Gateway Essential 500 PC Desktop Logo
Anonymous Posted on Jul 22, 2011

I got A gateway essential 500 from a goodwill store and it has xp on it. It has the coa for windows 98. I also cannot get the cd-rom to read a disk even though its lights go on and it tries to read a dvd and then rejects it. Can I get a replacement cd-rom for this machine. I want to reinstall 98 or else puppy linux but need the dvd for both.

  • 2 more comments 
  • Anonymous Jul 22, 2011

    Great I could buy a used-cd-rom with an install driver. What if the rom I have now is stock, might still work, but needs a driver. Understood, that also , u might be right in that the rom doesnt work now, although it attempts to read. It is not a reader-burner combo, I think it is stock but might be wrong. It certainly looks like it came with the machine.

  • Anonymous Jul 22, 2011

    Great I could buy a used-cd-rom with an install driver. What if the rom I have now is stock, might still work, but needs a driver. Understood, that also , u might be right in that the rom doesnt work now, although it attempts to read. It is not a reader-burner combo, I think it is stock but might be wrong. It certainly looks like it came with the machine.

  • Anonymous Jul 24, 2011

    I noW have the computer reading a drive D: as "CD-RW" drive D. So thats an improvement. Also the drive reads cd's ok and can read corel picture files on a cd just fine.
    I checked the bios and found that the primary master is a sata hard drive, and that primary slave, secondary master and secondary slave are all set to auto. I changed the secondary master bios to read cd-rom but it failed, so I am changing it back, and I might do the same for the primary slave, setting it to cd-rom and seeing if any change takes place.

    after that, I might download a manual from gateway to see if it shows the player as a dual, cd/dvd player because if I am not mistaken, wasnt office 2000 or 2003 on a dvd. Also I made disks for a nice puppy linux called "puppy celeron" that might be perfect for the essential 500.
    But it is on dvd as well as the kill disk, because I thought iso disks had to be burned onto dvd?

    Im I mistaken, or should I try to burn the linux and he kill disk onto a cd? Wouldnt that be funny, lol. if that worked.

    Also, I might take the case off and take a look at the cables, the whole thing probably needs a good dusting any way. The cmos battery still full of life, maybe somebody changed it in the past.

  • Anonymous Jul 24, 2011

    Hi, I set the bios to secondary master is cd-rom, and to have both primary and secondary controllers to be on. If the player is cd-rom only then all I have to do now is to try and figure out if it can also burn cd's. if not then I will burn a cd off my friends pc and get kill disk to get all the xp out of this gateway so I can replace it with win08se or linux. Linux is free, 98 cost 55 dollars, decisions decisions lol.

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  • Posted on Jul 22, 2011
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Try different other DVDs to make sure that the problem is with the DVD ROM. Make sue It is a DVD ROM because CD ROM can only read CDs and not DVDs. Insert a CD and then check. Make sure that the fault is in the CD/DVD Drive in the the PC then take it to he retail store and demand for a replacement. In most cases they do replace it after checking the warranty.

Testimonial: "good job thus far"

  • Anonymous Jul 24, 2011

    A good idea. I did just reply to suggesion about checking wires. I will do that. At this point, now the computer does recognize a drive d as a "CD-RW" drive D: And cd's are now read, at least pictures by corel are. I changed bios of secondary master from auto to cd-rom but no change. I will change back and perhaps try primary slave change from auto to cd-rom to see if there is any change.

    For the present, if nothing else, I need to determine if this cd=rom was also a combo cd/dvd reader like the hp pavilions had. They had a separate burner, and a separate cd-rom which read both dvd's and cd's at least mine did.

    If thats the case then maybe I still need a driver and the player works. Lastly, can I burn a cd with linux or kill disk. I was told they could only be burned to dvd. Wouldnt it be nice if I could burn them to a cd and have the gateway cd-rom read then just fine like it is.

  • Jeffrey McDaniel Jul 25, 2011

    WOW lots of info there. If I remember correctly (from my time in Circuit City) the gateway came with a OS disk and you had to burn the driver/software disk to be loaded after the OS, or sometime during the factory restore. This information would fit on CD. As for as puppy linux and other linux programs, most of them fit on a cd. You might check on the boot to see if hitting a particular F key will bring up the boot menu. This will allow you to boot from CD, USB, Harddrive, ect.
    Sounds like you are at least enjoying yourself. Good luck.

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  • Posted on Jul 22, 2011
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Any EIDE (non Sata) interal drive should work on this computer. However, first I would check the internal cables on the drive to ensure the are plugged in tight (you may just have a loose cable). Check both the mother board end and the drive end.

Personally I would go puppy linux over 98, but that is me.

Hope this helps, have a great day and good luck.

  • Jeffrey McDaniel Jul 22, 2011

    Yep you sure could buy a used one. As long as you are doing that you might as well make it a DVD burner.

