GPU problems with Asus G51-VX RX05 (Best Buy)

Hello everyone, first time post here! I hope that I did throughly look through the forums and someone didn't already have this problem. I actually couldn't find anyone with this laptop model having this problem.

For the last several months, I've een having issues with my Asus G51-VX RX05 Model that I purcahsed from Best Buy in October 2009. A little after my warranty ran out, about November or so my laptop would freeze while I was doing GPU intensive things such as gaming or even watching youtube videos sometimes. It didn't always happen everyday, it could take weeks before it would randomly do it again.

At first it was only happening on games that demanded a lot of GPU power like Global Agenda, Crysis, Aion, etc. Then it started happening to almost all my games that were 3D that didn't require much power like League of Legends and various free MMO's. Starting last night, it started to happen with just simple 2D games and YouTube videos. Today it's doing itfrom simply browsing the web and talking to people on Skype, I'm seriously getting tired of this (it actually froze as I was doing nothing but posting this.) I can't do anything, if I even try to play any of my games in about 3-5 minutes it freezes.

I guess the best way to describe the freezes would be that whenever I'm playing something, lets say World of Warcraft. If I'm off in a coastal area that has the ocean mostly on my screen sometimes when it freezes the screen just turns solid blue, other times it might just have the last image that was on my screen frozen. Sometimes the sound continues to work properly and some times it just loops. I'm generally on skype all the time as well and I'm able to continue my conversations even after the freeze to tell them I'm restarting. I guess the busy light or whatever it's called next to the num lock indicator is still flashing on and off but hitting num lock/caps lock does not make their lights turn off or on. The computer always ceases to function after the freeze and the only way to restore it is a hard reset.

Also when i restart my Asus Gaming Republic Icon appears twice for some reason along with the boom sound. It'll do it the first time then sit there for like 10 seconds and do it again, I'm not sure if that has somthing to do with it or not.

Anyway I bought this computer to play games on, and now all it's capable of is browing the internet and other basic things. So I've come to you guys to see if anyone can offer me any insight.

Here's some info on what I've done about it so far with no success. I've ran registry cleaners, virus scanners, used cooling pads, tried connecting to an external monitor, reformatted, blew the dust out with compressed air, tried running it without the battery, reseated the RAM, tried running it without external devices.

The GPU's gone up as far as 108C that I've seen but past that point it usually auto shuts off. Idle temps can be anywhere between 40c-60c and while gaming it climbs up to about 90C sometimes it'll go to 105C is what I've seen max. The freezing is occuring even idle now so that can't be the problem, unless one of the pieces just got burned out or somthing. I've ran all the test on OCCT, but the GPU mem test causes my computer to freeze exactly like it would if I was gaming.

Not sure if you guys need the specs for it but if you do I'll post them. I'm running Windows 7 x64 Home Edition from the Windows 7 upgrade program for purchasing the computer. Hope someone can help!

 

I would have said if it hits the shutdown temp it will downclock into completely unplayable speeds until the temperature drops which would cause similar freezing.

But with the rest of what you have said it sounds like bad VRAM on the card, unless the test just doesnt work on this.

Down load the old ATi Tool and try the rendering error test. When you install it will try to install a couple of unsigned drivers just say okay whatever u have todo to get the app, the overclocking part wont work anyways so it doesnt need the drivers.
ATI Tool - http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/436/ATITool_0.26.html

 

Alright well, I'v'e been running the scan for Artifiacts for about an hour now with no errors/color's appearing on the cube.

 

Interesting. I use it to do mild heat tests as well as overclocking stability. Problems with the chip and vram will often show up while running it. I doesnt get nearly as hot as furmark does these days. Just thought id throw that test out as a suggestion. From what you said either you looked it up or are familiar yellow spots and sections show up when there are render problems, mind you i think the test is opengl so.

 

Yeah, I looked it up cause I was thinking that the cube was supposed to move or something and was just making sure I installed it right. Hopefully someone else will have a suggestion as I'm at a loss of what to do. If it is a Vram problem I pretty much have to get a new computer?

 

Well you could send it in for repair, warranty or not. The GPU is a separate card though not very obtainable through other than ASUS.

 

Alright, I guess I'll see how much that is. Have any idea why my Asus Gaming Republic pops up twice when I power the system on? It does it once, sits there for about 10 seconds and does it again then boots up. It's been doing that since it's been having this problem as well.

 

If it never did it before then that might point to an issue. I believe the video bios is run prior to the logo being shown.

I would do a couple of things, one check to see if there is a bios update, wether or not there is try resetting the bios settings see if it does anything. As far as sending it in, is it under warranty? Best buy models might have to go through best buy, if its not under warranty or either way dont like the damn geek squad try try to rip you off. As far as ASUS testing it, might not be the video card but they might also know what the problem is.

 

No, I didn't pick one up cause I didn't think I'd need it so the standard 1 year was up, and I've taken it apart and killed the warranty sticker this year anyway. I don't think there was a bios update but I'll see if I can reset it.