Windows ME security problem

My neighbour has just gone online today after having her PC since 2000! She has joined Sky broadband and managed to install it OK. They offer a free trial with McAfee, which does not install for her. I had a look and tried AVG and Avast and another one whose name escapes me now. All of them said they were not compatible with this version of Windows. Does anybody know where I can get a free programme which will work?

 

I doubt you'll have any luck finding anything compatible with Windows ME. I know for a fact AVG won't update as I have an old test computer that AVG quit updating 4 or 5 years ago.

ClamWin will work, but it's not a real-time scanner, everything needs to be scanned manually so it's not recommended for email or internet security sadly. It may not be your best option, but it's likely your only one.

http://www.clamwin.com/

 

just looked around and bitdefender free edition will work with windows ME.
http://download.cnet.com/BitDefende...10322483.html?tag=dropDownForm;productListing

 

Thank you all for your input. It does look like a bit of a lost cause. I did download a copy of Avast which is supposed to work but I have not had a chance to try it yet.I will let you know what happens later.

 

The fact is, Windows ME was designed in and for a time when internet use was very limited and viruses weren't very common, thus the lack of a need for a robust security program. Not only that... but it's what, 12-13 years old? Ancient in tech time.

I agree that a Linux distro would be the best bet, as Linux doesn't really have too many viruses that it is prone to.

 

Uh, the internet was big way before Windows ME was out. Also, there were plenty of viruses back then too.

Anyway, try ClamWin:
http://majorgeeks.com/ClamWin_Free_Antivirus_d5544.html

 

I'm guessing that ol' ME has survived all these years courtesy of NOT being online. But the machine itself won't be up to coping with uprating the software, not even to XP, so I go along with the earlier suggestion of installing a Linux distro. The user interface of most distros these days is sufficiently similar to Windows that even those with no previous experience at all can usually get along fine with it.

I installed ClamWin on a Win 98SE VM (ME's predecessor), and have to say it just isn't up to the job at all, mainly due to there being no realtime scanning, and there isn't any better alternative available for Win 9X either.

 

The internet was big, yes. However, was it interwoven into almost every aspect of our lives, and the main focus of computer usage? No.

I remember that back then, broadband wasn't very common, household routers were mostly for "LAN parties". Juno dial-up was free with ads. Ebay was bid/auction ONLY (no Buy it now, and eBay Stores, etc.). I could go on. My point is, the word "internet" today means something much different than what it meant back then. Back then, it was for it's own form of entertainment and information. Today it's for almost everything.

So let's address viruses. There were about 50,000 viruses in 2000 (also the year the ILOVEYOU virus was introduced).

As of 2008 (four years ago, which is a pretty long time in tech time), there were over 1 million. Now, it's estimated to be several million. Again, significant differences.

:major

Windows ME was released September 2000. The number of internet users worldwide were at about 360 million -- less than 6% of the world population. Today, the number is over 2 billion, which is over 30%.

A site with the listing of users in 2000: http://www.allaboutmarketresearch.com/internet.htm

Numbers as of about a year ago: http://www.newmediatrendwatch.com/world-overview/34-world-usage-patterns-and-demographics