Yes, it's slow, has compatibility problems and constantly bugs you asking for a password.
I disagree. Yes, Vista is a bit slower than Windows 7, I've seen no comparability issues worse than Windows 7, and UAC can be tweaked to behave as you want, but admittedly the default setup is better in Windows 7.
Technically speaking since its Vista Business OP can legally downgrade to XP Professional. It would still require suitable media though. Whenever I've downgraded off-the-shelf systems like this the manufacturer has always supplied a suitable disk with an XP key slipped into it. I think the process is more complicated if you try and do it with generic media as you first need to obtain a valid key from Microsoft in exchange for your Vista one.
Otherwise just get obtain an OEM Vista disk and use the key on the sticker to activate it. You will need a few drivers from the manufacturer's website too.
I agree. I don't think I would have wanted to use Linux as a kid either as I played a lot of games (what kid doesn't ) on the PC and I would have been annoyed if they didn't play.
Buy XP FULL off Ebay. (not XP Upgrade, you have nothing to upgrade)
I have only ever used XP Pro, but I suppose XP Home is fine too.
There are DELL OEM versions of Win XP on Ebay cheap, I don't know if these will work on an HP/Compaq
Don't forget to get a serial number (Product Key / COA) with the disk. Some people might just sell the disk on it's own, that's no good.
Buy XP FULL off Ebay. (not XP Upgrade, you have nothing to upgrade)
I have only ever used XP Pro, but I suppose XP Home is fine too.
There are DELL OEM versions of Win XP on Ebay cheap, I don't know if these will work on an HP/Compaq
Don't forget to get a serial number (Product Key / COA) with the disk. Some people might just sell the disk on it's own, that's no good.
Does it have to be NEW/Unused or can it be used, and no longer on another machine?
OP, I would strongly urge you to not get Windows XP. It is already an out of date system and is no longer supported except for those who pay for support and updates. It is already behind on things like software support - e.g. it can't go beyond IE8.
If you are really going to buy one - buy Windows 7.
Since cost matters to you, there's no harm in downloading a copy of Windows 8 Enterprise for free from Microsoft's website and using that for 3 months - if you can run it, you can run Windows 7 just fine too.
Mr. Cool - yes, I see no issue in running WDDM. My point was I have a similar laptop - a Vista-era laptop with a 2GHz C2D and it runs on 8 great.
have we established whether there is a recovery partiton ?
if unsure then on a working computer download the latest gparted live distro from internet and burn it to a cd or dvd AS AN ISO FILE (in whichever burning software the computer has) ........
then set the bios rom on your problem laptop to boot from the optical drive. then do it and gparted will run. if there is a fairly smallish disk partition then that will be the recovery system. you can use gparted to make this bootable then just start up the computer again .....
if no recovery system is present then you will have to beg borrow or steal a operating system. one possibility is online free recovery discs for yhour particuar model (files to burn AS ISO). since you have the windows license it is quite legal to do this ......
........ otherwise one of the linux distros will give you a tempporary working machine until u decide what to do ....
....... if you can find an installable version of windows then as said the correct drivers for that particular computer can be added ....... without them youll get a basic display but probably no sound or networking .....
..... of course there is freeware for linux. including virtualbox which will run windows stuff in a virtual machine ...... but you can get open source office software etc for nothing ......
.... if unsure then create gparted bootable on a blank new dvd as said. and if there seems to be recovery partition then make this bootable as said. even if nothing happens -because recovery partition is damaged - at least you will be no worse off. and u will have a gparted bootable disk that shows the partitions on any computer ......
nowt wrong with older versions windows ...... but where these no longer get updated make sure u have good free antivirus and firewall and latest version of whichever web browser ......
have we established whether there is a recovery partiton ?
if unsure then on a working computer download the latest gparted live distro from internet and burn it to a cd or dvd AS AN ISO FILE (in whichever burning software the computer has) ........
then set the bios rom on your problem laptop to boot from the optical drive. then do it and gparted will run. if there is a fairly smallish disk partition then that will be the recovery system. you can use gparted to make this bootable then just start up the computer again .....
if no recovery system is present then you will have to beg borrow or steal a operating system. one possibility is online free recovery discs for yhour particuar model (files to burn AS ISO). since you have the windows license it is quite legal to do this ......
........ otherwise one of the linux distros will give you a tempporary working machine until u decide what to do ....
Please dont be offended. I have absolutely NO IDEA what you are saying in this post!! HELP!!!
past few years most laptops have been sold with a recovey partition on hard drive. which reinstalls the factory default operating system even if the main part of the disk has been "wiped" .......
to see if this is still on the disk ...... regardless of which keys u have to press on a particular model of computer which varies per manufacturer ....... the easiest way is to created a gparted boot disk as said. this runs a small self contained programme on the actual disc and does not need any software on the computer.
if the recovery partition does exist then gparted can also make it bootable. instead of the main part of the disk which has nothing on it. then next time the computer runs it will initiate the factory default operating system reinstall .......
