Need Help to Choose between 2 PC's - Confused!

closed

Don't you have the operating system cd for it?

What were the symptoms when you switch it on?

Fitting a hard drive is a couple of screws, and 2 plugs, just need an XP disc, and the serial number from the COA sticker to install windows.

If it's 8 years old, it's probably a PATA/IDE drive, rather than SATA

JCB2020

Thought about buying a bare bones box and just loading an Linux OS
It will be even cheaper - why pay Microsoft when you don't have to!
All the software is free to

I have Ubuntu and Mint both do everything I need and more

thistledome

closed, when I tried to boot up I got a black screen with the message that Windows didn't close properly last time and a list of options (safe mode, last known good etc etc). Whatever option I chose it wouldn't boot and just took me back to that screen.

I also downloaded the 6 floppies from Microsoft for repairing (or is it recovering? whatever) Windows but they only got so far before reporting errors and being unable to continue. I've never had a Windows CD for this PC, only HP's own recovery discs, but they haven't worked for years because the Motherboard was replaced.

I had the Maxtor Utility CD that saved me a couple of years ago and ran that and it told me I needed to do a full scan. I did that and it gave me the error code caa2a770 and told me to backup data immediately and replace hard disc.

So if I went out and bought a new SATA HDD would it just plug into my 5 year old Motherboard in the same slot as the old one? Then I'd have to buy a new Windows and would Windows 7 work with my ancient components and 2gb of DDR ram (I don't think it can take any more ram either, it had 256mb from new)? I'd rather just buy a cheapo new one, I think. Am dithering now though.:o

JCB2020, I don't really know anything about Linux. Perhaps I'll go and read up about it. It's something I've always assumed is for computer boffins.

closed

Why don't the hp discs work?

You can use any equivalent windows CD, provided you have the serial no.

thistledome

I don't have a Windows CD of any kind. The last time I had a Windows CD it was Windows 98 and it came with my IBM Aptiva in 1999. Haven't see it for years so probably thrown out.

The HP recovery discs don't work because they are designed to work with the original Motherboard. I didn't know this and when the computer repair shop fitted a new M/board 5 years ago they never mentioned it either.

closed

Not quite sure what you mean, you boot from the recovery disc, and what happens?

Lots of people have xp discs floating around that you could maybe borrow

thistledome

Tbh, I can't remember the message I got, it was years ago. I didn't try and use them this time, as they only work with the original motherboard. Thanks for taking the time to help, but I'll probably just buy a new PC as soon as I can decide which one to get.