Failed hard drive

I'm afraid that Win 10 cannot really be made to appear just like XP. There is a 'Start' button and menu area though that can be customized, and I think it is a big improvement on what was possible on Win8. But you are stuck with the new Win10 interface, which includes the pointless (IMO) lock screen.

The file explorer interface and system is excellent, it's all very fast and slick. It's probably a good time to move onwards and upwards with your programmed though, and get better, newer 64bit versions. I use a free copy of PhotoShop CS2, which is over 10 years old, runs very well on Win10.

We've seen the consequences of using Windows XP and how the NHS fell foul of those consequences. I'm afraid there comes a time when we have to upgrade to newer software that's supported. Soon there will be new programs that won't run on XP anyway, just as Windows Vista has now slipped into antiquity.

I would bite the bullet and go W10 and enjoy its new facilities.

Why not just move to Windows 7? All of your programs will work just fine; it does not have the silliness associated with 10, from a massive interface jump to privacy issues and forced updates.

I have used win7 64 bit for years and I dont recognise your complaint here at all.

Would not advise the OP to go down the win7 route now though, as i believe support runs out in 2020.

I can assure you Chris this is not a Windows 7 feature.
This is how Win 7 interface looks:



No boxes of any sort prompting you to do anything.

This is how Win 10 interface looks:



There are boxes, in some cases you may be prompted to setup various accounts if you want. If not, you are free to customize which boxes appear and you can alter their layout somewhat.

Best of luck with whatever choice anyhow

Yes, it sounds as if you have some sort of browser add-on that's doing your searches possibly. A fresh install of Windows won't have this. I don't like the MSN news homepage on Edge (the browser), but I quickly change the homepage to show just a blank tab.

The Gadgets widgets you referred to can he totally switched off in the settings, 'Windows Features'.

Win 10 still has the uncomfortable hotpotch mixture of 'apps' (touchscreen styled mini programs) and the traditional Win7 interfaces, but it's an improvement on Win8 as even the app ones are quite workable with mouse and keyboard, and they behave like real Windows (not swipy things that you can't get rid of).

Ref Windows 10:
- Windows "gadgets" have been dropped completely nowadays because they apparently posed security threat (edited: removed the comment about them still working, I don't think they do)
- You can get rid of a lot of the default information leakage to MS by installing something like O&O Shutup10 and then tweaking it a bit ( 3 machines here, all with that installed)
- Edge is a pig (although very "lightweight" and quick) and you can change the default browser to IE11 or another of your choice - but you might need to download it before you can

Windows 10 has been out for quite a while now.

If you're going to the effort of a rebuild, then it's time to move to it.

Windows 7 turned out to be more stable and a bit faster on the same hardware as XP. There is simply no reason to stay on windows XP now.

It's mid 2017, and whilst yes there will be some learning curves, the modern stuff is not all bad.