*Official UL30VT-X1 Owners Lounge*

I do manage well with my SSD in my UL30VT, and it's only 40 GB. I run no games, only the OS and office apps and there is still 23 GB of free space out of 37 GB. Turned off Indexing, system restore, hibernation and page file. I still have my mobile 500 GB 2.5 " (the one sold with the laptop) in a Vantec USB2 Case for all my data.

For the graphics drivers, I've just reinstalled them using the modified .INF file and the procedure described in the last pages. In GPU-Z, the case PhysiX and OpenCL are still unchecked.

 

Whoa, just found out that I cannot switch from integrated graphics to discrete (or vice versa) when watching a internet video/downloaded video.
Never seemed to have happened to me before installing the new nvidia driver at all hmm
This happening to anyone else?

 

hey thanks for the reply. do you know how noisy it is? im really contemplating whether or not to replace it and i want to be prepared (my ul30vt-a1 comes this thursday) to replace it with scorpio blue or an 80gb ssd.

 

The HDD inside the UL30VT-A1 is a Seagate 5400.6 500 GB. Mine was relatively quiet.... it's a HDD : two platters and a head seeking on them, lol. I didn't find it noisy, but sure, a SSD is completely silent. You don't even know that the laptop is turned on.

 

oh cool thanks. ive been reading the earlier posts and many ppl complained about the noisy hhd. ill wait till i receive mine and see.

 

Well, if you have the budget, don't change your HDD because of the noise (I've never felt mad about HDD noise ... It never disturbed me... ), but change it for the performance boost ! Booting with a SSD in 15 seconds is incredible The instant-click feeling too. Plus, with Intel SSDs, you get more battery life (some SSDs consume more power in active mode than HDDs, be carefull)

 

I'm using the elan driver 7.0.5.10, is that what you're using?

 

I've tried your modified inf file and this time it worked! In retrospect, I think I may have inadvertently used an older version of the Nvidia drivers the last time and so the files did not match the inf.

The device driver manager now reports display version 197.16.

Thank you so much for your work and for sharing this file, Mr Itaru.

 

change the maximum power state for the processor either using the sliders or under the advanced settings tab.

 

UPDATE on NVIDIA 197.16:

I rolled back to p4g 1.25 (though 1.34 is now available via asus download), updated BIOS to rev. 210 and "recompiled" driver package.

I then reinstalled driver package. Device manager, gpuz, gpu caps and speccy all see the update driver info (197.16).

However I still lack OpenCL support (though cuda is recognized and active).

Itaru, first thank you for all your contributions as well as support... what do you recommend to solve the lack of OpenCL support. I know that manually copying the files is not enough without the associated registry additions. Would you happen to know what keys needed to be added?

 

Would be great if Asus actually included a change log with these updated versions.... I installed 1.34 last night but then rolled back to 1.25.

 

My UL30Vt-A1 arrived! All works fine and drive is quite, no clicks or such.

I have the single wire Atheros AR9285 wi-fi so will probably be swapping cards down the road..after i get this thing ready for the road! I'm busy filling up the drive

 

No Problem, AgDon, Apple-sourced movies will play just fine in iTunes/QuickTime/QuickTimePro on the UL30Vt-X1, I've been doing such movie playing ever since I got mine.

You will find a neat way of storing and transporting your movies is on an SDHC Card, and just pop that thing *into* the SDHC Reader Port on the X1 and WHAM! Call up iTunes, ArcSoft Theater, VLC, whatever viewer you wish to use, and you're watching HD movies instantly!

It's a very cool way to use the movie-viewing abilities of this computer, and if you try it out you just might agree it's a really nice thing to do!

 

Seems several are having varied results modifying the Asus Hybrid driver to incorporate the new 197.16 Nvidia drivers. Has anyone been able to get a 100% result-with Open CL, Cuda and Direct Compute all functional and mode switching working with both the hardware button and Power4Gear? If so, please post up you detailed instructions so we can all benefit. Thanks

 

You are overestimating the performance potential of P4G Control Panel...it's not going to give you Turbo except on High Performance setting. It wouldn't be a very effective CP if you could somehow finagle Turbo into every setting there, I mean what would be the point? Would you want it in Battery Saving mode also?

Turbo is in High Performance Mode *only*, and you cannot scale it into the other settings in the CP, it just was not written to be that way, sorry.

