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Spyware, viruses, & security : Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine
Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine
by crewfan69 - 11/6/09 10:45 AMHello everybody,
I plan to help a friend of a friend... and so on. I haven't seen the computer yet but I have offered to help with what the owner believes to be a malware infection on an old Gateway. She is on dial-up service so I'm looking for options to run security scans from either USB or a boot CD. I have searched the web for a few hours already and have not found much other than Windows 98 is no longer supported, duh.
I believe it would be best to have something I could update at my home's cable broadband service which makes me think the USB stick would be the better option.
This is what I plan to do:
* Image hard drive in the event things go badly - which image applications do you recommend?
* Run scans and clean-up infections if any
* Check system settings and run defragmenter
Anything you might add would be appreciated.
Thanks,
-Spencer
W98 support
by bob b - 11/6/09 12:20 PM In reply to: Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine by crewfan69Scans.
AV..........Avast or Clamwin.
Malware.....Superantispy....SAS.
Do any of these products allow a download/update on your machine and then a transfer to the w98 machine?.....unknown.
I'll let you root around in their help file/faqs.
Can the machine boot from CD?
by Kees Bakker
- 11/6/09 12:38 PM
In reply to: Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine by crewfan69
Then try one of the bootable antivirus-CD's from http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/
Those are independent of the OS of the target machine.
And you would need a CD-based image application also, that supports a USB device or a CD-burner to image to. See the program and link in http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12546_102-0.html?messageID=3144038#3144038
Best of luck.
Kees
Good ideas
by crewfan69 - 11/7/09 5:58 AM In reply to: Can the machine boot from CD? by Kees Bakker
Kees,
Thanks for the info. I'll try a few of the AV apps, heck maybe all. I got a hold of Clonezilla and I really like it. I can add that to my arsenal.
-Spencer
Have You Got Anything
by tobeach - 11/7/09 10:51 PM In reply to: Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine by crewfan69to use for Firewall (critical for 98)? Kerio personal (v.2.15?) used to be the smallest available. I believe there are 1 or 2 sites that still offer download of it. Perhaps some one else know which sites for sure, otherwise Google for it. 
Oh, Boy!
by crewfan69 - 11/12/09 1:02 PM In reply to: Looking for suggestions for servicing a Windows 98 machine by crewfan69I finally got a chance to take a look at the machine and tried to use Clonezilla. When I say try I mean I used it and it would not image the hard drive. It listed many errors and had the gall to mention "Something is wrong" in the error list. HA! Nice to see humor in a tech product.
I had to leave before I did anything else so I'm thinking I need to locate a disk drive to replace the nearly dead one. I hope the owner can locate the OS restore CD. If not then she might be out of luck.
-Spencer
Here's Wishing You Luck...
by tobeach - 11/12/09 9:25 PM In reply to: Oh, Boy! by crewfan69with that one! You never know maybe she's O.C. and has the original in her jewelery box or safety deposit box at the bank? LOL!
I lent my OS disk to my daughter a couple of years ago and now when I need it to reload my dead desktop, you know she can't find it!!Sigh!
If worst comes to worst...there's always free Ubuntu OS! Luck! 
I think this could be a record...
by crewfan69 - 11/13/09 6:32 AM In reply to: Here's Wishing You Luck... by tobeachThe hard drive in question is a Quantum Fireball. If you are familiar with them, to know that it has been in service since July of 2000 is amazing. If not, they appeared in Gateways and Copmaqs from the late 90's - early 2000's. They had a manufacture defect that caused failure in nearly all of them. The only option left is to save all data and get a new drive.
-Spencer
I Hear That & Right You Are!
by tobeach - 11/13/09 9:31 PM In reply to: I think this could be a record... by crewfan69Strangely, my desktop has 2 HDs & 1 is a 10 year old 40G Maxtor from previous WIN98 machine which is still in working order (has never failed:Knock on my wooden head)! It only gets light duty now. I can't imagine that life span on any brand currently produced. Bon Chance!
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