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Easy step-by-step to run Google Earth on Windows 98 0.1
by Luigi Auriemma
e-mail: aluigi@autistici.org
web:    aluigi.org

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This short text file shows the simplest way for using Google Earth (GE)
on Windows 98.
All the tests have been made with the version 4 of the program and only
on my PC (Windows98SE) so I can't be sure if this method works on other
configurations too.
Note that this step-by-step is simple but not for everyone.

- you need the installation folder of GE 4 because the installer
  doesn't allow you to continue with the installation if you use a
  non-NT system, so ask to a friend which has Windows 2000/XP or do it
  at work:

    http://earth.google.com
    http://dl.google.com/earth/GE4/GoogleEarthWin.exe

- open base.dll with a hex editor (for example XVI32:
  http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delphi/freeware/xvi32/xvi32.htm) and
  substituite the following strings (CTRL-F) placing a byte 00 where
  are located the 'W' and 'Ex' chars (do NOT delete the chars with the
  CANC key!) *:

    Module32NextW        -> Module32Next
    Module32FirstW       -> Module32First
    GlobalMemoryStatusEx -> GlobalMemoryStatus

- copy the res directory located in the GE folder in the following
  location and rename it as googleearth:

    "c:\windows\application data\google"

  in short you must be able to see the following file:
    "c:\windows\application data\google\googleearth\back.png"

  Note that in your system "c:\windows\application data" could be a
  different folder, but this is really very rare and in any case GE
  will show an error message with the needed path if it's wrong. **

- get the ANSI version of the atl71.dll file and overwrite that located
  in the GE folder:

    http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/pop.php?atl71

- OPTIONAL: create a file install.reg containing the following text and
  then double click on it:

    REGEDIT4
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Earth Plus]
    "CachePath"=".\\cache"
    "KMLPath"=".\\kmlpath"
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Earth Plus\Render]
    "DetailArea"=dword:00000002

  you can "uninstall" or reset GE in any time creating and using the
  following uninstall.reg file:

    REGEDIT4
    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Earth Plus]

- start googleearth.exe


* this solution works without additional modifications because in my
  tests Module32First and Module32Next are never called during the
  execution of the program

**I know that the best choice would be to modify the getAppDirectory
  function of base.dll but this small documents wants only to show the
  most simple way which doesn't require skill or additional patches and
  will work ever with newer versions too.


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