary ) than charaters ( text ). Single is the same of float by C.
21:02 May12 2011

Perl can refer to a shared file at LAN
I write Perl script on vertial host of AN HTTPD server. I want to refer to a shared file on Windows 95. But it seems difficult to refer to a shared file for Perl.^[13][14] If I refer to DHCP address of PC in the neighbor, I may refer to shared file. I might have to create the code.^[14]

But I could have shared a file assigning the path of //computername/folder/filename. The pathname can get by Explorer.
14:32 May12 2011

Web Master Tool: robots.txt

Response interruption
Date	Times
27 Mar	5
10 Apr	1
13 Apr	1
21 Apr	3
25 Apr	1
26 Apr	1
28 Apr	1
3 May	1
Total	14

I happened to find unable to click terms in Reports of my site. I found that the paths were wrong. I am afraid when the pages were not available. Googling Web Master Tool, 40 404-Error were found. There were 20 access errors, 6 of them were about robots.txt. Strange, I have not written robots.txt. And the table showed two unknown html files, cpgpacyrep.html and pporzwyoibutany.html in enokiepisode directory. I may check out robots.txt clearly in Web Master Tool.^[18] 14 no-response occurred interruption. They were five times on 27 March, three times on 21 April, once on 26, once on 28 and once on 3 May.
21:29 May11 2011

Changing LF for CRLF, it looks visible good in text box
Tektronix' DSO ( Digital Storage Oscilloscope ) delimiter of RS232 communication is LF ( Line Feed ) by default, while the linefeed of Windows is Chr(13) and Chr(10).^[16] Changing LF for CRLF, it looks visible good in text box. VB's helpfile tells that vbCRLF is a reserved CONST.

CRLF = Chr(13) + Chr(10) 02:11 May11 2011

VB: date and time of Format function is feasible
I have used Format function for date and time, and the description of date and time is feasible.^[17] I changed for displaying on-line measurement on web.
0:36 May11 2011

VB4 does not support DateLastModified
I began writing a VB4 program to watch a shared file whether it is updated, because Perl is difficult to refer to a shared file, and I have thought that VB is easy like stat of Perl. But the coding of VB4 is more complicated than VB6. VB4 does not support DateLastModified. I have stopped the programming.
11:49 May10 2011

Perl: A way to judge exsistnece of a particular file
$LastUpdateMeasurement replies elapsed time.

$LastUpdateMeasurement = (stat $filename)[9]; If there is no filename, The value of $LastUpdateMeasurement replies zero. Perl is good, I think. It is the simplest way to to judge exsistnece of a particular file.
16:45 May08 2011

Perl: Branching reserved word of syntax is elsif not but ElseIf in VB
I have written a Perl script to branch simple codes. I have run, but browser showed blank page. I debugged some time and found that word of syntax of Perl is different from VB a little. In case of Perl, it is 'elsif' not but 'ElseIf'
16:29 May08 2011

SeaMonkey often shows —Warning: Unresponsive script
SeaMonkey often shows a MsgBox of Warning: Unresponsive script, when I browse Yahoo auction.

A script on this page may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. You can stop the script now, or you can continue to see if the script will complete.

16:13 May08 2011 GMT+9

One has to check option of virtual host, when AN HTTPD works by stand-alone
How do I write CGI script in a html file, though I confirmed that a few simple Perl scripts worked by commandline input? A site writes how to run a sample CGI on Windows at localhost ( stand-alone ).^[11] But I have not been able to set up AN HTTPD correct at first. One has to check vertial host, when one works AN HTTPD as localhost. And he can set up Ippan option (G)..., as the site shows.
20:00 May07 2011 GMT+9

VB4's developing enviornment may not work on Windows XP
I have used VB4 on Windows 98 now and I will replace Windows 98 with Windows XP. I worry about VB version. Looking at Microsoft site, VB4 developing enviornment does not work on Windows XP. I knew that there is free version of VB. I will be able to implant my VB4 codes into the free VB version. But the free version code does not allow to SQL Server.^[9]

My server works on Windows 95 and Tektronix' DSO Measurment program works in the server. So I cannot give up VB4 to develop programming for the server. Windows 98 and Windows XP can boot dual, if I install Windows XP on the other drive (volume).^[10] Which format of Windows XP is better FAT32 or NTFS? As Puppy Linux does not support NTFS of Windows XP, I may have to give up Puppy Linux.
21:01 May 06 2011 GMT+9

