Alex Hrapunov

A: Microsoft designed its Windows 98 Update page, which you can access by selecting StartòWindows Update, for novice users. Unfortunately, this makes it more difficult for the rest of us.

Luckily, Microsoft has provided other Web pages from which you can download the updates. These pages arenÆt as slick and user-friendly as the default Windows Update pageùfor instance, they canÆt filter out the updates you already haveùbut they let you download the files without having to install them immediately.

For a wizardlike search tool that will help you find the updates you need, go to corporate.windowsupdate.microsoft.com (see FIGURE 2). Among the siteÆs features is the ability to create search profiles for updates based on operating system, component, type, and manufacturer.

The site also allows search filtering by date, title, operating system, manufacturer, and type, as well as by language. You can also search by a specific term and set the maximum number of results to be displayed.

If all you need is a list of downloadable upgrades, go to www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp. There, youÆll find upgrades categorised as æcriticalÆ, ærecommendedÆ, æmultimediaÆ, and æpreviewsÆ. What you wonÆt find is the option to install the update later.