Computer??

[jttheclockman]

When things go bad they go bad. Have a computer ??? I am running an old outdated system on my computer Windows XP64. It is no longer supported. It is starting to do wonky things. So I was thinking of upgrading to Windows 10. If i understand that is the latest. I hear some bad things about it but would this be the system to go to?? How hard is it to do this?? What needs to be done?? Will I lose everything that is on my computer now like all the programs that I have such as Photo software as Picture it microsoft word and things like this?? Will I lose all my favorites bookmarked and all icons on my desktop?? I am using Chrome if that matters.

I know nothing about computers so if something goes wrong I have no idea what to do next. If I were to have this done in a shop about what would it cost?? Is there a down side to doing this?? I am afraid when I get a new printer that my old system will not recognize the drivers and I will have problems installing.

Any thoughts??? Thanks

 

[skiprat]

I'm fortunate that work handles all my laptop issues and my eldest son is a uber geek with all things computer.
Having said that, for neanderthals like you and me, we have a big shop called PC World here and they will cater for all our issues. For a nominal fee you would take your old PC to them and they would take everything and plonk it on a new machine that you purchase from them. They will get it up and running in the shop and even help you with the registering etc.

I find that asking PC related questions leaves me more confused than before I started as if you were able to understand the answer then you wouldn't have had to ask the question in the first place.

Those big dealers may be a tad more expensive, but endless PC headaches is something I can do without. Hopefully you have one there too.

Nothing beats someone ( a PC Geek ) standing next to you to guide you and most often to show you just how simple things actually are.

I reckon you should go into one of those places and let some smart young kid help you out. :wink:

Good luck:biggrin:

 

[monophoto]

John

My computer came as Win 7 and was upgraded to Win 10. Win 10 is not bad - other than the fact that Microsoft can't seem to get it right, and has to do a complete update about every two weeks - something that they force to happen regardless of whether it is convenient for you.

There are a few things you need to think about. Each new generation of Windoze is larger than it's predecessors, and eventually you reach a point where you simply don't have enough disc space for the new software. It's possible that you won't be able to upgrade without getting a hew hard drive, and perhaps additional RAM.

The other issue is that some applications that were designed for XP won't run on Win 10. If you have enough disc space, it is possible to create a 'virtual machine' that emulates XP to continue to use those older applications. That happened when I upgraded from XP to Win 7, but frankly, it's such a hassle to use the 'virtual machine' that I never bother. Of course, the other issue is that you need a geek to set up the 'virtual machine' for you.

My suggestion is that you stop in at either Staples or Best Buy to talk to one of their geeks about your options.

 

[magpens]

My suggestion is like Skip's ... take your computer to a decent shop ... buy a new computer from them ( not necessarily one of the big name brands, but rather a custom computer that they put together for you to your requirements ... yes that involves a bit of a learning process in consultation with them )

I would not go to Windows 10 ... I tried it and absolutely hated it and got a refund.

I went back to Windows 7 which is still supported by Microsoft, as far as I know and it is much more user friendly and will look more familiar to you, as a current user of XP.

 

[hanau]

what browser are you using?
firefox and chrome will let you backup your bookmarks and password by signing in and syncing. But you have to do that first before changing computers or updating.

Internet explorer don't know.

If your running a xp box its best to replace the computer memory processors and stuff my not be able to handle windows 10.

The last computer I purchased i went to a local computer repair shop and purchased one of their ungraded computers towers and reused my monitor and and keyboards.

And if i have any issues the shop is 10 mins away.
My local store gives a warranty on their machines.


It cost the same as a tower from walmart or best buy but had more memory harddrive and better processors.

 

[jeff]

Do you need Windows? How about a Chromebook? If all you do is browse and email, Windows might be overkill.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Personally I only use Windows 7. Tried 10 and hated it. 7 has been very reliable for me and unless Microsoft can do better than 10 by a large degree Im keeping it.

 

[Carl Fisher]

Windows 10 is definitely best of the Microsoft breed and worth the upgrade if you must stick with the Microsoft route. It does require some horsepower though so a new machine may be in order.

If you actually sit down and figure out what you use a computer for, you may find that you can do all of it on something like a Chromebook as suggested by Jeff. I have one and was able to do most of my daily needs on it however it did fall short when it came to the need to edit photo/video but some of the online tools are getting better. Remember a Chromebook is all online services so you're using cloud based word processing, spreadsheets, webmail/gmail web interface, browser based tools and storing all of your stuff online.

A macbook is another option. I would recommend Linux to revive your old laptop but you'd have to be somewhat computer and tech savvy to go that route. I have many 10+ year old laptops humming along nicely on various forms of Linux.

End of the day though, Windows 10 will probably be the most familiar to you in the end.

