Yeah, modern Windows and HDDs don't mix well. I refurbished multiple laptops and each time just throwing in a cheap SSD (and cleaning the cooler + sometimes reapplying thermal paste) would breathe new life into them.
That's why I scope out for old laptops from time to time. It's pointless to hope for it to run today's Windows OSes. But to write it off as completely useless is stupid when you can throw any desired Linux distro on it.
Though I have noticed that Ubuntu does get harder to run on old laptops.
It's been a gradual process and I do say that it started with Windows XP. People look at Windows XP with loads of nostalgia, but they conveniently forget how aggravatingly annoying it was with how often it kept prompting you about what you're about to run. Like with the greyed out screens, asking whether you're administrator and all that. It started with Windows XP.
And it has gotten worse since to where now this system you've paid $900 for that happen to have Windows pre-installed or maybe you bought that separately for another $200, so this $1,100 system you have. You can't control it all.