Asus G73JH Keyboard Light Failure After BIOS Flash 209

UPDATE 08/27/10: The Keyboard light problem is now offically fixed! We can all thank Gary for the help and solution! I have quoted Gary's message below. You can find this post on page 34, post #335. Like always flash with precaution as it can lead to bricking your laptop. Thank you all that helped with this problem

NOTE: Do not use winflash to update your BIOS! You may also want to wait until the problems with updating the BIOS is clear. Until then do so at your own risk!

UPDATE: Please PM "ASUS Customer Care" with the information he needs (on page 6, post #60) so that he/she can look into it. Thanks!

Long story short, after flashing my Asus G73JH from BIOS 206 to 209, my keyboard light died. I didn't have a problem flashing from 205 to 206, but for some reason 209 killed my keyboard lights .

This thread is created so that for people who have flashed their BIOS and lost their keyboard lights could voice their problems to Asus. I just got off the phone with Asus customer service (really nice by the way ). They don't have any solutions for it other than to RMA it (not a good idea if it's just keyboard light like mine). But by calling they do keep a record of the problem. And at the end of the week any problem that is voiced enough without a solution is escalated and discused by the service team, which is passed on to those that could solve it. So people with a problem CALL THEM ! Thats the only way that we will get a fix or some kind of an answer on why this is happening to some of us.

The number for the Asus Customer Service Center in the USA, which is 24/7 is (located on the bottom of your notebook incase other country):

1-888-678-3688 [USA + Canada]

Lets jump on this people! Those outside of the country let me know what the number is and I'll add in . Hope for the best!

EDIT: Could everyone that has flashed their G73JH to 209 tell us when and where your computers have been manufactured (on the bottom of the notebook for date and under the battery holder for place)? Mine is:

2010-02 Taiwan

This might help us find out if we have a faulty motherboard going around.

 

Lost my keyboard lights after flashing from 206 to 209. I called Asus support and they referred me to Best Buy where i bought the computer. The computer is now in the hands of Best Buy and on the way to their service center with an estimated return date of June 23. I have my fingers crossed that the Geeks can fix it, although they did manage to scratch the top of the computer when they flipped it over to verify the serial number. I was told that it either will be returned with the keyboard lights working and a new top or I would be getting a new one.

 

i did lost it when upgrade from 206 to 209 using winflash...
using asus official BIOS... T_T

 

i think poll choices should include if EZ FLASH was used or WINFLASH

 

Si3, which method did you use? Easy flash? Win flash?

If its the former, was it from a thumb drive, or was the bios in the hdd?

 

I used win flash for upgrading to 206 from 205. I experienced zero problems. But when I did it again using win flash for 209, I lost my keyboard light. Everything else is fuctional. I seriously think there are slightly different variations of the motherboard going around (maybe unintentional but because of the different production lines in the different countries, taiwan and japan)... next thing to check with people is the mother version see if that can determine the problem.

I also tried to easy flash it with a thumb drive, but that was after the problem occurred. Unfortunately it didn't fix the problem.

 

When I created this poll, I orignally wanted this thread to help people who already have the problem so that Asus could see the number of people who have this issue. I guess to help people to avoid this problem, I could have added those as an option. But for the records, I've used Win Flash before and didn't have problems. It was specifically with 209 that caused an issue for me.

 

i had no problems flashing 209 using EZFLASH. I also manually switched the lights off before flashing as someone previously posted.

 

Upgraded from 206 to 209 didn't lose my KB lights... Used Winflash just for the hell of it and had no problems.

 

Si3,

As you know from our conversation that my BIOS update went without issue. On the chance that ASUS does look at this thread for more information, here is a consolidation of points I've made in other threads:

• Model is a G73JH-X1.
• Laptop was manufactured 2010-01 (China).
• Laptop was purchased mid-February from Newegg.
• Shipped BIOS version was 205.
• BIOS version 206 was skipped due to poor ASUS documentation.
• Used Patriot XPorter 4GB thumb drive with Fat32 format.
• Used left-front USB port.
• Did not turn off backlighting before updating.
• Used Easy Flash from within BIOS to update to 209.
• Used instructions from this post here.

If I think of anything else relevant I'll edit the post.

