Ok, a lot has happened since this all began. Please bear with me. I tried to keep things as straightforward and simple as possible.
1. My stepfather is NOT tech savvy and will often not listen to what I have to say or will do things on his own terms.
2. He has a Gateway MX6438 whose serial number is T3563N1006673. It is a laptop which he calls a "notebook" but I'm not actually certain how accurate the terminology is.
3. He ordered a disc from Amazon in order to upgrade his operating system in order to have an OS that "won't be obsolete any time soon". I have W8.1 myself at home so I assured him it still had support.
4. He waited long enough so that I could run the disk myself for which a half an hour in he disrupted the process and I had to set it all up again.
5. Cue confusion and anger as Microsoft has "too much control" and how he wants his toys (like being able to speak to Google) without Microsoft forcing him to make an account.
6. I noticed two of his drivers are missing. The "Playback devices" selection displays the words "No audio devices are installed". When I took a look at the "Device Manager" under "Other Devices" there are two devices listed. A "Mass Storage Controller" and "Multimedia Audio Controller". Both icons have a yellow triangle with a "!" attached to them.
7. I searched the serial number on the Gateway website. Doesn't exist. Then later discovered Acer adopted Gateway and searched the serial number there too... Doesn't exist (not that I was really expecting it to.)
8. I tried downloading an audio driver from Acer and hoping that it might just be compatible by chance. Restarted the computer after installation, nothing.
9. What do I do? Can this be fixed? Do you have to pay $ to be updated on drivers or are these just scams/clever profit investments?
1. My stepfather is NOT tech savvy and will often not listen to what I have to say or will do things on his own terms.
2. He has a Gateway MX6438 whose serial number is T3563N1006673. It is a laptop which he calls a "notebook" but I'm not actually certain how accurate the terminology is.
3. He ordered a disc from Amazon in order to upgrade his operating system in order to have an OS that "won't be obsolete any time soon". I have W8.1 myself at home so I assured him it still had support.
4. He waited long enough so that I could run the disk myself for which a half an hour in he disrupted the process and I had to set it all up again.
5. Cue confusion and anger as Microsoft has "too much control" and how he wants his toys (like being able to speak to Google) without Microsoft forcing him to make an account.
6. I noticed two of his drivers are missing. The "Playback devices" selection displays the words "No audio devices are installed". When I took a look at the "Device Manager" under "Other Devices" there are two devices listed. A "Mass Storage Controller" and "Multimedia Audio Controller". Both icons have a yellow triangle with a "!" attached to them.
7. I searched the serial number on the Gateway website. Doesn't exist. Then later discovered Acer adopted Gateway and searched the serial number there too... Doesn't exist (not that I was really expecting it to.)
8. I tried downloading an audio driver from Acer and hoping that it might just be compatible by chance. Restarted the computer after installation, nothing.
9. What do I do? Can this be fixed? Do you have to pay $ to be updated on drivers or are these just scams/clever profit investments?