Win98SE Fills My Computing Requirements

[pixturesk]

I am so happy to find a forum where people continue to use Win98SE. I am not of the computer generation, self taught with trial/error, become fairly comfortable, proficient with Win98SE. I have also installed the Unofficial Win98SE Service Pack. I agree with so much of what others have written about the positives in sticking with Win98SE. Just a couple of other thoughts. To fully protect my current Win98SE installation, about every six months, I use Norton Ghost to completely "ghost" my "C" drive on a number of CD-R's, this time probably about 8-10 cd-r's. The benefit of Norton Ghost, for those, unfamiliar, is that if you have to format your "C" drive, you can just copy back your entire "C" drive completely installed, just continue using your computer as though you never had to format your "C" drive. The other way, of course, is having to re-install Win98SE plus all your other software. A great comfort!!

Also, with experience, I have equipped my computer with a number of free software programs, that make formating the "c" drive almost a non-existent scenario. I use the following:

Firefox (default browser)

AVG Free 7.5 anti-virus (the newest version)

AdAware Free

Spyware Blaster Free (prevents spyware from getting on your computer)

CCleaner (essential, complete cleanup tool)

HiJack This

MRU Blaster

RegSeeker

Using all these excellent free softwares on a regular basis has kept my P3 600, 256megs, ultra lite cable internet computer clean, running at peak efficiency. (I hope to upgrade my ram to 512, my video from 8 to 32 megs, perhaps get a faster CPU as well). I have also just begun using Oxygen Office Professional 2.0.4 (a much more complete version of Open Office.org) as my Free Office program. The Gimp for Windows is my free (almost Photoshop equivalent) photo editing software.

As an extra, I am also experimenting with Puppy Linux, a live cd linux operating system which loads into the computer ram, never has to be installed to the "c" drive, with the capability of saving settings after each use, built especially to configure hardware for legacy computers like mine running an OS like Win98SE. If your computer "C" drive becomes so corrupt as to make access of saving impossible, Puppy Linux can always run from the cd player, access the "C" drive that way, use your burner to save vital information. Both OS's compliment each other. Thanks for your patience. I hope to view this forum regularly, use your suggestions.

[Jeremy]

Like Acronis True Image but I'm not sure if it works on Win98SE. I prefer 1 DVD+R rather than a handful of CDRs. I love that I can restore at any point rather than reformatting.

I use the Opera browser which is even more customizable and secure than Firefox.

AVG has too low of a detection rate but is free so little argument there. I'd use Avast or AntiVir (the latter having an even higher detection rate than Symantec (crap) ) if I were to use freeware. I used to use Kaspersky which is the overall best one out there (I've compared 20 anti-virus products and it's the winner). I don't use Anti-Virus or a software firewall anymore. I have a router which keeps all the "background noise" away. I follow good computer sense to avoid malware. I recently did full scans with Ad-Aware and Spybot and turned up clean.

Ad-Aware SE, Spybot are the two best anti-spyware programs for sure. I've also used CWShredder and Windows Defender. I've heard good things about Ewido AntiSpyware (the last version before it was bought out by AVG). I've heard good things about SpywareBlaster, too. Although, I think Spybot's Immunization does relatively the same thing? I haven't personally compared them before.

CCleaner is teh s***!

HijackThis, always nice. But if you look at your Task Manager and MSConfig (or alternatively strun.exe from NirSoft Freeware Utilities) you see the same thing. Then it's just a matter of Googling the process name of anything that looks suspicious to you.

MRU Blaster, I've used that before although CCleaner already removes MRus from dozens of programs so this seems redundant nowadays.

RegSeeker, I used this ages ago, it was okay for a while but eventually broke some things resulting in a complete reinstall. I've tested 30+ registry cleaners and IMHO jv16 PowerTools is the best registry cleaner I've ever used. Refer to my blog entry here for more info. And of course there are the MaceCraft Forums. I've used jv16 for years back when it sucked and have stuck with it for these years, watched it grow and improve and that faith in it has rewarded me with the terrific application that it has become.

I'm also considering grabbing an old PC from my in-laws to use as a Linux box. I've actually never tried Linux but will do so soon in VMware. Fun lies ahead, hopefully.

Office, I've always stuck with M$ Office. I've tried OpenOffice (mind you older versions) but it was so incompatible with M$ file formats and slow overall that I couldn't stand it. I'll try the newest version soon.

Image viewing, I've used IrfanView for the past 5 and a half years. I don't do image editing, however. If I were, I'd use Adobe Photoshop. I've tried the Gimp before but didn't have much luck.

Just wanted to share my knowledge and opinions on software with you.

Cheers,

Jeremy

Edited December 14, 2006 by Jeremy

[BenoitRen]

I hope to upgrade my ram to 512, my video from 8 to 32 megs, perhaps get a faster CPU as well

What for? If your system runs great, there's no reason to upgrade. Since you don't install newer versions of Windows, you're free from the perpetual upgrading cycle brought forward by the ever-increasing size and requirements of M$' products.

[Fredledingue]

I don't agree. Upgrading hardware is always good, also for w98.

[pixturesk]

More ram is always useful especially for serious photo editing, running live cd Linux distros, performing more than one computing function at the same time. Together with a larger video capacity (including graphic acceleration 3D functionality), my computer will run even more efficiently ( also many games require more than 8 megs of 3D video). The maximum CPU, I can use on my system is 1.1 gig, might just get that cheaply to compliment the video + ram. Just investigating these possibilities.

[Jeremy]

What for? If your system runs great, there's no reason to upgrade. Since you don't install newer versions of Windows, you're free from the perpetual upgrading cycle brought forward by the ever-increasing size and requirements of M$' products.

The operating system itself is not the only thing on a user's PC that is demanding of their system specs, no matter what OS you use. Video editing/encoding, benchmarking, virtual testing, multi-tasking... c'mon.

[BenoitRen]

More often than not people are upgrading because the newest Windows doesn't run smoothly on their setup. And since he/she said everything runs fine, well... I don't see why he should upgrade.

If you do extensive photo/video editing, you'd be better off with a Mac.

also many games require more than 8 megs of 3D video

Game consoles were designed for games, personal computers were not (though I admit there's sometimes the odd game you can/want to only get on PC). Also keep in mind that more video RAM isn't always justified. Game developers get paid by nVidia and ATI to optimise their games for their latest video card. 128 MB and higher are absolutely unnecessary when the same game could run fine on a 64 MB or even a 32 MB video card. Just look at the oldblivion patch for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. All it does is flip some switches that enable the game to run great on 32 MB.

Effects matter, not RAM.

Gaming on computers is just another facet of the perpetual upgrading cycle.

At the end of the day, you don't run more efficiently at all.

Video editing/encoding, benchmarking, virtual testing, multi-tasking... c'mon.

You just had to pick the most advanced things that a computer user could do, didn't you? Please note that when it comes to upgrading and system requirements, I often think of the simple home user, not a techie.

[Jeremy]

You just had to pick the most advanced things that a computer user could do, didn't you? Please note that when it comes to upgrading and system requirements, I often think of the simple home user, not a techie.

Yes, I did, because even general users can do those things. You don't have to be a techie to use Adobe or VirtualDub.