Desktops: Gateway GM5478 has an apparent design flaw
Same problem here...
by jdog_12345 - 3/5/08 12:01 PM In reply to: Gateway's 2/04/08 BIOS update by De_BugI had the same problem. I ended up installing the bios again. You may want to try the same thing because even though the bios said is installed correctly it didn't. I checked the bios date and it was the January one still.
Jan 08 patch applied 3/21/08
by crashinc25 - 3/21/08 9:44 PM In reply to: Gateway's 2/04/08 BIOS update by De_BugI have read just about every post/thread/website I could find about this issue. I am dealing with the same issue on a GM5478.
Glad I found this thread. Yesterday, I applied the bios update from January. So far, it's fixed as with most who posted before me.
If you never read another post on this topic from me, you will know there was final resolution.
It's started again on my GT5628
by De_Bug - 4/23/08 6:29 PM In reply to: Gateway's 2/04/08 BIOS update by De_BugA little over a month after updating the BIOS and the issue's started again. For no reason the computer shutdown twice, exactly one hour apart. There happens to be another update for April and I just finished installing it. I'm never buying another gateway again. Be sure to spread the word about this crappy product.
Same here but not as bad...
by jdog_12345 - 4/23/08 7:25 PM In reply to: It's started again on my GT5628 by De_BugI am also getting some BSOD's (blue screen of death) but it is not to the same frequency that you are having. I installed all the recent updates and I have had one crash since installing. This computer is a total POS. Last time for a Gateway with me. I am sticking with HP.
HP also sucks!
by teen41 - 4/27/08 11:06 PM In reply to: Same here but not as bad... by jdog_12345Don't get HP. It's worse...trust me... today I had 2 bsods already (blue screen of death) and it takes not 6 or 10 but 15 or 20 mins on average to load up, 10 if I'm lucky... I don't even get the bars loading or any screen it's just blackout until it loads vista, and that means I can't even run safe mode.
I've tried everything, including going back to old drivers, they said the new ones through windows update are not good, but it hasn't worked for me.
I'm suggesting a Toshiba, as uncomputerly as it may sound, they have a new system which is twice as fast than your average PC.
(my boyfriends a technician, he basically sets new pc's up and running and he said for an average laptop it takes him 2 hours to set up but for some reason the way Toshiba's made it's set up in an hour!)
So consider that, and they're cheap, my mom bought one for 950 dollars with decent specs, 2gigs ram, dual core etc... and I'm getting myself one too, this is too much for me, the bsods are killing me)
So if you still want a HP or any other computer for that matter make sure it's got mmore than 2gigs of RAM ideally 4 is Vista's soft spot!
So far so good!
by jdog_12345 - 2/9/08 3:55 PM In reply to: reBOOTING hell and others odds and ends by abstraitI have been on the newest BIOS since about 3 days after it was released and I haven't had any restarts (knocking on wood until my knuckles are bleeding). I have run the PC through hell and back trying to get it to restart. I ran Crysis (PC game that is known to be hard on PC's), Media Center for 3 straight days and running Orb server without any problems. I was never able to do that prior to the January Bios update. I read that there is another Bios release. I am a little apprehensive on installing it because this Bios has been pretty good so far.
Good luck to everyone!
Gateway Best Buy DHL all SUCK
by KKtrucking - 2/20/08 9:35 AM In reply to: reBOOTING hell and others odds and ends by abstraitListen my chilren and you will hear..
The reboot issue
leads to a shipping issue
leads to a voided warranty
The reboot issue happened to me 45 days after purchase, Called Gateway spent countless time on phone with them. They told me "bring it back to Best Buy they will fix under warranty...No BB won't fix under warranty they'll charge $60 to "troubleshoot" but not fix.
Called Gateay again they said "send it back" by now it is PD(purchase date)+ 3 months. They will send box and ship at their expense. DHL arrives with box to put machine in, I do so and call for pickup. Time is now PD +4 months. Sent back 3 weeks go by call Gateway for status "we never got the system" was the reply. Called DHL (the clown princes of the shipping business)and they had no record of shipment (driver didn't scan label). After going down to the Cranston RI terminal and threatening to file a police report for stolen goods, they "found it" in a warehouse in Ohio. Returned it to me, by now its a pile of metal and plastic no longer a CPU but a pile of parts. DHL says file a claim. I called GW and talked to the clown PRINCESS of customer service Heather, explained everything to her right down to sending it back via FED EX at my expense to get the thing fixed. She said "since the machine had been "damaged" by mishadling the warranty was void and if I wanted I could return it for a repair estimate at a cost of $250. So now its PD+5 months. Gateway can rot in hell I hope the president of DHL gets brain cancer and I'll NEVER set foot in BB again. Maybe I'll try the BIOS upgrade (if the machine still works) but I don't need the kind of agravation these jerks choose to dish out to paying customers.
