Computer help needed

[CarreraDan]

Guys,
I know we have some very good computer people here and I have a problem. My Gateway notebook (problem #1) is telling me it has a conflict with the PCI bus on the motherboard. When this happens I lose all my USB ports, modem, wireless card, SD card, etc. I called Gateway since the computer is two months out of warranty and was told "sounds like you have a major problem going on, it would probably be cheaper to replace the computer with a new one verses repairing that one--let me connect you to our sales dept" oh and the call lasted 25 minutes at $3.00 per minute. I thought I had the problem isolated to the wireless card and I removed it and all has been well until now. Now the same PCI bus error is popping back up.

Now I am randomly experiencing the computer shutting down with no warning and then getting a windows has recovered from a fatal error. So does anyone have any ideas? No viruses found or spyware detected, I really don't want to have to get the old tower back out. I did take it to a computer repair place and they don't work on Gateway's--wanted me to get an Apple instead. I would prefer to fix what I have if it is possible since I invested over $2800 14 months ago--this was the top of the line notebook they had and I went all out with it so it wouldn't be junk in 2-3 years--stupid me, guess the g/f was right I should have gotten a Dell.

[CarreraDan]

Well, now I am only getting a MBR error at startup and a black screen--I think it might be done for. Good thing Gateway closed all their retail stores or this one might have gone through the front window. I am open to suggestions on what to try next.

[slodave]

I hate to say it, but it sounds like the MB may be bad. While software can cause conflicts, If it happened out of the blue and you have not installed any software/hardware, it's a MB or daughter card (modem, video card). Memory can also go bad. Try downloading this program and see if memeory comes up bad.

http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

Dave

[CarreraDan]

Dave,
I am thinking the MB died too, now I cannot even get windows to load. I am getting PCI errors on start up and then a blue screen with some error message on it then the computer turns off--I cannot read the blue screen b/c it shuts off too fast. I have tried pulling the battery for a few minutes and trying again but no luck now. Damn, this pisses me off that it is only two freaking months out of warranty--great product Gateway.

[Neilk]

Did you buy your laptop with a Citibank card? They offer an automatic extended warranty, although they don't really advertise it. I got a new iPod through them.

Try getting one of those Linux boot disks and see if the computer will boot up.

[stomachmonkey]

Check fleabay for "parts". I have bought and sold "non user serviceable parts" with good results in the past.

[Joeaksa]

Yahoo has a very good Laptop repair group. Its free and the guys posting the answers are Laptop tech's.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Laptop_Repair/?yguid=8713648