The people stuck using ancient Windows computers

[Jeff423]

Still sealed. PM if you need it.

 

[65-2x2]

I started out with DOS with a mono monitor, when I got an RGB monitor, and I was in high cotton. I can still remember some of the DOS
commands. /FR

When I was a senior in H.S. I worked part time at our State Department of Commerce. (1970) We had a state of the art computer that ran our Worker's Compensation and Unemployment Compensation departments. It was an IBM 360 (if I remember correctly) It took up about 2,000 square feet of space, dozens of people to operate it and it demanded tons of air conditioning to run the reel to reel tapes and sort the data. It most likely had less computing ability than a smart watch. It was a harbinger of the beginning of the end...

 

[DWalt]

So what I'm gathering here is that holding out for a 3.5 stiffie is a lot better than making do with a 5 1/4 floppy

I wonder if floppies of any size are still available. I suppose there may be as there are still some elderly computers remaining in use. I believe I may still have a couple of dozen in both sizes left over from the old days. I sort of remember installing a 5-1/4" floppy drive in my Tandy 1000. I was thinking about another early computer I used called a Compaq. Sort of portable but the size of small suitcase. It had about an 8" monochrome display. Fairly heavy to be a portable. PITA to use.

 

[bamashooter]

I like the older Windows programs. I tend to use them until they quit running. However, I have Grandchildern and a Wife. Every time one of them does something on one of my computers they tell my Wife that Grampa needs a new computer. So now I am learning to use a new HP laptop with Windows 11 on it.

My windows 10 HP notebook died a few days ago. Purchased in 2015. I also had Linux on it. Purchased a Windows 11 HP laptop with 16 GB of RAM. A little different but no biggie. I have ordered a case for my Windows 10 HDD. Hoping it is alive so I can pull files and apps from it.

 

[DWalt]

My windows 10 HP notebook died a few days ago. Purchased in 2015. I also had Linux on it. Purchased a Windows 11 HP laptop with 16 GB of RAM. A little different but no biggie. I have ordered a case for my Windows 10 HDD. Hoping it is alive so I can pull files and apps from it.

If your old HDD drive has not self destructed, you can remove it, put it into a cheap external drive housing, and copy all the files you need in it onto another computer. Sounds like that is what you plan to do. If the old HDD has self destructed and unreadable, sometimes the files on it can be recovered but it can be expensive. Mirroring your computer's HDD onto another HDD every so often is simple and cheap insurance against a HDD crash.

 

[glenwolde]

The people stuck using ancient Windows computers should install some version of Linux on their old computer. But I guess those unwilling to deal with upgrading Windows won't want to do that either