Windows ME vs. 98 Question

[TetsuoShima]

Anybody using 9x OS at this point must be a daredevil, most software projects have long cancelled support for 9x and of those few remaining, most will cancel it during 2008. Meaning, you'll be running a horribly bad OS, with outdated software. Most AV companies have stopped or are stopping support for the 9x series, so that'll also mean you'll be out of a virus scanner in a while. 9x is ready for the dumpster, or if you're die hard, the museum... :p

[StitchInTime]

Yes, well, it's all my desktop computer will take, and I'm not alone.  There are lots of us out here, not to mention all those who don't have computer access at all, and in the circle I travel that's most people.

 

As for dr_strekge, you sure know how to talk computer talk, but I'm afraid my knowledge of these things is appallingly limited.

[TetsuoShima]

StitchInTime, you should really have a look into some Linux distros. Most have really matured over the last few years and you don't have to be a computer wizz any longer to get one to work properly. They are being constantly developed and updated. There is plenty of support and most of them are completely free. They also have much lower system requirements than equivalent MS products. I'm sure you could run them, if you disable some resource consuming 'eyecandy' components that the major distro developers have recently begun to integrate into their OS-es. If you really aren't sure which one to go for (there are so many), try Ubuntu, it's usually recommended for Linux starters since it requires a bit less manual setup than most, though recently some others have made their distros easier to work with too.

[Amnot Borg]

I use Ubuntu but after Dapper Drake 6.06, it really needs modern systems. Basically, RAM is the main hold up, other than that it's nice. The 32-64MB required by Win98/ME can make any modern OS a real pain to use or install. They just can't function well or at all without a memory upgrade.

 

Best suggestion. Save a few dollars every month. Build up a fund and buy a used PC or an older model as the prices drop. Anything built recently (4 years) is better than the machine that win 98 OS came on. OR tell us what kind of ram you need and probably someone here can help find some.

 

Main thing. Get rid of 98 except as a backup OS.

[USWhoFan]

StitchInTime, My offer of free RAM is still open. I've got tons of older model parts just laying around collecting dust.

(I was about to have an antiques sale on eBay with it.) ;D

[bbbb]

Linux may be a better option than Win98. It would be more of an open option than an old OS that will be losing any support it has left. I like Win98 because it is very efficient and more user-friendly than Win95, which was a pain to use sometimes. Win98 was very stable compared to other windows operating systems I have used in the past. If DOS was an option I'd recommend that but that's history now. Win98 seems to be going the same path.

 

Linux on the other hand is still going strong. I haven't used it much lately but from what I've read it's still good. Why upgrade to a new computer and new OS that won't work right and cost you a fortune? and all that just to work in things that a PII could do.

[StitchInTime]

Wow!  Thanks for all the input. :D

 

StitchInTime, My offer of free RAM is still open. I've got tons of older model parts just laying around collecting dust.

(I was about to have an antiques sale on eBay with it.) ;D

Would you believe the CD drive on the thing just went down today, or at least it's not reading CDs for some reason.  Hence, the thing may be on its last legs anyway, as I doubt I could get a replacement on such an old machine.

 

Have you got any regular RAM?  I need a couple of sticks of 256 for my desktop.  I haven't got the specs on me right now; so, I will have to check back in later.

[USWhoFan]

Yes, all kinds and sizes.

Just let me know what system or MB you're using and I'll see what I have to help you out.

[dr_strekge]

USWhoFAN wrote:

StitchInTime, My offer of free RAM is still open. I've got tons of older model parts just laying around collecting dust.

(I was about to have an antiques sale on eBay with it.) ;D

Little treasure there huh? ;)

 

How to make a tiny and versatile win98 install with 64ram: (and little disk space perhaps).

 

1) Remember  you need to install only lite things/apps, and not overload the program files Dir (making a separate one i.e: 'Program Philez' and installing there things you can add or apps that work just copying and pasting the appdir into it).

