Flyakitesp1 V3.5

EDIT: Now v3.6.

Version 3.6 basically addresses all of the issues in the first two pages of this thread, except for theunknown's MSN skin problem, which he will have to fix when he gets back.

Please read this entire post before you ask questions. If you have a major question/suggestion/comment or problem to report please PM me.

Download

Mirror 1 - Courtesy of bexxter

Mirror 2 - Courtesy of nowhereman

Mirror 3 - Courtesy of buddyd16

Mirror 4 - Courtesy of corkykg

What's included?

Everything from previous versions (minus the problems) plus...

• extra system files
  
• Brushed MSN Messenger 6.1.0203 skin by 'theunknown'
  
• Panther MSN skin by 'theunknown'
  
• Moddified AquaX skin by JabInc
  
• Yahoo Messenger skin by me
  
• BatchMod project by cbw.l4v4
  
• Multi-language installer support
  
• icons rebuild themselves on restart
  
• added 6 wallpapers (4 panther and the main 2 from Jaguar)
  
• Added cursors and cursor scheme (must be loaded manually)
  
• added "Remove 'Recent Documents' from Places bar" reg. tweak
  
• added Picture and Fax Viewer safari toolbar bitmaps by th0re
  
• changed the image when switching themes to a much nicer version
  
• added online version checking to installer
  
• Fixed tons of various problems with last installer
  
• Much more.... See for yourself!
  

What's not included? Themes, login screens, boot screens, or sounds. However they will eventually be included in a future release. Plus it helps keep the installer down to a reasonable size. Current size is only 27.3mb, which is only about 1mb larger than my last version, and you get so, so much more.

Notes

The files included in this installer are only intended for UP-TO-DATE english XP SP1 systems! If you are running a non-english or non-SP1 version of XP, please use the "Extract Only (w/ BatchMod)" install type and then use BatchMod to mod your own system files (more information in BatchMod readme).

The files in this installer are up-to-date as of December 10th, 2003. Please visit Windows Update and download any necessary updates before installing.

When running the installer, you will get a choice for the installer language. This only controls the language that the installer screens are displayed in, not the language of the system files.

Windows File Protection dialogs will probably come up when installing. Just ignore them and then restart. If you are currently using my last release then they shouldn't come up, or, if you ever run my installer a second time they hopefully shouldn't ever come up again.

If two weeks from now you want to easily check to see if a new installer version is out, if you have saved the installer to your computer, run it again and just have it check for a newer version. Simple as that.

If you don't choose the "Create Restore Point" option the installer makes a folder called BACKUP in the Windows directory, and it copies ALL your original files to that folder, whether you're just installing just an MSN Messenger skin or everythig possible.

------------------------------------

IF in the unlikely event that something were to happen and you could not boot into Windows, you can use you XP cd and use the Repair Console to copy files from the backup folder to the proper directory.

Example: If Windows failed to load because msgina.dll was missing (which should NEVER happen if I've done my job right), go into the recovery console and use these commands:

copy c:\windows\backup\msgina.dll c:\windows\system32\dllcache
copy c:\windows\backup\msgina.dll c:\windows\system32\

This example can be used for any or all files in case something did accidently go wrong and you needed to fix it.

------------------------------------

If you want to test out all 3 different MSN messenger skins, the easiest method is to run the installer and use the Extract Only option. The skins will be in a subfolder in the directory you extracted them to called "extras\msnskins". Just run them from where they are at. If you decide on the one you like, just close MSN Messenger and copy that file into the "Program Files\MSN Messenger" directory.

Installation

Installation can be run straight from within Windows. No need to reboot into Safe Mode or anything of the like.

While the installer is integrated, if you just want to extract the files without replacing them, use the "Extract Only (w/ Batchmod)" install type.

It is recommended to close all open programs you have running before installing. Although for example if you chose to install the Brushed MSN skin and forgot to close MSN Messenger, the installer will kill the process for you. The same applies for QCD Player, Internet Explorer, and Explorer.

If the installer asks to reboot when it is finished, that is because you have installed something that needs to reboot the computer to be changed properly. If you only install the Control Panel files or registry tweaks, you will not be asked to reboot. If you install EXE or DLL files, shell32.dll, explorer.exe, etc. you will be asked to reboot and you WILL need to.

After reboot the readme file will be displayed before explorer loads, and explorer will only load once you have closed the readme. Do not freak out if Explorer isn't loading and you haven't closed the readme, that's supposed to happen.

Screenshots

Full Size

Full Size

Full Size

#88185

nice one!!! great job flyakite

thanks for ur hard work

#88189

Thank you mr kite, this looks great.

#88191

let the kite fly high........

Great job

Thanks

#88194

thats the most impressive release information i've ever seen, flyakite. looks good.

#88197

(Y)

thanks flyakite, and it works on a german system!

MT

#88227

Very well done..... cool system files installer.....

#88228

Flyakite, I'm just wondering which dll file is it for downloading pop up window?

I'm using 1600x1200 resolution and font is kinda small, so wana replace with original, but I don't know which dll file it is involved with.....

if you have a time let me know....thank you

#88231

Installed flawlessly, looks flawless to boot. Another great job.

Edit: I found something wierd while changing themes:

http://hmai18.sphosting.com/glitch.png (copy/paste into browser, my hosting service sucks)

#88237

@hmai18

Interesting.... honestly I have NO idea what is causing that or how to fix it. I physically deleted the Windows flag from shell32.dll so it wouldn't display it, and it doesn't on my system.

