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Hi Robroy,

Thanks for the "escape route" on the floppy disk--going to try them out--maybe today! (Son wants to try to reinstall the broken CDburner software to get some songs out of PG first)

I use Mcafee Firewall and VS--I'm usually a big supporter of Mcafee (especially since you can get it free with rebates) but every once in a while they produce a flop version, and there is a glitch or two with the latest update, according to their forums, but nothing to do with IE. It updated a "good week" before we did all this stuff. I looked at the log and that "Bootstrap Client" thing has not appeared since the one time--so thats good. The firewall "console" has been giving illegal operations and the updater, too, but I figure it's because of the internet not working right, as these didn't happen since we "broke the internet" (gosh, I feel like Lori from Leoville).

Liz

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi All,

Just to let you all know that I haven't forgotten you!! :) Son, my "techword translator" and fix-it partner has been extremely busy with soccer (coaching 13 year old boys and reffing 4 different districts), so the PG Adventure is "on pause" till after tournaments. AND he is bound and determined to "beat" a game called Populous before we reinstall--says he is on either the second-to-last level or the last level, he doesn't know which one (?)

In the meantime, I wrote a bunch of notes and printed off a bunch of stuff, thanks to you folks and the papers are organized in chronological installation order (I "think") So hopefully we can dive right into it when his sports schedule slows down!

**Another question (but of course!) I have the "Gateway System Restore CD" which contains Hardware drivers--where in the reinstallation process does that fit in, or will I be using it at all?? From what I have gathered, it seems like it wants to be used after the reinstallation if needed, but I'm not sure. And you know me, I want to be sure :blink:

Thanks for your patience--anxious for this to be done and over with. I don't wait well (which is why my packet of papers is in chronological order...!)

Liz

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  • 3 weeks later...
Hi All!

Well, we did the "kind" thing and ran Adaware and Spybot S&D on the Possessed Gateway and really broke it  :blink: --illegal operation boxes on lots of stuff and no internet explorer, no internet, which is mainly what we use it for now. 

To make a long story short, is reinstalling Windows a "take it to Best Buy repairman thing" or can a kindergarten techy do this??  We have the Window98 CD, Gateway Restoration CD, the CD that Word came on and a CD for our Cable Internet (others too, but these seem the most important). This computer is our "back up" now because it hasn't worked right from its 1 month birthday and used only for internet access, Word (which we copy to floppy since the printer is connected to the Dell now), and the occasional game. I just want a fresh "factory settings" start and if it is beyond me, I'd gladly pay a Repairman! 

Another thing, it only has a 10 Gigawatt Hard Drive (which we were told 5 1/2 years ago, "you'll NEVER fill this up" Ha!)  I think it has 2746 mbs left--is this enough space to reinstall windows or should I get a new hard drive too?  There is a lot of "Gateway installed junk" and games that are already on CDs that we can remove (if the dang thing lets us!).  Microsoft's Site Instructions made no sense and I trust you folks a lot more than the Best Buy salesmen!

If you want to hear the "long story", I can post it but its ugly!  :)

Just in case:  Pentium 2 350mhz   

                    10 GB Hard Drive                   

                    256 GB Ram

                    Win98 Fat 32

                    Floppy Drive, DVD Drive and CD Burner Drive

Thanks, Liz

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A 10 GigaWatt Hard drive?

Do you have your own nuclear power plant or are you in Kentucky in a coal vein.

I bet a search on your computer causes a brown out for 100milles.

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Hi Joe! Where ya been? Still digging up the kitchen? Good to see you back. Yep, unless I'm reading from a manual or something, any computer measurement is in Gigawatts to me :) Makes it easier to remember--the oldsters know what I'm talking about and laugh, but the kids give me confused looks when I use that term....sigh....poor kids....

Liz

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi All,

We're baaaaaacccckkkkk (I know, you're all saying, "Lord Help Us....") Son beat his PC game, bought his car and we're diving in again, especially since I found out that BestBuy charges $250 minimum (yeah, I started to chicken out, but I'm cheap)! The PG isn't worth that much!.

FINALLY tried the Emergency Startup Boot Disks Things (one just didn't work).

