How to factory reset a gateway model za8 notebook

You may need to Factory Reset it. See this site... http://www.howtogeek.com/130611/how-to-factory-reset-your-android-phone-or-tablet-when-it-wont-boot/

Try this link How to restore your Toshiba laptop to its factory fresh software...

check to see if disc is damage==your cd-dvd drive may not
be reading==use a external drive that you know is good.

You can get a Recovery CD for your model laptop from Gateway.

http://driver-pro.com/related/english/hardware-drivers/?a=12221&gclid=COmm19XHtpwCFSMSagodPRuwnQ&hit=1

Try here for info:http://support.gateway.com/s/software/medialess/mlxpmc0/mlxpmc0su20.shtml

To clear the bios password on a Gateway Laptop ZA8 get the Gateway BIOS Master Password from
http://www.unlockbiosrecovery.com/Unlock_Gateway_Bios.php

Hi there,
Your Notebook should have come with a Software Recovery DVD. Just put that into the DVD Drive and reinstall or reformat Windows. Warning: Bringing your Notebook back to factory settings will erase all the content on your HDD. Back it up if you want to save anything.

The keyboard has likely gotten fried, due to a short circuit..It's unlikely it'll work ever again if she 'coughed up' alot...
Your best bet is to get it fixed under warranty or an extended warranty, if you still have one.
You can also get a USB keyboard to hook up to it, or you can find a laptop repair shop to get a new keyboard installed.

Here's the support page from Gateway for your model.
http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/2009/Ajax2/MD26/MD26nv.shtml

And here's the user guide link (which you can find at the page mentioned above)
http://support.gateway.com/s/Manuals/Desktops/8513015.pdf

and below are the steps from the user guide which to me seems like the solution for your question.

To create discs, click (Start), All Programs, Gateway, then click Gateway Recovery
Management. To create recovery discs for your factory-loaded hard drive contents (Windows
Vista, pre-installed software and drivers), click Create factory default disc or, to create recovery
discs for only the factory-loaded drivers and software, click Create driver and application
backup disc. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish.