Micshad wrote: 
larryonly wrote:
The Ubuntu Linux is up to date and will work on almost any computer .
And , bonus, you don't need an anti-virus program.
It is sort of a cross between Windows and Apple , but VERY stable and reliable .

Won't I lose all my programs and links if I switch OS? Someone else told me to use Linux and I'm very tempted but I can't afford to lose the programs installed o the antique since some were paid digital programs (no disks).
What good are the programs on your computer if your computer does not work?
Most all software programs that you purchase, have a website log in so that you can
log in and reinstall the software and/or receive updates.
I mean my gosh, you said your computer is about dead. Just using common sense
that means you are going to either need to buy a new computer, a user computer,
have the one you presently own repaired.
Uninstalling and Installing a different operating system may not help at all. Often
if your computer is old and you have used it for a long time, there are various things
that can be bad with it that have nothing to do with the operating system installed on
it.
If you don't have back up's for whatever programs you are referring to, then I would
suggest backing them up now if you can. Maybe a disc or a cloud service. Today
however almost all programs are going to allow you to do more than one install.
I even have the old coffee cup software from many years ago and I go over to
coffeecup any time and download the software again when I want and to any
computer I have.
Bottomline is, if you don't do back ups of your photo's or stuff you save on your
computer, cloud usage, you will just have to chalk it up as a loss. Because when
your computer is dead, it is dead ....... especially if you are not willing to pay
someone to try and recover what's on there.