Gateway PC and Windows 8

[Bonzi]

I'd still use Windows 3.1 if I could... never found an OS I liked any better.

 

[Iceweasel]

However, I would erase the Disk completely and reinstall Windows. Deletion of partition table and file system.

Download Parted Magic - MajorGeeks

I believe this is a new used laptop and she doesn't have the disk.

In the OP she says she reinstalled the system several time so far.

Yesterday she didn't have a disk, must be hubby's computer.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Yep...that is Windows 8 legendary auto repair loop. Lots' of people have experienced this with Windows 8.
Likley the problem is in the MBR (master boot record). This is not something you can likely fix yourself. It is possible, but if you have no knowledge or experience of getting to the command prompt, and making adjustments to your BIOS - you should just take it to the Geek Squad and pay the $30.
fdisk /MBR command will probably fix it. But you have to be able to boot the PC into the command prompt BEFORE Windows loads.
To do that....
Reboot the computer and repeatedly hit the F8 key...you should get to a black screen that gives you some boot options.
One of them is "Command Prompt Only"...choose that.
You will have just a black screen with a > symbol and a blinking prompt.
type FDISK /MBR
It will only pause for a brief second and the prompt will return. Hold the power button until the computer restarts, and that should fix it. If not, there are BIOS adjustments you can make...but I would not recommend going there. Take it somewhere to get it fixed.

Really? Is that all the Geek Squad charges? $30? Is that at Best Buy or Staples?

Actually I have no idea...that was a guess. I have never used them.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

we were told by Gateway to hold the alt (or is it the control key) and repeatedly tap F9

it worked and does work when we "refresh" but only for a while, once it tries to do the windows update, it seems to get worse everytime.... meaning, the fix doesn't work and we have to fiddle with it and the options....

Exactly. It is a known issue with Windows 8 that, as Blie alludes to - is not likely to be fixed permanently without a reinstall. I have done the fdisk /mbr and it fixes the problem...but only until it happens again.
If it was me...I would update to Win 10 and use the program that Ringel has given to folks to stop all of the spying that Win 10 does.
That program worked flawlessly for me... shout to Ringel for finding that jewel. (what is it again Ringel05 ?)

 

[Bonzi]

we were told by Gateway to hold the alt (or is it the control key) and repeatedly tap F9

it worked and does work when we "refresh" but only for a while, once it tries to do the windows update, it seems to get worse everytime.... meaning, the fix doesn't work and we have to fiddle with it and the options....

Exactly. It is a known issue with Windows 8 that, as Blie alludes to - is not likely to be fixed permanently without a reinstall. I have done the fdisk /mbr and it fixes the problem...but only until it happens again.
If it was me...I would update to Win 10 and use the program that Ringel has given to folks to stop all of the spying that Win 10 does.
That program worked flawlessly for me... shout to Ringel for finding that jewel. (what is it again Ringel05 ?)

Okie - I'll see if hubby will let me tinker with it. He may just decide to get a new computer.
Do they all come with Win10 now?

 

[Bonzi]

However, I would erase the Disk completely and reinstall Windows. Deletion of partition table and file system.

Download Parted Magic - MajorGeeks

I believe this is a new used laptop and she doesn't have the disk.

In the OP she says she reinstalled the system several time so far.

Yesterday she didn't have a disk, must be hubby's computer.

well I don't "reinstall" I "refresh" or "restore" - I have no disk. It did not come with one.

 

[Iceweasel]

However, I would erase the Disk completely and reinstall Windows. Deletion of partition table and file system.

Download Parted Magic - MajorGeeks

I believe this is a new used laptop and she doesn't have the disk.

In the OP she says she reinstalled the system several time so far.

Yesterday she didn't have a disk, must be hubby's computer.

well I don't "reinstall" I "refresh" or "restore" - I have no disk. It did not come with one.

Sorry to hear it. I'm using Linux and have no need.

 

[Bonzi]

Can you buy a store bought computer with Linux?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Can you buy a store bought computer with Linux?

Yes but they are expensive...this is a good place to buy from..Made in the USA in California...I have one of their boxes... www.zareason.com

 

[Iceweasel]

Can you buy a store bought computer with Linux?

Not brink and mortar unless a geek installs it. They do have them available online but I won't bother. I bought a i7 machine and installed it. Like Mac, they do the same stuff, just different buttons to push. Firefox on this is like Firefox on Windows.

