Author Topic: Avast 5 & 98  (Read 43908 times)

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ardvark

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2009, 11:14:17 PM »
As we are getting well into 2009, I thought to ask if users of Windows 98, and there are still a few of us around, should be looking for another program for AV protection, or should we be comforted to know that we will still be able to use Avast 5 when available, if only for the basic virus protection.

Hi...

I think the only one that will be left after 4.8 is no longer supported, even with virus definition updates, will be Clamwin. My concern here is that it has no real time scanner, except for a plug in that handles attachments in Outlook. :(

Unfortunately, I think the "crunch time" for upgrading to newer OS's is quickly approaching. :(

May God Bless you! :)

Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #16 on: February 22, 2009, 11:38:14 PM »
On ebay you can buy Windows XP for £35. Windows XP has support (for microsoft patches) until 2014 and probably also for virus scanner.
You can also shift to a non MS operating system like Linux,*BSD etc. which not really need a virus scanner.

You see my system would lose loads of software and hardware if I upgraded, but really it's a nightmare restoring all how I have my system at the moment, and this is what puts me off upgrading or a fresh install.
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ardvark

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #17 on: February 22, 2009, 11:48:50 PM »
On ebay you can buy Windows XP for £35. Windows XP has support (for microsoft patches) until 2014 and probably also for virus scanner.
You can also shift to a non MS operating system like Linux,*BSD etc. which not really need a virus scanner.

Hi...

This really depends on system specs and the subsequent abililty of the system to handle these OS's. Many systems designed for Windows 98 back in the late 90's using the original hardware would most likely not be able to handle XP well, if at all, without upgrading or replacing the system. :)

@nightshade: If purchasing a copy of Windows XP is a possible consideration in the future, I would recommend getting a "full retail copy," not OEM. Here is a listing on ebay for both the Home and Professional version. You can also find copies at other online stores like Royal Discount. However, as I have mentioned above, make sure your hardware can handle the increased resource requirements. ;) Feel free, if you would like, to post your hardware specs or "make and model" and we can give you an idea of what you might need to do. :)

May God Bless you! :)

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #18 on: February 22, 2009, 11:51:45 PM »
nightshade, you do not marry with your motherboard... Really, enjoy the new OS... it's a good experience. Starting all over again, new software, new hardware... you can learn a lot of things... but, of course, if you can't afford then the only thing for us is be sorry side by side with you... Maybe David could give his old computer as a gift ;D
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Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2009, 01:17:38 AM »
To be honest I am slightly fed up about this, especially as I had been told a while back that the Avast 5 would indeed support the older 98 system, but now it all seems to have changed, and it's a definite no.

I really enjoyed using Avast, and it's a dam shame that myself and others will have no AV protection any longer.

 :'(
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Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #20 on: February 23, 2009, 01:24:39 AM »
Unfortunately, I think the "crunch time" for upgrading to newer OS's is quickly approaching.

I see you quote earlier about upgrading to XP, anything wrong with Vista?
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Offline Vladimyr

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #21 on: February 23, 2009, 02:14:59 AM »
I see you quote earlier about upgrading to XP, anything wrong with Vista?

Does a Dalmation have spots?  ;D

I think people were considering the massive leap in hardware requirements of the 'average' Win98 machine in order to cope with Vista's heavy load.

« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 02:20:02 AM by Vladimyr »
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Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #22 on: February 23, 2009, 02:41:04 AM »
I see you quote earlier about upgrading to XP, anything wrong with Vista?

Does a Dalmation have spots?  ;D

I think people were considering the massive leap in hardware requirements of the 'average' Win98 machine in order to cope with Vista's heavy load.

Understood.  ;D
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Offline Vladimyr

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #23 on: February 23, 2009, 03:30:33 AM »
I don't think there's any need for panic at this stage. I'm expecting avast! 4.8 will be supported 'till around August, September 2010.

