Help...brand new G73..issue

I would:

1) Go to control panel/programs and features and uninstall all audio related software
2) Reboot - cancel any Windows offerings for driver installs
3) Go to device manager and uninstall any sound drivers
4) Reboot - cancel any Windows offerings for driver installs
5) Install all Asus-provided sound stuff from the Drivers/Utilities disk, including the Creative stuff (you can always uninstall it later).
6) Reboot if asked to do so
7) Test sound

This default setup should work on the laptop speakers. After following thousands of posts here I haven't seen any audio issues with the Asus drivers/utilities beyond the Creative/Steam clash, which isn't an issue here yet. You shouldn't get any SRS errors and you shouldn't need to uninstall anything you consider "crap".

If speakers sound is not working, or if there was any errors in the above steps, you've got issues maybe hardware related.

If speakers sound is working, then:

1) Install drivers for your external USB speakers BEFORE plugging them in.
2) Plug the external USB speakers in and test.
...

 

Thanks Mark - I purchased this 05 version from Best Buy - It comes with no discs (no utilities)

There is NO audio software on lappy other than the RealTek. When I do a uninstall, upon startup, I do not get an option to not install the new generic driver hardware, it simply searches and installs and notifies me within seconds of boot up...I dont think thats an issue (are you hinting it may be an incompatability with the generic it searches for and installs? Upon reinstallation of the realtek, it should uninstall this generic)

Regarding 3) go to device manager and uninstall any sound drivers (do you mean for the ATI HDMI as well? prolly not right as that has nothing to do with it)...you are meaning uninstall the generic or realtek driver (but if i did this in control panel, it should already be gone as they correspond/sync I beleive)

Since I dont have the utilities disc, I use ASUS's site...it comes with the SRS...the SRS gives me a incompatability error..so I uninstall SRS

Regarding the USB external speaker, when I plug it in it installs the drivers itself..why would I want to install prior? It worked perfect before just by plugging in the USB...its when I take the USB out its like the audio cant REVERT back...and starts the static/issue

 

How invested are you with your current install. What I mean is if you could do a factory reinstall of the OS, would you?

 

I am pretty invested...have a lot of tweaks etc....BUT if this issue is not resloved I have no issue ya know!! I dont have a Windows 7 64bit OS disc anyway though! I love the feeling of knowing I have a reformat and fresh OS, but in the same, with such a new laptop, it is daunting to find all the right drivers hardware for it once I start. What are you suggesting Kalim? I buy Win7 64bit? too explensive ; (

 

You can use AI Recovery Burner to generate recovery discs. You also have the hidden recovery partition ( F9 ) during start up will trigger the recovery utility. Both these functions will wipe all data on your notebook.

try updating Audio/Video Drivers:
Official Realtek HD Audio version R2.46 released 3/30/2010
Catalyst 10.3 released 3/24/2010

Please pm me for further assistance. Thanks.

 

You may not have received an OS disc with your Best Buy model, but it should have a hidden partition which contains the original factory install. I say "should" because the Best Buy model is different than the other models and while I can't imagine the Best Buy model not including the hidden partition, I don't know for sure.

Lets presume there is a hidden partition with the factory install, basically a do-over, and while it could be considered the last option, it is never the less an option.

However, I'm not suggesting you do that now and if you are like me and there is a fix, you'd probably want to know what it is and fix it yourself. I understand this completely. And, I wouldn't be surprised if it is something that we are overlooking. Things like that can happen to the best of us.

Almost all of what I know about installing Windows 7 I included in my (now updated) guide. The factory install is nothing like the guide. The guide leaves the user with a minimal install that I know works because I not only wrote the guide, but used it myself. In addition, even if you had the Recovery, and the Driver and Utility disc, you can't put back all the bloatware that comes with the factory install. I know, I've compared the difference.

So, I'm not suggesting that you purchase a Windows 7 disc, but I'm throwing out on to the table the option to do a factory install from the hard drive and all that entails.

If the factory install doesn't improve the situation, then there may be something defective and before this gets to drawn out, a return may be in order. I'm just saying, it's possible and shouldn't be ruled completely out.

