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Is my Gateway 2000 an E-3000 or G6-300? Victim of a faceplate swap?

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First post, by Brachabre

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Hi guys, time to come out of the woodwork. I have way too many builds now to remain lurking.

I picked up this Gateway 2000 from The Bay about a year ago. I gotta admit I didn't do enough research thanks to one of those eBay 15-20% off your entire cart coupon. The model# sticker on the back of the chassis has me second guessing whether this build is 100% original as received as I can't find any record of E-3000 = G6-300.
Every non-tower G6-300 I see on google images and The Bay have a Pentium II 300 which makes me wonder whether I bought a bastard...

E-3000 Build (as received):
- Intel 439TX Mobo
- Intel Pentium MMX 166 CPU
- 1x32MB memory
- ATI Rage II+DVD 2MB (integrated AGP)
- Creative SB16 (CT2940) sound card
- some ISA 10Mbps network card

The PC had a Quantum Fireball ST1.6A hard drive installed based on one of the item pics showing the POST, though the eBay listing excluded the HDD from being included 😒. The original Toshiba XM-5702B CD-ROM drive that came with it has a permanent self-ejecting problem I haven't figured out how to fix.

E-3000 Pics (as received):

s-l1600.jpg
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s-l1600.jpg
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173.56 KiB
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1136 views
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Note: E-3000 faceplate badge, Intel MMX case badge
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Fair use/fair dealing exception
s-l1600_9.jpg
Filename
s-l1600_9.jpg
File size
205.23 KiB
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1136 views
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Note: Model # G6-300, Build date of 10/20/97
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

EDIT: I think I have a clue. Found a sticker on the motherboard with matching serial# and build date so I guess that means case closed?

IMG_20190313_22044008612.jpg
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IMG_20190313_22044008612.jpg
File size
1.72 MiB
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1029 views
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Fair use/fair dealing exception

EDIT2: Added guts pic.

Current Config (* = unoriginal, installed myself):
Intel 439 TX
Pentium MMX 166 @ 166MHz
32MB SDRAM
*3.5" 15GB WD Caviar HDD (build date: 2000)
*Lite-On LTR-16102B CD-RW
3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive
ATI Mach II+DVD 2MB AGP (integrated)
*Fastware S3 ViRGE/DX 4MB PCI
*SB16 CT1740 (dsp v4.11) ISA 220, 300
*Lo-Tech MIF IPC-B (MPU-401 adapter) ISA 330

I removed the internal PC speaker jumper and plugged in a 2-pin SPDIF cable which connects to the SB16's PC_SPK header which I'm not entirely sure I have the correct pins connected but I do hear PC speaker audio through the SB16 so I know it at least works just not sure if it's properly grounded or sending 5V.

IMG_20190315_1731527292.jpg
Filename
IMG_20190315_1731527292.jpg
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1.93 MiB
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1029 views
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Note: Current Config
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Fair use/fair dealing exception

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  • intel_socket_7_atx_motherboard.jpg
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    intel_socket_7_atx_motherboard.jpg
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    1.16 MiB
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    1136 views
    File comment
    Note: Not mine, but same model (source: http://www.amoretro.de/
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by Brachabre on 2019-03-16, 00:58. Edited 9 times in total.

Reply 1 of 7, by yawetaG

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It could be that someone carefully lifted the stickers and put them on an older motherboard.

It's curious that the stickers on the motherboard are unequally yellowed.
What's also weird is that the motherboard has a 1997 datecode, but there's some peripheral that's partially visible at the right in the last picture that has a 1995 datecode (which obviously can't be possible).

Do you have pictures of the interior?

Reply 3 of 7, by yawetaG

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Possible. The other option is that it was made for a specific country outside the USA, where what's on the label doesn't precisely match what is generally known as that model on the Gateway USA site.

Reply 5 of 7, by yawetaG

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Okay, so the 1995 datecode is on the ISA card you added yourself.

Gateway did a lot of employee PC purchase schemes for companies, with somewhat custom builds. Their objective was to provide employees with home PCs that they'd use for professional work at home. I'm not sure whether they also sold business machines, but this could very well be one, for cubicle-dwelling employees who didn't use much else than MS Office.

Reply 6 of 7, by Brachabre

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yawetaG wrote:

Okay, so the 1995 datecode is on the ISA card you added yourself.

Gateway did a lot of employee PC purchase schemes for companies, with somewhat custom builds. Their objective was to provide employees with home PCs that they'd use for professional work at home. I'm not sure whether they also sold business machines, but this could very well be one, for cubicle-dwelling employees who didn't use much else than MS Office.

Yeah, that 1995 sticker you see in the pic is on the Sound Blaster 16 ISA which I added myself.

Reply 7 of 7, by Dusko

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I just got one, E-3000 but it comes with an integrated ATI 3D Rage II +DVD, does anyone has the drivers for this motherboard?, I managed to get the drivers online for the ATI 3D II, but I need drivers for the rest of the mobo, it seems to be a Packard Bell: PB 673788-001, I can't find any info about it, anyone?

https://www.youtube.com/@myoldpc9458

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