Official Gateway 78xx Series FX BIOS - 9c.05.00 thru 9c.17.00

No luck for me. Going to return it and get a desktop... well my friend is going to build me one.

sorry for off topicness but I think my desktop is going to be rock solid. I'm really excited!!!

 

Or it could be that they do internal or external QA on the BIOS's supplied prior to public release. People should remember that if you are living on the bleeding edge you get cut sometimes.

 

I'd think shipping notebooks with the bios would count as public release. If it's good enough for people to spend new money on then it's good enough to give to those who have already forked over the cash.

 

Gateway support is just a joke plain and simple . The fact they STILL have the 94.28 bios up there as a listed bios for the 7811 with many people telling them its not for that machine including myself just shows that its one guy in a cubicle some where running the whole show.

 

Really want to thank you Jakamo5 for this info; Not sure I know how to do this but I just installed my duplicate 200GB drive and I'm about to flash the BIOS to 08. I may need some assistance here folks as I'm sort of a step-by-step geek. Also want to say thanks to E-Wrecked and many others on here for all this wonderful info and work.

Gonna do a quick Acronis backup and then.....................

Wish me luck!

 

Good luck and youll be fine, just go slow .

 

good luck.

 

If your current Vista installation was installed with the Hard Drive mode in the BIOS set to "Compatibility", the image will transfer, but Windows will bluescreen when trying to boot. If it was set to AHCI, you should be ok. Should being the operative word.

 

I'm a bit curious myself.. how would I RAID 0, and have partitions with different clusters and stripe sizes? Heck, how would I have partitions.. I'm not enlightened on all the RAID configs. Jakamo? You have any luck? Anyone else done that before?

 

I have never had differentiating cluster sizes, but I am running 3 partitions on my RAID array. The array is seen as one big drive.

 

Amazed's post shows where Jak mentioned 4kb cluster, 32kb cluster, and then different stripe sizes too. Wouldnt you need 4 hard drives to have different stripe sizes? The cluster size would be easy, with the format options.. I'm just gonna go ballz to the wall and see what happens. I suppose I need to clean my drives..install RAID, and when doing vista install create partitions then? And select where to install the OS, etc?

EDIT: I'm off to try this again..hopefully better results this time.

 

Mine is set up as I had posted. At the Raid configuration screen (when you press control I) you first create a raid disk from the combined space of your two drives, then you can create two separate volumes, name them, set their sizes, and set their different stripe sizes. There is no option to set cluster size, and to be honest I have not looked around for an answer to that. I would assume that the cluster sizes are automatically set to 1/4th the stripe size, as the ratio of 4:1 cluster:stripe is unarguably the most efficient for any use of raid.

TO ANYONE WHO TOOK MY ADVICE: MAKE YOUR OS VOLUME AT LEAST 20GB INSTEAD OF 15!!! I made my OS volume 15gb and I only have 1GB left of free space on it after the OS installation and multiple windows updates. The free space has been diminishing as windows updates are downloaded and installed... I was hoping to have more buffer space and I fear that since I already have data on my second volume, I will not be able to extend the OS volume without moving all of my data off of the second volume, extending the OS volume, and then moving the data back on. That's IF the raid configuration setup has the option to extend a volume, which I think it does, but I'm not sure.

So... E... when will we be seeing our 9800GTS bios updates?! (does anyone even know how to get to the video card bios?)

 

Great question! Still workin on gettin this BIOS unlocked.. hell, you can d/l the video BIOS off the ftp but yeah.. not sure what you can do with it til we can decompile/recompile the BIOS itself. Thanks for the reply though.. and I did finish my RAID setup.. Did a 145/160 partition.. set the cluster size on 2nd partition to 64kb..not the default by vista. So far so good.. I'll keep ya updated!

 

yo E, man. you need to retest them scores in the other thread. check your in game settings and make sure they are set to all high/1920x1200. then run the benchmark.

 

Aaight.. just fresh installed Vista for RAID. Lemme install Crysis overnite and I'll throw somethin up in there in the AM.

 

cool! because i can't get them gtx's now...best i could get was 18fps with the correct settings. and i got the same score using a slower cpu speed as well. *LOL* but the better test is the crysis warhead setup, but a lot of people dont have it yet.

 

Mhmm.. Well, Ive got that one too. Guess I should install also eh? Ill go check thread now..

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=3988908#post3988908

this guy says he can get a qx9300 for 750...im like...where the link at....and we still waiting!

 

yea..saw that. he was askin bout the q9100 for $450 or something.. maybe it was some scam on Ebay that he saw..and Ebay shut em down? If I can get a qx9300, or a q9100 for those prices.. I'll gladly give away the x9100 and pick one up.

