I wanted to get this accomplished with a change to conio.props but couldn't figure out how to make that work (the .rc file has to be compiled first, so it can't be just linked).

Replace use-of/linking-with wsock32.lib with ws2_32.lib to fix issues such as this one coming-up with the HAProxy feature merge:
unresolved external symbol __imp__inet_pton@12 referenced in function _xpms_accept 

This fixes the stat() issue on Windows XP/2K3 by allowing sbbs to benefit
from the run-time library updates that Microsoft releases periodically
(like https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53840).

For more info on the stat() issue which caused all kinds of sbbs errors
(e.g. creating directories initially, but a lot more):
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/32452777/visual-c-2015-express-stat-not-working-on-windows-xp

Since we are using cryptlib which requires the MSVC runtime DLL anyway
(it is the default build behavior of MSVC), we weren't really gaining
anything from statically linking the CRTL (LIBCMT.LIB). And for some reason,
an up-to-date MSVC2019 still has (links-in) a LIBCMT.LIB file that includes
this stat bug. All the online help resources I found just to seem to suggest
updating the CRTL DLLs (on the target system), with no mention of any fixes
available for the static CRTLs on the build system. But with the no gain
from static linking anyway, I figured it was time to switch to DLL CRTLs.

The debug builds are still statically linking the CRTL for no particular
reason.

Visual Studio 2017 - Windows XP (v141_xp) toolset

Removed v4upgrade from sbbs project.

- If you are upgrading from SBBSecho v2.x, run "jsexec sbbsecho_upgrade.js"
  to convert your ctrl/sbbsecho.cfg to the new ctrl/sbbsecho.ini.
- Major code overhaul/re-write/modernization
- ArcMail/Attach/FD mode NOT TESTED: beware if you're using this style mailer!
- New features:
+ Easier to manage configuration file (sbbsecho.ini)
+ Multiple sysop aliases supported (for receiving netmail)
+ Mutual-exclusion-lock file (ctrl/sbbsecho.bsy) to prevent accidental
   concurrent invocations of SBBSecho
+ FileBoxes (optional inbox and outbox per node, only in BSO mode)
+ EchoList 4-char "flags" are now 25-char "keys" and much easier to deal with
+ Maximum msg age configurable for NetMail and EchoMail (separately)
+ Configurable "Area Manager" user name (default: SYSOP)
+ Configurable "Default Recipient" for netmail (default: SYSOP)
+ Far fewer command-line options, more settings in EchoCfg
+ Old command-lines will still work, but most of the legacy options are just
   ignored now. Run "sbbsecho -?" for command-line syntax and options.
Other improvements:
+ All Fido kludes, including PATH and SEEN-BY lines are stored in the
   Synchronet Message Base, always (can't be disabled)
+ Better security for inbound EchoMail (passwords are always enforced)
+ More comprehensive log output (the log output is more of a priority than the
  console output now)
+ Increased accuracy for recipient user name/alias matching
+ Higher-level of uniqueness to generated packet filenames
+ All temporary files (e.g. packets in process) are created in an
   SBBSecho-specific temporary file directory
+ No longer auto-terminates when any local key is pressed: use Ctrl-C/Break
   instead to initiate a graceful premature termination
+ Much more help text in echocfg
+ Better organization of settings in echocfg
+ Optional per-node "comments" for use in echocfg->Linked Nodes

If DigitalMan uses the Edit and Continue feature, he can fix it.  :-)

application" error message (when run on XP) and reportedly will allow target
executables to run on non-SEE (pre-Pentium III) CPUs. Seriously, anyone really
running Windows XP on a Pentium II today? I guess it's possible <shrug> and we
really get little benefit from SSE in Synchronet.

I couldn't get Windows 2000 running in Hyper-V, so I guess Windows 2000 is
now officially unsupported by Synchronet (and long unsupported by Microsoft).

Thanks to Android8675 for the bug report and Rushfan for the solution tip.

of these files for now (if you don't want to upgrade just yet).

JavaScript-C (SpiderMonkey).