If you do get tired of Windows & virus/anti virus issues......
You can even order Linux cds and not have to download or burn it to a cd. under 6.00 for a ready to use cd..
If interested- OSDisc.com - Linux, Beginners, 32-bit, Live

* If download & then burning a distro ISO , you have to make sure to set it to a slow burn speed for best results.*

*Or another option...if you have a large library or book/magazine store there might be Linux books or magazines with a cd inside..to test it out..
I found some many years ago in our library.

The Linux Live CD's are the ones you can run from the CD drive & see if you like it before installing anything. Like make sure wifi/internet connects and that you can navigate around in the program..they will be slower that way, but if you like it then you can click the install icon..
Most that I mention have every easy install, gives you options of wipe/format all & install, or install side by side with your windows and you can choose at boot screen which to use.. (dual boot) etc..
For Live cd - If you don't like it just shut down & remove the cd..

This page shows the top Linux and you can finds screen shots and such , I am most familiar now with Mint Mate, Zorin, Ubuntu/Lubuntu/Xbuntu ( lighter versions of Ubuntu) Linux Lite..
DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

Jo*Mar, I am proud you like Linux but it will never take over windows. It is much harder to learn for most people plus nobody can help much on it as it has very little of the computer market. Probably never will.

Windows is here to stay and to be honest windows 10 is a great operating system. I have been working on computers for almost 20 years.

In the last 10 years I have got no malware or viruses. You just have to learn how to stay safe and don't click on bait. Watch opening unknown emails and just use common sense.

I have a laptop with windows 7 and I have no antivirus or malware programs loaded. It is still as fast as the day I installed the SSD. I just user it to pay bills and never go to any websites.

On my desktop I use what Charter supplies for free. F-Secure which is a top notch program. Never been infected on this desktop .

I have tried all the versions of Linux and I agree, it is a good operating system but for the everyday user I would never recommend it. I actually have a spare hard drive with Linux Mint loaded that I use on occasion just to play around with it but I had rather user windows any day. Just my take on this.

I sure would not want to confuse zygopetalum and tell her to install Linux and her problems would be gone for good. Virus writers do not target Linux because it has a low market share. Let it become the main operating system people use and the problems would show up with Linux like windows does now.

Cheers Tom

The major Linux distros are very beginner friendly..some others are tagged specifically as beginner friendly also.
The last few years things have really changed and with the Live cds you can try it right from the cd drive to test it out..a very nice option.

zygopetalum's laptop is an older one, that's why I mentioned the Lite Linux versions and gave more info when she mentioned Ubuntu.

I have an old laptop which I installed Ubuntu on.

For me it is stable and didn't take long to learn.

I downloaded it but accidentally disabled the informative video and have been afraid to run it without it. It looks like Threeputt provided it here so will try to do it this weekend.

I also wanted to be sure I did not have to run it as administrator as I have not done that before and forgot what password I was given. 1,2,3,4,5,6......I don't know how many characters. I should just call and find out because running as admin would give me more opportunities to wipe out my OS.

I think I do at least have some PUPs because I am getting too many ad sites when I search something, eg I try to find medication information and I get too many sites selling it instead of information.

Thank you all for your patience, I am technology challenged but I do get benefit, my computer runs so much better than it used to because of what I have learned. Onward.

zygopetalum, I understand how confusing computers can be. If you don't feel up to doing this then there are other ways I can help you. Before you download anything let me know. Also when running a program as an administrator you will not need to enter any passwords.

Also please understand I might not be here in the next few days to help you. We got some bad news on my wife. Just found out she has Kidney Cancer.

Going to urologist today for more tests in a large city and hope to find out how they are going to treat this. From there who knows what is next. It is a small mass on her right Kidney so lets hope they caught it early.

She will be 68 in a few weeks but otherwise in great health. She has never smoked and looks much younger than she really is. She also walks at least three miles and day and continues to do this even after finding out about her problem. She has a great attitude which helps a lot. She also feels great except for being a little nervous now. I am a wreck but with God's help I will make it through this.

Found this after first the ultrasound and then Cat scan. She went in for regular blood work and they found a small amount of blood in her urine. Her blood work looked normal. Doctor didn't like seeing the trace of blood in urine as they had found a trace back last year but meds cleared it up. This time the meds did not.

Please pray for her and me also as we head into the weeks ahead. This has had us on edge for several days until we got the call two week ago after they did the ultra sound. Then Cat scan showed it much clearer. Mass is 1.4 x 2.4 CM which I understand is not all that big.

I will try and log back here to check on your computer as I find time.. For now I got to take care of my wife of 47 years. Wish us luck and again I will check back in on you. Tom

Tom, I am sad to read about your wife.

I wish her and you all my support.

Please just take all the tine that you need to care for her.

Thank you so much. We never expected anything like this in our retirement but it did and now we have to deal with it. We are both a little nervous but I would think that is normal. I got to stay positive for my wife even though I am not very good at hiding things . She is not only my wife but my best friend. I was very lucky to meet her that day in April 1970. I will still log in her and help on the computer as it keeps my mind off what we are dealing with. Got to stay busy for sure. Again kiwi33, thanks for your nice post. Tom