Zenbook UX303UB dead screen after flashing

I just got the new Zenbook UX303UB and was immediately disappointed with the yellow screen issue that still persists.

I found this fix here in NotebookReview:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/asus-zenbook-ux303-nvidia-gt-840m.746873/page-160

Thinking that UX303UB and UX303LN are nearly identical, I went ahead and applied the patch, using the anxIntelEEpromUpdate-eDP-2.3 utility and the YW_setting.bin firmware.

After rebooting, my screen is pretty much dead -- not even the Asus boot logo is showing. But otherwise everything else seems to work, and I can still use the computer if I plug it into an external monitor.

So, any idea on how I can revert this patch? Is there a factory firmware I could find somewhere?

 

Hi uly! I tried to do the same as you did and I unfortunately got exactly the same result. I've looked around for solutions, but yours seems to be the only other case I've come across (perhaps because the laptop has only been out for a few months). Did you ever manage to find a solution? Did you send the machine in to Asus? Thanks for any suggestions you might have!

 

No, sadly I didn't find any solution either. Sent the laptop back to Asus in the end.

 

Thanks for the response! If you don't mind me asking, how did your interaction with Asus support go? And did they end up fixing the screen and sending it back, or did they just send you a new laptop?

 

I thought about doing the same thing but ran into this sorry for your screens guys

Have you guys tried to purchase a UX303UB FHD with 940m from germany or anywhere else?
I tried to look but they all say "we can't/don't ship to USA"

 

Hello uly, how is the fix going? I did the exact same thing and my screen went dead.

 

Hardly surprising it was bricked; that tool writes the entire firmware instead of just the edid (that's a really powerful and scary tool!).

To shift output colour of the display somewhat is would have sufficed to just flash the edid only. Also, the firmware is only meant for the 1800p LTN133YL01-L01 (a terrible display, to be sure). If the UX303UB had a 1080p panel then any higher resolution edid would also have bricked it (as it will with every lower-res panel).

With any luck it's just the erroneous edid that did the job. If so, you might be able to flash a modified bin with merely the edid changed to that of the 1080p panel. Question is whether the bricked panel is still actually 'visible' to the tool or that it needs a hot-swap; boot with working display, then swap with bricked panel while it's still running. This way the gpu will output a 1080p image to the 1080p panel, even if it claims to be 1800p due to its new firmware.

Here's a modified, hybrid version, assuming you have the ChiMei N133HSE-EA3:
firmware_LTN133YL01-L01_edid_N133HSE-EA3.bin

 

Hello t456, mine is the ASUS UX501VW-FI084T with 4k 15" non-touch screen and I even tried the same method, but cancelled the installation in the middle of the progress. And now my PC still boots, I still hear the sound but the screen is always black. Do you have any suggestion on the fix? Anything is really appreciated. Thank you.

 

We can try the same approach as the 1080p, only with the LP156UD1-SPB1 edid. Problem is that I don't have that edid and can't find one online, either. The panel's specification sheet has it in text format (which we can use to make a binary), but don't have sufficient credits left on Panelook to download it.

If an external monitor works than it's easy; run MonInfo and copy the 'Raw data' section. It can pull information from the registry and, depending on circumstances, directly from the screen as well (which would probably show the 1800p). The registry location is 'HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\DISPLAY\', exporting that to a .reg is perfectly fine as well.

 

Hello t456,
Thanks so much for your help. I could connect it to an external monitor and ran the Moninfo. The first and possibly the original (because it's 4k) screen registry is:

Monitor
Windows description...... Generic PnP Monitor
Manufacturer............. SDC
Plug and Play ID......... SDC434B
Data string.............. 156FL02-101
Serial number............ n/a
Manufacture date......... 2014, ISO week 0
Filter driver............ None
-------------------------
EDID revision............ 1.3
Input signal type........ Digital (DisplayPort)
Color bit depth.......... Undefined
Display type............. RGB color
Screen size.............. 340 x 190 mm (15.3 in)
Power management......... Standby, Suspend, Active off/sleep
Extension blocs.......... None
-------------------------
DDC/CI................... n/a

Color characteristics
Default color space...... Non-sRGB
Display gamma............ 2.20
Red chromaticity......... Rx 0.620 - Ry 0.355
Green chromaticity....... Gx 0.300 - Gy 0.580
Blue chromaticity........ Bx 0.150 - By 0.090
White point (default).... Wx 0.313 - Wy 0.329
Additional descriptors... None

Timing characteristics
Range limits............. Not available
GTF standard............. Not supported
Additional descriptors... None
Preferred timing......... Yes
Native/preferred timing.. 3840x2160p at 60Hz
Modeline............... "3840x2160" 526.910 3840 3888 3920 3956 2160 2162 2167 2220 -hsync -vsync

