Vista - Gateway GM5632E cannot restore hdd

Hello,
I have a Gateway GM5632E machine and I cannot restore using the factory disks. Here are the details:
1. Hard drive acts funny. Will not run Norton so I assume we have a virus. Finally get Norton to run properly.
2. Now I cannot get past the start up screen. I asks if I want to start in Safe Mode, With MS-Dos, Networking or Normal. No matter which I choose it goes back to this spot.
3. I ordered from Gateway the restore disk but that did not work. I get a Run time error "Program x:/windows/system32/restore7.exe"
4. I also tried a program from Gateway to see if my hdd is bad, burnt it to a cd but that does not work either.
5. I have gone into the boot sector and I am set up to run from the CD/DVD drive.

Any suggestions? How can I wipe the drive to restore to OS?

You can download Knoppix and delete partitions/wipe your drive clean. I just hope you don't have a failing drive.
Knoppix Linux Boot CD, Download Disk and Documents, Discuss, Get Help

"raloys" <guest@newsgroup-email.com> wrote in message
news:2821dacbd45cf35d26571433bd467c54@newsgroup-gateway.com...Damn, that sucks!

Lemur,

Thank you for the suggestion. I cannot get online from home and here at work I am blocked from the site you suggested.

Christine

Those darn firewalls. See if you can get your IT person to download the iso image for you. Or allow you access.

Lemur,

That will never happen...to big and IT is in another country.

Christine

raloys wrote:
Then you need to contact Gateway tech support if the machine is still under
warranty or take it to a competent local computer shop. This will not be a
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place. You didn't say what problems
caused you to want to restore to factory condition, but if you can't restore
using the recovery disc set or the image on the hard drive, you have
hardware failure. You can try troubleshooting it yourself, but based on what
you've written I think that will be difficult for you to do.

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...ardware_Tshoot


Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Malke,

My machine was infected with a Virus that Norton didn't catch thus not letting Norton run properly. As you know by this time it was too late. I have reformatted machines in the past but I really am not familiar with Vista.
I appreciate your reply...I do like challenges so I may keep trying to fix this one for a bit. If I have to I will purchase a new harddrive and go from there.

Thank you,
Christine

raloys wrote:
Then do hardware troubleshooting first. There is no point in purchasing a new
hard drive if the failing component is the optical drive or the RAM, or even
a bad recovery disc that is smudged/scratched from being thrown in a drawer.
If you think the actual recovery disc is damaged, get a new copy from
Gateway. This will not be very expensive.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