 

i have another problem with my A1, the webcam seems like it has some problems. if i try to run anything that attempts to use the "virtual camera" (is this an app or a device??), i get an error: "VirCamWS.exe has stopped working".

lifeframe seems to use this virtual camera by default, but if you change it to the "usb camera" then it works. as for an app like msn live messenger, the camera just never works....

 

Apologies if this has already been responded to, but I believe that part of the 4GB/8GB discrepancy is that the limit is not just set by the hardware limitations. The software can be involved as well.

From what I understand, Windows 7 32-bit can only "see" & use 4GB. Windows 7 64-bit can use up to 8GB. So having an OS that is 32-bit (with a 4GB ceiling) or 64-bit affects how much RAM can be accessed in the machine.

Therefore, under a 32-bit OS, the UL30VT's max is 4GB (ASUS' figure.) Under a 64-bit the max becomes 8GB (Amazon's figure.)

Those "empirical test" were probably run under Windows 7 64-bit, hence the 8GB max reported.

Works for me.

 

SSD's turn a regular notebook experience into almost a RAID '0' experience in terms of HD speed and efficiency, and it's not for everybody to be doing, so don't feel alone about not understanding SSD's!

You might notice that my SSD is an Intel X25-M High Performance 160GB G2 SSD, and I am using the Intel SSD Tool Kit, and the latest firmware, which enhances performance, makes the SSD perform at its optimum speed and efficiency, and helps with TRIM, the Windows High Performance adjunct for SSD's that prevents excessive fragmentation and solves the "bad filing" characteristics of SSD's. I am also using a special Intel AHCI Driver made specially for SSD's and RAID systems, which also enhances performance in my SSD.

The WEI (Windows Experience Index) for my SSD is "7.8", almost perfect if you will. Can't have scores like that with a conventional platter HD, sorry to say. :smile:

As for space necessary, it is true, I am a miser with the space on my SSD, but I don't need to store vast media libraries or the like on it because I use a networked iTunes/AppleTV Library at home and in my studio, ie it's all done wirelessly with Home Sharing, if you know what that is. I try and keep as little as possible on the SSD, saving its speed and efficiency for my Windows 64-bit OS and my registered applications, which is the way I want it to be.

I store movies for viewing, typically, on SDHC cards, and use them when I want, but do not store the movies directly on the SSD, don't want to!

It's true, as SSD is not for everybody, and I never thought I'd have a $450 SSD in a $750 computer either, but once you go SSD you *never* go back, it is said...:yes:

You know the old saying, "Never judge a book by its cover"? It applies very much to SSD's, that saying. They are blinding fast, unlike anything you've ever used, and if you have any doubt about that, have a look at the performance curve of my SSD in the attached graphic from ATTO Tools Benchmark Performance Tool.

 

I'm using ElanTech 7.0.5.9, the original that comes on the System Driver Disc in the notebook 'kit'. Yours is one version later, I believe.

Hope this helps...

 

Congratulations hydra!

The Seagate HD I got in this one was great also, quiet as a mouse, and not that slow for a conventional platter HD either, so we were both lucky there. :yes:

Enjoy your A1 a bunch, and I'm sure you'll love it!

 

I added a 256GB SSD on my UL30VT and it's plenty for me at the moment (I believe there's also 512GB SSDs out now too). If storage (or price) is an issue, you can always get an external hard drive to compliment the smaller SSD you have and use the external drive to store your larger files such as your movie/music collection.

The main reason why people opt for an SSD over the traditional mechanical hard drive is speed. As rexrzer727 has shown you, SSDs can be blazing fast during boot and significantly decreases the time for opening programs/files.

 

Congrats on your new toy

If you do end up swapping your Atheros wifi card, I'd suggest getting THIS. The Intel 6300 is currently the best wifi card on the market and babyhemi is currently selling them at a steal price. I snagged one up and installed 2 additional antennas on my UL30VT and the wireless reception is now even better than my desktop's.
I should also add that if you plan on adding wifi antennas, make sure you are getting ones that support 2.4 AND 5GHz frequencies as the Intel 6300 is capable handling both frequencies.

 

Thanks guys,

..Dave, 6300 on order thanks for the link!

 

I see that no one has answered you...well let me take a shot at it. Chances are you are a victim of the OEM driver installation, because my web cam works a treat! It works with Smart LogOn also, 100% when I use it.

LifeFrame is the computer's default camera tool, and if that is working correctly then everything else, including the web cam for MSN Live should work nominally, and if it doesn't it's NOT the fault of the "virtual camera"...

