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#1
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What now?
I bought a refurbed Gateway 5014 from Tiger Direct a couple
of months ago, or slightly longer. The computer worked perfectly for the first couple of weeks, then it began rebooting spontaneously. There did not seem to be any link with the duration of operation and when the machine would reboot. I have kind of ruled out heat as being a problem since it will reboot within a couple of minutes when started up after a 24 hour off period. I called Gateway. They sent me a power supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. I sent the computer back to Gateway. Got it back. No change. I wrote them an email afterwards, pleading for help after explaining the problem. No response. I now have a $500 P.O.S. computer that cannot be fixed by a normal user. It is useless as it is. I have tried various virus and malevolent software removal tools. No change. I'm down to the CPU and the motherboard. Oh, I did replace the original 1 GB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM. No change, but the computer runs a bit better otherwise. What's next? I can't afford to eat this computer. Neither Gateway, nor Tiger Direct have offered to help me any further. The computer is now out of warranty. Any thoughts? TIA Ed Cregger |
#2
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What now?
Ed Cregger wrote:
I bought a refurbed Gateway 5014 from Tiger Direct a couple of months ago, or slightly longer. The computer worked perfectly for the first couple of weeks, then it began rebooting spontaneously. There did not seem to be any link with the duration of operation and when the machine would reboot. I have kind of ruled out heat as being a problem since it will reboot within a couple of minutes when started up after a 24 hour off period. I called Gateway. They sent me a power supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. I sent the computer back to Gateway. Got it back. No change. I wrote them an email afterwards, pleading for help after explaining the problem. No response. I now have a $500 P.O.S. computer that cannot be fixed by a normal user. It is useless as it is. I have tried various virus and malevolent software removal tools. No change. I'm down to the CPU and the motherboard. Oh, I did replace the original 1 GB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM. No change, but the computer runs a bit better otherwise. What's next? I can't afford to eat this computer. Neither Gateway, nor Tiger Direct have offered to help me any further. The computer is now out of warranty. Any thoughts? TIA Ed Cregger Do you get any protection from your credit card company? If so give them a ring and explain the situation. Maybe they can help you. |
#3
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What now?
1. confirm that the PSU is indeed good.
2. check that the CPU is getting adequate cooling. Sometimes the heat sink can become dislodged a bit during transport and mess up the thermal interface material. 3. check the motherboard for bulging or leaking capacitors. They might be bulging.leaking from the bottom, so look carefully. 4. Does it have onboard video? If not, make sure the GPU is being adequately cooled. 5. Are you using the latest drivers for your motherboard's chipset and your video card (if any)? Ed Cregger wrote: I bought a refurbed Gateway 5014 from Tiger Direct a couple of months ago, or slightly longer. The computer worked perfectly for the first couple of weeks, then it began rebooting spontaneously. There did not seem to be any link with the duration of operation and when the machine would reboot. I have kind of ruled out heat as being a problem since it will reboot within a couple of minutes when started up after a 24 hour off period. I called Gateway. They sent me a power supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. I sent the computer back to Gateway. Got it back. No change. I wrote them an email afterwards, pleading for help after explaining the problem. No response. I now have a $500 P.O.S. computer that cannot be fixed by a normal user. It is useless as it is. I have tried various virus and malevolent software removal tools. No change. I'm down to the CPU and the motherboard. Oh, I did replace the original 1 GB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM. No change, but the computer runs a bit better otherwise. What's next? I can't afford to eat this computer. Neither Gateway, nor Tiger Direct have offered to help me any further. The computer is now out of warranty. Any thoughts? TIA Ed Cregger -- spammage trappage: remove the underscores to reply Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow transplant. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor and literally save someone's life: http://www.abmdr.org.au/ http://www.marrow.org/ |
#4
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What now?
