Windows 98 Updates

[Gordon Darling]

Whilst Windows 98 is still the most widely installed OS in the world it
ain't making any money for Microsoft - they want you to move to XP. As
many will be aware support for Win98 will be withdrawn at the end of this
year.

It is possible to set up "Windows Update" to allow you to download ALL of
the updates individually. You can then copy them all to another
partition/hard disk or burn to a CDR. It's easy enough on broadband but
still possible on dial up if you download bits at a time.

Couple of caveats.
You must be running a Microsoft operating system (i.e. you can't do it on
Solaris or BSD, etc) but you can d/l updates for an OS other than the one
you are running. (You can d/l Win98SE updates from a Win2K or WinXP box).

The procedure is as follows.

a) Go to the Windows update site.
b) Choose personalize Windows update in the left frame.
c) Put a check mark in "Display the link to Windows Update Catalog".
d) There's a new link to Windows Update Catalog under See Also.
e) Click on the link.
f) Make your selection of operating system.
g) Make your selection updates.
h) Download as appropriate.

Hope this helps those of you still using Win98

Regards
Gordon

 

[Kevin Sharp]

Whilst Windows 98 is still the most widely installed OS in the world it
ain't making any money for Microsoft - they want you to move to XP. As
many will be aware support for Win98 will be withdrawn at the end of this
year.

<snip>

Thanks for the info Gordon. I'm going to try this out. I've enjoyed your
many postings.

Kevin

 

[Paul Blarmy]

On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 17:51:58 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Darling wrote...

It is possible to set up "Windows Update" to allow you to download ALL of
the updates individually. You can then copy them all to another
partition/hard disk or burn to a CDR. It's easy enough on broadband but
still possible on dial up if you download bits at a time.

Hope this helps those of you still using Win98

Good advice Gordon - it's what I have been doing for the past few years
and it certainly helps those of us who like to regularly fdisk and
reformat!

I fully intend to go on using Win98SE for many many more years than
Microsoft would like ;-)

 

[POKO]

On Sat, 4 Oct 2003 17:51:58 +0000 (UTC), Gordon Darling wrote...



Good advice Gordon - it's what I have been doing for the past few years
and it certainly helps those of us who like to regularly fdisk and
reformat!

I fully intend to go on using Win98SE for many many more years than
Microsoft would like ;-)

Seconded - my new machine came with XP which I really didn't want, but
my older boxes have Win98 which I intend to keep forever.
POKO

 

[Gordon Darling]

Seconded - my new machine came with XP which I really didn't want, but
my older boxes have Win98 which I intend to keep forever.
POKO

Why not. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Windows 98SE, with all the
critical updates, a good AV scanner and a good firewall is still a good,
stable, easy to use OS - especially on low end hardware.

One recommendation though. Given that Microsoft support for Win98
terminates in under three months, seriously consider moving away from
Internet Explorer. There are still dozens of documented and undocumented
bugs within the IE HTML rendering engine. The recent Q-Hosts DNS hijacker
is just one of the dozens of 0day exploits out there. There are more to
come and after December any critical updates for IE will not be available
for Win98.

Regards
Gordon

 

[Mark Warner]

One recommendation though. Given that Microsoft support for Win98
terminates in under three months, seriously consider moving away from
Internet Explorer. There are still dozens of documented and
undocumented bugs within the IE HTML rendering engine. The recent
Q-Hosts DNS hijacker is just one of the dozens of 0day exploits out
there. There are more to come and after December any critical updates
for IE will not be available for Win98.

Just speculating here, of course, but I suspect if an IE patch would
work with WME, it would work with W98 as well. That ought to buy some
time.

At least I hope so. I too am stickin' with W98 for as long as I can.
Hopefully, by the time it gets to where it just doesn't do the job
anymore, some Linux distro will have been developed that a
unsophisticate like me can use and learn without having to start totally
from scratch.

 

[Ben Cooper]

There are still dozens of documented and undocumented bugs

within the IE HTML rendering engine.

If the bugs are undocumented how do *you* know about them?

 

[john p.]

Why not. If it ain't broke don't fix it! Windows 98SE, with all the
critical updates, a good AV scanner and a good firewall is still a good,
stable, easy to use OS - especially on low end hardware.

That's fine as long as you accept the fact that there will be no new
fixes for any security vulnerabilities or other major bugs discovered
in the OS itself after the support cutoff date.

 

[Gordon Darling]

within the IE HTML rendering engine.

If the bugs are undocumented how do *you* know about them?

Do a Google on "bugtraq-digest", "Full-Disclosure Digest", NTBUGTRAQ,
"focus-ms Digest", focus-virus Digest" and read through all the security
archives.

See also http://www.securitytracker.com/alerts/2002/Sep/1005200.html
or "19 unfixed/unpatched IE security holes" at
http://www.astreet.com/article.php?sid=182

Or just google on "Internet Exploier" +unfixed (link will wrap)
http://www.google.com/search?q="Internet+Explorer"++unfixed&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

If you follow the Security newsletters and still use IE you should be
very, very afraid!

Regards
Gordon

 

[Ben Cooper]

them?

Do a Google on "bugtraq-digest", "Full-Disclosure Digest", NTBUGTRAQ,
"focus-ms Digest", focus-virus Digest" and read through all the
security archives.

Thanks for those search terms, Gordon. I'm still not clear
on how an undocumented bug can be documented somewhere.

If you follow the Security newsletters and still use IE you should be
very, very afraid!

I've been using IE for years and never had any problems
associated with security.
I suppose if I listned to a police scanner all the time I'd
be afraid to leave the house.

