im_wildrose

Is there still any free anti-virus programs available for Windows 98? We haven't had this computer online for a while and now have discovered that the AVG we had no longer works with Win 98. We have McAfee in our newer machine but it isn't compatible with 98 either. I'm thinking of trying it anyway but thought I'd ask for a reliable source for a free one first.

Thanks, Jen

mommabear

avast still works for 98.
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
http://www.avast.com/eng/system-requ...vast-home.html

I've never used it, but from what I've read it's one of the good ones.

im_wildrose

Thanks, I think. I downloaded it and have it running but now nothing else is running right (restarting, freezing up, etc.). We should have plenty of ram but who knows? This thing always was kind of kwirky. It was running good though before I put the Avast in there so I'll probably just take it out. Oh, or maybe I'll just see if I can turn it off and just run it occasionally, or just scan it every couple days or something. Anyway, thanks. I appreciate it!

Thanks, Jen

OldGrayGary

Hi Jen


avast! is a top-notch program, and I recommend it for computers running Xp or newer. But it's too much for most older Win9x systems. avast! starts several background processes, and the load can simply be too much for older systems with less than 256mb of memory. The Win9x series of Windows also has trouble with heavy multi-tasking - due to it's poor handling of 'system resources'.

You can try a simpler program such as A-squared Free, which still supports Windows 98 --- http://www.download.com/A-squared-Fr...dlPid=10832180

I used to recommend AVG for Win98, but they've stopped supporting Win98 with the release of AVG version 8 (as you've discovered). The well is starting to run dry for Win98 support from antimalware vendors, especially for free versions.

You shouldn't have too much trouble uninstalling avast! and trying a-squared.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

np-guy30

A-squared free is not an antivirus program, OldGrayGary. It's an anti-malware remover similar to Spybot S&D.

Try Clamwin Free Antivirus or BitDefender Free Edition
these two antivirus tools still support Win98/ME

avast! will still support Win9x/ME/NT4 until the end of 2009 as noted on its System Requirements page.

OldGrayGary

Oops -- right you are: I'd meant to put in a link for AntiVir or similiar --- GeekGirl has also given a good report on ClamWin running well on an older Win9x/Me machine. I think ClamWin used to be on earlier versions of the UBCD, but I'm not sure if it's still included in the recent ones. Thanks for noticing my error: I should know better than to let my typing get too far ahead of my remaining brain cells :)
. . . Gary

rr1165

Some free advice. Take it for what it is worth.

If you're using Win98SE don't, and, I repeat, don't use "free" Avast Home or BidDefender. Avast has issues going back to 2004 regarding disappearing icons and shutdown/restart issues, etc., and BitDefender (I believe it is version 8 they provide for Win98SE) causes crash/hang after crash/hang. I have tried both, I know. Support is non-existent or incompetent (by design?)

ClamWin - it works - BUT - I have had issues which I have worked around and it was recommended that I become a beta tester for them. I am clueless as regards programing, but I can apply common sense which seems to escape the ClamWin support people on the forum.

There is also a capability called Dr. Web - CureIt!, and a new Chinese based offering which claims to work with Win98SE - don't have the name or experience with either.

np-guy30

BitDefender 10 free edition works fine under Win98/ME as I've tested myself. I've checked the system requirements for that one and it does mention Win98/ME.

what version of ClamWin were you using, rr1165? The recent version I know of (0.95.1) may have resolve some of the problems you have encountered. And there is a "portable" version of Clamwin that can be used from a USB flash drive. One glaring weakness of Clamwin is that it does not have a real-time virus scanner, which most other antivirus products have.

It's becoming clear to me that many antivirus software makers will drop Win9x/ME support either sooner or later (like avast by the time we begin year 2010 or when avast reaches version 5.0)

one could try using ESET's NOD32 v2.7 antivirus program, which supports Win9xME and ESET is still providing virus definition updates for NOD32 v2.7. that one isn't free but it puts less stress on Win9xME OSes when loaded.

PDX_Composer

A day late and a dollar short. Sorry. This thread appears dead, but hope this helps a little.

I too was caught by surprise when AVG dropped support of WIN98SE at the end of April 2009. But, I had my suspicions too. I knew the last support version would no longer go online and automatically upload virus updates - it stopped upon their notice. My last version of AVG Free being relatively new, I did also think that they would not have made any wholesale changes to the way the software processes the update files.

Consequently, I went to the download page at: http://free.avg.com/download-update and downloaded the most recent virus updates (there are usually two files). Once on my desktop, I simply changed the software setting to browse for the files on the desktop and it found them immediately. The software showed no immediate signs of what it was doing, but at some point, a few minutes later, it confirmed finding the updates, unpacked and loaded same. Thereafter, AVG Free was updated and running properly for another 7 days.

As of this date, the same applies. At the end of 7 days, it notifies me that it is no longer up-to-date and I download the current virus updates and repeat the process mentioned above. A minor inconvenience, so far.

Oh, yes, it does like to remind me that I need to update the software and it is annoying, showing up every morning and several times after any system reboot. But, after two quick notices, it seems to go back to sleep for another 24 hours and leaves me alone.

One caveat, there seemed to be no abrupt change in the way the software was working until this last update -- near the end of July. I now notice some sluggishness that never existed. I am uncertain that it is a permanent condition, it may simply be specific to the last download/installation. I'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, I am going to take another look at the settings and see if there are any that I can shut down. (Like scanning my outbound mail.)

I know what I write here does not specifically address the alternative, as requested. And I may, too, soon be searching for another answer. But, past AVG Free users on their Win98 machines should be aware that the software still works, still protects and still loads updates, when fed to it manually.

Best of luck.