Is her laptop running a non-authorized Microsoft Windows copy? Recently, two relatives of mine had similar problems with non-authorized copies very after a critical update from Microsoft. Microsoft sends remote commands to make computers running a non-authorized Microsoft Windows copy non-functional. They also spy on users and restrict them for their own commercial or governmental purposes. Every machine that has Microsoft Windows as its operating system is doomed to surveillance and abuse from Microsoft. There is no freedom in a system like that because Microsoft owns your computer and through it controls your life.
The best thing you can do is to learn and teach about the value of individual freedom and cooperation in community. So, you should explain to her what is free software and why it exists. You should tell her that proprietary software is non-ethical and should not be developed or used for the sake of a free society. When she understand the true nature of the issue then she will be ready to understand the importance and value of the free as in freedom operating system that will bring new life to her machine. The right operating system for a free society is GNU, because it protects the users freedom in act and potency; because it was specifically designed to bring freedom to computer users. GNU is not only an operating system but a philosophy of the principle of good will; a ideology of freedom. The right place to learn about GNU as an operating system and philosophy is https://gnu.org. As philosophy, there you will find articles and videos from Richard Stallman, the founder of the GNU project and the Free Software Movement. As an operating system you will find every package that made up the completely free GNU operating system and 100% free software GNU distributions ready to install. Of course, the only acceptable GNU distributions are those entirely free software. So, you should only use and recommend distributions that are listed at: https://gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html . Trisquel is a very friendly and popular GNU distribution. I often recommend it to novices. Value your freedom and bring awareness to people. -- ,= ,-_-. =. There is no system but GNU; ((_/)o o(\_)) Linux-libre is just one of its kernels; `-'(. .)`-' Emacs is the only true editor; \_/ All software should be free as in freedom;