If you want to know for sure that the hidden partition is there, on your next reboot start tapping the F9 key. If the "ASUS Preload Wizard" appears, then the hidden partition with the factory install is there. You should be able to cancel and reboot normally without continuing the reinstall. That's how it works here.

 

Thanks Kalim-Yes I am like you and would like to pin down the issue before considering the partition..

Quesiton-So if I ultimately go the F9 partition route, it is like a reformat? Only containing the OS and drivers? and none of the bloat or programs that best buy put on it? Or does it revert it back to the best buy settings (bloat/programs/basically how I received it from them)??? Or does it revert to the state where ASUS basically shipped it out of their factory to best buy...? Thanks!

 

Geez Are you supposed to rely on the Geek Squad for fixes?

Anyway, my point is I would try to get back to an entirely stock G73 software install. Once you start uninstalling stuff or tweaking/removing any OS stuff all bets are off, plus you can't narrow down if you really have a hardware issue. Save the tweaks for after all the hardware is running perfectly.

As for the USB speakers - what drivers are being installed automatically? For pretty much every USB device I've ever seen, the drivers should be installed before plugging the device in, so the installed drivers get used, not the canned ones that are included with Windows. The only exception to this I have seen is for devices that don't have specific drivers (they rely on the generic Microsoft drivers), which could be the case with your speakers. My point is, if there's specific drivers for your external speakers, then install them before plugging them in.

 

A couple of things...

You don't need to buy Windows to do a fresh install of Windows.

You can download the ISO of Windows 7 Home Premium on to a USB key and re-clean-install from that, use the code on the bottom of your machine to activate, then you might have to call on the phone to make it official.

Secondly - after everything said in this thread and your efforts with the situation, it makes me think there could be a loose wire, etc... that is near the USB port(s) that is leading to the issue....however - it does sound driver related.

But, you have to ask yourself - when is enough, enough?

 

Mark-Not sure what your comment meant but I would never let another individual touch my laptop, considering geek squad is laughable to me..I do a lot of IT stuff and I am just baffled with this one thats all. WORST came to WORST AFTER a reinstall on Win7 or partition, IF it was hardware related at that point, I would demand a new laptop from Best Buy (its 3 days old and the guy I bought it from was real cool and said to find him if I had issues)

Anyway,

Regarding the USB external - I assume I use the default/generic drivers windows finds for it bc when I plug the USB in, it says installing drivers. The generics sound great for the USB externals, but bad for the regular audio drivers. Realteks shine there. Anyway, dont think I have software for the externals.

 

As I recall, the entire process is very similar to just this section here in my guide. You don't have to do much of anything but just get the process started and after awhile you'll have the factory install. The factory reinstall is permanent!

I agree with ASUS Customer Care that you should create a AI Recovery set of discs since the Recovery disc wasn't included. At least you'll have that backup of the OS should the hard drive fail. More information about AI Recovery is in my guide.

I also agree with < MarkS >, most USB devices require you to install their drivers first before you plug in the USB device. Once the Windows drivers get used, you can't then just install the device's USB drivers and expect it to work without doing some USB device maintenance. That's where I was going when I mentioned that maybe the problem was with the external USB speakers.

My guess is that it puts it back to the way Best Buy sold it to you. Anything leaner, you would have to change yourself.

 

corpfan-Thanks..true when is enough enough...im hanging on

Question re: your statement below- Whats the difference between this and recovering from the F9 while booting partition?

"You can download the ISO of Windows 7 Home Premium on to a USB key and re-clean-install from that, use the code on the bottom of your machine to activate, then you might have to call on the phone to make it official."

 

So let me know if I got this right...make AI recovery discs at current state...when finished Run F9 partition at boot and run partion and have everything wiped to the factory install (pre-best buy)

Start from there with basically NO programs installed (what about drivers)? So the partition is like a reformat...only it comes with drivers?

 

The ISO is a clean install of Windows 7 and nothing else. All the drivers and utilities you would need to gather and install separately. The factory install includes Windows 7, the drivers, the utilities and all the bloat.

 

Kalim-

"The ISO is a clean install of Windows 7 and nothing else. All the drivers and utilities you would need to gather and install separately."

