Operating system for older low spec laptop

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leonb

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We have a few older low spec laptops running Win7 which are becoming very sluggish (almost unusable). I'm not exactly sure of spec but can check later today if required - mostly Samsung laptops with Celeron chips about 5-7 years old.

I would like to install a operating system (e.g. custom version of a suitable Windows) that can make to most of them, i.e. cutting all the bloatware and other unnecessary stuff.

The only programs we need to run, are:
- Word
- Excel (nothing complex)
- Outlook
- Web page access (search engines, and other online applications)

Any recommendations?
 
leonb said:
We have a few older low spec laptops running Win7 which are becoming very sluggish (almost unusable). I'm not exactly sure of spec but can check later today if required - mostly Samsung laptops with Celeron chips about 5-7 years old.

I would like to install a operating system (e.g. custom version of a suitable Windows) that can make to most of them, i.e. cutting all the bloatware and other unnecessary stuff.

The only programs we need to run, are:
- Word
- Excel (nothing complex)
- Outlook
- Web page access (search engines, and other online applications)

Any recommendations?
Click to expand...
Torrent it lol
 
If the MS apps are non negotiable, then you're kind of stuck with windows 7 if security is an issue.

You could run a light weight Linux distro and use office online possibly. I'm not sure how viable that is for your requirements, you'd have to do a bit of research.

Actually, if you're running 7, I wouldn't worry too much about light weight. Just go Ubuntu.

Edit: just noticed the custom windows bit.
 
Last edited:
If Win7 was running fine, but isn't anymore, there might be other problems. Also, installing SSDs, would drastically increase the speed. Also taking the memory up to 8GB would help.
 
A quick Google makes me think office online and Outlook webmail are viable solutions for your app requirements .

I'd go for Ubuntu with Budgie desktop and Chrome and make those suckers Chromebookesque.

Or just go full on light weight and install Solus Linux.
 
Change all the laptops HDD's to small SSD's and install Windows 10
 
Use Windows 7 with unneeded stuff stripped out of it with NTLite
 
I have an old Core 2 1.6GHz laptop with 4 Gigs of RAM. The thing came with Vista. For most of it's life, it ran Windows 7. I have Windows 10 on now, but when Windows 8 and 8.1 was a thing, I was using that.

Out of everything I used, Windows 8 / 8.1 was the most responsive. If I had any desire to improve things, I'd roll back to that, or go Ubuntu. But it does what I need it to.
 
mr_norris said:
I have an old Core 2 1.6GHz laptop with 4 Gigs of RAM. The thing came with Vista. For most of it's life, it ran Windows 7. I have Windows 10 on now, but when Windows 8 and 8.1 was a thing, I was using that.

Out of everything I used, Windows 8 / 8.1 was the most responsive. If I had any desire to improve things, I'd roll back to that, or go Ubuntu. But it does what I need it to.
Click to expand...

That is actually the truth. I forgot I had Win8.1 before 10, that was much more responsive.
 
1. Upgrade to Win 10 Pro (search how) and activate each computers on MS servers. You can do it for free till 2018. Then
2. Reinstall Windows 7 and see whether is not sluggish anymore. Disable aero effects too.

If you install other Windows version, you may have false impression that is faster. Over the time it will get slower again, it is normal for Windows.
 
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