AAAaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhh!!!!!!!!!

Gateway says that the motherboard I need in oder to fix this system is unavailable, however.....If I want to pay them $345.00...then all the sudden the motherboard is magically available for them!!!!

He did assure me though...I could go buy a new third party motherboard, and a new full copy of windows, and that would fix my problem!!!!

No kidding, jacka$$!!!! But since they don't want to sell me the mobo for me to fix it myself...I have to buy another copy of windows...what a crock!!!!!

Actually it's my friends computer....but still...that is a bunch of BS!!!!!!

The service support guy did tell me...you might get lucky and be able to use this copy of windows on the new motherboard, some copies will work and some won't, but you won't know till after you try, because he wouldn't tell me how to determine what type of copy of windows before you do anything with it!! I could have sworn I've heard of others mention some way to tell what type of windows XP copy it is....but I might just be dreaming up stuff!!!!

I'm so mad after talking to that idiot...I could chew this desk in half!!!!!

Roger

 

I hate threads that start with "AAAaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhh!!!!!!!!!" or something else totally inarticulate. Thread title should say SOMETHING relevant. Other than that... ....
Likely if your friend has an actual copy of Windows, it will install just fine. Be sure to install the correct motherboard drivers for the new board etc. If he has a restore disk, that would try to install incorrect drivers for the new motherboard, and anything else you change out, and likely wouldn't work.

And in Gateway's defense, old hardware DOES go obsolete and they quit making it. Pretty quickly in the computer world. There's nothing magic in its availability at a high price. That just means that Gateway can have one custome-built, and single cultom built hardware is ALWAYS much more expensive than standard production-line items.

Welcome to the wonderful world of fixing old computers.

 

You don't need to buy a new copy if the motherboard is defective. I did just that on a Compaq with an obsolete mobo. You may have to call it in, but once you explain the original mobo is no longer available they will work with you. Obviously, you can't use a Gateway recovery disc and will need to use a MS installation disc to reinstall.

 

WOW...thanks for the embarassment...sorry to get'ya on the wrong note!!!! Just blowin off steam!! Don't mean to be childish sounding here, but...I guess all the threads that some start with "Wooopeeees", and "Wooooohooooos", and etc., etc., don't count!!!!

On another note...If it is a OS restore disc, doesn't it specifically say that it is a restore disc??...it is a windows cd, but it is not the famous holographic microsoft disc...it is a blue gateway disc that says "Operating System Windows XP Home Edition". To my understanding...an OEM disc from a commercial company such as dell and gateway and compaq, etc., etc., is usually married to the motherboard, and if you change the motherboard...you either have to get the exact replacement part from the manufacturer or go buy a new retail copy of windows!! However...when I put this so called disc in another system...it sarts up fine and will even let me navigate the disc for the different options, just like on your typical windows disc!! I was kind of under the understanding that if it was married to a system...if you put it in another system...it would come up saying that this disc is made for only such n' such system and is incompatible with this system!!

Oh well...guess you don't know till you try!?!? I suppose the software forum would be a more appropriate place for this!! Don't worry...it would be with an articulate title!!!!

Roger

 

LOL. Didn't mean to embarrass you. And you're certainly not the only one that does that. It's just a long term low level personal annoyance, and not meant for you specifically. We seem to go through spells where it seems about 1/4 of the threads all start out meaningless. Figured if I finally said something, maybe others would think a bit before doing that.

I'm not familiar with all the differences in restore disks, but I do know that some will stop & tell you if it's for the wrong system. The fact that yours is labeled like it is and gives you the normal Windows install routine sounds very promising. Normally a restore disk will just steamroller what's on the disk and install what it has.

Exactly! Nothing to lose by trying.

 

No biggie!!!! I was just obviously frustrated, and felt like I was being singled out, but....today's another day!!!! I will however try to be a little more creative with my titles!!!!

Roger

 

Try www.mundocorp.com for all things Gateway. Also try ebay and google search for the motherboard. Never know what they will turn up. Maybe a "dead" PC of the same model as yours, but with a good mobo. Bazza

===

 

Thanks for the link bazza, but upon looking at the link...It is for notebook parts and this is a desktop.

I already tried the ebay thing, and there are some, but they are around $150.00, and that is more than she wants to spend. I'm guess ing it is obviously a hard one to come by, but I'm also gonna guess that it is because it is a pentium 4 board, but it had the old SDRAM dimms, so I can't even run out and just buy a third party replacement at tiger direct....all their micro ATX socket 478 boards come with DDR dimms, so she would also have to buy some new memory...so either way, she has to shell out the moulah!!

Thanks anyway though...I will keep an eye on this thread though to see if anyone does come up with something!!

Roger