Windows

Well firstly she could only have lost her data if she chose to format the HDD if she didn't do this the data will still be on the drive but it will be in the My Documents Folder under a different User Account.

As for the device drivers this could be a bit nasty as if she didn't get Cd's to go with them and they are not slipstreamed onto the Recovery CD there will be some hunting required for the drivers.

At first I would leave in the Recovery CD and just right click on the components and try to Update the Driver if there are the correct drivers for these on the Recovery CD they should install the correct drivers. If you are using a different Install Cd then you'll have to dig around for the make & model of the different parts and download the various drivers and install them as required.

If these drivers have not been slipstreamed onto the Gateway Restore CD and they are original you'll need to visit the Gateway Site and download the latest drivers for these pieces of hardware. If they are additions after the system was built there should be install disc's for them and you'll need those. The same applies if these particular items where optional extras as well.

Col

You can go to gateway.com from another computer and click on the Support link (upper right hand corner) then click downloads, enter the serial number and download the drivers you need. When you transfer them to your friends pc place them in a folder where you won't lose them. Make a folder called "Drivers" for instance.

After you have the driver files you need, on her computer, you can go to Device Manager, right click on one of the devices with the yellow"?", choose Properties/Update driver. When the Hardware Wizard starts, choose to install the software from a specific location and browse to the drivers folder and complete the wizard.

This question was closed by the author