*Official UL30VT-X1 Owners Lounge*

For some reason, my UL30VT-X1 stutters with this HD video...especially at the bird scene. Dunno what's going on here...

 

I had the exact same problem. I posted the dmp error file on Microsoft's SkyDrive after posting the error information in the Windows 7 Performance and Maintenance Forum. A response came back that that the wireless device was causing the error (at least in my case). I went to Device Manager and updated the driver....new software found....installed....rebooted....and the whole crashing thing went away.
Here is the link for the answers to my posting of this error. Good luck.
http://social.answers.microsoft.com...e/thread/f98676db-3b2c-4824-9daa-1b37ec5e934b

 

Hi. I decided to buy UL30 since UL20 is too small and UL80 has a stupid heavy CD drive which I never use. Then I discovered the UL30Vt version with switchable graphic card which is amazing for such a tiny thing. I will (have to) use it for several months for learning in 3D Graphics software such as Autodesk Maya. (anybody tried ?, I am sure it'll be pain with such a tiny screen but is it possible?)

I want the A1 model with bigger battery but I have few questions.

1) Does it come in silver color? I would hate the black one.

2) Does it have Intel or Atheros wi-fi card? I read a lot about issues with Atheros card and I would love to avoid such things. Amazon specifications says Atheros

3) Is it possible to reinstall Windows 7 from scratch? I mean format hard drive and make a clean installation? I presume I'll get an original disc of my Windows, right?

4) Does the UL30Vt-A1 comes with 2 years warranty and 1 year accidental warranty? Is this warranty world-wide? I live in US but I'll move to the Czech Republic in few months and I don't feel like sending it overseas if anything happens.

5) Does this model has the little linux distribution with web browser to make a quick launch and do some stuff? I think some of the UL30 have this feature.

6) Whenever switching to dedicated graphics, do you have to restart your computer? I've seen reviews with both opinions. Can you clear it out?

7) Anybody tried working on it outside? I'm concerned about the glare screen. I've seen some antiglare adhesive protectors. Anybody tried?

8) How loud is the computer in load? My dell vostro sounds like starting helicopter.. I hope this one will be a quiet fellow .

Ok, that's pretty much it. I will appreciate any comments and answers. Thanks. And I appologize for my crappy english. I am not native english-speaker.

 

1) UL30Vt-A1 is silver.

2) UL30Vt-A1 has an atheros wireless adapter. No problems to report.

3) Yes.

4) Yes.

5) Yes. Express Gate.

6) No. You just close any conflicting programs, then switch graphics modes on-the-fly. You only need to reboot when enabling/disabling Turbo Boost.

7) The screen is very bright, but not enough to overcome glare in direct sunlight. Don't have anti-glare protectors.

8) Battery saving mode: completely silent. High Performance mode under load, barely audible in a quiet room, otherwise unnoticeable. I replaced my HDD with an SSD, so it runs cooler and quieter than stock; some people complain about clicking noises from the HDD (probably the HDD spinning up after being put to sleep to conserve power).

 

Does anyone know what files are required from the recovery disks to
be copied to a flash drive for a clean windows 7 install?

I want to avoid installing the junk!

Thanks............

 

Thank you for all the answers!

Last thing I wanna know is what is the TurboBoost and what other modes can the laptop run..

 

Update on the UL30vt-a1 issues.

After uninstalling ZoneAlarm firewall I haven't had a crash, and everything seems to be running fine. Crazy as it sounds I think ZoneAlarm was the problem.
Avira antivirus is still running and not causing any problems.
Anyone have a clue why ZoneAlarm would cause these stability issues?

 

I don't know what problems Zone Alarm may have but would suggest you use Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials instead - both are free, and MS is paying a lot more attention to security than they have in the past; both programs now work very very well. This is just my opinion, of course.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=380681

 

My A1 is arriving later this week. I have a copy of Win 7 pro I'd like to clean install on it. Can I use that link to determine what SW to install on it after I put on Windows? I'm assuming formatting and installing Win 7 pro will install enough drivers to get me into the desktop so I can install any required Asus software?

 

Hi guys, I havn't got the UL30VT yet, just wanna ask what are the partition sizes are (including the hidden partition)?
Cheers.

 

You also have the ASUS driver disk that came with the computer should you need it.

