Freeze at load :-/

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Xahok

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
167
My family requested that I format the family computer to speed it up, its a gateway (2.5 years old I believe). Well I hooked up their computer and after a bit of problems (Error Loading Operating System, which I fixed via the bios in my computer) I got it formatted and set up. Then when I put the HDD back in their computer all i get is the Gateway loading screen where it says press F2 for set up and F10 for boot menu and it just sticks on that. The only way I can get anything else to happen is to unplug the CD and HDD and then I can get to the BIOS.
But the BIOS are partially locked because its and OEM machine.

I'm trying to find out the model through specs but its hard...

Looks like this..
http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/310_Series/2800351/2800351nv.jpg
256 Ram
Two Ram Slots
2.5Ghz Pentium 4
No AGP Slot
3 PCI slots

:edit:
Also if I don't press F2 when I have the CD rom and the HDD unplugged i get the intel boot agent thing, the problem is it just fails.
 
Let me get this straight.....you formatted and installed the os in a comp other than the one the HDD will reside?
 
Yeah...
Now that you put it that way, that wasn't the best choice. I didn't think Windows did that much customization to the software based on the hardware.
I did it because I backed up some files onto my computer from that HD.

Okay, now I'll reformat and install the OS again, but how do I go about doing that? If the Harddrive is in, I can't get by that Gateway screen.
 
you'll have to get into the bios and set it to boot from the CD....look through the bios for boot options....
 
I did and I have it set for booting off the CD first, but the problem is whenever I have the HD hooked up, it just goes to a black screen. If I unplug the HD then I can boot off the CD, unfortunatley the XP boot CD doesn't recognize the HD unless it's in by the start up.
 
I've been trying to time it right so that the Mobo doesn't detect the HD so it won't go to the black screen but to the point where the XP boot CD will recognize it...


Not much luck :-/
 
Try clearing out the bios by unplugging the computer and taking out the motherboard battery for like 20 mins or so. Then put it back in and try to boot up.
 
Try clearing out the bios by unplugging the computer and taking out the motherboard battery for like 20 mins or so. There might be a jumper for this too. Then put it back in and try to boot up.

 
I would say to try updating the bios, but you are not sure which model you have. Did you check the mobo for model #?

 
Yeah, I figured out the model and am now about to update the BIOS. There was a bit of an offtime because I didn't have any working floppy cables, but now I have one.
 
Bah, I can't boot off the floppy because there is a disk in the floppy drive x_x
 
Double check that you have the IDE cable on the correct way and not reversed at one end. May want to try a different power connector on it also.
 
For a 2.5 year old machine, inspect the internal hardware for failure, ie caps on the mainboard and in the power supply, after that many years of use they eventually crap out.
 
How would i check if the motherboard is bad?

There is a red LED that turns on when the computer does, but then it turns off. And I read about that LED and if it stayed on then there would be a problem, but it goes off. I understand that a problem could still be there, but this is just what it said.
 
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