But, as we have all found out from stuff like this, everyone's system is different, and sometimes not all work the same way. Sorry but right now I'm not sure what a solution would be.

@True

The download dialog is in browselc.dll. Honestly I had someone else tell me the font was small and he was using 1024x768 resolution. I'm on 1600x1200 on a 19" monitor and it's plenty big to me, that's why I've never changed it.

#88244

Yeah good job, is Flyakie merite a title ??, i mean flood master is not as high as this release maybe he can have something else for soo many hours of works ?

(Y)

#88250

Okay... well so far there are a couple of minor issues.

1) If you right-click the installer and select Properties, the Language is listed as Hebrew. I doubt anyone has ever even looked at the properties or cares, but it bothered me so I fixed it, lol.

2) The cursor scheme doesn't work right. The scheme is looking for cursor names like "Panther Alternate.cur" and I forgot to put the cursors with modded names into the installer, so they are just named "Alternate.cur" etc. The easy way to fix this is to go to WINDOWS\Cursors, and find the Macish ones. Rename them all "Panther Whatever.cur". Like "Panther Alternate.cur", "Panther Busy.cur" etc. It's not a huge thing, but something I've already fixed.

Or, download this zip file with the renamed cursors here. (17kb)

Extract them to WINDOWS\Cursors, and apply the Panther theme from the Mouse Properties control panel applet.

3) The brushed MSN skin errors and closes when trying to open it from the system tray. That is actually an issue theunknown will have to deal with. He is gone for the week but I will inform him when he gets back.

#88259

O.K.... I'm lovin it so far.

One thing... I use a proxy server to connect to the internet.

Your last package had the proxy authenication pop up more macish... new version is now back to old XP version.

I do beleive that was part of IExplore.exe, but i could be wrong.

#88276

Wow.. Very nice work!

I'll update when I get the spare time to download the 'uge installer..

Edit: Somebody give that man a badge!

#88277

:bow: really apreciate you hard work!!! thanks for this nice aqua installer, keep up the good work!!!!! and again really apreciate your effort!!! :bow: :bow:

thanks

#88280

good work

cool u give me the url of u'R ftp server to download other stuff

(i think it is on¿)

#88284

Nevermind...I am a complete idiot!!

I really need to get some sleep.....This is pretty cool. I like the way it minimizes.

It also seems to make my comp run faster....

#88306

I changed some themes and I dont get the cool changer that everyone else does....Mine is just a regular XP one.

Are there some things I need to tweak or are they already tweaked automatically?

#88320

Downloading it right now and preparing to some serious batchmodding :naughty:

Thank you, your effort is very big (Y)

#88337

one bug that i have found is that the internet explorer file download blue progress bar goes backwards. instead of filling up with blue, it starts out full of blue then goes down to empty. i don't know if that's how it's supposed to look, but it kinda threw me off at first.

otherwise though i haven't had any other problems with it

#88364

ok i'm in love....

did anyone else see the little thing in the right click menu on files.... make alias?

uber cool

you rock and all the other banter that i cant think of

Sebek

#88370

Originally posted by daclothe@Dec 12 2003, 06:12 PM

one bug that i have found is that the internet explorer file download blue progress bar goes backwards.  instead of filling up with blue, it starts out full of blue then goes down to empty.  i don't know if that's how it's supposed to look, but it kinda threw me off at first.

otherwise though i haven't had any other problems with it

well it is like that for the first version i dl'ed. i use wb themes and for them it goes back to the regular w95/98/me/2000 look and fills up the right way but it isn't skinned.

#88371

Thanks everyone for the comments, whether good or bad.

The download progress dialog is supposed to go from blue to empty, although I'll look into changing it around, as I would probably like it better if it filled anyway. And in terms of the font, I have no idea why everyone's font is so small. I'm running it at 1600x1200 and it looks fine to me. I'll look into it though

I was at work earlier today and just got back. I'm currently looking into the problems that people are having with files not getting replaced. Someone PMed me and a few files didn't get uninstalled, and I found the error to that so I'll fix it.

I also have fixed the little language bug in properties and the cursors.

I think I MAY know the problem for those of you using my old installer. The problem is that it's trying to replace old files, which are much larger in size. Such as shell32.dll. And what happens is the installer renames the old shell32.dll and then moves onto the next command which is extracting the new one. Well, if you have my old shell32.dll, it's like 27mb and renaming it isnt' instant, so it moves onto the extract command before the file is done renaming, and so it can't extract the file into there because it still exists according to the system.

What I'll do for everyone is work on fixing the bugs tonight and release an update a little later. I still have 2 extra possible mirrors, plus my host so once I get the new version fixes put in I will reupload it, have the extra mirrors upload it and then let the rest of you know. Also the mirror that I was keeping the screenshots on looks like it is down, so I'll move them to another location.

IF the installer worked fine for you and you had no problems, please don't download the new version, so I can conserve bandwidth for those that don't have the installer yet. That is, unless I've got like 8 mirrors, then I could care less how many times you download it, lol.

I'm sorry though for those that are having problems, but that's just how it goes sometimes. Not everyone's system is the same.

#88372

The files caused explorer to crash whenever I went into my wireless internet prefenrences and I clicked on the networks tab. Now, after restoring, my WINS server doesnt show up. I dont know if its your fault or my ISP's, most likely yours. Are you supposed to uninstall all other system modifacation packs? (ie, packs system files)

I am really pissed off about this but I realize its my own fault.

#88375

Thanks, great work!

Do u need more mirror?

#88378