 

I've read a lot of reviews and speculation, but now I feel I need some owners opinions. I'm in the market for a lightweight notebook with good battery life but with acceptable processing power. I'm not sure how well the OC'd SU7300 performs in day-to-day tasks as I can never find one locally. For example, would it have trouble having several applications (ie. word, firefox with 5-10 tabs, msn, and maybe some 720p video) running simultaneously? Also, I've read the build quality is not the best, but a bit better than the UL80VT. If there are any former F3 owners it'd be nice if you could give me a comparison of what to expect, though I know the F3's build quality isn't that great to begin with.

Thanks.

PS. Are we looking at a HUGE difference with respect to the i7 640UM in the JT model? If there isn't that much of a difference then I'd rather not wait, but I don't need the laptop immediately. I will be buying sometime in the middle/end February.

 

THX ... good to know.

 

Google: DXVA

 

I've been very pleased with the build quality of my UL30VT; the only possible issue I could complain about is a slight give to the keyboard pan at certain places if you tend you be a key pounder. The screen is super bright, sharp, and clear, and the performance on everyday tasks is far better than I expected. I don't even use the turbo-boost; never have felt the need. The case/palm rest is strong, the metal lid also gives it a lot of strength, if it had a backlit keyboard I'd give it a 10, as it is it's a 9+ for the money, IMO.

If you don't need to buy now I'd wait - you'll be getting more for the same price in just a few weeks. It won't be a huge difference but the new model should be a bit faster. OTOH the current model is a proven design hiding few if any surprises.

 

i wonder how many people actually use the switchable graphics? i mean, i just can't seem to find a good use for it besides gaming, and the video card isn't even that great for gaming to begin with. do people just want to have it for the sake of having it?

 

Other than gaming? No, unless you want to render video or maybe watch a movie output via HDMI to a TV, etc. It IS a heck of a lot more capable than the Intel GMA integrated then, and especially playing games.

 

i switch to watch HD videos with no fear of stuttering.

 

if anyone was wondering, mass effect 2 runs very, very smooth.

i have the GPU overclocked a little, and it hasn't let me down on any game i've thrown at it yet.

 

Some programs likes Photoshop CS4 can utilize the GPU to offset the load from the CPU.

 

how does the ul30vt handling streaming hd content, i.e. via youtube or when straming hd movie trailers from apple/yahoo's websites. Do you see any stuttering.

I mean also via wireless, not ethernet.

 

No stuttering at all from my UL30Vt from HD youtube videos. I only use wifi and always watch 720p videos when available. On other website here 1080p is available, it still plays fairly well with very minor stuttering.

On a related note, there is significant stuttering/lag when you play CPU intensive flash games.

 

David, welcome back. Any news on the backlit keyboard mod?

 

Thanks Tallan No update on the keyboard mod just yet. I'm still in Taiwan while the keyboard is still sitting quietly at home in Houston (I received it just hours before I had to leave for the airport)

 

I reformatted the original HD over the weekend after I dropped it into an enclosure (replaced w/ SSD), and I think the partition where 340GB, 120GB, and 40GB. Not entirely sure though, but as an approximation it should give you an idea at least.

 

It works fine for normal gaming. At least it plays all the things I want it to plays such as DA:O, ME2 etc... Sure all settings might not be maxed out, but I'm happy with the way it works.

 

I just installed Flash 10.1 from

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/

And running 720p youtube video without a hitch. I ran some 1080p video and it seems to be running fine too (this is all with the intel graphics)

 

so where is everyone getting their stock from? I prefer Amazon but it says 2 to 4 weeks wait?!

 

GentechPC has them in stock I think

 

Shameless plug, but I have the larger capacity 5600mah battery to sell (only 1 charge); I had to return my ul30vt and never re-purchased another one

 

I don't know if I should order from Gentech. Not sure how good their after sales support would be....

 

Their after sales support is terrific!
Even after I bought G51j-a1 from them they still kept in touch and helped me with my problems, that's why I pre-ordered my G73JH from Gentech again.
And if I need another laptop after g73jh, I know I'm going back to Gentech. just my 2c.

 

RunningWithScissors, that is the exact same problem I am experiencing. I totally agree that it gets frustrating when it comes to doing some work, in my case some school work and the pc just restarts itself. I did narrow it down to a wireless problem. Although I can only replicate the problem using my school's GUEST network. When I'm at home or at a friend's house, the wireless is fine and doesn't cause the pc to restart. Haven't tried anywhere else yet, like wifi at a coffee shop, borders, and etc. I also have the free ZoneAlarm firewall along with AVG for my Antivirus & Antispyware installed. Like I said before, I haven't experienced restarting at home or at a friend's house using wifi. I'll give updating the BIOS a shot as well as reinstalling the Wireless drivers and uninstalling ZoneAlarm.

