ATI WinFlash Woes :(

So the other night and this morning I had been messing around with tweaking my vbios settings using RBE then flashing with ATI WinFlash...well about half an hour ago I wanted to make one more small tweak (and it would have been perfect) but part way though the whole laptop locked up and I couldnt do anything. No moving of the mouse, no task manager, nothing. So I held the power button down to turn it off (and started praying -___-). Well just like my last mishap with fancystart, the keyboard lights and the lights under the screen would come on, the hdd would spin up for a moment, then nothing, and nothing on the screen either, during that whole time.

I proceeded to try a few different things, such as removing the battery and only going it on ac power...removing the hdd, a ram stick, booting into the bios (cant since the screen never turns on) nada.

Sounds like I have a bricked gpu now!? Please you guys tell me theres a saving grace? A silver lining? outside of RMAing it AGAIN...and on my 100th post too -________-

 

I have a few flash guides about, its my highest recommendation that you never flash in windows with winflash and instead use the dos based atiflash.

I know its too late for you now but its a good warning for others that may catch word of your misfortune.

As far as fixing the bad bios on the card there is no way unless you manage to blind flash with atiflash. This is not easy to do and I am not sure if the G73 even goes past post if there is no gpu detected.

 

...I guess I was foolish to believe the opposition to flashing inside of windows was only for a system based BIOS, not vBIOS

I had thought someone else knew how to blindflash...meaning its possible, idr who that person was though

 

Edit I just realize you would have to access the BIOS to boot from a USB now....really bad situation

 

Do you guys think one of the authorized service centers could fix it for me if I make the trek out to one? And does the fix itself mean a new gpu??? as mine was always good temp and OC wise :/

 

I bricked my g73 that way... it not only bricked the gpu but the whole motherboard since I couldn't even boot to usb for a blind flash since the usb ports were not powered despite the computer being on and the fans spinning. I am never touching the vbios on my replaced laptop ever again...

 

@CrappyAlloy: I hope you tested the clock settings you were experimenting with the AMD Tool first before flashing them to the vBIOS?

 

Im sorry to hear you bricked your GPU, but you were warned (in bold red/orange letters) about using windows flashing software...
I dont know if it will work, since as it was said, some laptops dont even boot without a working GPU, but you can try blind flashing from DOS.
Make a bootable USB stick and extract files from HERE onto it. Put in the USB key and turn off the laptop. Turn on the laptop and keep pressing ESC. After around 15 seconds, press down arrow two times (correct me if im wrong here, i think its 2 times) and press enter. Wait another 15 seconds and type atiflash -p 0 Beta.rom and press enter. Wait 30 seconds and turn off the laptop. Wait 10 seconds and turn it back on to see if it flashed the vBios or not.
Thats pretty much all you can try doing other than RMA.

 

better off making a bat file with the command and naming it autoexec.bat

this way you won't have to type anything. If you put the beep command in the bat, you'll get a audio cue that it went off

 

Yes I did, I had even flashed the vbios successfully using ati winflash almost half a dozen times, but on my last attempt it decided to lock up on me, and thats when this happened.

Ill try that soon, thanks Hellcry

Edit: Tried it three times, didnt work (( so does anyone think one of the service centers can fix this, or does it have to be RMAed?

 

I used an authorized service center in GA for my G72 repair. They ordered the parts once it was determined the unit was defective. The only issue is how long ASUS takes to send them the parts. After 2 weeks I gave up and had them re-paste (mine was overheating) and return it to me. They said they never send them back. Even so, it came back with a few new scratches.

Cheers,

 

Ah, and I was hoping for an overnight kind of thing. Might as well RMA then since im right next to the fremont center, took them only a day to get my laptop fixed last time, and a week total for transit. One last thing...and I may be foolish for thinking/asking this, but I was planning on sending my laptop back to Xotic for a repaste, do you think if I included the paste with my laptop on its way back to asus (and request in the letter you have to write) they would repaste the gpu while they are at it? Id like to kill two birds with one stone if you know what I mean.

 

Very possible. I found the service at Fremont to be excellent. I would think if you taped a tube of ICD7 to your laptop along with a $10 they would have no problem with it.

 

Hey guys, not trying to revive a long since dead thread but as I only just got my laptop back today I thought id post a little update.

Anyways, Asus figured it was a fan and lcd problem...not a gpu one. When I sent in my laptop this time I took out my HDDs and included a syringe of ICD7. Got the laptop back today, inserted my HDDs, and if fired up like nothing ever happened, I was pleased...then I ran furmark for 10 minutes and am happy to report that my max temp was only 94C, as opposed to my old temp of 99...not sure if this is due to them repasting with there own stuff, or using my ICD7 (since they didnt return the syringe nor say they actually used the stuff), either way im a happy camper now...glad to be back to the forum

 

They used their own stuff apparently, and kept your paste. Please read my repaste link below.

I am glad you got everything working again.

 

everybody is bashing windows flashing software here for no reason

or used his paste but pasted poorly,
please don't be Chastity <3

 

CrappyAlloy, glad to hear your machine is back. I hope you remain problem free.
Rorage, Agreed, maybe everyone is not aware that an update for this app is available on the ASUS support download site (Version V2.30.3)

But it is no wonder people get confused (no offense meant to anyone here) when you look at the instructions there for BIOS 209 and this is stated:
BIOS 209 Please use EZflash or Winflash V2.30.1 to flash this BIOS. You can get Winflash V2.30.1 from below link: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.-Support-

(At least it should state V2.30.1 or above IMO)

ASUS support site should have links to this forum and all of the laptop saving information available here.