Background to Windows 98 Guidelines

January, 2002

Windows 98 is not supported at SLAC.  Since Windows 98 cannot be configured in a secure manner, short-term visitors who bring in Windows 98 computers should connect to the Visitor Network (and not the SLAC Network).

Windows 95 is not allowed at SLAC, since this is no longer supported by Microsoft. 

The August 18, 1995 Memorandum from the Associate Directors Committee on Computing states:

• Windows 95 (or Windows 9x) purchase will be allowed if the following conditions are met:
  
  1. Prior approval of the Division Associate Director or his designee.
  2. The system using Windows 95 (or Windows 9x) will not be connected  to the SLAC network
  3. The user understands that there is no support offered or available from SLAC and that they are on their own in that regard.

Most of the 1995 Memorandum still pertains today. However, in the following specific situations Windows 98 is allowed:

• Collaborators from other labs bring their laptops using Windows 98 to SLAC.
• Software packages that run only under Windows98 are required for SLAC business.

These guidelines are to ensure that no problems arise from Windows 98 machines being connected to the SLAC  network and should not be construed as the support for Window 98.

The potential for network disruptions occur because Windows has a domain network architecture while Windows 98 does not.   In a Windows 98 workgroup there is no distinction between dedicated server and workstation.   Each member of a workgroup performs server functions.   Each workgroup machine can act as a master browser.   It can retain an lmhost file and announce this by broadcast on the network.   This file will almost invariably contain incorrect information about the network.   If a Windows 98 machine sees a request for network directory information (what resources are available and where) sent from Windows domain workstation to Windows domain server, it will intercept this message and reply in place of the Windows server.

We believe that these problems can be corrected by an administrator's intervention at the time of installation.   Therefore we require that a desktop support person be notified of any Windows 98 machine in his/her area.

It has been suggested to the individual departments that they provide a set of network taps, perhaps in some public space, isolated in its own subnet for their collaborators to use.   This will mitigate some of the disruptions.

Windows 98 Guidelines

Additional Information - Windows 98 Guidelines

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Author: Jeff Lwin for the SCS Desktop Computing Group