is my asus laptop dead ?

Hi everyone, I have a huge pb with my laptop and I'm hoping that someone has a solution because I have no idea what to do... here is my problem :

I purchased a brand new (not factory refurbished) ASUS gaming laptop last september at bestbuy, and lately it's been shutting down for no reason when I play games (starcraft II), I tried to recover many times but it would even shut down while recovering. I got the recovery cd's from Asus to try to do a clean install, same problem.
I let it cool down and tried again this morning, it managed to recover windows but now it just keeps shutting down when I'm installing drivers.

I really don't know what to do and it's pretty frustrating because it's only 6 months old and I paid the big price for it.


here are the specs :
Processor BrandIntel®
ProcessorIntel® Core™ i7
Processor Speed1.73GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 2.93GHz)
Battery Type8-cell lithium-ion
Display TypeHigh-definition widescreen LED-backlit (1600 x 900)
Screen Size (Measured Diagonally)17.3"
Cache Memory6MB on die Level 3
System Memory (RAM)6GB
System Memory (RAM) Expandable To8GB
Type of Memory (RAM)DDR3
Hard Drive TypeSATA (5400 rpm)
Computer Hard Drive Size640GB
Optical DriveDouble-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW
Optical Drive SpeedsDrive speeds not specified
Direct-Disc LabelingNo
Digital Media Reader or SlotsYes, digital media card reader
GraphicsATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870
Video Memory1GB GDDR5
TV TunerNo
MPEGYes
Built-in WebcamYes
ModemNone
NetworkingBuilt-in 10/100/1000 Mbps Fast Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)
Wireless NetworkingWiMAX
Bluetooth-EnabledNo
S-Video OutputsNone
Audio3D with EAX Advanced HD 4.0
SpeakersInternal
PCMCIA SlotsNone
USB 2.0 Ports4
IEEE 1394 FireWire PortsNone
Parallel PortsNone
Game PortsNone
Laptop WeightStandard (more than 5.5 lbs.)
Battery LifeNot available
Pointing DeviceTouchpad
HDMI OutputYes
Blu-ray PlayerNo
Operating System PlatformWindows
Operating SystemWindows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Included SoftwareAdobe Reader; PowerDVD 9; Power2Go 6
ENERGY STAR QualifiedNo
Best Buy PC AppYes
Wireless Capability4G WiMAX
Backlit KeyboardYes
Drive Capacity640GB
Graphics CardATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870
Carrier CompatibilityCLEAR


thank you very much in advance...

 

Bring it back to BB or contact Asus for warranty.

 

If you look around many people have the same problem and it most likely is heat related. Download a sensor monitoring program like hwinfo32 or something similar and run a log. Next time your laptop shuts down check the log file and see what temp your gpu was running right before. Thermal shutdown for the 5870m would be around 110+C. If it is then you need to either repaste it yourself or send it in.

 

does anyone know how I can open it up (to remove the dust) ? I removed all screws but it still won't open.. is there a lock or something ?

 

As namaiki said, you should probably just bring it back to Best Buy if it's under warranty, or you can set up an RMA with ASUS.

I assume you're talking about a G73, there's a disassembly guide and a thread about cleaning it with compressed air: http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus-gaming-notebook-forum/532474-get-out-air-cans.html

Keep in mind that disassembly may void your warranty, depending on whether you damage anything or break any warranty stickers.

 

Download GPU-Z

Download TechPowerUp GPU-Z v0.5.2 | techPowerUp

Run it and report what your GPU Temp 1, 2 and 3 are. At idle 60's are bad and a repaste is the right move. If you are not handy, RMA it. Leave GPU-Z running and run a game for a few minutes then go back and check the temps again. Report what you have.

If your idle temps are less than 60 and your game temps don't approach 90, then a vbios update may be what you need. Do you know what vbios you are running?

 

I think ASUS doesn't service BestBuy models (judging from the specs), so bring it back to BestBuy if you're still under warranty. I wouldn't just outright open the thing and try cleaning the dust, if you're not comfortable enough to disassemble it completely. Since repaste is probably necessary.

 

@KRF: Idle at 60´s are bad?

I just got my 9 month old G73JH back from RMA (Bangkok, Thailand) - it was dead, they changed the GPU.

Now the GPU is 65C idle, even with Chastity´s Vbios!

Boy, I wish I´ve never bought this crap, have dead pixels all over the screen too.

 

Sorry to hear this I personally love the g73 but sometimes if you want something done right you have to do it yourself if its out of warranty might be an idea (at your own risk) to think about doing a proper repaste and cleanout.

 

I think you are pretty mistaken here. I run between 57 and 60 at idle or surfing. During gaming I have never been above 80... EVER. I run all my games on High or very high and get no issues. As for OP, you need to take it back to best buy and talk to them, because I'm with everyone that its a heat issue.

 

Diddo on taking it back to BB. I idle at 50C just browsing the web. Never seen my temps go above 76c even after a day of gaming in a heated room. I own a upgraded BB version directly from Asus. I`d try BB and if they dont help i would contact Asus directly. Amazing how many bad g73`s are out there. Other than the sdcard being picky i havent had a single problem.