The Story of my UX31E (Ux31e/a and Ux21e/a owners Please Read)

I bought my UX31E last September from Dubai. As soon as i got it i noticed two Backlight bleeding Spots on the Monitor. Its really visible in Bright White Light.
But i didnt really mind it, i was too hesitant to give my new laptop back as soon as i got it

Time passed, i travelled to India, where i am doing my Engineering, everyones Heads turned seeing my Ultra Zenbok

I was so impressed with my laptop, i could never get anyones head turning like i did with this laptop with anything else, even with my not So ugly looking Face

Now, my UX31E, started giving me BSOD's, Once or Twice in a week, i didnt mind it so much. It was a regular thing for my first desktop, which lasted me for more than 5 years (Good old Times)

One day, something weird Happens, my Zenbook, doesnt Switch it off completely even after i click on SHutdown. The screen turns off, but the fan would Run and the Latop used to get Hot. I had to manually Hold the Power button to Shut it down. I tried re-installing Windows 7, same thing. Installed Windows 8 after updating to Latest BIOS, still the same problem.

I thought, there must be something wrong with the CMOS, so i opened up my Zen and took down the CMOS wire and removed the Battery too, and kept it outside for sometime, before reinstating them to their respective Places.

Tried shutdown now, and it worked as it always did. Fast and Awesome

Happy Again

Some days passed, i reverted myself back to Windows 7 as i didnt like the all New fancy Metro interface.
Updated Windows, Updated my Norton Antivirus 2013, and kept my Zen for Scanning my Computer and to make my Zen automatically Sleep after Completion.

I went to bed and slept peacefully

Wakes up in the morning and visits my Beautiful Zenbook, only to be disappointed by a BSOD. (Its normal i thought) and i powered down the system Manually. I switched it on again, Reached the Windows boot Screen (Before Logon), and it stayed there forever.

I switched it off and turned it back On again, went to recovery, it told me its trying to Recover something from the Drive and its gonna take Mor than an Hour. Waited for 30min, got restless. Switched the laptop off and back on again, this time went to Safe mode. It got stuck in the last ****.SYS file. and never loaded.

Feelig emptiness in my heart, i made myself a bootable Ubuntu live usb disk and booted my Zen up.

Went to the home directory and Selected the Folders i wanted and Pasted it in my external Drive. Everything got Stuck, i restarted it. Selected one folder and Copied it. It worked. Did the same thing to another folder. Some files worked others gave me (Input/Output Error).

i thought, Hell with Bckup! Let me get my Boy up and Running.

Made a Bootable Windows 7 USb drive, went to the Partition manager, and Formatted the Drive. The installtion started, i was smiling with JOY inside

But then,

it Stopped at 36% and gave me an error cant Copy, the file doesnt Exist. (I have already tested this Bootable windows and it worked on my Pc before and it works on others too).

I restarted, Went to Windows 7 installation again, this time. It gets Stuck at Windows boot Screen same like before, even though i am entering setup from USB drive and not booting from my Sandisk SSD.

Now i went to my Live Linux, and booted it, and in the boot log it shows, cant read Sata0- Chipset Error (or Something like that) and it doesnt boot!

I went to bios, and changed SSD drive from AHCi to IDE mode and booted Ubuntu, this time it worked, but the SSD was not mounted, it gives me (Error mounting device, Input/Output) in GPARTED, which is a partition manager in Linux.

I then tried installing Ubuntu onto my SSD, but it was unable to create anything on my SSD.

Now i was SAD

My SSD had died, i said to myself.

Took out the Zenbook box, to get my Warranty Card and Purchase invoice, Got the Warranty Card, but it was empty. Nothing was written on it. Searched for the Invoice and it was no where to be found. I called Asus customer service, and they Checked my Zenbook with Manufacture code and told me its out of warranty from the serial Number and i would need the Purchase Invoice, and the warranty is Valid even if it was bought from Dubai.

The alternate option is for me to get another SSD and install it myself. I checked the asus spare parts weblink, but it cost 280+Euro in the Eu Store. Which is Unacceptable for me!

Then i found this link TaoBao Products:ASUS 128G SSD Adata XM11 xm11zzb5 solid state drive for desktop - MisterTao.com

Its an ADATA Xm11 drive for 75.00 $ and with shipping it comes to 110.00 $ to India.
But i am not sure, if i can believe this Guys, anyone bought anything from here?
Or Do u guys know of any SSD's that are compatiable with my Zenbook?


Please give me Your thoughts and help a fellow Ux31e owner!

Thanks for Reading my Pityful Story

Have a Nice Day/Night AHead

 

Your story is gripping. Do we think it is all SSD? I say if it is buy a good SSD. Not what you bargined for but much less frustrating.

 

Yes, i think so. Because i am not even able to Format it or Benchmark it in Ubuntu. It gives me Input/Output Error.

Also, do you have any Idea if Asus would know from which store i really Bought this From?

And, buying SSD, the Thing is, i dont know which SSD are compatible with my Laptop. Because it uses a Custom Sata port i read. If anyone could confirm any working After market SSD for Ux31e, that would be so much of Help.

 

Hi FriendlyGhost93,

This is for you: “ ASUS Zenbook UX31E-DH72 13.3 Inch Disassembly and Teardown”

I don’t know the full name of the author but his article is a perfect example of a useful and good explanation. I like it very much and I hope to help you.

Try to find out a good SSD with 3 or 5 years warranty if are they available for your model. Good luck.

 

Yes, i have seen it. But it doesnt tell me much about what replacements i can use, so.. :/

 

You are good writer and I’m waiting for the next chapter .

 

I have been called so many names, but never a good writer. I am sure i have made so many mistakes in my Writeup, too lazy to look around for the mistakes

Still no luck with any Answers though :/

 

I have exactly the same problem, and I found the same link in taobao.com. Now I'm thinking about buying one from there.