cannie

In the first years Windows 98 was always in virus danger. I had to clean it several times using an antivirus, even being behind a router. But hackers always try to hurt the current OS of Microsoft, the world leader in computing, not the abandoned ones or the minoritary Linux distros. Even XP is by far less attacked now than three years ago, in special after SP2. Total security doesn't exist in any field of our lives and any working OS is always in danger. That's why the best security is having your Windows 98 installed at least in two drives, so that if the one fails you may use the other. It is also convenient to have also a third drive (or a folder containing a copy of C:\Windows) to be used to compare with the current one and restore or delete anything which could have been deleted or downloaded without your consent. ComparatorPro is an excellent program for this purpose. You may find the way to do it in a few minutes here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=118623 Even when in that post the procedure is called "cloning", in fact you obtain a real multiple install, having the possibility of using any of the drives by easily editing Autoexec.bat, Config.sys and Msdos.sys, or booting any of them using a very simple floppy in which you only have to copy the 5 C:\ root files, conveniently edited to match the drive you want to be booted. And of course it pays to preserve periodical compressed copies of everything on CD, at least once every month. At times you find that something doesn't work any more and you don't even know since when. This way you may go back to any precedent moment in which everything was OK. Windows 98 SE keeps being an excellent OS by itself, and the best friend of XP if you use doubleboot. HTH

I forgot you had said it before. Of course, the best way to fix a problem is not having it. I was thinking about the possibility of a bad use of backdoors to increase business, even when you are using software delivered as freeware. As you know, there is a lot of spyware in many of these apps. Well, I repeat the line you liked (my excuses if anybody finds the word a little ugly, that's why I edited the line): "Whores were always better paid than nones"

There is a program named emptybin.exe which cleans the bin at every start. I use it since long ago. You may download it from here: http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tip/3024.html You may execute it at every system start by putting it in the C:\Windows folder and executing this .reg script: _______________________________________________________________ REGEDIT4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "Emptybin"="C:\\Windows\\emptybin.exe" _______________________________________________________________ Copy to a .txt file and rename it afterwards, i.e. clean.reg. Click on it and that's all. It works also under XP. About the need of a firewall, IMHO the oldest the best, not only when using Windows 98 but even more when using XP. The outbound connections are more dangerous today than the inbound ones, if you take into account that many apps call home regularly when you use them, and this call may be used to force you to spend more money in software or hardware, one way or another. Remember that computing is essentially business and fair play is not always used.

Better than Foxit: try the Acrobat 5.0.5 version (date 24/09/01).

It is always convenient to have a firewall to avoid not only intrusion but the unconvenient access to the internet of any of your own programs. But you don't need a large firewall when you are using Windows 98 or even XP if you are behind a router. I use a router since 2001, and for both OS I installed ZoneAlarm 3.1.395 in the year 2002 (less than 4.000 kb), and never felt any need to update or problems of any kind. It is extremely light, fast and stable. BTW I use old apps whenever they are sufficient for my needs, a very convenient KISS policy, in special if you are not a newbie and you know how things are going on.....

Don't mind the precedent post: The bug was in corrupt files concerning Flash Player in the Documents and Settings folder and has been already fixed.

I use doubleboot, so I must have XP installed on a FAT32 drive. I use TuneUp and Registry Mechanic to keep the registry, and have no problems at all for as long as I only clean it. But if I use the compress registry option which both offer, Flashplayer stops working and it won't work any more, not even reloading it. I did several tries, rebuilding every time XP from scratch using Windows 98, and the results were always the same. I wonder if the motive is that I am not using NTFS. Any idea about how to avoid it?

