Windows ME updates -- or not?

I'm going to set up a WinME computer. Haven't used that version of Windows
for years, but I always liked it -- when it didn't have problems.

I'm wondering about doing the updates though. I've just read the recent
posts here advising to do that promptly, but as I recall from the last time
I did those updates -- a few years ago -- they seemed to be all
security-related and nothing else. Am I mistaken about this?

The reason I'm asking is, I don't intend to use the WinME machine for much
of anything besides old Win9x (and maybe some DOS) games. I don't expect
ever to go online with it. Therefore security doesn't seem to be an issue
for me here.

I recall (vaguely) that the last time I set up a WinME system it ran
perfectly, until after I'd installed all the updates, and after that I began
to have various problems. Of course the updates may have had nothing to do
with it, but if they really don't add any improvement or functionality other
than security, I'm dubious about using them.

Any comments, info or straightening-out much appreciated.

Neil

First off, you seem to regard 'security' updates as insignificant - however
maybe this is solely because you do not intend going online with Win Me. I
would still say that the machine should be physically incapable of going
online in that case. If it can go online, even if you don't intend to, keep
it updated. This is of course almost meaningless when talking about a long
out-of-support OS such as any flavour of 9x. Obviously anti-malware software
and a firewall are even more critical if OS vulnerabilities cannot be
patched, but I'm sure you do not want any scanner running in real time,
given what sort of use you plan for it. In which case I would suggest merely
install a software firewall and have it block everything. And if using a
modem on this computer - assuming this is a multiboot machine and therefore
*will* be physically connected - don't install it's drivers in Me. Then
it'll take an effort to go online rather than just an accident.

Okay, pretty obvious, I think - but you did ask...

Anyway, most of the updates for all Windows versions *are* security updates.
And to a large extent they *are* unnecessary for stability if not going
online (or connecting with other computers in any way, which would be just
as much a threat as going online, unless you control those machines too and
keep *them* secure, or using or processing files from and for other users,
which would be akin to sleeping around as much as possible and not using a
condom because you're only sleeping with chicks).

However, I can't really say that there is any performance cost in installing
all available updates for Me as offered by Windows Update, excepting,
perhaps, driver updates. If you installed those before it is quite possible
that is why you had problems!

Btw if you want a tried and tested Real Mode DOS hack for Win Me, let me
know and I'll post the link.


Shane


Neil Harrington wrote:
I'm going to set up a WinME computer. Haven't used that version of
Windows for years, but I always liked it -- when it didn't have
problems.
I'm wondering about doing the updates though. I've just read the
recent posts here advising to do that promptly, but as I recall from
the last time I did those updates -- a few years ago -- they seemed
to be all security-related and nothing else. Am I mistaken about this?

The reason I'm asking is, I don't intend to use the WinME machine for
much of anything besides old Win9x (and maybe some DOS) games. I
don't expect ever to go online with it. Therefore security doesn't
seem to be an issue for me here.

I recall (vaguely) that the last time I set up a WinME system it ran
perfectly, until after I'd installed all the updates, and after that
I began to have various problems. Of course the updates may have had
nothing to do with it, but if they really don't add any improvement
or functionality other than security, I'm dubious about using them.

Any comments, info or straightening-out much appreciated.

Neil

Although I agree largely with Shane's comments, there is one essential
update you will need (IMHO) - if you want to keep life easy - the K290700
fix. (And I think there are a couple of other important ones too, but I
can't remember which)

"Checkpoints That You Create After September 8, 2001 Do Not Restore Your
Computer"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winme

.... unless you really think you can live without it.

Personally, I'd certainly do the 'critical updates' (whilst they are still
available) even if you don't bother with the security updates. Just do a
couple at a time and check they work ok. You don't have to do them all in
one batch.

Mart


"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
...
I'm going to set up a WinME computer. Haven't used that version of Windows
for years, but I always liked it -- when it didn't have problems.

I'm wondering about doing the updates though. I've just read the recent
posts here advising to do that promptly, but as I recall from the last
time I did those updates -- a few years ago -- they seemed to be all
security-related and nothing else. Am I mistaken about this?

The reason I'm asking is, I don't intend to use the WinME machine for much
of anything besides old Win9x (and maybe some DOS) games. I don't expect
ever to go online with it. Therefore security doesn't seem to be an issue
for me here.

I recall (vaguely) that the last time I set up a WinME system it ran
perfectly, until after I'd installed all the updates, and after that I
began to have various problems. Of course the updates may have had nothing
to do with it, but if they really don't add any improvement or
functionality other than security, I'm dubious about using them.

Any comments, info or straightening-out much appreciated.

Neil

"Shane" wrote in message
...
First off, you seem to regard 'security' updates as insignificant -
however maybe this is solely because you do not intend going online with
Win Me. I would still say that the machine should be physically incapable
of going online in that case.

