98 Q/A security, malware, OS update

I have a windows 98 unit that may (or may not) be used to gain access to the Internet. I am concerned for security and malicious software, tracking, malware, spyware.

What are some options? Best? Most rounded? Good on resources?

If I want to see if the unit is up to date, how can I be sure it has all the latest in Windows updates?

Any other things to look at?
Recently bypassed the password on the unit (didn't know it) and then removed a system error related to 'vshinit.vxd'. Now looking for better drivers and secure softare. Thanks...

Robert

 

How much RAM.

This subject has come up here before, just recently in fact.

Seems the concensus is that there is no easy solution to this without seriously bogging down the system.

And I recently has reason to use 98 for about 6 months, but I had the ME upgrade as well.

I had the install disks at hand so I decided to go without protection, just turned off third party cookies. And I didn't store any data of value. Figured if I got something, I'd just reinstall. Used it for email, MG, and general surfing. Never had a single problem, but of course I had a contingency.

Don't know if this is a factor, but the is close to obsolete, so perhaps most of the viruses being produced wouldn't even run on it? That's just a guess, probably wrong.

 

For updates:
http://majorgeeks.com/UNOFFICIAL_Windows98_SE_Service_Pack_d4131.html
Hopefully you have it updated to SE.

Microsoft Windows Microsoft Windows 98(SE), Microsoft Windows ME, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 (Service Pack 6a) supports Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Windows Workstation 6.0.3.x

http://www.clamwin.com/

 

Regarding Clamwin, might want to point out it does not offer scanning in real-time. You have to manually scan every item you want tested.

 

PC133 two sticks, one 512MB another 256MB although it has three slots and I have two more sticks of PC133 512MB... just don't know what the specifications or maximum RAM can be. Haven't commited to going there yet.

 

sort of a slow question... how do you backup 9x when it doesn't have a utility? meaning before committing to the 98SE SP2.1a?

 

WOW!!

That's a ton of RAM for a 98 system! Never ran into that much RAM on a 98 system. Must have been a high end gamer set up.

You could easily upgrade this to an XP system. I once did the same with only 192M RAM with only a 3Gig HD, (but I could never get beyond SP1, not enough free space on the HD).

But at least you'd have a system that would be practical, and you could protect it to a reasonable degree.

Still, it is really tough, maybe not possible, to find decent free security for a 98 OS. Even things like Adobe and other basic programs, wouldn't install, at least I couldn't find them. Even when I thought I did, I'd always get error messages like "your system doesn't support this", ME upgrade helped a lot with this, but not entirely.

If you have the install disks, and don't use this machine for any crucial data, and are not a download enthusiast of experimental programs, I'd try going "bareback", I ran that way for years and never had a problem.

And, I can't remember, does 98 allow for the setup of limited privileges user accounts? This would be a great precaution, but I don't recall if 98 has this feature.

 

Any disk imaging software Ghost, Acronis, http://redobackup.org/