Old guy needs new computer

[Wayne Orwig]

But don't get the 32gb one!  That last update was murder even with an external hd.

No, I mean a real laptop with a real hard drive of hundreds of gig. A 32gb unit would be some sort of solid state drive. Might be nice an portable, but it is already maxed out.

[slowmover]

The computer is 10 years old.It is slow but the major issue is every other time it's turned on "the connection to the server has timed out" with continuing loss of control until the cursor won't move and the thing won't even shut down.Now I know I could educate myself and search for the holy grail that may fix it but I did say old guy. I had AVG take remote control for yet another issue with their virus protection and the girl said" Oh my, sir you have many many problems"Life's too short and I want to ride.

[Lannis]

This is exactly what happened with my mom - brother (older than me) bought her a tablet that is much too complicated for her to even begin to understand. So, it goes unused, except when he comes to visit.

You just gotta give 'em their marching orders, and make sure they understand them.   

That's what we've done with my desk iMac and Fay's ASUS laptop.   The iMac is never any trouble for me with Kromtech software and a scheduled 90-day cleanup/tuneup; Fay's Windows 10 laptop gets screwed up constantly every time the system forces an update, which you're supposed to be able to turn off on a "metered" system but turns itself back on regularly, and which often needs the battery removed and replaced to unlock it.   But it works well enough to do what she wants which is reading, occasional browsing, and photo management.

Just make sure that your helper doesn't want to 'show off', and does what you ask.   It's worth the occasional 5 course dinner fixed for them when they come over to help ...!

Lannis

[Wayne Orwig]

Fay's Windows 10 laptop gets screwed up constantly every time the system forces an update,

Odd. I have Win 10 on 4 machines here. Including an antique desktop and older laptop. No issues.
Well, the antique desktop, which also is a web server and runs 24/7, did have a $25 power supply get flaky a few months back.

[webmost]

Suggestion - Hand your daughter your Visa card and tell her to let you know when the new system is  set up and running, and make sure she doesn't forget the system admin password.

Done and dusted.   

Lannis

Eggs Ackley.
That's what kids are for.

[Lannis]

Odd. I have Win 10 on 4 machines here. Including an antique desktop and older laptop. No issues.
Well, the antique desktop, which also is a web server and runs 24/7, did have a $25 power supply get flaky a few months back.

It IS odd.   It's not old, it has full memory, lots of disk space, and a brand that's supposed to work.   But it has to be constantly looked after to keep running ....

Lannis

[dguzzi]

Check the local school.  I bought my HP ProBook for 100$.  Win7 and works just fine....

[Chuck in Indiana]

I don't get it. My oldest windows machine is out in the shop running tirelessly day after day. I upgraded it to XP uh.. several years ago. Yes, I've put a power supply in it over the years. The one I'm typing on was originally.. I don't remember, it's been a while. Upgraded it to Win7 when it first came out. Put a new hard drive in it a few years ago.Put a new power supply and mother board in it a couple of years ago, and it runs just fine. Parts are *cheap* (Guzzi content) As far as I'm concerned, the only reason to buy a new one is when the software you want to run isn't compatible with what you have.
The local computer guy has several laptops for $99 that he'll load whatever operating system you want on them. About any of them would be more powerful than the one I'm typing on..
They are just machines. <shrug>

[Lannis]

They are just machines. <shrug>

Complicated machines, though, that interact with other machines, and over the years have to remain compatible with application software, file types, networks, hardware/software interaction, routers, etc.

It's like owning a motorcycle where (besides normal wear and tear and servicing), no one sells tires for it any more so you have to change the wheels, and no one sells fuel that it'll burn, so you have to change the carburetors, and they quit selling oil for it, so you have to find a source of old oil for it.   With all that people ask them to do, though, I don't know what else to expect.

Lannis

[rodekyll]

I agree that since the computer is a tool, it's best to know what the job is before purchasing one.  You wouldn't want to buy a hammer to do a shovel's job.  When I sold computers I always started with the things they wanted to do and worked backwards to the right computer for their needs.

You pay for a windows license whether you run windows or not.  The way MS licensing works, if a mfgr wants "tier" pricing on the operating system for a computer, they need to pay for a license for EVERY computer they make, regardless of the operating system that will be installed, or they don't get the pricing for ANY.  So even if you go with LINUX or some other alternative on a new computer, you paid for a windows license.

Finally, No.  Computers have not remained backwards compatible at any level since about y2k.  Any ability to run software, do the internet, or upgrade hardware on older computers is purely coincidental.  The industry is embracing a "forced obsolescence" business model where they force consumers to buy new stuff to replace perfectly good old stuff by deliberately not writing drivers for things like printers, changing plug shapes for things like keyboards and video, changing memory chip specs so they neither work nor physically fit in the motherboard, making software no longer run under older operating systems/hardware specs, etc.  The list is endless.

[Dilliw]

It IS odd.   It's not old, it has full memory, lots of disk space, and a brand that's supposed to work.   But it has to be constantly looked after to keep running ....

Lannis

It's probably the Windows Update application.  Mine corrupted and unless you are really good with regedit the solution is to re-load your Windows 10 installation.  There's a Windows Update Application repair application but that didn't work for me.  Reinstalling removes all user installed software including the programs that you might not exactly have a legitimate key for :) 

Bill figured out a way to bring me back into the fold