Old XP Comp

[flabob257]

Hi Guys. I sure hope you guys can help me. )
Wow...i see all these posts and i most really be old and a newbie for hardware.

OK, first i bought a computer Dell XPS, (2009), i call it Big red ( this thing is heavy..lol). My XPS took a dump and i think it was a virus. It had a xp windows sp3 64 bit on 2009 and is with SATA. I had more money for brains then. That was going great until last month lost my xps. So, i dug up my storage and got my "little friend" is a xp widows sp2 with 32 bit and IDE (2005). So now both of my burners are acting up for my small pc. MY first question.. should i get sata with SATA cable kit for my small pc or any ideas? I have never taken off on my pc's burners . To keep in mind that have this small pc with (i think) that the motherboard is old like for IDE. So what is the best for my small old pc to get my dvd burner. Thank you

 

[Iron Woode]

chances are the 2005 machine has no sata ports.

as for the XPS, that would be XP Pro x64 and only has sp2. If the OS died does it not have a restore partition on the hdd?

 

[whm1974]

I would advise you to get something newer and use a modern OS. Windows XP is no longer supported by Microsoft.

Check www.newegg.com for refurbished computers. Anything with a Ivy Bridge CPU or newer will do just fine. Pay close attention to the specs and you can actually get really decent hardware at a good low price.

 

[Billb2]

You can get a Dell Optiplex (quad core CPU) for about $50 on eBay.

 

[flabob257]

Pay close attention to the specs and you can actually get really decent hardware at a good low price.

.. Thx Wmn1974 and Bill for your help about refurbished. So basically i have paper weights...lol my 2 old pc's.. are( below) ok, are good for the specs below
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U9SWBK0/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I382EZ5QHLIVNU&colid=1NHAGMR5ILNLF

I have been looking at for refurbished and i really cant see the spec about "Ivy Bridge CPU" i dont even know what ivy bridge means..lol. But ill look at google. I have one for Amazon refurbished " for $104.dollars. I basically need a little decent for speed processer and dvd burner.to make movies

 

[whm1974]

OK any Intel based system released from 2012 or later is what you are looking for. I recommend a Core i5 or i7 as that will give the best performance and some breathing room before you will need to upgrade again.

What is your budget?

 

[flabob257]

chances are the 2005 machine has no sata ports.

as for the XPS, that would be XP Pro x64 and only has sp2. If the OS died does it not have a restore partition on the hdd?

Thx Iron for your help. My XPS with XP windows with 64 bit sp3. But lost my window for VIRUS. My Neighbor had a windows 10 with disc so he partitioned and XPS .Works good but he only had 90 days trial then i have to get licence. the windows 10 is about 90 bucks just for windows 10. sheesh.

Now if i get a external dvd writer on my xp sp2 then i need extension for usb..then a hub for 4 ports for usb 2.0..and that was about 40.dollars..damn. Im trying to get a windows10 or 7 to download these wnidows. I found a windows 7 but it with 32 bit for my small sp2 and it downloaded and extracted. i found a few windows 10 and i downloaded on sites for windows 10 but i keep getting " not valid win32 is not a application"

until i get fixed pc,s or a refurbished cheap tower should i use this external writer for your opinion
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ODDE33U/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3FG4DMM39NDVZ&colid=1NHAGMR5ILNLF

thank you again for your help

 

[flabob257]

OK any Intel based system released from 2012 or later is what you are looking for. I recommend a Core i5 or i7 as that will give the best performance and some breathing room before you will need to upgrade again.

What is your budget?

Morning whm1974. i am SS so i only can get about 80 bucks a month i can use to spare. if i have to borrow ,steal and beg, I'll get a refurbished for about 100 bucks...)

 

[whm1974]

Morning whm1974. i am SS so i only can get about 80 bucks a month i can use to spare. if i have to borrow ,steal and beg, I'll get a refurbished for about 100 bucks...)

By all means get what you can afford. But sometimes you can find really decent refurbs for not much more.

Since Windows cost ~$100 by itself if you had to purchase a copy, have you thought about using Linux? It's free and comes with lots of other software that you will find useful as well.

I would take a look at Linux Mint with the Xfce Desktop Environment:
http://linuxnewbieguide.org/
https://linuxmint.com/

 

[flabob257]

By all means get what you can afford. But sometimes you can find really decent refurbs for not much more.

Since Windows cost ~$100 by itself if you had to purchase a copy, have you thought about using Linux? It's free and comes with lots of other software that you will find useful as well.

