I just had a total crash and had to have a new 1TB hard drive installed and lost everything. I used to have hp photosmart but can't now, so looking for a decent FREE photo-edit program. Any suggestions?

Thanks you all....

Sure do. Try Irfanview.

You can go to Cnet also and download programs some free and some for pay. You can search based on what you are looking for.

Clark were you running Windows 10. I lost everything because Windows 10 crashed and did some research and found out a lot of people have lost everything with Windows 10 when nit crashes. I am back with Windows 8.1.

Harry - I was running Windows 7 Home Premium and this computer was bought new in 2009. It is a HP with only a couple programs installed - Word and Excel , and hp photosmart - all now gone to cyber-burial. When I got the new hard drive the tech geek said I could get Windows 10 - - but he did not recommend it because of many, many, many problems - especially in emailing images. So he said he could get the Windows 7 Home Premium just like I had because I already have a license for that product - so he sent the license number to Microsoft and they gave him a link to download it, so I have that back less everything that was on the hard drive. He offered to load a Libre Office 5.0 program - which he said many of his customers like and he charged me nothing for that courtesy.
So I have that and I am trying to navigate IrFanview that Dave Turner suggested, and will see if I can handle that. I am not up to paying Adobe $399.95 for their photoshop, nor do I want some of the other PAY-FOR-PLAY programs that do so much more than I need to do - - - all I do is 1 - CROP, and 2 - Brighten or Diminish Exposure.... I am not into "Creative Artistry" with a photo editor. Thanks, Harry, and the best to you.... if this juncture blows up. I am taking Lindell's advice and going to Mac Book Pro.... Thanks to all

I have been really happy with 10 , no problems at all . I have never said that about a windows product . Your computer has to be able to handle it though , it is a big operating system .

edit ; when i switched I had to replace my desktop CPU's because they would not handle windows 10 , re-furbished CPU'S were 50 dollars from ebay

Clark I really like Windows 7 and I personally feel it is the best PC Windows Version. I use it on my laptop. MY HP came with Windows 8 and I upgraded it with Windows 8.1. I really like 8.1 also because of the Apps. I upgraded to Windows 10 when they were offering the free upgrade. Windows 10 crashed about 6 months after I installed it. Microsoft said I would have to reinstall my original Windows version that I could not recover windows 10 or the information I had lost. My wife upgraded to Windows 10 on her HP and has had no issues. I do a lot of photo editing and she does not. That may be why mine crashed and hers did not. My HP is newer and more powerful than hers so that was not the issue. After it crashed I Googled Windows 10 crash and was surprised how many people had had Windows 10 crash. A lot of people like Kevin and my wife have never had any problems. It could be a program I am running that is not compatible with Windows 10 I don't know. Anyway Cnet and PCWorld both offer free download photo editing programs.

I use Picasa and have been for 3-4 years. A very
simple and easy program for people like me!


Roger

Clark, Canon offers updates for my camera and the software to use it, perhaps try contacting your camera manufacturer, be careful of free download sites, they stick all kinds of junk in with their downloads.

Hi Roger , I use Picasa too , but they are trying to shut it down , from what i read they will do no more development as of a year ago , they want you to move to google photo , I have backed all of mine to google and dropbox but continue to use picasa.

Google is shutting down Picasa: What'll happen to your photos and videos?

Clark,
I also use Windows Home Premium 7. And my photo requirements are somewhat minimal too. I use IrfanView frequently to edit an photo to allow closer inspection of the detail that might otherwise be difficult or hard to see.
Have used Win7 and IrfanView for years with no problems.

I had Windows and lost everything when it went down. Upon on the advise of a IT friend, I went to OS10 - 12 - about 5 years ago - and loaded an older version of Photoshop CS4. Have have had not a bit of trouble since. Not a single virus issue.