the impending end of M$ support of W's 9.x

I've asked elsewhere but I'll also ask here, as this place is chock full of accurate info & very knowledgable users.

Anyone have any idea, or know for sure how this is gonna shake out, or where to inquire of M$ as to how this is gonna work/not work? (Already thinking last-chance-for-a-full-update-&-burn-to-CD-R.)

eg, As a W's 98SE user, I'm still running, by choice, IE ver 5.5 sp2, MP ver 7, & DX ver 8.1.

Does this mean I/we're gonna be locked out of even the possibility of upgrading these, according to M$ & the DOJ, non-OS portions of the empire' new & improved code after 30 June 2003?

TIA.

jstnomega--Good question.
My guesses:
1) We will no longer get any new patches, updates, etc. through Windows Update. However, we will still be able to access the Win98 version of Update and get whatever had been available before July 1.
2) Some new patches/updates will still be available to us if they are available at other MS sites like perhaps Security, Windows Media Player or IE Home Page. However, whether the new patches will work with Win98 could be open to question. It will be a gamble. And further, many of the recent updates/patches that have been announced on various MS sites (like Security) are available only through Windows Update. So we will be out of luck there.
3) A few things will be available at third party sites. There are several sites, each, for recent/latest versions of MS Virtual Machine and IE.
I have saved nothing in view of #1, but I know others feel differently.

If you really want to download (and burn to CD) all the current Win98 updates, you can go to this site:

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...en/default.asp


Then if you go to this site and click on the Frequently asked questions and then scroll down to "I'm a network administrator and..." you will find a detailed description of how to use the above site to find and download most or all critical updates.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tre...n/MS03-011.asp

MM, maybe you already know this. If so, I apologise for making assumptions.

Note: if you are using a PC with WinNT on it, then you can not use these links.

Quote:

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Note Windows NT 4.0-based computers do not have access to the Windows Update Catalog. If you have to download a Windows NT 4.0 package to install on multiple computers, or to install later, access the Windows Update catalog by using a computer than runs Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows .NET Server 2003, and then select Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows XP for your operating system. This security update is also designed to install on Windows NT 4.0 computers. Administrators who do not have access to a Windows XP, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000, or Windows .NET Server 2003-based computer to use the Windows Update Catalog can contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the patch.

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from here