HP mini 1000 - can it be upgraded to windows 8 or 10

[bluesky4034]

I just found my HP mini while moving - thought I'd update it for grandkid to use - is there a way or is it a waste of money and time

[Huffer]

There is no way to do it for free. If you could find a copy of Windows 7 Starter that would actually be perfect, or those little laptops run Linux pretty well and it is real easy to install that (for free). Happy to walk you through it if you wish. Kids would have no trouble with Linux and it comes with lots of free games and educational software but I know it sounds really alien and scary. But what do you have to lose? 

[bluesky4034]

That would be awesome if you could get me to get this thing operational - I just hate to see it go to waste when a little one could use it

[Huffer]

This shows how to make an Ubuntu (Linux) bootable USB thumb drive. You need at least a 4 gig usb thumb drive. 

https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu#0

Make this disk and then I can walk you through testing/trying out Linux. If it runs OK on the netbook (it almost surely will) running from the usb disk we can move on to installing it. The USB stick is also a Live disk that will let you run Linux without changing anything on the hard drive. 

[bluesky4034]

I was able to get into the information setup utility and my processer is only 1.60GHz - link says it needs to be at least 2 - guess this little guy is waaayy outdated.

[Huffer]

Yes I suggest rolling back to an earlier version of Ubuntu with lighter requirements like the version 14.04 LTS. 

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @bluesky4034

What @Huffer recommend is great (generally speaking). But I'd vote against downgrading to Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - this version will get end of life on April 2019 - less than 1 year ahead of now.  Info >> https://www.ubuntu.com/info/release-end-of-life

Latest *buntu versions are 18.04 LTS so you should use either them or one version before (16.04) but not 14.04.

With regards to what is right and what is heavy. Ubuntu is heavy because it uses one the heaviest desktop environment GNOME.

Ubuntu and *buntu family comes in different flavours and derivates. Same core and functionality but different desktop environment. Ubuntu is heavy. What is light and what would best fit this HP Mini is Xubuntu and Lubuntu, respectively Linux Mint XFCE.

If you want to reuse this HP Mini and if you decide to deep dive into the Linux operating system world, I recommend you take some time (a couple of hours) and do some reading because Linux is a different world. Here are useful resources:

>> What is Linux >> https://opensource.com/resources/linux

>> Linux benefits >> http://whylinuxisbetter.net/en/

>> https://www.neowin.net/news/how-to-migrate-to-the-world-of-linux-from-windows

>> https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/

>> https://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ultimate-linux-guide-for-windows-users.html

>> https://itsfoss.com/getting-started-with-ubuntu/?utm_source=sidebar&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=...

>> www.linuxmint.com

Linux Mint is a distro based on Ubuntu and Debian.

[bluesky4034]

this sounds more complicated than the thing is worth to me - I just need to figure out how to put it back to factory settings so anything I had on there is removed.  Thanks

[Huffer]

That is just it. Restoring it to factory if you can even do it is not easy either. Nothing will be as easy as buying a new one and just opening the box and turning it on. I think the Minis did not have a restore partition but if they did you can get to it by tapping F11 as you power up. Was it really Windows XP when it was new? Friends do not let friends use Windows XP. It cannot be made even basically secure and I would not use a Windows XP machine on the internet. Even with kids as they will want to use social media etc...scary. 

[bluesky4034]

this is severl yrs old when xp WAS the operating system folks used - I will just take a hammer to it and destroy the hard drive - not sure what I have on it at this point however do not want to take any chances.

Thanks everybody for all the responses.