Trials and Tribulations with Gateway Technical Support
Recently, I upgraded one of our PCs to a Gateway 7330GZ. It's a very nice notebook, so much so that I use it as my main PC now. Unfortunately, I went through a bit of a nightmare in dealing with Gateway technical support trying to figure out what kind of expansion memory it takes (the 7330GZ comes with 512MB RAM by default; I wanted to upgrade it to 1.5GB).
Because it's "too new", there's virtually no technical documentation available for this notebook - the most technical details that came with it were on the side of the box! Anyway, the information on the box, the Gateway website, and the Best Buy website seemed to indicate that I needed the RAM to be PC4200. So, I place an order with the good folks at Newegg and order a PC4200 1GB SODIMM, along with a couple of other things. Two days later, the RAM arrives, and...
...it doesn't fit. The slot in the SODIMM is offset from the tab in the expansion bay.
After some investigation it appears that I may need a PC2700 SODIMM (a slightly older technology; "DDR" rather than "DDR2"). But the few specs I've seen contradict that. So, I contact Gateway technical support. And then the fun begins!
The first response is that the "73330GZ" (their incorrect spelling) doesn't exist, and I should contact them if I need further assistance. I respond by directing them to their webpage for their product to point out that it indeed does exist (OK, technically, it's probably not their product but the product of the American company that has outsourced their support to them, but they're still supposed to be representative of that company). And again I ask what the specs are for the memory expansion slot.
The response is to a page that shows you how to install more memory. Thanks, guys. In their defense, the page did mention in passing that notebooks in the 7000 series use 333 Mhz (PC2700) memory modules. This did seem to answer my question, so I replied asking for verification that that indeed was the case for my notebook - I wanted to make sure that I didn't order another SODIMM I was going to have to send back (and get hit with another restocking fee). I still wasn't comfortable with the fact that BB and Gateway were saying the memory was of one type but the expansion was of another.
The reply to this e-mail confirmed what I asked but when they mentioned my particular notebook, they got the details wrong - like saying it had 256MB internal RAM, not 512MB which was the case. This didn't fill me with confidence that we were talking about the same thing. It also didn't help that, while waiting for e-mail replies, I had spoken with a Gateway tech in a "livechat" and she told me that the 7330GZ would accept the faster, DDR2 RAM - though it would only work if I bought it from Gateway since only proprietary Gateway memory would work in their notebooks.
The response I then got from the e-mail support was "Sorry this issue is giving you trouble; please give us 48 hours to research this more fully. Don't contact us during this time as it will hamper our research." My (unwritten) response to this was "WTF?" All I wanted was some technical specifications for a particular model of computer that was currently being sold and this is going to take 48 hours?
After almost 72 hours and no reply I picked up the phone and called their support line. Finally, I was able to talk to someone that - regardless of whether they did or not - seemed to know what they were talking about and, more importantly, seemed to know what I was talking about. The tech (unfortunately, I don't recall her name) gave me the information I was looking for and I was able to order the RAM I wanted. The lesson - I should have done this in the first place! I also replied to the e-mail I had (since I'd given them the 48 hours they'd asked for), and the response was basically "Sorry, we don't have any information we can give you on that."
So...nice notebook but a nightmare for support. Of course, if I'd called first thing rather than pursue the other forms of support, I'd have no complaints...
(Side note: In case anyone's wondering, my messages to the support people were cordial and courteous, even when expressing frustration and dissatisfaction; I don't want people to think that my experience was my fault due to some sort of written yelling, screaming, and/or bitching. I'm fully aware that that's not a good tactic to use when dealing with people or companies).
Because it's "too new", there's virtually no technical documentation available for this notebook - the most technical details that came with it were on the side of the box! Anyway, the information on the box, the Gateway website, and the Best Buy website seemed to indicate that I needed the RAM to be PC4200. So, I place an order with the good folks at Newegg and order a PC4200 1GB SODIMM, along with a couple of other things. Two days later, the RAM arrives, and...
...it doesn't fit. The slot in the SODIMM is offset from the tab in the expansion bay.
After some investigation it appears that I may need a PC2700 SODIMM (a slightly older technology; "DDR" rather than "DDR2"). But the few specs I've seen contradict that. So, I contact Gateway technical support. And then the fun begins!