I would take a look at Linux Mint with the Xfce Desktop Environment:
http://linuxnewbieguide.org/
https://linuxmint.com/

very interesting. I definitely look for this on google more about this. You can beat Free! Free! Free!

Basically all i need is internet, a screen so i can see and dvd burner. Also to do my folders..Thats it.
I still use my old router linksys wireless-g 2.4 gzh. If you have anymore ideas id love to learn. A quick question ? Probably a dumb question for me. Do i just download this linuxmint to my pc and just loose my xp windows? but i will search google more about this linuxmint.

thank you again for your help

 

[whm1974]

very interesting. I definitely look for this on google more about this. You can beat Free! Free! Free!

Basically all i need is internet, a screen so i can see and dvd burner. Also to do my folders..Thats it.
I still use my old router linksys wireless-g 2.4 gzh. If you have anymore ideas id love to learn. A quick question ? Probably a dumb question for me. Do i just download this linuxmint to my pc and just loose my xp windows? but i will search google more about this linuxmint.

thank you again for your help

You can just boot off the install media and use it as it is to try it out to see if you like it first. But yes Linux can do the stuff very well. While you can install it along side Windows XP on the same drive and dual boot between them, over time you find yourself using Linux more and more until you no longer use Windows at all.

I would read the manual and other documentation first before installing to the HDD. I almost forgot, you can buy Linux Mint install/Live media from these guys:
https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/linuxmint?affiliate=linuxmint
I advise you to try out either the Xfce or Mate editions as those graphical environments work best on older hardware. You can get either 32-bit or 64-bit versions

 

[flabob257]

very cool indeed. I am on part 2 for linux. I know now what means o/s and OOS...lol. I looked at your advice . for the link linuxmint and only for 6 bucks. Wow. its very interesting for sure. Ill finish the tuts then i will get your link for linusmint . i will try it. Ill let ya know when i get more info. I do have a question but it is different question so i might have to get a different thread.
I have to get VPN. any good idea to site i use..like cyber ghost? i tried a free proxy/tunnel (hotshield) but it took for ever to surf

 

[whm1974]

I'm glad to help another person on a fixed income. Enjoy.

 

[flabob257]

Hi whm1974. I am reading your links and learning from you made for me. Then i accidentally my web, i came across virualbox http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-use-virtualbox/
and i saw to only for this only uses older machines 32bit http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/community/developer-vm/index.html. Should i save this for when i am ready to learn linux? or should i forget about this ?

thank you

 

[whm1974]

Hi whm1974. I am reading your links and learning from you made for me. Then i accidentally my web, i came across virualbox http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-use-virtualbox/
and i saw to only for this only uses older machines 32bit http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/community/developer-vm/index.html. Should i save this for when i am ready to learn linux? or should i forget about this ?

thank you

I would learn Linux first but I'm no expert on Virtualbox. You use Virtualbox to check out Linux but it will be much slower than on native hardware.

 

[flabob257]

cool..thx. I just learned today about BIOS to change boot from key. is that the one link you told about you link "boot off the install media" Cause im still confused about 'install media'

 

[whm1974]

cool..thx. I just learned today about BIOS to change boot from key. is that the one link you told about you link "boot off the install media" Cause im still confused about 'install media'

The DVD or USB stick you will be installing from. You should be able to into a live environment and use it as it is, or you could install Linux from there.

I advise you to use the live environment for awhile first until you get feel for using Linux first before installing it.

 

[flabob257]

sorry i didnt see ya for a few days. Thx for the info on my live environment. You the man.

 

[whm1974]

sorry i didnt see ya for a few days. Thx for the info on my live environment. You the man.

I'm glad to help another person with Linux. So how are you enjoying Linux so far?

 

[flabob257]

Morning whm. I just got back for power and internet. Hurricane was rough. some days with 108 degrees in the sun.
On my linux i have learned a few things but i never tried to get boot for linux yet.

in a few days i will try to boot from a dvd disc i used ISO ..i hope it works. I will let you know my friend.

 

[whm1974]

You may have to go into your computer's BIOS and set the boot order such as the DVD drive boots first, then the HDD.

 

[flabob257]

You may have to go into your computer's BIOS and set the boot order such as the DVD drive boots first, then the HDD.

Hi whm... thx for the info on drive...i am ordering a usb stick and im going to order https://www.osdisc.com/products/linux/linuxmint?affiliate=linuxmint so im to get the disc form Xfce. I will let you know.