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Doing backups can be as complicated and costly as you like, or as simple as sending an email.

Since I started doing backups with MS DOS Backup in 1983, many so-called Backup programs have come and gone, and I’ve evaluated a Bunch of them. (some with disastrous results).

In 1997 I found a backup program, written by a little known group in New Zealand, simply called “Ghost”.

We used it then, in my shop, to clone small HD’s to larger HD’s. We did a lot of that in those days as programs and OS’s were getting larger and larger and required more HD space.

Since then I’ve used Ghost and it’s updates to back up Windows 98, ME, XP, Vista, Win-7, Win-8.1, and now Win-10.
Whether the OS is 32 bit or 64 bit, Ghost just doesn’t care. It backs up everything, even Linux, or so I’ve been told by my Software Guru and Web Master, who runs a Linux Server.

There was actually a version that ran from within Windows, but it was impossible to run the Restore function when the HD had already CRASHED. Not good!

So I always run Ghost 11.5 (DOS Version) from any bootable media, , , Floppy Disk, CD, Flash Drive or dedicated HD.
I even have Ghost on a bootable SD Memory Card.

It will do backups of all the Digital files on a HD and compress it (or not) and then save it to the location of your choice, an external HD being the best choice.
Or if I like, I can use Ghost to CLONE one hard drive to one of the same size or larger.

It’s just so comforting to know, that if my main HD (currently a 120GB SSD) blows its brains out. Like I had one do a year or so ago, in 15 minutes or less, I can be back up and running, as if nothing ever happened.

As for data files that are updated regularly, and I do have a few of those, as well as newly saved pictures, I use a very simple little Batch File using XCOPY to copy those files to a 120GB Flash drive or a USB External Drive.
I can run that batch file from a Shortcut on my desktop.

Did I mention, I like to “Keep it Simple …….”?

Ghost 11.5 is no longer supported by Symantec, the company that bought the original Ghost code.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

Getting certain programs uninstalled, like AVG that requires the use of their own UN-Installer, has always been somewhat of a problem. The Windows Uninstaller falls flat on its face all too often, so a third party Un-Installer is necessary.

Like has been said, there are many, and many require that you buy a license to the program.
Well, I’m not cheap, but I do like FREE, whenever I can get it.

So along those lines, I’ve tried many so-called uninstallers only to come back to the one that I like best, and that is the “Revo Un-Installer”. There is a pro ($) version, but I find that the FREE version does an exemplary job of un-installing programs and all their registry entries.

But like I eluded to earlier, if you want to UN-Install AVG, download their own AVG Removal Tool.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

Every time I’ve set up a GMail account on a person’s PC, using OE 6.0, Windows Mail, O.E. Classic, etc.
I’ve set it up as a POP email account. Then to make it work, I’ve had to go to GMail and log in and set it up to be a POP email account and NOT an IMAP account. Then everything works perfectly.

Thunderbird? I tried it once, didn’t like it and have never used it again.
OE Classic is easier to set up and works pretty much like Outlook Express, or Windows Mail.

Good Luck,
The Doctor

For many years, I and millions of other Windows users, have used the Email Program that came with Windows.
It was called Outlook Express. It was user friendly, simple to set up and just Worked.

In MS Vista, our old favorite got a facelift and was re-named to Windows Mail. Same great program, with a new name.

In Win-7, 8, 8.1, and Ten, Windows mail is still there in the installed program files, but MS in their infinite wisdom (?) has disabled it, so we can’t use it. That’s what THEY think!

Re-enabling Windows Mail in Win-7 to 10, is as simple as deleting the files in the Windows Mail folder and replacing them with the same files from Windows Vista.

I’ve evaluated many of the other email programs that I’ve seen mentioned here and on other forums, and I find them all seriously wanting. For me, Windows Mail gets the job done and it never gives me any grief.

A program that is the closest to Windows Mail, is “OE Classic”. It’s a great little program that shows great possibilities
but falls just short of a perfect replacement for Windows Mail. But it does bear watching.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

Huh? Now ‘Rabble-rouser’ tell us what you really think!

It’s “Retired GREEK” and he runs a Bakery Shop.

I’m just glad he found someone who would get him fixed up with what he needed.
I thought that’s what these forums were all about, Helping, not trying to put someone Down.

The only problem with Office 2003 is that it won’t read or save any file with an .docx suffix.
However the FREE Office Clone, “Open Office” will do that, and did I mention that it’s FREE?
In this day and age, I’d never install Office 2003 for anyone, unless I also installed Open Office for them.
I have one customer of my own, who has both installed on her PC, because MS Office 2003 can’t do some of the things she needs to do. Like, read .docx files that she receives via email.

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor

I just looked up that Dell model on the web, and I found one report on it, dated 2003, so that’s truly an oldie.

But if my own experience with OLD Dell laptops is any indicator, it will probably run Windows 10/32 with little or no problems. That is, after you disable/shut down all the BS.

There can be a lot of life left in the older PC’s if a guy has the capability to upgrade them.

Good Luck!

The Doctor

Overall, I’ve had problems upgrading any PC from XP to Windows 7, because W-7 has a very basic driver package and on almost every PC that I’ve installed it on, I had to load drivers from a Motherboard driver CD or from an internet source.

My own very basic route to upgrading any PC to windows 7 is to make a clone or partition backup of C: so that if the upgrade goes poorly, I can restore back to my original OS.

