7422GX: love and frustration

Last year, based on the info and reviews I read here, I purchased the Gateway 7422GX, and I've been completely satisfied with it. Only problem I had was with the DVD burner, which I think killed by MUCH overuse. No problem, bought an external USB Lite-On and I was fine. Now after eighteen months, I have my first serious problem. My display it totally screwed up. Vertical lines run through it, and make it similar to reading text through a screen door. That's on good days. Other times it almost un-readable. I've updated my ATI drivers, did multiple system restore points, unseated and reseated the RAM stick. Problem remains. Now, I'm wondering if my RAM has "gone bad". I'm willing to buy a new 1G stick, but here's my dumb question that I can't find answered anywhere: Is that stick in the bottom of the notebook 1G itself, or is there maybe 512M on-board, and the stick is 512? I can't find any notation on the stick itself. I know the notebook is upgradeable to 1.5G RAM. Since there's only one slot, this leads me to think that the stick is 512 and there's 512 on-board? In which case I would try a new 1G stick. Does my reasoning make sense to anyone?

TIA,
John

 

Check the "screen flickering" posts here
http://www.notebookforums.com/thread58403.html or the emachines resource portal
http://emachines.fizi.ca/guides.php
Maybe its just a matter of checking the cables and connectors.
Good Luck !!

 

Thanks for the links. Good info there. I will check the wires through the hinge tomorrow. But, I'm not hopeful. This isn"t really a "flicker" problem. These vertical lines are stationary and don't flicker. Worth at try tho. Thanks.

 

Hmm, no luck with finding the problem there. Does anyone know if there is 512MB RAM under the keyboard, making the stick in back 512 also? Or am I just dealing with one RAM slot here. Thought I'd ask before I start taking things apart!

 

OK, sorry for wasting bandwidth. The slot in back on the 7422GX DOES contain a 512MB stick, and it's clearly stated. Don't know how I missed that before.Another 512 must be under the keyboard. So I guess I will try a 1G stick, bring the total up to 1.5, and see if that helps any. Has anyone experienced RAM going "bad" and causing this sort of problem, or am I just grasping at straws here??

 

Yes, the 1GB is 2x512MB on your laptop...the stick in back is 512MB for sure. I would not blame the RAM though...maybe is just the graphics card that got "kaputt". Did you notice excesive temperature at the bottom lately?
Maybe you should test your RAM in some friends laptop and check...before you buy a stick.
Sorry that was more complicated than the flickering.. (

 

And that's the one thing I dislike about laptops.I would gladly buy a new graphics card tomorrow, which would probably solve my problem. But with laptops you can't just switch a new card as you would in a desktop. Or am I missing something here? Have they finally evolved to the point where you can swap out a card???

 

As the laptop is the same model (case) that holds up to X600 in newer models (MX75XX) you should be able to put such a card into it....probably you should check the internal layout first...just to know if it fits and if the heatsink is well located. Dont't know where to find such a card for sale...but it should be feasable.

 

It's probably not the ram. As far as I know the video processor is mounted on the mb, so it's not user-serviceable. This sounds like either a loose connection from the LCD to the mainboard (easy fix) or a problem board. I had horrible video issues with my eMachines after the ubiquitous "cracked screen hinge defect" and only just got a return/refund on the machine last month. By the time they had repaired it 7 times, they had replaced everything on the unit and it had become a Gateway, and there was a new bios and my eMachines restore dvd wouldn't allow windows to authenticate any more.

Sounds like you might be on your way out with that machine. You can try hooking it up to an external monitor to check to see if it's the display or the system.

Good luck!

 

oh, plus the system ram which you're referring to and video ram are different things. The system ram going bad wouldn't cause display issues, it would cause system instability and performance issues (programs not running properly, system hanging, etc.).

