Windows 98 updates

[Tshaw]

My parents are still using Windows 98 and their system is at a snails-pace,
and often freezes up. I started by checking for updates and realized it's
been some time since they did this themselves. It showed 13 Critical Updates
and 43 Windows 98 SE updates, I know, WOW. Anyways, it downloaded all the
updates but will NOT install them. Any reason why, or how to get them
installed ? perhaps doing them individually ? Thought I'd ask here before
going throught that pain staking process. Thanks for your time.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Tip: Temporarily disable real-time protection by your anti-virus and/or
anti-spyware applications (e.g., CounterSpy, Spysweeper, Spybot Tea Timer,
AVG Anti-Spyware) and/or any third-party firewall (e.g., ZA) before
attempting to install the update(s). If you disable the third-party
firewall, make certain that you enable the Windows Firewall!
=====================
Windows Update Troubleshooter for Win9x
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/

[Since support for Win9x ended in Jul-06, MS no longer offers any Windows
Update support.]
=====================
How to troubleshoot Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server
Update Services installation issues:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=906602

1. See the "Need more help? Tell us what problem you are having" section of
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=phen-us6527

2. You cannot install some updates or programs
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kben-us822798

3a. Check Windowsupdate.log (%windir%\Windowsupdate.log) for errors
associated with the download/install.

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

3b. Compare errors to those listed here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1122
and/or go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com > click on Help and Support
link in left pane > Solve problems on your own.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/


Tshaw wrote:
> My parents are still using Windows 98 and their system is at a
> snails-pace,
> and often freezes up. I started by checking for updates and realized it's
> been some time since they did this themselves. It showed 13 Critical
> Updates and 43 Windows 98 SE updates, I know, WOW. Anyways, it downloaded
> all the updates but will NOT install them. Any reason why, or how to get
> them installed ? perhaps doing them individually ? Thought I'd ask here
> before going throught that pain staking process. Thanks for your time.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

In addition to Pa's excellent advice, you should know that at least 41 of
those 43 Windows 98SE Updates are multilanguage, and if you DO need any of
them, you only likely need one or two. I suggest you do the following:

At Windows Updates, on the left, choose "Personalize Windows Updates". Then
uncheck "Multilanguage Features". This will require a cookie to be set.

If Pa doesn't mention it, leave DirectX 9.0c until the last. Same goes for
..Net Framework. There are earlier versions of DX that will work just as
well, and you don't need to install any of the .Net Frameworks unless you
install a new program that specifically needs them.

The ones to worry about are the 13 Critical Updates. Have you already
installed IE 6 SP1?
--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

"Tshaw" <Tshaw@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:486F18FE-A0F6-476B-8DEF-63E77DD92C4D@microsoft.com...
> My parents are still using Windows 98 and their system is at a
> snails-pace,
> and often freezes up. I started by checking for updates and realized it's
> been some time since they did this themselves. It showed 13 Critical
> Updates
> and 43 Windows 98 SE updates, I know, WOW. Anyways, it downloaded all the
> updates but will NOT install them. Any reason why, or how to get them
> installed ? perhaps doing them individually ? Thought I'd ask here
> before
> going throught that pain staking process. Thanks for your time.

 

[mr_unreliable]

Tshaw wrote:
> My parents are still using Windows 98 and their system is at a snails-pace,
>

hi Tshaw,

I my experience a slow system is either caused by the anti-virus,
or a virus.

I had to get rid of Norton, because it was slowing down my system
to an unacceptable degree. I used AVG for a while, until they
dropped support for win98, then switched to Avast, which seems
to work well.

As far as kicking out the virus, if the a.v. you are using doesn't
find it and fix it, then good luck.

There is one other thing that you might look at -- memory size.
If your parent's system doesn't have AT LEAST 256MB, you may
see a delightful increase in performance for just a modest
investment in additional memory.

And then there is "virtual memory" (swap file). If that is not
configured properly then that could slow down the system too.
There are several pages on the web devoted to swap file config
advice.

And on, and on. (I had originally intended only a very short
posting).

cheers, jw