The driver pack for Windows 8.1 is FAR superior to that in Win-7 and the Driver Package in Windows 10 is even better yet.
In fact, I’ve found the Driver Package in Win-10 is the best one that Microsoft has ever put out.
I’ve even installed Win-10 on a nine year old Dell laptop with only 1.5GB of ram, and had it come up with all the hardware Working. I’ve never seen that before, with any Microsoft OS.

Good Luck!
The Doctor

I realize it’s too late for the OP, but I have several hard rules for baking up any computer.
My HD backup rules date all the way back to the DOS days, long before Windows ever showed up on the scene.

The way it works today:
1 The backup/Restore program must not be on the hard drive, but on some form of media, like a Cd or Flash Drive that can boot up the PC. That should be thoroughly tested to make sure that the Boot disk can reliably boot up the PC.
2 Then the program MUST be able to make an exact copy, either actual size or compressed, of at least the C: partition of the hard drive.
3 The backup Image file must be saved to a reliable medium like an external Hard Drive. Multiple backups to various external devices will insure that if one device fails there will be another as a backup. (backup to the backup)

I use an old but still viable backup program called Ghost. I use the last DOS version of the program, written in 2005, that I run from either a boot CD or Flash Drive. Ghost 11.5 will reliably back up any OS from DOS to Windows 10.
It will perform either a Partition to Image backup, or a Disk to Disk backup, also known as a Clone. There are other options that I don’t use. It will not do a data only backup. I use a batch file, using XCOPY for that.

So once a week, I backup my C: drive to an external 1TB USB 3.0 hard drive, and then to a 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive. Finally I back up (clone) my entire SSD (two partitions) to a 2TB mechanical hard drive that I only connect to do the clone, and then I disconnect it, for safety.

If my SSD drive totally fails, like a PNY SSD did, last summer, I can restore my last backup to a new drive and be back in business in less than an hour. I’ve had to repeat this process many times over the past years, and Ghost has been my savior every time.

May all your hard drive crashes be recoverable.

The Doctor

Hi Doc. Whenever I use my laptop on a desk or table, the USB mouse is exactly what I do. But occasionally, I use it in my easy chair or in bed. Then the mouse pad is necessary. However, unchecking the “pinch zoom” option fixed it.

One of the worse things the PC industry ever did, was name a portable PC as a “Laptop”. Because having one sitting on one’s lap or bed is just inviting a CPU or GPU meltdown! The cooling air intakes on most laptops are on the bottom, and when the little PC is sitting on a lap or bed, etc., that air intake is covered. Don’t do it!

I caution all of my customers to always use their laptops ONLY on a smooth, clean, surface.

I was recently given a beautiful BIG HP Laptop that would shut down within one minute of powering up.
The cooling fins were packed solid with dirt and the cooling fan was locked up tight. When I told my customer what it would cost to repair it, he just gave it to me and said he’d just buy a new one. Typical!

Cheers Mate!
The Doctor

I’m getting old and cranky, and I don’t well suffer BAD software, and I have to call Windows Live Mail, “BAD SOFTWARE”.

So I just reject it as an email program all together.
For over a decade I used Outlook Express, which was so user friendly, easy to set up and just NICE in general.
Then in Vista, MS modified it slightly and renamed it to ‘Windows Mail’. It’s still there, even in Windows 10, Pro, 64.
However, MS in their stupid wisdom, has disabled it so it won’t run. Arggggg!

But for those who still want to run Windows Mail, and I DO, it’s easy to fix, by just removing all the files from the Windows Mail folder and replacing them with the same files from Vista. Then Windows Mail can be set up just like we used to set up Outlook Express.

For those who are totally unable or just unwilling to do what I’ve just outlined above, there is an after-market email program called “O.E. Classic”. It’s FREE for two email addresses and sets up pretty much (simpler, actually) like Outlook Express. I’ve used it and even set it up for some of my customers, and I must admit,,,,”I like it!”.

So, with so many good options, I see no reason for anyone to suffer with an MS Mail program that doesn’t work good or look good. (I had one customer of mine, tell me that Windows Live mail, “looks like CRAP!” )

Cheers Mates,
TechnoMage

Rather than screw around with the Mail app, just download and install ‘OE Classic’.
It loves GMail and will set it up for you, and all you need to put in is your email address and password….it does the rest.
I’ve used it now on several PC’s with various OS’s and it just works great, almost identical to Outlook Express.

Cheers!
The Doctor

Friends don’t let friends use outdated programs.

Convince them to move up to something more ‘middle of the road’.

If they don’t want to invest in MS Office, there is always “Open Office”.

Good luck!
The Doctor

A true Cloning Program, Like Ghost, will make a mirror image of the Source drive to the TO drive, leaving out nothing.

I used Ghost 11.5 to originally clone my Seagate spinner, to my new SanDisk SSD last summer, with narry a problem.
Now I use Ghost 11.5 to make a clone backup to a 2TB spinner, once a week. And, I also use Ghost to make a weekly C: drive backup to another External HD.

To do a job right, you just need to use the right program.

Good Luck,
The Doctor

Artie,
One very simple solution to an errant mouse pad, (also called a Touch Pad), is either a corded USB mouse or a WiFi Mouse.

The WiFi mouses are handy when they are working properly, but they do have their own basket of problems, batteries being the #1 problem.

I have five laptops, and on the ones where the Touch Pad can be shut OFF, it IS! and on the rest, I just try real hard to never touch it. I can play games or install programs so much faster with a real MOUSE, than with a Touch Pad, it’s not even funny.

Good Luck Now,

The Doctor