Which are ALL here correct?
http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx

or

"The factory install includes Windows 7, the drivers, the utilities and all the bloat."

This is if I do the F9 partition correct? The drivers/utilities/bloat from ASUS not BEST BUY correct?

ALSO
You said this-
"As I recall, the entire process is very similar to just this section here in my guide. You don't have to do much of anything but just get the process started and after awhile you'll have the factory install. The factory reinstall is permanent!"

"This section here" says you need to have the utlities/drivers disc...so im confused

 

Would you mind if I sent a PM to you in order to find out what the new v2.06 G73JH firmware is suppose to change? The description says "Firmware change" and quite frankly, that is utterly useless.

 

Let us know when you know Kalim - I agree - a description should always be mandatory.

 

Did Best Buy ADD BLOAT as well? Jeez!

If I were you...

I would do the CLEANEST INSTALL POSSIBLE - Windows ISO.

Then, go to the ASUS website support area and install all the drivers from their downloads for the G73. Ignore any bloat you don't want - use the guide that someone has a thread about...

Then, test things out.

Then, if still no luck - RMA/return to BB.

GL

 

What I meant was - how are you supposed to work with your machine without the disk?

It's inexcusable that there's models that ship without this disk, especially when all the installed software is not available online. The only reason I can think of for this is that Best Buy does not include the disks so their own "techs" have to do the work on them.

I thought someone else here that didn't get the disk requested one from Asus and Asus said no. I personally would NEVER accept a new machine without the driver disk, unless the manufacturer has made everything clearly available for download. If I were one of you that didn't get the disk I'd sure be raising h*ll with Asus trying to get one or a reply why I don't get one.

 

I agree 100%

 

Unfortunately, not all the drivers and utilities for the G73JH are in one place. You can use that link as a starting point by using the drop-downs to narrow it down to the G73JH download area. For the others you will have to search the ASUS website. I think the Synaptics's Touchpad driver is the only one missing from the ASUS website and you can get that at Synaptics or if you don't need the enhanced features you can use the Microsoft generic Touchpad driver.

If you want you can also use the links I recently added in the guide. I didn't include all of them, only the ones that are identical to the ones supplied on the Driver and Utility disc.

Why ASUS didn't include all the drivers and utilities for the G73JH in the download area is anyone's guess.

To the first question; yes, that is if you use the F9 method.

As to the second question; well, that's the 64,000 dollar question. I'm using the term factory install to mean what you originally received. Does it put back the ASUS factory install or is it the Best Buy factory install? I would think it is the Best Buy factory install.

The link I included in the post you are quoting contains an anchor and it should have brought you directly to the "The Recovery Disc" section.

I don't see any mention in "The Recovery Disc" section anything about the Driver and Utility disc being needed at that specific point in the guide.

 

Thanks everyone. very informative.

So what do I need to do regarding making the AI recovery discs? Do I do that now at its current state?

Then do ISO?

If so where can I download ISO? How big is it (GB's) and I assume I just boot from the USB? (need directions for this)

I will consider doing ISO AFTER my last attempts and if I cant get this figured out soon..Plus, the thought of having a complete clean reformat is nice for piece of mind Its just daunting thats all...

Im slowly not considering doing a F9 partition due to all the factory bloat and incompatabilities in audio drivers that it CAME WITH!!!!..(i.e Creative etc..)

ISO is sounding good though

 

I agree...what do you do if you don't have the INTERNETS?

 

Not sure about the GB...but yes, do the recovery disc...it is recovery to original state - not current state I believe - it takes 6 DVDs.

 

Thanks! What kind of DVD's? Anything special? I think I have a pack of 5! (guess it matters on how many GB the recovery is though)

Linky to the Windows 7 64 bit ISO?

 

Don't have the link - but it is somewhere on the forums here... Google search?

Also it is definitely 6 dvds... it will say you need at least 5 when you start, but there will be 6 required. Any DVD-R or DVD+R will do.

