On 14/02/2019 10:24, Clive Page wrote:
Our desktop PC is showing signs of senility - it's running Windows XP
from which you can tell that it's well past it's use-by date.Â*Â* We still
use it as a file and backup server and for occasional word processing
and spreadsheet work, but don't need high performance.

There seem to be quite a number of machines costing up to £350 that look
suitable, from brands like Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Packard-Bell, etc.

From experience in buying laptops in recent years, I think the main
deciding factor may be how much bloatware is pre-installed but it's hard
to assess that from vendors descriptions or reviews.Â* Does anyone have
experience of which brands are least infested, or on which it's easiest
to remove all the junk?


My last three or four desktop machines have been "refurbished" medium to
high end Dells from banking / server farm type environments. They seem
to come with completely clean installs. Amazon or ebay, taking note of
volumes and feedback.