# Microsoft Virtual Machine **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848 "2001-02-09T23:15:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/1 "2001-02-09T23:15:28Z")
I was participating in an online conference the other day, which was implemented as a Java applet in a browser. Internet Explorer told me I needed the Virtual Machine to be able to run it, so I went to the Windows Update page and totally failed to find it. Have they withdrawn this product completely now, because of lawsuits and/or general pissiness, or am I just looking in the wrong place? I have IE 5.0, if that makes any difference. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/2 "2001-02-09T23:34:25Z")
I hope the link works [Microsoft Virtual Machine for Windows 98](http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm?FinishURL=%2Fdownloads%2Frelease%2Easp%3FReleaseID%3D27433%26redirect%3Dno) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/3 "2001-02-09T23:35:21Z")
Better get IE 5.5+ > **[Free Software Downloads and Reviews for Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS – CNET...](https://download.cnet.com/)** > > CNET Download provides free downloads for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android devices across all categories of software and apps, including security, utilities, games, video and browsers ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/4 "2001-02-09T23:39:55Z")
handy, To the best of my knowledge, having 5.5 doesn’t matter. It’s part of Visual Studio or something…I don’t know the innerds of it all but I have downloaded Virtual Machine on Win98 computers many times in the past…specifically with 5.0. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/5 "2001-02-10T00:54:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by techchick68 \* > \*\*I hope the link works > > [Microsoft Virtual Machine for Windows 98](http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm?FinishURL=%2Fdownloads%2Frelease%2Easp%3FReleaseID%3D27433%26redirect%3Dno) \*\* It didn’t work for me because of that wrap problem with long URLs, but I think this is the same place you were pointing to: [Microsoft Virtual Machine for Windows 98](http://www.microsoft.com/java/vm/dl_vm40.htm) [sub](Someday they will fix that long URL problem, I know they will, I just know it.)[/sub] Jim ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/6 "2001-02-10T01:32:42Z")
techchick was right (and really, is she ever wrong?) It worked fine, even with my 5.0 browser. The link also worked for me. I don’t know why JimB had trouble with it. I’m not sure why they make it so hard to find, but maybe I was looking for it wrong. I tried the automatic download from the Internet that popped in IE. I also tried the Window’s Update pages and a search of the site. All to no avail. I really wish pages would be coded to use the Java plugin rather than the applet tag. I have no trouble finding the plugin. Thanks techchick! ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/7 "2001-02-10T02:12:01Z")
No problem Greg. I have been known to be wrong, or not have all the facts though 😉 Anyhow, as far as finding stuff on Microsoft’s website, I used to be a reseller (tax license and all) and usually have better luck finding files and such via: > **[Cloud Computing Services | Microsoft Azure](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/?ocid=cloudplat_hp)** > > Invent with purpose, realize cost savings, and make your organization more efficient with Microsoft Azure’s open and flexible cloud computing platform. This gives you a better way to access files, just hit the Support site from there then downloads. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/8 "2001-02-10T04:49:10Z")
I wasn’t taking anything away from **techchick**. She is right as usual. The problem I had has to do with the way _vB_ wraps long URLs. It adds a space after about 100 characters. Netscape leaves the space in the URL and the URL doesn’t work. IE translates the space to “%20” and inserts it into the URL. In this case it doesn’t cause a problem, sometimes the extra translated space does cause a problem. I just found a URL to the same page that **techchick** referenced that would work with Netscape, too. Sorry about the sidetrack. Jim ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/9 "2001-02-10T16:03:00Z")
techchick68, if you update to IE 5.5+, it gives the option to put in fancy things like Java if you don’t have them. That’s why I suggested that answer 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-virtual-machine/53848/10 "2001-02-10T16:17:12Z")
Well handy, had you explained as much in your first post we all might be on the same plain. 😉 'Sides, 5.0 works just fine for many and not everyone has the speed nor the time to spend downloading it. Then again, one could order the CD but what fun is that?