Windows
98 Software Installation
Windows 98 2nd edition (Windows version 4.1) is a
commercial operating system for computers with a minimum of 200MHz 586
compatible cpu with 64MB RAM or 686 compatible cpu with 32MB RAM
(slightly less for a well designed laptop), and a hard disk with minium
free space of 250MB(?). if you have greater resources it is instead
worth using Windows 2000 (but not XP). alternatively, there are also
non-commercial, free, operating systems, such as GNU/Linux.
related documents: Configuring Windows for Performance, Usability and Security
This list descibes the foundation of the operating system, that which you want to have layn before you install & use the major applications that you use your computer for, so that it runs & will continue to run with stability in a changing future; and has all necessary support for different document formats and situations; and is secure against malicious hackers and viruses
This setup is security conscious because of its configuration of the basic Windows operating system and in its choice of software used. hopefully it is a setup that can be easier understood because of its simplicity, and because its software addresses clear functional needs. it is layed out in sections as per the different layers of functionality that can be addressed. often people setup Windows with too many programs that you will not understand, this complicates the operating system and your mind, better to be simple and increase the complexity gradually. likewise, no need to configure features that automate various and unknown tasks, because this actually increases the eventual complexity and especially lays you open to security risks
The
Sections
1) operating system (including device drivers and updates)
2) minimum utilities, software drivers, etcetera
3) minor essential applications
4) major applications (mostly beyond the scope of this document)
| Software | Version Installed and language | Configured prefs. and temp? | Subject Area | Description | Comments |
|
Windows98 |
second edition (4.10.2222) | . | the operating system. either install this version in the first place or upgrade to it |
choose 'custom' and leave out
features you dont need or don't understand, they can be added later |
|
| device drivers for
internal devices: - motherboard chipset - USB 2.0 controller - SCSI controller - video - audio - networking - modem - monitor - IEEE-1394 (i.e. FireWire) - digital media drive |
. | drivers | interfaces between Windows and various internal hardware (not printers, scanners, etc) | check manufacturer's web site for latest information and drivers for all hardware. You are advised not to install keyboard/mouse drivers so as to leave the system simpler and leaner as often their functionality is dubious (such as enabling multimedia keyboard keys) and can cause severe problems. | |
| Configuring
Windows NT for Performance, Useability and Security sections 2 & 3 |
docs -> windows | follow this document to best configure the operating system itself | |||
| Adaptec's ASPI transport layer | drivers | communications layer for CD drives | Install if using a CD writer | ||
| MS99-033 security update | windows - security updates | 'malformed Telnet argument' | |||
| (MS99-034, MS99-038 (Security Update 1) | windows - security updates | 'spoofed route pointer and fragmented IGMP packet' | |||
| MS99-049 security update | windows - security updates | 'file access URL' | |||
| MS00-005 security update | windows - security updates | 'malformed RTF control word' | |||
| MS00-011 security update | windows - security updates | 'VM file reading' | |||
| MS00-017 security update | windows - security updates | 'DOS device in path name' | |||
| MS00-029 security update | windows - security updates | 'IP fragment reassembly' | |||
| MS01-017 security update | windows - security updates | 'digital certificate spoof' [IE4.01SP2+] | |||
| 1394 Storage
Supplement |
. |
updates.w98 -> system
updates |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] |
22-dec-99 |
|
| mapped drives
shutdown update |
updates.w98 -> system
updates |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | 22-may-2000 |
||
| UHCD update [VIA USB
+ AMD350+ cpu] |
. |
updates.w98 -> system
updates |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | ||
| Windows IDE Hard
Drive Cache Package |
. |
updates.w98 -> system
updates |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | ||
| Windows Share Level
Password Update |
. |
updates.w98 -> system
updates |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | ||
| DCOM98 1.3 |
