How to replace old Win XP with a new operating system on my laptop?

[wainuitech]

Watching how its done is simple compared to reading: ( do a few of them and you can do it in your sleep)

To install from fresh on the existing Laptop:

Windows XP -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtbVIBxcDY

or

Windows 7 --http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mME9VLT7-xw

If you wanted to use linux its very similar, but there are more options / questions you may have to answer/decide.

[barryk]

Issue now resolved :-) thanks folks! I have re-installed Windows XP and got most or nearly all of my software going again. Was able to use backed up data from my USB flashdrive.

[Digby]

Seems to me that it is too hard to upgrade laptops.
(Unless you really know what you are doing - or get a professional to do it)
The problem is all the drivers and proprietary software.

Better to buy a new one.
They are not very dear these days.

[dugimodo]

Maybe Digby, certainly are some cheap ones around. However I just recently got my first ever laptop from a police auction. Never worked on one before, came with no hdd, no RAM, missing the hdd caddy & cable, and a faulty keyboard as it turns out.
As long as you are reasonably good at figuring tech stuff out and take some care it's completely doable by us amateurs This one even has a fingerprint reader I now log in with.

so my example;
Laptop $100
Keyboard $40
hdd $115
RAM $60
Caddy $35 (took 3 attempts and 2 purchases to get the right one - largely my fault but $120 plus from hp so still a win)
I had to find all the drivers and a copy of windows (key was on the laptop), fix the hardware, and install the software.

For $350 all up I get a pretty nice laptop, have some fun and learn some stuff, and it's even good enough for some gaming which you can't do on most sub $1k laptops.
It'll play WoW, Diablo 3, & Skyrim ok at it's native resolution but can't really handle them well on a 1080P external screen.

[barryk]

Dugimodo, you did well with that laptop :-) My laptop is still going well.

Maybe Digby, certainly are some cheap ones around. However I just recently got my first ever laptop from a police auction. Never worked on one before, came with no hdd, no RAM, missing the hdd caddy & cable, and a faulty keyboard as it turns out.
As long as you are reasonably good at figuring tech stuff out and take some care it's completely doable by us amateurs This one even has a fingerprint reader I now log in with.

so my example;
Laptop $100
Keyboard $40
hdd $115
RAM $60
Caddy $35 (took 3 attempts and 2 purchases to get the right one - largely my fault but $120 plus from hp so still a win)
I had to find all the drivers and a copy of windows (key was on the laptop), fix the hardware, and install the software.

For $350 all up I get a pretty nice laptop, have some fun and learn some stuff, and it's even good enough for some gaming which you can't do on most sub $1k laptops.
It'll play WoW, Diablo 3, & Skyrim ok at it's native resolution but can't really handle them well on a 1080P external screen.