[The Cricketer]

How do I go about installing either XP or Windows 7 on it? Ive been told I need to get the drivers right, but I didnt understand what they meant if Im honest

The spec of the laptop is:-

>Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz
>Memory: 2GB RAM
>Hard Drive: 120GB

Is it a big / expensive job?

[jenzie]

nothing about "getting the drivers RIGHT!", install XP or W7 and go from there .....

if you have XP or W7 that is?

[TheBigM]

It's probably modern enough for drivers to not be an issue. I would recommend waiting a few more weeks and just buying a Windows 8 license.

[The Cricketer]

Originally Posted by jenzie

nothing about "getting the drivers RIGHT!", install XP or W7 and go from there .....

if you have XP or W7 that is?

I dont have anything, that why I am asking. Where to buy these things etc

[The Cricketer]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

It's probably modern enough for drivers to not be an issue. I would recommend waiting a few more weeks and just buying a Windows 8 license.

Ive only ever used XP, so happy with something that is the cheapest if Im honest

[cnbcwatcher]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

It's probably modern enough for drivers to not be an issue. I would recommend waiting a few more weeks and just buying a Windows 8 license.

Would W8 work on a PC with that kind of spec though? XP would run well and W7 would run but might need another gig of RAM.

[DJGM]

Originally Posted by The Cricketer

I dont have anything, that why I am asking. Where to buy these things etc

Buying Windows directly from The Microsoft Store (UK) is one way of going about it.

Alternatively, if you want a free OS, and can burn a DVD, get Linux Mint instead.

[barky99]

If I had that laptop with no OS I'd try linux on it ..... you could even run ubuntu live version (perhaps others too) from a dvd burned from an iso to see if you like it

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by cnbcwatcher

Would W8 work on a PC with that kind of spec though? XP would run well and W7 would run but might need another gig of RAM.

It would run just fine. XP is happy with 1GB+. Vista and up are fine with 2GB and up.

My current laptop has a C2D and originally came with 2GB and 120GB and it runs great on W8.

[DJGM]

Originally Posted by barky99

If I had that laptop with no OS I'd try linux on it ..... you could even run ubuntu live version
(perhaps others too) from a dvd burned from an iso to see if you like it

Except that Linux Mint is a better distro than Ubuntu these days, since it's more user friendly for novices, and the version
that I linked to in my earlier message uses the MATE desktop environment, which maintains a very Windows like layout.

The default GNOME 3 layout in Ubuntu is a hybrid mess of GUI styles combining elements of Android with a bit of OS X,
with the resulting GUI looking more like it should be running on a tablet device, rather than a desktop or a laptop.

[s2k]

Is there a Microsoft CoA sticker on the back of the laptop? If you cant see it, try removing the battery.

No sticker means you will need to source your own OS. Be it paying for a copy of Windows 8, downloading Linux or whatever.

If you have a sticker then you have a licence but will need a suitable installation disk for whatever it corresponds with + any drivers that dont get automatically installed. The latter can be picked up from the manufacturer's website. The former may be a bit more tricky.

[Thine Wonk]

Just so people know, drivers can still be an issue. I bought a relatively new laptop and put my own personal copy of Win 7 on it instead of putting up with Asus' bloatware.

What I found was that the ethernet and wireless cards work until I downloaded the drivers, neither did the AMD / ATI graphics card either.

[James2001]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

I would recommend waiting a few more weeks and just buying a Windows 8 license.

Or use XP or 7, which are actually decent OSes, unlike 8.

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by James2001

Or use XP or 7, which are actually decent OSes, unlike 8.

I could understand recommending 7, in no way could I understand recommending XP - an 11 year old system that is soon to run out of any kind of support.

[mac2708]

Originally Posted by DJGM

Buying Windows directly from The Microsoft Store (UK) is one way of going about it.

Alternatively, if you want a free OS, and can burn a DVD, get Linux Mint instead.

The Microsoft store appears to show 'upgrade' versions e.g that is if you already have a Windows operating system installed.
Although it's possible to use an 'upgrade' disc as a new installation - this is easier and cheaper than the Microsoft store
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-OE...9040331&sr=1-2

Using an upgrade disc http://www.maximumpc.com/article/how..._disk_fresh_pc

Personally I would go with W7 rather than W8

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

It's probably modern enough for drivers to not be an issue. I would recommend waiting a few more weeks and just buying a Windows 8 license.

why ? Windows 8 is designed for touch screen.

