Question Simple computer setup

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anirbandutta01

anirbandutta01

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Someone asked me if he want to setup a very simple pc with 2 or 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 500 GB HDD without SSD and installed with an outdated OS (Windows 7 X64 or X86) then which browser is perfect for him? Chrome (update not possible) or Firefox ? Also which antivirus will protect such types of system? I saw many shops owner in India with Windows 7 installed with their PC. They use Quick Heal/K7/Kaspersky for security.

I know that up to date OS and up to date browser is the main requirements to prevent virus or malware attack but what happened if he configured a system installed with Windows 7 and above mentioned antivirus ? Also he only wants chromium based browser like Google Chrome/Opera or Firefox. Is there any secondary anti malware recommended for his PC?

Please suggest me. Thanks in advance.
 
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For a system with such specifications, Firefox would be a better choice as it's less resource-intensive than Chrome. As for antivirus, Kaspersky is a good option as it provides comprehensive protection. However, it's crucial to note that using an outdated OS like Windows 7 can pose significant security risks, even with antivirus software installed. It's highly recommended to upgrade to a supported OS like Windows 10 for better security.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
I know that but he didn't like Windows 10 . He familiar with Windows 7.
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Understood. In that case, Firefox is the better option due to its lower resource usage. For antivirus, Kaspersky is still a good choice. However, please remind him that using Windows 7 poses a security risk as it's no longer updated by Microsoft.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
Actually he loves Windows 7 & not familiar with Linux.
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The question for YOU is, if you were consistently on the tail end of hardware specs, would you learn to love something safer than a setup that could potentially destroy your hard work (being a business owner and all)? Not only is it a problem with the AV software and Firefox, but all his beloved apps aren't getting updates as well. There would also be lures for him to install questionable software that still "works" on Windows 7.
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
Actually he loves Windows 7 & not familiar with Linux.
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If he's dead set on using W7, then AVG or K7. Major Chromium browsers dropped support for 7 a while ago, but there is Supermium. Other choices are Firefox, which will move to ESR, Pale Moon, and @cruelsister's favorite, Sea Monkey.

Has your friend been using W7 continuously in the past? If so, he probably already has his trusted applications, but @Wrecker4923 is correct that he may be hit with phishing lures.
 
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Push/nudge him to use Linux. For a machine with such limited RAM, Linux is a great fit. AND it is still supported. Mint, OpenBSD, MXLinux, Alpine, and Debian still offers 32bit installs.

If he gives a damn about security, he should accept Linux for his old machine. Patches are still arriving, software is up to date.

I was searching for 32bit OSes a few months ago for my old Pentium. Out of that batch, Mint is best geared for Windows users.
 
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For me, security is of utmost importance. I go where there is good security. I would give up the OS I love and have gotten to know best in favor of better security.

Ask him if he is willing to get hacked, get infected using the OS he currently loves. Having to rebuild and rebuild only to be infected again and again. Knock some sense into him. Security is Important.
 
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If he steadfastly refuses to consider Linux choices, have him use CyberLock which should work with Win 7. However even CyberLock's default deny whitelisting cannot stop hacks targeting security flaws in the un-patchable Win 7 iteself. Also be aware that Win 7 does not support modern day security features which we take for granted like driver signing. And then have him use SRP (software restriction policy) to deny *.bat. I don't completely trust CyberLock to reliably parse batch scripts.
 
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The min requirement for Win 11 is 4 GB of RAM. You can bypass Win 11's requirement for TPM by pressing Shift F10 during Win 11 installation 3rd reboot and start regedit to make the key "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE", BypassNRO = dword 1.

Then Win11 will allow you to skip over the requirements for TPM and MS accounts.

You did not provide which CPU he is using. Maybe Win 11 will run very slowly.

There is a reputable vendor on ebay that sells used machines at low reasonable prices - "derrick4earl". You can go into advanced search and specify the vendor, he has a ebay shop. The machine I am on now is from him; it is a 2017 Dell Latitude laptop Core i7, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD with no battery for $168. I don't take this laptop outside so it works for me.
 
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Given the point that security programs might not provide protection if the OS is not patched, then try Windows 11 (probably no need to activate yet), then install Explorerpatcher and Open-Shell, and it will look like Windows 7.

If it's too slow, then maybe Windows 10.

Otherwise--and if the machine will only be used for browsing--get a free, lightweight OS.
 
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Victor M said:
You did not provide which CPU he is using. Maybe Win 11 will run very slowly.
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Core i3 3rd Generation. He'll upgrade it's RAM to 8GB DDR3 & 128 GB SSD. After that I'll ask him to upgrade his system to Windows 11 but if he bypass TPM & MS account and install Windows 11 on his system will it cause any problem based on his configuration?
 
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anirbandutta01 said:
2 or 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 500 GB HDD without SSD and installed with an outdated OS (Windows 7 X64 or X86)
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Why does he hate himself?

If he's not gaming (which I assume he's not) any Windows will probably "work" with 4GB, but it will be a painful experience, not to mention the lack of SSD.

I'd suggest a light Linux distribution.
 
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