Standard timings supported

Report information
Date generated........... 9/17/2016
Software revision........ 2.90.0.1020
Data source.............. Registry
Operating system......... 10.0.10586.2

Raw data
00,FF,FF,FF,FF,FF,FF,00,4C,83,4B,43,00,00,00,00,00,18,01,03,95,22,13,78,EA,CE,85,9E,5B,4C,94,26,
17,50,54,00,00,00,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,01,D3,CD,00,74,F0,70,3C,80,30,20,
25,00,58,C2,10,00,00,19,00,00,00,0F,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,37,82,05,46,00,00,00,00,FE,00,53,
41,4D,53,55,4E,47,0A,20,4C,83,46,4C,00,00,00,FE,00,31,35,36,46,4C,30,32,2D,31,30,31,0A,20,00,2B

There are 2 other ones, one is my running external monitor, and the other one is:

Monitor
Windows description...... Generic PnP Monitor
Manufacturer............. AGO
Plug and Play ID......... AGO0001
Serial number............ 1129197617
Manufacture date......... 2013, ISO week 45
Filter driver............ None
-------------------------
EDID revision............ 1.3
Input signal type........ Digital
Color bit depth.......... Undefined
Display type............. RGB color
Screen size.............. 300 x 230 mm (14.9 in)
Power management......... Standby, Suspend, Active off/sleep
Extension blocs.......... 1 (Unknown type)
-------------------------
DDC/CI................... n/a

Color characteristics
Default color space...... Non-sRGB
Display gamma............ 1.97
Red chromaticity......... Rx 0.620 - Ry 0.330
Green chromaticity....... Gx 0.290 - Gy 0.590
Blue chromaticity........ Bx 0.140 - By 0.110
White point (default).... Wx 0.300 - Wy 0.330
Additional descriptors... None

Timing characteristics
Range limits............. Not available
GTF standard............. Not supported
Additional descriptors... Standard timings
Preferred timing......... Yes
Native/preferred timing.. 1024x768p at 60Hz (4:3)
Modeline............... "1024x768" 65.000 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
Detailed timing #1....... 1920x1080p at 60Hz (16:9)
Modeline............... "1920x1080" 148.500 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
Detailed timing #2....... 1360x768p at 60Hz
Modeline............... "1360x768" 85.500 1360 1424 1536 1792 768 771 777 795 +hsync +vsync

Standard timings supported
1024 x 768p at 60Hz - VESA
1280 x 1024p at 60Hz - VESA STD
1280 x 960p at 60Hz - VESA STD
1280 x 800p at 60Hz - VESA STD
1440 x 900p at 60Hz - VESA STD
1280 x 1024p at 85Hz - VESA STD
1280 x 720p at 60Hz - VESA STD
1280 x 720p at 120Hz - VESA STD
1440 x 900p at 75Hz - VESA STD

Report information
Date generated........... 9/17/2016
Software revision........ 2.90.0.1020
Data source.............. Registry
Operating system......... 10.0.10586.2

Raw data
00,FF,FF,FF,FF,FF,FF,00,04,EF,01,00,31,30,4E,43,2D,17,01,03,A0,1E,17,61,EA,E4,DE,9E,54,4A,97,23,
1C,4C,54,00,08,00,81,80,81,40,81,00,01,01,95,00,01,01,01,01,01,01,64,19,00,40,41,00,26,30,18,88,
36,00,00,C0,10,00,00,18,02,3A,80,18,71,38,2D,40,58,2C,45,00,DD,0C,11,00,00,1E,66,21,50,B0,51,00,
1B,30,40,70,36,00,32,31,34,00,00,1E,00,00,00,FA,00,81,99,81,C0,81,FC,01,01,01,01,95,0F,0A,01,3C

I know it's too much to ask but would you mind showing me what I could do with this raw data? I'm just a normal PC user and not familiar with binary (.bin) files and edid... You can just tell me the names of the actions I should take, I will try to look up online for "how to..."

Thanks again for helping me out, you make my life better!

 

Sure, no problem. It's the SDC434B (Samsung LTN156FL02-101) we want, the AGO0001 looks like a (graphics) tablet or dummy screen.

All we need to do is copy/paste, really:

1. Open hex editor with a new, blank file.
2. Copy paste all the hexadecimal values (the 00's and FF's, which are actually a less-illegible form of 0's and 1's) from the 'Raw data' part, replacing the commas with spaces (in case of using HxD).
3. Save file as a .bin (optional) and you have a backup edid (extension really doesn't matter, but what the hey ...).
4. Open the original 'YW_setting.bin' and copy/paste the Samsung edid. First select all the values of the 1800p edid and then hit Ctrl+V, otherwise it'll insert the pasted values in-between, increasing the firmware's total size.

