Windows 7 is slowwwwwww....did some changes but...

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Don't be scared of one of the more modern, simple Linux. I certainly understand wanting to keep the familiarity of Windows, but the beauty of the modern Linux distributions is that you can "burn" it to a flash drive and then tell the computer to boot from the flash drive. Gives you the opportunity to test drive it.

Linux Mint XFCE is about as lean as Mint comes and is very Windows-ish


In keeping Windows, strongly suggest looking at a small SSD. 128 is far more than you'll need on an internet only device. If you truly only care about internet ability, you could even go down to a 64GB and have room to spare. You'll be amazed at what a SSD does to speed up a machine with an old mechanical 5400 (assuming) HDD. Probably also a good idea to do a fresh install of Windows and not from a Compac provided Windows disc, but raw WIN7.
 
Linux as a web surfing only box is not to hard to use and there are tons of guides on the net. If you don't like it or can't get the hang of it just reinstall windows. All you got to lose is a couple of hours
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Linux Mint XFCE is my favorite form of ubuntu with a gui. Xfce is clean and very easy to learn.
Kubuntu might be worth a try

Chaletos looks like windows and is based on ubuntu so there is a lot of help on the web https://sites.google.com/site/chaletoslinux/home
Zorin os is supposed to have a windows 7 like interface I never used it https://zorinos.com/ make sure you get the free one if you try it

Still think a ssd is your best bet

BTW Linux mint xfce is super easy to install. It is "wizard" based and does all the heavy lifting for you. After its done you will have a fully working desktop.
 
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I have that same exact laptop and the netbook based CPU is just anemic. RAM and SSD upgrades won't help since the OS and any program you run just bogs down the CPU. It's decent for basic stuff. It just collects dust in my closet.
 
Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
I have that same exact laptop and the netbook based CPU is just anemic. RAM and SSD upgrades won't help since the OS and any program you run just bogs down the CPU. It's decent for basic stuff. It just collects dust in my closet.

I had to look it up. C-50 is indeed a very weak CPU. Modern websites do require some CPU power to render reasonably quickly.
 
Any Ubuntu based linux should work just fine for use. I'm presently using Linux Mint Mate, Ubuntu Mate and Peppermint Linux. I'll never go back to Windows. All of these are what Windows 8 should have been and if you've used Win7 you'll be immediately at home and you'll never have a slow computer again. Arch lovers are fanatical but that would be kind of a big bite for a beginner.
 
Get rid of non-use applications. Get rid of most of your stuff in RUN/Startup. Do a Cleanup / Clear Cache / Cookies. Get rid of everything in Internet Options Temp Files. Do manual updates on most items - not their automatic updates that turn on multiple times per day.

Then start running that computer in Private Windows WITH Tracking Protection. Then get a free Antivirus like Panda, Avira or AVG. Do not activate any add-on's that these antivirus try to unload on you..... even if they are free. They will slow down your computer and really not help. Just download their basic free offerings, nothing that they try to slip into your download that may show-up in your Add-On's folder. Speaking of add-ons folder, there is stuff probably activated in there that you do not need. Remove or disable that stuff.

THEN.... You will see a big difference in performance. If you constantly run in Private Windows with Tracking Protection - do not open mystery attachments or travel to risky websites, you can get-by nicely with the basic Microsoft Defender antivirus, which increases surfing speed noticeably.
 
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Well, for a start, run bleachbit.
It will safely clean up all the garbage on your computer.
Good people there and if I remember correctly, same program as Hillary used!
Its free, you have the option to "donate" if you like it.

Click here for bleachbit

I would skip the any virus programs except basic Windows Defender, they use up resources.
or you could download one of them, run a free scan and then delete the program until the next time you may want to scan.
 
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Anybody try Cloudready by neverware? Sounds like a good idea, but this particular computer doesn't show up on the official list nor the known to work list....not even a Compaq line on there. Free download but no support....I guess I'm just freakin' doomed and got one of the most cheapest computers around at that time, well, it was at Walmart and a Black Friday deal....should have done some homework and dropped some more cash. At least now I got one that rocks from Microsoft store.......also learned about signature models and how Walmart can sell computers cheaper. If only this was as simple as working on cars....
 
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Perhaps Private Windows wasn't available in Windows 7. I jumped about four years ago from Windows XP to Windows 8. I skipped right over Windows 7.

Private Window is a function of a web browser, not of an operating system.
 
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Private Windows???? You mean operate in Safe Mode??


Well then, what browser are you using? I run Private Windows in either Firefox or Waterfox.
 
if you're willing to try - get a copy of windows 10 and try using it. I had
a CQ56 that ran fine with w10. it had a Celeron 900 running at 2.2GHz,
4GB memory and a 250GB hard disk. so your machine with dual CPUs should
be OK.
 
It's only running at 1GHZ....but really surprised that W10 would work for you on that system. I wish I could, I do have a copy of W10 at the house.
 
I ran BleachBit on my desktop with Win 7 on it. It took over twelve hours to compete. Need to defrag now....
 
Let me know if that helped anything. I've been reading into bleachbit and there are some pro's and con's about it....wow....12 hours. I've ran CCCleaner about a dozen times and downloaded Microsoft antivirus and it did find one and took it out.
 
The BleachBit scan was mostly junk files, logs and the like. No malware found and I don't think it looks for any.
 
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