Problems upgrading Internet Explorer

[jandal]

I have two computers, one Windows XP and the other Windows 98. The Windows 98 PC is an Atika with 64 MB RAM, floppy and CD-ROM drives, and sound and video cards. I have an old Internet Explorer 4 that I was trying to upgrade to version 6. I went to the Windows Update web site and ran a computer check which found that I needed 24 critical updates. I began downloading and although it took a while with my slow dial-up connection speed, it was going fine until the last fifteen minutes. Then this message came onscreen: "Stopping in five seconds." My monitor went dark and the power switched off. When I turned my PC on again I could no longer access any web sites and everything ran much slower. Now all I can do is check my email. I need to run my Norton Antivirus/Antispam programs but believe I need to be on the Internet to do this. I'm wondering if downloading the 24 updates was too much for my old computer? Perhaps I should have downloaded only a few at first? Can anyone tell me what I can do to upgrade my IE browser? How can I do this if I can't connect to the Internet? Please help.
Thank you.  Jandal.

[dl65]

 jandal.......

Now all I can do is check my email. I need to run my Norton Antivirus/Antispam programs but believe I need to be on the Internet to do

 I am confused by your comment that you can check your Email.........(  you must be connected to receive Email.) What happened to your IE 4 ? where did it go ? Further , Why cant you run your Norton AV ....... it matters not if your on-line or off-line .....It will run.

dl65  

[soybean]

You must have Win 98 first edition, right?  I'm pretty sure Win 98SE (Second Edition) came with IE 5.

In my opinion, you'd been better off not to download the "critical" updates for Win 98; I do the Windows updates thing with Win XP, but I've had negative results with Win 98, just as you have.  As you said, now your computer runs much slower.  If you want to get it back to it's former speed, you may need to format your hard drive and freshly install Win 98.  If you do that, and if you use the computer on the Internet, I would get a router so that you have some hardware firewall protection, and also install a software firewall.  And, of course, keep anti-virus software current and use some spyware removal tools to keep it clean.  

If you downloaded - download only, not install - Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 on your other computer, could you burn it to a CD, then install it on your Win 98 computer from the CD?  If you can't burn CD's, maybe you could ask someone you know to do this.  You can clso order a CD from Microsoft with Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1.  The cost is $5 plus tax to US residents.

[GX1_Man]

I think there are other issues and 64 meg. is really the functional low on RAM for 98. I vote for a reinstall AND add the updates then compare.

[Soviet_Genius]

i'm pretty sure your conputer can take IE6 because i have and even older one that runs it:
Pentium 1 120 mhz
16 mb RAM
SVGA Video
Win98SE

[jandal]

Thanks to dl65, soybean, GX1_Man, and SovietGenius for your wisdom. With my old Windows 98 computer, I now have upgraded my IE browser by going to Download.com and downloading IE 6 Service Pack 1. My mistake was trying to use Windows Update to upgrade from IE 4.01. Windows Update only delivers updates for current versions. It doesn't do a thing for upgrades. So it wasn't that my PC was too old. It was just that I was too uninformed. Now my system is up-to-date. One interesting thing, however. When I hit Start and Programs, IE 4.01 is still listed. When I went into My Computer,  Program Files, and right-clicked Internet Explorer I then clicked Explore. When I got into IEXPLORE.EXE I was advised that a new version had already been installed (IE 6) and it wasn't necessary to install it again. So even though IE 6 isn't listed under Start, Programs my computer still recognizes it. So I assume there's no harm in just leaving it alone. Now I can do everything from checking email to Web surfing to even running my essential antivirus program. Just thought you'd like to know my outcome. Thanks again!

jandal