 

Thank you Kalim! Always a great help . It really seems like its a hit or miss as of this moment as there is not single consistant answer that can determine what is causing this problem. It seems more and more like a motherboard problem as everyone has had a different way of doing it with success...

Edit: Could everyone that has flashed their G73JH to 209 tell us when and where your computers have been manufactured (on the bottom of the notebook for date and under the battery holder for place)? Mine is:

2010-02 Taiwan

This might help us find out if we have a faulty motherboard going around.

 

You are welcome.

I've edited my post.

 

Mine was manufactured 03/2010, from China. 206 to 209 was ok via thumbdrive Fat32 and AC connected and used EZ Flash in BIOS.

 

Remove the battery. Here, when the battery is removed there are three sections. Look at the right section, bottom left.

 

bios update to 209 killed keyboard lights... made in china, bought from best buy in canada. used winflash and internal HDD... booooooooo

 

Do you guys think Asus would just replace the motherboard if I send it in? I really don't want to deal with them take my whole notebook and find cosmetic damage or more problems...

Was there anyone who had the problem fixed without having to send it in? Anyone?

 

Successful update 205 - 209, using EasyFlash and 4gig Fat thumbdrive. A1 made in China 10-02

 

Did anyone try to:

1. Completely take out the keyboard
2. Then powering it up
3. Power it back down after it recognizes the keyboard isn't there
4. Then reconnecting the Keyboard
5. And then power it back up?

or maybe even try to flash the BIOS without the keyboard attached while using a external keyboard?

If no one did, might give these two things a try later today... Keep posting your results people ! Thanks a million guys!

 

Made in China
1/2010
Best Buy Version

Used Winflash, lost keyboard lights, went from original BIOS (can't remember the number) to 209

 

Ok, so I finally had the time to check out the method that I mentioned above, but no luck. I took out the keyboard, booted it up, and reattached the keyboard there was no change. I also tried to flash it while the keyboard was out, but also no change...

I'm stumped guys . The only two options that we all have is to wait for a fix from Asus or RMA our whole laptop... Keep voicing your problems!

 

Flashed from 204 (which is what the notebook came with) to 209.

No problems whatsoever.

Used Flash/Thumb drive and EasyFlash.

Documented the process here

 

upgraded from 206 and keyboard lights are dead too... could I downgrade back to 206? This however caused more issues when the upgrade was an (failed) attempt to fix gfx artifacts...

 

I USB easyflash from 206 to 209. No problems for me. The shiny lights still shine.

 

It looks like we're getting a consistant 24%-25% BIOS update failure with the keyboard lights...

for those that have the keyboard light failure could you update or add where your laptop was made and when? Thanks all, and lets try to figure this one out

 

have this problem; just got off the phone with ASUS. They want me to do a system restore, which I told them was a no go. Next option is RMA, which is also a no go for at least two weeks. Made in China, 2010-01

 

Updated mine from 206-(how it came from PowerNotebooks) to 209 using Winflash. No problems.

Lights still work.

Mine was made 5/2010, in China

I may have had the keyboard lights out when I did the update.

I wonder if certain software drivers being installed or not matters?

BTW, I'm not using winflash anymore. I think newbies get one free update and then it stops working right (based on the results in this poll)

 

Sry, I pressed wrong button. I flashed from 206 in Easyflash, no problem.

 

The failure rate usually occurs in the earlier models I think. Mines is pretty recent. It must be quality control increase on the newer end.

 

So you think it is a hardware problem? I don't think I see that being the reason. The problems in this thread are related to a BIOS flash update. Everything was working fine before the update, and then stopped after the update. That sounds more like a software related problem to me, and therefore not hardware related, or quality control related.

My theory is that it has something to do with the current setup on the individual laptop, drivers, and perhaps settings in the bios or vbios when the flash update is done.

 

Extremely unlikely, especially when flashing from the BIOS. While there's a slight chance some other process could hose a winflash, there are NO drivers or any other OS-related software loaded during BIOS POST or in BIOS setup.

This doesn't mean I'm saying it's hardware though....the BIOS is code, and so are the flash utilities, and so is the firmware that programs the hardware that controls the lighting

 

updated from bios 205 to 209 by winflash also lost keyboard light.
I tried to downgrade it to other bios versions,reinstalled ATK drivers, but in vain.
Could sb tell me why it doesn't work?
BTW....mine is 2010/2 China

 

kinda funny that there are still people who uses Winflash

 

You really think it matters?