Ed Cregger wrote:
I bought a refurbed Gateway 5014 from Tiger Direct a couple of months ago, or slightly longer. The computer worked perfectly for the first couple of weeks, then it began rebooting spontaneously. There did not seem to be any link with the duration of operation and when the machine would reboot. I have kind of ruled out heat as being a problem since it will reboot within a couple of minutes when started up after a 24 hour off period. I called Gateway. They sent me a power supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. I sent the computer back to Gateway. Got it back. No change. I wrote them an email afterwards, pleading for help after explaining the problem. No response. I now have a $500 P.O.S. computer that cannot be fixed by a normal user. It is useless as it is. I have tried various virus and malevolent software removal tools. No change. I'm down to the CPU and the motherboard. Oh, I did replace the original 1 GB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM. No change, but the computer runs a bit better otherwise. What's next? I can't afford to eat this computer. Neither Gateway, nor Tiger Direct have offered to help me any further. The computer is now out of warranty. Any thoughts? TIA Ed Cregger According to the Tigerdirect page, it's a $650 POS :-) http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...ku=G153-GT5014 The motherboard appears to be a microBTX, with cooling duct over the processor (and perhaps the Northbridge as well ?). The board doesn't look that bad. It is based on a 945 chipset. Uses DDR2 memory. Probably isn't too old (which is why you'd hope there wouldn't be a "bad caps" problem). http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERB...106007nv.shtml The first thing I'd do, is disable "Automatic restart" in Windows, so if there is a BSOD, the BSOD stays on the screen instead of rebooting. If the machine won't stop with Automatic Restart disabled, then you'd know it was a more "hardware" related problem, rather than a bad driver or perhaps a memory error. Another test case, would be whether or not it will restart while just sitting in the BIOS (having not had a chance to boot - press whatever key is needed to enter the BIOS, then wait and see what happens). Again, this is intended to see if the problem exhibits itself while the machine hasn't had Windows loaded. The machine uses a Pentium D 2.8GHz. Draws about 95W TDP. http://processorfinder.intel.com/det...px?sSpec=SL8CP Another test I might try, is power down, unplug the computer, remove all the RAM. Power up. The BIOS should beep the "missing RAM" code. Now, let it sit. Does it restart all by itself, when sitting in that condition ? Is the machine currently using a PCI Express x16 video card, or just the built-in graphics ? With the machine running, do the fans seem to be working ? What about the Northbridge heatsink temp ? Does it seem reasonable, or do you burn yourself if touching it. Does the BIOS have a hardware monitor page ? If so, what do the listed voltages look like ? The expected values should be within +/-5% of nominal values. Paul |
#5
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What now?
"Ed Cregger" wrote in message . .. I bought a refurbed Gateway 5014 from Tiger Direct a couple of months ago, or slightly longer. The computer worked perfectly for the first couple of weeks, then it began rebooting spontaneously. There did not seem to be any link with the duration of operation and when the machine would reboot. I have kind of ruled out heat as being a problem since it will reboot within a couple of minutes when started up after a 24 hour off period. I called Gateway. They sent me a power supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. I sent the computer back to Gateway. Got it back. No change. I wrote them an email afterwards, pleading for help after explaining the problem. No response. I now have a $500 P.O.S. computer that cannot be fixed by a normal user. It is useless as it is. I have tried various virus and malevolent software removal tools. No change. I'm down to the CPU and the motherboard. Oh, I did replace the original 1 GB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM. No change, but the computer runs a bit better otherwise. What's next? I can't afford to eat this computer. Neither Gateway, nor Tiger Direct have offered to help me any further. The computer is now out of warranty. I've always been skeptical about the word "refurb". Since you have replaced virtually everything on the machine but the mobo and the cpu... I'm sure the problem is the mobo. It's very possible for a mobo to have intermittent problems...but with the CPU itself... they are either good or bad. I'd contact Gateway and/or Tiger and explain that the machine has *NEVER* worked correctly and try to get the entire machine replaced...or if not... at least get a new mobo. The only solution I've ever gotten to work for so called "flakey" motherboards was to simply undeclock them. Sometimes that will get the machine running stably ...but that's not a terribly great solution |
#6
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What now?
On Jan 13, 4:46*am, "Ed Cregger" wrote:
I called Gateway. They sent me apower supply. Installed it. No change. They then sent me a hard drive. Installed it, but no change. Before all of this I reinstalled the operating system several times too (XP SP2, both Gateway's version and a new version - both were equipped with Media Center). No change. A power supply replacement does not address the entire power supply system including the 'system' part that turns off a computer. The disk drive would not cause your problems - an indication of technical knowledge in tech support. Responsible computer manufacturers provide comprehensive hardware diagnostics just for problems such as yours. Also available (and maybe destroyed because you reloaded Windows) are historical facts in the system (event) log. Causing system to create a BSOD solves little since that information would also be in system logs. If your manufacturer was responsible, then those diagnostics, executed when computer is inside a 100 degree room or when parts are heated by a hairdryer on highest settings, might have identified a hardware defect. To do same, you must download and execute (during elevated temperatures) diagnostics from individual component manufacturers or third parties (ie Memtst86). I have never obtained useful assistance from Gateway tech support. At least one even lied to me about what memory could be used in their machine (Crucial provided the truth). You have few options because that company offers no comprehensive hardware diagnostics and has inferior tech support. They even sent a new disk drive when drive could not create your symptoms. They may have now marked trouble reports blaming you being the problem - so that little useful tech support will be obtained. Maybe or maybe not. Provided are examples of how to find before fixing the defect. |
#7
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What now?
