Laptop Repair - Tech Challenged/System Restore and more...

Diane100

New Member
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2
I have accidentally broken the laptop screen on my relatively new Windows 8 Gateway NE51B05H, and am thankfully covered by the store product protection plan we purchased (Walmart). I have the go ahead to ship it off for repair. As per the written insert that came with their shipping box, they ask for all original system things (memory, hard drives, batteries, wireless cards, AC adapter/cords and restore discs).

I'd been delinquent in creating recovery discs, as I am so tech challenged and thought I'd face it another time when I had more time. Lesson learned!

I've managed to hook the laptop up to the TV with HDMI cable and complete the following:

- 'My Gateway Backup' of personal files (photos, documents, etc.) on USB 16GB flash drive
- 'Create Drivers and Applications Backup' on DVD (had a DVD + or - R option)
- 'Create Factory Default Backup' on a 16 GB USB Flash Drive

They are also asking for 'All passwords - Windows and Bios'

When I first got the beast, I followed the set up prompts and created a new Windows Live account and password, which I enter every time I fire it up. Is this 'windows live' password that allows me to get in at the beginning also a Bios password? I'm not sure what a Bios password is or where to find it in windows 8.

Would a Windows 8 Factory Restore be recommended before sending it off (security reasons) and if so, will that get rid of my passwords so they don't require them?

How can I be assured the 'Create Drivers & Apps' DVD -R and the 'Create Factory Default' (USB) Backups worked successfully on this end before shipping them off with the machine? I do have an older desktop with Vista I'm using as a temporary crutch. The backups definitely finished off ok while I was doing them.

I kid you not when I say I know very little about computers and lingo, so apologies in advance. When I asked the repair support company which specific discs they needed so I have them all, they just told me to call Gateway Support to check. I kid you not, their support number robot will not recognize my SNID which IS positively correct, so I can't get past that step to a human being. Lol. I've tried 3 times and pressing 0 made my robot retaliate! Now she won't talk to me at all....

I'm not sure what avenues to cover for security and assurance the backups I made worked through Gateway Recovery Management.

Thank you to anyone who is brave enough to answer my crazy, silly questions!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I wouldn't worry to much about drivers. You can download them in the future if they get lost in shipping :) The're outdated anyways already probably.

You might want to save your Favorites or Bookmarks from your browsers. IE is pess the Alt key, then you will see import / export. Others about the same.

Be a good idea to reset it to factory new out of the box software setup with the Factory Restore. It should ask for new user name and password......... this time don't give it the windows live login,, look at the bottom of that screen for Local account then just give it a login and no password. Nothing worth stealing on a fresh install.

Too bad you don't have a spare display.

Unless you have set the bios password, there is none. Kind of dangerous thing to set that password for most people. They so seldom enter bios they forget the password then one day they find out they are screwed big time... end up with a trip to walmart to buy a whole new computer. Too bad they didn't include when you bought the warrantee some of the magic invisible display fixing tape. Look in the box for it, that invisible tape is real hard to see.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    lenovo
Hi there
Do this (assuming you've got a working monitor).

1) Download Free Macrium (or use another imaging product such as paid for software - Acronis etc).

2) Take a backup image of your CURRENT OS and applications (if there's a small system partition - copy that too) to an external USB disk.

3) copy the rest of the disk (Data, music, photos, documents) etc to external disk too. I'd always split the disk between OS and data as if you need to re-install the OS you don't lose data when re-formatting the disk etc. If you haven't split the disk yet you can do this by downloading Partition Wizard (Free) - just google for it. It can re-size partitions and move data without you having to re-install windows etc.

4) Now RESET your PC to factory state -- Never give away passwords --the store personnel might be OK but why take the risk.

When the computer is returned -- make the recovery disks just in case -- now RESTORE your image to your new computer.

If they give you a brand new machine this might not work (Activation) but I believe with W8 you CAN transfer an OEM copy to a new machine unlike previously so phone activation should work.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Thanks!

Thank you very much for your help, Mikey and Jimbo.

I've managed to back up my Gateway recovery to a flash drive and all of my photos and documents to another one, which I will personally keep in a safe place. Good to know the driver/app discs are not as significant, but I did back ups anyway on disc just to be sure.

The system image thing was a little confusing to me and I might just leave that. I wasn't sure why the Macrium vs. The Windows 8 Image tutorial here on these forums. I only have a boatload of DVD -R discs on hand at the moment and for future reference I was wondering why DVD's aren't recommended. Maybe because of their lifespan or damage/loss risks?

Since I've been away for a few days (hence my apologetic delay in the appreciative thanks), today is the day I'll take it back to the factory default, and hope to heck my backup on the USB I will be shipping back with the laptop does indeed work. I'm really missing my laptop, so it needs to go soon to be repaired.

And I can't seem to see that magical, invisible tape anywhere in the original box.....:think:

Ha!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I'm so sorry this happened, you are in good hands here.

If all of this is confusing, you can also use Windows Easy Transfer to back up a multitude of settings and files, email archives, etc. After you have done all of what Jimbo and those others have told ya and after you get your new System, you can use the same program to restore those things. Easy Transfer is in Windows 8, but there are other programs, Acronis True Image, etc... But those make a backup of the whole disk. You may not need to do this.

I don't know if Easy Transfer will back up your Metro Apps, but those should be available to you through your Microsoft/Skydrive account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center/Windows 7
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus § DualCore AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2300 MHz (11.5 x 200) 4400+ § Corsair Value Select
    CPU
    AMD 4400+/4200+
    Motherboard
    Asus M2N-MX SE Plus/Asus A8M2N-LA (NodusM)
    Memory
    2 GB/3GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce 8400 GS/GeForce 210
    Sound Card
    nVIDIA GT218 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Hitachi 40" LCD HDTV
    Screen Resolution
    "1842 x 1036"
    Hard Drives
    WDC WD50 00AAKS-007AA SCSI Disk Device
    ST1000DL 002-9TT153 SCSI Disk Device
    WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0 ATA Device
    WDC WD32 WD-WCAPZ2942630 USB Device
    WD My Book 1140 USB Device
    PSU
    Works 550w
    Case
    MSI "M-Box"
    Cooling
    Water Cooled
    Keyboard
    Dell Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Intellimouse
    Internet Speed
    Cable Medium Speed
    Browser
    Chrome/IE 10
    Antivirus
    Eset NOD32 6.x/Win Defend
    Other Info
    Recently lost my Windows 8 on my main PC, had to go back to Windows 7.
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