I'm not seeing any evidence of that. The BIOS flash utility kills the lights just as efficiently as Winflash. It can also brick a machine just as efficiently.

What's funny is people are still trying to flash the BIOS at all. If the poll had any validity, there's what - a one in three or one in four chance it will mess something up? Not so good odds there

(FWIW, I lost keyboard lights AND bricked my machine (two separate flashes), so yes I have a right to laugh )

 

wow this is sucking more and more...

People, if you have this problem our only option is to call Asus and let them know that there is a problem. I also agree with MarkS in that I don't think it really matters if we use winflash or easyflash, as I have had success before using winflash. But for the sake of being safe I will no longer use winflash. Hopefully Asus will listen and give us a BIOS update soon.

 

My backlight failed on flash from 206 to 209 using Winflash.

Manufacture Date: 2010-04
Manufacture Location: China
MB Ver: G73JH ID: 1A

 

I think the problem lies whether people are flashing while on battery power vs AC.

 

I flashed on AC power with USB drive on the left side and had no issues

 

Maybe that should have been a poll option LOL

Nobody really does that, do they? Really?

 

Am I halucinating or did not someone claim to have a fix for BIOS Update bricking; but they were too busy with exams to post it? I can't remember who posted it but it would be great if that person would step up in my opinion.

 

I know this thread is basically a poll. But somehow somewhere people are reading and using Winflash. Its strongly NOT recommended to use Winflash. I know few people to get it working but its dangerous and cause a lot of users to bricked their machine. Can the original poster edit its post with huge highlighted text with something like "DO NOT USE WINFLASH". This will reduce the chances of people that bricked machine or lost keyboard lights using winflash.

source for more info.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/487754-g73jh-bios-209-now-available.html

 

Unfortunately, most of the people here did flash their notebooks with AC power. I know I have and I still lost my keyboard lights.

See, the problem is that the whole computer is not bricked, but its just the keyboard lights. And whats even more unique is that a lot of people are reproducing the same problem over and over again with just the BIOS update. If the execution was the problem there should be different problems showing up, but everyone here is showing the same result: lost of keyboard lights.

It is clear that the BIOS update file is not fully compatible with a quarter of the Asus G73JH's out there. Which is why I continue to suspect that there is a sightly different various of motherboards that consist of using different controllers for the keyboard lights... Asus please shed some light on this!

 

Eek! I hope not.

 

Didn't loose the lights. Flashed on AC (battery removed, i always remove it if i let it plugged in for long periods) using a USB drive (left port closer to the screen, though i don't think that affected anything).

 

Problem with this theory is that some users have flashed their BIOS successfully, but on a later flash lost them. Mind you, all Asus would need to do is add a BIOS option to enable/disable the kb lights. This way you can toggle when they go b0rk and you're done.

 

No kidding. Just get me the source code - I'll gladly do BIOS maintenance

Unfortunately, we still don't know what goes bad when the lights get knocked out. I've still seen no evidence that the lights can be fixed (without sending to Asus) once they're gone.

 

Wasn't someone going to test their non-functioning keyboard backlight by connecting it to an external power supply? I mean, for all anyone knows, the logic that controls the voltage to change the brightness, quickly sent 12 volts to the LEDs, burning them all out at the same time.

 

I got mine back with the same keyboard so the lights weren't burned out

 

Well, I guess we can cross that one off the list.

So, if it wasn't burned out LEDs or a dirty connector, what did they do to fix the issue, replace the entire motherboard?

 

I wish I knew! I didn't get paperwork the first time. If they swapped the motherboard it was a bad one - when I got it back the keyboard lights worked but several other things were broke, requiring a new motherboard

 

Having read all these posts on losing keyboard lights when updating to 209, I decided not to update my BIOS at all. (it is 206 stock). I never press Fn+ESC, because why would I do it anyway.

There is a quite interesting thing with my K.L. though. When I press the light on/off button once, left from the twin turbo one, the blue light under the screen goes off. When I press it again, K.L. and the blue lights of the three buttons turn off. The strange thing is when I press it once again, the blue light under the screen lights up along with the blue lights of the three buttons, but keyboard lights won't turn on. I have to press Fn+F4 to make them come alive. Is it normal?