Independent Developer Releases Win98 SE Service Pack

Information Week Security Pipeline (via Slashdot) ^ | April 27, 2004 | unk

[Eala]

A service pack for Windows 98 Second Edition has been released. Big deal, right? It is if it doesn't come from Microsoft.

Last Friday, Windows enthusiast Alper Coskun posted something he dubbed "Service Pack 1.5" for Windows 98 SE on his Web site.

Although clearly labeled as "Unofficial," the Service Pack uses updates and hot fixes Coskun collected from the Windows Update service site and Microsoft's Knowledge Base database.

The service pack includes 70 hot fixes, a solution to the 512MB memory limit of Windows 98 SE, and better USB support, claimed Coskun on his Web site.

The self-extracting, self-installing pack only includes updates to the operating system, not fixes for such bundled software such as Internet Explorer or Media Player.

Although Microsoft produced a Service Pack for Windows 98 in 1999, it never rolled out one for Second Edition.

Coskun's site even has a legal disclaimer at the bottom of the page whose fine print reads: "This software is provided 'as-is,' without any express or implied warranty."

Microsoft doesn't seem to have a problem with Coskun's not-from-Redmond creation. When contacted, a spokesperson only said, "Microsoft does not have a comment on this specific site; however, the company urges its customers to obtain Microsoft downloads directly from Microsoft. Microsoft cannot vouch for the validity or quality of download packages offered by third parties not sanctioned by Microsoft."

Windows 98 SE is in what Microsoft calls the "extended" part of its support lifecycle. That means that free tech support and hot fixes for non-critical issues have expired (as of June 30, 2003). However, critical security updates will continue to be posted as necessary through June 30, 2006.

For those willing to take the third-party plunge, Coskun's service pack can be downloaded from here.

Coskun, a widely published freeware developer, did not respond to an e-mail query.

[Paladin2]

It'll probably be OK. I'm trying out XP on a 233MHz machine with just 64MB of RAM. It's definitely slower than the same machine running W98SE and definitely a RPITA with all of it's smarmy multitudinous "reminders" about this and that.

[Sunshine55]

I am happy to report that I am still here :) So far the only thing I have noticed is an annoying change in my font sizes.

[DaGman]

bump to go back and see how well it works.

[KriegerGeist]

"I have a Pentium II 300 mhz with 256 megs ram... will XP help or hinder? I hate this Windows 98."

I also have a DELL Dimension XPS D300 Pentium II 300mhz w/ 256MB RAM running Windows 98SE.

I ran the Microsoft test for Windows XP and the test stated that my computer would not run Windows XP. My computer is still running at 66mhz bus speed. It might as well be a 386 or 486 for all that's worth. Plus, it's a DELL.

DELL - Gateway...they're like ribbons and medals: they're interchageable... I will never again buy either brand.

[backhoe]

Here's where & about:

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I was pleased with it for Win 95, and I seem to recall it worked fine with 98, too. You can speed the boot, remove the splash screens, and do other, higher level stuff. I *think* there were different releases for 95 and 98.

I haven't used it or really needed it for 2000, for whatever that's worth.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

FYI ping...

[Ignatz]

I hold MCSE, MCP+I, CNA, and A+ certs, and am considered somewhat of an expert in the MS server clustering world (MS cluster tech supp calls me when they have a tough issue). I work for a software developer that produces enterprise-class real-time data replication software. I've wrestled with server cluster issues for clients such as Lloyds of London, most branches of the Armed Services, world-class banks, the White House, and many of the largest Fortune 100 companies in the world. I'm not bragging, just making my credentials known.
I run Win98SE at home because it's stable and it does everything my family needs to do. If something does go wrong, it's generally easy to troubleshoot. I'll definitely try this 3rd-party SP.
Oh yeah, almost forgot to make this slight correction to the article:

The self-extracting, self-installing pack only includes updates to the operating system, not fixes for such bundled bungled software such as Internet Explorer or Media Player.

[Thoro]

I despise Microsoft's cheesy tactics to force people to upgrade to newer operating systems. Especially vile is having to install "fixes" for service packs that open up further problems. I hope this fellow's solution extends the service life of 98 for the sake of the people who can't easily afford upgrading.

I despise Microsoft's tactics of requiring new hardware for their newer operating systems(not officially, I know, but for practicality purposes, it does). That said, other applications usually follow suit with trying to force people to upgrade. At my part time job, there's tax software that I expect will officially dump 98se support before next tax season. Once that happens, regardless of how flawlessly those workstations work, they're going to have to be completely replaced.

