I have no computer training that’s worth much, so keep your answers in simple English, please. My favorite local computer-fixin’ guy retired and moved to Florida, leaving me in the lurch.
We’ve got my in-laws’ old laptop - it came with WinXP, so that tells you how old. Whether you have it start in normal or Safe mode, you get the BSOD. Is there anything else I can try? Is it even worth taking to a shop and having it looked at/fixed? And would a computer this old be able to run Win7 if it was fixable?
The in-laws have already gotten themselves a new laptop, and if this one can be resuscitated for a couple of hundred dollars, I might consider it. But if you tell me it’s a piece of crap that’s past its prime, I’ll recycle it and be done with it.
Does the Blue Screen stay on long enough for you to read what it says? Especially the top few lines.
It may be possible to reinstall Windows XP. Even if you don’t have the installation CD or DVD, many computers have a special recovery partition that can restore it to factory state by pressing a key at startup.
Of course, Windows XP has become a very insecure platform.
Can you specify what type of laptop it is (brand & model)? This would also help determine if Windows 7 is a possibility.
It’s a Lenovo ThinkPad. There’s a sticker on the back with a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 product key.
As far as I know, the identical screen comes up whether in normal or safe mode.
Nothing new was installed. I don’t know how to check the hard drive or check for viruses if I can’t get into Windows. I think I had put CCleaner on their laptop some years back, and I’m pretty sure they never ran it. And since they’re not too bright about clicking links, they may well have gotten a virus.
Standard response. If you are not somehow tied in to a Microsoft operating system, try one of the many Linux variants, all available for free if you download them or very cheaply if you opt to buy a DVD.
The ones considered most popular are Ubuntu and Linux Mint. Both very user-friendly, especially Mint which is quite Windows 7 like with the Cinnamon GUI.
You can run them from a USB dongle to test your computer for compatibility without risking the installed system and use it to retrieve any files you want to save if you decide to install it and replace Windows.
I don’t want a laptop or need one - I just thought if this one could be saved, it might be worth it for a new toy.
I have no disks - it’s a pretty safe bet that my inlaws didn’t have a recovery disk. And being retired, I don’t have an IT coworker I can bug about it. I suppose more than anything, it’s a challenge.
If it runs better than you think, you may consider buying an SSD, SSD’s are a good way to speed up an old PC. You can spend a minimal amount of money on a small drive just for the OS and maybe possibly double the speed. I may be exaggerating a bit about the boost but you can do a bit of reading and see others’ experiences and decide for yourself whether or not it’s worth the investment.
one suggestion – if it’s that old, open the machine up, and clean out the several years accumulation of dust, pet hairs, etc that will be inside it. that probably won’t clear up the BSOD (though it might!), but it’s a good thing to do anyway.
There’s nothing there of value to me - the machine belonged to my inlaws, and I’m pretty sure the only thing that might have been saved would have been games in progress. They’ve had computers for years, but they seem afraid of them for most things. Apart from spider solitaire and email, they hardly use it. Kinda makes me wonder why they bother.
I will open it up and clean it - they have a dog and they live in FL, so who knows what may be inside - thanks for the suggestion!
My favorite local computer-fixin’ guy retired and moved to Florida, leaving me in the lurch.