Windows 98

A Y2K Computer Advisory message posted to the year2000-ucb mailing list on December 9, 1999.

The original Windows 98 operating system has more than a dozen (minor) Y2K problems for which Microsoft has issued fixes. Even Windows 98 computers purchased as late as November 1999 may still need Y2K fixes.

To install these fixes, and to get other critical updates for Windows 98 (for example, for security problems):

1. Open (start) Internet Explorer. Note you MUST use Internet Explorer, which is included as part of Windows 98. (If you start this program and are asked about changing the default browser, you can say that you don't want to change it.)
   
   
2. In Internet Explorer, in the File menu, select Open. Type in the following: windowsupdate.microsoft.com Then click on "Okay".
   
   
3. When you see the Windows Update information web page, click on "PRODUCT UPDATES". If you then see a Security Warning message, click "Yes".
   
   
4. You should now see a list of updates, with "critical updates" at the top. Normally you should select (click on the selection box of) ALL critical updates. If there a lot, you might select (this time) only the most important. You can get the other updates later.
   
   Note: You should also look for a "Windows 98 Customer Service Pack" in the "Recommended Updates" section, since that update includes Y2K fixes. If you find this update (you may not, because some versions of Windows 98 incorporate it), FINISH THIS PROCEDURE FOR THE OTHER UPDATES YOU SELECT. Then do steps 2 and 3 again, and select this update ONLY, because it must be downloaded exclusive of anything else.
   
   
5. Once you've selected all the product updates you want (critical or otherwise), click on the "Download" button at the top of the page.
   
   
6. You'll then have a chance to confirm the list. When you're satisfied, click "Start Download" (at number 3 on the checklist).
   
   
7. Click on "Yes" to accept the license agreement.
   
   
8. After the downloads have finished, you'll be asked if you want to restart your computer to have them take effect. Before you click "Yes", close all open programs. Or click on "No" - then the changes will take effect when you next shut down and restart your computer.

Congratulations! You're done. (And you might want to visit Microsoft's Windows Update Web site to check the list of updates applicable to your computer again at the end of December, and regularly thereafter.)

References:

Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure for Windows 98 (English version) :
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/product/user_view32165EN.htm

UC Berkeley Y2K Readiness Checklist for PCs Running Windows 98 :
http://y2k.berkeley.edu:7040/computers/fixpcs/checklists/pc/win98/

Note: On most computers, for step 2 above, you can just go to the Start button (on the bottom left corner of your screen) and select "Windows Update". But on some computers, selecting "Windows Update" will start Netscape. If so, you'll need to continue to follow the manual procedure described in Step 2 instead.

Feedback and questions regarding this Y2K Computer Advisory are welcomed, and should be sent to y2k-advisories-feedback@uclink.berkeley.edu.