Computer Stopped Working - Help

I purchased a Gateway laptop about 1.5 years ago and have only used it maybe 100 hours at most. Recently it locked up so I shut it down. But when it rebooted it did not fully load. Then I think it asked if I wanted to reload, restore (or something like this) the Gateway software. I clicked yes but now I get a black screen with a choice of a

boot or bios menu (which is only for the computer settings). Then it runs and says "operating system not found". Gateway did not provide a restore disk with the laptop (now they want $35.00 for the disks). I tried my desk top restore disk and it was working but then it said "hard drive not found, can not continue". How do I fix this?

Reply to
cenorthamerica
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At a guess, it sounds like either the hard drive has failed or the motherboard's IDE controller, more likely the former. You'll need a tech to physically examine it to give a definite diagnosis though.

Dave

Reply to
Dave D

" snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@s13g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Sounds like your restore thing mangled your system. Try it again, ensuring it completes. If that doesn't work, you may want to take it to a professional. No offense, but it sounds like you're not very skilled with computers, so a professional would likely be your best bet.

Puckdropper

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Wise is the man who attempts to answer his question before asking it.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
Reply to
Puckdropper

I agree the drive is probably hosed. You can buy a laptop-to-desktop hard drive adapter for just a few bucks. Get one of those and install the drive as a slave in your home computer. BIOS should report if the drive is toast or not. If it works at all, immediately back up anything vital to your desktop. Then try it again in your laptop. If it doesn't work there, it's likely your laptop motherboard. That's serious. You might find one on eBay, but it won't be cheap or easy to replace.

If it doesn't work, I hope there was nothing irreplaceable on it. It's lost....

jak

Reply to
jakdedert

You have to use the restore disk made for that make & Model of machine! Pay for the proper one and then use it. In the meantime, don't do anymore or you may loose your data on your drive Regards Lee

Reply to
Lee Babcock

In message , " snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com" writes

Download yourself a copy of the IBM/Hitachi drive fitness test, write it to floppy and boot the laptop from it, run the diagnostic tests, report back here. From your description though, it sounds like the HDD is faulty. Generally not difficult to replace usually and not expensive either. As for the backup disks, buy them once you've determined and fixed the fault.

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Clint Sharp
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Clint Sharp

Reply to
biss

We are laptop repair company in uk. maybe be can help!!

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Reply to
biss

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