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    G74 Touchpad Craziness: Before I Send it In...

    Discussion in 'ASUS Gaming Notebook Forum' started by deandome, Jan 7, 2012.

  1. deandome

    deandome Notebook Enthusiast

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    Got my G74Sx-xc1 on Black Friday...it was fine for a while, then I started getting the intermittent 'crazy touchpad/pointer' now & then (you know...it zigs & zags crazily, and seems to be able to lock in to everywhere EXCEPT for the box/bar you need it to click on).

    It was pretty intermittent for a while; would only pop up if you left the computer on for a few days. Reboot, it went away for a long time. But then it started happening more often. I removed/reinstalled the touchpad driver...altered a few touchpad settings...all the things I read MIGHT work, but it kept happening...and the frequency was increasing.

    So I called ASUS tech support....he walked me thru resetting the bios to original setting (though I don't think I ever really updated it...I have 201 installed now). He also basically 'set the table' for a return...all I have to do is say the word & the ticket will be generated.

    Now it's happening more often than ever...several times a day, so I'm pretty much resigned to sending it in. But before I do so, should I try to update the BIOS to 202/203? If so...HOW? I downloaded both zip files from ASUS, but I don't know how to install them, as there was no '.exe' file inside, nor a text document w/instructions.

    Finally, I'd like to know if having the touchpad replaced will actually fix the problem? Has anyone had this done, and if so, have you ever gotten the 'crazy pointer' afterwards?

    Thank you!
     
    deandome, Jan 7, 2012
    #1
  2. BrodyBoy

    BrodyBoy Notebook Evangelist

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    No....don't bother updating the BIOS....this is a hardware problem. The G74 uses a poor grounding system for the TP....basically a piece of foil/tape haphazardly slapped on....and when it fails, it's FUBAR. Drivers, BIOS updates, etc., nothing like that can help it.

    As long as the service tech installs the new one properly, it should be okay. Asus is well aware of the problem (it goes back to the G73s, too), and I get the impression they are finally getting the word out to their service centers about how to repair it. Maybe you could include a note asking them to ensure that the new TP is well-grounded so that it doesn't behave like the last one.
     
    BrodyBoy, Jan 7, 2012
    #2
  3. Chastity

    Chastity Company Representative

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    deandome:

    If you give me your case number (or serial number if you don't have it), I can take over the case and have it come to me instead. I'm the erratic TP specialist here at HQ. :)
     
    Chastity, Jan 9, 2012
    #3
  4. Sunstar

    Sunstar Newbie

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    Hi Chastity-

    I arranged an RMA for my G73JW on December 23, 2011 due to an erratic cursor problem, but I still haven't sent the machine in for service because I didn't have much confidence in the rep I spoke to on the phone. Is it possible for you to take over the case for me?

    Please let me know.

    Thank you,
    Shanna
     
    Sunstar, Jan 11, 2012
    #4
  5. Seanmsullivan84

    Seanmsullivan84 Newbie

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    Hi Chastity,
    I have a month and a half old g74sx and the touchpad is pretty glitchy. Ive tried new drivers and everything I could software related so im pretty sure it is hardware related. How can I set up an RMA to send it to you since you are the TP expert? Thanks for your help
     
    Seanmsullivan84, Jan 12, 2012
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  6. Chastity

    Chastity Company Representative

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    You PM me your contact info and serial number. :)

    BTW, did you adjust the ASUS Smartsense settings?
     
    Chastity, Jan 16, 2012
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  7. tony_k

    tony_k Newbie

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    i just dropped mine at a regional service center (not CA),
    they indicated that they would likely attempt replacing the touchpad.

    can anyone recommend a link to a service bulletin or something that i can refer the local tech to so that there is a better chance that the issue doesn't recur?
     
    tony_k, Jan 16, 2012
    #7
  8. Seanmsullivan84

    Seanmsullivan84 Newbie

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    sorry for my ignorance but im not quite sure how to PM you... do you have an email address i could send my info to?
     
    Seanmsullivan84, Jan 20, 2012
    #8
  9. Seanmsullivan84

    Seanmsullivan84 Newbie

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    and yes i have played with all of my settings and tried different drivers as well. some days the mouse pad works and some days it just jumps all over the screen being responsive to unresponsive and drives me up the wall. thanks for your help.
     