"w_tom" wrote in message ... A power supply replacement does not address the entire power supply system including the 'system' part that turns off a computer. *Please elaborate on this statement, Tom. TIA Ed Cregger |
#8
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What now?
On Jan 15, 3:01 am, "Ed Cregger" wrote:
*Please elaborate on this statement, Tom. TIA Power supply controller tells power supply when to power on, monitors other peripherals and switches to determine when to power on, reads a signal from power supply when power is OK, and even tells CPU when it can operate. A less than two minute procedure (because is provides numbers) can determine the integrity of the entire power supply 'system', and provides numbers so that others with better knowledge can provide further useful information. That procedure, while never disconnecting, removing, or swapping anything, is "When your computer dies without warning....." starting 6 Feb 2007 in the newsgroup alt.windows-xp at: http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh Connector chart for where each color wire should be located: http://www.hardwarebook.net/connecto.../atxpower.html Even with a new supply, that 'system' is still unknown. The only useful labor determines what is 'definitively good' or 'definitively bad'. Once we have a definitive answer, then we move on to other suspects and never look back. No reasons to look back when the answer is definitive. Currently that power 'system' is still unknown. Only after the power 'system' is 'definitively good' can we move on to other suspects. In your case, hardware diagnostics must come from third parties, as others have recommended. For example Memtst86 can be executed. However intermittent (meaning defective) memory can still pass diagnostics. So we heat that computer in a 100 degree F room or selectively heat memory (and related ICs) with a hair dryer on highest heat setting - and execute Memtst86 again. High heat (that does not leave skin when touched) is a perfectly ideal temperature for good semiconductors AND can quickly find a slowly failing and getting worse semiconductor. But diagnostics cannot be informative until that power supply 'system' is known good. In your case, the most important part of that two minute test is when everything is executing (multitasking) simultaneously. That means complex video graphics, while sound from sound card, while downloading from internet, while playing a CD-Rom, while executing a disk drive search, while .... only then is the power supply 'system' ready to report voltages on any one orange, red, yellow, and purple wire. Final point. Heat is a diagnostic tool; not something to be cured. Your computer must be perfectly happy - never crash - even in a 100 degree F room. If the computer is failing at 70 degrees, then heat is how to make the defect easier to locate. |
#9
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What now?
"w_tom" wrote in message ... On Jan 15, 3:01 am, "Ed Cregger" wrote: *Please elaborate on this statement, Tom. TIA Power supply controller tells power supply when to power on, monitors other peripherals and switches to determine when to power on, reads a signal from power supply when power is OK, and even tells CPU when it can operate. A less than two minute procedure (because is provides numbers) can determine the integrity of the entire power supply 'system', and provides numbers so that others with better knowledge can provide further useful information. That procedure, while never disconnecting, removing, or swapping anything, is "When your computer dies without warning....." starting 6 Feb 2007 in the newsgroup alt.windows-xp at: http://tinyurl.com/yvf9vh Connector chart for where each color wire should be located: http://www.hardwarebook.net/connecto.../atxpower.html Even with a new supply, that 'system' is still unknown. The only useful labor determines what is 'definitively good' or 'definitively bad'. Once we have a definitive answer, then we move on to other suspects and never look back. No reasons to look back when the answer is definitive. Currently that power 'system' is still unknown. Only after the power 'system' is 'definitively good' can we move on to other suspects. In your case, hardware diagnostics must come from third parties, as others have recommended. For example Memtst86 can be executed. However intermittent (meaning defective) memory can still pass diagnostics. So we heat that computer in a 100 degree F room or selectively heat memory (and related ICs) with a hair dryer on highest heat setting - and execute Memtst86 again. High heat (that does not leave skin when touched) is a perfectly ideal temperature for good semiconductors AND can quickly find a slowly failing and getting worse semiconductor. But diagnostics cannot be informative until that power supply 'system' is known good. In your case, the most important part of that two minute test is when everything is executing (multitasking) simultaneously. That means complex video graphics, while sound from sound card, while downloading from internet, while playing a CD-Rom, while executing a disk drive search, while .... only then is the power supply 'system' ready to report voltages on any one orange, red, yellow, and purple wire. Final point. Heat is a diagnostic tool; not something to be cured. Your computer must be perfectly happy - never crash - even in a 100 degree F room. If the computer is failing at 70 degrees, then heat is how to make the defect easier to locate. ------------- Thanks for the explanation. I truly appreciate the help from you and all others on this topic. Ed Cregger |
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