Will this work with the Atheros driver as well. According to the Asus website, I already have the latest wireless driver for the Atheros card that is installed, not the Intel Wireless. If the restarting happens again, I'll be sure the write down what the BSOD shows, like it did today, most of the times its a plain random restart, shortly after I connect to my school's network.

 

Others with Zone Alarm have reported problems; uninstall & try Windows Firewall, see if that fixes it. Also updating the driver via Device Manager will find the latest one MS knows about, Atheros or Intel, not the latest from ASUS, who tends not to update drivers that often.

 

Here's another case for switchable graphics -- I'm a developer and when I'm at home I connect my UL30VT to an external 20" 1650x1080 LCD and run dual screens with my regular laptop screen the 2nd screen. I noticed that with this setup and the Intel graphics on that the external LCD has fuzzy text and uneven color output which is a total deal breaker for web development. However if I switch to NVidia graphics, the text is crystal clear and the color output is perfect.

Needless to say I was very happy to have this option available to me!

This laptop is all about options: battery life, performance, graphics power, etc. I really love it, it is the perfect blend of mobility and power and provides you full control of how you want to configure everything.

 

Just got an email from Asus UK saying that they have no intention of stocking the UL30VT!

What the hell are they playing at? Will just have to get it from the states somehow, but really think Asus are shooting themselves in the foot here

 

This should give you some reassurance:
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/GenTech_Computers_15

The UL30VT is most likely being replaced by the UL30JT, hence the reason why Asus UK is saying they will no longer have the UL30VT in stock.

 

that is good news, maybe the release of the ul30vt is closer than we think

 

Tallan, I will give that a try as soon as I can. However I do prefer a non-windows developed firewall (bad experience with XP's version) with the same features that ZoneAlarm offers such as game mode, internet lock, and stop all internet activity (although the last one can be accomplished by turning off the wireless). Any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

Microsoft is paying a LOT more attention to security since the release of Win7, and the firewall product is far more functional than it used to be in the XP days. I have been running a bunch of computers, on the road and at home, with just the Windows Firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials for many months now with no issues. Unlike other products they are not resource hogs, obviously they play well with Windows, and best yet both are still free. Just be sure to update frequently. I guess if I had to use 3rd party it would be by Trend Micro, others here certainly have different opinions.

 

i have had the ul30vt-x1 for nearly three months and i am still struggling with hitting the touchpad while typing. i have the palm tracking turned up all the way. i really wish the touchpad was recessed just a bit from the palm rest.

also, has there been any word on official nvidia drivers for graphics switching?

 

If only, its never been stocked in the UK!

But ASUS often doesn't stock a lot of the possible models in the UK, hopefully they'll stock the JT though.

 

PM price!

 

Well I received my A1 today. Seems responsive after i removed all the bloatware. Dont find the touchpad or the screen too bad. What i do find bad is...the wireless card.
My M1330 gets 5 full bars where the A1 is getting 2.

Just trying to see my options here:
Is there any 'soft' solution to this? Maybe uninstall the driver and reinstall a different version or something?

The 'hard' solutions: I bought this from Gentech and had it delivered to Canada, so Im not really considering returning it in exchange for another one. Would probably have to wait another week or two.

Can I swap the card out for the Intel card assuming i find it?


I'd appreciate any insight

 

Install a second antenna. That boosted my wifi signal quite a bit. I bought one of those ebay antenna and it didn't do jack. But when I sprang for this, it made a HUGE difference.

http://www.oxfordtec.com/us/p120/La...eed-to-open-the-Base-or-LCD/product_info.html

 

Thanks! I'll look into that.

PS: Its now down to 1 bar in the same spot with 2 disconnects so far...sigh...

 

does your UL30vt have the Atheros or the Intel card? Is it worth it for me to buy the antenna for the Intel Wifi Link 1000 ?

 

Mine is the A1 (silver) so it has the Atheros card. The Atheros card only have 1 antenna installed. Stupid, I know, but Asus claimed that the Atheros card is 'optimized' for 1 antenna. I don't buy that. The Intel 1000 on the X1 does have two antenna already installed and that second antenna won't do you any good as you won't have a place to plug it in.

 

I would try to update your wireless adapter software.....and getting rid of ZoneAlarm is a good idea. I did use ZoneAlarm and have removed it....now using Norton Internet Security....works flawlessly in the background with minimal resource hogging....

Also remember to check that Windows 7 Performance and Maintenance Forum...when you reboot after a crash, you should get a dmp log....that's the info to post....and the experts on this forum have a way to look at that day and determine cause.....Good luck!