The first response is that the "73330GZ" (their incorrect spelling) doesn't exist, and I should contact them if I need further assistance. I respond by directing them to their webpage for their product to point out that it indeed does exist (OK, technically, it's probably not their product but the product of the American company that has outsourced their support to them, but they're still supposed to be representative of that company). And again I ask what the specs are for the memory expansion slot.
The response is to a page that shows you how to install more memory. Thanks, guys. In their defense, the page did mention in passing that notebooks in the 7000 series use 333 Mhz (PC2700) memory modules. This did seem to answer my question, so I replied asking for verification that that indeed was the case for my notebook - I wanted to make sure that I didn't order another SODIMM I was going to have to send back (and get hit with another restocking fee). I still wasn't comfortable with the fact that BB and Gateway were saying the memory was of one type but the expansion was of another.
The reply to this e-mail confirmed what I asked but when they mentioned my particular notebook, they got the details wrong - like saying it had 256MB internal RAM, not 512MB which was the case. This didn't fill me with confidence that we were talking about the same thing. It also didn't help that, while waiting for e-mail replies, I had spoken with a Gateway tech in a "livechat" and she told me that the 7330GZ would accept the faster, DDR2 RAM - though it would only work if I bought it from Gateway since only proprietary Gateway memory would work in their notebooks.
The response I then got from the e-mail support was "Sorry this issue is giving you trouble; please give us 48 hours to research this more fully. Don't contact us during this time as it will hamper our research." My (unwritten) response to this was "WTF?" All I wanted was some technical specifications for a particular model of computer that was currently being sold and this is going to take 48 hours?
After almost 72 hours and no reply I picked up the phone and called their support line. Finally, I was able to talk to someone that - regardless of whether they did or not - seemed to know what they were talking about and, more importantly, seemed to know what I was talking about. The tech (unfortunately, I don't recall her name) gave me the information I was looking for and I was able to order the RAM I wanted. The lesson - I should have done this in the first place! I also replied to the e-mail I had (since I'd given them the 48 hours they'd asked for), and the response was basically "Sorry, we don't have any information we can give you on that."
So...nice notebook but a nightmare for support. Of course, if I'd called first thing rather than pursue the other forms of support, I'd have no complaints...
(Side note: In case anyone's wondering, my messages to the support people were cordial and courteous, even when expressing frustration and dissatisfaction; I don't want people to think that my experience was my fault due to some sort of written yelling, screaming, and/or bitching. I'm fully aware that that's not a good tactic to use when dealing with people or companies).
24 Comments:
Just wanted to know the kind of memory and specs on this notebook, considering buying it and will need to upgrade mem.
It uses 333 Mhz (PC 2700) memory; you can add up to 1 GB more.
This is the SODIMM I bought for mine:
Memory
This is a lame comment cuz I know very little about computers...but I just bought the 7330GZ and was wondering if there is a considerable performances difference between going from 512 to 1.6 gb of memory on the basis of 1) games and 2) having mega-programs open at the same time. Is it worth buying the memory?
Thanks!
Dan
Dan -
Windows loves RAM, so it doesn't hurt to add as much as you can. 512 MB isn't bad, though, but if you're running a lot of programs or a few big programs...or a lot of big programs, I'd definitely recommend adding the RAM. I can't imagine dealing with large pictures in Paint Shop Pro (for example) with only half a gig.
Games will benefit too, but I wouldn't recommend the 7330GZ for gaming, at least for the newer stuff. The video is limited to 64 MB and it's not Radeon or nVidia, so it's 3-D capabilities aren't that hot. World of Warcraft works fine, though it works better on my desktop (128 MB video memory with a Radeon card, otherwise worse specs than the 7330GZ). It actually looks and runs much smoother on my work laptop, which is only 64MB RAM but is a Radeon...something. The 19" Dell LCD doesn't hurt, either ;)
However, WoW is the only game I've installed on this laptop so far, so other ones might be fine, but I have some doubts. At least for some of the newer FPS games (HL2, Doom 3). RTS or RPG might be OK.
MythosaAkira - Thanks for your response! It helped a lot!
Dan
Hello.
it's been a while since you bought this computer, how is it?
and how's the sound of this computer?
