Computer continues to frustrate:

[X]

Did you get a business computer or a gaming computer? It's my personal experience that business computers, with their less intensive processing needs, seem to last far longer than gaming computers.

You also have to consider your usage of the system. If you were playing WOW at the height of the addiction phase, you were putting a lot of hours and functions onto the computer. Computers wear down if your aren't constantly maintaining them. Once a problem starts, it will constantly get worse.

[X]

Another issue is the two years. Unfortunatly, most computers aren't designed to be useful after two years because of advancements and due to that, people tend to upgrade constantly, or in the case of a laptop, they get a new one after two years.

Again, because many business programs aren't graphic or process intensive, they tend to last longer when you are using them to do school work and not as a surogate desktop.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Another issue is the two years. Unfortunatly, most computers aren't designed to be useful after two years because of advancements and due to that, people tend to upgrade constantly, or in the case of a laptop, they get a new one after two years.

Again, because many business programs aren't graphic or process intensive, they tend to last longer when you are using them to do school work and not as a surogate desktop.

-_- Great.  just....great.  So in a sense, I just threw $2 K away under the hope/impression it would last longer and it won't.  If I had known that, I would never have gotten this expensive of a laptop.  I would have gone much cheaper......

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

What sickens me is that I had convinced my parents that it would last longer.  Now, if what you say is true Just X, I have to inform them that my notebook may not last much longer.  The only way I'm going to get a new computer is if I go through them because I do not have the $$ to afford one with my current finances.  And even then its not likely they'll give me the $$.  So essentially, I get to watch as my computer dies.  -_-   :old_bash: This is going to be such a lovely end-of-term....

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

So I guess I should ask:

"How does one maintain a computer?"

King

[Rico]

King - in my experience (and I've been building computers for a long time) about 95% of computer problems are a combination of the operating system becoming unstable or other corruptions on the hard drive.  Rarely ever is it a hardware issue.  Which is why reformatting a drive fixes many, many things.  So I would say you are a long way off from having to buy a new machine - hopefully.

[iceman]

Rico is right before giving up, if everything else fails reformat the drive, you may find you have a more stable computer, if after you do this and you still have a problem, then it is more likely to be your computer.

[jedijeff]

I would definitely be reformatting, regardless of what you find. With all the crashes, Windows is probably corrupted many files, if you cannot even see the c drive when you tried reformatting, then repartition it as well. I agree that Tech Support will not be helpful, as they would only be able to help with some basic type issues, and from the sounds of your issues, could be hard to pinpoint. A lot of those places just work off scripts anyways, and probably would need to be sent in for a closer look. If it is not under warranty, then I doubt Gateway will care much anyways. I agree with Justx as well, you have to see if your laptop can even handle what you are using it for anymore.
But I agree with the rest, you really need to wipe this thing, and start over, and that will at least eliminate the OS. If it is a virus that cannot be detected by scanners, repartitioning, formatting, even maybe a low level format might be needed

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Well....man, I do not like this, because I have no ability to back-up my stuff except for Word Docs and maybe pictures.  Thats mainly due to the fact that my External Hard Drive no longer works with my computer.  How would I reformat the drive?

King

[Rico]

Step one - find someone with a working external drive, or large USB drive and who knows computers.

Step two - buy them pizza

Step three - beg them to help you with your laptop

[jedijeff]

LOL, I agree with Rico, I like the pizza idea, mmmmm. :)

If you cannot find anyone with an external drive that works, then maybe some thumb drives, and copy data to a few, or if you have to, and you have CD/DVD burner, burn it to some writeable discs, or about anything you can save files to, if nothing large is available.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Step 4: Find out that I bugged his external when connecting to my computer and took 2 weeks to fix. 

Step 5: Find out that when we use the restore disks, they do not work. 

Step 6: Quit and hope it works out.

Sadly, we tried this already and it did more damage than good.  Man...

King

[billybob476]

This has probably been mentioned but is this machine under warranty?

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I think the word is: I'm screwed.

King

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I checked with gateway, this thing has another year+ of guarantee.

King

P.S.  Its under the bought warranty so it might not cover what your thinking.  (In other words, the extended one)