Not sure what you've installed or what upgrades you need? Visit support.microsoft.com/support/ServicePacks/default.asp.

Microsoft has also released other fixes and patches for Win 95, including a fix for Internet Mail (INETMAIL.EXE), a big update for MSExchange that transforms that clunky old mailer into a relatively uptown mail server (EXUPDUSA.EXE) (of course, long since lapped by Outlook), a package of power tweaks (TWEAKUI.EXE), a patch for the new Eurocurrency, and two packages of PowerToys and KernelToys that may or may not prove useful to you. Whether or not you decide to use the latter goodies is up to you, but the patches and upgrades are definitely useful. IE4.01 users, 4 patches - Service Pack 1, IE4 Power Toys, RealPlayer 5.0 and/or Microsoft's Media Player, and the 128-bit security update - are available.

Bug squashing: there are numerous bugs in Win 95 and its cousin, MSIE, that need exterminating.

• Password Corruption Patch. Win 95's Service Pack wrecked the password list file, so Dial-Up Networking can't save your password. Fix it by first deleting the corrupted password list file (use Find to search for *.PWL and delete any files found), then install the patch from
  www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/
  WURecommended/S_WUServicePacks/W95Password/
  Default.asp.

• AMD K6-2 Incompatibility Patch. AMD says that faster versions of its K6-2 chip generate an error in Win 95 that forces a reboot. AMD owners, you can keep rebooting as many times as this flaw forces you to, or you can download and install the patch from www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/
  WURecommended/S_WUServicePacks/AMDPatch/
  Default.asp..

• Windows 95 Service Pack I. Yes, this is the same one that gutted the password list file; it also repairs some obscure network security problems, some printer port flaws, an annoying Office 95 bug, and weak password encryption. Download and install the patch from www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/
  WURecommended/S_WUServicePacks/W95SvcPack1/
  w95svcpack1.asp.

• MSIE 5.x Flaws. Lots of bugs are hopping around in Internet Explorer 5.x, including some fairly severe security flaws, a dysfunctional Back button, and the predilection for not downloading pages completely. Microsoft has released MSIE 5.01, which should incorporate this patch; if you're impatient, download and install the MSIE 5 patches at windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Be prepared to hunt. Naturally, the updates have their own bugs, including the new MSIE 5.5 and MSIE 6.

• Java Security Flaws. Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine is vulnerable to hackers who want to track mud on your hard drive. Snag the patch at www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm32.htm.

• MSIE 4.x Service Pack 2. So many bugs were found in MSIE 4 that the whole thing looks like a roach colony. To squish them all, download and install Service Pack 2 by going through "Help/Product Updates" or going to www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie40/ie40sp2.asp.

• Even More MSIE 4 Bugs. HTML-related flaws were found after the 2nd Service Pack was released, allowing savvy hackers to play around in your files. After installing Service Pack 2, download and install the two patches at www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/security/default.asp.

• Winsock 2 Update. Deals with numerous arcane Windows Socket issues and TCP/IP stack problems. Find out more at www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/
  contents/WUAdminTools/S_WUNetworkingTools/
  W95Sockets2/Default.asp.

Be aware that plenty of bugs exist in Microsoft's other products, including Outlook and Outlook Express, Office 97 and Office 2000, and others. And of course, Microsoft has no corner on the bug and glitch markets. Go here for several bug-hunting sites.

Note on Windows Update: Sometimes the Update function takes control of your machine and tries to connect to the Update site every day. This is because it has inserted an entry into your Task Scheduler that mandates an update check every time you turn around. If this is happening to you, check your System Tray for the Task Scheduler icon (a tiny, red-circled clock and an appointment book). Double-click the icon and search the list of tasks. You should find an entry for "Windows Critical Update Notification." You can either delete it or set it to run less frequently.

