HP Compaq NX9600 -- Adding Memory

1492 wrote:
Compaq doesn't provide drivers for WIN 10/WIN 7 for the NX9600. So basically wasting your time/money purchasing any upgrades for this project. Not surprising for a 2005 era laptop? Best just recycle it?

Performance on WIN 10 with just 2G memory would be pretty pathetic? Even if just browsing the Net as memory usage tends to rise with all the integrated website media/scripting and multiple tabs open. I generally install at least 16G+ memory on all my WIN 10 notebooks/desktops, so long as memory is not soldered into the motherboard - something to check with notebooks?

You should be able to find a good used more recent notebook, with a much faster processor such as a core i5, with WIN 10 already installed. Possibly also with an SSD for around $200.

Umm, yeah, right..

You do realize that you CAN work around the lack of driver support by using the driver INF files from OLDER OS?

INF files are a text file which IDs the hardware brand and model, then tells the OS what GENERIC WINDOWS DRIVER TO USE!

YES, I HAVE DONE THIS so I do know it works!

The main ones are the chipset which is where the USB hardware resides (which catches the USB keyboard/mouse HID driver) although on that old of hardware the built in keyboard COULD be PS2, Video, but Win10 CAN sub in the BUILT IN GENERIC video driver (and it works pretty well), audio (generally Realtec), Network (wired and wireless), perhaps a webcam and mic.

Is the OP wasting time?

Perhaps, but sometimes playing around gives you a better understanding of the OS and the OP already has it, has a win7 license and Win7 license CAN be used in a upgrade mode to activate Win10..

I think OP will run into more issues trying to install Win7, MS when they kicked Win7 to the curb unlike with XP, they DELETED ALL driver support form the MS UPDATE SERVERS. Installing things like printers on Win7 is pretty much impossible unless you have a XP, Win2000 or Win7 driver disk laying around..

Starting with Win7, MS REMOVED pretty much all legacy drivers for printers and a lot of other hardware.. To install you HAD to allow Win7 to run Windows Updater to find the missing drivers. The problem now is those update webpages no longer exist, rendering Win7 an orphan child.

I HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE IT with trying to find Win7 drivers, not fun and plenty frustrating. Had to scramble back when Covid shut down everything to stand up a PC in a hurry for my DW to be able to work from home.. I had a Win7 PC I had setup for my DD back when she was in High School so PC was handy..

Had to get Win7 to talk to a older Brother printer/fax/scanner so my DW could do her job (remember, stores were shuttered so buying new was not an option).. After searching high and low on the Internet for drivers I was about to give up and discovered I had a old CD for that unit! It was marked XP/Win2000.. Loaded the disc, pointed Win7 to the INF files (not the installer program)and wala.. Now had a working printer/fax/scanner..

If I wasn't up against a time constraint, I would have simply just blasted a PC with a copy of Win10, would have been a whole lot easier..

Win10 DOES work the same way, had a HP industrial/retail PC (RP5800), MS Win10 does not support that PC in any way, shape or form, HP also does not support that PC either for Win10, no drivers available for Win10. But I WAS able to install Win10, point it to the INF files for the last supported OS and Wala, working video, working USB, working sound, working NIC card..

Many hardware devices are built in groups of "families", using similar chip in the family that can use same drivers, older chips often can be used with a newer version of drivers.. Have done that plenty of times with NIC drivers for imaging HDs from older version of Ghost.

Just because there is no direct support, there are often ways to work around the problem..

Sometimes it is more about the principle that folks say it can't be done that makes one WANT to do it just to show that it CAN be done.

Is a P4 going to win the Indy 500? No, but it is plenty of horsepower to surf Internet, write some emails, write word docs or spreadsheets, even stream/play SD video.. Not so much for HD video or playing the latest HD video games..

Give the OP a break.