Arrrrrrgggggghhhhh!!!! I hate Gateway

benhasajeep · Jan 2, 2009

My desktop has been a pain since I bought it. I was having a good day as Mr. Brown dropped off a Nikon Coolscan 5000 to my house this morning. I decided that I would go out and get a new keyboard and a 2nd internal drive for back up since this computer is a pain. Well guess what. Complete hard failure right after I chose to do a restart after installing the new keyboard. Won't even let me in safe mode. This is like the 3rd time I have had to do a full restore on this computer. Also had issues with the memory it came with. Every now and then the monitor quits working. Well Gateway support was no help. Until I found on the web initial monitor support is through the 1st ram stick. So, I don't know what it is but every now and then I have to move the ram around as the monitor will not work on start up about every 6 months or so. I even have 2 other memory sticks. This computer has been a pain since I had it. And of course when I get something new, and a couple upgrade. It frigging dies again. Arrrrrgggggghhhhh!!!! :grumpy:

I had an E Machines computer that was 1/6 of what this one was and it ran fine for 6 years.

So not I have to reload everything again. :grumpy:

Just bought a new laptop so a new desktop is out. At least till spring.

Will give a report on the Coolscan when I finially get it installed.

Garbz · Jan 3, 2009

I thought that company went bankrupt around 2002. I remember they pulled out of Australia anyway. Their computers sold in Australia were worse than the HP computers of the time which was really saying something.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

benhasajeep · Jan 3, 2009

They are still going. They actually bought out E Machines several years ago. They have lost quite a bit of market share to HP and Dell though. I can see why. The desktop is about 4 years old. It's just never worked right from day 1. Should have sent it back. Plugging in a new keyboard and it crashing isn't really Gateway fault. It's a windows problem. But its just this computer has been a pain from the beginning. Had not even tried to put the new HD in yet. I can see that crashing a system but not a stupid usb keyboard.

Frequent Traveler · Jan 3, 2009

Sorry for your head-aches! I'm in the same place..... though with a Toshiba laptop.

I hope you're able to get some decent back-ups and everything cleaned up. It's such a pain in the neck when things don't run as they *should*...

I've had it up to my eyes with using a laptop as if it's a "serious" computing tool - i also have a HP (Core 2 Duo 1.5GHz, 2gb RAM, 200gb HDD) laptop and it's otherwise very fast, but the video just isn't there.

So i'm planning on a new desktop this spring strictly for video/image editing. It will also do some other work-related things, but video/image editing will be it's primary work load.

My *proposed* particulars;

Power Supply: 680 watt SLI/CrossFire ready
Processor: Intel Core i7-940 2.93 GHz 8M L3 cache LGA 1366
Motherboard: Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58 Chipset SLI/CrossFireX SAS Triple-Channel DDR3/1600 SATA
Memory: 12GB DDR3/1600MHz
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4870 PCI-E 16X 512MB
HD1: 1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM
HD2: 1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM
Optical Drive1: 20X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER
Optical Drive2: 16X DVD ROM
OS: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP1 version

It'll run me about $2,500 plus a monitor, but i'm done with playing around.

JerryPH · Jan 3, 2009

There is a small line I ask ALL my clients that are weak in backing up important data"

"If this instant, this computer died and took all the data with it... what would you lose?"

I get anything from "some important emails" to "oh about 5000 pictures" and my favorite one is "I'd lose the entire business".

My next question always is:
"What are you going to do about it?"

If they say "nothing", they get what they deserve. The first 3 laws of computers or computing are:

1 - backup
2 - backup
3 - backup

As far as laptops vs desktops... well speeds have come up to the point that we can use laptops as easily as desktops and get the added benefit of portability... but it comes at the price of VERY limited expandability, slower speeds and about an average of 50% increase in price compared to a good desktop.

No matter what, though... they are DESIGNED to have a limited life span. We KNOW this... so do what is needed to protect that which is important to you!!

