VNC software for Windows 98

[Sfor]

Updated Free VNC software list:

TightVNC 1.3.10

- supports file transfers

- supports clipboard operations

- the client freezes on slow connections, when the whole desktop has to be updated

- does not work with the generic VGA driver

TightVNC 2.0.2

- supports file transfers

- supports clipboard operations

- server does not work with Windows 98

- client requires KernelEX to function with Windows 98

- the file transfer function is not compatible with TightVNC 1.3.10

- no proper support for the national characters

- java client does not support file transfers

- java client does not support capital national characters

Real VNC (free edition)

- does not support file transfers

- does not support clipboard operations

- works fine on slow connections (very reliable)

Tiger VNC 1.0.1

- does not support file transfers

- supports clipboard operations

(I had no opportunity to test it in the field)

Ultra VNC 1.0.2

- supports file transfers

- supports clipboard operations

- sending a file can lock Windows 98

- does not work on Windows 98 with Intel 845/865 graphics chipsets

- Windows 98 hangs during reboot, if there is an active connection with VNC server.

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from the original post:

The newest TightVNC 2 does not work in Windows 98. So, I've decided to look through the available free alternatives, again.

Is there any other VNC software worth considering? I can not count on the TightVNC development team to remove the bugs, apparently.

Edited March 20, 2011 by Sfor

[Mijzelf]

UltraVNC supports filetransfer, clipboard operations, works on slow connections, but I don't know if it runs on W9x/

[Sfor]

Well, I tried to install it on Windows 98, already. It says kindly: "This program requires Windows NT version 5.0.2195 or later."

[dencorso]

Does KernelEx help?

[osRe]

Using older versions is an option too. I use UltraVNC 1.0.2 on Win98. There could be newer versions that also work.

Something I recall from years ago was Remote Administrator. I think it wasn't free, but when I tried it at the time it was much faster/smoother than VNC and worked on Win98.

[Bleeder]

TeamViewer is free for personal non-profit use, and works great on Windows 98. Better than any flavor of VNC in my experience.

[Sfor]

In my case the non-profit use will not do, I'm afraid.

I'm beginning the in field testing of the UltraVNC 1.0.2. If the reliability will follow the feature set UltraVNC will be a perfect tool.

I've noticed, the TightVNC does not work with the standard VGA driver. It could be a problem in some video driver related situations. On the other hand RealVNC and UltraVNC are working fine in such circumstances.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Sfor

[Sfor]

I've encountered a problem with the UltraVNC 1.0.2. The server part does not seem to be able to work on some Intel based GPU hardware. I was unable to make it work on:

- Intel 82845G Graphics Controler (driver version: 4.13.01.3205)

- Intel 82865G Graphics Controler (driver version: 4.14.10.3732)

So far, I was able to observe the problem on just two different computers running Windows 98. Since I do not have a good access on those two I was unable to test for all possibilities. Still, it looks like some kind of a general video driver incompatibility, or something.

[Mijzelf]

Maybe it's the colordepth? I vaguely remember that I have had problems with some VNC (don't rememeber if it was UltraVNC) which didn't support 24 bit truecolor, while it did 32 bit, or vice versa. The solution on that particular system was the use of 8 bit color.

[sleffing]

I was unable to make it work on:

- Intel 82845G Graphics Controler (driver version: 4.13.01.3205)

- Intel 82865G Graphics Controler (driver version: 4.14.10.3732)

So far, I was able to observe the problem on just two different computers running Windows 98. Since I do not have a good access on those two I was unable to test for all possibilities. Still, it looks like some kind of a general video driver incompatibility, or something.

Hi Sfor.

No VNC help but, I can confirm no visible support for 24 bit colordepth in

Intel 82845G (driver version: 4.14.10.3732) (see Mijzelf's comment).

I have a dozen or so of these in the form of Dell Dimension 2400 desktops all running W98SE.

Also 2 resident programs come with the default driver install..set to run @ startup via HKLM/run.

A tray icon (igfxtray.exe) and a hot hey monitor (hkcmd.exe ?).

These can be enabled/disabled thru the ui - right click Desktop ->Graphics Options

But they are already resident so best testing may require disabling them thru msconfig & reboot.

Last, I had initial issues with the display resolution spastically reseting to 640 X 480 on bootup.

I ended up setting a forced configuration for the video adaptor in device manager.

This to avoid the memory conflicts. Check device manager for that as well.

[Sfor]

Well. I've encountered some serious problems with the Ultra VNC file transfers. I was able to download a file with VNC viewer runnig on Windows 98 system without a problem. But an attempt to send a file destabilized the local system.

I'm planning to revert back to the TightVNC. As, the Ultra VNC seems to be too troublesome.

[Sfor]

Further testing considering the UltraVNC file transfers revealed the issue is present in UltraVNC viewer working on the Windows 98 system, only. Everything works fine on Windows 2000.

The problem was present, when testing the newest UltraVNC viewer with the KernelEX running, as well.

[Sfor]

After some time spent with Ultra VNC it appears the client has a bug related to the file transfers. When receiving a file from a server everything works fine. On the other hand, file sending takes so much CPU attention, so the system gets unstable.

There is a hack to get through this problem. When connecting using browser and java client, the file sending is working much better. On the other hand the java browser does not seem to support capital polish national characters.

I've tested the nawest TightVNC 2.0.2 and Ultra VNC 1.0.8.2. Both require Windows 2000, but the clients are functional in Windows 98 with KernelEX installed. Unfortunately, the KernelEX is not enough for the server part to work correctly.

TightVNC 2.0.2 is no longer compatible with the old 1.3.10 client, when it comes to file transfers. It is necesary to use the 2.0.2 client for that purpose. The java client does not support file transfers, as well. Another problem is national support. I've been unable to get polish national characters entered correctly through the VNC connection.

UltraVNC 1.0.8.2 seems to be working the same as the 1.0.2 one. The server and client are working with older counterparts. I saw no apparent improvements from the Windows 98 compatible version, so far.

The java clients of the TightVNC and Ultra VNC are deserving a separate description. It appears they are using the same code as the backbone, because both are unable to pass the capital polish national characters. They are looking almost exactly the same. But, the Ultra VNC client does have a working file transfer button.

[Sfor]

Well. I've found another UltraVNC 1.0.2 related problem. Windows 98 hangs during restart, if there is an active connection with VNC server.

Also, I've tried to connect to a Windows 98 from a Linux VNC client. Everything works quite well, except for the file transfers.

So far, the most reliable VNC software seems to be the Real VNC. Unluckily it does not have the file transfer option. But, perhaps it would be possible to use some other remote file tranfer software, instead of relying on the VNC server. The microsoft networking works, but I would like not to use it. I had an opportunity to watch how a virus was infecting files on a remote computer through a VPN tunnel.