C90S: BSOD + other problems

So I got my C90S about 2 months ago..

Windows Vista 64 bit
RAM: 3GB DDR-2 667
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Conroe E6700 2.66 GHz
GPU: GeForce 8600M GT 256MB GDDR3

I've been pretty happy with it except for the following problems
Please help

1) BSOD.. very often.
It randomly happens in any situation. Examples: When opening a browser, when turning on, when loading an internet page. It happens about once every 3 days. But it always certainly happens when I try to use the webcam with MSN. Whenever it activates, I get BSOD. When opening the webcam with only the program that came with the laptop, it's ok most of the time.. but occasionally BSOD appears too. No idea what to do...

2) The sound sometimes stops working when I wake the laptop from hibernation. It's fixed whenever I restart.

3) iTunes will not install properly and says I must do it "properly" before I can import / burn CDs. My iPod has stopped being able to sync as well (thought this could be my iPod's problem). The message goes: "Warning! iTunes was not properly installed. If you wish to import or burn CDs, you need to reinstall iTunes." It keeps saying that no matter how many times I reinstall. I also cannot upgrade to iTunes 7.5 because it would always say an error occurs half-way through the update.

4) Just a question.. My laptop slows down A LOT when playing Hellgate: London... even when I OC it. It's to a point where I can't really play the game well. Is this normal for my specs? I'd imagine my laptop to do better than that.

I've enjoyed my C90S so far but if these problems keep up... it'd suck..

Please help
Thanks

 

Update your BIOS, if your running the original 502-504. This may fix it, it's likely a RAM compatibility issue. See this thread for more information, and please use the search function...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=144187&page=1

 

I don't know how to update BIOS... = ="

...
yea..
lol..

 

What wattage power adapter are you using? I have heard that you must upgrade your adapter to use a DDR3 8600gt with the C90; the 90W adapter cannot supply enough power.

 

You must use 101.xx drivers with the GDDR3 card

The 90W problems is through lock-ups AFAIK,

BSOD probably due to incompatible 2GB memory stick. Use Super Talent if possible

 

I use a 90W
Ken from GenTech (where I got the lappy from) said I shouldn't have to worry about my adapter.. forgot the reason.

What's Super Talent and how do I use that?

 

Super Talent is a brand of RAM.

What graphics drivers are you using?

I assume you have one 1GB stick and one 2GB stick of ram in your C90. Could you remove the 2GB stick without voiding your warranty, and see if the problems go away?

 

For BIOS update: detailed guide in my signature.

 

120W adapter is not required for MB revision earlier than F07, 90W works just fine.

For MB revision F07 or later revision not only it required 120W for GDDR3 video card, the DDR2 video card also required 120W adapter if you want to be able to upgrade the video card in the future.


C90S doesn't work with WinFlash or Aflash, it uses AFU flash utility, here is the latest BIOS and instructions:

V801 official BIOS ISO:
http://1toppc.com/Merchant2/images/Notebook/Asus/C90S801B.iso


Make sure your computer is at AC power before update the BIOS and do it at your own risk.
1: Download the ISO and burn into the CD.
2: Restart the computer with CD in the drive and press "ESC" once when you see the Asus logo.
3: Select boot from CD drive and press enter.
4: Computer will boot to A:\ prompt
5: Type UPDATE and press enter
6: BIOS flash will start and DON"T turn off or press any key or buttons on the laptop.
7: It'll go back to A: prompt when BIOS flash is finished.
8: restart the computer and press F2 to enter BIOS.
9: press F10 to save and exit BIOS.

 

It might be helpful if you posted this also on my BIOS guide thread.

 

Yes I did, a week after C90S released :

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=141730

as well for all other Asus notebooks:

http://www.notebookforums.com/thread173555.html

 

I have one of the first release C90S and I just ran into trouble with 90W AC adapter that the 120W fixed and I have a 8600M GT DDR2?!? Under normal conditions it doesn't need more then the 90W, but If you in Gaming more, have all network devices enabled (which I don't at work do to security reasons), use a USB cooler and mouse and use Turbo Gear in Gaming Mode w/ VGA enhancer (which OC CPU and GPU to Asus specs) than the 90W AC adapter can not supply enough power and it will draw power from the battery. Once the power runs low/critical it will go into Power Saver Mode and whatever game you are playing will either stall or crash and the battery will start charging again. If your not using a battery it will shut the C90S down. Since I have all network devices, except GSM/G3 Express Card (which is a violation of security, but my sanity is at stake), disabled at work while gaming I never noticed this before last weeks LAN, last LAN I went to Turbo Gear was not yet working on the C90s with e6600 or higher and Windows XP, plus the games weren't any sort of challenge for the C90s, mostly BF2 and BF2142, now we were playing COD4 (good times). Really interesting stuff, also got a buncha' new battery issues including express slot not working in battery mode (just use my phone as a USB GSM/Edge/3G modem instead) and the temp lock up going from powered to battery mode again, weird..