For as long as I can I will preserve Windows 98 SE, even when I use also Windows XP normally. Each of both allows you doing things that couldn't be done while using the other. Windows 98 allows me to see everyting in the HD and to keep an exact copy of absolutely everything using a parallel external drive, which I switch on only when running Windows 98. The advantage of this is not only having an exact copy to compare at any moment what has been changed, deleted or introduced at any of the 32 GB partitions: I've already had a HD failure and only needed to replace the HD using the external one, activating its bootsector by running bootpart.exe from a floppy. XP has a better resources management, has more new apps, and it pays to have it. But I have no confidence at all in the XP self-made decisions, the high control it has on anything you do, any program you use or any Internet site you visit. No transparency at all. I don't even use the XP Mydocs folder. As somebody has already said in this thread, viruses are in the sites you go into and in the files that you introduce into your comp. Of course, in any case there are obviously more hackers working in this moment for NT than for Linux or any old OS not based in the NT structure. IMHO the best for you is not having one or the other, but the one and the other. In any case, if eventually one of them were infected it would not affect to the other and you could restore everything in less than 5 minutes. And also for total security, for the reasons I've said, I would recomend to use a parallel external USB2 HD.

Thanks! I'll follow your advice.

Now I get two succesive bootmenus, the first coming from boot.ini and the second, if you click grub, coming from menu.lst. I would like to see only the second one, that is, the menu coming from menu.lst. How can I do it? As you said in your precedent post, grub4dos is an excellent program, simple and fast, and I´ll keep it. Thanks!

Thank you, jaclaz!

Hi, jaclaz! I've learnt a lot from your posts, even when in some points I am a rather bad pupil! I had never heard about grub4dos before. According to your post I think it is a much better boot system that any other based on the bootsector, so I'm loading it just now. I've added in boot.ini: C:\GRLDR="Start GRUB" My Xp folder is C:\Windows (main partition 1) and my Windows 98 folder is D:\Windows (extended partition 2). I have also a totally free partition (main partition 3). Abusing of your experience, if you allow me it, may I ask you what do you consider to be the best way to complete the grub4dos configuration? Thank you very much for everything.

Most of the possible problems under Windows 98 come from the easy access to its registry, which is by far less protected than in XP. That's why since long ago I don't rely on the standard regedit restore procedure, but rather have a copy of the main files, obtained when everything goes OK, and rebuild them alltogether in case of need using a DOS boot floppy. The bats I use are as follows: To save them I use save.bat (I have Win98 in the D drive): _______________________________________________________________ @ echo off C: md save98 md c:\save98\windows xcopy d:\windows\*.ini c:\save98\windows xcopy d:\windows\*.dat c:\save98\windows attrib -h -r -s c:\save98\windows\*.* ________________________________________________________________ To restore them in case of need, using a boot floppy, I use rest98.bat: ________________________________________________________________ @ echo off DELTREE /Y D:\Windows\*.ini DELTREE /Y D:\Windows\*.dat xcopy c:\save98\windows\*.* d:\windows ________________________________________________________________ Fast and reliable, you always know that the registry and ini files are totally correct, not leaving the restore work in the hands of regedit or any virus which might delete or alter any of them and the standard sysbackup copies. Why a Windows folder into save98? It is to make easier the restore operation when using XP: you only have to position upon c:\save98\windows and copy/paste to D:\ HTH

I've misunderstood you both. Well, after all maybe the .bats I wrote may be useful for somebody!

If you use DOS it is very easy: If your XP Windows directory is C:\Windows and works OK, you create this backup DOS batch file and name it i.e. Base.bat ___________________________________________________________________ @ echo off md C:\Rescue md C:\Rescue\Windows md C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair xcopy C:\Windows\Repair\*.* C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair md C:\Rescue\Windows\System32 md C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config xcopy C:\Windows\System32\Config\*.* C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config ____________________________________________________________________ You run it and this way you get a copy of all the XP registry affecting files, in a new folder named C:\Rescue. To restore the whole registry using DOS you must first create a DOS batch file and name it i.e. Rescue.bat ______________________________________________________________________ @ echo off DELTREE /Y C:\Windows\Repair\*.* DELTREE /Y C:\Windows\System32\Config\*.* xcopy C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair\*.* C:\Windows\Repair xcopy C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config\*.* C:\Windows\System32\Config _______________________________________________________________________ Then type: Rescue If you doubleboot XP/Win98 you simply have to boot Win98, position yourself in the C:\Rescue\Windows folder and copy/paste it on C:. When the system asks you if you want to replace files, you say Yes and that's all. HTH

