FS613
Premium
join:2002-11-18
Brooklyn, NY
1 edit |  [Help] Security Software to Run under Windows 98 SE
Today, my next-door neighbor is having a technician from the local Cable company come down to upgrade her Internet access from Dial-up to Cable Broadband.
However, her computer is an "ancient" Sony VAIO PCG-F340 laptop, which runs Windows 98 SE, has 64 MB RAM, and a processor which runs at 366 MHz (I believe). As her computer has no Ethernet card, she intends to connect to the Cable Modem via her one USB port.
She knows that her OS is outdated and no longer supported, but she doesn't have the money right now to buy a new PC, although she hopes to in the near future.
Does anyone know of any free programs for anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc. that will still run under Windows 98 SE?
Thank you. |
|
jimkyle
Btrieve Guy
Premium
join:2002-10-20
Oklahoma City, OK | I still run Win98SE; I've found that AVG Free, Spybot S&S, AdAware, and Kerio Personal Firewall 2.15 all run on it just fine, without excessive resource usage.
--
Jim Kyle |
|
Cudni
La Merma - Vigilado
Premium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire
| reply to FS613
AVG for Av
»free.grisoft.com/doc/29124/us/frt/0
but
"...
Some older operating systems such as Microsoft Windows ME, Microsoft Windows NT and Microsoft Windows 98 will only be supported until August 2008 as a minimum.
.."
or Avast
»www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Spybot for AS
»www.safer-networking.org/en/comp···ort.html
and Kerio
»/r0/download/1···-win.zip
Cudni
--
"Mercifully, he hit him with the soft end of the pistol."
Help yourself so God can help you.
MVP, Microsoft Windows Security 2006-2007 |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs: | reply to FS613
I ran one of the (now) older free versions of Zone Alarm on my 98SE box with no issues, worked great. You can still get the older versions. I'm sorry, I don't remember exactly which one it was. |
|
sens24
Premium
join:2005-10-10
South Africa
| reply to FS613
You can check for older versions here. You might find something useful for your pc. But check if they are clean first. Hope this helps.
--
"The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from the one who does." |
|
newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD | reply to FS613
I run Win98SE on one of my computers and run Avast, BOCLEAN and SUPERAntiSpyware with no problems.
I'd definitely look into upgrading that ram, tho. |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs:
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Vonage
| said by newview  :....I'd definitely look into upgrading that ram, tho. Good call, I missed that. That machine is liable to choke with only 64MB RAM and some security programs. I had more than that on my 98SE box, 512 I think. Also, ethernet NIC cards are cheap, getting off USB would speed up surfing with a cable modem.
--
10,032 DEADLY TERROR ATTACKS SINCE 9/11~~TEAM DISCOVERY
Can't feel you anymore, don't need you anymore, don't believe you anymore, I don't need you anymore
|
|
newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD
| said by La Luna :. . . ethernet NIC cards are cheap, getting off USB would speed up surfing with a cable modem. I 2nd that. I just bought a new 10/100 NIC from Best Buy this past weekend for $16.00. I would never hook up Cable HSI via USB . . . that's just a recipe for slowness. 
--
Ö¿Ö
The Rules of Spam | Maryland's Newest Anti-Spam Law
Where are we going? And what's with the hand basket? |
|
Blackbird
Built for Speed
Premium
join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to La Luna
said by La Luna :... Also, ethernet NIC cards are cheap, getting off USB would speed up surfing with a cable modem. But they need to be careful about getting a NIC card for Win98 versions. I just went through that a month ago for a Win98 computer... the Linksys LNE100TX NIC box said "Win98 and Win98ME" compatible... the included QuickStart brochure had specific Win98, Win98SE, and Win98ME driver installation instructions... but the installation CD in the box lacked the promised Win98 driver folder. Their website lacked any Win98 driver references whatsoever for the device. When I called them, tech support had a really hard time finding a path to the driver in their archives (but did, eventually) - and the tech's explanation was that Microsoft has been pushing vendors to actively remove Win98 support even now. So... though the card is an older design and works well with its already-designed Win98 drivers, the vendor is in the process of erasing the Win98 support trail. I simply got a product that had the old packaging and brochure, but a newer CD. And I seriously doubt Linksys is alone in this sort of thing, from what I've been seeing in stores lately.
--
If God wanted us to work with electrons, He'd make them big enough to see... |
|
EGeezer
Go Bobcats
Premium
join:2002-08-04
Country!
