If you happen to be running an old PC somewhere that has Windows 95 or Windows 98 or XP, and you wished you had a way to install some newer updates on those systems, a new community-based project dubbed "Windows Update Restored" will allow you to do so.
The images below are taken from a demonstration video that was used to show how to proceed with the update once you visit this website (v3.windowsupdaterestored.com). The Internet Explorer version 5.5 is recommended.
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The site is labelled as not a secure website due to missing certificates. Speaking of security, the developer, on the FAQ section, has warned that an old system like this, even if you manage to download and install the most up-to-date patches, is not secure enough to be a daily driver. Instead, this is just meant as a fun experiment for Windows enthusiasts.
Does this make my system secure enough to be used as a daily driver?
No, while you can still install previously released updates by Microsoft, this doesn't mean that it will make your system secure enough to be used as a daily driver. There are many security holes, unsupported software's, and new modern internet security requirements in place like TLS 1.1, TLS 1.2, and TLS 1.3 which as now in place. The point of this restoration is to update your older systems to the latest updates and to relive the update experience.
On the About page, the dev explains that the aim of the project is to deliver all the Windows updates and how it was made possible thanks to the digital archives compiled by the Wayback Machine:
What Is This Website?: This website aims at bringing back every single version of the Windows Update Website that has ever existed (Unnofically). This will bring back the Windows Update feature for legacy operating systems like Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP! While this still is a work in progress, we are nearly complete with the restoration!
How do these websites work?: These websites work because first of all, we were able to download these websites from The Wayback Machine. We then modified the downloaded files and found missing files to eventually get the sites working. We were also able to redirect updates from being downloaded from Microsoft's servers, to our servers to ensure you will get every single available update, and you won't have to worry about the file being removed from the internet. We were also able to obtain these missing update files via The Wayback Machine which has been extremely useful throughout this project.
The image below shows the compatibility of the various Windows Update website versions. Currently, Windows Update v3.1(, ie, Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, and Windows ME,) is the only one working.
In case you proceed, do it with caution as this is an unofficial project. Just earlier today, we reported about a new ransomware dubbed "Big Head" which fakes a Windows update screen to fool victims. The malware then goes on to delete VSS backups too.
Source: Windows Update Restored (spotted by Tom's Hardware)
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