7805u FX -Cannot create recovery discs with Gateway Recovery Manager (Error code 205)

Just out of curiosity, have you tried to start the Recovery app with NO disk yet in the drive and see what it says?

cheers ...

I would try another dvd-R (minus R) and see, some off brand would do. I had to go through 4 medium type disk before my Sony would accept one.

cheers ...

Good luck w/ that (the Recovery DVDs) I bought a Gateway Desktop last Fall 2008, and I wipped-out the recovery partition, to do my own thing, then one day I wanted it back to the Factory condition , so, I had to order the 2 Recovery DVDs, well after I got them, THEY DIDN'T WORK, so after Gateway/Acer sent me about 3 more of them, none of them ever worked, (they wouldn't even boot-up)

So Acer/Gateway Repair ask me to send my new desktop back for repair, it took about a week, when I got it back I couldn't make any recovery DVDs, and had the same problem, you are having, and (NO DVDRs + or - would even work) so, they wanted to send me even more recovery DVDs, and wanted me to re-send my desktop back a 2nd time, I declined the offer ,and said NO WAY, the 1st time it cost me 36 Dollars to ship it,

THEY DON'T PAY FOR THAT ANYMORE! and if you don't get another shipping BOX, and use yours ( the one you bought that came w/ the New PC, you will loose that box FOREVER) so, I deleted to Factory OEM-Image, and re-installed my Vista Ultimate 64bit w/ SP-1 , so, I don't need or really want the crappy OEM-OS anyway, my desktop works good, so, I kinda gave up on trying to restore to factory..........FYI: this is what I bought last fall 2008

http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/DX/1...15805Rnv.shtml

here is what I would do if I were you..........buy another Hardrive, (I see you already did that) take out your old one (with the Factory-OEM-Image on it, and put it in a safe place) that way you will keep the recovery image intact, if you sell the PC or give it away, you could always use the old hardrive you took out for safe keeping

What is considered the best and most user friendly software to use for making a mirror copy of the old/existing drive so that either the new or old drive can be used as drive C. Thanks.

Acronis True Image

Thanks for the advice. I checked some of the reviews and they are very mixed but then they are for all of this type of software. There does not seem to be a clear winner as far as users are concerned.
I will check out the demo of the Acronis software along with Ghost and ShadowProtect Desktop 3.1 which PC magazine voted their favorite.
Thanks again for replying.

also check out Macrium Reflect. works within windows and can back up partitions or disks. there is a free version that does just about everything that a home user would need

Recovery Disks

I was having the same problem. I installed the new Nvidia drivers today and thought I'd try to make the disks again.

The recovery program made the two disks without a hitch!!

I installed the new Nvidia 185.85 drivers downloaded from Nvidia.com

Steve

Why would newer Nvidia drivers fix the software glitch where recovery doesn't even try to spin up the dvd drive to create the recovery disks? I am another new p7805u owner and same problem - the recovery routine doesn't even try to write and asks for another dvd (it is not the media, it's the s/w, for certain). I am very displeased with Gateway - their support is useless - they just tell you to send the machine to their support (and warn you to create recovery disks and backup, etc.. first!!!! The nerve). Their support is the worst in the industry IMHO at this point. Great little laptop, with issues that Gateway will not even try to address or acknowledge. How about "where is the 'what-u-hear' audio device" issue- a common issue these days that pc-makers won't even acknowledge exists. I digress though. Not being able to create recovery disks when their docs warn you to do this as soon as possible is just unacceptable. Gateway - you suck. Please don't edit - I'm not swearing and it's just an opinion that seems pretty well-supported. Anyway - I would like to know what these Nvidia drivers are that you refer to. Vid drivers? Nah... chipset? I am not (ashamedly) familiar with my laptops chipset, etc.. have gotten lazy. What specific drivers (more than 185.85) are we talking about here? Thanks for your trouble!

Cheers, Stephen

Video card drivers

I installed the new nvidia drivers (185.85). I don't know they specifically fixed the issue, but the recovery program made the disks. Whereas it would not complete the set without crashing.

My drive spun up immediately when I put in a disk to burn. It did take several minutes before the progress bar began to move though. Overall the whole operation to burn the disks took over 30 minutes.

I thought I'd just put out what worked for me. Sorry I wasn't specific enough for you Stephen.

Steve

Thanks - and of course no apology needed, I just wanted to make sure I understood

I did install the 185.85 and it installed fine and works great, but unfortunately I still get the same 205 error where the recovery disk creation goes vegatative and then asks for another disk ad nauseum. Just such junk - their hardware designers make this great laptop and then their s/w guys get hold of it and put she-ite right on it. And, as others have stated here - the support is abysmal, they just run a script that assumes you don't know how to turn it on, and in fact that's about the limit of their support tech's knowledge (and their name is Robert although they're clearly somewhere around Bombay, India). Gateway - get it together - be different, dare to spend on decent s/w and support personnel and you'll end up with a great rep and your bottom line will respond !! Doesn't anybody get this simple cause->effect and longterm vs. shorterm financial planning? Sorry for the whining - just bumming over one more broken feature on this otherwise fine machine.

Recovery disks....

If it's anymore help I used some Fujifilm DVD+R that I just had sitting around here. They worked fine after the driver update.

Steve

I have been unable to create mine and have the same laptop. I added the 2nd 320 gig 7200 rpm drive and also added a BluRay. Everything is so flawless on this laptop except for the stupid recovery program. I am running the latest NVidia Drivers.

I just purchased a refurbished 7805u, so my warranty is covered by a third party. When I couldn't create my recovery discs (stalls for about 3 minutes then error), I contacted this third party and they said to follow the following link:

http://support.gateway.com/support/d...8&uid=23873458

and install the eRecovery program. I haven't tried it yet since I'm at work. By the way I love the power of this laptop, for an amazing price!