Expand Legacy Update to Windows 9x OSes

[tariqmudallal]

First of all, I want to give props to you for being able to even replicate the old Windows Update website and get it to work with the Automatic Update functionality in Windows 2000, XP, Vista & 7!

Now, I would like to make a feature request for the following: I would like to see you be able to bring Legacy Update to the Windows 9x OSes (95, 98 & Me). I think this would make for a great addition because even these websites had some form of ActiveX Control that would deal with downloading and installing updates from the web browser. Currently, there is no way to get all the updates for the Win9x OSes, instead forcing users to manually scout for them all via a lot of Google searching, or through Unofficial Service Packs. I think that Legacy Update for Win9x would make for a great addition since, for instance, if someone wants to keep the vanilla experience while being up-to-date, then I believe this would be the ideal solution!

[Blood-PawWerewolf]

Same here. Win 9x/Me support would definitely be appreciated.

[atauenis]

There are list of all (?) updates for Windows 98: https://web.archive.org/web/20060707123624/http://www.microsoft.com:80/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp . But this is only a update catalog, and not related to Automatic Updates.

Implementing automatic update support on Win9x is difficultier than Windows Update v6, but is not impossible. There was few automatic update services on Win9x:

1. Windows Update v4. Used by MS CUN Utility v4.0 in 2002-2011. Sadly, but it's protocol haven't dumped/sniffed when it was live. But some files are still available from MS servers.
   • An incomplete log: https://gist.github.com/atauenis/dd8574df7181b23b33e56906897f7a8e
   • The most important https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/*manifest.asp files are lost.
   • Haven't checked, but it may be similar to used by older versions of MS SUS? A cascade of WU>Win2012R2/WSUS6.3>Win2003/WSUS7.0>WinXP still worked in 2021, may be WSUS7.0>SUS3.0 also will work? :)
2. Windows Update v3. Used by MS CUN Tool before v4.0. Remains non-preserved.
   • There was something for Win95+IE5.5, which also installed some kind of MS ActiveX control. But I can't remember, it finds need updates, or simply was a catalog. AFAIR, the site design was completely different from one on Win98/ME.
3. Internet Explorer Automatic Update. Set of CDF files, downloaded by MSIE 4.0 from MS servers, Probably, CDFs have this syntax: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/internet-explorer/ie-developer/platform-apis/aa768160(v=vs.85) .
4. MS IE ActiveX searcher. Used by MSIE 3.0 (and may be 4/5 too) to find unknown ActiveX controls installers. Well web-archived, and may be rebuilt.
5. Windows Media Player Update. Used by WMP 5.2 (beta of 6.0), 6.x-11. It was something XML-based, but I can't find any examples of the files.
6. Office Update. Seems that was not automatical, but there was some kind of ActiveX control used by it to find & install updates for Office 2000, XP (2002). Since Office 2003, updates were moved to MS Update v6/WSUS (and Office XP updates too).

[atauenis]

A full backup of all WU-related stuff:
https://disk.yandex.ru/d/jG_nO3Mz1mfRaw - 98
https://disk.yandex.ru/d/sOtQ-ZMPWuHoPA - ME (almost empty)
It was virtual machines I've used in 2008 to test unknown software before installing in main OS. I have been installed some unofficial service pack on 98 before opening WU, so probably this is why almost no updates were found by CUN/WU Agent.

In WinME (too from 2008) there are even no WindowsUpdate.log. I don't know why, but as I remember, I've just opened update.microsoft.com, accepted certificate, then closed it. But file dates are slightly newer than WinME RTM date (WUAUBoot.exe from 2001, ident.txt from 2003), so may be result of some WU work.

[sydia1103]

Hi there Kirb, I just wanted to let you know that a group of individuals have partially gotten Windows Update v5, v4, and v3 working. I know that LegacyUpdate runs v6, but updates for 98 and older would be helpful. But for right now, we have reversed engineered v4's getmanifest.asp, so it successfully checks for updates on 2000 RTM and later, however, results.asp is not working at the moment since that page was never archived. v3 works on 95 and later but only updates until Windows 2000. There is a dedicated server for this, if you want to join, you are welcome to, but you don't have to. Below are some images of what we have accomplished.

[kirb]

@sydia1103 That is extremely cool, I’m very interested. Feel free to send me a friend request @kirb#1809 and DM an invite.

[Athlonxp32]

i would say thats extremley nice Works after so many years.. Today i found Kirbs Site and i`m very happy

[kristibektashi]

Here's something interesting: Windows Media Player Update remnants still exist in WMP 12 (Windows 7 - 11) and it tries to connect to it when you launch C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\setup_wm.exe (might be a different exe) but of course it shows an error

[Shaknunic]

Hey, I still have the real old Windows 98 and some updates from the original Security CD that Microsoft released in 2004... I wanted to help you out with this project if you are up for it. Not quite sure what you need, but I want to offer help... I tried to add you on Discord, but you are refusing invites atm so...

My XMPP: shaknunic@jabber.hot-chilli.net

[kirb]

Sorry about that, try again now.

[atauenis]

Found that MS Word 97 have some auto update feature (unlike I've thinked that there was no anything in it). In some cases (mostly when opening HTML files in it), Word attempts to download from http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/msoffice/word/autoupdate.idc?Prd=word&Sbp=ia&Ar=AutoUpdate&Pver=8.0.0.5622&o1=3.0.3424.1&o2=0&o3=0x419&OS=WinX86. This URL is configurable via registry (Q163299).

So, probably, if a autoupdate.idc cached output will be found, it will be theoretically possible to add Office 97 support. :)

[7dog123]

They got the Windows update restored. project up and running.

[kristibektashi]

Like the commenter above me said, there is a site called https://windowsupdaterestored.com/ that has old versions of Windows Update archived. Perhaps @kirb could work with them and integrate it into Legacy Update so that it can be used on older Windows versions (and maybe merge the catalogs too so that all updates are available from a single website)

[kristibektashi]

Btw if Windows 9x is supported perhaps NT 4 could also be supported