Vaio problems upgrading batt util and DVD on 98 to XP Pro

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops,alt.comp.sys.laptops,uk.comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Does anyone know anything about upgrading A PCG-F590? This unit is upgraded
from 98 to XP Pro and I am getting a Windows error message telling me that
DVD Express MAY need upgrading too (?) but that National Semiconductor won't
do it. Is one supposed to be able to upgrade DVD Express like this or is the
98 version supposed to work on XP? I checked my DVD Express software and
as far as I can see, there are only a very few dll files in the
Mediamantics directories. Is this software downloadable somewhere and can I
find the registration code in my Registry anywhere if I can download DVD
Express from (for example) the Thinkpad site? Or who supports it now?

Also the battery circuits have stopped charging. Apparently there is
something in the cells which tells some piece of software to stop charging
the battery and my battery doesn't charge now. However long the computer
stays on, the battery stays cold

Slightly annoyingly the Windows Options Cabs directory has retained all the
98 cab files in it, obviously in case the user wanted to back out of the XP
installation. I suppose I cn safely delete all the files in it but should I
substitute (for example) the contents of a directory on my XP Installation
disk such as an 1386 directory?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops,alt.comp.sys.laptops,uk.comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi News

Mediamantics seems to have disappeared completely without trace, which is
unusual for a company whose products were so universally used by major
manufacturers?? National Semiconductor SAYS they sold it to Microsoft but
the MS site is completely silent on the support issue and Google returns no
results!


"Quaoar" <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote in message
news:W7GdneWC06i7aD7cRVn-1w@comcast.com...
> news.rcn.com wrote:
> > Does anyone know anything about upgrading A PCG-F590? This unit is
> > upgraded from 98 to XP Pro and I am getting a Windows error message
> > telling me that DVD Express MAY need upgrading too (?) but that
> > National Semiconductor won't do it. Is one supposed to be able to
> > upgrade DVD Express like this or is the 98 version supposed to work
> > on XP? I checked my DVD Express software and as far as I can see,
> > there are only a very few dll files in the Mediamantics directories.
> > Is this software downloadable somewhere and can I find the
> > registration code in my Registry anywhere if I can download DVD
> > Express from (for example) the Thinkpad site? Or who supports it now?
> >
> > Also the battery circuits have stopped charging. Apparently there is
> > something in the cells which tells some piece of software to stop
> > charging the battery and my battery doesn't charge now. However long
> > the computer stays on, the battery stays cold
> >
> > Slightly annoyingly the Windows Options Cabs directory has retained
> > all the 98 cab files in it, obviously in case the user wanted to back
> > out of the XP installation. I suppose I cn safely delete all the
> > files in it but should I substitute (for example) the contents of a
> > directory on my XP Installation disk such as an 1386 directory?
>
> 1. Most Win98 apps will run in XP. You can try compatibility mode:
> right-click the app.exe, select the compatibility tab. That being writ,
> the DVD app might have its own hardware driver(s) that are incompatible
> with XP, in which case the app is useless in XP if the vendor has no
> driver(s). You could try the Win2k version of the program, if
> available, if drivers are an issue.
>
> 2. I *think* on a Win98-era computer the battery control is direct from
> the mainboard charging circuit with the OS merely reporting the battery
> state, providing low battery warnings, and OS response to warnings
> (shutdown, standby, etc.). IOW, the battery has probably failed on its
> own since the OS has no charging control function.
>
> 3. You need to copy the i386 installation folder to the hd, and then
> point XP to its location in the registry.
> http://www.petri.co.il/change_defa [...] folder.htm
>
> Yes, you can delete the old Win98 files.
>
> Q
>
>