You only need to go to your first post, click "Edit" and you will find the title box open to rectify it. About security, Windows 98 is not open of course to viruses which demand the use of NT. Under Windows 98 I've eventually got the message "kernelnt.dll not found". It was a virus for NT and the OS had acted as an antivirus. But technically XP is no doubt a better OS and keeps having MS support, and that's why I chose to be a doublebooter. I am happy with my decision. Now I use XP by default, but Windows 98 makes me feel totally secure. I keep updated .rar files of Program Files, Documents and Settings, Windows (XP) and Windows (98), saved on a CD. If eventually XP doesn't work totally OK for any reason I boot Windows 98 (normally using a floppy containing only a copy of Io.sys and Command.com, and the C:\root Autoexec.bat, Config.sys and Msdos.sys files), delete all presumably affected folders (most frequently only C:\Windows\System32\Config) and rebuild them from scratch. I can delete the whole Program Files, Documents and Settings and Windows (XP) folders and rebuild all them from scratch by using a DOS .bat file in less than 4 minutes. The only snag (not for me) is that you must use FAT32 and have the HD divided into 32 GB partitions. I use two external desktop hard drives to increase capacity. Well, I can only say how I sorted out this problem. Maybe there are better ways, and it would be good to know them. HTH

Thank you very much AGAIN, Jaclaz! I didn't understand you completely before. Greetings.

First caution! While doubleboot is working OK you must save .rar copies of the main folders: - Program Files - Documents and Settings - Windows (XP) - Windows (98). Of course you must save somewhere else a copy of the 10 C:\root files: For XP: ntdetect.com,ntldr,boot.ini,bootsect.dos and bootfont.bin. For Win98: Io.sys, Command.com, Msdos.sys, Autoexec.bat and Config.sys You must also always keep an updated copy of My Documents. And remember that you must delete recycle.bin using Autoexec.bat to avoid error messages at Win98 start. Your troubles may be: A.- If Windows 98 works but XP doesn't (in many cases due to an unapropiate use of disk invading Win98 apps such as defrag.exe) : 1.- Delete the 5 XP root files and Pagefile.sys, and also Program Files, Documents and Settings and Windows (XP). Defrag the HD (yes in this moment). 2.- Insert the XP install CD and a floppy containing only a copy of the 5 above said boot files for Win98. 2.- Change Bios so that first boot is CD and second floppy. Reboot and start the XP install until first reboot. 3.- At first reboot withdraw the CD, so that the OS loads using that floppy. Keep the newly created 5 XP root files and delete the new Windows XP folder. Don't use defrag.exe in this drive any more!. 4.- Rebuild from scratch XP using your preserved Program Files.rar, Documents and Settings.rar and WindowsXP.rar. 5.- Withdraw the boot floppy, reboot and restore the originary Bios boot order. B.- If XP works but Windows 98 doesn't.- 1.- Get a system DOS boot floppy and copy in it bootpart.exe. You may download it from here: http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm 2.- Insert the floppy and reboot. Then type: BOOTPART WIN95 BOOT:C: 3.- Reboot without the floppy. If Windows 98 works jump to point 5. 4.- Only in the case that Windows98 doesn't still work, reboot using the DOS floppy again and type: fdisk /mbr sys a: c: BOOTPART WIN95 BOOT:C: Copy your saved msdos.sys to c:\ and withdraw the floppy. 5.- Delete the 5 XP boot files in C:. Don't touch any other XP folder! 6.- Insert the XP install CD and a floppy containing only a copy of the 5 boot files for Win98. 7.- Change Bios so that first boot is CD and second floppy. Reboot and start the XP install until first reboot. 8.- At first reboot withdraw the CD, so that the OS loads using the floppy. Then delete the newly created Windows XP folder. 9.- Withdraw the boot floppy, reboot and restore the originary Bios boot order. C.- If none of both works but the HD is OK and you have saved copies of everything: 1.- Use a system DOS boot floppy and install Windows 98 in the normal way. 2.- After install you are in the situation described in the precedent paragraph A. Follow all the given instructions. 3.- When Windows XP starts working, delete the Windows 98 folder and rebuild it from scratch using your saved .rar file. Maybe there are easier methods for doing the same, and it would be good to know them. HTH

