Win 98se

[martymas]

hi team ive been experementing with win 98se

something i havent done since the old techtv days

ok i cant get drivers for my realtek cable card

and this means i have to install them on a cd on one machine

then transfer them to win98se

on another machine

there are several drivers missing from this cd

but if i can get on line i can go look

ok i know it is out of date

but to me it is something

different from xp and vista

where the sys installs these drivers

any ideas

marty

[MrBill]

Put it on a Floppy or CD and when it asks for it, point to it.

[JDoors]

If the card didn't exist while '98 was current then it's possible no one bothered to write a driver for that particular combination. I'd recommend going to the manufacturer's site (the card) to see if they have a driver specifically for Windows '98. If they don't support it any driver you use may not "speak the same language" as '98 and may not work, or may cause constant problems. If there is no driver, anywhere, specifically for '98, then that hardware probably won't work with '98.

I use '98 and just don't install anything that isn't compatible -- I either have to find an older solution that IS compatible or not use the newer hardware (or software) at all.

[shanenin]

what is the realtek model. The most common chipset is the realtek 8139. Those drivers are definitely available

[martymas]

ok i tried the floppy thing but the sys says there isnt enough room on a floppy

is there some way round this

i had trouble installing it on this machine

as it would only go so far

how ever i found i had an incompatable stick of ram

once i pulled the stick out all was sweet

so that is a lesson for me

the sys has found most drivers by putting the 98se disk in the cd rom

but the realtek cable connection

is the problem

win 98se has installed the drivers

but it dosent work

thats the advantage with xp and vista

those drivers

come auto matic as long as the card is in the slot

but it has been a learning curve for me

when i used it back in the old techtv days

i was on dial up modem

which i still have today

i cant give them away

nz was very backward

as far as compting connection was concerned

in those days

that is why i learnd compting late in life

how ever people like you guys

dont realise how valuable you are to users

and you take it as a normal day to post fixes

ime to old for that

marty

[JDoors]

what is the realtek model. The most common chipset is the realtek 8139. Those drivers are definitely available [emphasis added]

Win '98 was actually pretty sophisticated about automatically installing drivers for hardware that it supports. I just replaced my DVD-ROM and when I started Windows it just said "Building Driver Database," Windows finished booting and that was all there was to it. It ran perfectly with no effort on my part because that particular hardware was in the Windows '98 driver database.

If Windows could not install the driver for your card you have to supply the driver, and the driver has to support Windows '98. A driver file should fit on a floppy, so you got something else in there (or a defective floppy disk or drive). What file, exactly, did you try to fit on the floppy? Just the name of the file would help, where you got it would be helpful, and as Shanenin suggested, the exact model of the card.

[sceeter32]

Have you tried here Drivers Guide This site usually has every driver avalible.

Sceeter32

[Pete_C]

If it is too big for a floppy try a USB flash drive or burn it to a CD.

[martymas]

ok

i solved the problem

the original card came with a driver cd

but i changed the card to suit win xp and vista

now with win 98 i had to reinstall the other card

and when i put the cd in the rom

it instantly installed the driver to this card

old age makes me forget i had changed the card

ime online now with 98 and with cable it is lightening fast

i struck a coupla problems

which i hope some one can help me

every now and then

a message says

microsoft has struck a problem and will have to shut windows

which has happened a coupla times

i remember in the old days

chappie and pete had a fix for this

othwer wise it is going well

thanks for the replys and help

ive just installed avast so ime on my way

you are much appreciated

marty

Edited February 1, 2009 by martymas

[JDoors]

ok

i solved the problem

the original card came with a driver cd

but i changed the card to suit win xp and vista

now with win 98 i had to reinstall the other card

and when i put the cd in the rom

it instantly installed the driver to this card ...

marty

Good going!

I've no idea what program or hardware could be causing Windows to need to shut down, hope someone else knows how to troubleshoot that.

[martymas]

has any one seen this

it was sent by a very good friend from the usa

i notice there are still some win 98se users on the board

so have a read and see what you think

and we can discuss

marty

http://www.mdgx.com/spx/

[Pete_C]

The biggest problems with using an old os are that first microsoft no longer creates new patches for it . When a new exploit is discovered in windows XP or IE7, chances are that the same hole exists in older versions; but microsoft only produces patches for the current products. The malware authors, as soon as a patch is released reverse engineer it to find out what it fixed and then create something to take advantage of that hole.

Secondly with many software applications , the latest version just plain will not run on the older platform so you wind up running an older outdated version which the bad guys have written lots of nasties to take advantage of holes in to generate zero day exploits where they can install malware silently without you or your antivirus noticing it.

But those points aside; for general purpose (checking email, visiting trusted sites) an older machine running an old os is probably fine.

In the end; in the US you can get a new low end machine which so far surpasses the capabilities of an old win98 machine that it is ridiculous to keep it around for anything other than as a "guest" machine for the grandkids and visitors to use that you do not mind if they mess up or infect.

[JDoors]

Marty, briefly checked out the site, looks like it's just what I needed.

Pete, with a firewall, updated virus definitions and safe computing it's tough to get infected no matter what OS you're using. Any OS is vulnerable to a day one exploit, that's kinda the definition of day one exploit. Just as new software exploits the new feature set of recent OS's and so will not work on old ones, new malicious exploits target new features and often will not function on old OS's (I've seen many new exploits that target features '98 does not have -- the definitions specifically say '98 is not vulnerable to those exploits).

