Gateway 9100 laptop - doesn't boot

[anibal2100]

HI.. I bought this laptop without OS. I tried to install W98, and XP but both OS , after the first reboot during the installation process, sent a error message (about an incorrect VxD call in W98 and a device or device driver problem in XP).. I tried a lot of things (replace memory for OK tested ones, disable all onboard peripherals from BIOS etc..) at last I decided to low level format the HDD (got the utility from the manufacturer or the IBM HDD) It worked perfect BUT.. after restarting .. I got a dead computer.. no fan or HDD sound, black screen, only the keyboard CD light (not the CD light) stays on (was off before this problem) an after that I see the fast scaning of the regular three lights of the keyboard.... and nothing else.
Of course I took out the HDD (or the CD module) trying to boot from floppy but there is no activity at all...
Any opinion is VERY WELCOME!!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!
Anibal

[Stressedtech]

Kinda sounds to me like a BIOS problem.

[anibal2100]

Thank you for your help..! .. yes may be a BIOS prob BUT before the formatting it was doing well... anyway do you know how can I flash the BIOS if I cant boot the pc??...

I read in this forum another case similar and someone suggest that it was a controller problem.. and keeping pressed Fn+B+Q before power it will reset that controller... it was an HP laptop...
dont know if that keys combination exist for this Gateway...
do you know something about it?

Thank you!
Anibal

[jerryszyka]

Just an note of support. My laptop is dead too after reformatting the HD. Sorry that's happening to you.

Sincerely,

Jerry Szyka

[anibal2100]

Hi Jerry !...thanks for your note al least I know Im not the only one with this problem!...

Well, if someone knows how to flash a bios in a almost dead laptop please let me know asap!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
Anibal