I have an 84 year old friend in Bangkok who's running a machine with Windows Starter edition. It's awful and he can't even get it to recognize his book reader to transfer books. It's a Dell Inspiron mini 1018. The machine itself seems sound enough (I've had 30 years in computers).

 

I need a reliable shop to install an updateable windows 7 for cheap, since he doesn't have a lot of money. I don't want to burden him with a higher version of Windows. He's confused enough as it is.

 

Thanks.

Reliable shop? Most of the shops that deal with computers regarding repair and/or installation and sale can do this. In Bangkok it would not be a problem with an english version either.
Just choose a shop because most of them have the same kind of installations, and a fair price would be between 300-500 bath depending on how much he need to be installed after the operating system.

Yeah any shop will do. Just don't expect a pirated version to be upgradeable. 

Not any shop will do this. Quite a few shops (jedicool and etc.) refuse to install windows as police is very keen on controlling and giving out fines. If the OP has 30 years of experience, why not buy an illegal copy and install yourself?


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3 hours ago, sniffdog said:

Not any shop will do this. Quite a few shops (jedicool and etc.) refuse to install windows as police is very keen on controlling and giving out fines. If the OP has 30 years of experience, why not buy an illegal copy and install yourself?


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They will only refuse it until they make sure you are no cop. 

If the OP had thirty years of experience why doesn't he do it? Coz he has thirty years of experience and he knows he could get caught. 

If you go this route, make sure the first thing you do is run a bootable antivirus - quite often this garbage you get from shops is riddled with malware.

Sorry, but what really surprised me was your remark that you have 30 years of experience with computers. What kind of experience and why did you mention it? I have 30 years of experience and there is little or nothing I cannot do and one of the most simple things is installing a new operating system, as most of it is done automatically.

 

Here's what I would do: download a pre-activated Windows 7 version. (if you really still want Windows 7)

Make a bootable USB Stick or burn it on a DVD. Buy a 250 gb HDD or better SSD and replace the old one in the laptop.

Upgrade the RAM to the maximum. If it comes with 1gb go to 2gb and if it has 2GB make it 4 GB if possible.

There are two reasons for this: this is a six year old laptop. The warranty from the HDD is long passed. And as always with those parts, it is not a matter IF it will die, but WHEN. Chances are that in the near future the HDD will break.

For about 2500 Baht you can buy a nice 250gb SSD. This makes the computer more reliable and even a little faster. Doubling the RAM will also improve the performance.

 

I have a similar laptop (A packard Bell NCL20) which I use for all my electronic paperwork. In fact as I looked at the specs your friends laptop has highers specs than my laptop. I did all of the above and installed Windows 10!

If it can run Windows 7, it also can do Windows 10. 

The advantage of Windows 10 is that it installs 99,99 % of all your drivers. It comes with Windows defender, which in my opinion is as good as any antivirus programm - but much lighter.

If you don't like the tiles, you can turn them off or just ignore them...

 

Done this, your friend will be able to use his netbook for the next few years without problems.... 

 

Succes and do something with your 30 years of experience!

 

8 hours ago, A1Str8 said:

Yeah any shop will do. Just don't expect a pirated version to be upgradeable. 

 

Wrong expectation: they are as good upgradable as any legal copy. I only run pirated software on my pc. Yes, I admit it openly... Even after the so called "free Windows 10 period", I found copies of Windows 10, pre-activated, which are mmmm... alright, maybe not upgradable (but do I have to upgrade Windows 10?). They are updatable... without any problem whatsoever.

8 hours ago, A1Str8 said:

Yeah any shop will do. Just don't expect a pirated version to be upgradeable. 

 

 

My pirate copy of win 7 did the free upgrade  to win 10 without issue however not long after I re-installed win 7 as I though 10 was garbage.

Sorry but openly discussing illegal acts is against forum rules, so I have to close this.