For email I use Foxmail 5 since long ago, very good and simple even for gmail http mail You may download it from here: http://www.brothersoft.com/e-mail/e-mail_c...load_27488.html As browser, apart from Opera and Firefox 2, I use Maxthon Classic, which keeps using IE6 resources but without most of its inconveniences and insecurity: http://www.maxthon.com/download.htm

The date of the bootpart.exe version update that I downloaded is 01/08/2005. As you say the program is rather poorly explained. Now I understand much better what I've done: I've only replaced the part of the bootsector that calls the Operating System, which in fact was damaged. Thank you very much for your documented post, jaclaz!

I've found today an excellent old program to restore from scratch a damaged boot sector on doubleboot, both for Windows 98 and XP. Its name is BOOTPART.EXE, freeware, and you can download it from here: http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm It must be run under DOS, preferably using a Windows 98 boot floppy. Of course your HD must have a FAT32 structure (partitions below 32 GB, as many as needed), and on the root C:\ you must have all the following doubleboot required elements: ntdetect.com ntldr (boot menu loader) boot.ini (boot menu) bootsect.dos (Windows 98 boot loader) bootfont.bin (optative, only for font type during booting process) Io.sys Command.com Msdos.sys Config.sys Autoexec.bat It is very convenient that you keep all these 10 files saved in a DOS boot floppy folder, to restore any of them by xcopying to C:\ in case of need. In the root of this boot floppy you must copy BOOTPART.EXE To restore the damaged boot sector loader: 1.- Boot your comp using the floppy. 2.- If you have previously configured XP as default OS in the boot.ini file, you must type: BOOTPART WINNT BOOT:C: 3.- Else, when Windows 98 is the default OS in boot.ini you must type: BOOTPART WIN95 BOOT:C: Don't mind the references to Winnt or Win95. As you know XP is NT and Win98 comes from Windows 95. I've tried it to restore my damaged XP boot sector loader and I've found that it works perfect. No need to use the recovery console for this purpose! HTH

I mean running fixboot/fixmbr without using any cd at all. Maybe it is impossible. Thanks.

You can do it by using the install CD, but it would be more simple and easy is there is any floppy solution which avoids you touching the Bios to substitute the first boot device and afterwards to restore it to its previous priority. Thanks.

Well, in fact I don't have any kind of personal interest in it. I use XP all day long at work, and Win98 only at home (double boot, essentially to backup/restore XP and for the Internet), and of course everyday I mind only my own business. I am a member of this forum only to enjoy the pleasure of sharing ideas with other people, no personal interest at all. I found that stats and it called my attention the unusual of the data, then I shared the news only for the pleasure of sharing it. And suddendly it came to my mind a possible explanation and I also shared it. That's all. It is great to be in a forum in which the other members don't consider you to be a donkey only because you use a different OS. Hurrah!!! And I am not against anybody. The world is great and there is a place for everyone of us.

Trying to find a meaning, I wonder if the world economic crisis has made people more conservative. If you don't have money you don't buy a new car, and also you try to keep using your old computers instead of buying new ones, not only at home but also at any great or small corporation or enterprise.