 

[Gordon Darling]

Thanks for those search terms, Gordon. I'm still not clear
on how an undocumented bug can be documented somewhere.

Probably didn't make myself clear. As in "undocumented by Microsoft" would
be a better description. You could also lurk in some of the hacker ICQ
channels or follow some of the less ethical "BlackHat" websites. I'll

I've been using IE for years and never had any problems associated with
security.
I suppose if I listned to a police scanner all the time I'd be afraid to
leave the house.

As a user of Usenet, and this group in particular you are probably far
better qualified to understand the dangers of the big, bad world of the
Internet. Unfortunately you are in the minority. I'm continually amazed
(and thankful because they pay my bills) at the number of users (both
home and corporate) who don't know what a firewall is or how to implement
an update strategy, or how to update anti-virus software.

The security problems inherent in Internet Explorer will haunt us
for some time to come.

Regards
Gordon

 

[Bill Day]

Couple of caveats.
You must be running a Microsoft operating system (i.e. you can't do it on
Solaris or BSD, etc) but you can d/l updates for an OS other than the one
you are running. (You can d/l Win98SE updates from a Win2K or WinXP box).

from the Micro$oft site:

"All Users:
Windows Update can only be accessed by Internet browsers that support
ActiveX Controls. For more information about ActiveX Controls, please
refer to the Windows Update FAQ. "

I almost NEVER open IE..this 'seems' to say I can't get the Windows
Updates without using IE. True? I can get to a page of various updates
(security mostly) in Mozilla, but none of the links noted are visible.

I would rather avoid IE if possible, as my current setup does not like
Active-X stuff, and gives me error messages which require running Norton
to clean up.

 

[Ben Cooper]

Probably didn't make myself clear. As in "undocumented by Microsoft"
would be a better description. You could also lurk in some of the
hacker ICQ channels or follow some of the less ethical "BlackHat"
websites. I'll leave you to find those links by yourself <grin>.

Ah. I get what you were saying, now. And it only took a couple of 2x4s to
get it into my head this time.

As a user of Usenet, and this group in particular you are probably far
better qualified to understand the dangers of the big, bad world of
the Internet. Unfortunately you are in the minority. I'm continually
amazed (and thankful because they pay my bills) at the number of
users (both home and corporate) who don't know what a firewall is or
how to implement an update strategy, or how to update anti-virus
software.

You're preaching to the choir, brother.

Take care and thanks for all the good posts.

 

[John Fitzsimons]

I almost NEVER open IE..this 'seems' to say I can't get the Windows
Updates without using IE. True?

Don't think so. IIRC I have gotten updates using Firebird.

I can get to a page of various updates
(security mostly) in Mozilla, but none of the links noted are visible.

Did you try ;

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp ?


Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.aspects.org.au/index.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/

 

[Bill Day]

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp ?


Regards, John.

thanks, John...will look.....

 

[Dale I. Green]

As
many will be aware support for Win98 will be withdrawn at the end of
this year.

a) Go to the Windows update site.
b) Choose personalize Windows update in the left frame.
c) Put a check mark in "Display the link to Windows Update Catalog".
d) There's a new link to Windows Update Catalog under See Also.
e) Click on the link.
f) Make your selection of operating system.
g) Make your selection updates.
h) Download as appropriate.

While good advice, I think it may be a bit premature. The way I
understand it, although MS will not be developing any new
patches/updates for Win98/Win98SE, the existing patches/updates will be
available for download until Jan 16, 2005.


See the following:

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=8700301&pgno=3

http://www.windows-help.net/microsoft/win98-support-life.html

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.mspx


If I'm wrong, please let me know so I can start downloading! :^)

 

[George]

While good advice, I think it may be a bit premature. The way I
understand it, although MS will not be developing any new
patches/updates for Win98/Win98SE, the existing patches/updates will be
available for download until Jan 16, 2005.

Still a very handy tip that I wasn't aware of. Can now take a CD with
all the updates when helping others with their PCs. Good to know the
updates won't be disappearing for a while all the same.

 

[Dale I. Green]

Still a very handy tip that I wasn't aware of. Can now take a CD with
all the updates when helping others with their PCs. Good to know the
updates won't be disappearing for a while all the same.

I hate to be a pest, but do others concur with my conclusion (that
downloads will be available at least thru Jan 16, 2005)? I don't want to
get caught with my pants down, as I do plan to reinstall my Win98SE on a
new machine sometime in the future.

Thanks.

 

[POKO]

I hate to be a pest, but do others concur with my conclusion (that
downloads will be available at least thru Jan 16, 2005)? I don't want to
get caught with my pants down, as I do plan to reinstall my Win98SE on a
new machine sometime in the future.

Thanks.

In the past Microsoft policy has been reversed just like that - play it
safe and get it done.
POKO

 

[Alan]

I hate to be a pest, but do others concur with my conclusion (that
downloads will be available at least thru Jan 16, 2005)? I don't
want to get caught with my pants down, as I do plan to reinstall my
Win98SE on a new machine sometime in the future.

This from http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;w98

Attention
In accordance with the Microsoft Product Support Lifecycle, no-charge
support for Windows 98 will end on July 1, 2003. Paid-only support will
continue to be available from Microsoft at $35 per incident. Support
will also be available from some third party providers.

Microsoft will also continue to offer a variety of self-help resources
on the Product Support Services Web site until at least January 16,
2006, two years after phone support for Windows 98 ends on January 16,
2004. These resources include the Microsoft Knowledge Base and
Newsgroups.

So PHONE support ends Jan 16, 2004