Last Versions of Software for Windows 98SE

[Drugwash]

The trick needed to install Java 1.6.0 u7 has already been detailed earlier; basically unpack the msi manually with Install Explorer or some other compatible utility and then run it, it will install fine.

Ad-Aware's database has been incompatible with 9x for a while already.

[ivanbuto]

The trick needed to install Java 1.6.0 u7 has already been detailed earlier; basically unpack the msi manually with Install Explorer or some other compatible utility and then run it, it will install fine.

Thanks for the information. Could you point me to the thread where this has been discussed? I could not find it... Also, shouldn't Java fix their installer? To me, breaking Win9x compatibility in this way seems rather unprofessional. For me, it's not a problem to "bypass" the installer, but what about other users? I will try to contact Java with this issue.

[Multibooter]

Hi all,

has anoyone had success installing the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (6.0 update 7) on Windows 98? Versions up until 6.0 U5 worked fine, but the latest versions report that a DLL is missing and the installation process cannot continue. I suspect that it is only a problem with the installer and that Java itself should still work on Win98. Should we notify someone over at Java to fix the installer?

Also, is it now definite that Ad-aware definition files will no longer work on Windows 98?

Hi ivanbuto,

Why do you want to use v6 instead of v5? Sun is regularly maintaining their Win98/Me version v5 (update 15 on 9-Feb-08, update 16 on 28-May-08) just like their WinXP/Vista version v6 (last update 7 on 10-Jun-08). If you click on the Download button on their site http://java.com/en/ they even switch you automatically to their Win98/ME page (if you're accessing the site under Win98).

If Sun takes so much effort in maintaining separate versions, then there must be a reason somewhere. I also had v6 installed under Win98, but then I changed back to v5, I was just afraid of surprises. A lot of software is using Java (Azureus, the charting applet of my online broker, the anonymizer JAP, SageTV software for the TV tuner card, even the Britannica/Brockhaus software). The worst case scenario would be if the Java applet hangs my system while I am in the middle of an online trade.

Please let me know your reasons.

Edited October 20, 2008 by Multibooter

[the xt guy]

The last version of definitions to work with Ad-Aware Personal on Win98 was version #247 (May 13, 2008). Later update files will not work on 98. There was a big debacle at the time over on the Ad-Aware forums with accusations being made, Ad-Aware evading a direct answer, closing threads, tempers flaring, etc.

Ad-Aware may still be of some limited use even without the lastest definitions.

Fortunately the latest version (1.60) of Spybot Search and Destroy still runs fine on 98. In fact, I was surprised to see on their website that the previous version of Spybot (1.52, now no longer updated) still worked on Windows 95!

BTW, I'm still using Ad-Aware Personal on my Win2K box with the latest definitions!

Edited October 20, 2008 by the xt guy

[ivanbuto]

Hi ivanbuto,

Why do you want to use v6 instead of v5? Sun is regularly maintaining their Win98/Me version v5 (update 15 on 9-Feb-08, update 16 on 28-May-08) just like their WinXP/Vista version v6 (last update 7 on 10-Jun-08). If you click on the Download button on their site http://java.com/en/ they even switch you automatically to their Win98/ME page (if you're accessing the site under Win98).

Hi,

I have no particular reason... I have two Win98 machines here at home, on one of them I use v5, on the other one I have been using v6 up until Update 6, when the installation stopped working. It's always nice to know that you can use the most recent version, even if an older version is also still supported.

The statement from Java has been that v6 is not tested on Windows 98, but they did not do anything to break compatibility, so it should work. However, they have obviously not been careful enough and have made the installer incompatible.

[ivanbuto]

The trick needed to install Java 1.6.0 u7 has already been detailed earlier; basically unpack the msi manually with Install Explorer or some other compatible utility and then run it, it will install fine.

The file I can download from Java's website is "jre-6u7-windows-i586-p-s.exe". I can open it as an archive with 7-zip, however, when extracting I get an error message that the files inside are broken.

Thanks.

[Multibooter]

The file I can download from Java's website is "jre-6u7-windows-i586-p-s.exe". I can open it as an archive with 7-zip, however, when extracting I get an error message that the files inside are broken.

Try the instructions by mdgx http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#JAVA

" Ignore "Warning: This is not a supported Operating System!" error message!

Install requires Microsoft .Net Framework Redistributable (NFR) 1.1 or newer (free)!

