cdgoldin

>"I don't think such ... problems/errors generated at different web sites are related to the root certificates" If not, how can we explain the fact that the problem appeared on ALL our Windows 98 SE systems running IE6 SP1 (with all the available updates), but not on Windows 2000 SP4 running IE6 SP1, about the same time a root certificate update was issued for Windows 2000, but not Windows 98? Or that all the certificates causing difficulties were recently issued by Thawte (AFTER the last Windows 98 root certificate update)? Or that the problem is appearing in new certificates every few weeks now? If the problem isn't the root certificate, then my next guess would be that the format of the "security" certificates has been changed, and (no longer "supported") Windows 98 cannot recognize the newer format certificates. >"To determine if root certificates have been installed on Windows 9x...." I was hoping there was a date or perhaps a new entry in the "CertificationAuthorities" registry key. Exporting the registry before and after an update (which has already theoretically run) in order to do a comparison is a bit cumbersome. Additionally, even if the comparison indicates something has changed in the registry, it doesn't indicate it has changed correctly, if we don't know what modifications to expect. >"I don't think Gmail [Google mail] errors are related to root certs, I just tried Gmail using Win98 SE + MS IE 6.0 SP1 with all updates installed [+ the previous root certs update from October 2006, not newest one from February 2007], and had no errors." Hmmm. Yet, I encounter the same difficulty logging on to Gmail on multiple Windows 98 IE6 SP1 systems. So, if it's not the root certificate, and it's not a change in certificate format, what else could it be? >"Actually the previous root certs update [that one installed properly on all Win32 OSes] was released sometimes in October 2006 if memory serves." The last "Root Certificates Update" available for Windows 98 via "Windows Update" was Tuesday, January 11, 2005.

The reason I say the installer doesn't appear to work with Windows 98 is that, in addition to the absence of any display indicating it has executed successfully, I am still receiving warnings of invalid certificates at a growing number of sites. Is there any way to determine if the installer has actually executed, e.g. by the presence of certain files and/or registry entries? The ONLY *.SST file present on my Windows 98 computer is "C:\WIN98\All Users\DRMdrmv2.sst" dated Tuesday, November 21, 2006 08:50:30! In late November of 2006, the following (root certificate) problem was encountered while attempting to logon to gmail accounts from Windows 98 using IE6 SP1 (It does not occur with Windows 2000 using IE6 or Firefox). In recent months, the identical problem has been encountered on a growing number of sites: I am presented with the following warning: "Security Alert...The name on the certificate is invalid or does not match the name of the site". This does not occur with Windows 2000! The (gmail) certificate is dated 9/1/2006-2008. Although others have reported the problem, none of the FAQs nor "user forums" have a solution for the problem. One suggested that there is no root certificate for the issuer (Thawte Premium Server CA), and this may indeed be the problem. There was a root certificates update for Windows 2000 on 10/24/2006. There has not been a root certificates update for Windows 98 since 1/11/2006! The problem remains after downloading and running (?) rootsupd_a153023b66d29034420aa227ccc2164cff75229e.exe

Gentlemen, I’m totally confused by this thread. http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownlo...en/rootsupd.exe (dated Monday, January 15, 2007 15:38:48) will NOT work on Windows 98, as mentioned by erpdude8 in post #1. It displays a message stating this, and instructs the user to update his/her operating system. Microsoft has verified that they will NOT be updating Windows 98 root certificates in future as “support” for that product has ended. http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdo...658a4f6d589.exe, referenced by the_guy in Post #3, is dated Thursday, September 07, 2006 14:11:31. Although it does not display any error messages when run under Windows 98, it doesn’t display any message indicating it has successfully installed (or done anything). Nor does running it solve the root certificates problem for Windows 98. http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdo...f144720f759.exe, referenced by the_guy in Post #3, is dated Thursday, December 14, 2006 15:43:04. Although it does not display any error messages when run under Windows 98, it doesn’t display any message indicating it has successfully installed (or done anything). Nor does running it solve the root certificates problem for Windows 98. http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdo...64cff75229e.exe, referenced in by erpdude8 in Post #4, is dated Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:30:15. Although it does not display any error messages when run under Windows 98, it doesn’t display any message indicating it has successfully installed (or done anything). Nor does running it solve the root certificates problem for Windows 98. In post #6, MDGx provides the following link for “Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.xx/6.xx Root Certificates Update (RCU) for Windows 98/NT4 SP6a/2000/ME/XP/2003/Vista (English): http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownlo...rtf/en/4702.htm However this is simply a link to a description of an update, not a downloadable file! In post #6, MDGx also provides the following link: Unofficial RCU for Windows 98/NT4 SP6a/2000/ME [235 KB]: http://www.mdgx.com/files/RTCERTUP.EXE. However, this link returns and “Not Found” error (404). In post #9, MDGx states: Official RCU found on WU [Windows Update] works with all 98/98SE/ME/NT4/2000 [and all newer] OSes. Therefore unofficial RTCERTUP.EXE is not needed anymore, and references the following two links: http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownlo...rtf/en/4702.htm, which is a description of the update, not a downloadable file, and http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownlo...64cff75229e.exe, which is the same do nothing (for Windows 98) update mentioned above. Thus, none of these downloads provides a solution to the Windows 98 root certificates problem that has existed for several months.