Gateway
by met311 - 2/21/08 7:17 AM In reply to: Gateway Best Buy DHL all SUCK by KKtruckingWow, That is the worst story I have heard to date, I was told by Gateway Tech Support to bring my 5478 to Staples, she said staples was an authorized repair facility, they are not, after another call to tech support she said to bring it to best buy, again not authorized, finally she sent me a box with a shipping tag and while I was removing my important files to ready my 5478 to be shipped back to gateway I found the bios update and installed it, so far, no reboots, I think we all deserve something from gateway for all of our troubles, but I will not hold my breath,
Gateway and Best Buy
by KKtrucking - 2/21/08 10:29 AM In reply to: Gateway by met311WHATEVER YOU DO don't let DHL within 20 feet of that package!!!
I took it out and stuck the plastic trim pieces (litterally) back on, plugged it in and it still works!!! Maybe all it needed was a 40' drop from a airplane cargo bay. I'm still going to try that BIOS update and still file a claim with DHL (The clown princes of the shipping business).
DHL
by abstrait - 2/21/08 3:18 PM In reply to: Gateway and Best Buy by KKtruckingWell, just to report the other side, I've had great luck wih DHL on a number of occasions. Perhaps it depends on the contractors and the responsibility of people in the area. Indeed, I just received a vintage road bike that was valuable. It was packed perfectly and delivered just as fine. The drivers were friendly and polite. I think I've had about 10 dealings with DHL and all have been fine, although all were coming this way. You do a search online, and you'll run into anomosity and contempt for UPS, USPS, FedEx, FedEx Ground, DHL, etc, etc. I dont think there is a single shipping company that's not been singled at as part of the Circle of Hell.
On another note, the first thing I do when confronted with issues with a piece of gear is to research it online to see if there are similar experiences. I try to at least have a handle on the problem before I even deal with any of the companies, no matter what the product. The fact is, we often have better access to knowledge than the company support, something that's almost a given these days whether it be computers or other gear. Boutique or cottage builders are another matter, usually offering far more support, at a cost, but often worth it. But it's become a near cliche not to depend on the end support from major companies. Sad but true. Best thing is to really arm yourself with knowledge as much as possible.
I've havent bought my new computer yet, waiting to get more info. So far, regarding this problem, it seems the BIOS fix, at least the latest version, is batting a pretty good average. STill, Gateway has received some pretty mediocre service reviews, with or without Acer.
Ouch
by drfarley - 2/21/08 9:35 PM In reply to: Gateway Best Buy DHL all SUCK by KKtruckingThat's brutal. And this, my friends, is why my P.O.S. Gateway went straight back to Costco as soon as I came across this thread back in November. And also why I'm now very happy with my HP.
Hows this for a twist
by KKtrucking - 5/31/08 12:48 PM In reply to: Gateway Best Buy DHL all SUCK by KKtruckingSince DHL dropped this POS out of the cargo bay and I stuck the plastic trim pieces back on with silver tape....well NOT once did it take over the on off switch, not once did it reboot. What did happen is the power supply just failed and I put another ps in ($27) not warranty, Gateway voided it remember. Going on 2 weeks with the new power supply so go figure.
me too
by cpaulg - 4/27/08 5:59 AM In reply to: Gateway GM5478 has an apparent design flaw by spaceguySame thing happening to me. I found that if I leave the side panel off or put a small fan on the side with the panel on, that it solves the problem. Not a very elegant solution, but it works. At least it does for me.
Update
by met311 - 4/27/08 9:07 AM In reply to: me too by cpaulgHello All, Just a little update, after installing the latest bios back in Feb. My 5478 has run flawlessly, Not a single reboot in over 2 months, I can now say I am happy with it and I still can not believe all the crap we had to go through to finally get a stable working computer that we all thought we were buying in the first place, Gateway really dropped the ball on this one and if it wasn't for forums like this one I wonder how many of us would still be going through the Reboots From Hell issue, Thanks to All who Posted the info,
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