Using iuhist.xml and Windows Update.log to manually update Windows 98SE
Windows 98 is a non supported operating system, so when it is necessary to re-install the OS, people have questions on how to do the updates manually.
This page attempts to explain a way to do it without resort to one of those *Service Packs* one might find on the Internet. This gives the installer the ability to determine whether and what they wish to install.
Users will also find this information useful should the Update Server [Windows Update] be down {unreachable} or no longer in existance. To achieve this, one must have saved copies of iuhist.xml and Windows Update.log from a prior installation, or find them on the Internet, or obtain them from a friend.
Let's look at a segment of an update log for info..[Note dates and times have been removed. Also note I attempted to make this fit into the viewing area, you'll see why when you look at the files.]
Dates will give you an indication of the order of installation, times might give you an indication of Microsoft's installation order as listed on it's servers.
Note also that Microsoft is distinctly concerned that it's IE 6 browser be installed FIRST and it's updates, which makes sense as it is the flawed and exploitable interface to the Internet..so skip those files if not installing IE 6 and OE, or the other browsers and OE. You will find that most of the supposed updates for the last several years of support were issued BECAUSE of the installation of IE 6 and OE, NOT for the actual operating system. If you don't install IE 6 and OE, then you will not need most of the last updates that were supplied/offered.
NOTE: you should make an effort to find any other needed
files. The only ones presently supporting the OS are the users.
Check places like:
MSFN
Forums - Windows 95/98/98SE/ME
MDGx - Upgrades, Patches,
BUG Fixes, Drivers + Tools
and other sites; but as always, be careful what you download, and
even more careful of what you install.
Make sure you check out the news server at news.microsoft.com -forum- public.win98.gen_discussion, MVPs and others will likely be of some help.
WINDOWS UPDATE.LOG
Querying software update catalog from
https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/consumerdrivers/getmanifest.asp
Success IUENGINE
Querying software update catalog from
https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/getmanifest.asp
Success IUENGINE
Asynchronous Download started
Success IUENGINE
Download destination root folder is: c:\WUTemp
Here's the long name as Microsoft adds a file from it's server:
Success IUENGINE
Downloaded file
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/
v3-19990518/cabpool/
IE6.0sp1-KB905915-Windows-98-ME-x86-ENU_048d87801990caa1902294e650e29d8.exe
[NOTE: this is one log line]
Here's the short name which you should have a copy of, if you downloaded to your disk (look at the last segment where I added quotes)
Success IUENGINE
Local path
c:\WUTemp\com_microsoft.905915_IE_6_SP1_x86_169934_IExpress\
"IE6.0sp1-KB905915-Windows-98-ME-x86-ENU.exe" - again, one log
line.
Which you will need to save locally as: C:\[your
folder]\WUTemp\com_microsoft.
905915_IE_6_SP1_x86_169934_IExpress\IE6.0sp1-KB905915-Windows-98-ME-x86-ENU.exe
- again, one long line, OR
some folder\IE6.0sp1-KB905915-Windows-98-ME-x86-ENU.exe,
depending on where and how you obtained the file.
Note that the file itself indicates that it is for IE6, hence a file I will not use in the future. If you want additional information on the file you can querry Microsoft for the KB or Q number and read what it does and what it's for. Save a copy locally for future reference.
Here's an indication a file should be installed seperately OR that the application is not installed fully [Media 9 was installed but had NOT been allowed to register itself]
ERROR IUENGINE Downloading file
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3-19990518/
cabpool/WindowsMedia9-KB911565-Win9x-x86-ENU_8d1eeee2307201b8c45b3092eaa33f2
.exe, skipping remaining files for this Item
Note it says skipping other files for this.. an indication this file should be installed on its own or could not be installed at that time..
