# how to update an older computer (hp)



## bluhollow-lady (Oct 26, 2008)

since windows decided not to support XP computer on windows,,,I can't do some activities on line. Such as downloading. Adobe Flash cannot download. to my PC. Cant get any of my photos to email friends and family,,etc. 

Is there a way to update this older computer? ( 2006) If anyone has experience with this problem would appreciate your input. 
I don't know a great deal about computers,,appreciate any help.

thanks,, Patsy


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## popscott (Oct 6, 2004)

My two cents worth...
Have you thought about a new computer.... An updated Windows and an updated faster pooter in the same package....


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

OpenSuse, maybe? 

I have a number of old computers that I'm thinking of putting Linux software on and using just that way to see how I like it. I'm told that once I figure stuff out, I probably won't want to go back to Windoze. Dunno. It's on my to do list to try.

Good luck!


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

At the prices of new being so low, I would go that way. Forget trying to update a 9 year old one.


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

One of my sons is big time into computers and has many awards for this from vocational school.He is now in college. I can only tell you he set up some computers with linux for the same reasons but has now gone back to windows for whatever reason.


Wade


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Wade, can you ask him the reasons? And report back ? Thanks.


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

When I see him since he's out of town in Pre-med. Should see him over the Holidays.

Wade


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

bluhollow-lady said:


> since windows decided not to support XP computer on windows,,,I can't do some activities on line. Such as downloading. Adobe Flash cannot download. to my PC. Cant get any of my photos to email friends and family,,etc.


The most likely cause of that is a virus. There's nothing "outdated" about XP that would interfere with file transfers. If you can't make it work by getting rid of whatever malware it's infected with, you may need to reinstall XP, but once it's fixed one way or the other, it'll work fine for at least the next few years.

If you did want to try Linux, Ubuntu is probably the easiest for a beginner to install and get a fully functional system. But don't use the standard Ubuntu; their graphical interface may be too bloated for an older machine that may not have enough memory for it; also it's a completely different look & feel which most folks don't like. Instead, use the version that has the XFCE interface, called Xubuntu.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

bluhollow-lady said:


> since windows decided not to support XP computer on windows,,,I can't do some activities on line. Such as downloading. Adobe Flash cannot download. to my PC. Cant get any of my photos to email friends and family,,etc.
> 
> Is there a way to update this older computer? ( 2006) If anyone has experience with this problem would appreciate your input.
> I don't know a great deal about computers,,appreciate any help.
> ...


I can't really speculate on why your computer is acting the way it is, but without security update support running XP is way too risky. You have no idea what vulnerabilities your XP might have today.

As has been mentioned before, installing some flavor of Linux is about the only way you're going to keep using that machine. Backup your photos and other user files, then install a fresh version of Linux.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I run computers a lot older than that without problems but...
I don't recommend it for everybody.

A computer that doesn't connect to the internet can operate fine for _years_ and do so safely and easily. Using a computer like this strictly for financials and pictures and documents allows you the freedom of learning a single set of instructions and having a known constant interface.

A computer that connects to the internet is a different beast. The bloat and security updates are constant and exponential in size. The computer honestly doesn't DO much more - there are only so many ways to see pictures, videos, text, and listen to music - but it has to speak the current language of the providers and keep up with that.

An older computer will not have the memory or speed to do that effectively. When computers were expensive, it made sense to nurse them along and try to update for extended periods. With new computers cheaper and with enough resources to keep up, it makes more sense to buy new or of a more recent vintage if used than to waste the time trying to update and correct.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Just having XP is not going to stop Adobe or prevent you from emailing photo's.
I have my older brother on XP and it works just fine.

Contrary to what some say I am not worried at all about a home computer being on XP as long as you realize some day you might get hacked (very small chance) or virused (bigger chance) ie don't save anything important (bank account numbers, ss numbers, etc) or anything you don't have backed up somewhere else (pictures, etc).

