How to restore old computer

Posted: 08/29/18 08:01am Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator
Edd505 wrote:

GordonThree wrote:

X2 on 1492's SSD suggestion. It will make a world of difference for an old computer.

If the machine has a windows 7 or 8 sticker you can still get a free upgrade to windows 10.


How???


Check this out. It works good for mass production computers that have their activation key stored internally, like Dell, Acer, HP.

Clicky

THANKS - it worked for me on my HP no problems

Puttin wrote:
I have a related question: I have an older laptop that is about 20 years old and has XP. I love that OS but I'm told no one can erase the old corrupted XP and reinstall a new one because it's un supported. Is that true? Just before I got the "blue screen of death" I had alot of extra ram installed. I'd really love to start using this old HP laptop again and I hate the newer OS's which just seem ridiculous to me. XP had a very simple photo program that has never been duplicated. Thanks in advance and I hope I don't get flamed.

Hold the obit on your old laptop. It might be possible to install free software called Cloudready. Cloudready is based on Google's light weight web-centric Chrome operating system. You can install Cloudready, but also keep Windows, or switch back and forth. A New York startup called Neverware specializes in bringing back to life old laptops and many thousands are running in the New York school system. Neverware charges the schools, but as an individual you get it for free. Using the software is simple, but installing it can be a challenge.
Cloudready works best on Mac's shipped after 2006 and Windows laptops shipped after 2007. Neverware has a list of system requirements and certified models, but if yours is not on the list it still might work.
The revived laptop will function like a Chromebook, even though it's not. If you go to Youtube there are some Cloudready video's to check out. Google Neverware, you might be able to bring that old laptop
back. Maybe give it a try before the garbage can, but 20 years is pretty old.

Thank you for all that. I've just quit trying to see what I can do with it. I still have an older laptop with Win7 on it which isn't so bad. I use when we're on the road in the rig. The picture program was definitely part of XP and it was called something like "pictures and scanner" or something like that. Thanks again.

The photo download program was probably one that came with the camera, many used to have those, or maybe even Picasa, which is a very easy program to use.

Your computer should have come with either a restore disk, a OS disk, or a hidden partition with XP recovery on it. Without any of those options, you'll need someone familiar with loading and setting up an OS from scratch if you want to get your old computer running. Which doesn't guarantee that the photo program you want will be installed. I don't believe it will be worth it in the long run.

If you like Word, then you can download Open Office and use it for all your Word documents. It is very much like Word so the learning curve is pretty easy if you're used to Word. It also has Calc which you can use to open and work with Excel spreadsheets and databases. And it's free.

The photo download program was easy and intuitive, when I plugged my camera in with the usb cord, the program immediately came up. From there it only prompted you to download all or some of the pictures. There were some other options too, but the the most important were the prompts to store them and where- it was very easy. The program I have in our desk computer is it's hard to even access the download procedure- the computer never recognizes the camera and doesn't give a list of probables to choose from...I could go on and I'm definitely not a geek, but that's just the point...with XP I didn't have to be. No, I don't have the original disk, the machine came with the OS already downloaded, and no other software. It had Word and other programs on it too which I really liked. When we bought this new thing, I just assumed Word would be there too- it wasn't. That means that any document I create, I have to do it and do any final editing and any subsequent editing on another older laptop with the program on it. I then have to take the file and email to myself if I want to access it on our desk computer. I couldn't even print it...I finally had to email the document to my daughter's Apple so she could do it. These work-arounds drive me crazy. I think all these machines and programs were designed by the geeks we all made fun of in high school...they're getting back at us now.

I don't know that it can't be done, but it could be a bit of work. If you have the installation disk that came with the laptop, or a copy of the recovery partition, you should be okay. If not, then you'll be doing a lot of work to find all the drivers necessary for a laptop that old that will work with XP.

Please explain this simple photo program, and why you really want it. I don't remember anything special about XP and photo programs. There are lots of simple photo programs out there that may do the trick.

No reason to get flamed, I'm still running Windows 7 and will continue to do so. Windows 10 is a train wreck of an OS, anything that's designed for a mobile platform and forced onto a desktop is a real POS. I can use it since Peggy's new laptop has it, but everything seems to just take an extra step, or another mouse click to get done what you want to do.

I have a related question: I have an older laptop that is about 20 years old and has XP. I love that OS but I'm told no one can erase the old corrupted XP and reinstall a new one because it's un supported. Is that true? Just before I got the "blue screen of death" I had alot of extra ram installed. I'd really love to start using this old HP laptop again and I hate the newer OS's which just seem ridiculous to me. XP had a very simple photo program that has never been duplicated. Thanks in advance and I hope I don't get flamed.

The SSD recommendation is not so much for gain in speed in your case, but more for reliability over mechanical hard drives. Though the point of which OS is also an important. You definitely do not want an OS with no security patching support these days when connected to the Internet.

wa8yxm wrote:
I will say this. IF IT WORKS at all. and it IS NOT A DELL. I might be interested. but yours is a Dell and I don't want any.
(Nothing really wrong with the computer... But the company ticked me off).

You mean like using Dallas 1wire chips to sell laptop power supplies? ("unrecognized power supply, no charge, super slow cpu speed") LOL.

I will say this. IF IT WORKS at all. and it IS NOT A DELL. I might be interested. but yours is a Dell and I don't want any.
(Nothing really wrong with the computer... But the company ticked me off).