Bringing up to date an old notebook laptop

emerald21

emerald21 wrote: »

Hi do I need to get xp off the laptop first or not thanks

Ten years ago I had no interest whatsoever in computing lol but thought I'd better learn . I was 47 then. I ve learned quite a few things but would love to know more. Now I find I have a great interest in them it's just that I'm still learning things.

I'm determined not to throw this laptop away so I'm trying to follow everyone's kind advice and hopefully get there sometime. I have to use a mouse with it also as the touchpad has decided to stop working to.

Gyro

emerald21 wrote: »

Lol to be honest I don't know what the hell I m doing , it's just trial and error and more error think. I've put the original windows cd in but it won't work because it's an older version that's already in it ATM. First I would like to restore it to factory settings but as it's not f8 that gives me the option I don't know what is

You could always wipe the HDD completely using DBAN or something similar - then your Windows CD should install ok I think.
You'd still have to install your various drivers from your other CD as the new Windows install would have its own generic drivers which are sometimes not so efficient (especially display drivers) as the manufacturers drivers.

Anyway there's no rush is there. You still have a working computer, so you can mess about with the old one for as long as you like,

emerald21

Gyro wrote: »

You could always wipe the HDD completely using DBAN or something similar - then your Windows CD should install ok I think.
You'd still have to install your various drivers from your other CD as the new Windows install would have its own generic drivers which are sometimes not so efficient (especially display drivers) as the manufacturers drivers.

Anyway there's no rush is there. You still have a working computer, so you can mess about with the old one for as long as you like,

Yes indeed. Although it's frustrating and I tear my hair out sometimes I still quite enjoy it. My favourite is my iPad

Gyro

Your original problem was just that some (malware?) program was trying to get money out of you I think?

Have you actually tried a virus scan and maybe a Malwarebytes scan just to see if they can find some slimeball and squash it. Maybe you wouldn't need a reinstall at all then?

EDIT

You'd need to update the virus and Malwarebytes definitions first of course

closed

What exactly is the problem - currently you are being pushed (not very gently) down a wipe the machine with dban (overkill) and install some variant of Linux route, which might be slightly interesting for Linux junkies, but not really a solution to your problem, if indeed there is a problem at all.

You've got XP installed, it's working, what's the problem?

emerald21

Gyro wrote: »

Your original problem was just that some (malware?) program was trying to get money out of you I think?

Have you actually tried a virus scan and maybe a Malwarebytes scan just to see if they can find some slimeball and squash it. Maybe you wouldn't need a reinstall at all then?

EDIT

You'd need to update the virus and Malwarebytes definitions first of course

No someone said there might be a malware problem I just asked were there any free driver downloads as apparently something was wrong with the sound . Laptops very slow

emerald21

closed wrote: »

What exactly is the problem - currently you are being pushed (not very gently) down a wipe the machine with dban (overkill) and install some variant of Linux route, which might be slightly interesting for Linux junkies, but not really a solution to your problem, if indeed there is a problem at all.

You've got XP installed, it's working, what's the problem?

Lol folk are being helpful but lots of different advice. Yes xp installed it's working better than it was . At the moment I m waiting on updates installing there s 8 apparently and still on no 1 before the laptop shuts down. Then I ll switch it on again and see how or if I can update from ie 8 to 11. Originally very slow, about 9 years old also touchpad doesn't work so having to use a mouse. Looks as though it ll take a long time for these updates to install but at least it's trying now I m typing this on my iPad not the laptop.

henm2

As you are used to windows keep XP on it but turn your machine in a dual boot system of windows and a light linux based system such as LXLE or Peppermint 4.
Although the suggestions for example of Ubuntu and Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon are good for modern machines they might be too demanding of an old laptop.
LXLE http://lxle.net/
advice about setting up dual boot http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/dual-boot-windows-7-ubuntu.html although it mentions windows 7 and ubuntu the same principles apply to any windows/linux combination.

GetRealBabe

[QUOTE=henm2;64363503
LXLE.[/QUOTE]

Hi

Never heard of LXLE. It looks good. That is a distro I should have tried before Linux Mint, Xubuntu and several others. It might have ruined my adoration of Mint and Ubuntu.

(My laptop is 7 years old and Xubuntu and Mint run really well on it. So much that I'm putting off getting a new Windows laptop).

GetRealBabe

henm2 wrote: »

LXLE .

Hi

Never heard of LXLE. It looks good. That is a distro I should have tried before Linux Mint, Xubuntu and several others. It might have ruined my adoration of Mint and Ubuntu.

(My laptop is 7 years old and Xubuntu and Mint run really well on it. So much that I'm putting off getting a new Windows laptop).