    Anyway good luck, Hope it all goes smoth for you

  • Anonymous Jul 24, 2011

    Thanks, it looks like this is just a cd-rom and its working fine now. My only last question is whether or not I can burn a cd with it or is it just a reader. Lastly, if I burn a cd with linux 4.3 on it will it get read by the gateway.s cd. I thought linux needed to get burned on a dvd but apparently I was mistaken. I hope that I can also burn killdisk on a cd so I can getxp out of the pc. Jim

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1helpful
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Gateway essential 500 blinking cursor, how do i uninstall windows i have a windows 98 to put in will that work?

Yes, but does the system see the hard drive?

Your hard drive is missing from the system. Or, just does not recognize it. The obvious - Remove any USB devices like drives and any media from disc player. Its trying to load, but can't find bootable hard drive, CD, or USB... Remove the hard drive and reseat (reconnect). Check BIOS by pressing an F key during boot. Look on the screen for correct Function key. Might be F2 key. Verify BIOS recognizes the drive. It must be listed! There is no going forward if it's not. Check boot order and make internal hard drive first. Save and restart.
tip

Error code 7

To resolve this issue:
  1. If you are upgrading Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition, follow the troubleshooting steps that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: 310064 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310064/ ) HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me Test to determine if the issue is resolved. If the issue is resolved, do not complete the remaining steps. If the issue is not resolved, go to the next step.
  2. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP:
    1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
    2. If Windows automatically detects the CD-ROM, click Install Windows to start the Windows XP Setup Wizard. If Windows does not automatically detect the CD-ROM, click Start, click Run, type CD-ROM drive letter:\setup.exe, and then click OK.
    3. Press ENTER.
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on Mar 16, 2010 • Computers & Internet
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1answer

When loading windows xp onto my compaq 1275 in freezes when i start to load windows pro

you meant Installing? every boot we load XP, well we dont you do.
as XP is a virus magnet and we stopped using it 3 long year ago.
nor is it fun to b Cyber-attacked forever, with XP, why use XP

sure it dont work its old, and fully infected,
seems like the HDD is bad to me.
let me guess, those Install disk are no HP real disks. are they.

upgrade the PC to SSD. ? if cash flush, wild abandon?

or is this post really "how to fix PC with no cash, QOD"?
it came with Windows 98 the old old pc.
hp does not support it now. its DEAD.
AMD K6-2 366 MHz
square screen 4;5
Like your friend id pitch it the trash, and go to goodwill
and find a w7 laptop for near NUTTN

really, life really does not incuded XP now, 2017. it does not.
or pure H3LL awaits you, IMO
carbon dated at 1999, its 18 years old.
and you want to fix this THING>?
why,

go to goodwill store
walk in and grab a $20 pc with a w7 COA sticker on the bottom
and run that. fix that, for the hope thing to happen.

http://pcdied.com/cheaper.html
0helpful
1answer

Can not install windows xp in my system send error code 7

try this one:

To resolve this issue:
  1. If you are upgrading Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition, follow the troubleshooting steps that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article: 310064 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310064/ ) HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me Test to determine if the issue is resolved. If the issue is resolved, do not complete the remaining steps. If the issue is not resolved, go to the next step.
  2. Perform a clean installation of Windows XP:
    1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
    2. If Windows automatically detects the CD-ROM, click Install Windows to start the Windows XP Setup Wizard. If Windows does not automatically detect the CD-ROM, click Start, click Run, type CD-ROM drive letter:\setup.exe, and then click OK.
    3. Press ENTER.
    4. Click New Installation, and then click Next.
    5. Follow the instructions on your screen.
  3. When you receive the "Press F6 to load SCSI/Raid Drivers" prompt, press F7 to bypass Advanced Configuration and PowerInterface (ACPI) detection.
  4. Finish the installation of Windows XP.

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Cd rom will not read. have just put windows 98 on instead of xp, hard disc was formated, have win 98 now, but cd wont work or if i plug in usb memory stick

With Windows 98 you MUST install a suitable driver in addition to Windows 98 to talk to CD Roms. I believe there is also a general service routine that must be loaded.

XP has all this functionality built in.

Try this site to solve your problem:

http://www.computerhope.com/download/hardware.htm
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I need a copy of windows xp with registry key

Contact any retail computer-store, or shop on eBay or AMAZON.
They can still sell you a "Windows XP Upgrade" kit,
to allow upgrades from Windows 98 (assuming that you still have your Windows 98 CD-ROM) to XP.
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NO COA on Windows XP Pro CD...new CD never installed..?????

Google freeware program called Key Finder. May work, lost sticker on computer once and downloaded this and it gave me the key when I clicked on it . Of course you will have to download
Windows disk first and then load Key Finder. Would burn on CD before you load Windows. Worth a shot.
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Mp3 cd-rom

if u have window XP check the compatibility program to run the application u can choose window 98
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Hard drive not working properly

What is the original OS? If it's XP you can't install 98 over the top of it without formatting it to FAT32 first.
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