G51 and Quads: Final Verdict

Anyway, I'm sure most people who take a glance in the Asus boards know about the problems I, Ron, and some other non-NBR users have had no success with installing a quad on the Best Buy G51vx-RX05.

The problem is universal, it seems, in that everyone has their computer hang up on the Vista loading screen despite the CPU being detected in BIOS.

The only common ground between the various quads is that they're all from eBay, though mine is OEM and the Q9100s that have been tested are ES models. I've been contact with Ken concerning this, and since he believes that Asus would not put an quad-incompatible motherboard in the Best Buy version, he's thinking that my QX9300 might be defective.

Since I live in California, the same state as where GenTech is located, I'm sending him the processor for testing. When we get results we'll know if the Best Buy versions is just simply incompatible or if several of us just had pure dumb luck.

 

And this is another example why Ken @ GenTech rocks!

 

Just to be curious, have you contacted Asus about this issue?

 

Looking forward to your results.
Finger-crossed.

 

Yes I don't think Asus will produce two different mainbaord for G51Vx and one for BB that will not support quad core, it'll only cost Asus more to have two different mainboard line.

I didn't do anything special to install QX9300 and no BIOS update is needed, all I did was swap out the CPU and it boot straight to Windows, mainboard it G60Vx just like BB version:

[images removed by moderator - images cannot be hosted on resellers site because they are linkbacks]


All I can think of is CPU, I'll post results here once I received Forge's CPU.

 

You GenTech guys are awesome for doing this!

 

Xoticpc's website is a lot nicer looking, but I think if I were to spend $1700 on a laptop I would much rather buy it from GenTech considering how much free, available, and easy support they've been offering...When I scrape up some cash for some next-gen Asus's in a year or so, I'll definitely be looking for your site.

 

GenTech does rock! Ken's answered all questions I've thrown at him. Very professional and courteous. Can't ask for anything better!

 

thanks, valuable info

 

yes Gentech is the best. ..... looks into peoples eyes.... (buy from Gentech)lol

I wish my g50 could have a quad in it. I hope you all are able to get this working in the BB version.

 

Agreed. I wish I could have thrown a quad in my G50 =/

 

QX9300 was shipped out today, and should be in Ken's hands at around 3:00 tomorrow (Pacific time).

Fingers: crossed.

 

I'm curious about something...

Based on the other threads I read, the "crash" point sound an awful lot like the crash point I encountered shortly after getting my G50Vt-A2 laptop. I had no choice but to perform a recovery on the partition.

So, my question is... for everyone that's tried putting the quads... have you tried doing a recovery or a complete fresh install after inserting the quad?

I only ask, because no one has mentioned doing so. And I can't " assume" that anyone might've, no matter how good of a tech/trouble shooter they are... if they don't say they did.

 

I don't think I have. I've tried booting from CD, but the same thing happened.

 

*sigh* I dunno what to think. I'm usually better hands-on.

The problem is... even if you get it to work on your laptop... it may not even help me since I have a G50Vt and not a G51.

 

The further complication is that the X9100 I'm packing was simple plug-and-play.

I'll settle for the second-best processor if worst comes to worst.

 

hum... you have 4 GB of ram... would it be safe to assume the stock G50/51s would work with only one stick?

Well, it's a bit too late for me to ask you (Forge) to do this, since you've shipped out the quad already.

But for anyone else that might have attempted it... quad core with less ram? say just one of the two sticks (so that it's less than 4 GB). There was an issue with installing Vista on 4 GB systems, even 64-bit. The installer had a glitch. I don't recall if the issue needed a quad to be present. If you google it, you'll find plenty of references to quad+4gb+vista unable to install. But a similar search only references Vista install issues with dual core systems with only have 2 GB. In fact I had this problem with my desktop.... but seeing as it was a two years ago, I can't remember if I had the problem only with the qx6700 or if I also had it with the e4300.

 

I tried unplugging one of the memory and booting with my Q9100 ES.

Same thing happens.

 

but did you try installing vista on the quad with only one stick? just to be thorough.

 

It has nothing to do with how many stick of RAM, you can install with 2 stick or even 3 sticks.

 

The G51 can have 3 sticks of RAM?

 

no, only two. the g71 can have 3 sticks.

 

I was talking about QX9300 on W90Vp, works great with 3 sticks.

 

Received Forge's QX9300 CPU this afternoon, installed into my G51Vx-A1, no BIOS setup or driver update is needed, simply plug and play and booted it right up to Windows desktop:




No problem found with Forge's QX9300, no crash and no blue screen.
Clearly BB version uses different motherboard and it's also not the BIOS, because Forge already tried my BIOS and still didn't work, , here is the picture of my G51Vx-A1's MB revision, it's on the top of memory slot:

 

Wow! Now I'm wondering what the heck my Newegg version will have. I've got an X9100 but was seriously thinking about stepping up to the QX9300. Thanks for the great work Ken.

