big red error screen for recovery

I just got my computer back from ASUS. They changed out the motherboard bc i was having alot of problems with the computer. But now i am trying to do a factory recovery and i am getting the big red error screen. So I was looking at my system information screen and i noticed that my model number has been changed from G1S to G1Sn. I talked to asus and they told me the bios was corrupted and had to mail the computer back. The computer works but i just cant do a recovery bc of this problem. I am not in the mood to pay for all that again bc of there up. Does anyone know how i can fix this problem with out going through asus again since i am deployed in iraq right so the mailing things back and forth adds up over time.

 

I think the recovery disc won't let you do the recovery with the changed part, since it's a different model. Before it runs the recovery it checks your system profile... I think the G1S and G1Sn use different recovery discs (in terms of part numbers). I'm not sure how you can get around that without the G1Sn disc.

Edit: Also if your BIOS was corrupted your computer would most likely not boot.. if your CMOS settings are corrupted you can try resetting to factory defaults from the BIOS Setup screen w/ F2 at startup.. however I don't think that is the issue

 

that is the problem
they chaged the mobo but not the recovery. call them back and have them send you the right disk
do you still have a hiddent recovery partition? press f9 repeatedly during post. it may still be there and let you recover without the disks

 

Also, congratulations for the free upgrade from the G1S to G1Sn.

The BIOS is not corrupted, but I guess what the ASUS rep meant is that they will change some markers in the BIOS which will make the optical recovery media recognize the computer as a G1S and install (even though it's a G1Sn). I believe they did it for someone else, on this forum.

 

this there some where on the motherboard to verify that it is a G1Sn?

 

Yes, there are almost certainly some IDs in the BIOS or other firmware that identify the notebook as a G1Sn. And these can possibly be changed by ASUS.

 

The BIOS would have changed with the motherboard, so it's not surprising, what IS surprising is that ASUS didn't think to send the new recovery discs. That is pretty lame.

 

I was looking at the specs on there website and have noticed that i do have everything for the G1Sn. Like the video is different and things like that. so if i talk to them about getting a new recovery disk for this new mother board i should be fine, right?

 

If they agree to give you the disk, yes you should be fine.

 

I suspect the main board had to be replaced because they probably had to replace the video card with something newer (probably heat damage). Might be interesting to see if it got upgraded or not.

Anyway, if they gave a new G1Sn, it is *technically* similar enough that it should work under normal circumstances, BUT someone probably forgot that there is an install setting under XP and Vista for setup which can lock out an install if your BIOS string or vendor string don't match with the install.

I would suggest doing a test install of Vista just to see if the hardware works properly. It should work in trial mode for 30 days without a key.

Also, the restore image for that model should exist on the HDD if the HDD came with the unit. The deal with "restoring to factory default", is that to say that the unit had something working and installed, or did they just ship it back and it red-screened right away? If it was working, the restore partition on the disk might very well have the image necessary to get it working again...

 

I had to delete the hidden recovery partition after an install of vista ultimate it gave me a red error, and after he deletion it was all fine. So now I just use recovery disks, although the partition is said to be faster...