 

i thought you knew! had card in hand was like. where? i got my people trying to find them q chips (retail non es) and they can't get a hold of any as of yet.

i wonder if he got that q9100 idea from me in one of these threads.....

 

Eh..or maybe he's legit. He has been on these threads off and on for a couple months. He was looking for an x9100 a while back. Can't blame em.. he just wants a good deal on a nice proc. And as im typing my DVD rom is making lots of wierd noises..I can hear the laser sliding back and forth while reading..like, it's making a *zip zip zip* sound.. Odd. Anyhow, hope it's true..and if so.. I'll pick it up immediately.

EDIT: Just to let anyone who's paying attention know.. I am in talks with BIOSMAN, and also Margaret from wistron is speaking with a superior to see if they can accomodate the overclock function with the BIOS. May take a couple days..but, I'll keep y'all posted.

 

Ummmm, not sure what "compatibility" / AHCI mode means; but when I go into the Advanced Menu in the BIOS it currently reads AHCI; is this what you're referring to?

Sorry for my ignornance here.

I should have ordered two additional drives instead of just the one. The system is running so good right now I hate to blow it away.... heh. I already have 6 games installed: Frontlines: Fuel of War, COD4, Witcher, Company of Heroes, Enemy Territory Quake Wars and Crysis Warhead.

One last query. Is it best to format the new drive prior to RAID, or just do it all at the install time?

 

all nice info on all accounts!

and im not knocking him, just trying to get inline to get mine...*LOL*

 

Amazed.. just finished my RAID install. When you boot, go to BIOS and change that AHCI to RAID.. Now, it will have to delete *all info* to install RAID.. You may wanna backup to an external source if you wanna keep anything. After you do the RAID option, set your boot options to boot from CD. Reboot.. and since ya set it for RAID the Intel Matrix Mgr screen will flash and ask for you to hit Crtl + I to enter setup. Then it's really self explanatory. Create raid array.. set stripe size...reboot and let the CD take over to install Vista. If you wanna create a partition, you have the chance when installing vista.. when it shoes the drive to install to screen.. Tell it to either change/edit the single drive you now see.(should be approx the size of both your HDDs combined). Create partition, if you want..otherwaise click ok and let it install. sorry to be brief, but Im tired.. And Im going to bed.. Peace All.

EDIT: And I used 64kb stripe size.. but it's your call. This seems to run better than 128 I used previously.

 

1.) If its currently set to AHCI, you should be good. Just follow the array setup/install directions E-Wrecked provided above.
2.) If you are restoring from an Acronis image, you needn't worry about formatting.
3.) Youre not ignorant. These are very good questions.

 

It's on another forum's protected classifieds, so I can verify this deal.

 

Edit: oops.

 

ooops? what do you mean....oooops?

*LOL*

 

Off topic..but on RAID. Did the 64kb stipes.. 2 partitions.. secondary partition is 64kb cluster size.. everything is running smoothely, so far. But, when I ran HD Tune my burst was only like, 172MB/s..whereas before with the 128kb it was 1000+MB/s.. There's nothing accessing the HD in the background. What's this all about?

Oh, and my high/minimum/avg is just a touch higher than when I installed RAID first time with larger stripe.

 

So are people seeing any actual performance increases with Raid 0 on this notebook? Synthetic benchmarks are nice to compare numbers but any real world differences? Faster boot times? Faster gaming level loads?

 

i tried it in the past with my 6860 when i had it and it did make a difference in loading some games, but not enough for me to be bothered with my 7811 . the WD 320 72k drive i bought is a screamer and loads stuff uber fast, so im happy.

 

64kb cluster... how were you even able to set the cluster? and also, that would give you 256kb stripe size on the second volume, but the raid configuration limits ours to 128, so how were you able to get such a huge stripe anyway? as far as your burst, write back cache is unselected by default, make sure you get that going it will affect your burst

 

Well, the OS is set to default cache size..but after installing Vista..I went to disk management, and deleted the second partition.. then created a new partition, and selected the size when creating the partition. It's a drop down option, that is set to "Default" unless you change it.

 

OK lol now I'm really confused. Are we talking about volumes with cluster and stripe sizes (RAID?) or are we talking about cache sizes and partitions (Vista), just cause you mentioned both but they're separate things. You also shouldn't have two partitions after you install vista, unless you created the partitions during the vista (not the raid) setup, in which case, both partitions will have the same cluster/stripe sizes. If you're talking about two volumes, which are created during the raid configuration, then you're talking about two separate stripe sizes. But volumes can't be deleted from within the OS (except maybe if you use the matrix storage manager? not sure)... Still confused on how you got a 64kb cluster size... I think I'm not understanding you correctly or something, maybe cause I'm tired.