Yep, it will be. No modem of any kind and not networked with any other
machine that does have any means of going online. If I ever change my mind
about this I'll do all the security updates, but that's unlikely. I have
four computers that are online and won't likely need another one.


If it can go online, even if you don't intend to, keep it updated. This is
of course almost meaningless when talking about a long out-of-support OS
such as any flavour of 9x. Obviously anti-malware software and a firewall
are even more critical if OS vulnerabilities cannot be patched, but I'm
sure you do not want any scanner running in real time, given what sort of
use you plan for it. In which case I would suggest merely install a
software firewall and have it block everything. And if using a modem on
this computer - assuming this is a multiboot machine and therefore *will*
be physically connected - don't install it's drivers in Me. Then it'll
take an effort to go online rather than just an accident.

Okay, pretty obvious, I think - but you did ask...

Anyway, most of the updates for all Windows versions *are* security
updates. And to a large extent they *are* unnecessary for stability if not
going online (or connecting with other computers in any way, which would
be just as much a threat as going online, unless you control those
machines too and keep *them* secure, or using or processing files from and
for other users, which would be akin to sleeping around as much as
possible and not using a condom because you're only sleeping with chicks).

Alas, at my advanced age that isn't likely to be a concern either. :-/


However, I can't really say that there is any performance cost in
installing all available updates for Me as offered by Windows Update,
excepting, perhaps, driver updates. If you installed those before it is
quite possible that is why you had problems!

Btw if you want a tried and tested Real Mode DOS hack for Win Me, let me
know and I'll post the link.

Thanks very much for the offer, but I also have a Win98SE machine in case I
ever need real mode DOS.

Thanks again.

Neil



Shane


Neil Harrington wrote:
I'm going to set up a WinME computer. Haven't used that version of
Windows for years, but I always liked it -- when it didn't have
problems.
I'm wondering about doing the updates though. I've just read the
recent posts here advising to do that promptly, but as I recall from
the last time I did those updates -- a few years ago -- they seemed
to be all security-related and nothing else. Am I mistaken about this?

The reason I'm asking is, I don't intend to use the WinME machine for
much of anything besides old Win9x (and maybe some DOS) games. I
don't expect ever to go online with it. Therefore security doesn't
seem to be an issue for me here.

I recall (vaguely) that the last time I set up a WinME system it ran
perfectly, until after I'd installed all the updates, and after that
I began to have various problems. Of course the updates may have had
nothing to do with it, but if they really don't add any improvement
or functionality other than security, I'm dubious about using them.

Any comments, info or straightening-out much appreciated.

Neil

"Mart" wrote in message
...
Although I agree largely with Shane's comments, there is one essential
update you will need (IMHO) - if you want to keep life easy - the K290700
fix. (And I think there are a couple of other important ones too, but I
can't remember which)

"Checkpoints That You Create After September 8, 2001 Do Not Restore Your
Computer"
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winme

... unless you really think you can live without it.

Thanks a lot. I've just downloaded that and will use it when I put the
system together.


Personally, I'd certainly do the 'critical updates' (whilst they are still
available) even if you don't bother with the security updates. Just do a
couple at a time and check they work ok. You don't have to do them all in
one batch.

Thanks, I'll look at those too. Are they in a form that I'll be able to
download on another machine and then use on the WinME computer? I'm not
planning on using the auto update feature obviously. If they are "critical"
only in terms of security I don't think I'll have any need for them.

WinME has a reputation for having lots of bugs. From just my own experience
I don't have an opinion about how true that is. I did have one machine I
upgraded from Win98 to WinME (keeping the original files) that eventually
gave me problems, including extremely sluggish performance, but after I
rolled back to Win98 it was fine again. With another machine on which I did
a clean install of ME there were no real problems that I can recall, and
it's a clean install I'll be doing this time.

Do the critical updates address any of the known WinME bugs, whatever they
are?

Neil


Mart


"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
...
I'm going to set up a WinME computer. Haven't used that version of
Windows for years, but I always liked it -- when it didn't have problems.

I'm wondering about doing the updates though. I've just read the recent
posts here advising to do that promptly, but as I recall from the last
time I did those updates -- a few years ago -- they seemed to be all
security-related and nothing else. Am I mistaken about this?

The reason I'm asking is, I don't intend to use the WinME machine for
much of anything besides old Win9x (and maybe some DOS) games. I don't
expect ever to go online with it. Therefore security doesn't seem to be
an issue for me here.

I recall (vaguely) that the last time I set up a WinME system it ran
perfectly, until after I'd installed all the updates, and after that I
began to have various problems. Of course the updates may have had
nothing to do with it, but if they really don't add any improvement or
functionality other than security, I'm dubious about using them.

Any comments, info or straightening-out much appreciated.

Neil