computer with no software

[Oscar85]

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways. We got
one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found they had wiped
all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to get it running again?
I push the on button it runs a little and a message comes up saying boot
failure. I know I nead to buy windows xp. Will this solve the boot issue or
is there something else I would need?

 

[GreenieLeBrun]

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways.
We got one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found
they had wiped all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to
get it running again? I push the on button it runs a little and a
message comes up saying boot failure. I know I nead to buy windows
xp. Will this solve the boot issue or is there something else I
would need?

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=316941

Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

You may need to get hold of the motherboard, graphics, sound card drivers
for the particular model from gateway.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways.
We got
one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found they
had wiped
all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to get it
running again?
I push the on button it runs a little and a message comes up saying
boot
failure. I know I nead to buy windows xp. Will this solve the boot
issue or
is there something else I would need?

They sold only the hardware. No OS was included. So, yes, you will
either have to buy an OS or get a free one (like a Linux distro).

 

[philo]

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways. We got
one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found they had wiped
all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to get it running again?
I push the on button it runs a little and a message comes up saying boot
failure. I know I nead to buy windows xp. Will this solve the boot issue or
is there something else I would need?

You's have to set the bios to boot from cd...
then insert your operating system disk and install.

AS mentioned, you'd have to purchase XP

but if you want to try Linux (it's free) here is a link to a distro that
works well

http://www.pclinuxos.com/

 

[David B.]

Unless of course you plan on doing gaming, like the OP said they were going
to do.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Gateway uses an 'Image' of the completed setup to install to their machines.
It requires hard to define drivers for their hardware. I suggest going to the
gateway site, and see if suppport will sell you the image. The back of that
machine will probably have a sticker on it (The Certificate of Authority, or
COA) containing the "Product Key" you would need to use that image.
Phone support: http://www.gateway.com/about/contactus/index.php

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways. We got
one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found they had wiped
all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to get it running again?
I push the on button it runs a little and a message comes up saying boot
failure. I know I nead to buy windows xp. Will this solve the boot issue

Assuming that the computer doesn't have a hardware problem, yes you
will need to buy an operating system. It doesn't have to be Windows
XP; there are other choices. What is the hardware configuration of
the computer? What processor? How much RAM? How big a hard drive? CD
Drive? DVD Drive? etc.?

You say "old computers." It's possible that the hardware is inadequate
for Windows XP.

If nothing is physically wrong with the computer, but there is no
operating system installed on the hard drive, it can't possibly boot
from that drive.

or
is there something else I would need?

You will also need to buy whatever games and other applications you
want to run.

 

[philo]

Unless of course you plan on doing gaming, like the OP said they were going
to do.

Learning how to use Linux is a pretty good game<G>

 

[David B.]

Naaa, games are supposed to be fun!

 

[philo]

Naaa, games are supposed to be fun!

I've tried a few Windows games in Linux (under Wine) they worked just
fine...
but the games I tried were pretty old and simple...
I don't know what would happen if I tried any of the new stuff...
but for me, the win3x version of Tetris is about as complicated as I can
handle <G>

 

[booboo £ ¥ ‰ :)]

A local business was getting rid of some old computers 2003 gateways. We got
one for the kids to play games on. After getting it I found they had wiped
all the software off the harddrive. What do I need to get it running again?
I push the on button it runs a little and a message comes up saying boot
failure. I know I nead to buy windows xp. Will this solve the boot issue or
is there something else I would need?

Get a free copy of Linux for it.

 

[Richard in AZ]

To Oscar85,
Booboo's cryptic answer is one solution, but not a complete answer.

You will need an Operating System. Windows XP may be your easiest solution since you have some
experience with it.
A Linux system my be less expensive but will require a major learning curve since most likely the
games you want to let your kids play are most likely Windows Based.

But in addition to the Windows XP disk you plan to buy, you will also need the hardware drivers
(software) for the Gateway.
You should be able to go to the support site for your computer make and model from www.gateway.com
and download drivers for the motherboard, the video card, the sound card, the modem and the network
interface card. Save (not run) these to the hard drive on the computer you use to down load the
files and then copy them to a CD. Then after you do a "Clean Install" of Windows XP on your
Gateway computer you can check the device manager for items that need the drivers you downloaded and
install them using your CD. (Windows XP installation my have already found a driver for some of the
hardware.)