Win98SE updates with clean installation

I think the updates download to a temporary folder and then get installed.

I do not think you can back them up, and quite frankly it's a really bad idea to begin with.

You want a clean OS install with all current Windows updates preserved (i.e. all addditional data & programs & their registry entries, etc. are removed, but the Windows system itself is preserved as is)?

If it's even possible (& if it is it would not be a perfectly straightforward process), you'd be discarding a large portion of the benefits of a "clean install". Definitely a bad idea.

If the reason you're thinking about this is because you have a slow connection & you want to save time downloading updates, why not just order the Windows security update CD from Microsoft (all you've gotta pay is shipping/handling): http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.asp

Craven de Kere and Monger, thank you both for your replies. I really must resist these suicidal tendencies Thanks for the suggestion Monger I think that just might be the way for me to go.

You can do a clean install then download the updates from the link below without automatic installation. You can keep them in a folder and you can install them manually.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp

Cyanure, thank you for your input, your information is very useful, but for now I shall be ordering the CD as suggested by Monger, who correctly guessed that I am on a dial-up connection and don't want to tie up the phone line for hours. Thanks just the same for your help.