Starting a new segment at updates shows it was later installed:
Success IUENGINE Downloaded file
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3-19990518/
cabpool/WindowsMedia9-KB911565-Win9x-x86-ENU_8d1eeee2307201b8c45b3092eaa33f2
.exe
Success IUENGINE Local path
c:\WUTemp\com_microsoft.WindowsMedia9-Windows98ME-KB911565-x86-176321\
WindowsMedia9-KB911565-Win9x-x86-ENU.exe
Let's look at another:
Success IUENGINE Downloaded file
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3-19990518/
cabpool/Windows98-KB908519-ENU_5a83ea1360d1ebaa28c9b8bd1b389f9.EXE
Success IUENGINE Local path
c:\WUTemp\com_microsoft.Windows98-KB908519-x86-174228\Windows98-KB908519-ENU
.EXE
Saved locally as: C:\[your
folder]\WUTemp\com_microsoft.Windows98-KB908519-x86-174228\
Windows98-KB908519-ENU.EXE, or where ever you saved it.
This file indicates it is a system or possible system file update. My saved text file: C:\UPGRADES\Microsoft\Win95-98\98updates\Windows98-KB908519_11-27-2005_t2embed.txt indicates it is the t2embed fix.
Now let's look at some dates and times [this particular testing computer was recently run through the configuration / updates process for data base comparison]:
2006-03-20 07:32:44 12:32:44 Success IUENGINE Downloaded
file
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/
update/v3-19990518/cabpool/
260067_888B94B8824DAA55DA83EFF12FA9A844EAE368DD.EXE
2006-03-20 07:32:44 12:32:44 Success IUENGINE Local path
c:\WUTemp\com_microsoft.q260067_98SE_3662\260067.EXE
Well, the update log suggest we check iuhist.xml so let's do so for the above file -
Searching iuhist we find [and yes if one intends to use iuhist one must make it readable so....]:
IUHIST.XML
<itemStatus xmlns="" timestamp="2006-03-20T07:34:54">
<identity
itemID="win98se.windows98andwindows98secondedition
.ver_platform_win32_windows.4.10.x86.en......com_microsoft.
q260067_98se_3662.4_10_0_2222" name="q260067_98SE_3662">
<publisherName>com_microsoft</publisherName>
<language>en</language>
</identity>
<description hidden="0">
<descriptionText>
<title>Mapped Drives Shutdown Update</title>
<eula
href="http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/eula/en/eula.htm"/>
[above was just /msdownload/update/v3/static/eula/en/eula.htm, changed to allow page spiders to crawl properly]
<details
href="http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/
v3/static/rtf/en/3662.htm"/>
</descriptionText>
</description>
<platform name="ver_platform_win32_windows">
<processorArchitecture>x86</processorArchitecture>
<version major="4" minor="10" build=""
servicePackMajor=""
servicePackMinor=""/>
</platform>
<downloadStatus value="COMPLETE"/>
<downloadPath>c:\WUTemp\com_microsoft.q260067_98SE_3662</downloadPath>
<client>IU_Site</client>
<installStatus value="COMPLETE" needsReboot="1"/>
</itemStatus>
Comparing the two log files, we see the time stamps / download time and dates match, we have the right version, and it needs to be rebooted.. We also see that both 98 AND 98SE need this update [see <identity itemID>]. We also see that it was the Mapped Drives Shutdown Update [see <title>].
By comparing both the Windows Update.log and iuhist.xml we can determine the order that the file should be installed, and whether it should be installed.
IUHIST shows the order installed in reverse. So the first file listing is actually the last file to be installed.
You can also use the KB and Q info from Microsoft to determine whether you want that update, the date of release and, somewhat, the order of installation [though that's not always true].
To make it easier for you to create an installation batch file, and so you know the proper order, I have created web pages for the iuhist.xml files from my system:
Manual Installation order after using Security CDROM from Microsoft
Others will be added in the near future.
I also recommend you check out these additional pages on this
site for other issues you will likely need to address:
Other Parts of Layered Security necessary for Internet
usage.
SEE:
FIREWALLS - WHY YOU NEED ONE AND WHAT TO DO
SEE:
Anti-spyware programs as part of Layered Security
ANTI-VIRUS Programs as part of your Layered Security
SEE:
GENERAL WINDOWS NETWORKING DIAGNOSTICS AND SETUP
Diagnosing
Windows problems - Part 1
Part
2 - Diagnosing Windows Problems
SEE:
INSTALLATION OF SIGNING AND TRUST CERTIFICATES
After support end information for 98
SEE: END
OF SUPPORT FOR WINDOWS 98 AND MILLENNIUM. WHAT DO I DO?