More of the OSR2 goodies are available for download at Microsoft's site and from the other pages listed above; consider downloading and installing the following: Internet Connection Wizard, NetMeeting, Personal Web Server, the latest version of DirectX, and Active Movie. Then, from the Networking and Communications page, get Voice Modem Support and Infrared Support. To top it off, grab Wang Imaging for Windows from the Additional Features area, and after you've installed them all, you're as close to OSR2 as you can get without buying a new PC. (But, jeepers, do you even want all of this stuff? Maybe you don't....)

After you do all of this, you're not all that far from approximating Windows 98. To make your system even closer to Win 98, download and install Internet Explorer 4.x, and activate the Active Desktop if you dare. Just don't flame my e-mail when IE upends your system.

What version of Win 95 are you running? If you've never upgraded it, you're running version 4.00.950. If you've installed Service Pack 1, you're running 950a. OSR2 is labeled 950b. OSR 2.5 is labeled 950c. Find out which version you're running by going through Control Panel, System, and looking at the Version Number. If you've upgraded with Service Pack 1, you got the Windows 95 Update Information Tool, QFECHECK.EXE, installed in your Windows folder. (Find out more about this nifty little tool at support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q145/9/90.asp. Download it from support.microsoft.com/download/support/
mslfiles/QFECHKUP.EXE. And, guess what? Windows may lie to you about which version of Win 95 you have installed. How do you make sure? Check several features of your computer, starting first with your hard drives by right-clicking on their icons in My Computer and selecting Properties. Do any of them report that they're partitioned for FAT32? If so, you're running OSR2/950B. If they report that they're running under FAT16, they're probably running OSR2 also, but in the FAT16 implementation. If they don't say anything about FAT16 or 32, you're running either the original version or 95a. Now, open a DOS box and type VER. The original Win 95 (both standard and "a" versions) reports itself as version 4.00.950, while the OSR2 version reports itself as 4.00.1111. OSR2.5 reports itself as 4.00.1212 or higher, Win 95 with IE4.01 reports itself as 4.72.3110.8, and Win98 reports itself as 4.10.1998. Next, open Control Panel/Display/Properties/Settings. The OSR2 version offers an Advanced Properties button lacking in the original and "a" versions. Finally, if you can access your system files on the setup CD, check out WIN95_02.CAB. The original retail version of Win 95 has this file dated 7/11/95 and sized at 1276KB. In the original OEM version, CAB2 has the same date, but a size of 1272KB. And the OSR2 version will date CAB2 as 8/24/96 and give its size as 454KB. Now find out which version of Win 95 is on your installation CD by inserting the CD and selecting Browse This CD, navigating to SETUP.EXE (either in the root folder or in C:\WIN95); click on SETUP.EXE, choose Properties, and click on the Version tab. Why is all of this important? Well, if you get the same results from one test to the next, you can be sure which version you have and what you need to do to update it. If you get differing results, you may well have pieces of different versions of Windows running on your system, which leads you into the wonderful world of "version skew problems." My advice if you have chunks of different versions is to upgrade as much as possible to get your whole system on the same playing field. If you seem to have part, but not all, of OSR2 installed, take your PC back to the vendor and insist that a full, complete version of Win 95 OSR2 be installed - or go for all the marbles and fight for an install of Win 98. (Why are you buying a Win 95 computer nowadays, unless you're buying the old one from the kid next door?) Keep up with updates and patches by visiting content.techweb.com/winmag/win95/update95.htm..

You can find out which version of Windows is on your CD by popping the disk into the drive and choosing Browse This CD. Right-click SETUP.EXE, choose Properties, and in the resulting dialog box, select Version. You'll find the File Version. You can also access the Product Version under Other Version Information.

