Gateway2000 4DX-33?

[Jim]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Hi Everyone, .... The OS is MS-DOS 6.2, and worked when I first acquired
it a week ago. It's my first computer, and a shortwhile after hooking it
up, my inexperience & curiousity got the better of me.

While it was booting up, I pressed F1 to see the configuration page. and
when I exited I pressed F5 which set all pages to their default values.
Now when it finishes booting up, all I see is a ‘Microsoft Windows For
Workgroups Version 3.11’ logo page appear without anywhere else to
continue. (sigh)

Is there a simple fix?. If not, I would appreciate some advice,
suggestions, regarding my options. "Thank You!"

btw. .... The computer was made in 1994, donated to a thrift store, and
I bought it from a person I work with. His first computer too, and he
discovered he didn't have the time to learn or play with it.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

There is a fix. It's not terribly simple, but it's rocket science, either.

Many of these old 486 motherboards are not capable of autodetecting the hard
drive settings. Instead, to set one up, you need to enter in the number of
cylinders, heads, and sectors/track in the setup (configuration) page. Where do
these values come from? Open up the chassis, write down the manufacturer and
model of the hard drive. You'll be able to find out the physical "geometry" of
the drive from either the drive manufacturer's web site or elsewhere on the web.

Back then, Gateway used a lot of Western Digital drives, which is what you are
likely to find inside... Ben Myers

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 07:40:36 -0600, jskyberg@webtv.net (Jim) wrote:

>Hi Everyone, .... The OS is MS-DOS 6.2, and worked when I first acquired
>it a week ago. It's my first computer, and a shortwhile after hooking it
>up, my inexperience & curiousity got the better of me.
>
>While it was booting up, I pressed F1 to see the configuration page. and
>when I exited I pressed F5 which set all pages to their default values.
>Now when it finishes booting up, all I see is a =91Microsoft Windows For
>Workgroups Version 3.11=92 logo page appear without anywhere else to
>continue. (sigh)
>
>Is there a simple fix?. If not, I would appreciate some advice,
>suggestions, regarding my options. "Thank You!"
>
>btw. .... The computer was made in 1994, donated to a thrift store, and
>I bought it from a person I work with. His first computer too, and he
>discovered he didn't have the time to learn or play with it.
>
>Jim
>

 

[Jim]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Hi Ben, .... Your information and directions were the solution. "Thank
You!" very much. .... Jim

PS. .... Does this pc have an internet browser, or is it just for
networking within a business?.

Ben wrote:

There is a fix. It's not terribly simple, but it's rocket science,
either.

Many of these old 486 motherboards are not capable of autodetecting the
hard drive settings. Instead, to set one up, you need to enter in the
number of cylinders, heads, and sectors/track in the setup
(configuration) page. Where do these values come from? Open up the
chassis, write down the manufacturer and model of the hard drive. You'll
be able to find out the physical "geometry" of the drive from either the
drive manufacturer's web site or elsewhere on the web.

Back then, Gateway used a lot of Western Digital drives, which is what
you are likely to find inside... Ben Myers

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Every version of Windows since Windows 3.1 has some sort of web browser. If the
computer is running 3.1, you'll have to look real hard for a 16-bit browser.
For Windows 95 and later, Firefox or Opera would be the best best, leanest and
meanest.

You would probably do well to max out the memory and upgrade the processor on
the old beastie. Amount and type of memory depends on the motherboard.
Processor can go as high as 133MHz with the right kit, or just 100MHz with a
standard Intel 80486-DX4. I used to sell processor upgrade kits for 486s at
$149 apiece. Not any more. But I still have some old 486 parts kicking
around. RSVP with the BIOS identification of the motherboard, probably made by
Micronics for Gateway.

Swapping out the 486 board for at least a Pentium-class board may make web
browsing go faster... Ben Myers

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 11:49:19 -0600, jskyberg@webtv.net (Jim) wrote:

>Hi Ben, .... Your information and directions were the solution. "Thank
>You!" very much. .... Jim
>
>PS. .... Does this pc have an internet browser, or is it just for
>networking within a business?.
>
<SNIP>

 

[Jim]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Hi, Ben .... My hard drive has 210 mb. I haven't found the other specs
yet. When I type in ver at the command prompt it tells me I'm using
ms-dos 6.2. Yet, when it's finished booting, I'm seeing a ms-dos 3.1
page on monitor?.

My question is .... would this old pc work with OS systems 95/98/98se.
"Thanks!" .... Jim

Ben wrote:

Every version of Windows since Windows 3.1 has some sort of web browser.
If the computer is running 3.1, you'll have to look real hard for a
16-bit browser. For Windows 95 and later, Firefox or Opera would be the
best best, leanest and meanest.

You would probably do well to max out the memory and upgrade the
processor on the old beastie. Amount and type of memory depends on the
motherboard. Processor can go as high as 133MHz with the right kit, or
just 100MHz with a standard Intel 80486-DX4. I used to sell processor
upgrade kits for 486s at $149 apiece. Not any more.   But I still have
some old 486 parts kicking around. RSVP with the BIOS identification of
the motherboard, probably made by Micronics for Gateway.

Swapping out the 486 board for at least a Pentium-class board may make
web browsing go faster... Ben Myers

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

486s worked sort of well under Windows 95. I think I'd forget Windows 98, which
would take up almost the entire capacity of the hard drive. In short, I'm a
little skeptical that it's worth the effort to get it up to speed (literally) to
run WIndows 95.

1. A faster processor would be needed, certainly at least 100MHz.
2. More memory, up to a maximum of either 32MB or 64MB, depending on the model
of motherboard.
3. A larger hard drive. Not knowing which motherboard is in the system, I can't
state whether the largest hard drive supported by the BIOS is 528MB or 2.1GB.

The cost of all this stuff should be next to nothing, but the time to do the
upgrades and test would not be worth it in my opinion.

If you like the Gateway case, you'd be far better off with a Pentium-class
motherboard and a larger hard drive. Or simply get another surplus computer.
In these parts, Pentium and Pentium II class computers are getting torn down for
the few bucks they will bring from recycling the boards and chips for precious
metal content.

I'd be happy to sell you a package of 486 processor, memory, and bigger hard
drives for very very little, but I think you'd be better off going in a
different direction... Ben Myers

On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 16:06:06 -0600, jskyberg@webtv.net (Jim) wrote:

>Hi, Ben .... My hard drive has 210 mb. I haven't found the other specs
>yet. When I type in ver at the command prompt it tells me I'm using
>ms-dos 6.2. Yet, when it's finished booting, I'm seeing a ms-dos 3.1
>page on monitor?.
>
>My question is .... would this old pc work with OS systems 95/98/98se.
>"Thanks!" .... Jim
>
>Ben wrote:
>
>Every version of Windows since Windows 3.1 has some sort of web browser.
>If the computer is running 3.1, you'll have to look real hard for a
>16-bit browser. For Windows 95 and later, Firefox or Opera would be the
>best best, leanest and meanest.
>
>You would probably do well to max out the memory and upgrade the
>processor on the old beastie. Amount and type of memory depends on the
>motherboard. Processor can go as high as 133MHz with the right kit, or
>just 100MHz with a standard Intel 80486-DX4. I used to sell processor
>upgrade kits for 486s at $149 apiece. Not any more. =A0 But I still have
>some old 486 parts kicking around. RSVP with the BIOS identification of
>the motherboard, probably made by Micronics for Gateway.
>
>Swapping out the 486 board for at least a Pentium-class board may make
>web browsing go faster... Ben Myers
>