Discussion:
Speeding Up Win98SE?
(too old to reply)
Don McC
2011-12-15 00:57:43 UTC
Permalink
I'm using a twelve year-old IBM Aptiva as a second computer,
mostly to read Usenet, mail, and text groups. But the computer
runs like a snail on the Web. 256 MB Ram, 267 MHz processor,
1.4 GB free on a 4.0 GB drive, Internet Explorer 6.0 and Win98SE.
I think I've upgraded-updated as much as the system allows.

I run AdAware, a virus scan, the Maintenance Wizard-TuneUp,
and clean caches weekly, so I think I'm OK in that regard, but certain
Web pages won't load, load slowly, or ask for browser updates that
the system can't support.

Should I just junk the antique or are there Web sites, applications,
downloads, changes that would breath new life into Win98SE?
Am I being done in by the hardware or the software?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

--
Don
98 Guy
2011-12-15 04:56:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don McC
I'm using a twelve year-old IBM Aptiva as a second computer,
mostly to read Usenet, mail, and text groups. But the computer
runs like a snail on the Web. 256 MB Ram, 267 MHz processor,
1.4 GB free on a 4.0 GB drive, Internet Explorer 6.0 and Win98SE.
I think I've upgraded-updated as much as the system allows.
Am I being done in by the hardware or the software?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA.
Households and businesses are throwing away 5 and 6 year-old P4
computers all the time. They've already thrown away older computers
years ago.

You can buy off-lease IBM computers with 512 mb ram, 40 gb hard drives
and 2 ghz P-4 CPUs for $50 to $75.

I'm running win-98 on a 3.5 ghz Core2 socket 775 intel Celeron with 1 gb
ram and 256 mb nvidia video card, with 2tb and 1.5tb SATA hard drives.
I have proper win-98 drivers for all the components on the motherboard
except for the HD-audio chip (I have soundblaster Audigy PCI card for
sound).

Basically, there's no reason for you to be using such old hardware to
run windows 98.

Either scan your local craigs list or kijiji for people giving away
their 6-year-old computer, or place an ad under "P4 computer wanted", or
visit your local municipal electronic waste drop-off depot (where people
bring old electrics to dispose of them) and wait for someone to throw
away their old computer (which will almost certainly be newer than what
you have). Pull it off the pile when they do. Grab yourself a better
monitor while you're at it.
MotoFox
2011-12-15 07:00:05 UTC
Permalink
And it came to pass that 98 Guy delivered the following message unto the
people, saying~
Basically, there's no reason for you to be using such old hardware to run
windows 98.
Yeah there is: SIM COPTER and STREETS OF SIM CITY. (Look them up on
Wikipaedia.) From experience those games do NOT run satisfactorillly on
anything higher than a Pentium 2! I happen to still have my original,
aging '99 Aptiva 2158, 400 MHz K6II with 128 MB of RAM and still
use it regularly for that purpose. (That and Doom II.) Of course, that
machine hasn't touched the "Internets" in almost a decade and has had 98
reinstalled a couple times since; Y.R.M.V.
Either scan your local craigs list or (??) for people giving away their
6-year-old computer, or place an ad under "P4 computer wanted", or visit
your local municipal electronic waste drop-off depot (where people bring
old electrics to dispose of them) and wait for someone to throw away
their old computer (which will almost certainly be newer than what you
have). Pull it off the pile when they do. Grab yourself a better
monitor while you're at it.
Or just check the local Goodwill. Habitat for Humanity also has a
couple thrift stores in my area where you can get used computer equipment
and stereo/TV equipment for really cheap (I mean, where else in
Vancouver/Portland can you grab a "big screen" Trinitron, a P4 X-Server
and a "lightly used" Macintra$h for about $50 total? ;o) Check your phone
book; Habitat might have one wherever you are, too.
--
_ _ ______________ ___________ __
/ \/ \/ __ _ _ __ \/ __ __ \/ / Originator of the word
/ /\/\ /_/ // // /_/ / __// /_/ /\ \ "enubulous"
/_/ \____//_/ \______/ \____//_/\_\ !i84w!exit210!304senye!motofox
98 Guy
2011-12-15 13:20:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by MotoFox
Post by 98 Guy
Basically, there's no reason for you to be using such old
hardware to run windows 98.
Yeah there is: SIM COPTER and STREETS OF SIM CITY.
Most win-98 users aren't children.
MotoFox
2011-12-15 20:33:04 UTC
Permalink
And it came to pass that 98 Guy delivered the following message unto the
people, saying~
Post by 98 Guy
Most win-98 users aren't children.
Pot, meet kettle.
--
_ _ ______________ ___________ __
/ \/ \/ __ _ _ __ \/ __ __ \/ / Originator of the word
/ /\/\ /_/ // // /_/ / __// /_/ /\ \ "enubulous"
/_/ \____//_/ \______/ \____//_/\_\ !i84w!exit210!304senye!motofox
Lostgallifreyan
2011-12-15 14:37:00 UTC
Permalink
MotoFox <confucius-
Post by MotoFox
Basically, there's no reason for you to be using such old hardware to run
windows 98.
Yeah there is: SIM COPTER and STREETS OF SIM CITY. (Look them up on
Wikipaedia.) From experience those games do NOT run satisfactorillly on
anything higher than a Pentium 2!
There is that, I guess. CPU instruction sets can vary, and I know that some C
compilers will use timers that don't have realtime responses to realtime
values given to them! That was one of the things that put me off learning C
after spending thirty quid on a book and software a few years ago.

