Thanks for the replies. I'll complete the fresh install setup and once all the software/hardware issues are solved, I'll clone the partition to the other two partitions I have and then I can experiment adding software. If a glitch develops I can simply copy the original OS back and start over adding browsers. I will place all the Opera versions on as USB/stand-alone installs and perhaps pick one as the default browser since I rarely use I.E.

Since I now have KernalEx I need to experiment with Firefox, Google and Seamonkey to see which gives me the results I want. Started reading the http://www.msfn.org forums, I'm sure that I can learn a lot there and figure out which browsers best suit my OS and my needs. Thanks again for the replies!

Now that I've reloaded a fresh install of the OS and setup KernalEx I want to continuse using multiple Opera versions. The clean install has eliminated all the software I tried but didn't find useful which helps keep the registry unclogged. In the past I'd load various Opera version into their own folders, never had a problem. But they were in the registry (bloat?). I learned that I could setup a version on one PC I used for testing software and simply copy the entire folder to another PC and the browser worked w/o having to load it from scratch on the 2nd PC (I have two of the exact same model PC's).

Question 1, is this acceptable to do w/o any problems? I've never encountered any issues but want to ask the forum experts if this could cause issues. Or, should I load each version I want to use onto the one PC, each in its own folder (Opera7.11, Opera10, Opera 12.63, etc...). I'm just looking to avoid putting any more entries into the registry than I need to. I've done this for years and even found I can take a copy of Opera on a flash drive and use it on the public library computers since they do not allow you to load software onto their PC's.

Question 2, I've used multiple versions of Netscape, I.E. on one PC at the same time also. Has anyone also simply copied a version of another browser and placed it into a folder on another PC and it works just fine? I think (too many years since I did it, can't remember how it worked) I've loaded netscape 7 or 8 on one PC and copied it to another and it worked.

Over the years I've used software for a while and then removed it for something newer or better but this gums up the registry. If there's software I can simply load on the test PC and copy onto the PC I use everyday, it seems like there's less chance of issues due to registry entries. Aida, Textpad, and other programs I use are not registered, just copied and placed on the appropriate folder, they all work just fine (so far).

BTW, once I get the KernalEx and Opera up and running, which version javascript should I use/what is the newest version I can load? Is Opera 12.02 the last version I can get to work with KernalEx?

In other words, the email address you supplied was for the droid1111 account and you managed to reset that.

Yes, it reset by sending out an email to me under the droid1111 name. It won't allow me to create and account under the opera7user name so it must still exist! Interesting. I asked it to send a password reset to opera7user's email but nothing arrives in the email account I use.

Each time Olde Opera was started up, the first thing it did was auto-communicate with Opera's servers silently,

I always use Zonealarm "block all Internet Access" when I'm not browsing and remove all browsers when I start Zonealarm up. Opera has never requested access when I start it so I assume it never communicated home.

the only ways to prevent the forced auto-updating of the protocol settings was to either disable the updater entirely or to block Opera's server URL access in the user's system firewall.

Firewall blocked when not using the Net and have never found a request from Opera to access the Net in my firewall's alarm list. I never use java, javascript only occassionally as it slows my connection down.

I finally set up the spare PC, KernalEx now loaded and working. It's gonna take time to set the PC up for everything to work like the old one (exact same model).

You can in fact use Opera versions up to 12.02 using a set of OS extensions called KernelEx.

Thanks Dave, I got it to work with no issues, I'll eventually get on line and see how Opera 12.02 works with KernalEx on my PC. But for now it's a matter of reloading all the software one-by-one on a fresh Win98SE install.

Opera pushed out a silent, forced 'fix'

I never allow auto updates on anything including the OS. I pick and choose, so Opera never would have been able to change my version of its' browser.

I do suggest a full system-drive backup to external media before the KernelEx install,
just on principles of good practice, since KernelEx does involve mods to the OS kernel

I'll be using a different PC so I'd be starting from square one and then adding the required software AFTER I load KernelEx. Any problems, I just start over, only thing I lose is time (and patience). Thanks for all the tech background. Currently downloading every Opera version around and will see what time brings about with Opera browsers going forward (Maybe I should learn to read Chinese

We used to complain when every few years our computers were replaced by newer faster models. Now everyday our toys get updated or outdated. This rush to buy or use the latest and greatest is nonsense. But in the case of many electronic items, it helps to empty your wallet, that's all the manufacturers really want.

They are different users, being droid1111 the oldest.
What happens if you try to login using the Opera7user account?

On Aug 12 I used Opera7user and the password and logged in. The next time I tried a couple of days ago it said either the user or password was incorrect. Tried resetting the password via email under the Opera7user name - nothing happened. Used the actual email address instead of user name and the reset link arrived. Now it only allows me to use the droid1111 name, Opera7user will not login. Thought maybe hackers had disabled the account but the email is still connected to the account just not the Opera7user name. Not of earth shattering importance but I did prefer the Opera7user name since it ID's the version I prefer. Maybe the change was in connection to the hack. At least my account is still there and no spam has arrived in the email account in months so I assume any hacking of this site didn't affect me directly.

When I posted back on Aug 12th the post showed my user name as Opera7user. Then after resetting my password as requested by the forums it now shows droid1111 as my user name. I can't recall which name I set the account up as ~2008 but notes I wrote down back then say Opera7user was my login. Can I get the Opera7user ID back?

What is it so precious about this Windows 98? Or is it just about vintage hardware?
I'm curious.

Vintage software, 98 is. Loads fast. Unlike Win 10 where you have no say in what MSFT wants to put on your PC or what info they mine off of it, MSFT has no connection to my 98 PC, keep your nose out of my computer!. Win 7 is the last MSFT OS I'll use, then it's on to Linux.

blackbird71 - Thank you. Nice technical reply and I do understand most of it. So the ver 10 had something removed in ver 10.63. I once upgraded the encryption on my Netscape browser, a company produced software to make the change, think it was 125 bit to 256 so I could still do online banking. Hoped something like that was available for the Opera 10 but my guess is, nothing short of rewriting code will achieve that and I don't write code.

Ah, I hadn't picked up that you were using Windows 98!
You can in fact use Opera versions up to 12.02 using a set of OS extensions called KernelEx.
It's not really for the non-technical, but search for it and see what you think.
If you can deploy it you can use Opera 12.02, which displays that estatesales.net page fine for me under
Windows 98.

I had downloaded the required software for the KernelEx extension for Win 98 a while back. Recall that some of the Windows Annoyances.org crowd used it (miss that Web site). Someday I'll set up one of my spare PC's and try to get it to work. Is it pretty much a matter of following instructions to get it to work?

Yes, newer windoze versions will allow Opera 11 and upward but my win98 only allows opera 10.63 so unless I wish to change the OS (no) I'm trying to figure out how to get Opera 10 or even 10.63 to work on that web site. For the Moderator - Why did my user name get changed from Opera7user in my Aug 12 post to droid1111 on today's post? Made logging in lots of fun since it won't accept the Opera7user name anymore.