FIX: Run Java SE 6.0 install executable -> stop at "Welcome to Java" screen -> open Windows Explorer or File Manager -> browse to %windir%\TEMP [default is C:\WINDOWS\TEMP...] -> run .MSI installer!"

Edited October 21, 2008 by Multibooter

[Drugwash]

@ ivanbuto:

If we exclude a download error, that may be a problem with 7-zip. Personally I've used Total Commander with a bunch of plug-ins installed and it can unpack about all types of packages it can recognize; can't speak about other unpackers I haven't tested though.

The problem with Java installer is that it's .NET dependant. If you install .NET (not sure which version, I already had both 1.1 and 2.0 at the time) on your machine, the installer will work correctly.

Here's one of the first reports of Java 1.6.0 u7 failing to install on 9x and the workaround: link followed by my analysis of the installer: link

Sorry Multibooter, I already was in the process of documenting myself for replying, couldn't see your reply in the mean time.

Edited October 21, 2008 by Drugwash

[ivanbuto]

Try the instructions by mdgx http://www.mdgx.com/add.htm#JAVA

" Ignore "Warning: This is not a supported Operating System!" error message!

Install requires Microsoft .Net Framework Redistributable (NFR) 1.1 or newer (free)!

FIX: Run Java SE 6.0 install executable -> stop at "Welcome to Java" screen -> open Windows Explorer or File Manager -> browse to %windir%\TEMP [default is C:\WINDOWS\TEMP...] -> run .MSI installer!"

Thanks guys. I was able to install JRE 6.0 u7 with these instructions.

However, the installer (.exe file) doesn't work even if Microsoft .NET Framework is present - I have one machine with .NET 1.1, another machine with .NET 2.0, in both cases the install does not work, I had to use the .msi file.

[Drugwash]

This is strange because it worked for me, at least. Could you please profile the installer through Dependency Walker and see what errors it logs? Maybe there are other system files that need updated on your system. That's assuming Sun haven't changed their installer recently to completely block 9x from installing the 1.6.0+ line.

[ivanbuto]

This is strange because it worked for me, at least. Could you please profile the installer through Dependency Walker and see what errors it logs? Maybe there are other system files that need updated on your system. That's assuming Sun haven't changed their installer recently to completely block 9x from installing the 1.6.0+ line.

Based on dependency walker, the following files/functions seem to be missing:

- APPHELP.DLL

- USERENV.DLL

- OLE32.DLL: CoWaitForMultipleHandles

- SHELL32.DLL: SHBindToParent

However, strange, the same files/functions are listed for jre-6u6-windows-i586-p.exe, i.e. the previous update, where the installer proceeds fine and does not give Error 1723.

Edited October 21, 2008 by ivanbuto

[Multibooter]

The file I can download from Java's website is "jre-6u7-windows-i586-p-s.exe". I can open it as an archive with 7-zip, however, when extracting I get an error message that the files inside are broken.

If we exclude a download error, that may be a problem with 7-zip.

WinRAR v3.42 gives the same error msg & cannot extract either

Sorry Multibooter, I already was in the process of documenting myself for replying, couldn't see your reply in the mean time.

Thanks for the hint about InstallExplorer http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/InstallExplorer.html I will try it out, seems to be interesting. I was always wondering how Kaspersky etc. was able to look into setup files. Maybe this is a useful tool for virus checking setup files where Kaspersky just gives a warning (e.g. Unknown format GhostInstalller)

[jaclaz]

Thanks for the hint about InstallExplorer http://www.totalcmd.net/plugring/InstallExplorer.html I will try it out, seems to be interesting. I was always wondering how Kaspersky etc. was able to look into setup files. Maybe this is a useful tool for virus checking setup files where Kaspersky just gives a warning (e.g. Unknown format GhostInstalller)

Also UNIextract should work under win98:

http://www.msfn.org/board/Universal-Extractor-f159.html

http://legroom.net/software/uniextract

jaclaz

[Multibooter]

Also UNIextract should work under win98

Thanks jaclaz, I've put it on my list. I'll be trying out first Total Commander with the InstallExplorer plugin, also after the experiment regarding Opera's internet-shortcut-bug http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showto...st&p=804994 where Total Commander produced an error msg.

[rainyd]

Anyone have tried the newest JRE 6 update 10?

Personally, I prefer using latest version of Java 5 family.