I just resurrected a very sick laptop and loaded Windows 7 and installed Microsoft Security Essentials. After I did that, my son said Security Essentials is not as good as some others you can get. He steered me to AVG. They have both a paid version and a free one. I'm using the free one and it seems sufficient to me so far.
Windows XP
- Thread starter deanodog
- Start date
Now you can buy an update for "this" in six months you will need an update for "that".
My suggestion, buy a refurbished computer from Dell. They are a good buy and good quality. They are preloaded with Win. 7,
At least take a look and consider. I have one and am very pleased. Got mine 1 yr. ago.
Just a suggestion.
My suggestion, buy a refurbished computer from Dell. They are a good buy and good quality. They are preloaded with Win. 7,
At least take a look and consider. I have one and am very pleased. Got mine 1 yr. ago.
Just a suggestion.
Not many quality systems with Windows 7 around, as many people are in the same boat as you. I purchased a new computer with Win 8.1 and have set it up to operate like the XP or Win7 for the desktop and I don't have the touch screen function - so far so good. There have been a few issues, but it is a quick learning curve if you read up on it - nothing major. My suggestion is to go with a notebook/or notepad if you are just needing it for web browsing and don't use any major software programs. If you do use software, you might as well replace your old unit as a Windows 7 upgrade will run you as much as a decent low end consumer laptop. Desktop models may be less expensive than laptop models. My new Dell laptop was $499 at Costco and is configured better than my 6 year old $1,200 Sony business model with XP that it is replacing. Hope this helps.
Pete99004
Pete99004
I've been using WXP for 12 years now, and just like Charlton Heston, they're going to have to take my old PCs from my cold, dead hands!
However, with that being said, back in early February I bought a new OptiPlex system from Dell with Windows 7. I already had it on my laptop and it's a stable, reliable operating system. I am also a tax preparer and I can't even envision preparing tax returns or spreadsheets with a touch screen. I know, W8 SP1 can now accomodate FPs.
My new system was less than $1,000, out-the-door, and so far, it's working just fine. I don't know what browser you're using, but WXP will only go up to IE8. My W7 system has IE 11. I've noticed that I am not able to fully load websites with my WXP system (GA, GB, GI, Bud's, etc). No problems at all with that new W7 machine. Most websites are now oriented towards W7-W8/IE 11 which has become the new I/T standard. I don't do Chrome or Macs, so I can't comment there.
I also "bit the bullet" (figuratively) and replaced the old laser printer as there are no W7 drivers for it. I upgraded (replaced) my eight year old router at the same time.
Buy a new system with all of the software pre-loaded at the factory. If you're an old duck like me, get a larger monitor screen so that you won't need to squint and you can see those skyrocketing GB prices more clearly. You'll also have a much better processor, video card, etc Just like paying the big bucks for a Model 29-2 (with a 6 1/2" barrel, of course) over time as you really begin to enjoy it, you'll forget how much it sandbagged your gun budget!!
However, with that being said, back in early February I bought a new OptiPlex system from Dell with Windows 7. I already had it on my laptop and it's a stable, reliable operating system. I am also a tax preparer and I can't even envision preparing tax returns or spreadsheets with a touch screen. I know, W8 SP1 can now accomodate FPs.
My new system was less than $1,000, out-the-door, and so far, it's working just fine. I don't know what browser you're using, but WXP will only go up to IE8. My W7 system has IE 11. I've noticed that I am not able to fully load websites with my WXP system (GA, GB, GI, Bud's, etc). No problems at all with that new W7 machine. Most websites are now oriented towards W7-W8/IE 11 which has become the new I/T standard. I don't do Chrome or Macs, so I can't comment there.
I also "bit the bullet" (figuratively) and replaced the old laser printer as there are no W7 drivers for it. I upgraded (replaced) my eight year old router at the same time.
Buy a new system with all of the software pre-loaded at the factory. If you're an old duck like me, get a larger monitor screen so that you won't need to squint and you can see those skyrocketing GB prices more clearly. You'll also have a much better processor, video card, etc Just like paying the big bucks for a Model 29-2 (with a 6 1/2" barrel, of course) over time as you really begin to enjoy it, you'll forget how much it sandbagged your gun budget!!
GreyOwl
Member
I guess Security Essentials on my computers didn't get the message from Microsoft as they quit working on the 8th, so I just replaced it with the free version of AVG.
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As much as I prefer XP over Win8, I would have to recommend going with an OS that still has security updates available.
A few years back I read articles that it was only a matter of minutes for a new PC to be attacked and infected after being plugged in. They would get infected before service updates could be downloaded and installed.
Never expose the computer to the evil internet, keep it behind a router of some kind.
A few years back I read articles that it was only a matter of minutes for a new PC to be attacked and infected after being plugged in. They would get infected before service updates could be downloaded and installed.
Never expose the computer to the evil internet, keep it behind a router of some kind.
It's all been said, so I'll just leave this here.....
