Windows95 - USER32.DLL Error/I know its been posted before, BUT...

[tom1573]

All true. But there are many of us who refuse to be lured into the bloodbath of a new OS by MSFT every year or so. WIN95 runs well for me and I have had no malware problems.

I'm not even certain that you can acquire a current antivirus or firewall product for Windows 95 any longer, which are an absolute necessity for such an unprotected OS.

AVG anti-virus is still available (free) for WIN95. Sygate firewall version 5.5 build 2525 works well and is free but availability is limited since they were bought out by Symantec a few months ago.

[bitman]

Current Microsoft OS versions are supported for 10 years, 5 years Mainstream support and 5 more of Extended. Due to core design issues with the Windows 95 OS, support for it was dropped earlier on Dec. 31, 2001.
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=7864

Thanks for listing the antivirus and firewall that work with Win95. I wouldn't consider the Sygate firewall version 5.5 build 2525 a supported product and it would fall into the same class as Spybot in the 'it runs' category.

The rest of my comments stand and are based on the unsupported condition of the OS itself. I see few products today that even exist after 10 years, let alone have anything that could be called support. There are even fewer in the computer field, if there are any at all. Realize that any ability to run on 95 is primarily a side effect of its similarity to Windows 98, not a specific choice to support the platform. Collapse for support of all 9x OS versions by 3rd parties is likely after the June 30th, 2006 end of Extended Support for Windows ME, per the following.
Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Support Extended
http://support.microsoft.com/default...91;LN];LifeAn1

I find it very interesting that computer software is held to a different standard then all other products. No one expects to have, say, a car supported for free after the warranty period, yet software should be supported for years after it's original lifetime.

I also have no concern that anyone use a Windows 9x OS when not connected to the Internet, regardless of protection installed. These OS versions were designed without real security at a time when few were connected and virtually none of today's malware existed. Expecting the protection for one of these to meet today's standards is like expecting a car from several years ago to be upgraded to current crash standards, it's just not possible.

[Nick-YF19]

These OS versions were designed without real security at a time when few were connected and virtually none of today's malware existed. Expecting the protection for one of these to meet today's standards is like expecting a car from several years ago to be upgraded to current crash standards, it's just not possible.

Win 95 wasn't a good operating system to begin with. Plus it is old. 10+ years now. Even simple things like USB support aren't built into it. Trying to keep it secured in today's malware filled Internet is pointless. At the very least, go to eBay and buy a Win 98 SE disc. Though, Win 98 only has 6 months of support left from Microsoft...

[Biskalar]

Win 95 wasn't a good operating system to begin with. Plus it is old. 10+ years now. Even simple things like USB support aren't built into it. Trying to keep it secured in today's malware filled Internet is pointless. At the very least, go to eBay and buy a Win 98 SE disc. Though, Win 98 only has 6 months of support left from Microsoft...

Are Windows XP or Windows2000 secure? No!!!
I'm using Win95 for years without any virus, malware ...

Another Virussoftware comes from Avast http://www.avast.com free for personal use. Also scans Mail (In/Out).

I can't understand why people use the InternetExplorer cause there are much better browsers. You can use Firefox (better than IE) or Opera (the best) http://www.opera.com

Opera comes with a Mailclient and a lot of the threats that you have with IE are gone!! Opera still available for Win95, Firefox only for Win98-XP.

Maybe you also use this little software too ;-)

http://brain.yubb.de/

Personal Firewall are useless!!! Why, have a look here.

http://copton.net/vortraege/pfw/index.html
http://home.arcor.de/nhb/pf-umgehen.html
http://jenner.rz.tu-ilmenau.de/~trae...m.htm#Firewall
http://www.computerbetrug.de/firewalls-umgehung.php
http://www.computerbetrug.de/firewalls-umgehung.php
http://www.iks-jena.de/mitarb/lutz/usenet/Firewall.html
http://www.ntsvcfg.de/
http://www.ulm.ccc.de/old/chaos-semi...nal-firewalls/

For all Windows2000 and XP users update Windows for the WMF-Threat. Patch is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../ms06-001.mspx

[bitman]

Are Windows XP or Windows2000 secure? No!!!
I'm using Win95 for years without any virus, malware ...

Good for you, as an obvious expert I'm not surprised. I wasn't addressing you, rather the average user who doesn't have your knowledge or experience.