I have never kept the OEM installation in any PC I've ever owned, because they are always screwed up somehow, someway, and it's usually a serious screwup!

Have you tried running a Registry Cleaner, such as the free Glary Reg Cleaner, or Registry Mechanic? That can help with messed up systems sometimes, and I always use the cleaners/fixers in all my PC's for preventive maintenance, anyway. Do you do any maintenance on your PC's? Not trying to nail you to the cross or anything like that, simply asking a question, that is all.

My web cam works perfect, in every application it's supposed to work in, and yes, I've Clean Installed everything onto this SSD from scratch, the right way, and restarted a lot, used Registry Mechanic after each and every restart, and it's all working 100%, has never *not* worked perfectly since I installed the SSD.

Even before that, with a Hitachi 7200RPM 500GB HD, that I replaced the OEM drive with, I did a Clean Install on the OEM HD, then Cloned that HD over to the Hitachi with Paragon's Partition Manager Copy Disk feature, and things worked perfectly then also.

If some of your drivers are flaky, and/or the System is not working correctly, I can only suggest the obvious: fix the thing! Start from scratch, from Ground Zero as it is, and do a nice, fresh Clean Install of everything you want and leave out all of the crapware (like "virtual camera") you don't want, and things will be working pretty nice after that--that is a positive suggestion if you are having driver problems like the camera isn't working correctly when it should be working...like in MSN Live, etc etc.

It's really up to you. I cannot force you to do something you don't want to do, but for those of us who have done the Clean Install on our UL30VT's, I'd venture to say that 100% of us are 100% pleased with the results. :yes:

If you don't know *how* to do a Clean Install correctly, then it's not for you anyway, but if you do, and can, then please try it and see if I am right...

 

No problem

Just in case you're interested, this is where I got my antennas from:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250465318826&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

 

David, I haven't even checked out my Intel 1000BGN WiFi setup, but do you know if I already have the necessary 3 antenna's for the Intel 6300 WiFi device? Or do I need the special 2.4 and 5Ghz antenna's anyway?

In other words, does my setup come with 3 antenna's, while the A1 does not? This thing actually does quite well for what it is, no issues at all. I've done my reading on the 6300 though, and know all about it! What a package that is, with the software kit for it, and everything else you get with its setup, like WOW! :yes:

Did you install the software package for it also, and how is it working if you did? I have never seen a WiFi setup that you can "tune" like that one, it's quite interesting to me.

Thanks ahead of time, if you can answer that question for me, because I'd opt for the 6300 if I don't have to completely tear the thing apart to install the 3 antenna's, otherwise I'd probably just leave it as is because reception is so good-- for conventional things anyway.

Of course it will never be able to carry simultaneous 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz transmissions, decode and/or transmit up to 500KB/sec etc etc like that 6300 will do, apparently...I mean the stats on it are astonishing!

 

Where/how did you put them in?

 

I'm not sure if your UL30VT has 3 antennas already, but with my A1, only 1 was supplied. The one antenna that was in my UL30VT did in fact pick up my 5GHz signal from my router, so I'm guessing yours should be the same too. You can easily check how many antennas you have by simply opening your hard drive compartment. From there, you'll be able to see the wifi card and antenna(s).

Other than the driver, I didn't install any software that came with my 6300 wifi card. I may look into it later, but as of now, my wifi is already working better than expected and as the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

As for installing the extra 2 antennas, it's a bit time consuming but really not that difficult. You'll need to basically remove the keyboard, top case assembly, motherboard and the screen bezel. All you really need is a philips-head and flat-head screwdriver and some elbow (finger?) grease.

 

I put the antennas behind the screen panel. Most laptops will have their antennas in this location since it's furthest away from the main hardware components which may cause minor interference. I ran them along and around the screen bezel, over the right screen hinge, along the right side of the motherboard, to the wifi card.

 

No such luck for moi, two (2) antenna's, one black, one white cabled in the compartment that I could see. There may be a 3rd up behind the card, but I'd have to remove the card to see up there, or take the case apart, 6 of one, 1/2-dozen of the other!

You can see that they route up the right hinge into the screen bezel, so that would be a simple matter of following the yellow brick road...:smile:

Looks like that card would come out w/out removing the whole caboose, too, only two small phillips screws are securing it! Hmmm, but you say it takes a complete disassembly to mount the 3rd antenna...sugar beets! I was hoping I'd not have to take *this one* apart too, ding, dang, dong! That would make 4 in a row I've had to disassemble completely for one reason or another...

