W3J problems battery/windows OMG!

Windows will not load when running on batteries!!!!

I started my W3J yesterday(battery mode) and after the Windows logo(with the loading bar) there was a message that my discs needed to be checked for consistency; after the discs were checked there was a message about a file format not being vaild and some files are deleted. Instead of loading windows it gets stuck on that blue screen and after a while(10 mins) it reboots and starts the whole process all over again(had to hold the power button to finally switch it off) When I got home I plugged it in and it started normally but I got a error reporting message that windows had a problem and I need to report it(which I did but Microsoft couldn't identify the problem) I disconnected it form the mains and I got a dark blue screen with some stuff written on it(couldn't read it because it only appeard for a split sec) and it rebooted instantly only to get to the disc checking stuff mentioned above and the cycle started again.

I'm confused, I'm not sure if its a hardware problem or a software problem. I tried a system restore(whiile plugged in) but it didn't fix anything. I just installed the new Omega driver (6.9) a few days ago but even if there was something wrong with the drivers or GPU I don't think it would affect my W3J this way.

Help me !

 

You should be confused, because it's honestly confusing and isn't something we'd really ever see. You need to give Asus a call. There is no reason it wouldn't load on battery power, but would on the ac power, unless it just happened to be that way.... I mean, could you try battery power again and see if you get the same problem and then swap to ac and see if you could replicate what's going on.

If you can replicate it, call Asus and tell them what you've done and they'll want you to send it in, I'm sure.

 

Could be a power management issue - only thing I can think of to explain the problem only existing under battery power.

Maybe the battery is defective and not supplying enough charge?

 

That indeed could be the problem, but it would be more likely if it didn't start up at all...... if there's any power, it would at least start to boot and wouldn't explain the hanging or bluescreen in the least.

 

i thought this was the same problem i had but i never got blue screen when starting up on battery.

i know that when i tried to start up on battery, it would just keep rebooting before making it to the welcome screen. that turned out to be a CCC and powerplay error. by disableing powerplay, i was albe to start up on battery.
also by installing the new omega drivers allowed me to startup also.

 

If you're talking about screwing with omega drivers - you need to be advanced enough to know how volatile they can be if configurations are modified... but certainly could cause display problems if something went wrong.

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I'm backing up my files; I'll use the software recovery cd to restore the OS and if I still have the problem I'll give ASUS a call

EDIT: I disconnected it again and it rebooted again (it didn't stop rebooting until I replugged it) I used the Microsoft error reporting stuff and this is what i got http://oca.microsoft.com/en/response.aspx?SGD=92b22060-febe-4949-8f11-e8016f2367d3&SID=10

 

I bet something in those Omega Drivers got messed up somewhere.

I always love how people go through their whole huge long set of problems and then end with 'I just installed this non-standard thing'.

Not that I don't install non-standard things on my PCs sometimes, but from what I've heard about the Omega stuff, it's just not worth it. There are enough issues with the regular Catalyst 6.9s without adding anything else to them.

In fact, I seem to remember a couple post a few days back on this forum with people haveing weird rebooting/crashing issues with the 6.9s. rebooting in safe mode and installing the 6.8s seemed to solve it for them....

 

Kal, I had this exact same problem TODAY!! EXACTLY!

Well, I am using my recovery discs now. THis machine has started on battery before and only stopped and did the disc cycle thing after I got done installing and messing with tons of drivers and other things.

I bet this is a driver issue...I had my tech look at it today and he did all sorts of diagnostics on the machine and found nothing wrong with the HD or memory etc.

I hope the recovery disc solves it...if it puts the machine back in the state when I got it it would seem like there should be no problems.

I will keep you updated in an hour or so.

 

I just did a full sustem restore...things work spiffy now...gah...5 hours later...I am still installing drivers/software...ugh

 

Same here, just finished a full restore *phew* (I lost my recovery partition a while ago I wonder if there's a way to put it back on the hard drive?) everything looks okay (knocks on wood) now I have to go through the laborious process of installing software Thanks Charivari.

Did you also install the new Omega drivers before you started having problems?

 

yes...I believe the omegas messed me up.

 

did you guys have Powerplay enabled? what about power4gear?

 

I don't know about the Omega 6.9 drivers, but I had the exact same problem when I installed the stock ATI Catalyst 6.9 drivers. I uninstalled them and put on the Catalyst 6.8s, and everything worked perfectly again.

I've seen numerous other people on the board with similar problems, and they all seemed tied to the new video drivers.

 

how do i get the catalyst 6.8's?

the 6.9s are what causes this problem. I just tested it.

 

Ok I think I found the 6.8's...can someone confirm that I did the right thing?

I went here https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=27

Then on the left went to drivers then radion...then old versions

and downloaded the Catalyst Control Center Package

I hope thats the right one.

 

ARGH!! I cant install the 6.8's...or im doing it wrong or I have the wrong file...

It says it cant find a vga driver so the installer exits. SO I install the catalyst driver from my system disk and try to upgrade it without un-installing it and no dice...still cant find the vga driver

Anyone?

 

Get the 6.8 version from here: http://www.driverheavendownloads.net/ati.htm. Ooops sorry... really sorry... seems like it's just the desktop version.... not the mobility one
Here http://li.ru/go?www.3dnews.ru/files/pub/drivers/ati/6-8-mobile_xp_dd_ccc_enu_35181.exe

 

I guess it was a problem with ATI drivers 6.9 and powerplay, it defaults to be off on AC power, and "on" on the battery power. And for example if I turn the powerplay (max savings) with AC W3J reboots.

And I purposely installed 6.9 drivers to check if there is a problem (I was planning system reinstall, but wanted to test some things in the current version )

 

Lucasd, does this mean I need to install the 6.8's or can I use the 6.9 but go into power play and change something?

 

you can install 6.9 and then uncheck the powerplay box. it will work fine that way. but i rather have powerplay.

actually catalyst 6.9 with powerplay on actually works when im on AC mode. its just when i install another power monitoring program (NHC, power4gear) is when 6.9 starts bugging out.

 

So you still wanna go with 6.9?

 

I am going to try the 6.8's now and see if that works...I am downloading from the link provided above.

 

6.8's work!! Kai...just get the 6.8's from the link above and you are ready to roll. testing 3dmark now.

 

Sweet....

4408 in 3dmark 05. This is perfect...and it runs great on battery etc.

Problem solved!

 

I'll do that asap

I have a small problem though; my bluetooth stays off even if I put it on before a reboot Is there a way I can fix this? Maybe I need to reinstall Bluetooth stack(where do I get this I can't find it on the Asus support site)?

 

My w3j came with a drivers disk...I installed the bluetooth one from there...works as intended. I would imagine that ASUS would have those drivers on their website too.

 

Wow, was that with 6.8 stock settings? Or with OC? What's the processor in your W3J?

 

That is stock all around...no overclocking, my system specs are as follows:

W3j
256 mb X1600 (512 hyper) stock no overclock
2 GB ram
Merom core 2 duo T7400 2.16 Ghz processor (stock, not overclocked)
100 GB 7200 RPM HD