Having said that I would delete all your temp files, run both a virus scan and a malware scan, and then run ccleaner both basic and registry and try again.


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## Eric Shultz (Jan 21, 2013)

Reformat the HD and reinstall xp. Your problems will be solved.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Eric Shultz said:


> Reformat the HD and reinstall xp. Your problems will be solved.


Do you really want to recommend that without update support?


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Nevada said:


> Do you really want to recommend that without update support?


Yes, there is little chance of an individual computer being hacked and as long as they don't put important info on it, who cares?
If this computer was used for business, we would give a different answer.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Its more important you have a current up to date browser (and email client if you are using one) than any particular operating system. I suggest Firefox or Firefox derivative such as Pale Moon. (and current Thunderbird email client) These can use a huge number of optional extensions. Chrome offers addons too, but not as many. Some reason I just dont particularly like Chrome. Opera unfortunately is now a windows only Chrome clone. The old independent Opera is getting too long in tooth to be good option. XP stopped getting updated IE long time ago. Not that IE was ever a good choice. Since IE came with XP, its vulnerabilites were found and exploited much more than any 3rd party browsers.

Anyways, besides using latest Firefox or Firefox derivative, suggest running NO SCRIPT. Nearly all commercial websites use hidden background scripts. The uses for such are used for everything from site navigation, to tracking, to possible malicious things. And it may not even be fault of site owner. If his site is hacked and compromised, then scripts that pass along virus maybe added without owners knowledge. 

These leach your data and computer resources for the website owners benefit and profit. NO SCRIPT starts with all scripts blocked. You then tell it which scripts you want to allow. Yes this requires some experimentation and effort on your part, but you only do it once per site, NO SCRIPT remembers next time you go to that site. As an example NO SCRIPT is blocking 64 scripts wanting to run in background on THIS PAGE NOW. To post I have to allow "homesteadingtoday.com" and "ajax.googleapis.com". Though to navigate only need to allow "homesteadingtoday.com". Some websites have literally hundreds of background scripts. Heaven only knows what all those are doing. I do know its not for MY benefit.

As to operating system for older computers, suggest of course Puppy Linux. Its pretty well supported by the Puppy user community and can do anything any other current linux kernel based linux distribution can do, though without all the bells and whistles bloat the bigger distributions tend to offer. There are smaller size distributions but beware they maybe not as well supported or as easy to work with. Though never hurts to try them if you are curious. Just make sure its an actively developed and updated distribution. Current software may not run on distributions based on older kernels.

As example I have couple old laptops that I bought for $10 (each) shipped off ebay. Neither came with a hard drive nor adapter to connect a hard drive. Didnt particularly need them, but hard to resist a bargain. Both have USB2 and can boot directly from USB drive. Older computers with USB1.0 and bios that doesnt support booting from USB can boot from USB drive but its painful and slow process. On such older computers suggest running Puppy from live cd and using usb flash drive for settings and data storage.

Anyway, both of my bargains can easily boot from Puppy installed on a USB flash key. Puppy adapts so same key can boot Puppy on any computer supporting boot from USB drive. Any changes are saved back to the key. Alternatively, one can boot from live Puppy cdr, and save changes and added software back to a usb flash key.

I still for life of me cant figure popularity of the little tablet computers. Lighter weight for sure, but also more fragile and lot more expensive than an old laptop. And Android requires you deal with Google and download software only from Google controlled site. Apple even more rigidly controlled. Also not very friendly to making changes to the system on your own.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Nevada said:


> Do you really want to recommend that without update support?


Just this past month I loaded up and shipped a replacement computer for one used in a theatre concession network (NOT connected to the internet and NOT wireless). The old computer was running Win 95 and had been since about 1997. 

I'm going to be changing out a development computer here today that has been running 98SE since the early 2000s. The primary reason I'm doing that is the hard drive is beginning to have sector errors that indicate it will fail within a couple months.

Update support simply doesn't matter in some situations.


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