A young couple -- friends of mine -- have a Gateway 510 computer which their teen age daughter has apparently screwed up royally. I have not yet examined the machine, but as they tell it she got a variety of malware downloaded to it and when they then tried to clean the machine with their AV and AS software, it ended up being only marginally operational. It does boot, but popups saying WinVirus Pro (as I understood their description) keep popping up and software they use in their business is no longer available.
If it were one of my machines and in as bad a condition as they describe, I would simply reformat and reinstall software. There is a remote chance that they have a restore point stored -- but they did not even know what a restore point was, so as I say that is a remote possibility. I offered to do a format and reinstall for them, but they do not have the original system disk that came with the machine (circa 2004), or at least have no idea of where it is of if they kept it. A key number is recorded on the back of the computer, which I assume is the key for the Windows XP Home that was preinstalled on their computer when they bought it.
Now for the question. I have access to a non-Gateway Windows XP home CD. Do any of you know if the Gateway computer will allow me to do a new install with a non-Gateway Windows CD using the key from the back of the machine? They have contacted Gateway about getting a replacement CD and were quoted a price that is like buying a new Windows XP.
I hope to check their machine in person this weekend, and would like to know what my options are if it turns out to be in as bad a condition as they describe. To make matters worse, they have only dialup modem access, so large downloads to their machine will be so slow as to be impractical. I have 6Mbps cable, and can make disks to take to their home, but am limited in what I can do on net from their machine -- if I get them on net.
Bottom line: Can I reinstall Windows XP on a Gateway 510 with a non-Gateway Windows CD?
Thanks
If it were one of my machines and in as bad a condition as they describe, I would simply reformat and reinstall software. There is a remote chance that they have a restore point stored -- but they did not even know what a restore point was, so as I say that is a remote possibility. I offered to do a format and reinstall for them, but they do not have the original system disk that came with the machine (circa 2004), or at least have no idea of where it is of if they kept it. A key number is recorded on the back of the computer, which I assume is the key for the Windows XP Home that was preinstalled on their computer when they bought it.
Now for the question. I have access to a non-Gateway Windows XP home CD. Do any of you know if the Gateway computer will allow me to do a new install with a non-Gateway Windows CD using the key from the back of the machine? They have contacted Gateway about getting a replacement CD and were quoted a price that is like buying a new Windows XP.
I hope to check their machine in person this weekend, and would like to know what my options are if it turns out to be in as bad a condition as they describe. To make matters worse, they have only dialup modem access, so large downloads to their machine will be so slow as to be impractical. I have 6Mbps cable, and can make disks to take to their home, but am limited in what I can do on net from their machine -- if I get them on net.
Bottom line: Can I reinstall Windows XP on a Gateway 510 with a non-Gateway Windows CD?
Thanks
