Can I run Windows 10 from an external drive attached to my older laptop?
Q: I was reading about your recent article on someone who was receiving Microsoft update alerts for his Windows 7 computer. This led me to ask the following question. Just wondering if someone could devise a new program to do this. This would enable many users with older PCs and laptops to continue using their equipment. I am very fond of my older systems, like many others who really dont need a newer or fancier model. I see a lot of ads for things like a Fixit Stick for improving an old laptop or PC performance. Just wondering why someone hasnt come up with a new program to do what I am asking in my question above.  Alison W. Sing  A: Actually, Windows already supports running the operating system from an external drive. It wont be quite as fast as running it from your internal drive. And, of course, youll still be using an older computer that likely has other bottlenecks to performance  a slower CPU, an underpowered graphics adapter, limited RAM, etc. But yes, if you dont want to invest in a new computer, running Windows 10 on an external drive is perfectly feasible. Related Tech Q&As Read more from Patrick Marshall here >>  Q: I do not use my computer much. But I leave it on for hours at a time. Advertising   J.R. Nowell  A: If your computer is on and connected to the internet it is vulnerable to hackers. The good news is that hackers  people trying to break into your computer over a network  arent likely to target you if they dont think you have lots of money or valuable information. If youre running the anti-virus and firewall that comes with Windows, you should be pretty secure. For most users, the greater risk is inadvertently downloading malware from emails or websites. To protect yourself from that, youll want to avoid websites you dont trust and never click on links or attachments in emails unless you trust the sender. And, of course, youll want to make sure your anti-virus/anti-malware program is running and up to date. Q: A while back, you answered a question about Norton and Malwarebytes playing well together.  James Young  A: Its just that programs that monitor computer processes for signs of viruses or other malware can themselves be seen as potential malware by each other. In practice, Ive found that such conflicts dont actually occur very often  but they can occur. I have used Malwarebytes with both Windows Defender and Norton Security Suite without any problems. But I wouldnt run Windows Defender and Norton at the same time. As for separate solutions for anti-virus and anti-malware, it used to be the case but is no longer. Most of the current internet security programs offer protection against viruses and other types of malware.