My friend brought me her laptop, which was FUBAR. I did a clean install on the hard drive. I used the OEM version of Microsoft Home XP to install the operating system. Little did I know that Gateway doesn’t like this.
The install went great, I booted it up and brought up the desktop. I had already downloaded the drivers from Gateway’s website for the make and model of this laptop.
First I will give you a list of the drivers that did work:
- Chipset Drivers (Intel)
- Ethernet Drivers(Network Interface Card)
- Video Drivers (Intel)
Now I will give you the list for the drivers that DID NOT work:
- Wireless Card (Gateway listed Broadcom drivers)
- Audio Drivers
- Modem Drivers
Okay, so I start my journey to hell with the wireless drivers. I cannot get the drivers to install with the .exe or updating the drivers through device manager.
So, I plug in the ethernet cable hook up to Mircosoft’s updates and “BAM!” there is a driver for my Intel PROset Wireless. Thats why the drivers wouldn’t take, its different hardware. So, now I’m think maybe the old card died or something. Maybe, it had to be replaced. So, I took the laptop apart, and guess what I found. The wireless card is covered in gateway serial stickers from their factories. I just download the driver from Microsoft’s updates. It works! Gateway is now on my shit list.
Now I take a turn at the corner of Audio and Modem street. The audio drivers will not take either, nor will the modem drivers take.
I tried to download a utility from Gateway that suppose to check your hardware and download and install you correct drivers. It sees the correct drivers, but just keeps downloading another copy on top of another copy. It asked me to restart everytime it downloaded the new copy. But everytime I cranked up the utility it told me to download them again and reinstall them. So, I’m tired at this point.
I crank up the wireless and enter a chat with Gateway’s technical support. Basically he tells me that the drivers listed are the correct ones, and I don’t know what I’m talkng about. On top of his helpfulness’s, he cuts me off.
I did some googling and a lot of people have this problem. The cause? Gateway writes the drivers to only install on Operating Systems that they distribute. If you try to install a clean OEM version of XP on certian Gateway laptops it will refuse to install a large part of the hardware drivers because the OS is not branded by Gateway.
Summery: The majority of drivers that don’t install because of the branding are Audio and Modem drivers.
Update: August 18th, 2007
I called gateway told them my hard drive died and that restore cds were scratched to hell. For 20 bucks they will ship you a brand new set of restore cds. Within minutes the laptop was up and running. Save yourself time and just order the cds.
Hey I have the same problem! How did you get around it? I dont have the original Gateway OS recovery CD… or is there no hope in this situation?
Please let me know!!
Figured this out after several hours…
1. install Realtek AC 97 drivers (the download was called WDM_A400 if that helps)
2. Restart
3. Go to control panel, sounds, last tab called hardware
4. choose realtek and go to properties
5. choose last tab called driver
6. click update driver
7. install from specific location, next
8. choose “dont search”, next
9. uncheck box that says “show compatible hardware”
10. click “Intel”, and choose last one on list called “Intel(r) AC ’97 Audio Controller”, next
11. Restart
12. Enjoy
Note: For a while I kept trying to choose Contexant driver instead of Intel but I kept getting blue screen of death. If that happens, go into safe mode and put in realtek again.
This has happened to me 3 or 4 times. Yes, I should just chuck the bloody thing against a wall but being a poor student I have time and time again turned here and it works. Though after this last fix I think I have it memorized. Thank you
hi
I thought I would try the same for the modem as stated above for the audio. This P.O.S gateway has an Agere modem, not that it will ever be used! I installed that driver and it works.Again, thanks for the informative posts, great site!!
Good god this page was exactly what I needed, I’ve been trying to rebuild my sister’s 6520GZ all day. I figured out the wireless card (after opening up the back too) but couldn’t get the audio up to save my life. James’s instructions from July 3, 2007 were *PERFECT*.
Plus it’s great to know we had Gateway to thank for all this bloody headache.
wow. May I just second what Marshall wrote. Was having huge issues with this. Spend multiple hours working on a solution, and finally figured it out thanks to James. One updated note, Gateway doesn’t have the driver for download anymore, so I just went to Download.com and searched WDM_A400 and downloaded that. The rest worked like a charm!
james, thakns a lot, u save my life, u r great, bye, greetins from colombia
Holy crap,
Same story except it’s my daughter’s totally fuxored Hateway.
Thanks everyone
OMFG… i can’t believe a company can be soo B.S.ING. The owner dropped hers so the hard drive was done… but after changing drive and reinstalling i realised… you guessed it modem, audio and wifi not working. opened up back thinking since it was dropped cards might be loose. realised it was same intel in my toshiba satellite. went to intel got drivers and viola.. but for the modem and audio just lost… but thank god you guys put this up. isn’t this kinda illegal tho forcing u to buy back restore cds from them or something
can someone tell me were i can get the wireless drivers? i called gateway and they tell me use the website to get the drivers, and again it doesnt work!
if someone can post up a link much appreciated!
You can get the wireless drivers right off of Windows Update using a custom scan they installed and worked perfect. Also James Audio fix solution worked perfect ! Thankx James I was pulling my hair out.
James, I could kiss you right on the mouth! I don't know how you figured that think out with the audio but it did just the trick. I was half mad by the time I found your solution.
And thanks, Burch, for making the post in the first place. Now I can go to bed with the teensy bit of sanity I have left.
what a piece of CRAP
I have been repairing a friends Gateway and 3550 GZ and whenever i turned the wireless on the thing would spiral into blue screen of death and would only boot if wireless was disabled — after allowing windows to send the errorreport i got the correct upgrade file from intel === LAME
I had the same audio, modem and wireless issues after Windows XP was re-installed. All drivers were downloaded through the following links;
audio: http://support.gateway.com/support/d…&uid=2...
modem: http://www.conexant.com/support/files/HSFac97_Win...
wireless: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/detail_desc.aspx?...
Good luck!
James info helped my issues with my Gateway 6520GZ and no sound…… as well as Bank had good links to the wireless driver….. Now detects wireless connections..
thanks to all
model mx6453, my friends mike wont work, any help apreciated pls
this site has of big help thans still can't get the card reader to work drivers from site dont work any suggestions thanks carole