MVS Giveaway thread !!!

[Aurora-Oblivion]

There's probably still a disk, either SSD or Mini-PCIE (HDD or SSD), this is what holds the operating system and main storage, then usually you have some additional memory as well. Sometimes that is user upgradeable, not always though. But ya, some do have memory like you mention, but if it's that then it's generally flash memory on a mini PCIE card, and would still hold the operating system and then generally "Some" space available to the user as well..

What is the operating system anyway? And what brand and model is it, I'll see if I can find the hotkey combo you need to get into the BIOS. Then you can do it and look around, it's easy once you get in there, just have to look. As long as the drive or whatever is holding the data in there isn't physically damaged, then all your pics and music ect will still be there and can be easily saved to another PC. Hopefully your friend will be able to do that for you!

If not, when you get back and remember, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'll help if you wanna send it over, shouldn't cost too much to ship around since it's a netbook, and I'll check it out/fix it for free too as I enjoy doing that kind of thing so no problem for me.

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Sorry, just noticed your edits! 100%VG is correct, it's either not detecting the drive (HDD/SSD/Flash memory, ect)< or skipping over it and trying to boot from the network card as that would be next in the boot list. That can be caused by loose cable, disconnected HDD/SSD or flash memory card, or a corrupted boot loader like I mentioned too. Only way to know which it is would be first to check in the BIOS to make sure the HDD is set to be the first device in the boot order, if so then it would have to be one of the latter.

Of course it could be dead drive/memory but that's not often the issue. Normally it's just a corrupted boot loader, or a cable/card loose. If it BSOD'd on you often (Before this) then it may just be a data corruption issue with the boot loader, and that can be fixed pretty easy too.

 

[MLT910]

When you say operating system, do you mean Windows XP? That's what it has on it.
It didn't come with a boot disk. It's a Gateway Netbook, looks exactly like the little Acer Netbooks.
Gateway model no. KAV60

 

[MLT910]

I don't even have a mini screwdriver to pop the back off and see if there's a cable loose. Maybe I'll see if I can budget that in tomorrow.

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Ya, I meant XP, Windows 7, ect. Not sure if regular XP disk can repair the bootloader on a netbook or not, so it may be a lot tougher for you to check into that since you aren't really familiar with all that. If it was Vista, Windows 7/8 it would be much easier for you to check, because there's a built in "Startup repair" already programmed as a choice on those disks, not so with XP you have to do it manually or look at / edit the file from another PC and then place back on that drive.

To check the hard drive boot order in the BIOS on there, see this page, and from other checks it looks like you might want to start with F1 or F2
How to Get Into the BIOS at PC Startup on a Gateway Kav60 | eHow.com

When you start the PC and begin to press one of those hotkeys to try to get into the BIOS, just spam onto it several times, this is before any messages come on screen. If you start to see XP, or network boot screen then you need to restart and try again. Once you get into the BOIS look in all sections, until you see hard drive boot order, this will be a area where you can move ONLY hard drives or USB drives around up and down. This is not the place where it says boot order, that offers CD, network cards, ect. That doesn't matter for this issue and isn't what you need to check. Normally that would be set to CD or USB first, then HDD, ect. But it's all user preference, and if there's no CD/USB and it's set to that it'll skip to the hard drive boot order list next (That's what we are looking to set properly)

Take pics if you are unsure, and you can PM me if you want to do that so we don't clutter up MVS thread

MVS still rock, even though were talking PC, and I'm sure if we were at the MS HQ we could use some of their shiny tools to work on this too

 

[MLT910]

Ok, one quick question...does it matter that it doesn't have a CD drive? That's what I was trying to say in the beginning.

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Well, it doesn't matter really, but it would if you wanted to try to fix via XP install CD (If the bootloader was the issue), that would be easier for you. But the same stuff can be done with USB too, so really no CD doesn't matter, but that does make it a lot more difficult for you to test for some of these things yourself.

Check the BIOS, and verify the hard drive is set first in the hard drive boot order. If it's not, move it to the top of the list then save and exit the BIOS (Usually F10). If there is NO hard drive shown in the hard drive boot order list, then the drive either is loose or may have failed. Failure isn't too likely, unless it's flash memory or SSD, then that's a higher possibility. Was it BSOD'n all the time on you before this happened, or did this just happen one day after a fall or hard bump/jolt?

 

[MLT910]

The Boot Priority Order
1. IDE0 :
2. IDE1 :
3. USB FDD :
4. Network Boot : Atheros Boot Agent
5. USB HDD :
6. USB CDROM :

Now what??

In the 4 years I've had it, it gave me the BSOD half a dozen times...and it's been through heck for such a small lil gal. I've dumped water on it more times than I can remember, and it's been dropped a few times, but nothing recently.

 

[priorities]

Goodness how sweet helping each other oh love it mine is going any moment...keeps crashing..but want to come by and wish you all sweet dreams and hope you wake to a fantastic day friends * {{{{{hugs}}}} to all ~

 

[MLT910]

Awww, thanks, Pri!! <3

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

That's the list I was telling you to not look at, that one doesn't matter. You need to find Hard Drive Boot Priority, sometimes in that same section of the BIOS, sometimes not. It will have storage drives listed only, such as USB or Hard Drive, ect, and only connected ones.

That amount of BSOD's sounds average, and probably not what caused this unless you know one happened right around the same time this happened. Might just be a loose drive, or it failed, hard to say for sure without opening it up, and sometimes that's not as easy as it look either so if you go at it be careful

Luckily, I see you can just remove two screws and check the hard drive bay!
http://global-download.gateway.com/...S&Step3=LT20&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=GATEWAY&SC=PA_6G

So open that, remove the drive and put it back in just to be sure it's snug. If it's still not showing in the BIOS, then the hard drive is faulty.

 

[MLT910]

Thank you very much for all the help!! I owe you a beer, or a shot, or a glass of wine, (whatever your poison) I'm gonna hit the sack and tackle this some more in the morning!

G'nite!!

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Haha, thanks, I'll take a beer then since it's to late

You can PM me anytime on this, don't worry I like working with computers so I don't mind trying to help at all! Sorry I'm not your neighbor, or we would have fixed this already yesterday!

Have a great night!

 

[jj2]

 

[NancyR]

Redfern, you are the winner of a 510 TEC Telescope MOD/APV

CONGRATS!

congrats!!! well I finally made it to sunny FL and got a computer so I am back online

 

[redfern]

I just received my TEC Mod today,and it is BEAUTIFUL!!I cannot believe i won this.Thank you so much,aasupplyny and My Vapor Store!

 

[MLT910]

Good evening, MVS peeps! I lost my tank filler in my bed. LOL!!! It has slipped into the seventh realm and I have no idea how to find it. Hahahahahahaha!!!

I NEEEED MY TAAAAANK FILLLLLLERRRRRR!!

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Evening MVS fans!!

Haha, sorry to hear about the tank filler MLT910, hope you find it before you roll over onto it at the wrong time

 

[MLT910]

It's just gone!! It had to have slipped down between the headboard and the wall, or something...flipping king-sized sheets and blankets and pillows around looking for that lil bugger was comical but useless. It. Is. Gone.

Hahahahahahaha!!!

Luckily I have blunt-tipped syringes.

 

[Aurora-Oblivion]

Sorry to hear, I'm sure you'll find it someday when you least expect it!

Do you have cats? if so, it could be anywhere, you know they like to play with little stuff like that! I'm always taking something away from my cats that they shouldn't be playing with, even the old old ones like to get into stuff they shouldn't