 

Ok i will be home in 30 min and will check out the current situation on this boot up ; ( If the problem persists, I will try new video catalyst 10.3 drivers (shot in dark) along with the new RealTek R2.46 drivers (which im running now with issues) If still issues, I will burn the AI Recovery 6 cds and run the F9 partition and start over.....if AFTER THAT it persists...back to best buy for a replacement...I will keep everyone posted...thanks to everyone on this post!!!!I would be going crazier than I already am if it weren't for you guys!

Sidenote: Curious. Some people said they uninstalled the P4G (Power4Gear) (twin turbo software etc...) as it caused a DECREASE in benchmarks when used...is this true? I currently run in twin turbo mode 24/7 and was wondering if thats optimal. Thanks!

 

Real time example/update- Came home from work, booted it up, EVERYTHING is smooth and sounds great...listening to youtube music video...plugging headphones in and out...smooth.....running tests on the RealTak HD Audio manager with no issues... havent tried the USB external speaker yet though...I'm afraid

I'm running the audio drivers from the ASUS website RealTek 6.0.1.5978 which originally came with SRS. I uninstalled SRS as it was giving me error msgs..

But again....We will see what happens though, as last night it was this smooth for 2 hours then went static on me out of nowhere when changing a power setting...so INCONSISTENT which is why it's hard to pinpoint the problem!!

 

OK....so just now I opened up youtube again to play a music video and BAM there it goes again...I closed youtube out...and the sound stopped about 10 seconds later...I opened control panel and BAM noise...stopped about 10 seconds later after I closed out...only this time a popup came up in my tray saying windows detected a incompatability witha driver and it has disabled it...didnt tell me what driver though....gonna try a restart to get back to normal for the time being...ahhhhhhh !!!! What program/driver is doing this!!!! There no other audio driver installed...NOTHING!!!

 

Upon restart, that same pop up in my tray appeared labeled Program Compatibility Assistant stating "This driver is blocked due to compatibility issues" "A driver is installed that causes stability problems with your system"

Driver: Tages Protection
Publisher: Tages SA
Location: Not Available

check online for solutions? (If I chose this, it goes here)
http://www.tagesprotection.com/main.htm

??????

When I search for "Tages" on my system I do not find anything??...also theres no "Tages" in add/remove programs?

 

disregard the tages issue..figured out tages was a part of my install of chronicles of riddick..updated tages driver...no issue with audio after a few hours now...I just know shes in there waiting to snap crackle and pop me at any given time...god I hope this issue goes away

 

So no issue in 2 days! I have a hunch that POSSIBLY when I plug in my USB external speaker audiohub 2.1, that it installs the driver and THAT causes incompatibility...but I am not sure...I have not plugged it in in two days bc I m afraid since things are working properly...I googled it and some people said that they had issues with this audiohub and Windows 7...but no symptoms like mine so im not sure...whaddayathink

 

Oh My Fuc87in god...after TWO days of no issues...and this is ironic...after I JUST posted my last post, I switched over to another tab on Mozilla I had open and BAM there it went!!!!! Just sitting here it does not make the sound but when I enter an area in which a "click" or computer noise occurs..it trips it and goes LOUD STATIC! lasts about 15 seconds and is alleviated if I leave that area...I am literally pissed now...will it EVER end??? Another very ODD thing, when I restart now, my icons are arranged differently...like the laptop is not saving my settings???


SO im thinking...it really points towards a driver incompatibility...but really, I have scoured this laptop inside and out and cant find any issue?? What would make it work for days and then magically crap out???? Loose wire? Is it simple to access the speaker wires to check?

 

So after a restart again no issues...played 2 hours of Batman on my headphones no issues...guess Il just have to wait another 48hrs before it decides to SCREAM at me...I really hope I dont have to deal with this for the rest of my G73 life...: ) Its like a bipolar girlfriend....wait I already have one of those...

