About To Throw This Computer Out The Window!

kila1980

New Member
Hello, I was hoping someone could shed some light onto what is going on with my Gateway Laptop. Its about 5 years old. About a year ago it started saying that it could not find a Operating System. I restarted it and it kept beeping and finally started loading. Well then it stopped loading again and said it was missing a kernel file. I decided to Restore with the disk although I suspected my hard drive was corrupt (My daughter dropped it once or twice and I thought maybe the plates banged together) anyway it installed the files to restore but when it got to the end the computer would shut off before it could finish restoring. So last week I decide to get the computer working for my daughter to use.....I bought a new hard drive and installed it. I ran the restore disk and wouldn't you know it..........it still does the same thing! It shuts off. Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening. :confused:

I am just at a loss on where to go from here and I just dropped $70.00 into this computer for it not to work! :mad:

Thanks!

Krista
 
If the computer doesn't work just get a IDE to USB or PATA to USB or SATA to USB or what ever the drive is.
 
I do not want to sound stupid, but what does that mean. I looked it up and I understand how it hooks up, but what would it do?

TIA!
 
my dad was having the same problem, and we formated and reinstalled windows on it which helped for a while, but we also learned that we could leave it on for more than an hour or 2 because the fans barely worked so it over heated. I would double check the fans and heatsinks to make it not just overly over heating.
 
Well it does get very hot. Last night I kept restarting it to try to figure it out and after a while it would just turn on for like a minute or less and then turn off so maybe it could be it. Also you could still barely see what was on the screen and it like faded out when it turned off.

I guess I could clean the dusties off the fan and maybe try a cooling pad
 
ya i would take the entire thing apart and clean all the dust out of it, because dust is a great insulator. I do it to my current laptop about every 6 months, just take off the bottom covers and use some air in a can.
 
Wow I just saw your 12 years old.....at 12 I did not have a clue....course we had Windows 3.0 and no Internet. Ha ha we hung out on BBS's and played Leisure Suit Larry. You must be pretty smart!
 
Wow I just saw your 12 years old.....at 12 I did not have a clue....course we had Windows 3.0 and no Internet. Ha ha we hung out on BBS's and played Leisure Suit Larry. You must be pretty smart!

''gets shy'' Anyhow What's your Computer model?
Check the BIOS and see if there's any errors usually on my PC every month At BIOS Setup my PC (Desktop not my MBP) says BIOS error and to restore to default. Next thing Clean the fans. You will most likely require a Phillips 00 Screw Driver to open the case. Air Can will work well too without opening although position it so the vents isn't shooting the dust up as you will just be fighting the dust. Next thing is to check the heat sink. I imagine such an old Laptops heat sink is drying. Replace the heat sink with something powerful like artic silver. You also want to check Heat Cooler to make sure that still operates. I guess your computer might be the ones that have heat sensors. When booting you may want to try having a notebook cooler under the laptop. I would think metal/titanium/steel/Aluminum Coolers work better as well as the fans the material would absorb some heat.
 
Last edited:
Wow I just saw your 12 years old.....at 12 I did not have a clue....course we had Windows 3.0 and no Internet. Ha ha we hung out on BBS's and played Leisure Suit Larry. You must be pretty smart!

Elite BBS..!!

You are ol' skooler like me...:D
 
Back
Top