. |
updates.w98 |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | ||
| VIA USB filter driver
1.08 (if VIA USB broken) |
. |
updates.w98 -> specific
problems |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | optional, only to fix
specific problems |
|
| Large IDE Update |
. |
updates.w98 -> specific
problems |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | optional, only to fix
specific problems |
|
| Shutdown Supplement |
. |
updates.w98 -> specific
problems |
various updates for Windows 98 2nd edition [98.2] - not 1st edition [98.1] | optional, only to fix
specific problems |
|
| Windows Library update |
. |
updates.win | . |
||
| (DirectX) |
. |
updates.win | . |
for audio, video,
gaming, etcetera. should only install if need it, but Win98 SE comes
with DirectX 6.1a |
|
| COMCTL32.DLL - common
control library patch |
. |
updates.win -> DLLs |
. |
||
| ? MSVCRT.DLL |
. |
updates.win -> DLLs |
. |
||
| IERadicator |
. |
updates.win | remove most of Internet
Explorer 4.0 |
if you need the full
Internet Explorer browser,
re-install version 5.5SP2 after IERadicator and it will be installed
but
disentangled from the Windows desktop |
|
| (Internet Explorer) |
. |
updates.win | the full browser |
if you need the full Internet Explorer browser then install/update to version 5.5SP2 and any updates/security fixes/hotfixes | |
| any post Internet Explorer Service Pack Cumulative Patch | updates.win | ||||
| (TweakUI) |
. |
admin | tweak user interface |
may have to copy to hard
disk
& install from there |
|
| device drivers for external devices: | n/a | n/a | device drivers Toolbox | interfaces between Windows and various external hardware | |
| printer driver |
|||||
| scanner driver |
|||||
| Configuring
Windows for Performance, Useability and Security section 4+ |
. | docs -> windows | . | follow these details
in this document to best configure the operating system itself |
|
| MS OpenType Font
Properties Extension |
. |
updates.win | see more font
properties |
. |
|
| Fonts, atleast for the
web |
. |
fonts -> truetype |
typefaces for viewing
text |
'Microsoft TrueType Core Fonts for the Web' and Microsoft Tahoma font upgrade with Euro symbol | |
| Windows Installer |
. |
updates.win | . |
. |
|
| . | security -> anti-virus | anti-virus | See Toolbox’s notes | ||
| 7-ZIP | . | file-utils -> compression | compression | . | |
| Sun Java Runtime Environment | . | java | . | you may require it, without realising, for web-based services. use the version from from Sun Microsystems. | |
| IrfanView + plug-ins |
. | graphics | efficient graphics viewer | . | |
| Adobe Acrobat reader | . | editors -> PDF and Postscript | document viewer | . | |
|
Zinf /
Quicktime / Microsoft MediaPlayer |
. | audio ->
players video -> players |
multimedia players |
you may be happy with just Zinf for
MP3, OggVorbis and Wav formats but you may
also need players for the popular proprietary formats around: |
|
| NoteTab Light |
. | editors | sophisticated plain text editor | install to 'notetab' rather than 'notetab light' | |
| Mozilla suite
/ K-Meleon |
. | internet -> browsers | browser | browser choice depends
upon
available RAM, processor, etc. for Mozilla install only Navigator, Personal Security Manager and Quality Feedback Agent; perhaps Debugger and Inspector install to 'mozilla' rather than 'mozilla\mozilla.org' |
|
| browser plug-ins: Flash |
. | internet -> browsers |
. | Acrobat Reader; Quicktime; Java should install their plug-ins automatically, or the browser pick them up. otherwise, copy plug-in files to browser's 'plugins' directory | |
| Pegasus Mail | . | internet -> email | email client | also, add support for
the (simple)
MAPI interface to Pegasus Mail with wpmmapi.exe in the Pegasus Mail
program directory so can interact with Netscape & Opera. Also,
install the add-on program 'WSendTo'. install to 'pmail' in your program files directory |
|
| FileZilla | . | internet | FTP client | . | |
| OpenOffice | . | editors | word processor; spreadsheet | optional major
application have to install spellchecker dictionary seperately |
|
| The GIMP |
. | graphics |
image editor |
optional major
application |
|
Note: you may also want to use ZoneAlarm personal firewall software, to protect your system(s) if they're connected to the Internet. ZoneAlarm is very useful software but too buggy in its interaction with other software applications for us to whole-heartedly advise. We recommend, if possible, that instead you use a dedicated hardware firewall using FloppyFW or some other such GNU/Linux firewall software on an old PC.