M505X 802.11a/b/g Mini-PCI upgrade: Possible, but wireless key is nonfunctional. - Page 2

Do you just burn the files into the CD or do u have to create a Boot CD? In the Nero program there is a program that say "bootable cd disk". Do I burn it like a regular file or do I burn it as "bootable cd disk" Can I use CDRW disk?

Just open the iso with Nero and burn away. By default Nero won't see .iso files so just change the 'files of type' dropdown to All Files or Image Files. Not sure if the instructions cover this but you may also need to set the first boot device to the cdrom within the BIOS.

While you guys are on the subject of BIOS, has anyone tried flashing with a gigabyte BIOS? You think it would work?

I also tried the cd method with the bios but it didnt work for me either, so can someone explain step by step please?

Hi! I have a question about upgrading the M505x/xl to Intel 2200bg. Are these the correct steps to upgrade? http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/...54faq112.shtml

If so, why does the card looks so different from other mini pci like the INTEL
PRO Wireless 2200 802.11b/g Mini PCI Card from DELL? Here is the link http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...&page=external

Will this card work?

That is NOT the way to replace the MiniPCI card for the wireless networking. There is a card under the keyboard, about around the center, that contains the wireless card. I have seen this from a picture post that someone before me put up. That post is still online, but the picture is off (but it is saved on my PC's, so if you want it, ask). You have to take your laptop apart and then drop in the new wireless card.

WARNING: Please dont drop electronics. That is a figure of speech.

That link you have is to replace the modem itself (56k V.90) and not the wireless card (I think).

Also, the link you have to Dell, if that is the card I need to get 802.11g, I wanna buy that card right now. I thought it would cost way more.

wow, that is too complicated for me and I would never want to open up my notebook. Also, I wouldn't know how and I might get a heart attack from attempting to do so . Thanks for telling me Cool1Net6. I guess I would just buy a PC Card. Thanks again

A PC card is MUCH safer than opening your $1000+ computer. Im a little apprehensive about opening mine too, in that I might forget how to put it back together. But I feel that as long as I do everything I am supposed to and document everything, I will be fine.

Hello,

I have the exact same problem. I did the exact same thing, but when i take the bios battery off, by pulling the white plug from the motherboard, and turn the power back on, I do get an error saying that the time is not correct and the bios loads all defaults back, but I still have the new version of the BIOS. Anyways i can getthe older one?

Also, any prograsse with the Atheros cards? I have the exact same one, the 5212... I'll try some tweaking. I was able to connect to the Internet with it today, but the signal is very very very weak....

Hope some of you guys can help...

Matthieu

Ohh, how this topic has calmed my nerves.

I just shelled out $75 on exactly what's mentioned here - the Atheros (Gigabyte version) A/B/G card. My m505 didn't have any wireless antennas at all, so I bought some off eBay to use with the Intel card. The Intel card and drivers are so halfassed, I couldn't even get it to connect to an AP right in front of me! But with the m505 under Ubuntu Linux, it worked like a charm (not that I could get anything productive done under Linux, which is why I'm back on Windows now).

So I slapped the new card in (disclaimer: slapping is not a good way to install hardware, LOL @ Cool1Net6), installed the software, BAM, was presented with a busted login screen. All fighting aside, I got it to connect to the network and all was well in the world.

Enter the A/V Manager and Launch Manager. THANKS, GATEWAY! I hate Gateway so freakin' much right now. I install Launch Manager and reboot. Hardware disabled. Wait, what? I didn't disable anything... it's enabled, see? It's working! Aaargghhhh!!! I uninstall Launch manager and A/V manager, reboot, still dead. Shut down the computer (maybe it stored it in the card's temp RAM?), reboot, still dead. Install Launch Manager, play around with some EXEs (which do nothing but kill my buttons), still NOTHING. Dead, dead, dead, dead. Tearing my hair out, I reformat (once again - I just reformatted anyway so it wasn't that bad), reinstall, reformat again (screwed up the installation by removing the CD during Setup), and reinstall again.

Hardware disabled.


So... now I know what I must do. Reset my @$%$#ing BIOS because some crackheaded program decided to automatically cripple my wireless adapter?

I hereby swear to never refer a single person to buy a Gateway system ever again. Added to my shitlist of Toshiba, Dell, and now... welcome, Gateway.

