HELP!!! friends mom cant use chrome...

[Dominator211]

my friend's mom is trying to do something on her old computer that runs Vista and google chrome keeps freezing when she tries to type something... I am afraid if I have her download a new version it won't say it is supported what should I do.

 

[TravayusDrax]

Sorry to hear that, the Chrome and Chromium browsers no longer support Windows XP and Vista, even Firefox has ended support for the two operating systems, If you wished to, you could install a Linux based OS with Chrome support such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, or find a new browser that supports Vista. What do you need the browser for?

You could also find the binaries for older versions of the browsers.

Here's the last version of Chrome supporting Windows Vista:
x64 https://www.slimjet.com/chrome/download-chrome.php?file=win/chrome64_49.0.2623.75.exe
x32 https://www.slimjet.com/chrome/download-chrome.php?file=win/chrome32_49.0.2623.75.exe
(This is Chrome version 49, as support for Windows XP/Vista was dropped with Version 50)

These are not installers, these are compressed archive executables, meaning that chrome will appear in whatever folder you run it from.

 

[earlynovfan]

If she is still running Vista and Chrome isn't working, maybe attempt using Opera/Safari?

 

[ov3rkill]

Google dropped support for XP and Vista since Chrome 50.
Fastest solution would be to use older versions of Chrome or Firefox or use other browsers.
Permanent and future proofing solution would be to use an updated and supported OS like Windows 10 or any Linux distribution.

 

[TravayusDrax]

If she is still running Vista and Chrome isn't working, maybe attempt using Opera/Safari?

Safari has discontinued their Windows version with the release of Safari 6.0, but Safari 5.1 still supports Windows XP/Vista.
Safari 5.1 Download Link: http://appldnld.apple.com/Safari5/041-5487.20120509.INU8B/SafariSetup.exe
I don't see a post about the Opera browser dropping support for Windows XP/Vista, but it isn't listed in the browser's requirements, Windows 7 is listed as the minimum required operating system.

Edit: I found the post and it seems support on the Opera browser for Windows XP/Vista was dropped with the release of version 37, here is a link to version 36 for download.
https://www.opera.com/download/index.dml/?os=windows&ver=36.0.2130.46&local=y

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Google dropped support for XP and Vista since Chrome 50.
Fastest solution would be to use older versions of Chrome or Firefox or use other browsers.
Permanent and future proofing solution would be to use an updated and supported OS like Windows 10 or any Linux distribution.

I recommended Linux as it was unlikely that a modern system would have Windows Vista installed, and it would be unlikely that Windows 10 could run at a similar speed or greater, but Windows 10 is an option, and it just depends on the hardware that they have. I should've put Windows as an option and have since edited my post.

 

[tilda]

Your friend's mom may have downloaded too many toolbars. How cluttered is her desktop, and how large is her programs list?
Just saying, you may want to quickly run her computer over with Malwarebytes or something to vaccum up some junk.
Although, I'd recommend the following more:
- Installing a Linux distro (Ubuntu usually does the job)
- Installing a later version of Windows (7, 8, or 10)

 

[Joom]

I say go with the Linux path. Linux has the tendency to revive old PCs. If the hardware can run it, it will always have the latest software. For security reasons this is ideal. Ubuntu (or any variant) should be simple enough to teach in an hour.