 

[Ringel05]

we were told by Gateway to hold the alt (or is it the control key) and repeatedly tap F9

it worked and does work when we "refresh" but only for a while, once it tries to do the windows update, it seems to get worse everytime.... meaning, the fix doesn't work and we have to fiddle with it and the options....

Exactly. It is a known issue with Windows 8 that, as Blie alludes to - is not likely to be fixed permanently without a reinstall. I have done the fdisk /mbr and it fixes the problem...but only until it happens again.
If it was me...I would update to Win 10 and use the program that Ringel has given to folks to stop all of the spying that Win 10 does.
That program worked flawlessly for me... shout to Ringel for finding that jewel. (what is it again Ringel05 ?)

It's basically a batch file that tells Windows firewall to block Windows telemetry.
Downloads / Other / Block Telemetry Rules file for Windows 10

 

[ChrisL]

What would cause a PC to stall when updating to the point where you have to refresh or reinstall every week or so?

Any clues/ideas?

I would call Geek Squad and wouldn't try messing with any of it myself.

 

[Ringel05]

we were told by Gateway to hold the alt (or is it the control key) and repeatedly tap F9

it worked and does work when we "refresh" but only for a while, once it tries to do the windows update, it seems to get worse everytime.... meaning, the fix doesn't work and we have to fiddle with it and the options....

Exactly. It is a known issue with Windows 8 that, as Blie alludes to - is not likely to be fixed permanently without a reinstall. I have done the fdisk /mbr and it fixes the problem...but only until it happens again.
If it was me...I would update to Win 10 and use the program that Ringel has given to folks to stop all of the spying that Win 10 does.
That program worked flawlessly for me... shout to Ringel for finding that jewel. (what is it again Ringel05 ?)

Okie - I'll see if hubby will let me tinker with it. He may just decide to get a new computer.
Do they all come with Win10 now?

Many companies have an online outlet for scratch and dent, refurbished, most of those will come with Window 10 now but some will come with 8.1.

 

[ChrisL]

Why wouldn't you people advise her to seek professional help if she doesn't know what she's doing. She could accidentally make things even worse.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Why wouldn't you people advise her to seek professional help if she doesn't know what she's doing. She could accidentally make things even worse.

I told her she should go to the Geek Squad right off the bat, as well as update to Win 10 (With Ringelo5's program that blacks M$'s spying ways) - or buy a new computer with a link.
?

 

[ChrisL]

Why wouldn't you people advise her to seek professional help if she doesn't know what she's doing. She could accidentally make things even worse.

I told her she should go to the Geek Squad right off the bat, as well as update to Win 10 (With Ringelo5's program that blacks M$'s spying ways) - or buy a new computer with a link.
?

Well, I didn't necessarily direct that at you. I haven't read ALL the posts in the thread, but a lot of people are like "Oh, just do this and do that" which I know I wouldn't attempt. You could accidentally delete something important or mess everything up if you aren't sure about what you're doing.

 

[ChrisL]

Why wouldn't you people advise her to seek professional help if she doesn't know what she's doing. She could accidentally make things even worse.

I told her she should go to the Geek Squad right off the bat, as well as update to Win 10 (With Ringelo5's program that blacks M$'s spying ways) - or buy a new computer with a link.
?

Blacks? Lol. I'll assume you mean "blocks."

 

[Ringel05]

Hummmmm, believe it or not it could be a hardware issue, a bad RAM stick, ethernet card going bad, HDD, etc. Win 8 will try to fix it, fail then go into terminal repair loop trying to fix it and failing.
If reinstalling the OS doesn't work that's probably the most likely culprit.

 

[Ringel05]

Can you buy a store bought computer with Linux?

Linux is very easy to install if you use one of the big two, Ubuntu or Mint. The potential problem arises with the age of the machine, the older the machine the less likely the newer Linux releases will work well unless you go with an xfce or kde version. Those potentially require a little more user configuration after installation. Also if you're a gamer I'd recommend that for now you stick with Windows though that appears to be changing.

 

[ChrisL]

^^^^

Very "easy" to install. Yeah right. Unless you run into some "problem."

Don't listen to them, Bonz. Take your computer to a professional. In my area, Geek Squad will even come out to your home for around $100.