<<< Snip >>>
I can't understand why people use the InternetExplorer cause there are much better browsers. You can use Firefox (better than IE) or Opera (the best) http://www.opera.com

Opera comes with a Mailclient and a lot of the threats that you have with IE are gone!! Opera still available for Win95, Firefox only for Win98-XP.

Because IE is already installed. Opera and Firefox both have vulnerabilities too and require additional attention to keep them updated. The average user doesn't keep Windows updated, thus requiring Automatic Updates, which I know you'd never use.

The average user also isn't aware that Windows 95 never supported Windows Update and required manual installation of Service Packs and patches, including those for IE 5.5 and Winsock, which stopped being produced to support Windows 95 in late 2001 and IE 5.5 (separate packs) by at least late 2003. Even though IE 5.5 has had updates until at least the end of 2005, they aren't available for Windows 95 any more.

<<< Snip >>>
Personal Firewall are useless!!! Why, have a look here.

http://copton.net/vortraege/pfw/index.html
<<< Snip >>>

Since the first link has an English translation, I'll reference it. I agree that depending on a Personal Firewall as a type of IDS/IPS isn't a good idea. It leads to a false sense of security since as the article points out, there are simple methods to bypass it's alerts once something has gotten inside. Disabling services in the OS by default, only enabling them when needed is obviously better, and is now occuring in newer versions of the OS such as Windows 2003.

However, not having any sort of firewall with Windows 95 means no protection from direct external attack. Since most users have Windows 95 for economic reasons, they commonly use dial-up, which also implies no hardware firewall. Without either, and with no knowledge how to disable exposed services, they are totally vulnerable.

For all Windows2000 and XP users update Windows for the WMF-Threat. Patch is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../ms06-001.mspx

Interesting that you mentioned this, since it's not available for Windows 95, nor was the earlier patch which affected JPG type images as I recall. Windows 2000/XP users may be informed of this by either accessing Windows/Microsoft Update or enabling Automatic updates to at least notify them. Windows 95 users have no way of knowing this even exists without being told.

[Biskalar]

I'm not saying that Win95 is the perfect OS, but when you red all the threats here there are not so much Win95-user who need help cause there browser for ex. get hijacked. As tom1573 wrote "WIN95 runs well for me and I have had no malware problems". Sure, i think Win95 is only in use by a small amount of people. But also remember that Win95 has not services like W2000 or XP and this services uses quite a lot of viruses, malware, ...
Sadly most of W2000 or XP users are surfing with administrator rights, really bad decision.

I agree with you that also Firefox (see the last fixes) and Opera have vulnerabilities. All software has some kind of vulnerabilities. Some are known, some are at the moment unknown. So, everyone who uses the Internet must be aware of this. When i look back till i shutdown all that services in XP and the other stuff ServicePack2 ..., i want my old Win95 back. ;-)

All i wanted to say is that there is other software available and people should use there brain before clicking on links or open mails from unknown people/companies. There are also some risk to open mails (attachment) even from well known people, cause there pc get infected.

Links with an englisch translation:

http://copton.net/vortraege/pfw/en.html
http://www.dingens.org/index.html.en
http://www.iks-jena.de/mitarb/lutz/u...rewall.en.html
http://www.ntsvcfg.de/ntsvcfg_eng.html


Read it and happy secure surfing.

[noel-pr7]

All i wanted to say is that there is other software available and people should use there brain before clicking on links or open mails from unknown people/companies. There are also some risk to open mails (attachment) even from well known people, cause there pc get infected.

indeed, people need to be well educated on how to make their computers safe and secure regardless of what kind of OS they have installed on their machines.

[noel-pr7]

Are Windows XP or Windows2000 secure? No!!!
I'm using Win95 for years without any virus, malware ...

that is highly debatable, Biskalar. Win2000/XP with their built-in security features are actually more secure than Win95/98/ME. If win2k/xp users figure out how to use those security features, they can actually make win2k/xp more secure.

[noel-pr7]

Personal Firewall are useless!!!

that is also debatable. they can be useful if users can learn how to use them. surely PC users cant just rely solely on them

[noel-pr7]

in fact ANY kind of firewall [hardware, software, personal or business, etc.] is essential when using always-on, high speed broadband internet connections like DSL, cable, sattelite and LAN. always-on broadband connections are always open to security breaches, viruses and other threats. installing any firewall will provide some protection for users with high-speed broadband connections.