In message , Dan
writes
snipped for length concerns

I would install a clean, full version of Windows 98 Second Edition which you
can fully update to date of July 11, 2006 as per end of support date for 98
Second Edition. There are full copies on Ebay that range from around $50-$75
for an os which is really cheap and 98 Second Edition really does have that
internal safety of dos as its maintenance operating system.

I have a full 98SE (which I paid for), should I need to go that route -
though I am beginning to feel that, if I was to consider going for a
full install (by "clean" I assume you mean formatting), I'd probably go
for XP anyway. I really don't want to do that (98 or XP) though, as the
system has been built up over _years_, and I don't even _know_ (at the
very least, I don't remember - in some cases I suspect I really don't
know) some of how it got to how it is, so reinstalling everything would
be not only time-consuming but frustrating.

My opinion is that Microsoft chose the wrong development path when choosing
NT over 9x and I hope the new source code Microsoft develops is awesome and

Mine too, but we're not going to change them. Also, we're in a minority,
at least as far as the disc system is concerned.

combines the best of 9x and its maintenance operating system of dos with a
new advanced underlying maintenance operating system of NT, with the external
security of Vista and totally redefines computing in a complex and less
toy-like manner of recent operating systems.

I think the *x people are calling you ... (-: [it certainly won't happen
in Windows )-:]

You can mitigate risks such as to Internet Explorer by using the latest
version of Mozilla Firefox, tools such as SpywareBlaster which imo is awesome

I do (or will one of these days - I'm using Netscape 7.2 ATM)

and my favorite blocking tool for undesirables that try to get onto your
system, read in plain text and block external remote code including html,

I read in a reader (Turnpike) that doesn't follow any scripts or
similar, I control Java and Javascript ... haven't had a virus in
decades, AFAIK ...

have a router with the proper defensive measures for external security, etc.
Yup.

I think that what has broken my system is not malware as such, just
something in soporific's UBCD (or, as he would point out, one of the
constituent parts to which all he's done is provide a wrapper), which
has changed/deleted/altered some file and/or setting in a way which has
had unforeseen consequences (basically something goes wrong when it's
trying to _load_ drivers). I'm just hoping someone has seen something
similar before and knows what has been broken. (Ideally someone using
98lite, but I don't want to exclude suggestions from anyone.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G.5AL(+++)IS-P--Ch+(p)Ar+T[?]H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
** http://www.soft255.demon.co.uk/G6JPG-PC/JPGminPC.htm for thoughts on PCs. **

"If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants were standing on my
shoulders."
Newton [deliberately] misquoted by Hal Ableson, then quoted by chris harrison.