Disk#1 said:

"Windows98 Startup Menu

1) Start computer with CDRom Support

2) Start computer without CDRom Support

3) View Help File

Enter a Choice____Time remaining 30 Seconds *and counting*

F5 Safe Mode Shift/F5 Command Prompt Shift/F8 Step-by-Step Confirmation (N)"

We ejected the floppy before the timer ran out but then there was a bunch of stuff on the screen once the timer got to zero (I couldn't write all that stuff in 30 seconds!) . Line after line of this: *The italicized items said different things*

"The following file is missing or corrupted ASPI2DOS.SYS

There is an error in your CONFIG.SYS.FILE on line 14

Warning the high memory area (HMa) is not available.

Additional low memory (below 640k) will be used instead

The following file is missing or corrupted COMMAND.COM

Type the name of the Command Interpreter (eg, C;\Windows\Command.Com)

*Does all this gobbly goop mean the computer is really too broken to attempt a reformat, or is this normal behavior when one doesn't make a choice quick enough, or simply a bad disk??*

Disk #2) said:

Starting Windows 98

©Copyright Microsoft Corportation 19???-1999

A:\>

At least disk #2 seemed more polite :) You know, the starting point is the scariest part!! Please let me know which Disk is behaving??

Thank you all so much!!

Liz

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Thank you very much, Terrorist!! That string of messages scared me into thinking, "well, maybe PG's better as just a gaming machine than a doorstop", as some of the Win98 games "just don't like" XP, no matter what you do! We will proceed!! :thumbsup:

Liz

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Ohh Blim. Still on the Gateway from hell? Jeesh! (bragging a bit here) The Brit made me reformat a customers computer with 98... Was a real learning experience. Now if I do it 10-100 more times........... heh heh

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, OK, we are really ready to conquer this beast! Soccer's done, car's replaced, school registration stuff is done and we've been uninstalling as much junk as possible!

One more question!

I've been researching along with all the wonderful advice I've gotten here. Aside from discovering this is the absolute best place for help, I did find this "weird little item" from Googling. I believe in Murphy's Law and want to know all about what could go wrong :thumbsup:

"If during windows setup, you get message "disable the antivirus feature in your computer's cmos settings"

You have to go into Setup. On older machines it's usually by pressing the del or F1 key during bootup. The screen may tell you how. Then go to Standard CMOS settings and disable the virus protection. Look at the bottom of the setup screen for navigation information."

After we disconnected PG from the internet, Son attempted to uninstall Mcafee, but couldn't--there wasn't an option in the program and the thing in the control panel wouldn't let him uninstall it--some sort of error. I suppose this feature is a safeguard to keep viruses from uninstalling it, but after reading the above, this has me a bit concerned.

Can I go ahead and attempt to do this Standard CMOS thing before we reformat? And are there any tricks I should know about? When PG starts, it says press something for setup, but I've never visited Setup before (I will bring tea and cookies).

Thanks again!!

Liz

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Liz, the macafee antivirus is not what was referred to. Many computers have a built in antivirus in the bios that needs to be disabled. If you turn off the computer, then turn it back on it should flash up on the screen which key to use to enter the bios. Once in there look for the antivirus and turn it off. The bios page will tell you which keys to use to change stuff. Don't change anything else. After you are done you will probably have to tap the f10 key then the letter y. The computer will then reboot and be ready to reinstall win98.

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Thanks, Robroy!! I wasn't sure and want to cover all those bases :) I don't think PG has a special AV installed, no documentation or hints to it's existance anyway, and Mcafee came preinstalled on it. But I'll check anyways.

Now to just hog tie that boy of mine long enough to change this PG's undies (I've learned enough to do it myself, but he wants to do this to become more techy. Just can't deny him learning something, against the mommy rules. :) )

Liz

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Shanenin, isn't that nuts?? Just hearing that told me, "you can do this!!" (Now, everything is pricey up here in MI, it might be different someplace else..) The Geek Squad might be "famous", but too expensive for this Cheap Bohemian's tastes.. Besides, with exception of cars and 2nd story roofs, I'm a do-it-your-selfer. Well, I try anyways :)

Liz

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GUESS WHAT??????? We reformatted and installed new undies on the PG!!!!! Phew, aside from having to experiment on what words the floppy disk would accept (format then setup, I think---I definitely remember setup and shouting "whoo hoo" and dancing when the windows setup screen came up!!) it's done. Well, except for some tweaking and installing the programs we want--and getting back online (calling Charter to do that task!!).

Thank you all so much for your help and advice.

I'm sure there will be many more questions as we tweak this thing, but the hardest part is done :thumbsup:

Thanks again!!

Liz

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