I've had it with this computer

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Monty

Monty

Group Buy Coordinator
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
8,463
Location
Pearland, Texas, USA.
I've been working on my son's Gateway computer for the past several weeks. It started randomly rebooting and would not connect to the internet or access the restore files. Got a new CD with the restore file from Gateway. When I try to restore, the Vista files load and when it tries to open, I get a blue screen with stop error codes. I did a scan like Gateway said and found no errors. I did a complete wipe of the HD and I still get the blue screen errors.
I was able to load XP with no problems, but I can't locate the drivers on the CD that I got from Gateway or on their web site to be able to make the modem function to access the internet.
If someone is willing to send me their number or give me a call to walk me through these problems, I be forever grateful.
 
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I ended up having to get a new hard drive...Blue Screen Of Death, is what the IT guy I know called it...back up anything you can before it goes altogether...good luck!
 
The error codes might help you identify what (most likely) hardware problem is causing the blue screen of death.
 
Sometimes the bsod is caused by a power supply that has a low 5vdc you could have heat issues could be many things if it reloaded XP fine then see how it works. Also look at the main board at the capacitors and see if any are mushrooming, it is where the tops look like they are about to pop this is a big cause in failures where I work. As for your modem go to drivers.com and you can probably get a generic driver for it.
 
TomW said:
Hey Mannie,

What is this ~modem~ of which you speak?

Sorry you are having trouble.
Tom
Click to expand...
It's whatever you call the thing that the over-sized telephone plug plugs into to go to my internet modem. Clear as mud, huh?

The GWSCAN that gateway had me download and run showed no errors on the HD or memory.

And the bsod only shows up when I try to load Vista. The files load and as soon as it starts to run, bsod shows up.
 
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Do you have Service Pac 3 installed? If so, delete it. Get it up and running then update Windows AFTER you get everything installed. What are you using for a browser. We don' t use Internet Explorer. When you reformatted your hard drive, did you install it on a new partition. If not, you will have the same issues. Mary, says to start all over, reformat, and where it says....is existing XP SP2? If it is only Service Pac2, start over and do not install the updates. Window wants you to install until you get all other drivers installed. You will be far better off using Mozella than Internet Explorer. I am quoting this from Mary who just went through this issue last month.
 
John,
There's nothing on the computer now except XP. I did a complete wipe of the HD and made a new partition. Only browser on right now is IE. If I can ever get it to connect to the internet, then I'll switch to FF.
 
Mannie; Did the computer originally have Vista on it? Some hardware doesn't work with Vista. Check with Gateway to verify that Vista is Ok for your computer and hardware.

You will need different drivers for Vista and XP.
 
randyrls said:
Mannie; Did the computer originally have Vista on it? Some hardware doesn't work with Vista. Check with Gateway to verify that Vista is Ok for your computer and hardware.

You will need different drivers for Vista and XP.
Click to expand...
It came loaded with Vista when he bought it. I'll look for the drivers for XP then.
OR, since they want to upgrade to Win7, should I go ahead and upgrade before I load anything else besides XP? Then after I have 7 on, look for the drivers.
 
Drivers and Downloads. You need to put in the original drivers to gain access to the inter net. Says, Mary. Machine is not talking to XP 'cause the drivers have been knocked out.
 
Power supplies go bad in Mac's too , which is what I would suspect here . When you are doing an install , especially one as complicated as Vista The CPU and all the associated components are drawing allot of power . If the power supply is starting to go bad it would show up during these high current demanding times . The BSOD is happening because as the power supply falters the data streams get interupted and the system locks up . Have it checked by a tech and I think IMHO the power supply will need to be replaced .
 
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ldb2000 said:
Power supplies go bad in Mac's too , which is what I would suspect here . When you are doing an install , especially one as complicated as Vista The CPU and all the associated components are drawing allot of power . If the power supply is starting to go bad it would show up during these high current demanding times . The BSOD is happening because as the power supply falters the data streams get interupted and the system locks up . Have it checked by a tech and I think IMHO the power supply will need to be replaced .
Click to expand...
To add credence to what you say, it cannot be done on battery power.
 
It could very well be the power supply. Also, you might replace the system battery located on the motherboard. It is a silver quarter size battery you can buy almost anywhere for a couple of bucks. You said the computer works with Windows XP but will not access the internet. Have you tried to load and run any programs, such as word, power point, etc. If the computer works with XP and runs programs, the problem probably is not the motherboard but is the power supply or the harddrive. Either one or both of these components can be changed out in about ten minutes. I would start with the power supply, because if you replace the harddrive, you also have to install the operating software. Good luck.
 