The jury is still out on Microsoft's DirectX family of game drivers. More and more games are using this interface, though, so don't be surprised if one or more versions of it finds its way onto your hard disk. I know of at least one person who bought a game and had problems caused by an out-of-date DirectX driver provided with the game CD, so don't be slow to look for the latest update on Microsoft's Web site, currently at www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/. You should update the drivers you're currently running if you play the latest games or watch a lot of video and animation. 9 is the most recent version as of this writing. (What is DirectX? It's Microsoft's suite of multimedia application programming interfaces, which lets developers write code for multimedia applications on any Windows PC.) Note: the new version of DirectX and DirectPlay has been combined in a single download for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP. If you've had trouble with the earlier versions of DirectX/DirectPlay, this new one may help. But if the earlier versions are working fine for you -- that is, if you've never really encountered "DirectX" or "DirectPlay" issues -- it may be better to skip this version, as it cannot be uninstalled. Find out more at www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?ReleaseID=43347.

For Y2K compliancy, download the above patch from support.microsoft.com/download/
support/mslfiles/win95y2k.exe -- this little patch updates the Date function and adds a new switch to the DOS DIR command that forces it to display file dates in four digits; it also updates the File Manager utility to help it handle the new dates correctly. Believe me, there are still plenty of machines out there that aren't fully Y2K-compliant.

Windows 98 Upgrades: If you own the original version of Windows 98, you should definitely shell out the $20 to buy the upgrade (I'd recommend purchasing it on CD, or storing it on CD-RW or a Zip/Jaz disk). The Second Edition upgrade contains MSIE 5.0 and NetMeeting 3.0, home networking support, DVD and FireWire support, and more. Get the upgrade from www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/.

Scot Finnie warns that the $20 Win 98 upgrade CD has some minor but annoying bugs in it. He recommends steering clear of the CD, and instead plunking down the $90 for the Win 98 SE full version.

You can also go to Microsoft's site here: www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/ or to www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp. for free software updates, including MSIE 5.5 or 6, new drivers, and Service Packs as they become available. The second URL lists updates by categories: "critical," "recommended," "multimedia," and "previews." Another useful site for poking around in is support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q135/3/15.asp. Lots of the various goodies and extras included on the system CDs are also available for downloading here.

One controversial feature of Win 98/ME is its Updates feature. It can be set to download and install updates automatically, whether you're ready for that process or not. Microsoft designed its Windows 98 Update page (accessible by going through Start, Windows Update) for novices. Microsoft did give the more handy user other, more controllable sources for Win 98 updates, although the pages aren't as slick as the default Update page. Nor do they filter out the updates you already have. However, they do allow you to control the download and installation process. For a wizardlike search tool that helps you find the updates you need, go to corporate.windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Here you can create search profiles for updates based on system manufacturer, component type, and OS. You can also filter updates by date, title, manufacturer, OS, language, and type. (A tip from a faithful reader: use the "Personalize" settings to remove the features you know you don't want.) Microsoft has "updated" Windows Update to allow you to retrieve specific upgrades as real downloads and install them at your leisure, instead of ramming them directly into your system without so much as a by-your-leave. Find out more at www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp.

The Windows Update feature can be handled in three different ways: automatically (i.e. Windows decides what needs installing when), notification of updates (Windows decides what you need but you decide when and if it's downloaded and installed), and manually (Windows shuts up and lets you do the thinking). Decide which option works better for you and set your PC by going through Control Panel's Automatic Updates applet.

If you're running Win 98 SE, you might look into the DUN 1.4 upgrade. Find out more at microsoft.com/TechNet/support/kb.asp?id=285189. According to the write-up, it works with Win 95 as well.

An excellent site for info on upgrading your version of Windows to a newer version and/or reinstalling the OS is Weendoggy's page at members.aol.com/weendoggy/win9x.htm. I'm not responsible for his Internet moniker, but then again, I'm cruising under "Toejumper," so what do I have to say about it?

Windows Millenium Upgrades. Win ME was rumored to have a Service Pack in the works, but it never appeared. Microsoft is advising users to surf to the Windows Update site (windowsupdate.microsoft.com/default.htm) for all current and future updates. If you're considering upgrading to ME from Win 98, it'll cost you a pricey $109. It costs the rest of us $209 for a stand-alone version. Take a look at a good, info-packed Millennium Upgrade Guide at www.pcworld.com/hereshow/article.asp?aid=36590. You can also access the Windows Update feature through Start, Windows Update. Personally, I would skip over Win ME entirely (and I use the damned thing). It's not an improvement at all over Win 98, the memory leak is worse, it's more prone to crashes, and the multimedia enhancements are almost all available elsewhere. I know all about the System Restore feature, but that alone isn't worth the headaches this OS causes. If you asked me, I'd tell you to either stick with Win 98 SE (by far the most reliable of the Win 9x family), or go for Win XP.

A lot of users putting Windows ME through its paces are complaining of something taking over their PC and accessing the hard drive in the background, causing tremendous slowdown. Almost certainly this is being caused by ME's spiffy, and sometimes irritating, System Restore feature. If you don't appreciate it holding your machine hostage while it performs a (possibly) unnecessary backup, disable it by doing the following: Open the Windows Control Panel's System applet, switch to the Performance tab, click on the File System button, switch to the Troubleshooting tab, and check the "Disable System Restore" check box. For more information on the new System Restore feature in Windows Millennium, select Help from the Windows Start menu and search on the keywords "System Restore."

Something similar happens when Win ME's System Update (or AutoUpdate) feature cranks up, usually at an inopportune moment. Same deal to correct it -- go through Control Panel, access "Automatic Updates," and decide whether to configure Millennium to update itself automatically (the default, and a potentially annoying one), to automatically check for updates (less annoying but still causing ME to access the Web without your say-so), or to make updating a totally manual, user-controlled process. Assuming you don't forget to check every now and then, this is the option I would recommend.

Millennium is posing more than the usual installation and startup glitches, particular for users who installed the system over an older version of Windows. A good place to start looking for help is the Knowledge Base article at support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q268/8/91.asp. ME users are also finding that the system chokes on any number of third-party applications, drivers, and utilities during the installation process. Usually the solution is to upgrade to newer versions of these programs; some of the most common problems are occurring with Dr. Solomon's Anti-Virus utility (versions older than 7.71) and BlackICE Personal Defender packages, versions 1.8.6.8 and 2.0.23. A list of known offenders can be had at www.microsoft.com/windowsme/support/
bulletins/findingdrivers.asp; a more general description of possible snags and workarounds can be found at www.microsoft.com/windowsme/support/.

You may be experiencing system hangs and crashes with attempted Win ME updates. This is an acknowledged Microsoft flaw, and they've released a workaround. The Windows Update feature in Windows Me creates a series of configuration files called "OEMx.INF" files. They can also be created by Internet Explorer Setup as well as other programs that use the official Microsoft Setup API's. To ensure that you don't lock up during future Windows Update and Setup sessions, delete all the type OEM*.INF files by going through Start, Find Files or Folders, and typing OEM*.INF in the file name box and \WINDOWS\INF in the Look In box. When the search is completed, maximize the window. Identify all INF files that have "0" as size and delete all of them. Also, before you restart or reinstate any Windows Update or Setup efforts, you should disable any disk utility programs (DiskFrag, ScanDisk, and automated anti-virus scans) from operating.

Windows XP: I am adding gobs of information on XP to this site, partly in the Win XP page but also strewn throughout the site as applicable, including this page. Check the WinXP page above for update information. There's also lots of new information on the A Little Rheumatiz Medicine in the Gas Tank page.

Detailed information on the differences between XP Professional and Home can be found at two different sites: www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp and www.iqt.com.au/selectnewsletters/currentissue/windowsXPdifference.htm.

Upgrading to Windows XP? You'll want at the very minimum a Pentium 300 MHz, but you really want something faster -- a lot faster. I'd recommend a PIII or an Athlon system with a minimum of 500 MHz. 64 MB of RAM is the recommended minimum; I'd recommend at least 128 MB, and more if you can get it. You'll need a bare minimum of 2 GB of hard drive space; again, 20 GB would be a lot better. 40 GB would be even better than that. For your graphics card, plan on having at least 32MB or more of memory, AGP support, motion compensation support for DVD playback, and support for DVI, S-Video, and composite video output. You'll want a minimum of a 12x or faster CD-ROM or DVD drive.

