Documenting Gateway 500 LS

Alearner

I have a Gateway 500 LS. It has a PIII 500 MHz CPU, three SDRAM 100 slots, which will accept at least 128 MB each.

I got it as a present, so I have no documentation for it. I cannot view the screen - (long story, believe me.)

I need any info e.g. 1) the name of the BIOS, so that I can find the meanings of the beeps (error codes). 2) Description of what RAM can be placed in which slot. I would like to know where slot 0 is, as I want to try to put in a 256 MB SDRAM chip, when I have finished dealing with the present computer problems.

Being unemployed, I am keen to make best use of the computer I have. Also, I wish to learn more about hardware. Error code now is 1,3,3,1 beeps. I broke off One of the white plastic 'wings' on one of the SDRAM slots. However, I seem to have seated each RAM chip securely. There are 3 RAM Dimms, 2 at 133 MHz and one at 100 MHz. The system was working fine until I dabbled.

PogMoThoin

Is it really worth the hassle? I mean its ancient technology and worth absolutely nothing

mathias

http://www.komplett.ie/k/memselect.aspx?cmd=getModelPartList&strMfr=Gateway&strProdLine=500+Series+Desktops&strModel=500+Series+%28SDRAM+3+DIMMs%29

The link above is from komplett , they use the same memory finder as crucial , it says that you have 3 slots with a maximum capacity of 1.5 gig , its 46 euro for one stick of 512 , making almost 150 to max out the memory , but thats way more than the PC is worth.

As far as I remember , the Bios on all those old gateways was the phoenix bios , if not it is almost certainly award.

What beep code are you getting ?

mukki

you can buy a full working pc or laptop from dell with a 1 year warrenty for €352


there is no point learning how to use old software so unless you want to learn computer repair - bin it

Alearner

1,3,3,1 beeps after the keyboard is lit up momentarily. No screen display.

Alearner

1,3,3,1

mathias

I dont see anything indicating 1 3 3 1 , I do see 1 3 3 ,

http://www.amptron.com/html/bios.beepcodes.html

If your on award , then your talking about the video card , if its not onboard video try re-seating the card ,

If your on phoenix then the code indicates a memory issue.

The Muppet

100 mhz sdram should work in it. Slot 0 is the first slot , usually the one nearest the back of the PC. If there is no memory in this slot the pc may not work

Take out the 3 memory modules and try them one at a time in the first slot and see if you can get video. Press them in gently but firmly, if they don't click in don't force them , they only go in one way. What Operating system is on it?

Alearner

Meanwhile I found Slot 0 by putting in one chip at a time at each end of the three rows. The beeps stopped. When i put 256 MB in slot 0, I got beeps - 4 I think.

I got tired with the work after a few hours, especially, as the workspace is not tidy enough. At the moment I have 128 MB 100 MHz in Slot 0, 256 in slot 1, 128 in slot 2, I think. No beeps, and no video signal. No pin damage on video thingy. Monitor says "No Signal", just as it should, when it is disconnected. The monitor status light refuses to stay on green but always goes back to a kind of orange, just at the moment when information and feedback should be appearing on screen. The operating system, Windows 2000 Professional, doesn't get a chance to start up. The keyboard having flickered on the three lights is dark. The Numlock light would be lighting and able to respond, but it is not.

I shall continue my efforts in a day or two or three. One idea, is to try to recreate the original setup for the moment i.e. 128, 128, 128 MB one of which is 100 MHz and two of which are 133 MHz, according to software I was using. Comment: Slot 0 seemed to reject 133 MHz 128 RAM. I will repeat that test, and try to remeber to keep documenting results.

Fabritzo

I had a gateway 600, I don't think it worked with 133 ram, as far as I can remember I could only put 100 in it.

Alearner

Fabritzo wrote: »

I had a gateway 600, I don't think it worked with 133 ram, as far as I can remember I could only put 100 in it.

Finally, results:
-2) I bought a LED lamp for my head. This helped me greatly, to see what I was doing.
-1) The BIOS is Phoenix.
0) I had not seen anything on the monitor because I hadn't been pushing in the RAM forcefully enough. The 1,3,3,1 beeps have stopped, and I can see the screen.
1) I had, however, before now, partially broken slot 1 by pressing on one one of the plastic wings too much. It broke.
2) The slots did accept 100 and 133 MHz SDRAM, but the bus is 100 MHz so any RAM will be slowed down to that speed.
3) Slot 0 will accept 256 MB SDRAM. Slot 1 mauy be partially broken, Slot 2 will accept 256 MB RAM. Present configuration is counter-intuitive found by experimentation. Slot 0 256, Slot 1 128, Slot 2 256! Figures shown in BIOS 256, 128, 128 giving a total of 512 MB RAM. Before that I had had 256, 256, 128 giving a total of 448 MB of RAM!!!

For the moment, the computer works better than ever. The previous RAM was 348 MB, now it is 512. Thank you for your help.