is getting rid of internet explorer feasible?

I am wondering if it is possible to get rid of internet explorer altogether on a windows computer running xp prof, ser pack 2? Is it feasible, or will it lead to problems? I currently updated to ie7, and still have problems.{don't want 9, or anymore ie]. Really never use it, and have mozilla firefox and want to download Chrome. However, I am short on memory, so thought to get rid of ie to clear more memory. Can ie be completely deleted, or is it too much a part of windows? Thanks.
Sheena

 

No. Just do not use it. As long as you are not running the program, the only thing it is taking up is hard disk space. As for short on memory, are you talking about hard disk space, or RAM? If short on Hard disk space, you will have no choice, but to either move files off of the drive to another drive, such as documents, movies, music, pdfs, or upgrade to a larger drive, and still keep another drive in the machine for documents, movies, music, pdfs, etc.

 

Thanks Brownizs, for your useful post.
I get that ram is the memory I use to work on docs. ect while computer is on and disappears when it is off. I am not sure what is meant by hard drive memory, nor how I'd find out how much I have. My tune-up program tells me my 'total physical memory' is 512 MB and 'total windows memory' is 1759 mb but not sure what is meant by all that tho I have tried to find out in the past, too. The Ram is 512 mb but don't understand why that would be called 'total physical memory' if it disappears upon closing. Would be grateful if you could shed some light.

 

Thanks, Tim.
When I click on drive c it just tells total space [18.6 gb] and amt. used [9.08]. I assume 512 of that is ram, but it doesn't break it down into how much is Rom, or how much is used for the maintenance and performance of the machine and systems, programs, so on. My processor is a pentium 3 and is 933mhz. It probably needs to be bigger? I could have another memory chip put in, added one or two few years back; but would that be too much for my computer? As well, if I upgraded to a higher processor, would that be the right thing for the optiplex, and I have no idea of the cost. Should I even be upgrading drivers in this environment?
Sheena

 

RAM is Read Only Memory. Your RAM is not a part of the hard drive. If you only have a 20 gig hard drive, that would be why you are out of hard drive space. You could get away with running a 80 gig hard drive most likely, and Windows 7, but need more info on this machine, such as manufacturer and model number. For those spec's (933 mhz), I would say that the machine is most likely around 10 years old.

 

That was the spec's of a old HP that I had, that came with ME on it. For under $300, you can get a decent machine running 7 on it. The Acer Netbook that I use all of the time, has 2gb RAM, 160gb hard drive, W7 starter, got for around $300. It works for what I need it for. I still have a P4 Compaq desktop running with 2gb RAM, 500gb hard drive, W7-Pro, that my son uses, that is over four years old, and still going strong, when we got that one, it was around $500.

At one point, you need to cut your loses and figure out what you can afford for a system, and if you are trying to squeeze more out of a 10 year old system, that is only going to run XP, and can get a little larger drive, to allow you to get on the Internet, send emails, run Office 2k7, there is not much else you can do. At one point, PATA-IDE drives are no longer going to found on the market, so where do you cut your loses on this dinosaur.

 

Thanks Tim. That's what I feared, and I don't want to hurt the motherboard of this machine. It is still a good machine. I don't need alot of speed, right now everything is superslow cause I am on a dirty line the phone co. won't fix. When that connection isn't noisy the speed is ok for me.
Sheena

 

Thanks, Browniz. Its been a great workhorse of a computer. It is ok so long as I don't add any big programs to it. It has alot what with xp prof. and some other stuff. I don't need alot of speed, don't play games, download music, care if videos don't run. Only have had a computer 4 yrs or so, my first. I am an older gal, in my day computers were those huge things that had to be lodged in multiple buildings! [and protected from dinosaurs]. We older folks aren't so demanding of our computers as you younger ones who were raised with them and seem to know them inside out.
Sheena

 

If you have the XP-Pro disc, and want to put in a new hard drive, you can upgrade to a larger drive http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=100 Even the recertified from Newegg for $21 is not bad. What is the model number and manufacturer of this machine? As for knowing them inside and out, I learned over time how to work with them, since I was 12, which was over 30 years ago, when I helped my father build our first machine, a Heathkit H-89.