Ot: anti virus for win 98

[J Miller]

Does anybody know of a free anti-virus program that will work with Windows 98?
This box is so far out of date it's not worth trying to update the hardware so we can update the OS but we still need an anti-virus program.

TIA

Joe

[Pitchy]

I use Avast and love it, not sure it`s still available for 98, check out this site, also AVG.

http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Home-Edi ... 75520.html

[Walker]

A buddy had AVG on his 98 box, and the last anti-virus database update froze his system. Don't know if the folks at AVG have fixed that issue yet, but they have an AVG remover tool that I'm using to remove their software and unfreeze it.

[El Chivo]

I noticed as of this winter that all hardware and software makers seem to have stopped writing for 98. Something to do with Windows 7 coming out.

I would just go without, I have been without virus protection for about 8 years. If you don't do downloads from strange sites you should be ok. I view my e-mails online, before they are downloaded to my machine. So I only download safe e-mails (text only). You could so do this with a webmail service - view your e-mails online and don't download them.

I have found the virus programs slow the system down so much it's not worth it to me. I save my important stuff as I go and if I have to wipe the hard drive it's not the end of the world.

[M. M. Wright]

My box has Vista,(gag, puke) and I run the Avast on it. Seems to work great.

[stew71]

Why continue to use an OS that's no longer supported? If your hardware is as old as that OS, you'll be replacing components in the near future. As an IT engineer, I highly suggest that you pick up some new hardware and run an OS that's up to date. You can find some pretty inexpensive platforms out there.

Just sayin'. But yes, AVG is pretty good shareware/freeware.

[J Miller]

stew71,

Perhaps I should have elaborated for those that missed my other posts. This Win 98 box is an old one we keep around as a back up. Our new(er) Win XP Pro box crashed last week for the third time, and has been in the shop since Saturday. Strange as it may seem, and obsolete as it is, the old box has been more reliable than the new one. It sits unused for months at a time and always boots up and works when the other one dies. About all it's good for is going on line but it always works.

One of these days I'm gonna ditch all this Windows junque and get me an Apple computer.

Joe

[Walker]

Hope you had your data backed up. I picked up a cast aside laptop from work and installed Ubuntu (linux PC type OS) on it just to cruise the net.

[El Chivo]

I like having my Win 98 for my 98-era programs, they work faster. The only things I need XP for are new gadgets like USB external drives and SD card readers, and to get on the internet. My ISP doesn't support Win 98 anymore and in fact barely supports XP.

One cool thing, I got a hold of an OEM disk for XP, and its method of installation puts XP on a separate partition from 98, without erasing it. So, at startup, I have the choice of booting in XP or 98, and any files I create are accessible by either OS, and both partitions are accessible for copying and storage. So I can boot up in XP to use the new gadgets, then later boot up in 98 to use my old programs.

If you really only use your 98 computer to cruise the internet, why care if you get a virus? Just wipe the hard drive and start over.

[stew71]

stew71,

Our new(er) Win XP Pro box crashed last week for the third time, and has been in the shop since Saturday. Strange as it may seem, and obsolete as it is, the old box has been more reliable than the new one.
Joe

Ahh...gotcha Joe. Now ain't that the way it always works? Kinda like a 60 year old Win 94 that keeps on going while the new ones can't hit paper at 50 yards...

[Blaine]

[greenacres]

It has been my experience that none of the current viruses will work on Windows98 , and so there is no need to use an anti-virus program. This is another advantage to using an outdated OS.

[Dave B]

Joe, I was in this situation. I had a newer XP laptop, and an old 98 for backup.
I was laid off last winter and had to give up the work provided laptop. I didn't have funds to replace it to do the things the old 98 can't.
I found refurbished laptops from Dell on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/Dell-Financial/D ... 34.c0.m322

I won one for $167.00 deliverd. it has XP, wireless, and plays DVDs. I am able to use current software and anti virus.

Here is one like mine with 48 minutes left:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-DELL-LATITUDE-D62 ... 2563d7b0ac

I thought I'd share this info incase you look to upgrade later.

Dave B

[J Miller]

Joe, I was in this situation. I had a newer XP laptop, and an old 98 for backup.
I was laid off last winter and had to give up the work provided laptop. I didn't have funds to replace it to do the things the old 98 can't.
I found refurbished laptops from Dell on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/Dell-Financial/D ... 34.c0.m322

I won one for $167.00 deliverd. it has XP, wireless, and plays DVDs. I am able to use current software and anti virus.

Here is one like mine with 48 minutes left:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-DELL-LATITUDE-D62 ... 2563d7b0ac

I thought I'd share this info incase you look to upgrade later.

Dave B

To all and Dave B,

We ransomed our XP box from the shop a couple days ago. I mentioned it briefly on a couple other threads. Supposedly it was infected by six viruses and that's what locked it up. OK, and this was inspite of the up to date anti-virus programs the techs had put in the last time it was in the shop.

So all though I'd love to pick up a new(er) laptop for me to use we're in the same boat as Dave B, no extra funds.

Joe

[Old Time Hunter]

First off Joe, remember if there weren't any viruses to fix, there would be no need for McAfee, Norton, and the like...makes one wonder who is planting the seeds.

Second, try SpyBot Search & Destroy, it is free and it does work pretty good. I have that on two computers running in conjunction with AVG Free...so far so good. Just cleaned out McAfee from my newest computer that got an embedded NewWin32 virus, took me the whole weekend to get it out using Windows One-Care and CombFix, then uploading SpyBot Search & Destroy, running it in Safe Mode no internet and the restore shut off, and finally uploading AVG Free..four complete scans finally got it out.