I bought a Toshiba computer last year
and it was a lemon, and there is no replacement policy, so all I can do is to keep on paying for it and dump the computer.I'm done with Toshiba. anyhow, I really need to buy a computer by now, and I'm thinking about getting the same one as yours or 8510gz.So please let me know what you think about your computer by now. Thank you.
"it's been a while since you bought this computer, how is it?"
So far, so good! I can't say much for Gateway's non-phone support, but otherwise I really like the computer. The widescreen is very useful and the screen itself is brighter and sharper than the Sony LCD I have for my desktop. I do wish it had better video (for games), but I knew that going into it - and which is why my old desktop is still my designated game box.
I have had some issues with the wireless networking, but I've run into that with another PC (also with 802.11g), so I suspect the culprit there may be my WAP/router, and not the laptop. I have it plugged directly into the router most of the time so this isn't a concern.
The only real gripe I have is that the "special keys" (extra keys above the function keys) aren't user-programmable. But five of the six work the way I'd want them to anyway (volume up, volume down, music player, email, web), so it's not a big deal.
Thanks so much!
I'm a phone technician for Gateway laptops and desktops. That's really not surprising that the non-phone support is ridiculous. Of course, it's been my experience that any issue with any company on any product will be resolved much faster if you can get in touch with a real person and not someone who sits in front of a computer and sends out automated, pre-written responses to the masses.
I'm glad the phone support worked out for you though. I don't know if you tried this or not.. but if you go to the gateway.com page and click Home & Home Office and then on the left side click "Memory Locator", you may have been able to get an answer there. Not a guarantee though.
Anyway, have a good one.
Thanks for the suggestion! I did try that (among everything else I could think of) but no dice. The memory locator told me that there were no memory upgrades for my notebook (though the same type of memory which I bought is available from Gateway). From what I gathered it seemed that the 7330GZ was (and apparently still is) "too new" to have information on it available (though there is general info on the 7000 series, but I still wanted to confirm that my notebook wasn't an exception).
Yeah, I should have called first rather than last; would have made a big difference. I'll definitely keep that in mind for the future!
Hey i contacted Gateway about the Video settings that the laptop is 64MB, but its really only 32MB. I went into the bios and tried to change but there is no option for it. I contacted Gateway and after 4 different numbers and about 30 mins later i get " Windows set the video ram from 32MB to 64MB when it needs it"! I go ok why doesnt it do it when i load a game that supports 64MB of video or more? Answers: Sir i don't know.
reply: What?
Answer: Can we contact you laterso that i might resource this issue for you.
Reply: What?
Anyway no answer and no help! If anyone knows how to do this please post.
I believe the video is 32 MB native and 32 MB "shared" (meaning that 33-64 MB is taken from your standard RAM). You're correct in that there isn't an option to set it in the BIOS (not sure why).
I would assume Windows would use the extra 32 MB if it needed to; looking at the "View Report" window on the "Information" tab (Display Properties), it shows me:
Min. Graphics Memory: 31 MB
Max. Graphics Memory: 64 MB
Graphics Memory in use: 38 MB
If it's not using 64 MB when a game calls for it, I couldn't tell you why that is.
I purchased a 7330gz approx 4 months ago, and in the last 2 weeks I am experiencing heat related issues. After about a half hour of using the notebook, it will jump from 99 to 175 degrees F. and shutdown. Gateway has been no help with this whatsoever. Interestingly enough, a friend of mine purchased his a month after me, same specs, same model number, but mine is a 3.06, and his is a 3.20...no issues with heat on his.
Changing to power save features in bios, it runs a steady 127F...too hot....chiller pad only lowers the temp about 5 degrees....
Sorry to hear about the heating problems! Not sure what to tell you; I haven't had anything like that happen to me, though I've had some funky stuff going on with the system clock from time to time. Seems like it may be related to World of Warcraft but I haven't confirmed that yet.
I'm a little surprised your friend's notebook runs at 3.20 Ghz; the 7330GZ is supposed to be 3.06 from what I've read (and seen).
I am having a problem with my 7330GZ. It overheats & shuts down. Now my screen keeps flickering. Anyone else have this problem?
I have had my 7330 gz for a bit over a year now.The machine is really fast but so far the wireless card stopped working and the laptop screen flickers like crazy. The battery lasts less than one hour. The laptop is also a bit big to transport and has terrible graphics for games.