 

2) Be careful when installing each of these apps, suppose one "tiny app" has 200 megs of sounds or clips your sure you'll never gonna use, delete the contents of graph or sound Dir of the app.

 

3) Following the first two tips the third is ensuring cleaning of unnecessary files: use the search tool to delete unnecessary files (un-install files, text, chm, pdf, gif, HTML, jpg, etc. You can put them apart for a while if they result critical you can always put 'em back where they belonged.

 

4) Another nice trick is using 98lite program to make a custom 98 installation but at the end you'll always need to install (after removing old win components a minimal/custom IE 6.x installation and  DirectX,some updates perhaps,  if you plan to install other windows apps that require IE.  (however this time you will have more control on what you want to be installed, a MS Office 2000 -customized not bloated install-, other third party winapps etc).

 

Forget about full screen or decent video playing  if your CPU is less than 500MHz and 128MB RAM.

 

5) The last step is using a defrag tool to optimize your tiny installation, and never install or use unnecessary space from C drive to install huge apps or games you don't need there, or that ones that can be installed in other slices of your hard  disk ( you can begin partitioning your disk using partition magic's graphical UI within windows).

 

6) Other recommendations may include installing/making clean/sweep batch files for specific dirs(ie temporary files, cookies, windows temp, etc) that will run before entering windows, using a lite antispy/add-blocker, also a lite antivirus and finally whatever you think you need to 'secure' you system (disabling NetBios over TCP, and unchecking the TCPIP links to your MS home LAN, and filesharing is always a good idea (don't disable netbios over TCPIP if you need netbeui access to other pc in you home lan) also adjusting TCP Receive Window size, or installing traffic shaping, all of these and with a few months lead to an excellent tiny system with enhanced tweaks for performance, after that you can use a disk slice backup tool to make a backup to a CD/DVD and have it ready for emergency re-installation if something or someone near or from the web (when P2P incoming files ruin your installation :p), or when infected 'dejavu' floppies appear, kids gaming on-line downloading from potencially dangerous sites, or even your best friend's secret envy of your so versatile & 'not an eye' expensive system. Well any of that things or security risks at home you may find certain 'normal happy' day that simply made it, damn it!. :)

 

 

The Little  Van Helsing's Rebellious Virus/Trojan Summoner Guide for NTFS/DOS/Win32 Power/Tweaker & Regular Users

 

 

Here's a trick I often use to get rid of some  'not so dangerous' after all viruses/Trojans, I use Etrust antivirus and have always my 'Drop to DOS' (explorer shell integrated with a right click) then I search for the infected file and I simply use the dos erase command instead of deleting from the explorer, erase actually wipes the ba###rd to the deadzone were it belongs, not sending it to the Recycle Bin ;) just write the following command X:\ANYVIRFILEDIR>erase evilvirustrojanzippedinsideofmyp2pifile.zip [enter] and youre done!, you will not see a single more complain about it.

 

Another more effective way if your using win98 is entering dos mode and carefully erasing:  almost every weird and suddenly suspicious file you may encounter, also those files you have never seen before in your root/system/programs/favorites/desktop folders (where the Trojan/virus is hiding, before entering to the windows GUI. Other dirty tricks from DOS include renaming/moving files/dirs or making an empty file naming it just like the one the virus is using to foolish the virus/troyan start engine, until you remove it or find more clues (or until you can connect/browse the internet again) to find even more about how the virus works or how to completely remove it.

 

The best and most radical method of all times is saving your recent documents and other files you don't wanna loose, erasing the slice, cleaning(not clearing OK?) the bootsectors of the partition(s) of your hard drive(s) if it's a bootsect virus, creating and formating a new partition, and last, restoring a propper backup to your partition that leaves things in 5  or 8 minutes as it was before the intrusion, copying again your docs to the fresh installation, and continue working as nothing did ever happen.

 

The Power of DOS 'Compells' You!

Return where you belong evil creature

of computing deceptiveness and sorrow!!

The Power of DOS Prompt 'comspec' You!!

The Power of DOS 'Compells' You!!!  ;D