I don’t really know much about laptops and I want to learn how to get my old HP running faster. It’s pretty slow, and once it finishes resetting, I’ll check the model. I’d really appreciate any tips since I’m not familiar with how to install RAM or check the specs. Also, I’m low on cash, so yeah
Hey, take it easy. I’m also an HP user and totally understand your struggle. What do you want to use your laptop for? Are you looking for entertainment like streaming movies or music? Or is it for schoolwork? Let me know your basic needs and I’d be glad to help. I’ve had to make the most out of my old machines, and they can definitely be saved!
@Asher
Honestly, sometimes I feel like it’s alive. It works better when I talk to it and cheer it on
@Asher
Thanks! I want to watch Twilight (I have all the CDs) and run SoundCloud. I make music sometimes, so BandLab would be great too. Gaming isn’t a priority, but if I could play Roblox, that would be fun (I’m 15 lol). I do like RDR, but it’s tough even on my PS4, which my dad has now. I just want to watch movies, but if I could run more complex software better, that would make me really happy!
@Jaden
In my opinion, try using Linux. It works much better on older machines. I had a really old HP laptop and switched it to Linux.
Try Ubuntu; it works great.
Parker said:
@Jaden
In my opinion, try using Linux. It works much better on older machines. I had a really old HP laptop and switched it to Linux.
Try Ubuntu; it works great.
Also, consider putting in a SATA SSD. It looks like a hard drive but is much faster. If you want to upgrade the RAM, search for your laptop model online to find out if it’s DDR2 or DDR3. Then search for the RAM with “laptop” in the keywords, and you’ll be set for another couple of years.
Parker said:
@Jaden
In my opinion, try using Linux. It works much better on older machines. I had a really old HP laptop and switched it to Linux.
Try Ubuntu; it works great.
Should I get someone who knows what they’re doing to handle this?
@Jaden
You’ll need to download the file from Ubuntu’s website, use RUFUS, and get a USB drive.
Open RUFUS, select the .iso file you downloaded, and let it execute. Once it’s done, shut your laptop down. When you turn it back on, hit the boot key (usually F10, F11, or F12) as soon as you see the HP logo. Select the USB, and follow the on-screen instructions.
@Jaden
Just play around with Ubuntu in a VM a bit first; that’s all you need to learn.
@Jaden
Get a lightweight Linux distro; for Roblox, check out Sober.
@Jaden
You could install Windows 11 and use it as is.
Vanya said:
@Jaden
You could install Windows 11 and use it as is.
I’ve heard the newer versions of Windows can’t run on old laptops and crash a lot. Is that true?
Vanya said:
@Jaden
You could install Windows 11 and use it as is.
I’ve heard the newer versions of Windows can’t run on old laptops and crash a lot. Is that true?
Nope, that’s just fanboy talk.
You can run a fully functional and legal Windows 11 on any x64 machine with RUFUS, which is a free and user-friendly installer tool.
@Vanya
Thanks!
@Vanya
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Windows 11 has a lot of telemetry and unnecessary stuff that can slow down an older machine. It’s better to stick with Windows 10, even after it stops getting security updates.
I’d recommend using Linux Mint over Windows 11 for an old laptop.
@Cruz
That’s not true. All the telemetry you mentioned gets removed with a RUFUS installation. You don’t even need a Microsoft account.
Vanya said:
@Cruz
That’s not true. All the telemetry you mentioned gets removed with a RUFUS installation. You don’t even need a Microsoft account.
You can install Windows 11 without RUFUS and not need a Microsoft account if you use the command prompt. But RUFUS can’t stop Windows 11 from pushing telemetry with feature updates. I’ve had to go into regedit to remove things like Copilot, Edge, and other stuff from every Windows 11 device I’ve had, and they reinstall it every year without my permission.
I’m just saying, why would you want to bog down your already slow laptop? I have a Windows 8.1 laptop that struggles on Windows 10, and I’m not putting Windows 11 on that dinosaur. It’s getting an SSD and Linux. I don’t want an OS designed to send data back to Microsoft constantly when it’s not meant for that hardware anymore. That’s just ridiculous.
The simplest upgrade would be to swap the hard drive for a solid-state drive (SSD). This will speed up booting and opening apps significantly. I got a 512GB Silicon Power Ace A55 for about $30 on Amazon.
@Devlin
Yes, listen to this advice, OP! If your laptop has a mechanical hard drive, installing an SSD will make it feel five times faster. We always did this at Geek Squad when people brought in old computers for upgrades.
@Ray
I trust this advice since opening apps is really slow and doesn’t always work.