I'd go for an Upgrade edition, either XP Pro or xp Home. If you determine that your current hardware won't cope, upgrade the hardware first and then the XP upgrade installation will install the appropriate drivers. I've done many successful upgrades from 98SE to XP Pro or Home. I hate having to set up from scratch (and the XP Migration Wizard is a bit clumsy). That's probably why I still regularly use my 95 OSR2 PC which started life as DOS on a 286, then installed Windows 3.1, then upgraded to 95 (retaining settings and programs) and IDT Winchip C6 200MMX, and is now Athlon XP 3000+. (It is a dual-boot XP Pro but 95 on this machine is just so fast!)
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 03:52:23 AM by Vladimyr »
There is a way that seems right to a man,
       but in the end it leads to death
.” - Proverbs 16:25

ardvark

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #24 on: February 23, 2009, 04:10:25 AM »
I'd go for an Upgrade edition, either XP Pro or xp Home. If you determine that your current hardware won't cope, upgrade the hardware first and then the XP upgrade installation will install the appropriate drivers. I've done many successful upgrades from 98SE to XP Pro or Home. I hate having to set up from scratch (and the XP Migration Wizard is a bit clumsy). That's probably why I still regularly use my 95 OSR2 PC which started life as DOS on a 286, then installed Windows 3.1, then upgraded to 95 (retaining settings and programs) and IDT Winchip C6 200MMX, and is now Athlon XP 3000+. (It is a dual-boot XP Pro but 95 on this machine is just so fast!)

Hi...

I definately understand your point, however, I've seen the "sandwiching" or upgrades of Microsoft OS's before and it doesn't always work out for the best. :( This is why I'm such a proponent of "clean installs." In this case too, a clean install using the NTFS file system is a potential advantage over an upgrade using FAT32, even though original settings and programs can, to some degree, be kept. However, if these programs are absolutely needed and there are no equivelents or newer versions that will run on NTFS, then yes, I would agree it might be worth the risk of upgrading. Just my 2 cents. :)

@nightshade: I agree completely with Vladimyr, upgrading to Vista from Windows 98 would be like putting a 1-ton boulder on top of your system. ;D

Best Regards...
« Last Edit: February 23, 2009, 04:13:31 AM by ardvark »

Offline Chim

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #25 on: February 23, 2009, 05:03:40 PM »
Nothing to be sorry about really, if Avast 4.8 is available for some time for us 98 users then that is ok.

Well, nightshade, at least we now know for certain.  No more wondering or being in limbo.  We now know eventually ALL the support including the Virus Database Updates will cease for Windows 98.  True, now there'll be a bit of a limbo as to exactly WHEN that end of support is.  But, Ehhh, I'll take it for as long as it's there.  Once it's gone, I'll have no choice, but to explore some Plan B, whatever that may be.  If it is buying some used computer, so be it.  I don't have quite the complex setup of which you speak, nightshade.  I have all my stuff on CDs and could easily setup on another computer.  But, that's an absolute LAST resort.
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Offline igor

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #26 on: February 23, 2009, 05:51:17 PM »
To be honest I am slightly fed up about this, especially as I had been told a while back that the Avast 5 would indeed support the older 98 system, but now it all seems to have changed, and it's a definite no.

Well, that was the intention... meaning that we would like to support it. However, it turned out later that we couldn't even move to a new(er) version of the developments tools withou loosing Win9x support.
So, keeping Win9x support would mean to freeze other projects - such as 64bit version; it's either one, or the other, not both.
Put together with a lot of additional effort that would be needed to support Win9x... it's really too big price to pay to support the small fraction of Win9x users (about 0.7% right now, and getting smaller and smaller).

avast! 4.8 certainly will be supported for some time (the virus database updates for sure, and if needed, even a program update can be released)...

Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #27 on: February 23, 2009, 06:17:05 PM »
avast! 4.8 certainly will be supported for some time (the virus database updates for sure, and if needed, even a program update can be released)...

Great stuff, thanks Igor.
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dw2108

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #28 on: April 19, 2009, 02:50:10 PM »
2000, XP, Vista and WinCrap 7 are IMPOSSIBLE to protect, they are based on htm, html and xml driver programs, which explains why these "computing web page" operating systems are so easily infected! One has NO choice other than to allow these junkware OSs to interact completely with an infected site at ALL level of the OS! I think -- rightly so -- that Avast and all other AV vendors ought stick to the older systems which they can protect! Worst case for 9x/ME: A BROWSER HIJACK AT A PORNO PAGE. Boot safe and delete the *&@&*& dll.

Dave

Offline nightshade

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Re: Avast 5 & 98
« Reply #29 on: April 19, 2009, 03:38:02 PM »
Very true, please take note Avast!

 ::)
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