URGENT: Asus C90s - Boots, Monitor Doesn't Initialize

This morning I used my rig as normal, no issues whatsoever. Over the weekend I even reinstalled Vista and all of my software, resulting in extremely smooth and responsive operation since Sunday.

When I arrived on campus this morning, I pushed the power button as normal and sat down. I noticed after a few minutes that there was no hard drive activity, and the monitor was still blank.

I opened the case up and checked the ribbon cables, which were all connected and clean. I disconnected the cable running from the GPU, blew out the connection and reconnected the cable. I also checked under both hinge covers and cleaned there as well. No dice.

Finally I carefully turned the computer back on (still no monitor activity) and placed a finger on top of the GPU. When the computer powers on, there is a brief, extreme heat surge in the vicinity of the GPU. It then cools down and there is no further response.

I also checked the battery, power cable, and reseated the memory.

I use my C90 for both classes and in my job as a graphic designer. It is still under warranty, but two weeks without my computer equals a lost paycheck. Any help you can give is greatly appreciated, and a quick solution even more so.

I will try an external monitor if the opportunity arises and update as needed.

 

Sounds like the video card is dead. Try the following first..

1. Reset the video card. This can be done by unplugging it from the MXM connector and reinserting it.

2. Reset the CMOS. To do this, remove the AC plug and battery, then flip the C90S over and on the lower right hand corner there is a very small hole a paper clip can fit through. Push this button with a paper clip for a good 20 seconds and then reconnect everything and give it a shot.

Those are the only two things I can think to do right now. Good luck.

 

I tried both, but no results.

I also should have mentioned something else. I did a closer examination of the heat sinks, and it turns out the heat over the GPU was actually transfer from the CPU. Closer examination revealed that while the GPU remained completely cool, the CPU was generating much more heat then it should have been.

Any ideas? Still waiting for Vigor to call me back.

 

I'm not sure I understand you correctly... Usually it's the GPU that gets overheated with the C90S. Perhaps you can try reseating the CPU.

Also, you didn't happen to upgrade the bios just before this all started did you? Have you been overclocking the CPU past what tubo gear allows? Overclocking the GPU?

 

Same hapenned to me. Just hapenned to be a loose CPU >_> (the laptop doesn't boot without the CPU)

I tried many things, disabled and reassembled it 2 or 3 times, nothing happened. I sent it in warranty and it worked out of the box for them =/.

 

I checked it a few times before packing it up. For a few seconds at boot the CPU heats up, while the GPU remains cold. I attempted to reseat both, but no change. The CPU always ran a bit hot anyway.

I haven't updated the BIOS, or used TurboGear in a very long time. The only overclocking I've ever done on the GPU was at RivaTuner's default settings for the 8600.

I have been having issues with my power supply lately. I forgot about it until today, when I was trying to figure out if there were any warning signs I might have missed. When the computer is at full heat, full fans, there were times in the past few months when the power supply would get critically hot (almost untouchable) then fail. The computer would suddenly revert to battery power, which it often depleted quickly before the power supply would come back online.

Does this ring any bells?

UPDATE: I sent it back RMA. I was able to overnight it using corporate's DHL account. I'm the primary graphic designer at my workplace, and my rig is as much an employee as I am at this point.

 

Be sure to push Asus to upgrade the power supply to a 120W unit! Most C90S' came with a 90W but they really need the 120W. Don't let anyone tell you different and be SURE to make them give you one.

Other then that.. I'm not sure. Let us know what Asus finds.

 

Like NightWalker said it should be the GPU, we got 4 RMA this month for defective C90S GPU.

 

Sigh... Proof of both the C90S' lack of GPU cooling and NVIDIA's mobile GPU scandal : /

 

Yes I agree, and they think 4 fans are better than one? sigh...

 

desktop cpu just does not work too good in a notebook, Core2Duo is much better than the old Pentium 4 notebooks back in the day but still even the C2D is too much for a normal sized notebook. Most other notebooks that feature a desktop cpu are like giant bricks.

The C90S like Ken said has 4 fans, but only one of them is for the gpu, the other 3 are for the cpu....

Thats why the "Vicious Mod" was born it really helps keep my gpu cool.

 

And they never starts

My E4500 never goes over 69C

 

You know, I've never actually managed to find good instructions as per the Vicious Mod. I think I'll put that on my to do list as soon as my rig makes its way back to me.

As to the power supply, it was indeed the 120W model, but I've always wondered if it was supplying enough, or at least the correct amount of power. Defective perhaps?

Also, how do I know that I won't just get yet another GPU doomed to failure? And thanks for all the help, BTW.

 

Last night I was experiencing some flickering of my display (display flickers off for a fraction of second) so I shut it down and attempted to reboot believing (hoping) it was a driver issue but am now experiencing the same issue that you are.

My guess is it is the GPU which always ran hot. My laptop never leaves my desk so I can't imagine how anything could have worked loose. I guess we'll see later today. I'm going to reset the CMOS, GPU, CPU, and RAM. Let you know what I find.

 

These 8600M's are really defective. They just keep dying, one after the next. It's a real shame we, the customers, are being left to pick up the pieces if they die after just 12 months.

 

Right.

After some troubleshooting I've come to the conclusion that the GPU is definitely out of commission, and a month out of warranty too....

I guess I'm headed to newegg or something to look for a GPU.

TweakFreak-

Has Asus had anything to say about your laptop?