CW Spook
US Veteran
It really all depends on what you want your computer to do. If all you want to do is check into this forum, you can buy a Chromebook like I'm using tonight for less than $200. If you want to run the serious ham radio software I run in the 'shack, you'll need a reasonably current Windows machine. There is NO Mac equivalent, and I refuse to pay to look at the Apple logo while I'm running Parallels or other Windows emulator. I still have one XP machine, an old Panasonic Toughbook which is the only machine I have that still has a true RS232 port for compatibility with radio programming software for earlier generation radios. I won't be using it on the internet, so security is really not an issue. My newest computer, about a month or two old, runs Win7. After 30 years in the computer business I've learned to avoid Microsoft OS versions with an even number.... Love or hate MS as you will, but 5 working computers in this house cost less in total than a new MacBook Pro.
quneur
Member
Unless you're really tech un-savvy, ie. all your clocks blinking on 12:00 AM, learning Ubuntu linux specifically isn't that hard. To get started, you need to learn the root/user system, folder/file system and permissions. From there, you may go a deep as you like. Ubuntu is the simplest to setup and run.
geddylee10002000
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Win 8.1 isn't that bad, in fact I really like it. Don't have a touch screen. Just bought a really nice gamer system at XMAS. Lots of horse power. Also bought a reconditioned Win 7 box for like $120 through Tiger Direct for my reloading room PC. It will run all my old XP chrony software in the XP mode. I have come to conclude the only constant is change! First started with a Commodore 64 with a 1541 floppy drive a long time ago. LMAO..... Apple is not in vocabulary. Never dabbled in Linux although I have heard it is very sound and secure. Might have to try it on a server.
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It's not just about XP. For some of us small businesses that run software that costs thousands of dollars and only work with XP will now have to upgrade our operating software as well as the computers to run them. The cost for us alone will be several thousand dollars.
About 2 years ago I bought a laptop to use while traveling and visiting my kids on other states. It has Windows 7. I gradually got used to it, not a big deal. As I used it more I gradually transferred the files I needed to save (I didn't realize how much old unneeded files I had on my XP machine, many dating to before I retired having to do with work). In March I unplugged my XP desktop, and used the 22" monitor, speakers, and wireless keyboard & mouse over to the laptop. Now when I travel I just unplug the monitor, speakers, etc and fold up the laptop and go. Yesterday I pulled the hard drive out of the XP desk top and this morning I took the old machine remains to a buddy that uses the parts. I don't miss it.
Comrad
Member
True the world is full of Windows but the day of OS leading has passed and it's about content now. The platform really is transparent, most people live on a browser and one is as good as the next. If you need Windows applications they run just fine on a MAC. The extra cost is well worth not having to rebuild, buy virus scanning software and just not having to put up with any grief at all.
Smith357
US Veteran
I went with Lubuntu 14.04, a lightweight version of Linux Ubuntu for my old notebook. Lubuntu comes with everything you need to get started, the only programs I needed to add was Gimp and Rawtherapy for post processing my raw photos. It is currently running like a champ on a 10 year old lenovo T60 machine with a 80 gig HD and 1 gig of ram, it's so much faster than XP ever was. I'm going to go with Ubuntu 14.04 on my 7 year old desktop as it has more power to run the heavier version, but it does not come with all the pre-installed apps, but they are all free and easy to add to the system. You can create a live CD or live usb flash drive for either and test them out first without having to actually install them. if you decide you like it you can install it right from the disk you made either along side you current OS so you can dual boot and still have all your data or you can wipe the HD and do a fresh install.
lubuntu | lightweight, fast, easier
Ubuntu PC Operating system | Ubuntu
lubuntu | lightweight, fast, easier
Ubuntu PC Operating system | Ubuntu
cmort666
Member
That is NOT necessarily true.
If all you needed was anti-virus software, Microsoft wouldn't spend tens of MILLIONS of dollars on finding potential and actual exploits and trying to protect against them.
Having up to date anti-virus software will LESSEN your chances of compromise, but if the OS ITSELF is compromised, there's a good chance that the anti-virus software won't even notice the exploit, since the OS will think it's normal behavior.
cmort666
Member
I recommend that you do some careful research before you choose a distribution (and a version thereof).
Linux is getting REALLY touchy about video these days. You may find yourself working REALLY hard to get the GUI working in a satisfactory way. You may in fact not even be able to INSTALL certain distributions if you have a particular video chipset or version thereof. This is especially true if you're going to use Gnome. On several recent occasions, rather than waste days trying to make Gnome work with older video chipsets, I've just punted and installed KDE.
I recommend that you do some Google searches on your video configuration and whatever distribution you plan to use to see if there are known issues. You could save yourself a LOT of hassles.
cmort666
Member
The Cleveland Clinic is still INSTALLING Windows XP machines.
They have so much niche, custom, and obsolete software that if they switched to 7 or 8, large parts of their operation would come to a halt overnight. They have software that nobody can make work on newer XP machines.
They'll probably be on XP for YEARS to come.
GRIZZLYBEAR
US Veteran
I had the same issues: should I replace the XP that the wife has a love affair with or let her continue to run it. Well we decided to take a chance and run with the XP until it died. Guess what not only did the XP on the wife's tower die, but, after it died she got my laptop with XP and it also died a couple of days later.
I tried to talk the better half into going with a MAC but I was shot down...So being a gambler; I got myself a MAC laptop and a tower with Window 8.1 for the old lady. I had my computer guy load a free program on the tower to make the screen look like XP and the old lady has been a happy camper since she got the new and faster machine. Now, it a shame he make the MAC look like an XP..I am not computer savvy and hope I can figure out this system in 4 or 5 years.
I tried to talk the better half into going with a MAC but I was shot down...So being a gambler; I got myself a MAC laptop and a tower with Window 8.1 for the old lady. I had my computer guy load a free program on the tower to make the screen look like XP and the old lady has been a happy camper since she got the new and faster machine. Now, it a shame he make the MAC look like an XP..I am not computer savvy and hope I can figure out this system in 4 or 5 years.
cowart
US Veteran
These guys have some answers about how to make Win8 be like Win7
How to make Windows 8 look like Windows 7 - CNET
bad2006z71
Member
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Windows 8.1 does seem to suck for a desktop user.
8.1 with Classic shell works just like windows 7 for me.
8.1 with Classic shell works just like windows 7 for me.
