Install Win98 on old laptop or keep Win2000?

I'm setting up an old laptop (200mHz, 48MB) for a senior citizen to learn how to use a computer and have basic email and net access.

This laptop has a fairly new install of Win2000 on it and is a bit sluggish. Would installing Win98se instead cause an increase in performance, considering the limitation on ram (and the fact this machine can never have more than 64mb)? How much less RAM does 98 use than 2000? Or is 2000 actually fairly efficient with RAM?

There's nothing important on the drive so the only issue with the downgrade would be the time and effort involved. Would the performance increase enough to be worth it? Are there other reasons to actually want to KEEP the 2000 install?

Also it might be that there may be more drivers available for 98 (not sure on this).

 

Win 2000 or Win 98 on a laptop

Laptops especially the older ones that were premium machines in their time seem to run faster than stated claims.
I had a 100 mhz pentium with 16 mb or Ram run Windows 98 et al very well.
Still you would think that Windows 2000 would tax a 200 mhz computer.
Does the chip have mmx- that seems to take quite a performance hit.
98 would probably be a wiser choice.
It would not only be the operating system but also what else you had installed and what was on the startup msconfig.
Try to pare it down.
As well there are some tweaking tips if you wish to email me for win 98.
As well you can get older less demanding versions of public programs at
www.oldversion.com

 

Hi,

If you are not going to run BIG programs or many programs at a time, 98 will run on 32Mb. Win 98 is a bit more "user friendly ", all the business and networking security in 2K can be confusing.

If you use basic antivirus like AVG free, adjust the "in" and "outs" for Zonealarm and and get him/her to run and update the antispyware ocassionally, it should be fine. Older people tend to be overly cautious, if you explain the hazards of visiting questionable websites, opening email from unknown sources, etc, they will probably be able to use Win 98 for several more years. Let them know that it may get trashed by the undesirables or parts (the HDD) could break down, if they have special files, back them up (a USB micro/pen drive maybe or even floppy disks).

Ask around if any of your friends have a old computer they will no longer be using (if you lived around Sydney, I could give you several ).

Matt

 

Several points:

Windows 98 set up with drivers is still very functional. We are not at that point yet where many programs demand 2000/ XP and there are not limitations on features on websites.
The key thing with these OSs is whether the drivers are set up. I am sure that you will do a good job. With a lot of the laptop companies ( compaq for example ) they have actual pages on their website with the drivers for the particular model. Best to make a copy of those drivers on a cd and in a drivers folder on the hard drive. If you have space on the hard drive copy the cab files or the whole install cd in a folder ( I use Win 98 CD) It makes installs of hardware - printers etc much easier if not automatic.
I have set up older more hardware intensive PCMCIA wireless laptop cards even on Pentium 166s . Usually the bs as opposed to the g cards. I did set up a Linksys g card on a 200 odd mhz Pentium 2.
The biggest problem by far is spyware. Whatever people prefer here.
Adaware covers a good start . Show the user how to run the scan , how to do the vital updates and how to remove the spyware found. And that you cannot do too much harm and that there is an archive. Spybot can be installed as well if you wish. Spybot can be set to run on startup.
Try to pare down the running programs on the msconfig.
It is your call whether the avg should run all the time in the background or whether the user should run a scan manually on a regular basis. Having the antivirus running in the background all the time will take a hit on performance.
The current antivirus versions are much more demanding and are meant for newer more powerfull computers. An older version of antivirus (say Norton 2002 ) will be less demanding than Norton 2006 . As long as the program takes the updates the virus list will be up to date. Even older versions that will not take the update can sometimes take the update tool on the symantec site to be coaxed to take the updates .
Interestingly enough I was hit by a very mean virus 2 months ago.
I was working on an infested computer and it seemed to jump across my router . A bit foolish of me. Nothing but nothing would remove the final traces of the virus. I tried everything. The only product that removed the virus finally was AVG free edition.
Lastly I know that this is a Windows BBS . You might look at a simple linux distro that is meant to easily install and cover older computers. It is called vector linux.

http://www.vectorlinux.com/

http://www.vectorlinux.com/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=10&page_id=16

I will probably now be banned from Windows BBS !!!