Other BSOD as of recent were caused by a defraging program I used on Vista and 169.09 also in Vista. The defrag thing was fixed by check disk and 169.12 took care of the video card issue, SP1 RC is also running stable now. Most BSOD issues I've had were in Vista and one driver update or another fixed that, the ones I had for XP were mostly do to Turbo Gear and the BIOS, both working now (except those new battery issues). I love my C90s, but mostly it for reasons I think a normal person would go nuts, I love debugging systems and tinkering.

 

Well it seems if you love tinkering you got the right laptop

I still think ASUS pretty much blotched this one (precisely because of the amount of tinkering that has to be done -- unfinished work at the design table)

 

Yap, pretty much BETA testing (I want a paycheck from Asus )

 

1. Get updated camera drivers. Same thing happened to me, reinstalled windows and got new drivers, never happens again.
2. Get updated sound drivers. Fixed the problem for me.
3. iTunes does not fully support 64 bit os's anymore. There's a dll file that you can (or could, don't remember if it works with 7.5) that allowed you to
burn cds. From The Apple software update program, choose download only and run them manually. It crashes on all my 64 bit pc's.
4. Its the Video card Driver. If your using stock, then it seems H:L needs a newer driver for preformance, but the gddr3 card can only use the stock driver so far.

Anyone know when a new bios is coming out?

 

I love tinkering with systems too, but my c90 is driving me crazy. I had it for over 2 months and extensively tested it for only 15 days as the other days it was in repair service. I took it there for the second time last week.

My problem is 3D graphic. The first time they repaired it and changed the motherboard and i got a new power adaptor.. , but i still got the lockups with 3D.

Dxdiags is the tool for testing, 'cos interestingly the dx7 test cube worked almost all the time. Dx8 cube was having more problems, as for dx9 the cube almost every time froze the system.

After I've got the C90 back for the first time, nothing has changed, dx was not working, but when i updated the bios to 801b everything seemed to be fixed and was working wonderfully for three days. In this time i was tinkering too much with the settings for the graphic card, cos I had to be sure that everything was fixed, but i was suspicious.. i couldn't change the resolution in game Jericho.. only the highest was working and the change of resolution resultet in a game crash.. the 3D mark was also not working, i figured maybe i have to do a fresh install, but didn't try it.. and then it happend, i couldn't start dx7-9 again..

I think i have a faulty graphic card.. I don't know.. I grown kind of tired of countless windows and driver installs.. I think this has to do something with overheating.. When the dx stopped working again i tried to go into Linux Ubuntu, whitout waiting a while for the c90 to cool down, and i couldn't get into the system.. strange, when the card was working, i left the system on for 5 hours in Jericho and in 3dmark.. no problems...

So I took it back to the repair service and insisted I wanted a new graphic card.. now we will see if I have to wait for a month and a half again as I did for the new motherboard and power adaptor..

 

Wow, you really got it bad. I had the video card go bad on me in the first week I had it and got it replaced and now every thing is working fine...ok.

I have no idea though why it would screw up on DX...in Ubuntu? Donno much about Linux based OS. What are the temps of your card during those tests and what are the clocks at (GPU, Mem and CPU)? I'd say up to date DX or drivers, but I'm also assuming that be one of the first things you would try.

 

Thank you for the answer RangerXML. I just don't know why they wouldn't change the graphic card the first time, the technician just said he got the answer that this is a known error and he must replace the motherboard. I bet he's thinking differently now

The temps were kind of normal for C90, except the first week, when I got it. Then I thought the C90 will melt in front of my eyes. The GPU temps were hitting 106 or more C without OC. Notebook cooler stabilized the system around 50C for CPU and 70-90 for GPU.

And another thing DX is only in windows and I was talking about being unable to boot the linux system after my graphic card has gone bad the last time. I'm wondering what kind of symptoms did you have, when you took the graphic card to be replaced?

 

Video Card went on the fritz the night before (during a LAN, tends to be when I discover most of my problems) and the next morning no video at all, but the notebook still turned on. I got it back from Fremont and they said all that was wrong was a dead video card and they switched it out.

 

Today I've got mine back and they almost charged me cos' they couldn't recreate the error - after a fresh install of windowze everything worked..

Now I'm left in a blank... trying to recreate the error... or to sell the laptop..

 

Yes, don't use anything but stock vid driver for now, they are working on an update for us gddr3 users. My BSOD's have ceased...some Vista or driver update, somewhere, has done something; I haven't been able to pinpoint it. You could have as mentioned incompatible ram...this machine is finicky. Check with Ken at GentechPC as he is the 'guru' of C90s ram.

 

Is everything working now, it might have been literally one of those you installed this before that but should of done thats. Test the crap out of your notebook, if it still screws up and there is no logical solution sell or return it. Every problem I've had I could see how they were tied together thus I could work out a solution. One of the biggest problems I've had in the past is installing Office 03 after Windows XP SP2 without the updates, gave me one big headache trying to update Office 03 later on. Vista with its "Not Equal to or Less than" is my second favorite problem, nothing like a non described BSOD.