A couple of questions about old desktop hard drives.

1. Will a Dell Optiplex 390 - 500GB Hard Drive -With Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Installed work on a Gateway Computer?
2. What is the meaning of a "3.5 Form Factor"

The hard drive itself should work fine.

If you mean will it boot to Windows 7 it might or might not depending on if there are enough device drivers to get it going on on the Gateway. At the very least, since the hardware would be totally different, Windows 7 would need activation.

Form factor refers to the physical size of the drive. A 2.5 inch form factor would equate to the small drives that usually go in a laptop system. A 3.5 inch form factor would equate to the larger drives that usually would go in a desktop system.

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Ok.....we are now doing this project in real time. I took the Windows 7 Pro hard drive out of my Dell Desktop and put it in the Gateway, set the bios to boot from the Hard drive and it booted right up without so much as a password needed. I'm not quite sure how I got to the next step but somehow it said that I must "Activate Windows" within 3 days or it will quit working. So time for a few more questions:

1. Who is telling me I must do this activation thing?
2. Since Miscrosoft is no longer providing help, is it them or someone else that wants me to do this?
3. I don't mind doing it so long as I know who, how, and why they want me to do it and how they will shut me down if I don't.
4. The driver for going on line is also a problem because it won't connect to the internet which was not a problem when it was in the Dell Machine. I am assuming to activate, you have to get on line??

Your thoughts on all of this.

1. - 3. It is Window7 that is saying it must be activated so I guess one would say Microsoft. Windows 7 (and most versions of Windows) log the system hardware when installed. In a case such as this the hardware is totally different hence it is seen as a different system, which it is, so Windows needs to be activated just as if it was installed from scratch. This is totally proper and helps prevent piracy. After the three days it will partially or totally become non-functional.

4. Not surprising that you can't get on-line. You have to install drivers for your network card and, probably, some other devices. While you could probably do the activation via phone activation instead of on-line it is a lot quicker and easier to do it on-line. You need to install device drivers anyway. To find such drivers use another system and do a search for "download gateway {model number} drivers" without the quotes. Preferably look for a resulting link that takes you to Gateway. Download and install any and all drivers listed and install but look specifically for wireless, NIC/network and/or LAN drivers to get on-line. Once on-line it is likely that Microsoft will offer most other drivers through Windows Updates.

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Got all the drivers loaded to a usb drive. Is there any particular place to cut and paste on the Gateway Computer?

They should be install apps. You should be able to just plug in the USB drive and run the install apps. Some may want you to restart the system after installing but even if not restart after done.

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Not sure what you mean by "run the install apps". I plugged in the usb and it shows all the files zipped. I Click on unzip and it opens all the files on the USB drive. I do not see anything that says run the install apps.

Yes, you would need to unzip the files first. Unzip each to its own folder... usually does that on its own.

When I say to run the install app that means whatever is listed as an application likely setup.exe or install.exe. If you are not set to show file extensions the .exe would not show.

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Ok, I was able to run everything that pertained to networking but it did not change anything so all I know at the moment is that the original Gateway hard drive is defective as it will not boot up and the Dell Hard Drive I replaced the defective gateway with boots up ok but cannot connect to the internet and will not work in 2 more days unless I am able to get on line and activate it which I am assuming means they want that Key number which I cannot find..........so, It's a good thing Microsoft does not sell cars or I might go out and get in my MS Car, start it up, and get a message on the dash that says "You need to Activate Your Car Allyson" otherwise it will not work in a few days.

Don't you think its quite amazing that they can do that without even connecting to my computer?

It has nothing to do with MS connecting to your computer. It is built in to Windows. And yes, you would need a key code to activate.

Go to Device Manager and see if it shows the network adapter as installed.

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You are taking and mixing a Gateway and a Dell, much different hardware involved, that's why you need to activate. There should be a key of the working machine, try that first.

Think of it like... you bought a car from MS but someone stole the engine overnight, obviously you can't use the car because someone stole the engine...

But then the person who stole the engine can't use the engine either because they don't have the VIN number (aka Product Key) for your car...

MS, love you for buying their car and issue you with a new engine because you can prove (either online or by phone) you own the VIN number.

Your car now works but the crook who stole your engine will never be able to use that engine because they don't have the VIN number.

It's crude but it works.

Windows 7 activation process by phone is really very easy if you have a valid Product Key (VIN number) and can't get online

See: https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/18715-activate-windows-7-phone.html

The number you call has always been toll-free in my experience but have a pen and paper handy to write down the activation code the MS robot reads out to you.... handy if you typo the first attempt... get it wrong and you'll probably have to phone MS again.

Hope that helps, and makes sense.

Well it looks like this is never going to work. When the Dell Hard Drive is in the Gateway, it does not show any drivers in the device manager. I uploaded the Gateway drivers but have no idea why nothing shows up or even where they are.

Next step, I removed the Dell Hard Drive and put it back in the Dell Computer and just like magic, the drivers show up in the device manager and the computer finds the ethernet connection and I am able to go on line immediately.

So MS builds this activation feature into Windows? Doubly sure I would not want them to be building cars and I have to change the engine......I would be able to run around the block and do my local shopping but if I wanted to go to Toledo, the car would sputter and die. Maybe thats where the phrase "Holy Toledo Auntie Allyson" came from. My Sister is always saying that to me !!