    Seanmsullivan84, Jan 20, 2012
    #9
  10. Inferno1217

    Inferno1217 Notebook Consultant

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    Click on Chastity

    or

    Click Here http://forum.notebookreview.com/member.php?u=222484

    Then click Send a private message to Chastity on the right.
     
    Inferno1217, Jan 20, 2012
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  11. Sunstar

    Sunstar Newbie

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    You have to have posted five times to this forum before it will allow you to send private messages. Took me a while to figure this out too. So post a few more posts so that you are at 5+ and then wait until 11pm Eastern time and try the private message thing again.
     
    Sunstar, Jan 20, 2012
    #11
  12. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    Please, note that the announcement about using the pm system: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sit...-send-private-messages-create-signatures.html mentions five quality posts.

    By quality posts we do not mean creating whole guides or complex replies, but at least posting something related to the topic of the thread you are posting in, i tend to give some leeway to new members who need to pm someone regarding what they post, but anything too off topic posted in a thread will get removed.
     
    tijo, Jan 20, 2012
    #12
  13. cpshuffle

    cpshuffle Newbie

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    Hi Chastity,

    I'm from Canada and I'm having the same issues with my touch pad on the G74sx. What is the best way to send it in to get the issue fixed. Everytime I talk to someone they tell me to update the drivers or revert the system to factory settings.

    Thanks for your help
     
    cpshuffle, Mar 2, 2012
    #13
  14. d_crome

    d_crome Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi Chastity - Im unsure if your PMs are working or not however I still need to RMA my notebook also for the same issue - could you please PM with the info I need to finalize the RMA?

    Thanks!
     
    d_crome, Mar 3, 2012
    #14
  15. d_crome

    d_crome Notebook Enthusiast

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    Bump

    (10 char)
     
    d_crome, Mar 7, 2012
    #15
  16. climo

    climo Notebook Guru

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    @Chastity
    Which brand do you see the most failures with Sentelic or Synaptics? Curious to know which one has more problems.

    @OP
    If you need to send it in for repair, I would update your bios before you send it. This way if the flash fails for any reason, Asus can recover it while its being repaired for the touch pad. I did the same when pixels on my screen went out, but I was able to install bios 203 successfully.
     
    climo, Mar 8, 2012
    #16
  17. cpshuffle

    cpshuffle Newbie

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    Hi Chastity,

    My RMA number is CAA1230804

    Thanks very much
     
    cpshuffle, Mar 8, 2012
    #17
  18. d_crome

    d_crome Notebook Enthusiast

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    BUMP

    Still waiting for some ASUS support here please.
     
    d_crome, Mar 13, 2012
    #18
  19. d_crome

    d_crome Notebook Enthusiast

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    BUMP - AGAIN.

    ASUS support has truly been less than what I remember it to be here.
     
    d_crome, Mar 22, 2012
    #19
  20. 380mcn

    380mcn Newbie

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    yes i have! 1st post here! I have a g74 with 3 major problems:
    1. screen flicker on dark backgrounds
    2. battery dead
    3. erratic touchpad

    I have rma'd it and they replaced the battery, made 0 chances with the flicker (it is LED Pulse Width problem) and they replaced the Sentellic touchpad with the Synaptics one. The differences? Is like going from night to day!
     
    380mcn, Mar 22, 2012
    #20
  21. aesthetic_obsessed

    aesthetic_obsessed Newbie

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    Anyone still having this problem? I need help RMA'ing to get my trackpad on my G74sx fixed. Is there anyone out there that can help

    I need help getting my laptop RMA'd can anyone help?
     
    aesthetic_obsessed, Jun 24, 2012
    #21
  22. apachehavok

    apachehavok Notebook Evangelist

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    From what I heard you can just remove the foil right? And it fixes the issue right? Is there any bad things that can happen when the foil is off or is it just not needed and screwing things up?
     
    apachehavok, Jun 25, 2012
    #22
  23. blinders

    blinders Newbie

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    I want to replace the defective trackpad on my G53SW-XA1. Can you provide a part source. The laptop will power-on unless the Ribbon Cable is removed.
     
    blinders, Oct 31, 2013
    #23