IE version to replace Netscape 4.78 on W95 machine

I'm trying to find a reasonable browser for W95B MS Plus, 200MHz Pentium, 64MB RAM, 56K V.90 Modem, to replace slowly failing Netscape 4.78.

Is there a version of IE which is available and might outperform Netscape 4.78 on this old-dog PC?

Or, is my best bet a new PC?

Best regards,

 

The last version of IE that can be installed on Win95 is IE5.5sp2, which is what I'm running. Coincidentally, I just got this bit of information in my e-mail:
===========copy/paste============
Subject: Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2 is now in 'extended' support
Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 08:59:14 -0700
From: "Emmanuel"

Unfortuately Alice, IE 5.5 SP2 is now in 'extended' support as MS says in
its IE 5.5 page and IE 5.5 SP2 is no longer available at the IE downloads page, http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/support/ie55exsupport.asp

IE 5.5 SP2 is still available now at the Download Center though it is titled
'Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2 for Windows ME':
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6b-deb9-4a46-81da-abef1ebbd08a&DisplayLang=en
I downloaded this installer from the above site and ran the ie5setup.exe
file,
guess what? Java Virtual Machine is no longer part of the installation
process when doing a Custom install (Java VM doesn't appear on there; MS has removed it from the installation process; anyway it's old and the newest Java VM is build 3810
and MS will NOT add the new one onto the updated IE 5.5 SP2 setup routine).
You CAN run that updated ie5setup.exe file under Win95/98, 2000, ME & NT4 as I've tested it myself. However, MS will abandon support for IE 5.5 SP2 on Dec. 31, 2003, regardless of what Windows OS IE 5.5 SP2 is used on.

Have you installed the IE 5.5 SP2 April 2003 update yet? If not, you can if
you want to. The update does not check what Windows OS you're using as long as you're using IE 5.5 SP2 AND the April 2003 Q813489 update will show up in the Add/Remove Programs
Install/Uninstall dialog box after you install the update [titled 'Internet
Explorer Q813489'] just in case you want to un-install the update.
==========end c/p============

As far as MS Java VM goes, you could download it from any number of 3rd-party sites but you won't find it at Microsot, unless you can get the URL to the windowsupdate download from someone''s windows update.log file. Alternately, you could install Sun Microsystem's Java and use it for IE.

My personal opinion? Forget about IE and get Netscape7 or Mozilla. You can get lots of help with that in the Netscape forum.

The "minimum" for Netscape7 or Mozilla is supposedly a Pentium with 233m hz and 64MB ram but uou can run it with less, it just might be slower.

PS here is a link to the Mozilla 1.0.1 release notes and system requirements.:
http://www.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla1.0.1/#require

Netscape 7.0 is basically Mozilla 1.0.1 without the AOL add-ons. I noticed that the Netscape 7.0 release notes at http://wp.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/ns7/relnotes/7.html#require now list Win98 as a minimum... I don't know what's up with that!

 

Or try Opera .

 

Alice:

Thanks for responding!

I've NEVER used IE or OE. Something about it being Microsoft, and a lot of horror stories. Hardly anybody writes viruses for Netscape!

I'll check-out IE 5.5 SP2.

As far as Netscape 7.0, or even above 5.0, Ramona (Admin at Netscape Forum) figures it will be too slow on my PC. She has tried just that on a similar PC.

I think the W98 minimum and 233 MHz indicate that it would run poorly on W95, 200MHz with 64 MB!

I believe Ramona had the same misgivings about Opera.

It may just be time for a new PC.

Best,

 

Look into IE5.5sp2, but keep in mind that all support for it will end soon and you will be unable to keep it updated to keep up with security fixes.

In your place I would probably try Mozilla, version 1.0.2 (the latest in the 1.0 branch) or maybe Mozilla 1.3.1. See what happens. Download links to Mozilla builds and release notes can be found here:
http://www.mozilla.org/releases/

Links to download Sun's Java Run Time Environment (JRE) v1.4.1 which you can use with both Mozilla and IE, can also be found there, or by going to http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.1/download.html

Who knows, you might be happy with Mozilla's performance.

As far as Opera goes, I don't have any experience with it but from what I've gathered, the free version contains a small advertising window, if that makes a difference to you.

 

IE 5.5 sp2 & Mozilla 1.3.1

Thanks Alice!

I'll do my research.

Best,

 

You're welcome, Larry.

Happy researching

Best wishes,

Alice

 

Larry,

I came across some information on Sun's Java Plugin version 1.4.1 and Windows 95 which I want to pass on to you.

See http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/jre/install-windows.html
and http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.1/jre/install-windows.html

Compare the system requirements. Looks like Sun's Java Plugin version 1.4.0 works on Win95 but 1.4.1 doesn't.

1.4.0 versions can be downloaded from http://java.sun.com/products/archive/index.html

I'm using J2SE version 1.4.0_01 on Win95B.

PS. If you haven't yet decided on an a new browser you might want to consider K-Meleon. The release notes are at http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/docs/relnotes07.php

 

Thanks Alice.

I had tentatively decided on Opera 7.11, but there are still some issues.

I'll check out your inputs.

Thanks again,

 

You're welcome.

Hope you work out the issues with Opera.

Also, on K-Meleon (it's a browser only, by the way. no mail or newsgroup reader)

If you don't have at least IE5 installed on Win95 you would need to download and install 50comupd.exe available here (the link in the release notes doesn't seem to be working):
http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/Comctl32/5.80.2614.3600/W9XNT4/EN-US/50comupd.exe