Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:399 comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:215 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!sunic!tut!funic!uwasa.fi!fs From: fs@uwasa.fi (Filip Sawicki LAKE) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Gateway2000 -- summary Summary: Almost no problems -- so buy one! Message-ID: <1990Jul24.163008.16114@uwasa.fi> Date: 24 Jul 90 16:30:08 GMT Organization: ... Lines: 108 Great thanks to all the people who responded to my call. Since some others asked for summary, here it is. I received 18 mails. In all of them opinions were absolutely positive, sometimes with technical info also. It seems that these computers can work very heavy without any problems -- at least for 6 months, since most of the reviewers bought them in February or March this year. Some people would buy one or two more units for themselves (just for show?); some really did for their firms/labs. Since Gateway 25Mhz machine was reviewed in the last PC, and two of its main components earlier (ATI VGA-Wonder and NEC 3D), I will focus only on reported flaws and problems. All major software runs OK, including Xenix 386, QNX and INTERACTIVE UNIX. No problems with DOS-based applications. There seems to be some troubles with SCO Open Desktop, due to nonstandard hard disk controller (UltraStor) and VGA (solution to this problem was posted 3 days ago to the net). edat!root@uunet.UU.NET writes: > Problems: > There is a problem in my video card that turns on about > a dozen pixels when running X-windows with Motif. I've using > the the machine so much I can't afford any down time at the moment > so I haven't bothered to get it replaced. > When installing Unix I had major problems because of the > cache system. The cpu starts reading from the boot floppy, then > tries to read from the cache. There is nothing there yet, so the > whole system reboots. This went on for about 2 days before I > found in the documentation a mention about turning off the > cache controler when loading OS/2. That done plus all the other > proper jumper and switch settings being supplied their tech > support, it loaded right up in a few years. It turned out that > a few other switches had bet for loading dos and not Unix. Moreover, a third of respondents had some problems with crashing or non-working hard disks. Gateway replaced them instantly, along with controllers and all cables. J. Robert Sims writes: > My father purchased their 386/25 machine. They took a long time to ship, but > they did not charge us until the machine was shipped. They substituted a > 2 serial/1 parallel card for the 2/2 card we ordered in order to get the machine > out the door, and the 2/2 card never came in. However, we just received a > parallel port card from them to supplement the other one. The machine is > quite solid, and except for the previous, there have been only two problems. > > One, the serial ports did not work properly, and tech support didn't have any > valid solution. I configured the ports (Mouse on com1, spare com2, internal > modem com4) and there is only a slight problem now. If the modem is set to > echo characters, com2 does not work. Otherwise, no flaws. I would avoid > their modem, but the rest of the system is good. > > The standard Gateway monitor is very nice. I had been using a NEC 3D with > an STB vga w/512k (800x600x256, 1024x768x16), and the 1024 mode had a real > flickering problem. With the Gateway monitor, 1024 is clear and has no > flicker. Much easier on the eyes. The first problem (slow shipment) is even worse now, when they get a lot of requests. Edward_Engler@transarc.com writes: > Some shareware that I have > downloaded has not worked, but I tend to blame the software, not the > hardware. David Goldston writes: > The problem I did have, > an erroneous error on boot-up, was solved by Gateway's technical support > after about 15 minutes of walking me through the system diagnostics. This seems to be a standard trouble: hargrove@cbnewsj.att.com writes: > The one problem I had was that > the bios chips were set up wrong originally, I had to call customer > support (quite helpful) to set things up myself with their help. RPI360@MAINE.BITNET writes: > I had two problems at first, both solved over phone service - > their phone bill, they called me back fairly promptly. I bought a > monochrome system (saved about $400). The problem was that they mislabled > the com ports, com2 as com1 and com1 not labled. It too awhile but we > figured it out. The second problem was that the battery powering the chips > for the CMOS and XCMOS ran down and lost the programming. Over the phone > we re-entered the data then I was told to just let it run a couple of days > to charge up the batteries. Final note: P.Garbha <@sunic.sunet.se:pgd@compuram> writes: > Beware of options. For example, they also sometimes > have the Paradise VGA 1024 card, and other disks and controllers, but > you can also get the parts you ask for. If anyone is still interested, I can forward to him/her all the mails I received. fi.