 

OK, I understand what you mean about system vs. video RAM. Also, now that I think of it, yes, I did hook up an external monitor last week, and the result was the same. So I guess that kills the idea about the hinge wires. Weird thing is: as I'm writing this now, the display is "almost" normal, maybe 90-95% what the clarity should be. So it's somewhat intermittent. It begins at boot-up. As soon as the splash screen appears I know what kind of display I will have. Reason I asked about the RAM was that 3 or 4 times I shut down, reseated the RAM and it worked fine. I understand now that this was probably coincidence. In any event, looks like I'll be looking at new laptops. Only had this 18 months, and now I'm a new believer in extended warranties, I guess. Wish I felt that way back then. Thanks for all the suggestions folks.

 

Probably what was going on was you have an intermittent contact slippage or short that is affected by opening and closing your lid. I assume you closed your lid to open up and re-seat the ram.

It sounds like you're having problems related to the lid/hinge. When I was researching to build my case for Best Buy, I found a TON of excellent info here. Unfortunately, as soon as I received my Mac, I chucked it out. If you read through the ENTIRE super long eMachines cracked screen hinge thread (located in the eMachines sub-forum in the Gateway forum) you will find references to the wires in the hinges becoming loose and even a link to a tutorial on how to take the lid apart and move/repair the wires so they are at least not the problem.

I'm so sorry you're having the problem. It's maddening and frustrating, and unfortunately, it appears to be progressive from everything I have read.

You never know. Maybe your computer might have a terrible accident that might be covered under your homeowner's insurance, and you can replace it? Just wondering if there are accidents waiting to happen at your house... maybe rage-related accidents?

 

But wouldn't connecting an external monitor and seeing the same problem rule that out? If there's a reason why it wouldn't, I may still have some hope.

Well, I do have a 115lb Yellow Labrador who is VERY clumsy. Maybe this is something i need to look into!

 

I'm thinking that this wire/contact problem actually has a connection between something called an actuator and the graphics card. That's the understanding I got from reading that super long eMachines thread. Not that it was the wire taking the picture directly to the LCD from the graphics processor, but that it was something between what draws the picture and the brain behind it. Laptops are so compact that they put the wires they need to use wherever they find space - occasionally making poor choices (hinges) that cause eventual issues (wear and tear from hinge opening/closing, loose contacts, etc.) resulting in this horrible display problem.

Ugggghhhh.. I can remember that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach early on in my problems.... and then the eventual annoyance and anger as it became overwhelming to deal with. At first, reboots helped tame the issue, but eventually it would be a constant overbearing problem - leading me to the logic that it was a physical mechanical/electrical/broken pcb problem rather than a software glitch.

Good luck! Maybe your computer could get stolen or something....

 

You could try running in VGA mode or start in safe mode and see what that does. It might help to rule out the graphics card if it still does it.

 

Hey there. I'm the author of the original review for this laptop, and ironically, I came here to make a little update and found this topic. My 7422GX isn't quite two years old, but it failed on me today. It randomly turns off, only lasting for a few minutes at a time. I have a Best Buy warranty, so hopefully I can get an acceptable replacement...

I guess Gateways are the American cars of computers. They're really nice...while they last.

 

I hope you get your machine fixed! I loved my eMachines, but it always came back to me in worse condition after being sent out for repair. Good Luck!

 

Zeke, I remember your original post. I was sitting on the fence over the purchase and your review helped sway me to buy. No, I don't hold it against you, lol. I've really been impressed and happy with the machine until my current predicament. I'm still trying to figure things out, but I must say, I'm on the verge of taking advantage of some Labor Day sales tomorrow, and picking up a new notebook, or even a desktop (you get SO much more for the money!) and using my "crippled" 7422GX as a backup.

Anyway, good luck, and I hope your situation gets rectified.

 

Well, I think I've decided to go with the desktop and keep the notebook as well. It's still quite usuable (net, email, music, etc) and sometimes, as right now for example, the display is about 85% or so clear. Weird.

Here's a dumb question, tho. I can still use my notebook for net access, even if the desktop is not wireless, right? I could still use either, depending on where I was? Don't know if I'm being clear on that. I mean, would I have to network the two, or could I use them independently?