 

[jeff]

Apologies if I seem to be pushing Chrome, but...

For spreadsheets and all that office type stuff on Chrome, you have Google Docs and Office Online, both free. Chrome has a built-in photo editor, and there are several free and paid image editors available as well. There are some mental recalibrations needed to go from Windows to Chrome, and you need good connectivity and comfort with the cloud, but it's worth the effort I think. I bought an Acer Chromebook 14 for $275 last summer and I like it. Great battery life, very light, good display.

 

[Akula]

Chromebooks all day long under $200 Just about everyone I know that made the switch, says they made the right choice. Simple, quick and low cost.

I would not upgrade from XP to Win10....first off it just might not even work. You will end up spending more time (and Money if you take it to someplace) and the performance will never be as good as a new system. Then if it even will upgrade, you run a high risk of your applications and hardware (printers ect) not working.

I'm a big windows and linux user.

So the chromebook is my suggestion to look at...my next suggestion, no matter what you end up going with...try and avoid those systems that have tiny (32 gig) drives.

 

[jttheclockman]

Went to Best Buy today and talked to a Geek. Some of these guys talk way over my head but I had his ear for almost 45 minutes. He was and knew right away he was not getting a sale today but he still took the time and he basically said what all you say. Best to upgrade everything because of the age of the computer. It would cost $200 to install Windows 10 and a few other peripherals like photoshop and coral draw and things of that nature. A new computer will run about $500. He did tell me though that my computer will accept any new printer. That is what got me into thinking I may have to change systems.

As far as what I do with it is basically emails, photo and pattern work for business and keep records. I visit web sites such as this. I store photos and use in various forums. I could downsize and not need much but I like my computer home version. No notebooks or ipads as I mentioned before.

Skip I do have a computer guy I had work done from at one time when my video card went bad. He diagnosed and replaced but it is a $50 charge just to look and comes off if he does the work. I may ask his opinions but for now I will just buy a printer and see if I can hook it up and have it work. I need this for my scroll saw patterns. If I can then computer gets put on hold till it craps out completely. Thanks everyone.

 

[WIDirt]

It may, or may not, matter to you that Windows 10 is a PI thief among the highest levels.

It is no secret that it listens to all things you search using Cortana, records all things searched using Edge, etc., etc., etc..

If you are concerned about your privacy in any way, and you still want Windows 10, consider upgrading to the Pro version, then have an uber geek (Thanks, Skiprat!) go through the settings and disable all the crap that is installed. Both Cortana and Edge CANNOT be removed as they are integrated right into the OS itself, however, they can be disabled in the Pro version, along with all the other stuff MS doesn't want you to disable.

You can research this all yourself, but Windows 10 is privacy nullification at its finest. (Along with all those smart TVs that listen and record every word you say in your house....)

Take this for what its worth, from an ex Sys Admin.

WIDirt

 

[studioseven]

I have windows 10 and this weekend it did an automatic update. It took over 6 hours, When it was done, my microsoft outlook won't work. I keep getting an error message that outlook is not enabled. Tried contacting MS but that was a waste of time. Did a search online for a solution. Seems I'm not the only one with this issue. The only two fixes I found was to uninstall MS Office and then reinstall. Tried that but it didn't work. The other solution was to download a file that update your drivers for a fee. I'm not installing any files from unknown sources.

Seven

 

[jttheclockman]

It may, or may not, matter to you that Windows 10 is a PI thief among the highest levels.

It is no secret that it listens to all things you search using Cortana, records all things searched using Edge, etc., etc., etc..

If you are concerned about your privacy in any way, and you still want Windows 10, consider upgrading to the Pro version, then have an uber geek (Thanks, Skiprat!) go through the settings and disable all the crap that is installed. Both Cortana and Edge CANNOT be removed as they are integrated right into the OS itself, however, they can be disabled in the Pro version, along with all the other stuff MS doesn't want you to disable.

You can research this all yourself, but Windows 10 is privacy nullification at its finest. (Along with all those smart TVs that listen and record every word you say in your house....)

Take this for what its worth, from an ex Sys Admin.

WIDirt

Heck I look something up for reference or sale and click on Facebook and here are all the ads for those products. Ads here track you as well. WindowsXP64 This is the world we live in today. Cameras everywhere , phones that can tell where you are and where you have been. They do not call them smart phones for nothing. Your car is locked into spyware. Anything today with electronics is suspect. Lets all buy the fitbit watches. You are being watched 24/7. Live with it. What do think this fad Bitcoin will do?? Add it to the list of tracking. I do not have many more years left here so it is not problem and if anyone wants to track me all day or any day they will get very bored.

 

[Joe S.]

