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Updating desktop

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  • I mostly use it for the internet, but there were a couple of things I tried to download that can't work with windows XP, only windows 7 but the windows 7 upgrade says I need a new graphics card.
    But If I get an ssd and switch to Ubuntu that might be enough?
    I'm off to work now, be back around 5. :-)
  • that
    that Posts: 1,532 Forumite
    edited 14 October 2018 at 1:42PM
    in a year and 2 months windows 7 will be obsolete - End of life 14, January, 2020. I would not invest time in it.

    Windows 8.1, which is carp, end of life 10, January 2023

    Go to https://distrowatch.com/ and pick a popular linux distro from that, if you are unsure what you want linux wise. A 100000 lemmings can't be wrong :D

    End of the day, the best os is the one that works for you, and and one you can get along with it. For most this is windows, but does not have to be. Price-wise one is free, and the other is about £5 or less thanks to ebay :)
  • Windows is about £5 on ebay?
  • tonyh66
    tonyh66 Posts: 1,736 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    dell dimension 1100 thats a pentium 4 was it new 5 years ago when you bought it?
    Probably won't run (or badly run) any newer version of windows (2GB max memory). I would download a linux disto and try it without the SSD first you might be surprised how much better it is.
  • hampshirebabe
    hampshirebabe Posts: 649 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 14 October 2018 at 7:41PM
    It was new, but thinking about it it was probably a lot longer than 5 years ago. I've just spent an hour reading up on Ubuntu, which sounds doable, is linux disto about the same? Can I try it before I install it completely?

    Ubuntu is a Linux disto, so that would do it?
  • that
    that Posts: 1,532 Forumite
    edited 14 October 2018 at 9:46PM
    Windows is about £5 on ebay?
    Well you download the software from ms, and get the official key from ebay for £2.97
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WINDOWS-10-PRO-64-BIT-OFFICIAL-PRODUCT-CODE-KEY-GLOBAL-INSTANT-DELIVERY/202470100680?epid=1353442741

    you can buy 32/64 version for £3.77

    The whole windows installation software with key for £5.38, from Australia
  • tonyh66
    tonyh66 Posts: 1,736 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    that wrote: »
    Well you download the software from ms, and get the official key from ebay for £2.97
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WINDOWS-10-PRO-64-BIT-OFFICIAL-PRODUCT-CODE-KEY-GLOBAL-INSTANT-DELIVERY/202470100680?epid=1353442741

    you can buy 32/64 version for £3.77

    The whole windows installation software with key for £5.38, from Australia

    a pentium 4 with 1GB memory isn't going to run windows 10 64bit, so this is bad advice.
  • mksysb
    mksysb Posts: 406 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 100 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Ubuntu use Gnome3 which uses lots of memory. You should use Xubuntu which uses xfce as the desktop and will run very nicely on low memory.
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    And to answer the other question ... most Linux distros have a Live CD option where you can boot from CD/DVD (or USB pendrive) and run a fully-working "demo" of the distro. You could do this with several different ones to find which one you prefer ... once you've selected it then the Live CD will let you install it on your PC. (Make sure you've backed up all your data beforehand ... and remember that your Windows programmes won't run natively on Linux).
  • System
    System Posts: 178,325 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    I know it needs a new graphics card

    Why? Unless you are a gamer or do 3D CAD you will notice absolutely no advantage to upgrading your graphics card at all.

    Given the rest of your posts it appears you have a very old PC and would benefit from getting a newer one. I would go on Ebay and buy a refurbished Dell Optiplex 790 or similar with a Core i5 CPU. Get it configured with a SSD drive if that is an option available.
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
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