# Re-install operating system on gateway laptop with windows 8



## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

I have a gateway laptop with windows 8 on it and need to use the recovery disks. When I put one it goes through the language and all that then it says switch to legacy bios mode, i do that and it says switch to uefi mode. I have gone thru this a thousand times now. Have no idea what to do or how to do it. I need some help. I know it has one other mode but I can't get it to that mode to try. I am ready to go to best buy and drop it off there. Call in tech support costs $99 dollars and I am on a tight budget. Help me please, anyone....


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

It may depend on how the original installation was performed. If you have the facility in bios, switch to UEFI mode but, also, you should have an additional feature "secure boot" If it is on, switch it off. If it is off, switch it on. 
In your case, however, as the first message is to switch to legacy, then I would definitely also switch off the secure boot facility.as well.
But, if you have not altered anything in that area, since purchase, it should not be giving such a message.


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

tried it and nothing worked. Legacy and secure boot off, legacy and secure boot on, uefi and secure boot on, uefi and secure boot off, nothing worked. I will have to sell a kidney and get this into a shop. I start school soon and have no way of paying for it. I wish I could give a number for someone to call me and walk through this problem and possible solutions. Very very very frustrating.


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

I have skipped the first disc called system disk and nothing has changed, now i am really lost and not sure what to do, it gives me this message when I have the system disk in. Without it in it says no bootable device found. hit any key. I am going to give my email address if anyone can help, _*< email removed by moderator - ETAF >*_


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

I have removed you're mail address

Putting an email into a public forum will bring considerable spam to your email account



> I wish I could give a number for someone to call me and walk through this problem and possible solutions.
> I am going to give my email address if anyone can help


please re-read the rules http://www.techguy.org/rules.html you agreed to when you joined


> Keep Support in the Forums
> For the safety of our members, we must require that all technical support take place in the forums. This offers the opportunity for peer-review with the hope that bad advice can be corrected. Having problems and solutions publicly visible may also help someone in the future who is experiencing the same issue. As a result, we do not allow assistance to be given via email or Private Message. Due to the risks involved, we also do not allow live remote control of computers by our volunteers. If you're looking for live support, there are other (paid) sites that provide that service.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

Ok. Just found this. Very similar to a dell recovery, of which I have a couple.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/use-gateway-recovery-disc-56513.html


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Thanks but the problem still exists, wont run recovery disks no matter what I do. Into geek squad to see if can be saved or is junk. I am sure it can be fixed but not by a dumb college kid. It just wants me to switch from legacy to eufi, then eufi to legacy, ongoing issue. And it wont even boot the recovery disk without using the system disk first and that is where I get the above message. Gateway might have sent wrong disk.


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Finally got dell to talk to me, they say my hard drive is needing formated. I have to access my laptop from the desktop and use a third party hard drive format tool. FIguring that one out now, lol


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I am just a little unsure you have been given the correct advice - by Dell I mean

For example
*Using Gateway Recovery Management to Refresh Windows 8*

*How do I refresh Windows 8 using Gateway Recovery Management?

*

You can refresh your Windows 8 operating system from your computer's hard drive using the Gateway Recovery Management software. This will refresh your operating system, but will not erase your data.
*SOLUTION*
Use the following steps to refresh your computer.


Press the *Windows (







) key* + *C*, or swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open your Charms.
Click *Search*, then type Recover.
Click *Gateway Recovery Management*.
Select *Customized Restore (Retain User Data)*.
Click *Next*.
Select *Refresh*.
Click *Reset*.
Your computer will restart and begin the refresh process.

OR indeed RESTORE to factory settings when all your data will be lost

*Using Gateway Recovery Management to Restore Windows 8*

*How do I restore Windows 8 using Gateway Recovery Management?

*

You can restore your Windows 8 operating system from your computer's hard drive using the Recovery Management software. This will restore your computer to the original factory configuration, and reinstall Windows.
*PRECAUTION*
This will restore your computer to the original factory configuration, and erase all data on the system.
*SOLUTION*
Use the following steps to restore your computer.


Press the *Windows (







) key* + *C*, or swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open your Charms.
Click *Search*, then type Recover.
Click *Gateway Recovery Management*.
Select *Restore Factory Settings*.
Click *Next*.
Select *Fully clean the drive*.
Click *Reset*.
Your computer will restart and begin the restoration process. Once finished, it will restart and begin the initial Windows setup process.
 
What is the FULL model of the Gateway and also WHY are you needing to recover - what is the problem please
There is one issue that confuses me
GATEWAY laptop
So where please does Dell come into this


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Started with a password problem and ballooned from there. Now gateway says that the hard drive needs formatted. This is my friends laptop, gateway said the only way to fix the password problem was to do a full recovery. I have tried their disks but keep getting an error message that says to switch from one bios mode to the other and back. This is a laptop with windows 8 gateway NE56R41u manufactured in 2013. This issue just keeps ballooning.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

So as you mention password problem do you mean you cannot access windows to use one of the methods I have listed in my post


Also when you said DELL - did you mean in fact Gateway/Acer


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Gateway/acer. I can't get into anything but the screen where you have main, security, etc. Gateway said it definitely needs hard drive formatted and then the recovery disks will work. I just have to get a hard drive format disk made and then use it to format the hard drive.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Well if that is he advice they have given you then presumably it is correct
according to the Gateway website the procedure is
When Windows cannot be installed from Recovery Management, use the Recovery CDs or DVDs to re-install all original software:


Make a backup of personal data, as the recovery process will erase all your files, such as email and photos.
Power off your computer. In case the system is not equipped with a built-in optical drive, connect an external USB optical drive before powering on the system.
Power on your computer. When the first logo screen shows, press repeatedly the F12 key to enter the Boot menu. On some systems, you may need to enable the boot menu before you can access it.
Use the arrow keys to select your optical drive.
Insert the disc labelled System CD in the optical drive and press ENTER. The system will load from the Gateway Recovery Media.
After the system recovery program has loaded follow the prompts to reinstall the operating system

Once you format the hard drive you are in a position of no return as you will have deleted the recovery partition.


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Thats what I have been doing but I get the message to switch bios, they want to deframent the hard drive before I use the recovery cds, that is the challenge. First hard drive then do the recovery.


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Not sure why my hard drive defragment will not run from the cd I burned. It should as it is set as a bootable service. Any suggestions?


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I thought you said they told you to format the drive, I cannot see any reason why they would advise defragging


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## mmwheeler (Sep 4, 2014)

Yes format the hard drive, I keep mixing up formating and defragmenting the hard drive.


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