With that in mind, it is worth looking for software compatibility fixes
though, if possible. And if the new hardware is REALLY fast, you might still
be ahead if you run on a virtual machine.
Lostgallifreyan
2011-12-15 14:33:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by 98 Guy
Basically, there's no reason for you to be using such old hardware to
run windows 98.
Indeed. Better to use a smaller faster OS on newer hardware if possible. It
leaves more power to get useful stuff done.
Ammammata
2011-12-15 13:58:37 UTC
Permalink
Il giorno Thu 15 Dec 2011 01:57:43a, *Don McC* inviava su alt.windows98 il
Post by Don McC
to read Usenet, mail, and text groups.
I run AdAware, a virus scan, the Maintenance Wizard-TuneUp,
and clean caches weekly,
if you keep your brain ON, you shouldn't need adware and antivirus and all
other stuff preloaded on boot

for the web use something different from IE6
http://www.filehippo.com/software/internet/ to start
--
/-\ /\/\ /\/\ /-\ /\/\ /\/\ /-\ T /-\
-=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- -=- - -=-
Post by Don McC
http://www.bb2002.it :) <<<<<
........... [ al lavoro ] ...........
Hot-Text
2011-12-15 18:00:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Don McC
I'm using a twelve year-old IBM Aptiva as a second computer,
mostly to read Usenet, mail, and text groups. But the computer
runs like a snail on the Web. 256 MB Ram, 267 MHz processor,
1.4 GB free on a 4.0 GB drive, Internet Explorer 6.0 and Win98SE.
I think I've upgraded-updated as much as the system allows.
I run AdAware, a virus scan, the Maintenance Wizard-TuneUp,
and clean caches weekly, so I think I'm OK in that regard, but certain
Web pages won't load, load slowly, or ask for browser updates that
the system can't support.
Should I just junk the antique or are there Web sites, applications,
downloads, changes that would breath new life into Win98SE?
Am I being done in by the hardware or the software?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA.
--
Don
You need to look at your Ethernet, Modem and Router
if the Modem is not Cable Internet Explorer,
will run show .....

if your Ethernet is not able to running on 100 mbps Full Duplex,
Internet Explorer will run show,
or if your Ethernet is a 10 mbps only it's time to get a new one...

Now as for Internet Explorer 6 is Show reading the now HTML4,
it time the look at getting a Opera or a Mozilla Firefox...

I running a window 98 Sp1 as a Web Server,
so it not the OS.
Loading...