Hello! Thanks for the distro.

[seoneal7]

I just installed Linux Lite for my mother. She's been running Windows 7, but her system has been wrecked by malware (she's not the only one in the house who uses the machine).  She was complaining about how slowly it's been running lately and about the ads, popups, etc. I decided that rather than format the drive and reinstall Windows, I would just replace it with a Linux distro. I tested a few, and Linux Lite seemed best suited for the job.

Looking great so far. Doing a dist-upgrade at the moment. She'll be getting back into town, Monday, and I'm going to surprise her with it!

Hope everyone is doing well, and thanks for the cool distro! 

[bitsnpcs]

Hello seoneal7,

Welcome, you and your mother to the LL community 

[Jerry]

Welcome seoneal7

[rokytnji]

Howdy and Welcome

she's not the only one in the house who uses the machine

 

[misko_2083]

Hello and welcome.

[N4RPS]

Hello!

Welcome to Linux Lite, and to the world of malware-free computing.

Although Linux solves the matter once and for all, most of the time (almost always), Windows can simply be cleaned without reinstalling it. This is done through using a 'toolbox' of freebies, to include CCleaner, AdwCleaner, and JRT (Junkware Removal Tool). The computer is kept clean by NOT setting other users up as Administrators...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[seoneal7]

^ You're right. It probably could have been cleaned. Suppose I also just wanted to run an experiment. I've run Linux myself for about six years, now (vanilla Sid and Arch). Wanted to see if my mom could adapt to perform her basic tasks, and it seems she can. She uses LibreOffice at work. That's another plus.

[newtusmaximus]

Word of caution.  Your mother might need a seat belt in case she can not cope with the speed of your computer Welcome.

[Tony Gamble]

Windows can simply be cleaned without reinstalling it. This is done through using a 'toolbox' of freebies, to include CCleaner, AdwCleaner, and JRT (Junkware Removal Tool). The computer is kept clean by NOT setting other users up as Administrators...

As an equally new recruit to Linux I am reluctant to challenge a 'gold' poster. BUT I spent many hours trying to speed up my wife's laptop running Win 7.

Every time she turned it on it took ages (many minutes) before the disk light turned off and the desktop regained useability. It seemed obsessed with updating itself - or that is what it looked to be doing. I used all those tools but I could not get back to a machine that you turned on, watched it boot and then started to use.

I have now moved it to Linux. It is usable in forty five seconds. Fully usable. And all the grumbles have dissolved away. She is happy.

We are never going to revert back to Windows as far as she is concerned. The only reason I have posted this message is to see if anyone wants to add a bit more about cleaning Windows in case I find chums with similar problems but who are reluctant to go down the Linux path.

Tony

[Jerry]

Happy wife, happy life

[N4RPS]

Hello!

Although I must admit that Linux Lite is a far better solution, sounds like you may have had many items that run at startup. These also have to be disabled or removed.

I know what you mean about Automatic Updates in Windows. I usually disable it to only CHECK for updates. There are times when I just want to get on and off, and don't want to do 25 updates that add up to a gig or more to download RIGHT THEN...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[Tony Gamble]

Thanks Rob,

I looked at what was auto loading but ran out of things to remove.

My desk PC has just been upgraded to SSD and my broadband to fibre. It uses Win 7 and it is quite staggering how much time I save doing the updates now. On the old machine and network it could take over an hour. Now there is barely time to make a cup of coffee.

But that is OT and the good news continues in that I have not heard a moan for over a week from my wife now using a wonky old Linux based laptop.

Tony

[N4RPS]

Hello!

A few days ago, just for grins and giggles, I stuck a 1GB DDR I had laying around here into a Dell Latitude C640 laptop, age 14. I expected only 512MB to be usable by the pup.

To my surprise, it recognized the entire 1GB of it. With a jump from 512MB to 1280MB, it now runs Linux Lite without any lag.

Another 1GB of DDR for it is on the way here. It will make an excellent laptop to keep in the trunk of the car, so I'll always have one when I go out. The plus of it all is that if it happens to 'grow legs', no big loss to anyone...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[Teddy]

Welcome to the Linux Lite community!