clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Captain Trott) (12/12/90)
25 MHz 486 8 Meg RAM 64K RAM cache Weitek socket 3.5 & 5.25 floppies Windows 3.0 & MS mouse 1024 SVGA board & monitor Fujitsu keyboard 200 MB hard drive MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 Toll free technical support. 1 year on site service. $3995! <- NOT a typo. A friend of mine picked one up several weeks ago for $400 dollars more, and so they're sending her a refund for the difference. -Chris
david@star2.cm.utexas.edu (David Sigeti) (12/13/90)
In article <Dec.12.07.32.31.1990.20745@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Captain Trott) writes: [Describing the latest prices on a 486 system from Gateway 2000] 25 MHz 486 8 Meg RAM 64K RAM cache Weitek socket 3.5 & 5.25 floppies Windows 3.0 & MS mouse 1024 SVGA board & monitor Fujitsu keyboard 200 MB hard drive MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 Toll free technical support. 1 year on site service. $3995! <- NOT a typo. Frankly, this price is so low -- and so far below prices for similar systems from other vendors of equivalent reputation -- that I can't help wondering if there isn't something wrong with the system. I have tried calling Gateway several times and have been unable to get through so I am posting some questions about the system to the net. Does anyone know anything more about the motherboard in this system (manufacturer, BIOS, etc.)? In particular, does it support the 486 burst mode (see below)? Also, does anyone know about the caching algorithm and how well, or poorly, it works with the internal cache and possible burst mode operation? The questions of burst mode support and interaction between internal and external caches seem to me to be worth some discussion. I would be very interested in any information that anyone has on these issues w.r.t. *any* motherboard or system out there. [For those who wonder what I am talking about, the burst mode is a fast way of filling a (128-bit) line in the 486's internal cache. Normally, a memory read requires two clock cycles. When the 486 is filling a cache line, however, it can accept successive (32-bit) reads in a single clock cycle each, if the surrounding circuitry supports it. Thus, filling a cache line can be accomplished in five clock cycles (one to assert the starting address plus one for each 32-bit read) rather than eight clock cycles (two for each 32-bit read).] P. S. I accidently posted an abbreviated version of this note about a half hour before posting this one. I have cancelled it but want to offer my apologies if it is cluttering up anyone's version of this newsgroup. -- David Sigeti david@star2.cm.utexas.edu cmhl265@hermes.chpc.utexas.edu
rickf@pmafire.inel.gov (rick furniss) (12/13/90)
>In article <Dec.12.07.32.31.1990.20745@remus.rutgers.edu> >clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Captain Trott) writes: > > [Describing the latest prices on a 486 system from Gateway 2000] > > 25 MHz 486 > 8 Meg RAM > 64K RAM cache > Weitek socket > 3.5 & 5.25 floppies > Windows 3.0 & MS mouse > 1024 SVGA board & monitor > Fujitsu keyboard > 200 MB hard drive > MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 > Toll free technical support. > 1 year on site service. > > $3995! <- NOT a typo. > >Frankly, this price is so low -- and so far below prices for similar >systems from other vendors of equivalent reputation -- that I can't >help wondering if there isn't something wrong with the system. I have >tried calling Gateway several times and have been unable to get >through so I am posting some questions about the system to the net. > >Does anyone know anything more about the motherboard in this system >(manufacturer, BIOS, etc.)? In particular, does it support the 486 >burst mode (see below)? Also, does anyone know about the caching >algorithm and how well, or poorly, it works with the internal cache >and possible burst mode operation? > REST DELETED ******************************* I purchased a 33-386 ASCI machine from them 45 days ago, and because of the price drops got them to send me a 486 upgrade for $225. The board they send: Micronics 25-486 64k external cache, Phoenix BIOS Plus V0.10.F8 version 1. The date in rom using debug -d f000:fff5 says 1/15/88 !!! The problem: I,m running SCO Unix V.3.2 2 , and after installing the 486 board, Unix double panics, displays a red raster, and locks up. I have a dos partition installed, and dos seems to work fine. I get the symbol names like tss.386 etc etc etc errors and final 0E trap if I boot using the com1 port (systty=1). It appears I,m unable to disable shadow ram, which there are switchs for without getting memory data line errors starting about f80000. Tech person at Gateways states you cant do it, even though there are switchs. I suspect it has something to do with the external cache, but disableing all caches dosent fix it ? Anyone out there have a Gateway 486 running SCO Unix 3.2 2 ??? Is it known that a Gateway 486 runs SCO Unix ? If so, what bios, problems did you encounter ? I dont know if the board supports the burst mode you mention, and the book sent with the board is not detailed enough to mention it either. I have purchased about 10 systems from Gateway and make these comments. Gateway uses name brand, high performance, compatable, cards, disks, etc. I,ve never had a compatibility problem till the 486 board. I suspect they sent me an older chip set 486, and older BIOS roms, not realizing I run Unix. A telcon today with support at Gateway devuldged they have been going through many ROM bios updates lateley. Gateway has not released a 33-486 system, and I,m not sure they will soon. They stated thier 486 will NOT run Unix Open Desktop ! My problem isnt resolved yet, as I was to re-install Unix, but alas get the same problem once the install Unix kernel boots. For what you get thier prices are tuff to beat. They have grown soo rapidly reaching them is sometime hard, but once you get through they take care of you. For Unix users I can recommend thier 386 systems for sure, but dont know about thier 486's yet. Rick Furniss Views are my own only , and not related to My employer in anyway.! rickf@pmafire.inel.gov rickf@servprod.inel.gov rlf@inel.gov
clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) (12/13/90)
In article <DAVID.90Dec12173536@star2.cm.utexas.edu>, David Sigeti writes: > [Describing the latest prices on a 486 system from Gateway 2000] > 25 MHz 486 > 8 Meg RAM > 64K RAM cache > Weitek socket > 3.5 & 5.25 floppies > Windows 3.0 & MS mouse > 1024 SVGA board & monitor > Fujitsu keyboard > 200 MB hard drive > MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 > Toll free technical support. > 1 year on site service. > $3995! <- NOT a typo. ... > Does anyone know anything more about the motherboard in this system > (manufacturer, BIOS, etc.)? In particular, does it support the 486 > burst mode (see below)? Also, does anyone know about the caching > algorithm and how well, or poorly, it works with the internal cache > and possible burst mode operation? ... Some more rambling: Phoenix 486 BIOS, Diamond SpeedStar video card (1024K). I don't know the answer to your other questions, but it has a 114 MHz landmark, a 39.0 old SI, and a 54.0 new SI (Norton 5.0). We have two of them over here, both of which have been very reliable. Gateway 2000, incidentally, was #2 on the Inc. 500 _500 Fastest Growth_ list for the US recently. A friend of mine is in the process of converting Provident Mutual of Philadelphia from IBM to Gateway machines ... Gateway 2000 will also send replacement parts by overnight Federal Express for free (whole systems for a little extra). Nice! And there is also 30-day money back guarantee, which is something I neglected to mention in my earlier posting. Prices have also dropped several hundred dollars on their 286 and 386 systems. I'm not affiliated with Gateway 2000 in any way, shape, or form; I'm just a very satisfied consumer. -Chris
scott@Futures.COM (Scott Boyd) (12/15/90)
In <Dec.12.07.32.31.1990.20745@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Captain Trott) writes: >25 MHz 486 >8 Meg RAM >64K RAM cache >Weitek socket >3.5 & 5.25 floppies >Windows 3.0 & MS mouse >1024 SVGA board & monitor >Fujitsu keyboard >200 MB hard drive >MS-DOS 3.3 or 4.01 >Toll free technical support. >1 year on site service. >$3995! <- NOT a typo. Big Deal! Prices are now below $3000 for 486-25 systems from local vendors here. A typical system from Price Club is $2999 and that is a little high. It consists of: 25 MHz 486 2 Meg RAM Weitek socket 3.5 & 5.25 floppies Windows 3.0 & mouse 1024 SVGA board & monitor 101 key keyboard 106 MB IDE hard drive MS-DOS 4.01 Toll free technical support. 30 day money back no questions asked guarantee 1 year service If I add the extra RAM, the 64K cache, and larger drive its still only about $3500. A $500 savings! -- +---------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+ | Scott Boyd | SPARC spelled backwards is what Sun does unto | | scott@Futures.COM | their Intel based customers. | +---------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
tedyoung@panix.uucp (Ted Young) (12/16/90)
In article <Dec.13.05.43.05.1990.15299@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) writes: > >Gateway 2000 will also send replacement parts by overnight Federal >Express for free (whole systems for a little extra). Nice! And >there is also 30-day money back guarantee, which is something I >neglected to mention in my earlier posting. Gateway2000 also advertises on-site repair along with overnite replacement parts. What they neglect to say is that they will ship the parts overnite, but that it can take 4 days for it to get out the door! Also, *they* decide whether to send an on-site person, and it can take 2 days (more if it's over a weekend) for someone to even call to set up an appointment to come over! My friend got one of their 386-25's, and it not only came late, but DOA (dead on arrival). Of course, they have *NO* technical support (nor sales) on the weekend, so we had to wait until Monday to call. Then it took 2 days of calling them back again and again before they decided it was the motherboard. We've received the motherboard and are now waiting for TRW (they're on site repair contractor) to call and set up an appointment. Meanwhile, my friend could've ordered from Swan or Northgate and he'd be up by now, but he ordered from Gateway2000 because they promised the fastest ship time. I told him to get a refund, but he needs the computer *badly*. <sigh> > >I'm not affiliated with Gateway 2000 in any way, shape, or form; >I'm just a very satisfied consumer. I'm not affiliated with any companies mentioned, but as a computer consultant you can bet Gateway2000 won't be getting my recommendation. > >-Chris -- Ted
clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) (12/16/90)
In article <8124@futures.Futures.COM>, Scott Boyd writes: > Big Deal! Prices are now below $3000 for 486-25 systems from local > vendors here. A typical system from Price Club is $2999 and that > is a little high. It consists of: { 100 MB HD, 2 MB RAM } > If I add the extra RAM, the 64K cache, and larger drive its still only > about $3500. A $500 savings! 6*(price per MB) + price of cache + price of larger drive = $500? On what planet? Are you getting a Micronics board and Diamond SpeedStar video (or the equivalent quality)? -Chris
clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) (12/16/90)
In article <1990Dec15.225706.21888@panix.uucp>, Ted Young writes: {Describes a problem he had with Gateway} > I'm not affiliated with any companies mentioned, but as a computer > consultant you can bet Gateway2000 won't be getting my recommendation. If you base your decision on one incident, you're an idiot. I've had absolutely no problems with them, and ditto for most of the people I've talked to. -Chris
neman@sunee.waterloo.edu (Neman "Napalm" Syed) (12/18/90)
All this discussion about Gateway has me wondering... have any Canadians purchased from Gateway? I'd like to know what kind of troubles to expect if I decide to order something from them. Perhaps followups should go to misc.consumer or something more appropriate. -- Neman Syed - Rebel Without A Clue neman@sunee.uwaterloo.ca or neman@108.watstar.uwaterloo.ca Opinions expressed are solely those of my employers and in no way affect or represent those of Neman Syed.