Some Win XP users don't know whether to choose the FAT32 or NTFS partitioning protocols. Most XP machines come formatted with FAT32, but for some, it's a wise choice to convert to NTFS. In general, machines with smaller (less than 32GB) disk drives do better with FAT32, as do machines with multiple operating systems. If you operate a machine with a large hard drive and stick to one OS, NTFS might be a better choice for you. Find out what you're operating by going into My Computer and selecting Properties. Convert to NTFS by backing up all of your critical files, then going into Start, Run, typing CMD, and clicking OK. At the command prompt, type the following line exactly:

Sit back and watch the fun.

Windows XP comes with a built-in firewall. To install it, follow these steps: Open the Start menu, right-click on My Network Places, and choose Properties. Right-click on the connection you want to protect, and choose Properties. If you're using a dial-up account, for instance, right-click on that icon. If you're using a network in your home or office, right-click on the Local Area Connection. Either way, choose Properties. Click the Advanced tab and activate the firewall. Click the box to activate the Windows XP firewall. Note: Windows' firewall sucks. Go with a third-party firewall and forget this one.

Hackers love to use XP's Guest account (normally used to allow technicians and others to have limited access to your computer remotely). Disable it if you don't need it; in the Pro version, go into the Administrative Tools applet in Control Panel, click on "Computer Management," find "Local Users and Groups" in the left-hand pane and click Users underneath it. In the right-hand pane, double-click the Guest account and check "Account is Disabled." Home users can't disable the Guest account.

Another way to secure your XP from hackers is to rename the Administrator account. You need at least one account with Administrator rights, but you don't have to name it Administrator, which is what hackers are looking for. In either version of XP, you can assign total privileges to another account name and disable the Administrator account. In Home, make sure you change the default Owner account name.

A hidden gem for XP Pro gives us a built-in, simple way to control our PC from afar. It lets you do everything from basic file and data access up to fully taking over the keyboard and mouse of a distant PC, just as if you were sitting in front of it. What's more, XP Pro extends this remote-control ability to any and all versions of Windows -- all the way back to Win 95, including Windows CE palmtop systems and XP Home -- via a free client software tool. XP's remote control has three major faces: "Remote Desktop," "Remote Desktop Web Connection," and "Remote Assistance." An article at informationweek.com/story/IWK20030221S0012 runs through the similarities and differences, shows you the pros and cons, shows you where to get the free client software, and most importantly, shows you how to use these remote control options safely, without opening a huge security hole on your PC. This software is on the XP setup CD, and may be freely shared with other Windows systems. It's also available for free download from Microsoft at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/rdclientdl.asp.

On Win 98, and presumably Millennium, the Windows Update feature can careen out of control. One example of this is Win Update informing you that it, not you, is "internally" handling all updates, and if you want to be involved, you should talk to a (possibly nonexistent) network administrator. This can be due to a missing or corrupted WUPDINFO.DLL file. To correct this in Win 98, launch the System File Checker by entering SFC in the Start Menu's Run dialog. Choose the "Extract one file from installation disk" option, enter WUPDINFO.DLL, and click Start. Verify that the file will be saved in your Windows System folder, and then click OK. This should restore a fresh copy of Wupdinfo.dll from your original Windows CD-ROM (yes, insert the CD into your CD drive, ya nut). If that doesn't solve your problem, launch Regedit and navigate to each of these three Registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer,
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ WindowsUpdate \ LocalURL,
and HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE \ Software \ Policies \ Microsoft \ WindowsUpdate \ RemoteURL.
(You may not have all three of these Registry keys on your system. If not, just go with what you've got.) In each case, delete all the values in the right-hand pane except (default), and then restart your computer. If you want more information on this problem, check the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles Q283288 at support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q283/2/88.asp and Q228548 at support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q228/5/48.asp. Millennium users don't have the System File Checker; Microsoft claims that the System File Protection feature replaces SFC. Find out more at support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q274090&.