32 bit bios with Vista64 problems

[travistee]

I have a gateway fx7026.
The drivers are on this url http://support.gateway.com/support/d...param=1015336R

I have vista 64 4gb ram.
I originally had the bios that are listed for "all os".
I had a problem with the network adapter having to be reset frequently.
They installed the bios that is listed as vista 32 bit.
They also say they installed 3GB drivers.
I think they mean I will only be able to access 3 GB of ram.
So I'm telling them this is not right, and I want it to run right with the right bios and drivers. I'm planning to make them fix it.

The first time they sent me this setup I had some sort of bios conflict error message but I forgot how I got it.
What problems do you think I would have with this if I left it as it is.

[slgrieb]

Honestly, looking at the link you posted, I can't really say if you would encounter memory issues with the new BIOS. If Gateway can't tell you, I'm not sure that there's a better way to make a determination than installing Vista 64, and then confirming how much memory the OS sees. On the vast majority of mainboards, you can use memory in excess of 4 GB without a hardware or BIOS issue.

[Platypus]

travistee, I don't know how you go about it, but I think you need to find someone at Gateway who really knows what's going on there. I'm inclined to call BS on it so far.

A BIOS of itself is not specifically tied to an operating system (although an update may address an issue only revealed by a more advanced OS because a prior OS disregarded that aspect of operation). How often has anyone got a BIOS update that no longer worked with XP so they had to go back to 98? Does the "Vista32 and XP" BIOS not work with Linux? And a "3GB driver" whatever that may be is not going to determine how much memory the BIOS supports.

The non-All-OS designated BIOS is a later release (ie an update), and in the installation notes (rather than the webpage description) it doesn't specify Vista 32 bit, just "Vista".

And in those notes the reason given for the release is:

Reason For Update

- Fixed boot issue when more than 4 GB of memory is installed.

The update is to make more than 4GB complement of memory work properly (a pointless exercise if it then doesn't support more than 4GB of memory).

[NooNoo]

hmmm 3gb driver... I wonder where the tech made that up from?
32bit bios I would say he used winflash (or equivalent) to flash the bios or they have formatted and put 32bit vista on to save solving the problem.

Either way, Platypus is right, you were fed a complete line of BS.

[travistee]

I know its all BS but I wanted to see what your thoughts are on this.

They tried to tell me there was a problem with more than 3GB of memory so they tried to install what are probably the 32 bit drivers. I reinstalled the OS, tossing out the work they did to hobble up some drivers to make it look like it was fixed.
The 32 bit bios works somewhat ok with vista64 (4GB is ok) but the network adapter issue is not resolved. The network adapter has to be reset frequently. That was a problem I posted here months ago, but they are just giving me BS trying to resolve it.
The 32 bit bios doesn't have any of the S1 S2 S3 options or fan controls. Its basically a stripped down version of the bios. It used to run quiet with the "all OS" bios, but now its noisy.
I could just change the mobo, but I don't want to let them get away with this.
Their warranty says I have to take them to arbforum.com, for arbitration to resolve disputes.
I may do that just for the fun of it.

[NooNoo]

Why not just reflash the bios?

[travistee]

I tried to reflash the bios back to the "all os" version.

Problem is it has to be done within windows.
It starts to install it but fails. At least it didn't wipe out the current bios.
I could send it back to gateway again. They have had it back three times already and didn't repair anything. One of their techs actually admitted that its not supposed to use the 32 bit bios version.

I'm going to try to get them to take it back, like I said just for fun.
Worst case, I'll get another motherboard.

[NooNoo]

Sounds like a plan.

Make sure you keep that 3gb driver line... I had a great laugh when I saw that.

[travistee]

I got Gateway to take this back.
I had to file for arbitration at adrforum.com
Thats what their warranty says you have to do.
It costs $19 plus $62 for an in person hearing.
I think the in person hearing is important since they don't really want to go to it.
They called to settle it and gave me about $200 more than I paid.
So now I have an Asus P6T with an i7 920 and no more Vista.

[Ferrit]

Frankly Vista was never the problem. All of what I read that you told us they said was nothing more then nonsense. I can see a bios update to implement a hardware compatibility issue. That ram thing was a crock of crap.
A 32 bit version of windows only uses 3.2 gigs of ram. The bios update may have been to allow Vista to remap memory so that it could see the other .8 but still wouldnt actually be able to use it.
1 of the main points of a 64 bit OS (which will be main stream soon enough) is to enable the use of more then 3.2 gigs of ram.
Frankly the whole thing kinda tells you what Gateway is all about.

[Niclo Iste]

LOL sorry I don't have useful input but I read this and it made me giggle.

They also say they installed 3GB drivers.

So is that like a 3.4Ghz Screensaver?

With a tech report like that all I can imagine is a garage full of monkeys weilding screwdrivers as they stab blindly into the tower while quizically looking at the spinning fan all while the lead monkey is screaming after he inadvertantly pressed the eject on the CD-ROM.