Just as no one's writing new programs or drives for old OS's, few write new malicious code specifically targeting old OS's. It's not a failsafe bet, but I doubt an outdated OS is MORE vulnerable than a new one. As time passes an old OS may even be MORE secure for the same reason Apple computers are less vulnerable -- no one's writing anything to exploit it 'cause few use it (or maybe you just don't hear about old OS's being compromised because nobody really cares ... ?).

You definitely will not have access to new software, hardware, features, updates, etc. Apple, for example, does not support '98 for anything (so no Quicktime if it's a recorded in the last few years, no iTunes whatsoever, etc., but then I don't miss Apple products anyway).

Even a "low end machine" can be beyond someone's financial means (you'll likely have to update your personal programs and external hardware too), or may not be necessary for ANY reason, or isn't the point at all (I originally didn't want an OS that has to have the manufacturer's permission to run -- though that philosophy may soon be moot if something breaks or it '98 becomes TOO disfunctional).

-----

Oh yeah, any ideas how to troubleshoot Marty's "must close" thingy?

Edited February 1, 2009 by JDoors

[martymas]

glad the link can be of help

i thought of you when i recieved the

email

he is a member of this board

but at this stage ide like him to remain annon

until he approves of me posting his name

now jd

what sort of fire wall is needed for win 98m

ive already installed a virus scanner

so i need to follow your advice

at least this is giving vista a rest

the machine with 98 is very old

and very crotchety

ive seen that message before

windos will close

it used to happen if you had to many applis at once

those days i used to use alt cntr delete

bugger that

i have to get used to waiting with a bit more patients

with xp you could load avast and adaware both at the same time

but not so with win98

marty

[JDoors]

Oh yeah, Windows '98 does not handle memory anywhere near as well as later versions. Once you're used to the newer versions, being able to open anything at any time, leave 'em all open, or not, have icons all over the place, use fancy wallpapers, screensavers, who cares! Newer Windows versions can handle it! And newer computers are SO fast and have SO much memory everything you run just ... runs. So run another program right away, and another, and another, who cares! Newer computers can handle it!

Yeah, not so much with a Windows '98 machine. EVERYTHING you have on screen takes up precious memory. Icons, wallpaper, everything in the system tray, all suck up memory that would better be used for the program you're trying to run. You also need to keep an eye on your hard drive activity. You might be tempted to run another program thinking the first one's done working, you look at the hard drive light and it's chugging away like mad! Better not run that second program yet! The first one's either not done yet, or Windows has had to resort to swapping memory to finish what it's doing.

ESPECIALLY if you're using newer hardware or programs. Newer stuff assumes you have tons of memory resources and a fast computer. I sometimes get the message, "[program name] is having difficulty starting, do you wish to continue trying to open [program name]?" Usually an Adobe product. It's not that there's a REAL problem, it's just that that program expects me to have an OS that handles memory well and a computer that's fast-fast-FAST! Windows '98 CAN run it, it just takes longer than the program expects. I just say, "Yeah, duh, I want to run it," and it eventually loads and runs fine.

Re: Firewalls (I may get some info wrong, if anyone would be so kind as to correct inaccurate information it'd be appreciated). I got mine back when '98 was current and kept updating it until they said '98's no longer supported. Firewall technology hasn't changed much since then, if at all, so keeping up on that is a low priority for me. I have a DSL modem and every test I've run on the Internet essentially says it can't even see my computer. It's not because of the firewall, it's because my ISP "filters" traffic, the ISP acts as a "proxy" for my actual computer. That proxy keeps anyone from knowing where my computer is and trying to get something on it, so it automatically works as an "incoming" firewall for the Internet.

I'm even less current on "routers" but I believe if you have one on your computer it essentially acts as an incoming firewall too.

If YOU put something on your computer on purpose (for instance, if you take chances with software from unknown sources), or it gets on your computer by some other means (for instance, you visit random websites or open any ol' e-mail regardless of who it's from), a firewall that checks "outgoing" traffic would stop it from sending anything bad out (like where you are, what you're doing, SPAM to other computers, etc.). So even if you're behind a proxy or router a firewall could help. I've stuck with the one I had from long ago so I'm not current on what firewalls still support '98, I would imagine there are free ones that still do but I don't know what they'd be (if there are "free" ones at all any more). Just check the list of free software here on the boards, visit the sites and see if they support '98 or have "legacy" versions that do.

[martymas]

back in the old days

i used to install trend micro

scanner and firewall combo

but that is a long time ago

i presume that is all pro these days

thanks for the advice

i emailed microsoft

and they dont support the sys any more

a friend gave me the disk to test out

and with every ones help ive got it going

i wont persever with it

as i have a machine with vista and one with xp

dual boot with ubutnu

bit this was a lesson for me

thanks all for your input

much appreciated

marty

[MrBill]

glad the link can be of help

i thought of you when i recieved the

email

he is a member of this board

but at this stage ide like him to remain annon

until he approves of me posting his name

now jd

what sort of fire wall is needed for win 98m

ive already installed a virus scanner

so i need to follow your advice

at least this is giving vista a rest

the machine with 98 is very old

and very crotchety

ive seen that message before

windos will close

it used to happen if you had to many applis at once

those days i used to use alt cntr delete

bugger that

i have to get used to waiting with a bit more patients

with xp you could load avast and adaware both at the same time

but not so with win98

marty

I am always anonymous. The site that I sent you has updates to 98 that you can't get from MS anymore. It has been a while since since I have used any of them.

Edited February 4, 2009 by MrBill

[martymas]

thanks bill for that link

i now have all the win98se updates on this compt

once i downloaded them from your link

i went to win updates

and they were listed there

so i installed the lot

hope JD has some success with them

this compt wont install ubuntu

so 98 is the next best thing

so thanks again bill

your a bloody beauty

marty