[Gatewaygeek]

Is there anyway I can download a system restore disc for this gateway system, I can't get any documentation or other info from Gateway's website using the model number or the serial.
If anyone has a disc image of the restore disc for this laptop so that I can reinstall the drivers back onto this system, I would greatly appreciate that.

[coastie65]

Here are the drivers: http://support.gatew...t=pn&param=4386

[rgreen4]

Gatewaygeek, on 04 June 2010 - 08:23 AM, said:

Is there anyway I can download a system restore disc for this gateway system, I can't get any documentation or other info from Gateway's website using the model number or the serial.
If anyone has a disc image of the restore disc for this laptop so that I can reinstall the drivers back onto this system, I would greatly appreciate that.

Are you sure of the model number? I looked on Gateway's support site and I could not find any notebook computer model number that started with a W.

[coastie65]

rgreen4, on 05 June 2010 - 10:25 AM, said:

Gatewaygeek, on 04 June 2010 - 08:23 AM, said:

Is there anyway I can download a system restore disc for this gateway system, I can't get any documentation or other info from Gateway's website using the model number or the serial.
If anyone has a disc image of the restore disc for this laptop so that I can reinstall the drivers back onto this system, I would greatly appreciate that.

Are you sure of the model number? I looked on Gateway's support site and I could not find any notebook computer model number that started with a W.

I didn't include the W. just entered as 350i.

[rgreen4]

Going into the guided search, no laptop shows up with a "350" in the model number and entering "350i" just gives the generic driver search I think you found. The machine may have W350i on the top and a different model on the bottom. HP laptops are like that with a generic model on the top and the specific model tag on the bottom of the machine.

[Gatewaygeek]

rgreen4, on 05 June 2010 - 12:06 PM, said:

Going into the guided search, no laptop shows up with a "350" in the model number and entering "350i" just gives the generic driver search I think you found. The machine may have W350i on the top and a different model on the bottom. HP laptops are like that with a generic model on the top and the specific model tag on the bottom of the machine.

I have looked on both the top and the bottom of the darn thing and it lists the model number as W350I I have looked though other forums and it seems as though there are others who have the same problem, It's almost as if the laptop never existed. (or time traveled from the future, lol )
This crap is really frustrating, first it bluescreens when trying to reinstall Windows Vista, so I installed XP which worked, and now this crap, I'm about to abandon laptops altogether.

[rgreen4]

I googled Gateway W3501 rather than W350i and got many hits, all from third party sites. I found nothing on Gateway's site at all. Is it maybe part of a named series? Is there any other model or series name on it at all?

Perhaps if you would post everything that is on the Gateway sticker on the bottom, line by line (NOT the Serial No.) that might help. From reading the Google comments, you are not alone in trying to find info on this phantom laptop.

While laptops are somewhat of a problem in getting drivers, I will say the sites on HP and Dell have never failed to give me some reference on any computer that is less than 8 years old. And they have a lot of weird model numbers. I have had problems finding references on Gateway before.

This post has been edited by rgreen4: 07 June 2010 - 05:55 AM

[Gatewaygeek]

rgreen4, on 07 June 2010 - 05:46 AM, said:

I googled Gateway W3501 rather than W350i and got many hits, all from third party sites. I found nothing on Gateway's site at all. Is it maybe part of a named series? Is there any other model or series name on it at all?

Perhaps if you would post everything that is on the Gateway sticker on the bottom, line by line (NOT the Serial No.) that might help. From reading the Google comments, you are not alone in trying to find info on this phantom laptop.

While laptops are somewhat of a problem in getting drivers, I will say the sites on HP and Dell have never failed to give me some reference on any computer that is less than 8 years old. And they have a lot of weird model numbers. I have had problems finding references on Gateway before.

In one of the corners to the top right of the keyboard it says "T-Series" pretty much the guy who gave this to me has managed to rub off the serial number and a few other things, Unfortunately I don't have a camera to take pictures of it and show it to you guys. The touchpad is off center (Closer to the left side than right) and I also have seen some mentions on other forums about this laptop being referred to as a t-6842.

[rgreen4]

Well, I have found a T-6842 reference on the Gateway support site. It apparently has drivers for all the components for XP, Vista 32bit and Vista 64bit. However, no recovery discs were shown and unlike the Dell and HP sites, they don't show an image of the machine. Their site is apparently aimed more at the owners, but trying to go into most support pages asks for the serial number.

If the references were intentionally rubbed off, it does not sound good. If it is just the result of wear (the original Windows Vista sticker on the bottom of my laptop is so worn the COA number is almost unreadable, but since it now has Win7, I don't care), then it is explainable. Using one on a lap will result in gradual wear, but not scratches.

If the serial number is readable, go onto the Gateway website and see what you can find. They don't even let you casual browsers see the machine specs. If it came with Vista there would be no reason for it to blue screen during the install of a clean copy of Vista. Of course this is assuming that the machine if fully functional.

Maybe there's a reason the guy gave it to you. It apparently had no value to him.

[Gatewaygeek]

rgreen4, on 08 June 2010 - 01:11 PM, said:

Well, I have found a T-6842 reference on the Gateway support site. It apparently has drivers for all the components for XP, Vista 32bit and Vista 64bit. However, no recovery discs were shown and unlike the Dell and HP sites, they don't show an image of the machine. Their site is apparently aimed more at the owners, but trying to go into most support pages asks for the serial number.

If the references were intentionally rubbed off, it does not sound good. If it is just the result of wear (the original Windows Vista sticker on the bottom of my laptop is so worn the COA number is almost unreadable, but since it now has Win7, I don't care), then it is explainable. Using one on a lap will result in gradual wear, but not scratches.

If the serial number is readable, go onto the Gateway website and see what you can find. They don't even let you casual browsers see the machine specs. If it came with Vista there would be no reason for it to blue screen during the install of a clean copy of Vista. Of course this is assuming that the machine if fully functional.

Maybe there's a reason the guy gave it to you. It apparently had no value to him.

Well I'm going to talk to him about this tommorow and see if I can get my money back or if maybe he has the documentation around that contains the info that I need.

[Gatewaygeek]

Well I must admit that this was a very frustrating experience for me and I've learned a few things as well. I must thank you all for spending your time helping me, I am giving this hunk of crap back to the person who sold it to me, and return am getting an older but WORKING laptop, an IBM Thinkpad 770 (I know it's old but it will be fun to play around with for awhile).

[rgreen4]

Just remember three things:
1) Make sure it works
2) Make sure that if it has password protections, he either removes the password or gives it to you.
3) Make sure you get the install disc.

[Gatewaygeek]

rgreen4, on 09 June 2010 - 04:23 AM, said:

Just remember three things:
1) Make sure it works
2) Make sure that if it has password protections, he either removes the password or gives it to you.
3) Make sure you get the install disc.

Alright thanks for the tips, I am currently using a different laptop that he gave me in return of the other, It is a IBM Thinkpad 770 and for being as old as it is, it runs Windows 2000 pro pretty nicely (tried XP and it was atrociously slow) I'm currently using it to type this post. I can't believe it was considered top of the line in its day but, It WORKS and that's what counts
Once again, thank you for your time and help

[rgreen4]

If you think that one is slow, you should try the 700. We had them at work in the mid '90's. I think it was a Pentium with Windows 3.1.

[Gatewaygeek]

rgreen4, on 09 June 2010 - 07:03 PM, said:

If you think that one is slow, you should try the 700. We had them at work in the mid '90's. I think it was a Pentium with Windows 3.1.

wow, I can't imagine how slow those things would be with Windows 98 or even 95.