Hello
I got a Gateway don't know the model # right now but it has a 64 bit processor and was originally loaded with Windows XP Media. I had Tigerdirect add memory to total 2 or 3 GB and I had Nvidia 8500GT graphic card installed to make it a little peppier for my kids. It started acting funny a few years ago so TigerDirect reformatted the HD and I assumed it had Windows XP Media on a partition on the HD. I was prompted to burn recovery disks but never did. The computer ran fine for awhile until last year when it would just continually restart. I took it to an independent computer programmer who wiped that version off and added Windows XP Pro which was fine until I found out the drivers for the 8500GT video card were not compatible with XP Pro. I brought it back to him and he loaded Windows XP Home version and it was okay until the first virus scan that recommended a few files to be removed which I allowed that he later told me were crucial to running the unauthorized version of XP. The computer would load up the Windows page but gave some type of error message pertaining to the unauthorized version.
Since this is a spare computer and I wanted to roll up my sleeves and try a repair for myself once I found an old XP disk I had from a computer I had custom built back in 2001. It wasn't for 64 bit processor but I figured to give it a try. I found the label that was on that computer that had the authorization code. I put that XP disk in the disk drive and pressed the buttons to boot up the computer off of the disk. I tried to repair the version of XP on the computer but it prompted me with a question that I didn't konw how to answer so I tried again and it asked did I want to keep the partition which I replied yes (was that a good idea?) then I reformatted that partition (not the Quick choice) then I installed XP. I entered the authorization code and ended up with a blank desktop. I have a Cisco/Linksys wireless USB card that I was going to use but when I put the drivers disk into the drive the software said it was not compatible with that version of Windows. I have used that card on 2 other machines that had WIndows XP (including this one earlier). Is this because the XP is the early version not the SP2 or later version?
I ran an ethernet cord from my Linksys G router to this computer thinking I could bypass the wireless card issues but once connected I didn't see the icon in the taskbar showing it was connected nor I could not use IE to get online to update the drivers.
The desktop is blank and when I went to System/Device Manager I had a lot of yellow question marks which I assume meant I needed drivers.
Besides the graphics card what other hardware will I need to load drivers for? I have heard that some motherboards require drivers is that true? What about the network adapter (100/1000) card will that require one also. How do I find out the manufacturers of components I need the drivers for do I open up the computer and try to read the labels or can Windows tell me which components are within? It has an inbedded sound card so I figure I don't need a driver for that.
What have I done wrong thus far and how do I resolve the driver issue?
Thanks
I got a Gateway don't know the model # right now but it has a 64 bit processor and was originally loaded with Windows XP Media. I had Tigerdirect add memory to total 2 or 3 GB and I had Nvidia 8500GT graphic card installed to make it a little peppier for my kids. It started acting funny a few years ago so TigerDirect reformatted the HD and I assumed it had Windows XP Media on a partition on the HD. I was prompted to burn recovery disks but never did. The computer ran fine for awhile until last year when it would just continually restart. I took it to an independent computer programmer who wiped that version off and added Windows XP Pro which was fine until I found out the drivers for the 8500GT video card were not compatible with XP Pro. I brought it back to him and he loaded Windows XP Home version and it was okay until the first virus scan that recommended a few files to be removed which I allowed that he later told me were crucial to running the unauthorized version of XP. The computer would load up the Windows page but gave some type of error message pertaining to the unauthorized version.
Since this is a spare computer and I wanted to roll up my sleeves and try a repair for myself once I found an old XP disk I had from a computer I had custom built back in 2001. It wasn't for 64 bit processor but I figured to give it a try. I found the label that was on that computer that had the authorization code. I put that XP disk in the disk drive and pressed the buttons to boot up the computer off of the disk. I tried to repair the version of XP on the computer but it prompted me with a question that I didn't konw how to answer so I tried again and it asked did I want to keep the partition which I replied yes (was that a good idea?) then I reformatted that partition (not the Quick choice) then I installed XP. I entered the authorization code and ended up with a blank desktop. I have a Cisco/Linksys wireless USB card that I was going to use but when I put the drivers disk into the drive the software said it was not compatible with that version of Windows. I have used that card on 2 other machines that had WIndows XP (including this one earlier). Is this because the XP is the early version not the SP2 or later version?
I ran an ethernet cord from my Linksys G router to this computer thinking I could bypass the wireless card issues but once connected I didn't see the icon in the taskbar showing it was connected nor I could not use IE to get online to update the drivers.
The desktop is blank and when I went to System/Device Manager I had a lot of yellow question marks which I assume meant I needed drivers.
Besides the graphics card what other hardware will I need to load drivers for? I have heard that some motherboards require drivers is that true? What about the network adapter (100/1000) card will that require one also. How do I find out the manufacturers of components I need the drivers for do I open up the computer and try to read the labels or can Windows tell me which components are within? It has an inbedded sound card so I figure I don't need a driver for that.
What have I done wrong thus far and how do I resolve the driver issue?
Thanks