My wireless card is still working fine, though I'm usually connected to the router with a cable. Haven't run into any screen flickering - not sure why you'd have that.
It's definitely not a gaming machine. Warcraft worked fine, but few other games work. I tried installing C&C: Generals on it and it barely ran (though that's probably Generals' fault just as much as the laptop's; Generals has a lot of performance issues).
I have one 7330 since 1 1/2 years, the screen flickers, battery does not last more than 1 hour and I have not been able to upgrade the RAM...Don't get a Gateway!!!!
Sorry to hear about your troubles!
For the record, I've since put together a new desktop and given my 7330 to my wife to use, though I still take it on the train as well as using it for some other things. So far, I haven't had any problems. I haven't tried seeing how long the battery can last, though I know I've gotten more than 1 hour of it. I do use it with the screen brightness turned up so I probably drain the battery more quickly than necessary.
I'm curious as to how the overall performance of this model has been. Most of the comments here are from people with negative experiences, but I would imagine that's more due to the fact that if you're having a problem you're more likely to look for help and comment on it. For instance, I haven't had any issues with the components in the new computer I put together, so I haven't had a reason to go on-line and look for solutions to anything. Hard to say.
I've had two Gateways so far, and overall I've been pleased. But I can easily see how a bad experience with one would sour me on the brand.
Hi, I thought I'd contribute a few facts for those that need them.
The WiFi in the 7330GZ is (like everything in it) not made by Gateway. Therefore you don't need Gateway drivers. Any will do. It is made by Broadcom (I forget the model number). Anyway, since Gateway's driver updates are completely non-existant for the 7330GZ (Worthless, Lazy, incompetent...) I downloaded mine from ACER of all people, and they were AWESOME! The WiFi drivers that ship from Gateway with the laptop aren't even made for XP. but the Acer drivers were, and everything from the installer onward was really first rate. So if you need any drivers, don't waste time looking on Gateway's site, or trash your system with their worthless download assistant (which downloads and installs the wrong drivers)... Go pretty much anywhere else. You'll find what you need by searching google with the manufacturer's model number excluding any Gateway info. There have been MANY driver updates since the laptop came out and not one has ever been posted on Gateway's site by the nose-pickers in charge.
Moving on, the laptop is indeed a hyperthreaded 3.2ghz, and unfortunately everything said about the graphics adapter is correct, and ergo it sucks for ANY 3-D app as a result. It is an Intel unit that uses the system RAM and therefore isn't even good for a nice 3DFX screensaver much less a FPS game. But otherwise it's a real nice system, almost perfect. No complaints whatsoever with compatibility or performance, and I've run every app and OS you can think of. But just to make it easier nowadays I run a Cisco WiFi A-B-G PCMCIA card now. Linux-Unix installations all have those drivers...
I DO HAVE one major complaint with a BIOS bug however... I put in a hard drive password within the CMOS setup that contained backslashes. It took the password in that interface with no problem, but after rebooting (SOOO FREAKING LAME) It Won't accept the password from the POST prompt because THERE it only accepts A-Z and 0-9 characters... I can't even describe the contempt I feel for the Intel programmers that provided me with that pain in my butt. So until I can figure out how to work-around it I can't boot any hard drive in the machine at all.
Hi
Ive had my 7330gz 4 about 1-2 years now. i have not had any major issues until recently where my backlight shuts off randomly, i had to call gateway last year to get REAL recovery cds(the 1 i burned made my computer worse) and im have that bios issue as well. if ANYONE has a souloution to the bios bug email me at mikerulez121@yahoo.com and thanks about the memory advice. i was planning on upgrading.
I was having heat issues with my 7330GZ. It would shut down after a few seconds when I enabled SpeedStep* in the BIOS. After blasting it out with canned air, it works fine. Tip: Download Notebook Hardware Control (commercial with a free version). It gives you CPU and HDD temps and clock speed.
*I sent it in for service because the MoBo died. The assholes disabled SpeedStep in the BIOS and didn't tell me. I only found out a year later.
well the hard drive issues with the password is easy fix remove the bois battery on the mother board it resets the bios to the day it was manufactured and maybe that will fix most issues listed here
in order to reset the bios just remove the battery that is on the morther board it looks like a watch battery that will reset the battery to day 1
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