"She" would love to run a diagnostic... since I have a Western Digital CD, I'll do that. Will let you know what I find.
One more question before I go: We've purchased a new HD (another WD) and XP Pro but had problems using it with the Gateway. I installed the software with no other problem than it didn't see the onboard AGP video controller. I figured no big deal and would install Gateway's drivers later. I rebooted the PC and ~lo and behold~ another black screen appeared after the Windows logo displayed. I know it booted correctly because I can hit the "start" button and shut down the system. (It will not start in safe mode, tho.) I believe the problem is lack of an appropriate video driver. Yes? If so, I can probably download from Gateway or grab it from their driver CD, but I can't see what I'm doing! Suggestions?
You could check out this article and try to slipstream the drivers you need into WinXP before running the Windows setup program.
To be honest, I'm not sure that is the problem. Generally if Windows gets through the installation it should be able to boot up (fairly) normally, at least well enough to allow you to update other drivers as needed.
You may want to re-check things in your BIOS to make sure that everything is configured properly. Windows is famous for being able to see "disabled" devices, then mis-installing them.
Do you know what Service Packs (if any) are on the WinXP CD you bought? If your new drive is greater than 137GB and you don't have at least SP1 you are going to have trouble getting the drive set up properly. You can slipstream SP2 along with your drivers to take care of that potential issue, too.
If this is a brand new drive and a clean Windows install, I'd probably format and start over, then try the slipstream stuff if the video problem persists.
Wow! 9 pages of slipstreaming instructions - ok, I'll read it but I think my bro-in-law will want the PC back before I'm finished. At any rate, I don't think I'm ready to use his machine as a test case.
The version of XP Pro is SP-2, which is what I've installed on the new-just-out-of-the-box Western Digital 160 GB drive. Bios settings are all correct according to everything I've read on Gateway support, various forums and what I know to be in the box. I didn't locate any information about proprietary drivers on the Gateway site, so I figured the install would work. That it didn't and I'm not getting error messages or beeps or the usual indicators of a problem on boot really has me stumped. :shakehead
On the other topic - the WD diagnostic program saw the old drive but not the data and attempted to reformat. I cancelled the diagnostic since I still want to try and salvage files off the drive. Now I'm back at zero.
My priorities are: get the new drive operational, retrieve what I can from the old one before I take it to the recycling station. I'll try a reformat on the new drive tonight and if re-install fails, try the N-lite method.
Thanks for your assistance - keep up the head scratchin as this is the most useful and informative board I've visited in the past couple of years.
Im having the same problem i got a windows installation disk but its pirated it dont have the option /R Ive tried a lot of different methods i just really need help any suggestions
what you mean recovery console? The console you get when you boot with WinXP CD? if that's the case, I can't cos it will give me a BSOD which state that my disk is full.
i want too do that but my disk dont have that option :confused2 im out of ideas
Comments
"She" would love to run a diagnostic... since I have a Western Digital CD, I'll do that. Will let you know what I find.
One more question before I go: We've purchased a new HD (another WD) and XP Pro but had problems using it with the Gateway. I installed the software with no other problem than it didn't see the onboard AGP video controller. I figured no big deal and would install Gateway's drivers later. I rebooted the PC and ~lo and behold~ another black screen appeared after the Windows logo displayed. I know it booted correctly because I can hit the "start" button and shut down the system. (It will not start in safe mode, tho.) I believe the problem is lack of an appropriate video driver. Yes? If so, I can probably download from Gateway or grab it from their driver CD, but I can't see what I'm doing! Suggestions?
To be honest, I'm not sure that is the problem. Generally if Windows gets through the installation it should be able to boot up (fairly) normally, at least well enough to allow you to update other drivers as needed.
You may want to re-check things in your BIOS to make sure that everything is configured properly. Windows is famous for being able to see "disabled" devices, then mis-installing them.
Do you know what Service Packs (if any) are on the WinXP CD you bought? If your new drive is greater than 137GB and you don't have at least SP1 you are going to have trouble getting the drive set up properly. You can slipstream SP2 along with your drivers to take care of that potential issue, too.
If this is a brand new drive and a clean Windows install, I'd probably format and start over, then try the slipstream stuff if the video problem persists.
The version of XP Pro is SP-2, which is what I've installed on the new-just-out-of-the-box Western Digital 160 GB drive. Bios settings are all correct according to everything I've read on Gateway support, various forums and what I know to be in the box. I didn't locate any information about proprietary drivers on the Gateway site, so I figured the install would work. That it didn't and I'm not getting error messages or beeps or the usual indicators of a problem on boot really has me stumped. :shakehead
On the other topic - the WD diagnostic program saw the old drive but not the data and attempted to reformat. I cancelled the diagnostic since I still want to try and salvage files off the drive. Now I'm back at zero.
My priorities are: get the new drive operational, retrieve what I can from the old one before I take it to the recycling station. I'll try a reformat on the new drive tonight and if re-install fails, try the N-lite method.
Thanks for your assistance - keep up the head scratchin as this is the most useful and informative board I've visited in the past couple of years.
Red
i want too do that but my disk dont have that option :confused2 im out of ideas