Anyway, I put the hard drive back in the Gateway and will wait until Monday to see if it sputters and stalls, and says Adios Amigos.

You don't just "upload" the drivers. Like I've said a couple of times you have to install the drivers. It is just like downloading a program. You can't just put the download on the hard drive and expect it to run as you want. You have to install it.

Also the drivers must be for the version of Windows being used. If you are running Windows 7 and install XP drivers it may work but probably not.

Personally I'd just leave the drive in the Dell and consider getting one system running accomplished.

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Unless i'm reading you wrong, you appear to be taking a drive out of a Dell computer and inserting it into a Gateway computer in the hope that it'll just work?

If that's true then it's never going to work.

Dell and Gateway computers use different hardware and software that Windows cannot recognise unless you do a fresh install of Windows, there's a reason why the setup routine takes so long, Windows needs to understand what it's being installed onto and the only way for that to happen is by running the install/setup process.

In the same way that if you did a fresh install on the Gateway machine, you can't simply unplug it and plug it into a Dell system... Windows simply won't recognise what it's plugged into, and spit it out.

Jay, I did install the drivers. First thing I did was to unzip the file. It had about 8 lines of files listed and I clicked on the one that had Setup. exe on it and it opened a download window and asked if I approved of the installer and I said yes and it went through the process of installing the Gateway drivers.

Drivers have to be installed in a certain order for everything to work. You want to look for one that has Chipset in the name and do that first. Once you do that some of the other hardware may get recognized automatically. After that does one that has Video in the name to make your display work right.

Take the files off the thumb drive and copy them to your desktop to make things easier.

Hmmm, I suppose it is possible that Gateway used different network cards on the same model which is somewhat common. You MAY have just grabbed the wrong driver package.

Regardless, if I understand correctly, the drive is fine in the Dell system and all is well. I would leave that system as it is and mess with the Gateway without trying to use the Dell drive.

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Hi Jay........There were 14 files on that download I got from Gateway and I installed the ones that seemed most likely then I decided to install them all one by one including the one that had Epic in the name. The last one on the list was Lan_Intel_14.3_ W7x64A and that is the one that got me on line. So now the Gateway boots up, goes to the desktop, and that tiny little black screen down on my tool bar no longer has a red x in it. There is no anti-virus program installed so I only went to a couple of sites including this one and got back off line.

Now, all I can do is wait to see if MS comes after me again and asks me to Activate. I will of course have to deny that request and see what happens. If they leave me alone, I will add some anti-virus software and probably go on Ebay and buy a Dell Hard Drive with Windows 7 already installed....lots of Dell Hard Drives for sale there fairly cheap and I can put it in the Dell Computer. Maybe even try to install MS Home and Student and see if I can get "Word" going.

Anyway, thanks for all the help.......I will get back in a bit and let you know about the Activation Results. I will be doing this if it all works

As to anti-virus I'd suggest either Avast Free or AVG free. I used to prefer Avast but it is now throwing up a bunch of stuff trying to get you to buy. AVG is not nearly as bad on that.

Avast:
https://www.avast.com/en-us/lp-ppc-hp-v4?ppc_code=013&ppc=a&msclkid=30b36c338d2b1497b4bd33ec3cb2fe7e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=en-us_ava_sch_brn_exc_bng_dtp&utm_term=download%20avast%20free&utm_content=top-avast_download_free-exact&gclid=CIbiyd-w3e0CFQsUfwodlT0MaA&gclsrc=ds#pc

AVG:
https://www.avg.com/en-us/ppc/protection-offer-comparison-04?ppc_code=013&ppc=a&msclkid=69029bf9525b15faf84dc426e3b98dfe&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=en-us_bav_sch_brn_exc_bng_dtp&utm_term=download%20avg%20free&utm_content=top-avg_download_free-exact&gclid=CMznloOx3e0CFWMHfwodv64IGg&gclsrc=ds

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Thanks, will go with the AVG. Also got a message on the Gateway that I need to Activate it but there was no message about any time limits or any word about dis-abling Windows 7

More to add about "Activating". When I started the Gateway up the next time it said I had to activate and since I was on line now, I clicked on ok and it went through a short process and said it was about to check out my computer........just a few seconds later it came back and said Windows has been activated. Did not even ask for a Key. So right now I am still on the Gateway sending you this message. Then to top it all off, I put a 1tb formatted hard drive in the Dell, set it to boot from the CD/ROM drive and about 40 minutes later it had installed Windows 7 Pro 64 bit.

I have one more question for you about the Gateway. What all is involved in changing the Computer name? Can that be done without affecting the "Activation" process? I want to give this computer to my Sister for Christmas and it would be nice if she was named as the owner.

Changing the computer name should not affect activation. Go to the Control Panel then System. Click on Advanced system settings then the Computer Name tab. Click on the Change button for computer name. Change the name abd click OK.

Changing the user name to reflect your sister is probably more of what you actually want. Again go to the Control Panel and select User Accounts. Just click on Change your account name and do so.

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Got it Jay......thanks

Glad things have seemed to work out.

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