 

Return it for a new one

 

Eh I totally would..but I have a lot invested in customizing as of now...have it right where I want it...this damn audio issue seriously pops up RANDOMLY..watch it wont happen for a week and then out of nowhere BAM blaring static...Its like aside from this random occurance the rig runs flawless! A little hot though, but thats a given seeing as the i7 is 45W and the 5870 GPU is a BEAST basically a desktop GPU I read somewhere...? Anyway, as my frame of reference, my FX 7805 9800M GTS ran maxed at 83-85 and this 5870 runs about 86-91 consistantly during heavy gaming so it seems completely acceptable...If I turn the AC on in my condo though, then the temps show 5-10 degrees lower of course

 

Just blasted me with the STATIC again out of no where..I am hoping it is like a child and just needs to grow out of it..you know mature a little.. When I reboot after this happens, everythings great...for about 30mins or 1 hr or 6 hrs or 2 days or 6 days...it really is sporadic which does not make sense and is why I (we) cant figure it out...Im learning to live with it but theres just no rhyme or reason to this..checked and cleaned/reinstalled all audio device drivers about 50 times trying everything..only makes me think its a loose wire or something..but if that was the case, I feel it would happen at specific times (i.e. when the laptop reached a certain temp or It acted up on a consistent basis on some area)...its so inconsistent it is impossible to diagnose and fix!

Edit: Would updating my ATI HDMI drivers make any difference? Are the ATI HDMI and RealTek High Definition Audio related?

 

WAG time again. Have you tried when the laptop isn't making the noise, to pick the laptop up and give it a gentle shake?

 

Whats WAG? Yes I did shake it and everything is solid..no noises...as an update...it made the sound (blaring static which dies out after 10 seconds) and then I left it for about 10 minutes without restarting, came back and no noise? comes and goes..this time didnt even need a reboot..this is just too weird..we gotta figure this out!!

 

update-turned off "Windows Sounds" to try and it narrow down, and yes it does not give me the issue when opening control panel or the such (but again I dont hear anything bc sounds(clicks etc) are turned off) but when I enter my Realtek HD Audio Manager to perform a test, I press play and BAM goes the static...so its not windows sounds per se...its basically ANY windows sound/click/audio noise that sets it off randomly...snd then 5 minutes later everything (from windows sounds/clicks to HD audio tests to full blown music sounds great)...

so random...so discouraged ; (

 

Update-Plugged in Logitech USB external audiohub speaker and was using it for 2 days, then today pulled out the USB to plug in my headphones, and just as happened before, the static started blaring through the speakers as soon as I pulled out the USB, except this time, I had my volume for the audiohib at 25% and the static was at volume 25%? All the times prior, it did not matter what volume the laptop was at it would blar the static as loud as it could through the speaker...so it has never blared the static through the USB external audiohub speaker nor the headphones..only the laptop speakers?

Also, which is very odd, I dont NEED to restart the lappy to alleviate the issue, uually I just need to give it ten minutes of idle and BAM back to normal audio...um WHAT is going on here guys

 

let me know if this works...and has audio

 

After I unistall my current audio driver, and restart, how do I set it so my laptop does NOT find and install the generic upon boot up? Every time I uninstall the Realtek drivers to do a new install, upon boot up my laptop finds and installs the generic within seconds..

 

I see that it's a FLV file, but what's it suppose to do? PhotoJunket and their media offerings never work here in Firefox, even if I allow all their crap to load.

 

It's Flash Video...you need the Flash plug-in for Firefox.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's my fault for not mentioning this before, I do have Flash installed. It's probably the way PhotoJunket delivers ads that is causing their videos not to work. In complete contrast, YouTube videos play fine, as well as 99 percent of the videos in the world.

 

Sorry guys, ya Im a noob at posting videos..it was just a video of me going into certain areas and the blast of crackling static that would blar for 10-15 seconds then stop, the reoccur everytime I went back places..I am going to start a new thread as Im at my witts end and want peoples advice on should I return it ; ( It sucks bc I was very invested in the way I customized it to date ; (

 

Dude I watched the video. It seems to me that you are beating a dead horse. Seems like a faulty hardware. RMA it.

 

I found a very interesting post (see the last post in this thread on the Microsoft forums). Supposedly the guy fixed it by disabling the HDMI output in the sound control panel. Seems fishy to me, but it's worth a try.

 

Yeah, seems fishy to me too. Even if disabling the HDMI eliminated the issue, I would have still returned it, in this case, to Best Buy.