Windows 11 has been around for a while now, but there are still enthusiasts out there making older versions of the operating system available. This is the case with members of Windows Update Restored, which even offer updates.
The team is above all driven by a desire for archiving.
From Windows 95 to 98 SE
Many of you probably don’t use older versions of Windows past Windows 7 anymore, but multiple groups are looking to preserve them after their support ends. The community project Windows Update Restored, for example, has given itself the mission of preserving the data of the update site which allowed users to recover Windows updates until 2011.
Since then, you have to go through sometimes dubious tools and sites, or turn to community projects like this one. If it does not display certifications, the site uses archives compiled by the Wayback Machine. ” We were also able to redirect updates downloaded from Microsoft’s servers to our servers to ensure you get all available updates. “, explain the promoters of the project.
By exploiting the work of Windows Update Restored, users can grab the v3.1 update, which works for Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 and ME. However, you must go through Internet Explorer 5 at least. The latter is no longer officially available, but the community site has thought of everything. This is the only functional update at the moment, but other versions should be made available soon. Anyway, it’s an initiative that should delight fans of retro computing!
A few precautions to take
If the prospect of recovering updates for old versions of Windows is interesting in more ways than one, it is however necessary to know certain things and know what we are getting into. The Windows Update Restored site seems quite safe from a process point of view, but it is based on a modified version of the original code of the disappeared official site.
Therefore, it does not use any SSL or STL encryption system. It should also be kept in mind that the restored community version of Windows Update does not allow you to use the Internet in a secure way. The systems are no longer supported by antivirus, so we can’t recommend enough to make a backup before you start. We also take this opportunity to warn you about the Big Head ransomware, which currently infects PCs by hiding behind a simulation of Windows Update.
Source : Neowin
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