I'm cleaning up a friends computer,what portable security freeware should i pack

[tinyvillager]

Tonight i tried to clean up an old Windows 98 (not SE) for a friend's kid who is 7yrs old kid.It's an old hand
me down not meant for internet connection,basically just to play a couple of low end kid type games.
I have never in my life seen so much spyware on a computer,lavasoft picked up like 580 criticals
No exageration.Their we're porn and gambling shortcuts on the desktop that if you tried to delete them
they would reappear.Vicious stuff,most of which i got rid of but...


I know this computer has to have viruses and trojans,so what portable *freeware preferred* security software would one pack on second visit.


It's also throwing me kernal errors now,anyone no where i can get win98 patches ?

There's more...

The mother (also computer illiterate) has locked herself out of her XP home Pc,and no she doesn't
have the restoration disc (not for the win98 either) ,i hope this isn't breaking forum rules,if so
delete, i'll understand,but is there a way to get in there,she needs her Quicken files


I love these people with all my heart,but good God almighty some people should not have computers.
Not to sound like a tech snob but you'd never believe people could be this daft when it comes to
computers.Everyone starts out a newbie,but then you make mistakes,question,learn,etc.Some people
don't even try though.I see some people buy computers and once a problem arrives they absolutely give up.
I used to have the Serial key to my Windows 95 disc memorized i screwed my pc up so many times.
           

[Wordzilla]

It's also throwing me kernal errors now,anyone no where i can get win98 patches ?

Better re-install the whole system. Win 98 won't be able to fully recover from infections of so many spyware. System file damages and losses is inevitable.

The mother (also computer illiterate) has locked herself out of her XP home Pc,and no she doesn't have the restoration disc (not for the win98 either) ,i hope this isn't breaking forum rules,if so delete, i'll understand,but is there a way to get in there,she needs her Quicken files

Have you tried the "Safe Mode + Administator + Password Cancellation" trick?

[tinyvillager]

Thanks for response.

Never heard of Safe Mode + Administator + Password Cancellation,i'll try.

After reading a few windows 98 kernel threads i'm starting to feel it might be hopeless,especially since
there is no restore disc,that and it's the first Windows 98 release not the SE release.This is all on
top of really old tech too,something like a cyrix processor and 98 mbytes of ram. all grinding
on a wopping 8gig hard drive.

Even with all these negatives,I would love to have the machine to expirement with different operating
systems.It's a grey area telling someone their computer absolutely sucks but it would suck less if i
owned it


I think the kernel issue is going to stop me dead in my tracks with the windows 98 box but the
Xp home just needs a few smacks.

[Wordzilla]

Never heard of Safe Mode + Administator + Password Cancellation,i'll try.

Well, it's simple. (ONLY FOR GOOD PURPOSES)

1. Restart Windows XP and hold F8 to enter Safe Mode.

2. Click "Adminstrator" (This account won't show up in normal mode and usually isn't password protected)

3. If you can log on into desktop, right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage"

4. Go to "Local Users and Groups" -> "Users"

5. Find your friend's username in the "Users" group and right click on it, then select "Set Password"

6. Now you can choose a brand new password or just press OK to cancel the current password.


I hope you would find this helpful.

[nudone]

unfortunately i've seen people password protect the administrator account also - an understandable thing to do in some situations.

i've seen a couple of methods (try google) for resetting any/all passwords by booting from a linux CD and running a command or two to change the password. i can't remember the technical jargon or detail involved but it did work. i'll try and find the pages if you don't get anywhere with the administrator account - but i don't think it would take you long to find them in google. i think i may even have a small boot cd someone created specifically for the reset password task - never needed to try it but it looked like it would work.

[clif_notes]

Re-installing does seem the best bet.

But here's good resource for taking on the road.
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

[Hirudin]

I used to have the Serial key to my Windows 95 disc memorized i screwed my pc up so many times.

-tinyvillager (April 15, 2006, 12:02 AM)

Me too! With Win98 and later 2000.

Here's the sollution to the Windows 98 computer

format c: /s

But seriously; Windows 98 needs a good format every few months just to keep it in line anyway, no better time than now.

Or find a CD on eBay, or at a local Mom & Pop computer store, it *should* be about $10, or realistically free. Or, there's probably a FreeCycle in your area, I bet it wouldn't take long to get a Win98 CD.