Windows 10: Workarounds to my Windows gripes?

Context: Mac/Linux user, I have barely touched Windows since XP was relevant, and I personally hate Microsoft software, since it constantly fails on me and fights me on every single thing I try to do. But, unfortunately, I have to keep an old windows 10 machine around for the occasional time I need to use some ancient piece of software for school that only runs on windows (my professors have literally recommended buying an old windows XP laptop because that software runs best on XP)

Performance: While I finally got windows de-bloated enough that it kinda runs ok now on my old HP Spectre, but it’s poor i7-7500U gets so hot just from windows idling. I’ve deleted all the software I could that I don’t want, which was a LOT (still can’t get rid of most of Microsoft’s software, and I’m pretty sure MacAfee is still sitting on my system somewhere), I’ve disabled cortana as much as I could, I have disabled all of Microsoft’s spyware I could, I’ve done everything I can figure out, but Windows is still rough on this computer. How can I improve the performance of windows on old hardware? I literally just need this computer to boot, run one program, and shut down, and it can barely handle that. The fans are still at 100% half the time just idling. I’ve checked for malware, I don’t even use a web browser on this computer, I’ve done a complete fresh install and de-bloated again to be sure, and it’s unusable at fresh install, and barely usable after I de-bloat. What else can I do?

Storage: The internal ~500Gb drive is partitioned off with 454Gb for C, 11Gb for a recovery partition, and 8Gb for “HP Tools” (D) which I didn’t want, so I just wiped that partition for my own storage needs. But that still only leaves me with 8Gb of storage on this computer that I can actually use for my own files that I know won’t bork the system. I just leave C as where programs get installed to, and D for my own storage. How can I resize C and D partitions to give maybe just 100Gb more to D? What can I even store where in the C drive? I’ve broken windows before by saving the wrong kind of file in the wrong place in C before, and I do not want to deal with that headache of reinstalling again.

Updates: every time there’s an update, and Windows rips me away from what I’m doing to shove an update up my ass, when I finally get back into the computer, lots of my settings get changed, once my wallpaper was changed to solid black, once the driver for the built-in webcam was removed, once it deleted a couple of my files (thank god for backups), and it always reinstalls half the stuff I’ve removed. How can I get around that? Is my best bet to just open it up and take out the WiFi card so it can’t possibly update and screw itself up anymore? I can absolutely get by doing what I need to do on this computer without an internet connection.

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:)

 

Clean Install Workaround for Vista

You may remember this news story on techPowerUp! a couple of days ago relating to the lack of clean installs when using the Upgrade Editions of Vista, which required an old OS to be installed. However, Paul Thurrott has managed to find a workaround for this issue, which ironically lets users do a clean install Vista without any previous version of Windows, albeit a little tedious. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD as normal
• When prompted for a product code, leave this blank
• Select the version of Vista you have purchased and let Vista install
• When you boot to your desktop for the first time, run the Vista setup from Windows
• This time enter your product key
• When asked whether you want to do an Upgrade of Custom install, select custom and choose a clean install
• Windows will now install for a second time and you should be able to activate it

Remember, these steps are only advised for use in order to achieve a clean install of Vista, it is only legal to use the upgrade editions if you have previously purchased the appropriate version of Windows.

Source: DailyTech

 

windows xp installation and dual core am

could someone please list the steps they follow to install windows with a dual core processor and windows xp service pack to. I'm reletively new to amd dual core and i feel i'm missing a step. All help will be appreciated. thanx

 

Gripe with Windows 7/Vista

Googled "vista folder view settings".


First hit:

How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember
Windows Explorer Folder View settings

If that one doesn't work, there are lots more on the list.