Thread: Old XP desktop learns a new trick

I've been getting jerked around by Microsoft for about 20 years, but this is a new one to me.
I guess I can now say I've had an "out of box" experience. Check out the blue header.

I need a new desktop. Also my 2 year old Compaq laptop is getting flickering monitor disease. I wonder if I should just get a new laptop and use the old one for a desktop, plug in a monitor and a standard keyboard. Any ideas? Mac's don't crash like this, do they?

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Over the years I've learned that any install of Windows is only good for a few years. Sometimes longer but in many cases you'll just end up getting error message and overall instability. Back up your data and reinstall the OS. If you don't know how or don't want to spend the time just back up your data and take the machine to a computer shop. I recently took my wife's machine in and it was $60 have the OS reloaded. Since then it's worked great. I can do it myself but for the $60 it's just not work the hours in front of the machine.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

I've been getting jerked around by Microsoft for about 20 years, but this is a new one to me.
I guess I can now say I've had an "out of box" experience. Check out the blue header.

I need a new desktop. Also my 2 year old Compaq laptop is getting flickering monitor disease. I wonder if I should just get a new laptop and use the old one for a desktop, plug in a monitor and a standard keyboard. Any ideas? Mac's don't crash like this, do they?

If you are cheap you can do that but why bother?
The Desktops and Laptops have much better Ram and hard drive.

I am guessing if it is not about a few hundred bucks or so that you still love XP.
Windows 7 is way better .

Just download all your info to a new one or get Carbinite so the devise does not get you attached to it.
With carbonite you can see al your files even from a phone.

I became attached to XP because they were making all those netbooks with atom drives with XP since they could not handle a more bloated OS .

Funny how fast Netbooks disappeared once the i pad arrived.

I agree with Matt, reloading the OS can solve many problems, but you need to set aside some significant time to do this.

John,
Flickering monitor-----
Have you tested your video card ?
Even if the system test on the video card does not show a problem you might be well served to swap it out with a known working one as a diagnostic procedure.

I tend to drag things way past their considered usefull life. I am a Platinum member of the repair it generation. Be careful in alot of the knee jerk stock fix-it responses you will get.

I have had the occasion to run diagnostics that do not report problems even though thee is one. Blue Screen of Death followed with system lockup and then crashing completely. All system tests showed no errors in hardware or software. Ended up that it was a bad RAM card (1of 2). New RAM life was good.

If in fact the monitor is bad, using the laptop as a desktop is a good solution. You may be able to use the desktop a slave connected with your laptop to create a new system.

Turn Your Old Netbook or Laptop Into a Touchscreen PC


If you have time on your hands this is today's story...Lifehacker, tips and downloads for getting things done

Use Your iPad or Android Tablet as a Second Monitor for Your Computer

Hi John,
I have a circa 2007 MacBook. To use HomeGauge, I added WM Ware Fusion and Windows 7. This set-up costs more than a PC and Windows OS, I know. But it is super fast and appears like it will last for quite a while longer. Viruses are minimal, especially since I use Firefox on the mac side for browsing. I have microsoft office for mac and am able to copy/paste into the windows side.

Get a mac! I would never go back to a Pc.

Thanks all. I'm no stranger to format C:, believe me. Getting sick of it. I was trying to run recovery and got Windows to boot once, but then windows explorer had to shut itself down to protect itself ?? From what? I had to scrub it all anyway.

I load my inspection files directly to an external HD, so what I lost was pics from our trip last week which I hadn't backed up.

Yes, Mac is making a lot of sense now that MS Office programs are easy to run. But I would need to buy a lot of software too.

Originally Posted by Bob Elliott

Turn Your Old Netbook or Laptop Into a Touchscreen PC

Thanks Bob. Welding plastic with a soldering iron sounds like fun. Let us know how it turns out.

John,
If you go over to Apple here is a site that will be of assistance to you The Essential Mac - Troubleshooting

I have always resisted the Mac experience. Have friends that have had issues and asked me for help over many years. Was able to help, but was a real pain since I was not familiar with the OS and logic of where things were hiding. Learning new OS will take some time but sure you can do it. Cost to convert is a real issue. I just resist the idea that Apple jacks up the costs of every thing associated with their proprietary system. Just do not like the feeling of being gouged.

I still like Win 95. It gave you the basics without the bloat. I was able to resolve most all of the OS problems, ah the old days. I've entrenched in XP Pro. Have resisted even really looking at Win 7.