I switched vocations partly because of all the hoopla involved with this upgrade stuff. It used to excite me, but now it kind of irritates me. I don't know if it's because I'm older now or what exactly changed me, but I have a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality about these things anymore. In summary, I understand why there's still people using 98se. Why buy something you already own to do something you can already do? Power to them.

[dennisw]

kewl!!!

[NewRomeTacitus]

I hear you, man. I got outed from my IT gig for "economic considerations" and I'm looking for some kind of work where I don't feel like a knife is poised at my back over issues I can't control. No matter how hard you work at it you're only as good as the developer's integrity, and how can you vouch for that? I helped my company get through the Y2K problems (sometimes 18-20 hour stints) and they decided I was disposable after getting everything upgraded. Since getting burned I'm extremely hesitant toward continuing in the IT field.

[Eala]

Downloading it now. I'll let you know.

Please do. All the Win machines at home are Win98SE (not that mine is booted very often).

[Eala]

Bookmarking for the day (if it happens) when my win98SE desktop works well enough to get me back online.

Sorry to hear that. The wife experiences problems from time to time, but my Win98SE desktop (home) has been working fine for years. (In her case we've been able to pin some of the blame on the WinPrinter and/or WinScanner she was using...)

[Eala]

I despise Microsoft's tactics of requiring new hardware for their newer operating systems

I ran into much of the same a few years ago with RedHat Linux. Wanted to install it on an older '486 box I had sitting around (yah, I know all about performance issues with inadequate hardware) and it flat-out *refused* -- thereby making my first step on the road away from RedHat towards other distros.

[Paladin2]

I've recently experienced a somewhat similar situation with Knoppix.

Knoppix loads and works great on ~1 yr old laptops at work, but has issues on some of the older machines at home (that in all fairness have some uncommon hardware) where it claims to not be able to have enough memory to run (even on one machine with 512 MB RAM).

FreeBSD seems to work fine for surfing the net (I mostly read text).

[Bush2000]

I despise Microsoft's cheesy tactics to force people to upgrade to newer operating systems.

Get real. Nobody's forcing you to upgrade.

I despise Microsoft's tactics of requiring new hardware for their newer operating systems...

Operating systems do more work with each release -- and they exploit new hardware capabilities as they evolve (USB, AGP, FireWire, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc). And since Microsoft needs to actually pay for its research and development by marketing products, it's pretty damned unrealistic to expect that they're going to hamstring progress because you don't want to upgrade your hardware.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Thanks for representing the obnoxious viewpoint. Microsoft has enough money floating and shouldn't begrudge people trying to get by with their older operating systems. While they should reward those people's loyalty with support they choose to punish them by cutting them off if they don't cough up more cash for operating systems their computers may not be up to handling. Therefore Microsoft puts more machines into landfills before their time.

[Paladin2]

Get real. Nobody's forcing you to upgrade.

If you buy new hardware though a major computer vendor, M$ does effectively force you to upgrade to their latest OS through the monopolistic marketing of forcing hardware vendors to submit tribute to M$ whether the computer has a M$ OS or not.

Try going to BestBuy and picking up a computer with Window$ 95. Or try to move your copy of XP to a newly home built computer w/o having to call your mother for permission.

Operating systems do more work with each release

Don't confuse motion with action. On the same hardware, XP IS slower than M$ Win98SE. XP is doing more, but less actual work for the user. I find USB, AGP, Firewire, & WiFi (I have no use for bluetooth) work fine with Win98SE. They would likely work fine with Win95 or DOS with minor OS patches. M$ just isn't incentivised to do so.

What we getting though, is BIG BROTHER features like DRM. The more that the new OS's are doing is the work of big government and big business, not that of the end user who is footing the bill (though it'd be better if the end users would actually foot the Bill).

[Marie Antoinette]

I just bought a PIII 700 laptop with XPpro loaded and the Office Suite as well. The office wsuite decided to quit running yesterday unless I inserted the disk (that didn't come with the laptop) to, I don't know, re-authenticate?

I wiped it off and replaced it with Open Office Suite. Works fine.

I'm considering downgrading back to 98SE to see if it'll run faster, and bacause I have the disk for it.

Mistake? Opinions?

[SeeRushToldU_So]

You are at the miniumn specs for XP. I have installed XP on a machine with 72megs of Ram. It took a little while to boot, but the machine ran fine after it booted.

[SeeRushToldU_So]

You may have trouble finding the drivers for Win98. I wouldn't do it unless you have a list of each piece of hardware and have the drivers on hand. Also if you have XP Pro, you might have a problem formatting the hard drive because of different FAT partions. Win98 runs Fat16or 32(easy to format) and XP Pro is NTFS.I have found that harder to format.