EDIT: I'm thinking you might have mistakenly created a raid disk in the raid configuration, and then during the vista installation made two partitions... those two partitions will have the same stripe size. When I was talking about 4/16 and 32/128 volumes, I was talking about creating a raid disk and then creating two separate sized volumes with separate stripe sizes all in the raid configuration menu, before the OS installation... and then during the OS installation, formatting both volumes but only installing the OS to the smaller one, are you sure you've done this correctly?

 

Awcrap I changed settings to RAID, setup a raid0 array, and now when I hit f2 I can't get into the bios. It does it's usual beep, but nothing further.

Ideas? f10 still brings up the boot menu..

It boots to the Yukon PXE boot program. Since there's no OS installed yet, kinda hard to boot, no?

 

hit f10 right when the first screen flashes, you should get a menu with the last option being bios setup, then you shoudl go into bios setup and re-enable quiet boot

 

Hey Gang! Thanks for your help! Installed 2nd HD, Setup Raid 0, Reformatted Comp and works like a charm! Thanx!!!

 

Ah, beat me to the punch! I've been so busy working 12's and all; and gettin' ready to hit the golf course this morning for 18 (just a beginner with a massive +35 handicap, ack!) but hopefully I'll have time to get this started this evening, before my physical or rather "wellness session" with the doctor.

Short; did you use a back-up or a fresh install? Just curious.

 

I'm at work, I'll try it when I get home. Going to put vista ultimate on thar.

 

All I did was make 1 raid array.. 64KB stripe. Then I installed Vista, and partitioned it during install. After install, I went and deleted the 2nd partition from within vista disk management. Then created a new partition with a different cluster size than the default set by Vista. Not sure the cluster size matters.. but heck, it matches the stripe size.. 64kb to 64kb, so maybe it makes a difference? Im not sure, but I can tell you this install works much better than my first.

And I also found out why my Hard Drives make that clicking noise.. WD 2.5" SATA II drives are having issues in some laptops. The drives keep thinking windows is entering sleep mode, and attempt to power down.. but then spin back up. It's an issue that WD has posted a resolution for.. but it has to be run from DOS, and any usb boot disk I create doesn't allow me to access my hard drives..which need to be accessed to flash the firmware download. Any ideas here? USB bootable, that allows hard drive access? +rep will go to anyone who helps.

 

Make a boot cd? I dunno lol

 

Hmm.. Can I make a boot cd that takes me to DOS? I know the rescue CD will have a command prompt option..but it's a cmd prompt inside of the already loaded Restore System. To the best of my knowledge, this thing needs to be ran from a bootable device, so the hard drives aren't accessing anything while being flashed. I'll play around with it.

 

Ah, well then as far as Raid is concerned, your raid disk, which is your entire storage space, all has the same cluster and stripe size, which is a 64kb stripe and a 16kb cluster size. Regardless of what vista tells you or what you set with vista, the raid storage manager will take priority, and will probably set the cluster size to 1/4th the stripe. This is a good thing, since your cluster size shouldn't match your stripe size, in optimal settings it should always be 1/4th the stripe. But if it works fine and you're happy with the speed, I wouldn't worry about it at all. I curious though whether or not setting a different cluster through windows will affect it. But yes, as I said, your entire storage capacity has the same stripe of 64kb.

 

Maybe you can fool around with dosbox

 

have you tried ntfs4dos?

edit: just add it to your flashing the bios disk. put a rem statement to keep the flashing program from running. add the ntfs4dos command in and boot up.
it should allow you to see your drives. as well as read and write to them.

 

john, will try that.. sounds easy enough. Don't solutions always seem easy though, til something goes horribly wrong? And did you get rid of your 7811?

 

Yes!!!...*LOL*


yep, 7811 is history. took it back yesterday. got a full refund no questions asked.

 

what the f?!

 

dont get me wrong.. the lappy was a very good running machine!, but i think im gonna go sli instead. like E said...the 9800m gts was running pretty **** smooth over clocked, but in the end...you want to run like that or better than that stock. so going sli would do that. and now the new games are finally starting to understand that more is better. . plus i like to take stuff a part and a sager is allot easier to take apart than a gateway.

matter of fact, this 6860 is probably going to be up for sale with the x9000 in it. still debating. since i still have the hp dv9700 with a t9300 chip in it. can't see putting an x9000 in that.. big waste of chip resources..lol

 

Ive toyed with the idea of getting a Sager as well.. I ended up spending about $2700 or so on this rig. Considering the new HDDs and the x9100 are a must-have for me. I've still tossed around the idea of getting one..but the SLI is what has held me up. It's not a new technology, but the drivers..the compatabilities.. the games that don't/haven't supported SLI.. that's what has held me back to this point. But, like you pointed out.. these issues are being acknowledged and handled. I may end up with a Sager one day..

But, this ol' Sager killer right here.. She's slain quite a few of 'em that cost 2 times the price(stock of course).