Gateway Desktop Mystery

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TheRealAnubis

TheRealAnubis

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Hi,

I have a Gateway Desktop, Model number ATXAEG LX2 700S

Yes, I know it is old (7/2002), but it serves its purpose well. This machine has the RDRAM in it.

I am looking for the specs on this machine (From Gateway if possible, not some random webpage - hopefully someone has either saved the info, or they can find the hidden page that I cannot), as well as the latest drivers and BIOS updates.

I understand that these will still be fairly old, but I want to update it to the latest possible everything.

I have contacted Gateway through their chat service (which was nearly impossible to get to), and they can't pull up the information in their database because they are only accepting newer computers. This computer does not have a SNID, and the serial number is just 10 digits.

I can find very little online about this machine. It was purchased new at a Gateway store in Florida. It looks a lot like the Gateway E-6000, and some motherboard reporting programs call it the E-6000. Of course, there is very little info on that system as well - although I did find the users manual.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 
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SchizTech

SchizTech

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The specs you should be able to see from within Windows. I'm assuming it runs Windows XP. If you right-click on My Computer (if it's a desktop icon, or if not go to the Start Menu and right-click it there) and select "Properties" the System Properties window will indicate the CPU model and amount of RAM. If you go into My Computer and right-click the C drive and select Properties, you can see the size of the HDD.

Other devices (video, etc) can be seen from the Device Manager. In the same System Properties window you brought up above, go to the Hardware tab and click "Device Manager." Click the plus signs next to any category you wish to see more info on, to show the devices present.
 
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TheRealAnubis

TheRealAnubis

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Hmmm... What I'm looking for is the spec sheet that shows max RAM, etc. Just that quick and easy sheet - you know, how many slots, what types, etc. I can get a decent amount of that info from a report that I ran with AIDA64, but it says the computer is a model that it is not, so I'm looking for 'official' specs if they still exist.
 
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SchizTech

SchizTech

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Your first post indicated it had RDRAM (Rambus memory). How did you determine this? If this is the case, upgrading will be a bit trickier since RDRAM has certain needs.

You can take the cover off to visually see how many slots there are.

Rambus:
128mb-rdram-pc800-rambus-memory-p-n-am50060-am50060.jpg


DDR:
Kingston_1GB_DDR.jpg


SDRAM (pre-DDR):
256mb_sdram_30_1_2008_9_35_12_384.jpg

 
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TheRealAnubis

TheRealAnubis

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Hi - Yep, RAMBUS for sure.. I popped out a stick, and entered the numbers - this led me to the Samsung site (and some datasheets) that explained the RAMBUS RAM. There are 4 slots - 2X256 and 2 with CRIMM's installed (terminators). Some of the memory websites say that it is 1GB max, intel says 2GB, but with the possiblity of OEM tampering they won't swear to anything - plus, intel has dropped support for the board, so they won't tell you anything except - contact the OEM.
I know that since the processor is 533Mhz, then I have to stick with the 800-40 as the intel info that I could get states that using the 45 (ns) will cause system instability.

As a quick note, the BIOS is the original version - MV85010A.15A.0049.P07.0204171416
I am hoping to update this to remove some drive size restrictions and faster processor options..

 
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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

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A system from that age will not have any updated BIOS to run larger hard driver or CPU options. If Dell does not have it, updates are long gone, especially if you can't find any on the web though searches. I would guess a system from that era will max out at 1gb.

Try Crucial's web site, they have a memory scanner that will give info about the system, although I do not think their memory scanner will even run on that system.
 
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TheRealAnubis

TheRealAnubis

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Actually, there is an updated BIOS that allows the use of faster processors AND larger HD's. Intel did updates to get the mobo up to a 3Ghz CPU, I'm just not sure how far Gateway mirrored those updates.

Also, it's a Gateway, not a Dell, and the system takes [strike]at least 2GB[/strike] at least 1.5GB as I've installed that much successfully. I'm not sure why the RAM I've installed isn't playing well together - I'm trying Kingston's Value RAM - 4 sticks 512MB model KVR800A16-16/512. The only thing I can find is that revision B00 is the tested RAM, while I lucked out (not) and got revision A00 from ebay. Any RAMBUS experts care to weigh in? Are there any RAMBUS experts?

I've found more information on the motherboard from the Intel site - "Memory configurations up to 2 GB, using 128 Mbit or 256 Mbit technology PC800-compliant RDRAM".

I've discovered a BIOS update at Wim's BIOS, but the links are all down.. The update is listed as -
Gateway E-6000 Intel - 850 GW69SIX1 51-2300-000000-00101111-030199--MV850

Yes, apparently this Gateway 700S is really an E-6000 in a different case. I have had several programs turn up the same information when reading info from the motherboard (like Aida64).
You never know what they were doing at those Gateway stores in the back...

Anyway, I'm still having RAM test problems - even though I have now found several documented cases that state that this motherboard takes 2GB of RDRAM.
 
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TheRealAnubis

TheRealAnubis

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Ok, I ended up getting a bad stick of RDRAM. After testing it to death, I isolated the bad stick and got a good one in return. The machine will take at least 2GB of the 800-40ns RDRAM. I still haven't located an updated BIOS from Gateway, but at least I have the RAM issue solved.

All of the BIOS updates I can find for the E-6000 say that they are for the Lexington, Lexington 2, and Lexington 3 Motherboard.

The motherboard reports as a Intel Maryville 2 D850EMV2 (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 4 RIMM, Audio) in Aida64.

I'm a little suspicious of this BIOS because I don't want to install a BIOS for the incorrect motherboard! But, the boot screen (which is usually hidden) actually states that this machine is an E-6000:

Gateway_700S-e6000_Boot_Screen.jpg


If anyone happens across the BIOS update for this machine, please let me know!

At some point I intend to post the Aida64 report, along with all I have found on my website so that the next traveller won't have to do so much work!

Thanks!
 
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