.... otherwise some people do post recovery discs online. if there is one for your model of computer this can reinstall operating syte even if recovery partition on hard disk is empty ......
... the other options are either use a linux distro ....... a free linux operating system that self installs .... or buy an official copy of windows from microsoft or official spare recovery disks from computer manufacturer which can be quite expensive ......
you should investigate the recovery partition first as best avialable option if its still there.
using a working computer to create a bootable gparted dvd may sound daunting but is actually fairly easy. once done u put it in optical drive of computer under investigation .... for it to boot the computer must "look at the" dvd drive before it tries the hard disk. this can be set in the bios options. to get these in nearly all computers hold down f2 key while powering up .......
A Puppy Linux Live CD gives you (for free) a full-speed OS booted from the CD drive. No need to install it to the hard drive. You can give it a try without disturbing the Windows files at all and discard it if you really don't like it.
It will also clearly display (on the desktop) any recovery partitions that you have.
It also contains gparted as one of its applications in the menu.
possibly easiest as already suggested is attempt "hotkey" resovery. this assumes:
you know the key combo for factory default sytem recovery on that particular computer. usually alt + (a function key) just afterpower on.
hoykey recovery has been enabled in the computer bios rom
if necessary then the special manufacturer boot sector is still on the disk
the recovery partition is till intact
...... whereas gparted will show if a recovery partition is present, and let u boot straight into it which bypasses the slightly different methods used by various manufacturers .....
Comments
But will it run WDDM (required in Windows 8)? Hard to say.
Yes, it's slow, has compatibility problems and constantly bugs you asking for a password.
I disagree. Yes, Vista is a bit slower than Windows 7, I've seen no comparability issues worse than Windows 7, and UAC can be tweaked to behave as you want, but admittedly the default setup is better in Windows 7.
Otherwise just get obtain an OEM Vista disk and use the key on the sticker to activate it. You will need a few drivers from the manufacturer's website too.
I agree. I don't think I would have wanted to use Linux as a kid either as I played a lot of games (what kid doesn't
What is the next step?
I have only ever used XP Pro, but I suppose XP Home is fine too.
There are DELL OEM versions of Win XP on Ebay cheap, I don't know if these will work on an HP/Compaq
Don't forget to get a serial number (Product Key / COA) with the disk. Some people might just sell the disk on it's own, that's no good.
Does it have to be NEW/Unused or can it be used, and no longer on another machine?
I'm sorry I don't know.
If you are really going to buy one - buy Windows 7.
Since cost matters to you, there's no harm in downloading a copy of Windows 8 Enterprise for free from Microsoft's website and using that for 3 months - if you can run it, you can run Windows 7 just fine too.
Mr. Cool - yes, I see no issue in running WDDM. My point was I have a similar laptop - a Vista-era laptop with a 2GHz C2D and it runs on 8 great.
If you mean games you're probably right.
I wouldn't bother with XP though, go straight to W7.
So Vista is banned in your house as well? It's banned in mine
if unsure then on a working computer download the latest gparted live distro from internet and burn it to a cd or dvd AS AN ISO FILE (in whichever burning software the computer has) ........
then set the bios rom on your problem laptop to boot from the optical drive. then do it and gparted will run. if there is a fairly smallish disk partition then that will be the recovery system. you can use gparted to make this bootable then just start up the computer again .....
if no recovery system is present then you will have to beg borrow or steal a operating system. one possibility is online free recovery discs for yhour particuar model (files to burn AS ISO). since you have the windows license it is quite legal to do this ......
........ otherwise one of the linux distros will give you a tempporary working machine until u decide what to do ....
Please dont be offended. I have absolutely NO IDEA what you are saying in this post!! HELP!!!
past few years most laptops have been sold with a recovey partition on hard drive. which reinstalls the factory default operating system even if the main part of the disk has been "wiped" .......
to see if this is still on the disk ...... regardless of which keys u have to press on a particular model of computer which varies per manufacturer ....... the easiest way is to created a gparted boot disk as said. this runs a small self contained programme on the actual disc and does not need any software on the computer.
if the recovery partition does exist then gparted can also make it bootable. instead of the main part of the disk which has nothing on it. then next time the computer runs it will initiate the factory default operating system reinstall .......
.... otherwise some people do post recovery discs online. if there is one for your model of computer this can reinstall operating syte even if recovery partition on hard disk is empty ......
you should investigate the recovery partition first as best avialable option if its still there.
It will also clearly display (on the desktop) any recovery partitions that you have.
It also contains gparted as one of its applications in the menu.
you know the key combo for factory default sytem recovery on that particular computer. usually alt + (a function key) just afterpower on.
hoykey recovery has been enabled in the computer bios rom
if necessary then the special manufacturer boot sector is still on the disk
the recovery partition is till intact
...... whereas gparted will show if a recovery partition is present, and let u boot straight into it which bypasses the slightly different methods used by various manufacturers .....