If this laptop were a patient in the hospital, there would be a discrete little sign up saying DNR (Do Not Resuscitate). Ha ha, I love it. I agree, spending money on either is a total waste. However if you wish to play around that is different. Look at both machines to see if the 25 digit COA is readable. If so you can use any XP CD to reinstall Windows but DO NOT use the COA that comes with the CD, use the one on the computer itself because that is tied to the motherboard. This is totally legal. Obviously you could use the COA from the CD but that would be a waste of a licence, or it might be dedicated to another computer already. Before doing this I strongly suggest you get the drivers from Dell for the motherboard, LAN, sound etcetera

First I have to confess that I have not gotten to backing up the hard drive - or working on the start up programs. Other computer issues in the family took priority - and then we had non-technological family difficulties. So my focus has been elsewhere. The internet connection still sometimes drops. Less often but it happens. I can just buy a wireless dongle. The laptop had been running cooler after getting all the bogus programs off. But lately it's sluggish again and running hot. The hard drive is making a bad noise. Not sure how to describe it but kind of like a car struggling to turn over. It does it just occasionally - some times if it's just trying to perform some action - and just now when I started the laptop. (It has not made the sound since it started up). Since hard drives are mechanical, does this sound like the hard drive might be failing? if it's hardware failure, is there any point in running chkdsk? or any other test? If the hard drive is failing, could that be causing it to run hot and slow at times? seems logical to me but I have no idea. I could inexpensively replace the hard drive. And get a wireless dongle. I imagine all that could be done for under $100 and just a small amount of time. The other troubleshooting I did was partly to learn. Here's what I like about the computer and why I may want to save/keep it: great size - 13", light - but has a great, great keyboard for such a small laptop. like the trackball and no touchpad. includes a free upgrade to Vista (so it could be used after XP is not supported) What I don't like: ongoing wireless adapter problems, sometimes running hot, possible failing hard drive, no web cam. Not sure if I'll put it to sleep soon - or try to resuscitate it. If I decide to let it die a peaceful death, there's no need to back up the HD. If I decide to replace the hard drive (if it needs it) or keep it if the HD's fine, I will back it up and make that a priority. And of course, now that I'm writing this post, it's behaving absolutely fine. Quick, cool, no noise. Thanks. Lynn.

Hate it. Had to get it last March after XP computer toasted itself. Just this past weekend I received an e-mail from HP asking if I wanted to extend the warranty - with the ability to call a tech for assistance. I took it. I called them a lot during the early days since Best Buy sold me a printer and a flash drive for factory back-up that were compatible only with Windows 7 and the key card for Word 2013 - and I hate it - could only be used once and of course it didn't work the first time. Best Buy was useless and there is no way I should have had to pay the Geek Squad to hook up a basic printer - I didn't, I called the printer manufacturer and HP. HP had already sent me a warning re making sure my computer could handle Win 8.1 - I decided to just not even try it. The tech I spoke with when I bought the extended warranty suggested I not do it. Our Internet provider does not support Win 8 or Internet 10 so that is another problem. And if your problem is anything other than the Internet connection failing they transfer you to a "specialist" and charge you. Cdns. already pay a lot for basic services. Then there is the e-mail issue. My husband's office is going to stick with Win 7 and Word 2010. I can't pay to switch back to Win 7 because I never had it. But the difference between Win 7 and Win 8 is great - same with Word 2010 and Word 2013. All I use the computer for is Word, Internet and e-mail. I don't shop or belong to Facebook etc. I use a keyboard - and HP added a few keys so I am making mistakes that I never did before despite typing 120 wpm! I helped a friend book an air ticket using her tablet - I don't want a tablet - I need a real mouse. The future is looking grim computer wise. Then there is the cell phone issue. I don't have one - did for 2 years. I don't text. I would just like to have a plain cell phone that functions only as a phone. I have the phone that I used for the 2 years but it won't accommodate a pay as you go card. I don't understand how people can watch TV on a tiny little screen while driving yet need a 60 inch screen at home. I guess I am just too old!

I give up. I'm going to wheedle the money to take this machine to a repair shop. I fail to understand that if you think the user is the problem, PEBCAK, that you would bother to respond. There are too many problems for me to resolve from the Win10 uninstall. The uninstall was recommended by Microsoft Tech Support after he failed to help me fix Mail, Calendar, Cortana, People apps during a 2 1/2 Hour phone call. Since last Sept. I've been trying to get this machine to work as it should. I've spent many hours on MS site, looking for articles on other sites that address our problems. My husband and I have spent many hours searching and trying to resolve these problems. 5 months. The last thing we need is snarky comments, snotty opinions and in general, erroneous assumptions. This was always a place for us to come to ask for help. It's not any longer, and the pointless crap is a waste of time when we have spent so much of it trying to fix this ourselves. Many thanks to those of you who asked specific questions and gave good advice and shared your knowledge. You are truly a God send to those of us who need help.