As for Gateway... I love them. Because of their crap service and even crappier equipment, I have received tens of thousands of dollars in revenue. Keep it up, yay Gateway! :lol:

benhasajeep · Jan 3, 2009

JerryPH said:
There is a small line I ask ALL my clients that are weak in backing up important data"

"If this instant, this computer died and took all the data with it... what would you lose?"

I get anything from "some important emails" to "oh about 5000 pictures" and my favorite one is "I'd lose the entire business".

My next question always is:
"What are you going to do about it?"

If they say "nothing", they get what they deserve. The first 3 laws of computers or computing are:

1 - backup
2 - backup
3 - backup

As far as laptops vs desktops... well speeds have come up to the point that we can use laptops as easily as desktops and get the added benefit of portability... but it comes at the price of VERY limited expandability, slower speeds and about an average of 50% increase in price compared to a good desktop.

No matter what, though... they are DESIGNED to have a limited life span. We KNOW this... so do what is needed to protect that which is important to you!!

As for Gateway... I love them. Because of their crap service and even crappier equipment, I have received tens of thousands of dollars in revenue. Keep it up, yay Gateway!

Yea, I know what you mean about backup, and things will only last so long. That was the whole reason of buying a new drive before the first one died. I also have a portable for each computer. But the fact is I hate having to reload every single application. I did not back up those or even know if you can. So, will all the software and several upgrades to several of them. It's an all day affair to reload stuff.

I almost said screw it and go buy one. But I really don't like whats offered at the local stores. I have the original drive installed. And the new one now. Just starting to load software. The one nice thing is I will not have as much windows updates on the drive as I can now just load the most current ones.

JerryPH · Jan 3, 2009

benhasajeep said:
I also have a portable for each computer. But the fact is I hate having to reload every single application. I did not back up those or even know if you can. So, will all the software and several upgrades to several of them. It's an all day affair to reload stuff.

I make ghost images of all my personal computers about once a month or after I install/test a new application. It takes 30 min to ghost a machine... and 20-30 minutes on average to restore it, depending on how many applications you have installed.

My "main" photography/videography computer takes 15 minutes to restore from scratch. I pop in a bootalble CD or a USB key into the computer, it hooks up to the external USB HD that holds my images (or connects to my network, if I am at home), starts the restore of the image from the ghosted file... I go for a coffee and when I come back, it's 100% done. I reboot and can go play.

Ghosting images is still no excuse to not do daily backups of data that has changed since yesterday. Of course, if nothing has changed, I do not make backups.

Frequent Traveler · Jan 3, 2009

"Ghosting"? What is that?!? In standard, non-computer-Pro vernacular please!!!

How are things perking with that Gateway and new HDD?

inTempus · Jan 3, 2009

I'm a recovering Windows junkie. At one time I was in the arms race that is IBM/PC technology. 3 years ago I jumped ship to Mac to give the new Intel machines a shot since I could run Windows natively as a "back-up".

Well, I deleted my Windows partition 2 years ago.

I still have my old Dell 9300 sitting here. I even installed Vista on it (don't ask me why). I turn it on every once in a while just for a chuckle.

As for Gateway... they do suck. Mine died over and over again. I couldn't keep it running for more than 6 months. Then there's the good old "install Windows every year to keep your machine healthy" crap I used to do.

I don't miss it.

F1addict · Jan 3, 2009

Frequent Traveler said:
Sorry for your head-aches! I'm in the same place..... though with a Toshiba laptop.

I hope you're able to get some decent back-ups and everything cleaned up. It's such a pain in the neck when things don't run as they *should*...

I've had it up to my eyes with using a laptop as if it's a "serious" computing tool - i also have a HP (Core 2 Duo 1.5GHz, 2gb RAM, 200gb HDD) laptop and it's otherwise very fast, but the video just isn't there.

So i'm planning on a new desktop this spring strictly for video/image editing. It will also do some other work-related things, but video/image editing will be it's primary work load.

