Drivers
MX8710 is similar
The MX8710 is the MX8711 with XP, a slower processor and a smaller HDD. All other hardware looks similar.
Nuts and bolts
File names for MX8711 XP drivers. Type them into Google. Two audio drivers listed. Don’t remember which one worked. USB controller should be supported by xp sp2. Everything else is here. Used nlite to inject SATA drivers in xp install cd. Worked great. Thanks for the tips. Good luck to the rest of you.
Sites used: Gateway, Intel, HP, nVidia, Broadcom. Wireless is bcm94311mcg. Chipset is 945gm. Video is Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950. Audio is SigmaTel 9250.
BCM_REL_4_100_15_5_WHQL Broadcom wireless
D00664-001-001 Audio
5.10.5258_MSXP_W_IAS_AC97 FP AUDIO --Or-- D00737-001-001 (from Gateway website) for SigmaTel Audio Drivers
D00243-001-002 TOUCHPAD
D00612-001-002 VIDEO
D20003-003-001 MEDIA CARD READER
D20035-001-001 SATA MASS STORAGE DRIVER
infinst_autol-intel943 gmlexpress_systemchipsetdriver
PRO2KXP network adapter drivers
Windows_SM56_6.12.07_DFV modem driver
The trick is to install the modem driver before the audio driver.
I just wanted to let you all know how awesome this information has been for me. I have a Gateway MX8711 that I just purchased about 6 months ago. I love the computer, but noticed how slow my applications ran, including simply file copying compared to my husbands 2 year old laptop. I decided to investigate changing the OS to XP from Vista.
I read every one of these posts several times, to make sure I understood what was being done. I did check some other blogs, but this one was the most informative. I have to tell you that I was amazed how well the conversion worked.
The information I used was from Jeremy, but with a slight change. The audio drivers listed did not work for me. I found the audio driver listed below mentioned on a different blog and it worked like a charm. I also used these other drivers recommended by Jeremy:
D00737-001-001 (from Gateway website) for SigmaTel Audio Drivers
BCM_REL_4_100_15_5_WHQL Broadcom wireless
D00243-001-002 TOUCHPAD
D00612-001-002 VIDEO
D20003-003-001 MEDIA CARD READER
D20035-001-001 SATA MASS STORAGE DRIVER
infinst_autol-intel943 gmlexpress_systemchipsetdriver
PRO2KXP network adapter drivers
Windows_SM56_6.12.07_DFV modem driver
I used nlite and created an install fo XP and slipstreamed in the SATA drivers, the video drivers, and the wireless drivers. The remaining drivers I installed manually after installing XP. The modem was a little tricky, but it finally installed (not sure I’ll ever use it, but wanted to get this done right). Also, when I burned the CD, I added a directory with all of these drivers listed above. That way if I ever have to do this again, the CD that I burned has everything I need and I won’t have to research all this again searching for the drivers.
I cannot believe the difference in speed of my computer now. It is just amazing. I am so glad that I made the switch. I do not have any personal issues with Vista, but I feel my MX8711 laptop is a better candidate to run XP not Vista. Larger machines with more power would have no problem with Vista, but it basically bogged down my MX8711. The clear sign of this is when I run a game called World of Warcraft. When I ran this game under Vista on my MX8711, I would lag quite a bit. But now with XP, I have had no lagging issues at all. That confirmed to me that Vista is just too much of a resource hog for a smaller machine. Too bad the maufacturers don’t give us a choice, but than goodness for people like all of you who don’t give up or give in to them :)
Thank you all again for all the wonderful input and I hope my two cents here will save someone else the headache of changing operating systems.