·Callcentric
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T CallVantage
1 edit | reply to FS613
If you can find a supported NIC, I'd recommend it. I assume the cable equipment includes a NAT router/firewall. If not, get an el cheapo router to offload the blocking and logging of the usual internet noise. D-Link and probably others have routers with USB LAN ports if you can't find a NIC and driver.
ZA 4.5.594 has worked fine on my ol' 98Se, it provides outbound notification for new and changed programs. Behind a router, it'll do OK for her. AVG free ran fine on my W98SE, but check for compatibility and other AV solutions before installing. AVG will support W98 until AUG 2008 according to their site.
You may want to see if somebody has some memory for the PC, though. With only 64 MB, that's probably the biggest performance bottleneck. Her disk drive will be chattering a lot with paging when viewing videos. I can see her wanting to view videos higher resolution pics etc and complaining about the jerky performance. If she's looking for blazing speed, she won't see that with this PC. She'll see significant improvement over dialup, but the PC will now be the slowest link in the chain. Knowing that will save some possible unwarranted complaints to the ISP.
If she's just doing email, shopping, news etc she should be OK, with so-so performance for typical notes and pages. My MIL had one of those until recently when the PC started acting up and the display got blurry and dark. Now it's a 2.3 Ghz Vista home with a gig, and went from dialup ISP to WOW broadband. At 80+ she's learning new technology 
--
My Flickr Gallery |
|
La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
Premium
join:2001-07-12
Warwick, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·Vonage
| reply to Blackbird
said by Blackbird :But they need to be careful about getting a NIC card for Win98 versions. I just went through that a month ago for a Win98 computer... the Linksys LNE100TX NIC box said "Win98 and Win98ME" compatible... the included QuickStart brochure had specific Win98, Win98SE, and Win98ME driver installation instructions... but the installation CD in the box lacked the promised Win98 driver folder. Their website lacked any Win98 driver references whatsoever for the device. When I called them, tech support had a really hard time finding a path to the driver in their archives (but did, eventually) - and the tech's explanation was that Microsoft has been pushing vendors to actively remove Win98 support even now. So... though the card is an older design and works well with its already-designed Win98 drivers, the vendor is in the process of erasing the Win98 support trail. I simply got a product that had the old packaging and brochure, but a newer CD. And I seriously doubt Linksys is alone in this sort of thing, from what I've been seeing in stores lately. Well, that's probably true, but considering how cheap NIC's are, it doesn't make sense to not give it a try, otherwise, why bother paying for and going to cable? Her speeds will still stink hooked up via USB.
--
10,032 DEADLY TERROR ATTACKS SINCE 9/11~~TEAM DISCOVERY
Can't feel you anymore, don't need you anymore, don't believe you anymore, I don't need you anymore
|
|
sivran
Long Live The Suite
Premium
join:2003-09-15
Arlington, TX
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to FS613
As for a NIC, you can probably still find Realtek 8139-based cards. These have a driver that work with 98. Heck, if nothing else, I can provide it.
Definitely up that RAM if you can find the right kind for a decent price. You may even consider picking up a similar machine of approximately the same age just to cannibalize the memory, since that might be the cheapest deal you can get. Get her up to 128 and she should be alright. I have a Celeron 400 I used to run 98 on with 160MB.
Things will definitely be slow, even if you do upgrade the RAM. My Celeron 400 still serves as my linux box, but due to its slowness, I rarely even start up the gui much less browse the net with it. Even my 600Mhz iBook is only somewhat tolerable. For browsing on a weak system like hers, I recommend Opera or K-Meleon, with flash and java turned off or perhaps not even installed.
Also, with an old box like that, she's not likely to get much help from her ISP for any issues she might encounter. Make sure she understands that. Otherwise a lot of stress will be involved, both for her and the unlucky phone rep.
--
Think outside the fox...Seamonkey |
|
Tzale
Proud Libertarian Conservative
Premium
join:2004-01-06
Sweden
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Optimum Online
| reply to FS613
said by FS613 :Today, my next-door neighbor is having a technician from the local Cable company come down to upgrade her Internet access from Dial-up to Cable Broadband. However, her computer is an "ancient" Sony VAIO PCG-F340 laptop, which runs Windows 98 SE, has 64 MB RAM, and a processor which runs at 366 MHz (I believe). As her computer has no Ethernet card, she intends to connect to the Cable Modem via her one USB port. She knows that her OS is outdated and no longer supported, but she doesn't have the money right now to buy a new PC, although she hopes to in the near future. Does anyone know of any free programs for anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc. that will still run under Windows 98 SE? Thank you. You know that a system with 64MB of ram and a 300mhz processor is probably not even worth upgrading the ram in. I think it would be more wise for her to just look for a really cheap used laptop on EBAY for $100-200... It's not going to be very expensive, but at this point purchasing more RAM or a NIC card is just a waste of time and money... She can get a nice 1GHZ system with 512MB of ram for cheap.
