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Do I really need a firewall? (For my Windows 98 Dimensions)
I have my trusty Dell Dimensions , Windows 98SE, and have had Norton AV 2000 on it - then Norton AV 2002 which I updated and they finally said "No more." To my knowledge I have never had a firewall as this was not included in the Norton AV.
But all has been just fine since I added Spy Sweeper to get the spyware.
Now my question is two fold.
1- I hear all sorts of news about no support for Windows 98. (This includes Norton.) And now the firewall I was hoping to get (Zone Alarm) says they are not doing Win.98 anymore. So should I just forget about the firewall since I never even had one?
2- What would you do to protect your Windows 98SE? Could I just leave Norton 2002 on my computer (last definitions were in May,2006) and feel OK? Everyone seems to be jumping ship. Yet this is a fine computer which I plan to keep even though hopefully I will soon get a Dell XPS.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Sara408
joe53
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June 30th, 2006 19:00
Hi:
I would advise you to still get ZoneAlarm's Free firewall- it may no longer be supported but it should still work (better than nothing at all.)
When Microsoft, Firewall, antivirus (and no doubt, soon antispyware) companies no longer support w98/SE, it's probably wise to stay offline as much as possible. When I got my XP system, I disconnected my Dimension-98SE from the internet entirely. It still works perfectly well for backup storage, running old apps; with all the firewall/AV/AS apps deleted it runs faster than ever. And no more worries about infections!
I think the writing is on the wall here.
Message Edited by joe53 on 06-30-200604:36 PM
dalem29
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July 1st, 2006 13:00
I concur with joe53. Get the new computer as soon as possible and use the 98 for a back up, games, storage, or whatever. For your XPS I would recommend turning off its built in firewall and use:
Zone Alarm Free Home edition which is a highly rated, efficient firewall.
AVG or Avast for your antivirus program...both have free versions and they work as well as the high priced spreads. I personally like Avast better, slightly friendlier interface.
For antispyware there are several, and free apps, that are excellent and well supported....AdAware, Spybot Search and Destroy, Spyware Blaster, and Microsoft Defender. These programs work well together and I have experienced no conflicts.
After spending a lot of money on various Norton versions over the years, I made the leap to the FREE :smileyvery-happy: products that work just as well as the paid versions. It is just a matter of more bells and whistles. With so much bad stuff on the Internet brought to us by some really bad and greedy people, it is imperative to use as much protection as you can, and a good firewall is a necessity.
The above programs and apps are available at various sites. You might want to Google some of the names and learn about them. Good luck with your XPS!
barkupatree2002
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July 2nd, 2006 22:00
I have essentially the same question as you. Where can I get a standalone firewall that will run on my computer and not kill it. My system is:
The user's guide to Zone Labs security software version 6.1 (the latest, I think) which includes instructions for the free Zone Labs firewall indicates that the computer on which you install the software must have "Microsoft Windows XP, Home or Professional Edition, 128 MB of RAM," or "Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, 64 MB of RAM," and "Pentium 450Mhz or higher."
Because I only have Windows 98se and my Intel chip only meets the bare minimum required, I have been reluctant to install the Zone Labs free firewall.
I continue to get definition updates for CounterSpy which only requires Windows 98se (will not work with Windows 98 or 95) and a 300 MHz processor.
I also continue to get definition updates for Panda Titanium 2004 Anti-Virus Software. Panda's website indicates that the newer version, Titanium 2006, works with Windows 98se. However, I have been reluctant to upgrade to that version because I have read some unpleasant accounts of crashes and computer slowness after installation of that newer version.
Sorry I am not able to suggest a firewall.
If you find a good one for your computer please let me know.
Thanks and good luck.
joe53
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July 2nd, 2006 23:00
The last version of ZA which I know worked with my 98SE was 5.5.094
If you can't find this for download from ZA, you can get it here: http://oldversion.com/program.php?n=zalarm
[Edit]: You can still get this version from ZA here: http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/information/znalm/zaReleaseHistory.html
Message Edited by joe53 on 07-02-200611:49 PM
barkupatree2002
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July 5th, 2006 16:00
joe53
Thanks for the information about older versions of Zone Alarm.
By the way, here is a website that discusses a number of firewalls:
http://www.firewallguide.com/software.htm
Also, Lavasoft introduced a standalone firewall late last year which, according to the company's product literature, runs on not only Windows 98se but also Windows 98 and needs only a Pentium II chip.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
The Lavasoft Personal Firewall got fairly good reviews at download.com although one user said it crashed his Windows 98se system.
http://www.download.com/Lavasoft-Personal-Firewall/3000-10435_4-10460860.html