Thanks, everyone, for this thread, and thanks to Google for actually being useful for once! At least now I'm not going to try returning this card because Gateway's software smoked it. >.<

if you find a way to reset your bios, let me know. I tried taking the battery out, it did not work. It asked me for time and date, but the same bios was still in...

and also, how have you been able to use your atheros card? could you explain me exactly what you did? I cant get it to work in windows... EXTREMELY weak signals....

Aha!! IT WORKS! I'm using it now!

Here's what I did THIS time.

1) CLEAN INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS. Used nLite to strip unnecessary "features" prior to installation. Left Windows' Wireless Zero Configuration service, as I'm sure several nonstandard drivers rely on it.

2) Installed the drivers for ALL the system components - but NOT the craplet software. This includes the Intel chipset software from Intel.com (NOT gateway), for the i855PM chipset, the ATI driver from Gateway, the modem driver from Gateway, and the sound driver from Gateway.

3) Installed the driver from gigabyte-usa.com (good luck navigating the site!).

4) Was left with the Hardware Disabled message, read through this thread, and tried using a CMOS-clearing utility. This wiped the BIOS but the wireless is still disabled. I don't know how the hell they pulled that off - apparently another onboard chip contains the wireless on/off state that's being backed by the battery. The CMOS-clearing may just be a result of clearing this other chip.

5) Took the whole damn thing apart, pulled the battery plug off. Remembered shortly after that I should remove the main battery as well. Started toying around with parts a bit, pulled out the wireless card, plugged it back in, took off the CPU cooler (I'm bored here!), tried to see if I could pull out the CPU just for curiosity's sake, failed, reassembled the cooler, started putting the plate back on, realized the battery was unplugged, plugged the CMOS battery back in, put the system back together, plugged the main battery back in.

6) Started up on battery power (like many of these steps, probably not necessary but I'm going over EVERYTHING I did), entered BIOS setup and reset the date and time to the right settings. Also changed some other settings to my preference (screen stretch disabled, boot order HDD first, diagnostic screen enabled, etc), and let Windows boot. Logged in and voila, no more "no"-sign covering the icon!

And, it now works. I will never let wbutton.exe touch my computer. Ever. Ever, ever.

As for your direct problem, it's probably just an antenna problem. :-)

Hope this helps at least someone!

edit: If it asked for the time and date, it was reset. A BIOS update can never be reverted, as it's stored in flash. Don't expect your old BIOS version date to come back after resetting. All the settings will be restored to default though (notably, you'll get the big Gateway screen instead of the text display if you had it set like that). Also, I left mine unplugged for about 6 minutes.

what utility did you use to reset the bios? what version of the bios do you now have? i am still stuck with the 49.01.01... Thanks for your help !

The BIOS reset didn't work. It reset my CMOS but didn't have an effect on the wireless state. If your card isn't actually stuck in "hardware disabled" mode, then the BIOS hack isn't what you need, it's a software conflict (your installation of Windows b0rked, perhaps?), or an antenna problem.

My BIOS is 49.01.01 as well.

For the BIOS clearing, though it probably won't work in your situation, I used BIOS.EXE under DOS. You're going to have a fun time using that program without the accompanying boot CD, though, which I can't upload since it's well, slightly less than legal. =)

hmmm could i try that program of yours to see if i can flash my bios back to the 48.x.x ?

I'll try your tips and see if I can get the atheros 5212 to finally work...

No! Once again (and hopefully the last time), erasing CMOS data DOES NOT RESTORE THE OLD VERSION. That old version was forever lost with the upgrade when you flashed it. It's not a "patch" like updating Windows, it's a flat-out wipe-and-rewrite with a full new version...

Plus, going back to an old version won't solve anything.

How old is your Windows install? And above all, are you sure you installed the antennas on your card right? It might just be time to give up and hand the computer over to a more experienced nerd, if after all else fails, you still can't get the thing working =P

ok thanks I'll try that tonight!!! Thanks a lot for your answers !

Give me a break gateway never told u to update or claimed that the card your using is supported... when i had my m505x i upgraded to the wireless b/g card with no issues... sounds like user error to me.

i dont get your post, sorry... I dont think i ever said anything about gateway tellingme the atheros 5212 was not supported... plus the person who started this thread had the exact same problem, so i dont see why it would be a user's error... am i missing something?