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There is a law of diminishing returns you'll need to identify before doing a lot of work on your computer. If you replace the power supply and then determine it's the hard drive, you'll have a large part of the cost of a lower end computer from the big box stores. Also look at the age of what you have and determine if the age would mean that you should go ahead and replace the whole thing.

If this machine is about 4-5 years old, you may be better getting a new machine and being done with it. Other components will eventually go bad with this one.
 
It sounds like your eithernet driver is not loaded, Since you say the cord is a overgrown telephone plug,
to chech the driver right click on "my computer" icon pick properties , then the hardware tab, then device manger button. You will see a list of all your devices Look for the network card See if it's installed or has a yellow plus sign next to it ( I think it a plus sign but cann't rember for sure but is yellow). If it has the yellow plus the driver was not found or bad. If you dont know whoe network adapter it is you can highlight the adapter hit delete to uninstall it and reboot. A lot of time when xp tries to reinstall the driver it will pop up the balloon in the right had corner by the clock and tell you who network adapter it trying to install. But not always. once you know who made it you can use another computer to search for the driver and burn it to a cd or copy it to a thumb drive to install it. Hope this helps and makes sense

Jim Barrett
 
If that is a Gateway, you may be having the same issues I had with my now retired (in pieces). My Gateway laptop would get so hot that you couldn't touch it after a couple of hours. This started shortly after the 90 day warranty was up. Seems they skimped on heat sinks on the CPU and the motherboard as well as putting an underpowered fan in to save a few bucks. Eventually the motherboard got hot so often that it ended up cracking along with several of the solder joints going to heck. I added an under the computer fan and even had a small fan blowing on the dang thing, but nothing helped.

When I called Gateway, their response was I should have bought an extended warranty! BULL on that as that is the biggest scam I've ever seen with the exception of the mortgage industry.

Anyway, if you are having heat problems and getting the blue screen of death, use the Gateway for target practice and go buy a new laptop with Windows 7 on it, or frustrate yourself by calling Gateway for help! *LOL* There is a reason they call a Gateway "an affordable laptop."

Rick (mtgrizzly52)
 
I agree with someone that says that the HardDrive is dying. Run chkdsk from the dos promt. I bet you will find disk errors. I've run into this before and had computers do exactly what yours is doing. Replaced the HD, errors went away. Question is, is the computer worth putting a new one in, can it handle the larger disk that are available today?
 
If this is a desktop, I would concur that there is a good chance of a bad power supply. It's a quick rule out method to get a new power supply. There's easier to change.
 
j_w_barrett said:
It sounds like your eithernet driver is not loaded, Since you say the cord is a overgrown telephone plug,
to chech the driver right click on "my computer" icon pick properties , then the hardware tab, then device manger button. You will see a list of all your devices Look for the network card See if it's installed or has a yellow plus sign next to it ( I think it a plus sign but cann't rember for sure but is yellow). If it has the yellow plus the driver was not found or bad. If you dont know whoe network adapter it is you can highlight the adapter hit delete to uninstall it and reboot. A lot of time when xp tries to reinstall the driver it will pop up the balloon in the right had corner by the clock and tell you who network adapter it trying to install. But not always. once you know who made it you can use another computer to search for the driver and burn it to a cd or copy it to a thumb drive to install it. Hope this helps and makes sense

Jim Barrett
Click to expand...
That is what we said earlier. Thank you for backing me up.
 
Rick:

I took interest in your comment "When I called Gateway, their response was I should have bought an extended warranty! BULL on that as that is the biggest scam I've ever seen with the exception of the mortgage industry."

I was a self employed mortgage broker. I loved it and wish I could return to the business. When I was brokering there were many times I had to refuse or decline loans that I know would not work. These people always found a lender that would do the job and it made me look foolish. I had over fifty lenders with contracts, and I never had to buy back a bad loan. If you read the small print it says you buy back loans that go into default within a section of time. As we look back at all these real sharp lenders that could do the job that I supposedly could not - we see them either with their license revoked, in litigation or serving time. So I review your comment with self satisfaction that the competition that was giving me so much grief are now paying the piper. I have, on the other hand thousands of people who are enjoying their homes as my past clientele and many first time buyers who are using new equity to send their kids to college.
 
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