Win98 updates no longer there?

[ChadTower]

I'm building an older system (650mhz)... just installed 98se... can't seem to get the Windows Update to work.  See some vague references to "no longer supported".

Anyone know if there's still a way to get the updates for 98?

[ChadTower]

Hrm... sys reqs for XP are listed as 300mhz recommended... anyone run XP on something as low as a 600?  How is it?

[shmokes]

I've run XP on a 600 machine.  With a decent amount of RAM (512 or maybe maybe 256) it runs surprisingly well if you're just doing basic stuff like internet and MS Office.  I've never run it on anything lower than that.

[Kevin Mullins]

I'm running XP on "this" PC with a 650 Duron...pretty generic motherboard.... extra ram defineately helps, but otherwise does most anything I need to do with it. Been running this PC since about JAN 2000.

A little slow for audio / video editing, higher end photo programs and that such.
Works fine for most MAME games.   

[NightGod]

Yeah, I'd definately go 512, maybe even 1GB with a 650 Mhz machine. Use some of the tweak sites out there to strip the system down and it should run relatively well.

As for Windows Update in Win98, Microsoft discontinued support for that a few years ago, BUT you can still manually download stuff at http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp

[ChadTower]

Odd.  As late as a year ago I was able to use Windows Update to get the latest 98 stuff.  I don't think I have 512meg ram sitting around so XP may not be a viable option.  I'll have to scrounge around the house to see what I can get.

Found a 64meg and a pair of 128megs... need a spare so the 64meg stays out, but I could probably make do on this box with the pair of 128s.

[USSEnterprise]

I had XP pro running fine on a 300MHz system with 168MB of RAM

[ChadTower]

This one is for the kids... so performance isn't that big a deal so long as it works consistently.

It's formatting NFTS now.  Should be okay with 256meg.

[NightGod]

Odd.  As late as a year ago I was able to use Windows Update to get the latest 98 stuff.  I don't think I have 512meg ram sitting around so XP may not be a viable option.  I'll have to scrounge around the house to see what I can get.

Found a 64meg and a pair of 128megs... need a spare so the 64meg stays out, but I could probably make do on this box with the pair of 128s.

I might have been off on my few years ago timeline on the Windows Update support-was thinking more when they phased out support in general. They probably dumped it from Windows Update when they switched to the new version about the time they added in that Windows Authenticity checker thing.

[Paladin]

After a fresh install of Win98, you must update Internet Explorer before you can use Windows update.  I think the version of IE that is on the Win98 install disk is version 5.  Go to the Microsoft website and you will find a download for "Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1".

After installing that, Windows update should work.  I've done enough Win98 MAME installs that I've pretty much got it down.  I downloaded the IE6 update and burned it to a CD so I can do that step before I even connect to the internet.

[ChadTower]

XP seems to be working okay except that the Number Nine video card doesn't have XP drivers... so the display flickers some.

[ChadTower]

Annoying.  My XP official serial for some reason wouldn't work... so I had to snag one off the net... and of course, Windows Update immediately tagged it and it won't update anymore.

[AtomSmasher]

Annoying.  My XP official serial for some reason wouldn't work... so I had to snag one off the net... and of course, Windows Update immediately tagged it and it won't update anymore.

the trick is to download a copy of service pack two, and install that.  Then set automatic updates to "let me choose to install them", it will try several times to install the authentication tool, but as long as you keep unchecking it so its not installed, you'll keep getting updates.  It takes a bit longer to get all the updates since you have to wait for automatic updates to get them, but at least you'll be able to get them.

[ChadTower]

Not a bad idea.  Do I need to redo the install to accomplish that?  It's very annoying that my real serial somehow wasn't working.  Works on my other machines.

