Posted 19 January 2016 - 11:38 PM
Posted 20 January 2016 - 07:26 AM
I believe at this point you are looking at reloading the system.
Is there important data on the drive? If so you might want to purchase a new drive so that you can recover the data. If installing a new drive is above your comfort level, now may be the time to seek professional help. Installing a new drive isn't difficult. Normally the hardest part is getting the case open.
Since the restore CDs you bought don't seem to work with your machine I'd recommend purchasing a copy of Windows and updating the drivers from Gateway. You may be able to download a disk of the version of Windows that came with your machine, if there is a sticker with the Windows activation code on the machine.
Posted 20 January 2016 - 03:48 PM
I agree with Kilroy. It sounds like your computer is seriously in need of a fresh reload.
Make regular full system backups or you'll be sorry sooner or later.
Posted 20 January 2016 - 04:38 PM
If the computer was installed with Windows 8 the key is embedded in firmware. You did not have to purchase any recovery or install disks. You can create a WIndows 8.1 install disk using the Media Creator Tool here. Windows 8.1 will pull the key from firmware and you will automatically update once online.
If you prefer to install Windows 10 again then download the Windows 10 MCT here. Just pick your version. You can burn a DVD to disk on Windows 7 and later by right clicking and selecting Burn Disk Image.
You will probably need to install drivers from gateways support site as the install media will not have drivers for your computer.
Do you need to recover any data from the computer?
Edited by JohnC_21, 20 January 2016 - 04:45 PM.
Posted 21 January 2016 - 05:55 AM
JohnC_21 made the only sensible reply.
The media creation tool is your best option if you don't mind wiping the drive. If you have data on the drive, photos etc, then I would suggest asking a professional to help. If you want to try it yourself, get hold of a Linux live CD, eg PartedMagic, a free version is shipped on the UBCD then use file manager to copy your personal files to a USB stick or external hard drive. However, when trying the recovery options, the hard drive might have been formatted and your personal files will be gone, and in this case, see a professional, who might be able to get them back.
When you have your files safely copied to a stick, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and run the program. You will need a decent capacity USB stick, I suggest an 8GB stick or more.
Edited by Adam Pollard, 21 January 2016 - 05:59 AM.
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