-Tzale
--
Hello Verizon FIOS 12.03.07!
457,000,000 miles of fiber optics placed and counting!
~THANK YOU MY ANONYMOUS FRIEND~ |
|
gilligun
Shipwrecked
Premium
join:2002-11-22
Denver, CO
| reply to FS613
More RAM more RAM! Talk about staggering! 
That wINDOWS 98 will look like Foster Brooks after a long nite
I used ZA old versions till I tired of WIN98SE, It did just fine. But I also had 3/4 Gig O'RAM.
--
Why do I have long hair?? It covers my bald spot! |
|
Libra
Premium
join:2003-08-06
USA
| reply to FS613
On my Windows 98se computer (which has 256mb ram) I have ZA 4.5.538.001, AVG Free, SpywareGuard, SpywareBlaster, Script Sentry and SpyBot 1.4. My dsl modem has a NAT/Firewall and I have a Linksys card which I bought 3 or 4 years ago, so it has the 98 drivers.
I think it's terrible that MS is asking all manufacturers to make 98 drivers unavailable. Obviously, they don't want 98 running anymore.
Sincerely, Libra |
|
Mele20
Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
| reply to FS613
She can get a new Dell Vostro laptop now (Black Friday ad early) for $400.
»www.dell.com/html/us/segments/bs···_nct.htm
Why would she upgrade to cable and pay the extra amount when she can't enjoy it? If her pocketbook is that tight there is no point in her spending money on broadband with what she has now. She should wait to get broadband when she can afford a new computer or a good used one.
As for drivers for 98SE, HP told me me that Microsoft forced them to remove all information and drivers for all their printers to work on 98SE. My printer that is networked and was bought back in '99 with my old computer suddenly won't print from the 98 computer and HP told me they can no longer help me at all. As for NICs, I suspect that I need one for the 98SE computer as it is slow (download...upload is fine) when I do a speed test. I didn't think about it being hard to get a card with a 98SE driver ...yet I recently had the bad experience with HP so I should have thought about it.
Yes, Libra, I think it sucks what Microsoft is doing. It is another reason to try to move to Linux or Apple.
--
"The same ferocity that our founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic". Al Gore, The Assault on Reason |
|
Blackbird
Built for Speed
Premium
join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by Mele20 : ... Yes, Libra, I think it sucks what Microsoft is doing. It is another reason to try to move to Linux or Apple. There's a major difference between "letting a product die" and "actively killing it". Most companies just let their old products die... Microsoft seems to aggressively seek to kill them off. I recognize the annoyances involved for Microsoft if outside vendors' continuing support of old-OS compatibility causes a few customers to bug Microsoft for support as well... but I also recognize that the outside vendors and customers ought to be free to make their own choices. It's simply none of Microsoft's business what HP or Linksys chooses to support with regard to their own existing products... no more than it's GM's business whether some muffler company chooses to sell "dualies and pipes" fitted for a 1975 Chevy.
A lot of arrogance has crept into the techno-marketplace over the years... some market-driven corporate "attitude adjustments" may not be all that far off.
--
If God wanted us to work with electrons, He'd make them big enough to see... |
|
onDvine
Premium
join:2005-01-29
So. CA, USA
clubs:
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to FS613
said by FS613 :... Does anyone know of any free programs for anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc. that will still run under Windows 98 SE? ... A HOSTS file would block most ads at sites, which should help pages load faster. MVPS HOSTS »www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm and Hpguru's »hosts-file.net/?s=Download are both well-regarded. The HOSTS file isn't a program and doesn't run so it doesn't use resources like programs do, as I understand it.
--
Like a graceful vase, a cat, even when motionless, seems to flow. ▪G.F. Will |
|
Mele20
Premium
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI
| Better than a hosts file is to use the Proxomitron. I use it on my 98SE box with Sidki's configs. Grypen's configs are also really good. The Proxomitron acts as a local proxy and doesn't bog down 98SE. It is available from Castlecops and both Sidki and Grypen have official forums there.
--
"The same ferocity that our founders devoted to protect the freedom and independence of the press is now appropriate for our defense of the freedom of the internet. The stakes are the same: the survival of our Republic". Al Gore, The Assault on Reason |
|