 

I would go with 98Se, less overhead than W2K for the memory you have.
I do have to say W2K is better at memory management than 98, needs more than you have to run better though.
I would do a Custom Install during setup, selecting the barest necessities to install (give'em the games).

 

98 - 2ooo

i think the max memory for win 98 is 96 for xp 84 is required "I" think & 128 is recomended. i put xp on 98 and it was so slow i went back to 98 se

 

Well after reading all the excellent bits of advice I'd only add one thing:
Windows 98 is no longer supported by MS.

And with that lack of support, you are now browsing the Net with open exploits. Exploits that will never be patched. Exploits that no anti-spyware or anti-virus will be able to stop. Especially if you install those older versions of anti-spyware and anti-virus that are no longer supported.

So as long as surfing is kept to a minimum, and the users is extremely cautious then maybe W98 will do.

I'd still prefer W2K, at least it's patchable still.

JMHO.

 

Scared by Bill ?
The vast majority of the exploits in the last number of years seem to be more directlly aimed at and orientated to Win 2000 / XP than 98 .
If anything the makers of these exploits seem to have ignored Windows 98.

 

Hey visionof

You are right about the MMX's they never got the credit they deserved. I always liked them in their heyday.

I also agree with you about 95-Me being dropped by virus and malware writers. Most all now are written for NT based systems.

Not much choice here though, because of processor and memory constraints.

I don't think this senior citizen will run many esoteric programs.

Since before being fully dropped by MS there are a world of 98 addons like...

The unoffical service pack, and the 98SE2ME project that takes the best of ME and some parts of 2K and even XP and ports them to 98.

http://www.mdgx.com/98-5.htm#KRM9S

I have an image that I built in a Virtual Machine and installed most of these. I use it on PC like the above that just don't have much other choice except a new computer.

I was impressed. It screams on 64M ram and about 300 Mhz up.

Mike

 

Bill would have no impact on my security views. More my last 2 years doing HijackThis! analysis and seeing how the malware writers operate.

Your point of view does not mean that the malware writers don't include old exploit code or remove it, exactly the opposite.

In their eyes, if someone is foolish enough to be running a system that can't be protected via simple MS updates, what better candidate for a zombie? This same person is likely not to have a clue that their machine is compromised.

Believe me, there are still plenty of W9x machines out there and ripe for any botmaster to take over.

 

I think windows 98 would probably be a better operating system for the machine ---
HOWEVER
I do not think it is the best operating system for the objective.

The first issue is security - you would do very well to really HEAR what temerc is telling you -- running 98se with some of the few security tools still available and/or patching it up with the third party version of 98 may be ok for an experienced user that will keep the machine relatively clean of confidential material and will monitor very carefully for undesirable actions
BUT
I don't think those solutions are acceptable for a novice senior citizen who wants to learn about computers and have basic net access.

For that situation you would do much better to have an NT based os that will run current security tools AND will also provide a learning base that the user can actually transfer to other environments. (Like the library/community center and/or a friends house.) If the available hardware will not support that kind of solution, you would provide a much better long term help for the user by helping them get a more current piece of hardware and setting it up with more current software instead of cabbaging together an old system that is a security risk in today's computing environment and leaves the user unable to use the software they will see elsewhere because their learning is on old obsolete software.

 

He still has no choice here because of processor speed and memory constraints!

Especially the memory!

I like 2k and with 512mb of Ram 200mhz would be tolerable but not with 48MB.

And I'll bet to upgrade the memory on this thing will cost now more than the computer cost new even if you could find it.

Although 2k requires less resources than XP it in still fact requires quite a bit more than 98.

Mike