 

If you ordered it with a quad you should be ok.

 

the newegg versions seem to have the same chasis of the g51vx-a1, with just one hdd being removed and a processor downgrade. so my question is, would they have this motherboard revision?

 

Wow, I guess on the one hand it is good to know the chip is ok. On the other, sorry to hear they use different motherboard revisions.

 

Forge should be able to sell the QX9300 for the same price or maybe even sell it for more than he bought it for, so this isn't too terrible. It still sucks that the BB G51 can't use a quad though...

 

Oh well. The X9100 is king of the mobile dual-cores, and second best in the mobile department. I'm more than happy with the X9100, and I'm sure when the next G-series powerhouse comes along I'll wait and be sure for a quad-compatible one.

Now the question is if whether I should sell it or not. I got it for a very good price.

 

I'd say sell it now.

1. You could probably sell it for more than you bought it for
2. You have no idea what kind of processors will come out in the next few years that will surpass the QX9300
3. You just bought a laptop and you probably won't get another one for at least a few years
4. ???????
5. Profit

 

True, true. Well, it's been tested by a reputed computer company--which I am definitely going to mention, hah--so I shouldn't have a problem.

It was a fun adventure, QX9300. I'll take your little sister, though.



That looks a lot creepier now that I actually typed it.

 

So what do you want for it?

 

Let me actually get the processor back, and I'll set it up in the marketplace.

 

It sort of does.

Because we have two sticks of 2 GB ram, totaling 4 GB. The installation issues with Vista were with 4 GB, those installation issues go away as soon as you go to something less than 4 GB. So unless you want to buy other ram, taking out one stick is the quickest way from 4GB.

 

There are issues of Vista with 4GB RAM? I've never experience that kind of issue before.

Actually I am not quite follow you.

 

Really?

For a while it was completely pissing me off when I was trying to install Vista onto my desktop. QX6700, 4 GB (4x1gb) and Vista Ultimate 64-bit (pre-SP1). It would BSOD on the first reboot during install. The only solution is to remove one of the sticks (3x1gb)... as soon as I did that, the install went fine. Let it patch and pop the 4th stick back in.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929777

Which is why I wonder if it's a similar issue.

 

Yeah we never have issues with it, W90Vp/G71G can support up to 12GB and still no problem.

The only real issues we have with RAM on Asus laptops in the past is C90S, but that's because C90S is very picky on RAM and only few RAM IC is compatible with C90S.

In your case, it could be the chipset or the BIOS, as far as I can remember some desktop boards RAM slot only work with double sided and some only work with single sided RAM.

One strange old Intel chipset (I don't remember which) has strange RAM support, it says it can support 3 memory slot but actually only the first slot worked with double sided RAM and the other two slots only support single sided.

 

Hey forge, is that qx9300 compatible with the g71's from best buy?

 

The ones with dual core? I would doubt it. The one that comes with a Q9000 should be compatible.

 

;_; i bought the one with the c2d processor to save money cause i planned on throwing a better quad in it eventually than the one they offered. Also, the quad core version has recently dissapeared from best buys site.

do you thinkt he g71 from best buy is using the same mobo as the xoticpc and gentech ones? cause if it is, it should be compatible with quads, and up to 12 gigs of ram, which i really hope it is cause I was planning on dumping some money into a new processor and an uber 12 gigs of ram afte rmy 1 year runs out from best buy.

 

So the RX05 completely non-compatible with quad core? If so, that really really SUCKS.

I really want the RX05 and was hoping to upgrade to quad after Intel releases their next gen chips (and buy a previous gen on the cheap).

 

Forge was just guessing that the RX05 doesn't support quads. No one knows right now whether or not they do support them.

 

It seems to be similar to how things were with the M860TU. At first they simply wouldn't support quads, but after a motherboard revision (M860ETU), they did.
I had to get my M860TU's motherboard swapped so that I could install a QX9300.

 

well, judging by the dissapearence all together of the quad core version from best buy's site coupled with it never coming off of back order (last i saw it at least), along with it never making it to store shelves, maybe they couldnt get the quads working on the mobo and gave up....

 

There were a few customer reviews on the BB website for the quad G71 before it was deleted from the site.

 

Wouldn't it make sense if the BB G51 uses the G50VT motherboard?

 

Yes, that would make sense.

I can't imagine Asus using a motherboard in the G71GX-RX05 that doesn't support quads, since as far as I know Asus has never used a mother board that supports 3 sticks of DDR2 RAM other than the G71GX-A1.

 

Well, shake, you have our best of luck. If you get a QX9300 into that thing it will be awesome.


I wonder if Asus would switch out my mobo. Hah. Moot point. I think I've secured a sale already.

 

Maybe I can shed some light on the situation. I'm at Best Buy right now on my laptop and the floor rep "Gary" may just let me try out my QX9300 in one of their open box G51vx's. He better come back with his supervisor quick. I don't have much battery left.