OP - Your specification looks fine for Win7 as long as you aren't doing anything too heavy duty on it.

[REDBUS]

Originally Posted by c4rv

why ? Windows 8 is designed for touch screen.

OP - Your specification looks fine for Win7 as long as you aren't doing anything too heavy duty on it.

^^ agreed ,go with 7 ,why pay good cash for 8 just to disable what is made for ie tough screen > pc/tablet/phone ,wait till 8 comes out and 7 prices crash imo

[Zenith]

Originally Posted by The Cricketer

...Ive been told I need to get the drivers right, but I didnt understand what they meant if Im honest...

If you Google the make/model of the laptop, you will probably find the manufacturers website listed where you can download any drivers you need after installing the OS.

[The Cricketer]

HP Compaq 6710b
Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz,
2GB Ram,
120GB HDD,
DVD RW

Havent received it yet - wil check for stickers etc when it comes

[killjoy]

Depends how it was wiped, there may be a copy lurking in a recovery partition.

[Stig]

Originally Posted by The Cricketer

HP Compaq 6710b
Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz,
2GB Ram,
120GB HDD,
DVD RW

Havent received it yet - wil check for stickers etc when it comes

So what's it? A private sale of an old PC, a refurb off eBay?

[TheBigM]

Originally Posted by c4rv

why ? Windows 8 is designed for touch screen.

OP - Your specification looks fine for Win7 as long as you aren't doing anything too heavy duty on it.

All I know is that I've been running various iterations of Win8 on a non-touchscreen laptop with a 2GHz C2D and I'm perfectly happy with it.

Most of the time, I'm sitting in desktop and I don't mind straying into the start screen now and again to do a start search and have a quick read of emails, calendar stuff, headlines via the Live Tiles.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by TheBigM

All I know is that I've been running various iterations of Win8 on a non-touchscreen laptop with a 2GHz C2D and I'm perfectly happy with it.

Most of the time, I'm sitting in desktop and I don't mind straying into the start screen now and again to do a start search and have a quick read of emails, calendar stuff, headlines via the Live Tiles.

I've been using Win8 for around 4 or 5 months now and I really don't see any reason for upgrading and everyone I have spoken to say the interface is worse then win7.

I have been through many iterations of windows from 3 onwards and of course there is resistance when there is a big change (I remember how hated XP was when it came out) but Win8 for me is a step in the wrong direction for non-touch devices. Never mind the lack of backward compatibility.

[Tassium]

I say there can never be enough discussions of the virtues of Win8.
---------

Sometimes it's also not that trivial a thing to do. But since you have bought the thing...

Apparently this was a Vista Business OS.

When a new laptop is purchased there is often on the hard-drive a hidden back-up of the operating system, just in case the installed operating system crashes badly or something.

The owner is supposed to make copies onto DVD of this backup when they first get the new laptop. Then if the OS does go wacky they can re-install from these DVDs


But I believe it's possible to re-install Vista (in this case) from this hard-drive backup even if the OS has been wiped, as long as the hidden files on the HDD have not been wiped.

I have never done this before however, so I don't really know.

When the laptop arrives:
Plug in the mains adapter.
Press and release the power on button (on the laptop somewhere, near the keyboard?)
Then press F11, keep holding it down until messages appear.

I can't say exactly what will happen next, if messages like "HP/Compaq System Recovery" come up then that's good news.

You might be able to create the DVD back-ups at this point. You will need 1 or 2 blank DVD-R now. It will likely tell you how many.

or

You will be able to re-install Vista directly.

---
But if you can make copies onto DVD I would definitely do this step, for extra safety. Then when it's done you can install from these DVDs as you would normally.
-----------
When the laptop arrives best communicate what the situation is in this thread.

[Zenith]

All the drivers are available here for different OS's:-

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport...g=8&taskId=135

...but hopefully, as mentioned above, you may still have a recovery partition on the HDD.

If you do have to install an OS from scratch, you will probably only need a few of the drivers on that site. If anything isn't working (as seen in device manager) or if anything is missing, just install the relevent drivers.