Formatting question

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

I have a Gateway G6-450 computer that came preinstalled with Windows 98
First Edition. A couple of years ago, I bought the Windows Millennium
Upgrade CD-ROM and installed that operating system. During the
installation, I had to insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM to verify that I
qualified for this upgrade.

I have an uncle (computer illiterate) who has a Compaq desktop
computer. I bought it for him from a man selling it in the newspaper. It's
running Windows Millennium, P3 Pentium processor, and is totally infected
with viruses, spyware and other junk. He doesn't have any recovery discs
and doesn't have enough money to take it in for repairs.

Question: can I use the Windows ME upgrade disc I bought to format my
uncle's Compaq and reinstall ME? During the formatting, I will probably be
asked to insert a Windows 98 CD-ROM. The only one I have was designed to be
used for Gateway computers. So I'm wondering if that may lead to problems.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Just to clarify, this computer worked great when it was first set up.
As I said, my uncle is computer illiterate and downloaded a lot of junk;
plus he has grandchildren who downloaded even worse stuff to his machine.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

It sounds like the Gateway Windows 98 first edition CD-ROM is a pretty generic
one, else it would not have been sufficient for the Win ME Upgrade to proceed.
You should also be able to use both with the Compaq. Make sure you have the
Windows Certificate Of Authentication (COA) product code for Windows ME. There
is some slight chance that the Win ME Upgrade CD will not accept the Windows ME
product code. Micro$oft is well known for using different COA validation
algorithms for even slightly different variations of the same release of
Windows, to defeat all those software pirates who are depriving Bill Gates and
Steve Ballmer of still more billions of dollars.

After you've completed the latest Windows ME installation, take some time to
educate your computer-illiterate uncle as to how to do safe internet surfing.
Then educate him further by telling him that he can haul the computer somewhere
himself to get it fixed next time he messes it up, or pay large bucks to a tech
to make a house call. Being charitable is nice, but it stops when you are being
used... Ben Myers

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 17:16:41 -0500, "History Fan"
<IreallyHATEspam@IREALLYhateSPAM.com> wrote:

> I have a Gateway G6-450 computer that came preinstalled with Windows 98
>First Edition. A couple of years ago, I bought the Windows Millennium
>Upgrade CD-ROM and installed that operating system. During the
>installation, I had to insert the Windows 98 CD-ROM to verify that I
>qualified for this upgrade.
>
> I have an uncle (computer illiterate) who has a Compaq desktop
>computer. I bought it for him from a man selling it in the newspaper. It's
>running Windows Millennium, P3 Pentium processor, and is totally infected
>with viruses, spyware and other junk. He doesn't have any recovery discs
>and doesn't have enough money to take it in for repairs.
>
> Question: can I use the Windows ME upgrade disc I bought to format my
>uncle's Compaq and reinstall ME? During the formatting, I will probably be
>asked to insert a Windows 98 CD-ROM. The only one I have was designed to be
>used for Gateway computers. So I'm wondering if that may lead to problems.
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

> After you've completed the latest Windows ME installation, take some time
> to
> educate your computer-illiterate uncle as to how to do safe internet
> surfing.
> Then educate him further by telling him that he can haul the computer
> somewhere
> himself to get it fixed next time he messes it up, or pay large bucks to a
> tech
> to make a house call. Being charitable is nice, but it stops when you are
> being
> used...

Thanks for the info. I'm not even sure yet if I'll try to format his
machine. He lives about 70 miles away, and has relatives who live much
closer who could possible help. I do agree this uncle needs to be better
educated about safer-Internet use. If my uncle ever gets his computer
running, I'm going to recommend he turn on a screensaver password so other
people can't use it. He has very poor health (recent heart attack) so I
doubt he would (or could) be willing to carry the computer to a store for
repairs. Just for clarification, I bought the computer for my uncle, but he
paid me when I brought it over to his apartment.

I will admit I get tired of his frequent phone calls for tech help.
I feared this would happen when he expressed interest in a PC.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

.... and tell his grandchildren that if they screw up your uncle's computer
again, they can pay to have it fixed the next time. And maybe educate them a
little bit, too.

.... Ben Myers

On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 17:18:54 -0500, "History Fan"
<IreallyHATEspam@IREALLYhateSPAM.com> wrote:

> Just to clarify, this computer worked great when it was first set up.
>As I said, my uncle is computer illiterate and downloaded a lot of junk;
>plus he has grandchildren who downloaded even worse stuff to his machine.
>
>
>