[shmokes]

If it downloaded the genuine advantage tool that keeps telling you that you may be a victim of software counterfiting there's a really easy way to take care of it.  There are two files in the Windows\System32 directory that cause your headache.  One is, IIRC, legitcheck.dll and the other is something like WGA.exe  or WGAtool.exe, anyway, it stands for Windows Genuine Advantage.  You cannot delete the EXE because it's in use and when you kill it through Task Manager it restarts immediately.  But all you have to do is rename the legitcheck.dll file and restart the computer.  It tool won't start and you can then delete both files.

Rather than deal with circumventing MS's anti-piracy measures, which will, over time cause you quite a bit of headache, I'd just give them a call.  If you actually have a legit copy they'll activate it over the phone.  It'll take a few mintutes, but then you don't have to worry about it ever again.  Beats having your system periodically screwed up every six months whenever MS hatches some new anti-piracy measure.

[NightGod]

Not a bad idea.  Do I need to redo the install to accomplish that?  It's very annoying that my real serial somehow wasn't working.  Works on my other machines.

It won't work because you hit the limit of the number of machines it can work on (which is technically supposed to be one, but they let you get away with like three). But if you call them with the serial, you can get your system activated-just don't expect to get away with it more than a time or two.

[ChadTower]

Thanks, guys.  That's probably it... I have done 4-5 installs with this key.  Most of them on one machine but I could see how a limit would happen.

[AtomSmasher]

Not a bad idea.  Do I need to redo the install to accomplish that?  It's very annoying that my real serial somehow wasn't working.  Works on my other machines.

It won't work because you hit the limit of the number of machines it can work on (which is technically supposed to be one, but they let you get away with like three). But if you call them with the serial, you can get your system activated-just don't expect to get away with it more than a time or two.

It does work because I'm not talking about activating windows, I'm talking about installing the updates.  I have the corporate version of windows that doesn't require activation, so thats never been a problem for me.

[ChadTower]

So do I.  The Geniune Advantage tool is what labeled it as "possibly counterfeit".

What exactly is "activating" windows?  It's either installed or it's not.  It doesn't install without a serial.  Updates are another issue.

[AtomSmasher]

What exactly is "activating" windows?  It's either installed or it's not.  It doesn't install without a serial.  Updates are another issue.

Activating happens right after you install it.  It confirms with microsoft that it is a legal copy of windows and if you don't activate it within 30 days, it won't let you login to windows anymore.  If you don't have something popping up in your face every time you boot up telling you to activate windows, then either your copy doesn't require activation, or you've already activated it.

[ChadTower]

Never seen that.  In any version of Windows... new with XP? 

[AtomSmasher]

Never seen that.  In any version of Windows... new with XP? 

yup.  If your comp is connected to the internet, then you just click a button and it does it for you, but if you don't have access to the internet, then you have to call them and get an access code.  Definately a PITA, and would of probably helped against pirating except that they also released a corporate version that doesn't require authorization, so all it does is annoy people.

[shmokes]

What exactly is "activating" windows?  It's either installed or it's not.  It doesn't install without a serial.  Updates are another issue.

Yes, new with XP.  Every CD is associated with a specific serial number, like previous versions.  But product activation adds another layer.  When you install XP it generates a fifty digit activation key based on the hardware inside your computer and this key is sent to MS where it is associated with your XP CD's serial number.  If you try to install XP on another computer it will install, but it will generate a different activation key because the hardware is different (unless it's not, of course ) and MS will say, "Nope.  You've already installed this on another computer and that's as far as your license will take you."

Your copy of XP can actually disable itself if you, for example, open the box and upgrade more than six parts at any given time (three if one is the motherboard), cos when XP boots up it will see that the computer is substantially different and think it's a new computer.  This resets itself every six months, though, so as long as you don't upgrade six parts in your computer in any six month period you'll be fine (I might be getting a few of the particulars wrong, but this is basically correct).

[DrewKaree]

I seem to remember something being written in MaximumPC earlier this year about Win98 being officially taken off the "We support this version" list, also removed from the update thingamabob.  I could be wrong, but that'd explain the problems with Windows Update.