Vista Optimization for speed (for 512MB RAM), from pg 54:
Here are some tips:
- remove/uninstall everything that is not part of Vista
- update all drivers and remove all autostart helper programs/services e.g. ixfgers, synaptics stuff etc.
- turn off system restore/windows defender/windows search/disk indexing
- turn off all non-essential services(at least one-third of the services that has default automatic startup can be turned off)
- turn off automatic update and the three associated services(re-enable them and update manually)
- no bitmap wallpaper
- no sidebar
- there should only be 3 tray icons - clock, wireless network, and battery
- fixed size page file
- turn off hibernation
- no Azureus for bittorent - use something else
- install KLmegacodec pack and only use windows media classic for video playback; set playback output to VMR9(renderless). Windows Media Player 11 is a POS for video playback and does not even include basic features such as frame resizing, audio track selection etc.
you may disregard all the tips above except for the last one if you have 1024MB memory
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Windows XP Drivers - from pg 57:
Here is the direct dload link for SATA drivers for ML6230 for Win XP:
ftp://ftp.gateway.com/pub/hardware_support/drivers/win_vista/harddrive/D20035-001-001.exe
Info page:
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=20974&uid=176757554
When Windows XP CD is inserted for installation, it will not detect the hard drive unless the SATA drivers for XP are installed first. Either it can be installed by floppy or you can use NLite (http://www.nliteos.com/) to slipstream an XP installation with the Text Mode drivers for the SATA install onto a new CD.
Detailed step-by-step procedure in DrGizmore's post here (3rd from top):
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-12546_102-0.html?forumID=133&threadID=259200&messageID=2575910
from pg 54:
XP Drivers :-)
(compiled by Tmac79 over at SD)
Here is the graphics driver
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LET'S START UPDATING THE QUICKSUMMARY POST WITH THE STATE/PRICE
Most major newspapers have the Sunday edition ALREADY out; stop by your local supermarket and take a peek at the Best Buy insert, then report back here.
Official Ads are coming in... Prices are:
NYC $299
PA $349
MI $349
OR $349
OH $349
NC $349
SLC, UT $349
Western/Northen NY $349.99
Miami, FL $349.99 
So. Cal (Orange County) $299
So. Cal (La County) $299
So. Cal (Riverside County) $299
So. Cal (San Diego County) $349
So. Cal (Woodland Hills) $299
Reno, NV $349
Arlington, TX $349
Austin, TX $349 (but PM to $299 was easy [print out PDF of online AD])
Houston, TX $349
Dallas,TX $349
McAllen/Brownsville, TX $349
MN $349.99 
Whole Bay Area, CA $349
St. Louis, MO $349
DFW $349
Omaha $349
Phoenix, AZ $349.99
Sac Town(Sacramento), CA, $349.99
WA $349.99
GA $349.99 (Atlanta, Savannah)
Baltimore Area $299
Northern NJ $299
Washington DC $299
Northern VA $299
Richmond VA $349
Boston Area/Southern NH $299
Central NJ -$299
Chicago Area, IL - $299
Most of IL except Chicago Area - $349
Nashville Tn 349
Lexington KY $349
Indiana - $349
Connecticut - $349
Washington State - $349 (Silverdale store)
Las Vegas (SW Store) - $349
Buffalo, NY - $349
Kansas City, MO - $349
Tulsa, OK - $349
Oklahoma City metro, OK - $349 Almost every promotion
Update with your state if you have the ad and it is not listed
Optical drive 24X/10X/24X CD-RW/8X DVD combo drive according to Gateway
..
...
Gateway's ML6230 Support Page
...
****The above is all great info if you are computer savy....to SOME of us it means nothing. Does it Play and Burn CD and DVD??
Gateway tech support(800-846-2301) says it burns and plays DVD and CD
There's a line out the door with over a hundred people at the BB here in NY.