Spoiler: Replacing edid section of the firmware binary

Here's the file:
firmware_LTN133YL01-L01_edid_LTN156FL02-101.7z

There's something peculiar about that original, 'YW_setting.bin' firmware though; there's a second, maimed LTN133YL01-L01 a little after the correct, first edid. Could be due to a compression method that was used since it looks a bit like an RLE-equivalent or LZ*. Since there's also a 256 byte offset (which is exactly 1x an edid extension block) and a '01 02 03 04 05 06 08' string, which looks like to be a marker. It's quite likely this firmware tool does two things; write the edid to the edid eeprom first, then the actual firmware to a secondary eeprom.

Try the modified binary first, at the very least it should write the edid eeprom. Presuming that the lcd can actually be accessed in its bricked state, of course.

 

Hello t456,
Thanks for your detail instruction. Hope that you are still OK helping me cos I still have some difficulties.

I downloaded your edid file and tried to run the anxIntelEEpromUpdate-eDP-2.3.exe and chose the firmware_LTN133YL01-L01_edid_LTN156FL02-101.bin file. But when I click Start I got this pop up:

chip ID: 00

http://imgur.com/a/fmwZJ

Either I click Yes or No, the program is closed.

Could you please have a look on the screen shot and tell me what I should do next?

Thanks so much for your time.

 

Not very useful, is it? It probably can't find or id the internal lcd anymore, but it's bricked now anyway and this firmware mod can only improve things. Do rule out chancing to brick the external monitor; when that message pops up, disconnect the monitor cable and hit 'enter'. That way the tool can only affect the internal lcd.

If that does not make a difference then a hot dis- and reconnect can be tried. Since it's booting with an external display this isn't that difficult; make sure to have access to the display cable at either the lcd or mb connector's side and remove and re-insert the cable while the system is running. You do have to be very careful not to do this slanted, one side before the other. The pins are very close together (0.5mm) and and pulling/inserting it sideways will cause a short, potentially killing the display (system itself should be safe, though).

 

Hello t456,

Thank you for your advice. The disconnect and reconnect method requires opening the notebook which will void the warranty, so I think I will bring it to Asus support to check and do it by the end of September, at least they are more proficient than me.
I also tried update BIOS using the tool and file provided on ASUS website, and reset Window but both don't help at all. I accept it now, it is really beyond my ability to fix. I will report here after I got the support from ASUS.

Thanks again for helping me out, you really make my life better!

 

Hello t456,

How's it going?

Just to update. I got my notebook back yesterday and ASUS had to replace the screen ):

Good thing was that I did not tell them about me flashing the BIOS (sneaky!) so they did it for free since the notebook is still under warranty!

The new panel they use is LP156UD1-SPB1 and the color accuracy is not really better than the old one. I will try to find another way to calibrate the screen though

Thanks again for your time!

 

Hello t456,

I just ran in the same issue, but unfortunately I can't return it since I'm not in the US. Do you know of any other tool I can use to correct this problem. I already tried what you suggested, but as with leo74190, it didn't work.

I would really appreciate your help..!

 

It won't be easy, but in theory this edid re-flashing method can work for full firmware flashing as well.

Make sure to adjust the code, making it read out the first 512 bytes, rather than the 128 or 256 used by the edid. If the result beyond 128 or 256 is all 'FF' then you'll need to use the last part of step 9 ('sudo i2cdetect x', where x is the bus you want to check for I2C devices). With any luck the firmware eeprom can be flashed similarly, substituting the fw for the edid bin. The write-edid.sh script has to be adjusted a little first, otherwise it'll only program the first 128 bytes (or 256, for the write-edid-256.sh). If the 'YW_setting.bin' is accurate then it'd be a 16,384 byte eeprom. This seems plausible; 16K is a standard size and, if so, then it is a 1:1 binary, rather than something packaged with an extra instruction set. So ... there's hope, yet.

The alternative is soldering, btw. Either the chip itself or to the access pads, if there are any. Problem is that these things are ¼th the size of a (v)bios eeprom, so you'll have to have a modicum of watch-maker skills. That is, assuming the fw is stored on an separate eeprom and not on the controller chip itself ...

Spoiler: edid eeprom (some are ⅓th smaller than this)

 

Thank you very much for the response t456, but this would be the first time I try a full firmware flashing, and I must admit that I'm scared of trying it. So I managed to return it for an exchange, and the shipping charges went for my own. Of course, the new one will come with a bad display, but I think I can live with it.

Anyways, thank you for the awesomee work and someday I will use your guides.

Greetings.