Might be a little involved for what you want to do, but I'll mention it anyway:

I recently got a fairly cheap Lenovo Ideapad (<$200 on a sale), wiped Windows 10 off of it and installed Ubuntu Linux. Linux is like another operating system similar to Windows or Apple, but in my opinion it's much more trouble-free once you get it set up. Basically it's cheaper (the software itself is free) and easier to use, at the cost of being difficult to set up initially. You would need a full-blown uber geek to install it and do a few things to it.

Probably not what you are looking for but I've been pretty happy with how it works and how cost-effective it was. Honestly the Chromebook idea sounds like the way to go for trouble-free "works well out of the box" route.

 

[TellicoTurning]

My son burned a copy of Ubuntu for me when I was having trouble with my computer...this was a couple of years back now, but I installed the disc on my Dell and had it up and running in about an hour... didn't think it difficult at all and rest assured I'm no computer geek... I forget what I did yesterday to make something work on the computer.... real problem came when I switched back to windows os and uninstalled Ubuntu.... it left a couple of partitions on the computer that effected the load up... wound up having the system wiped and re-installed windows.... it was a little more cumbersome to work with, probably because I was in new territory and not sure of all the steps....thinking about going back there since MS has stopped supporting XP.... I have W7 on this machine and it's more problems than XP every was... not ever worked with W10, so can't comment there.

 

[sbwertz]

John, I am a computer consultant. Have had my own business for 35 years. First suggestion is DON'T go to Best Buy. Do yourself a favor and do a google search on "geek squad complaints." They have the worst reputation in the business.

Windows 10 has become quite stable after a year in service. I spend many hours a day on mine, and have yet to have a catastrophic failure where it just froze up. Mind, I run good virus protection and anti malware programs. Malware and viruses are the main cause of catastrophic failures these days. I finally gave away my win 7 machine this summer.

I run four win 10 systems...a laptop, a desktop and a little netbook, and an old dedicated laptop that I use for the laser burner. I pack it back and forth to the Blind Center every week. My husband also has a win 10 laptop. Now that they have had a couple of major updates, most of the bugs are worked out and it is a reliable operating system.

I really like Dell systems. I have three and they are all solid. I avoid HP. As a consultant, I work on a lot of HPs that have failed components. They just aren't very reliable. They have tried to keep the price down by using cheaper parts. It shows.

Acers have been good, and Asus. Samsungs don't cause much trouble. Lenovo laptops tend to have a problem with the hinge on the screen breaking. They still work, but the lids won't close properly once the hinge breaks and it has to go back to the factory for repair. It's not something that can be repaired at a local shop.

I have had good luck with factory refurbished systems. Several of my clients have bought them and had no problems with them. Mostly refurbed Dells.

First thing to do, though, is to go in and reset all the privacy settings in win 10. Google win 10 privacy settings and you will find step by step instructions for turning off all of microsoft's snoops.

Good luck with your shopping.

 

[Akula]

If possible, I would hold off right now buying a computer (don't care brand, age, speed, Apple, OS) if it has intel inside...there are going to be some issues.

The fix/patch/prayer is going to slow down every intel inside computer, tablet, phone everything.

If you have a item (phone, computer table ect) set to auto-update, I suggest turning it off until everyone gets a chance to see the end results. The roll-outs are coming in the next week (or two max).

 

[TonyL]

Chromebook may be a good way to go as Jeff suggested. I just bought 2 laptops and a desktop but i need them all to run MS Office applications within the last 10 days. I bought them all on sale at Costco which doubles the warranty and offers the concierge service. I did this when my laptop starting moving slowly and my wife's laptop's fan broke and was over heating. I switched very, very, reluctantly to windows 10 when it first came out and now I am used to it. I have my 3 year old dell touch screen laptop which I will ship to you for free - sometimes it works great and sometimes it is slow despite having plenty of ram of storage (and an i5 intel processor). Maybe you know a geek who can tune it up. I have had it sitting in my office next to me think about spending a few hundred to get it fixed, but a lot of time is not something that I have (not suggesting that you do). I haven't thrown it away because it still work. You are welcome to it. I don't want you to think I am handing you my junk. Folks do like those Chromebooks though. Seems like you have a few very good options.

BTW, I bought a Dell, Lenovo, and HP (despite having a poor experience with HP in the past. I used love HP..owned their computers, cameras, printers, and cameras...then they all broke months after their warranties expired....looks like they are making good products again). I had to return my Dell destop after 4 days because it was defective (bought the same model back and it has been fine). I bought my wife an inexpensive (under 500) Lenova and it has worked the best so far. The HP is used for a specific single purpose - so not much goes on with it. I had Acers and Asus and loved them, but that was 7 years ago, I don't know how good they are now. I would respect Sharon's experience over mine. I think it is all a crap shoot. That's why I buy on-sale, with a good basic warranty and return policy and pray . If I get 3 years from them, I am "happy".