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What do you recommend?

18 years ago

My 80-something parents want to update their computer. They currently have an HP model that's using Windows 2000, and it's slooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww. That being said, their needs are pretty minimal - email, photos, a little bit of gaming. What do you all recommend - keeping the price as low as possible.

Aside from buying a new unit, my daughter has a pretty good Gateway sitting around. She switched to a Mac because she was having problems with viruses. Can her system be cleaned and then sent to my folks?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

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Comments (6)

asolo
18 years ago
Yeah, you can clean it up and send it to your folks. Might be best bet because they're already familiar with Windows. However, if they spend ANY time on the net at all, the virus/bug/malware risks will require constant attention. If your sister's a Mac user (I switched two years ago) she'll doubtless have many stories to tell.

If you want to give them the Gateway, do be sure to give it to them "clean". That is, clean, reinstalled OS, plus firewalls and programs to keep them out of trouble. If there's any chance to switch them over to Mac, I have little doubt they'll have a better experience but I don't know the totality of your considerations.
DA_Mccoy
18 years ago
I agree with the clean O/S install, but don't forget the pertinent system updates too. This is particularly necessary if they are IE users. If they indeed are this might be the time to bring them up to IE7.

DA
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ravencajun Zone 8b TX
18 years ago
I would clean it re-format and put just the absolute minimum of what they will need to use it and I would add firefox to it and tell them to start using it. I would add all the security programs to it set up and give them a list of how often they need to open the programs and update them and run the scans.
Put spywareblaster on it for darn sure and probably good idea to add spywareguard too.

one of the likely reasons the other one is so slowww is probably because it has a ton of spyware on it.
set windows updates to automatic, fully updated and patched, turn on windows firewall.

always a good guide to aid you in setting up a pc:
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/8463
mikie_gw
18 years ago
80 some yrs old,
think I'd clean up their win2000. Maybe add some memory or clone a nice fast hard drive.
Might be of that age if you change them to a new operating system they might have difficulties adjusting & leaning something hew and give up computing.
The slow probably doesnt bother them at all.
owbist
18 years ago
Hey people, these 2 young folks already are computer literate LOL. How do you know they did not buy the Win2K machine from new? They already do emails and are gamers. Heck I don't game online and I am only 72.

Best solution? Wipe both computers and reinstall the software. Then give them one each so they can personalise to their hearts content. Cost? Just a router and a couple of Cat5 cables perhaps.

You all know a computer is a solo operator thingy so by having one each they can be online whenever it suits them without appearing selfish toward their partner.
DA_Mccoy
18 years ago
I toyed with the idea of recommending a switch to FireFox, but didn't do it. My thought was many senior users are uncomfortable with or resistive to change. The upgrade to IE7 would be the most beneficial with the least amount of new territory to cover. However if there is no negative in switching to FF, I too think they should.

DA

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