My *proposed* particulars;

Power Supply: 680 watt SLI/CrossFire ready
Processor: Intel Core i7-940 2.93 GHz 8M L3 cache LGA 1366
Motherboard: Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58 Chipset SLI/CrossFireX SAS Triple-Channel DDR3/1600 SATA
Memory: 12GB DDR3/1600MHz
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 4870 PCI-E 16X 512MB
HD1: 1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM
HD2: 1TB SATA-II 3.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM
Optical Drive1: 20X DVD±R/±RW + CD-R/RW DRIVE DUAL LAYER
Optical Drive2: 16X DVD ROM
OS: Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP1 version

It'll run me about $2,500 plus a monitor, but i'm done with playing around.

Don't use DDR3. Its WAY too expensive and from what I've heard isn't a big enough improvement over DDR2 to warrant the extra money. Just use 8GB of DDR2. Its more then you'll ever need and you can get it for $80.
I've also heard a few things about the core i7's not being worth the extra money. Just a ~2.5GHz Core 2 Quad Intel CPU would, again, be all you'd ever really need.

As for the rest of this thread.
I honestly don't think I'll every buy another computer again from a company like Dell, Gateway, HP, etc.
It's far to easy, and chaep, to build your own computer that it doesn't make sense to buy one. And Companies like that use the cheapest compents that they can. We pulled ram out of an old Dell we use to have that was made by Hyundai. :lol:

Honeslty, Hyundai? And the motherboard in my parents current Dell only has two Ram slots and uses some stupid intel socket that only supports about 3 cpu's, not the standard LGA775 socket so really upgrading it is impossible without replaceing the motherboard. Which isn't cheap becuase that normally means replacing the cpu, ram, and operating system all at the same time. Some thing I just did on my computer, along with the power supply and it cost me $400. But then again now I basically have a custom built computer with great components in it that should last me several years without upgrading. And i can run Flight Simulator X on nearly maxed out graphics settings without the computer lagging and slowing down:mrgreen:

Mike_E · Jan 3, 2009

Pssssst, tiger direct . com

I just got a box with 4Gs DDR2 800Mhz, AMD Athelon 64X2 5000+ black (dual core unlocked -runs at 3.2G stable with no appreciable increase in heat load), XFX GeForce 8200 MCP Socket AM2+, CPU fan/heatsync, 500G SATA HDD, case, 2 case fans, media reader and 600W PS shipped for 4 bills.

All I need now is the one or two of the extra hard drives, monitor, keyboard, mouse and dvd burner I already had. If I should need it an extra 4 gig of 800M DDR2 and a video card is around another $100. I don't really think I'll need it as I don't plan to edit any video.

My point is that you can build a really nice little box with very little money and still have quality parts.

benhasajeep · Jan 4, 2009

Well while reinstaling everything again. I had 2 minor crashes. After some investigation found there was a new driver available for the video card. After installing it, had another crash. But after getting a couple settings ironed out. Seems to be stable now.

As for the Apple vs. PC deal. I am too far invested in Windows based software. I am thinking about starting to gather the components to build my own. I tried about 9 years ago and could not get windows to initially load so gave up. But I think another effort is worth a try. Building is no biggie for me. Its the software and settings that I don't know. I did take the time to add a bit in ram, and added a 4 position USB PCI card as I was out of USB connections. So, I did chance on doing a small upgrade to the Gateway. Ram is now at the max 3.23 gb.

I have most of my software installed. All my printers (3) and flat bed scanner is working. Now time to give the new Nikon coolscan a warm up. :mrgreen: I just need to make some room for it some how. Computer area in new house is 4x bigger than my old house, but for some reason I am out of space already.

JerryPH · Jan 4, 2009

Frequent Traveler said:
"Ghosting"? What is that?!? In standard, non-computer-Pro vernacular please!!!

Creating a bit by bit image of the hard drive being copied to either another hard drive or to a file that is contained on anything from a USB key, CD, DVD or an external hard drive.

Basically, you are cloning your hard drive to another location. If your computer's hard drive dies or your operating system is corrupted because of viruses/malware or whatever, it takes under 30 minutes and NO real input from you to recreate it the EXACT way it was at the time you cloned it.