Quick Reference Guide
Table Of Contents
- Contents
- About This Reference
- Checking Out Your Computer
- Setting Up and Getting Started
- Working safely and comfortably
- Preparing power connections
- Connecting to a broadband modem or network
- Connecting a dial-up modem
- Starting your computer
- Turning off your computer
- Restarting (rebooting) your computer
- Using the keyboard
- Using the mouse
- Using optical drives
- Using the memory card reader
- Using the diskette drive
- Adjusting the volume
- Installing a printer, scanner, or other device
- Upgrading Your Computer
- Preventing static electricity discharge
- Opening and closing the case
- Removing and installing the front bezel
- Installing memory
- Replacing an optical or diskette drive or a card reader
- Replacing the hard drive
- Adding or replacing an expansion card
- Replacing the front fan
- Replacing the rear fan
- Replacing the front I/O board
- Replacing the processor
- Replacing the system battery
- Replacing the power supply
- Replacing the system board
- Maintaining Your Computer
- Troubleshooting
- Safety guidelines
- First steps
- Troubleshooting
- Add-in cards
- Audio
- CD or DVD drives
- Diskette drive
- The diskette drive is not recognized
- You cannot save a file to diskette or you see the message “disk is full or write-protected”
- You see an “Access Denied” or “Write protect” error message
- You see a “Disk is full” error message
- You see a “Non-system disk” or “Disk error” error message
- The diskette drive LED is lit continuously
- Display
- DVD drives
- Ethernet
- Expansion cards
- File management
- Floppy drive
- Hard drive
- Internet
- Keyboard
- Memory
- Memory card reader
- Modem (cable or DSL)
- Modem (dial-up)
- Your modem does not dial or does not connect
- You cannot connect to the Internet
- Your 56K modem does not connect at 56K
- Your fax communications program only sends and receives faxes at 14,400 bps when you have a 56K modem
- The modem is not recognized by your computer
- The modem is noisy when it dials and connects
- Monitor
- Mouse
- Networks
- Passwords
- Power
- Printer
- Sound
- Recovering your system
- Telephone support
- Legal Notices
- Index
CHAPTER6: Troubleshooting
98
Recovering your system
Understanding system recovery options
Most computer problems can be solved by following the
information in “Troubleshooting” on page 79 or at
gateway.com. Problem-solving may also involve re-installing
some or all of the computer’s software (also called recovering
or restoring your system). Gateway provides everything you
need to recover your system under most conditions. A backup
copy of your operating system may be provided on a CD or
DVD, as well as a backup copy (CD) of your factory-installed
drivers and applications.
We recommend that you make a backup of your
factory-installed software as soon as you get your new
Gateway system.
If you are still having problems even after you follow
troubleshooting steps, you can use Microsoft System Restore
to roll back your system to a previous condition when drivers
and programs worked correctly.
• “Recovering your system using Microsoft System
Restore” on page 101 describes how to return your
system to a previous working condition.
If you are still experiencing problems, you may need to reinstall
specific software, such as a device driver.
• “Recovering specific files and software” on page 99
describes how to install specific, factory-installed
software and device drivers.
Finally, in order to recover your system you may need to
reinstall everything, including the operating system, so your
computer has its original factory settings.
• “Recovering your system from the hard drive” on
page 104 tells how to completely reinstall the original
factory software.
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