Authentication of Windows XP
I will program H8 3664F with IDE ( Integrated Developing Enviornment ), but these vendors does not support Windows 98 now. I had better upgrade Windows 98. Windows XP works on 300 MHz CPU with 128 MB memory. My old 400 MHz machine has 384 MB, and the machine will work on Windows XP. Microsoft has sold out Windows XP now. I have to buy it. There are a lot of Windows XP on auction market. Are they available for Microsoft's authentication? I think that the new authentication are not avilable, if the last customer has already registered it. If someone installed Windows XP with registered product key of Microsoft, The PC will work for 30 days only by Goo Knowledge.^[7] In 30 days, he will have to uninstall Windows XP. A site shows how not to authenticate OEM edition of Windows XP. But The way does not apply to some PC vendors of Sony, Toshiba and Dell.^[8] My 400MHz machine is by Dell.
11:36 May05 2011

CADLUS Circuit [Design] has 428 part symbols
I downloaded CADLUS X, but its note shows that CADLUS X does not support Windows 98.^[5] I tried installing it. It seems to work on Windows 98. But CADLUS X does not include circuit editor. It needs another CADLUS Circuit [Design]. I installed it. I have confirmed that CADLUS Circuit works on Windows 98, it does not support Windows 98.^[6] It has 428 part symbols. But it does not support output of net list in ASCII format.
17:26 May02 GMT+9

I choiced CADLUS X for PWB ( Print Wired Board ) design in 3 free CADs

Free CAD for PWB
Name Router OS Size Note

CADLUS X ? Win95 later -

K2CAD manual Win95 later -

EAGLE auto Windows or Linux 100x80mm 2 layers

ALTIIUM semi Windows - 30 days free

I had used D2CAD and K2CAD for circuit design and art work for PWB. But I cannot use the symbol of parts which I created because HDD of 400 MHz machine crushed before. I missed USB storage. So I will adopt a new editor and art work for CAD. P-ban.com recommends some free CADs.^[1]

I make a choice for a free CAD. ALTIIUM is free for 30 days only. I always made a trial circuit as I was referring to a print out of circuit editor D2CAD before. My Canon printer broke down for Windows 98. Printer makers do not sell for Windows 98 any more. So the target CAD will be good for Linux. My old 400MHz machine works on Puppy Linux. EAGLE is available for Linux. I will not use K2CAD any more because K2CAD does not have auto router. Which is better CADLUS X or EAGLE for me? Auto router of EAGLE seems poor and learning EAGLE is easy.^[2] A site shows that one troubled with handling CADLUS X. He designed a circuit again. The last design was a year ago.^[3] A blog shows that one have to get licence to sell a PWB desinged by EAGLE. The fee is $49.^[4]
16:49 Apr29 GMT+9

The following includes Japanese characters
[1] パターン設計CAD
[2] Under Power 研究所
[3] P板.comの「ワークサイズパッケージ」に参戦
[4] EAGLE Light ライセンス
[5] Readme: CADLUS X
[6] Readme: CADLUS Circuit
[7] 同じプロダクトキーのOS
[8] SLP（System Locked Pre-installation）を使用する方法
[9] 無償版のVBで，SQL Serverの本体（プログラム）に接続し，利用することはできません
[10] Windows XP でマルチブートシステムを作成する方法
[11] WindowsでCGIを動かすには？
[12] Perlでファイルの最終更新日時を得るには
[13] [Perl]Windowsファイル共有のファイル一覧を取得する
[14] Windowsの共有ファイルにperlでアクセスするには
[15] DateLastModifiedプロパティ
[16] VB programmer's guide, p48
[17] VB programmer's guide, p448
[18] robots.txtで検索エンジンを操作しよう
[19] MTUは、一回のデータ転送にて送信可能な [ IPデータグラムの最大値 ] のことです
[20] 整数部分は1899 年 12 月 30 日間の数を表し、小数部は 1 日の端数として時間を表す
[21] LAN内のクライアント機から、自宅WWWサーバーへホスト名によるアクセス試験
[22] Microsoft Foundation クラス DLL のバージョン履歴の一覧
[23] 光磁気ディスク
[24] 無料オンラインストレージ・無料ファイル転送
[25] 読み込んでも図面が表示されない
[26] Inside Windows 95, p257
[27] 内蔵時計について
[28] LOST
[29] 必要システム構成
[30] System requirements
[31] アーカイブ版 Flash Player の提供について