Since I have two antenna's now, would only need a 3rd...maybe I could get by without taking it 100% down like you did David...hmmm, let me think about it over night and I'll go from there.

Great stuff though...that 6300 card.

Thanks again for the link(s), because I may need to use them.

 

If you already have 2 antennas, that should be good enough to get decent and stable wifi signal. I remember when I only had 1 antenna it was sufficient to boost my signal up one bar in comparison to the stock Atheros card. The trickiest part of adding an extra antenna is actually the wire layering. The area near the hinge provides so little space and makes it extremely difficult to squeeze in all 3 wires together. It's a tricky, yet fun task. Since you've mentioned you've had experience with disassembling other laptops before, this should be a nice weekend project for you!

 

my multiplier of my processor seem to be stuck at 4 on battery.... anyone having this problem???

 

Check your Power4Gear Hybrid setting. Only "High Performance" will yield a x6.5.

 

ooooh finally. How stupid would it be if u can't run it at 1.73 ghz on battery saving. All i want is to turn off the discrete graphics but run it at full processing power.

 

Unfortunately the only way to achieve this would be to configure the power management settings under "high performance" mode.

Edit: you could also use Davids post about using setFSB as a tool to manipulate the clock generator. I believe David's method pushes the reference clock to 293. Under battery savings, I believe that the multi drops to 4.5 (maybe 4) which would give you a speed of roughly 1.32ghz, which under most operating conditions would be a nice speed with optimal power savings. Just a thought.

 

that's not true, in power4gear, just set your cpu setting to maximum performance, it'll keep the multiplier from being locked at 4x. I just did it : )

 

Very cool, I had suggested that several posts back, but deferred to what I thought David and Rex were saying. Clearly I misunderstood them, and my first suspicion was correct.

Glad it is working for you.

Have you tried the updated 197.16 nvidia drivers yet?

 

no, it's not worth the hassle for me right now. I posted a 4055 3dmark06 w/ gpu/cpu oc'ed so i don't see the benefit

 

How did you manage to get 1.9 GHz overclock ????

 

Take a look at this thread.

 

Hi@all

i bought my UL30VT a month ago. It's just awsome! The perfekt mixture about mobility and power! It's just fine for me!

Before I bought this NB i owned a Acer Aspire Timeline 1810tz! Ther was a great Tool for this Notebook called 1810tray.

This tool makes it possible to switch between different BatteryProfiles and to activate or deactivate devices like sound or LAN, WLAN.. automatically!
Just by switching the before created profile. You can even deactivate the Windows 7 Design in order to save energy!

Is there a tool like this for the UL30?

I mean the preinstalled tool by Asus ist great but the only device I can deactivate is the Webcam! And as you may already have noticed it's impossible to add new devices for Activation!

Would be great if there is a similar tool for our UL30!

 

Last Friday I reinstalled a clean install of Windows 7 Home Premium x64 with my own MSDNAA ISO. I put the key under the laptop for activation, but now, Windows is telling me this key is not valid. I have to call Microsoft. Why ? The key under the laptop isn't supposed to work ? lol ?

Thanks !

 

I believe the key below the laptop is for the OEM Windows 7 and not the retail one

 

the serial number should work for either oem or retail.

 

I think I got it : http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=6094638

 

thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed response! it's good to know that it should be working, lol. i've been using TweakNow Regcleaner, so i guess that hasn't resolved my issue. i guess i don't have much choice other than doing a fresh install, sigh... i'll work on that once i find a sufficient amount of free time! i'll report back on it once that happens. thanks again!

 

I'm staying with original as well, I see no reason to update unless a game won't run properly

 

Antenna and card on the way!

At 40 feet, through two walls, I get 4 bars and, around 800kbit on my Gateway with Intel 4965AGN. With Anthros I get 2-3 bars doing around 600kbit downloading same file.

Not exact but general performance noticed. I do not get any disconnects so not a great loss.

I plan on the two wire setup as I only have an old WRT54GS.

 

Are you meant to be using the nvidia graphics card when upgrading to the newest nvidia drivers. I went through the steps whilst on the intel integrated graphics.

1. went to control panel and uninstalled the "nvidia drivers" program
2. ran the VGA patch file but nothing really seemed to happen
3. did all the copy and pasting as well as the special inf file and then ran the setup. finished setup rebooted and laptop screen was still 800x600 res and couldnt detect nvidia card.