G74Sx Bios bricked - strange tech response

[denismx]

Had the nice laptop 2 days - happy as can be. Hum... no keyboard shortcut or button to switch 2D/3D.

So I look for an update to solve the problem and read some forum posts. Ok: Bios 203 solves this problem.

Got the Bios file from the Asus web site, read and looked over some of the other updates and utilities. I notice yet another utility to update the bios. Nothing special said about it. No message saying "only use this one", in particular.

Booted to the bios, found EasyFlash, which found my new 203 bios on the hdd disk. Hey, I said to my wife! They sure made it easy. What an extraordinary machine. How easy they made it.

Bios upgrade went fine, file was verified ok. Two seconds to shutdown.

Dead. Bricked. Not even a green light for the battery charge.

Called in for a RMA. Tech guy asks me: Were you told to do this update? Hey, said I, I needed to solve a problem with the laptop and this upgrade is advertised as the solution. So he comes back with: The web site tells you to use the Aflash2 utility. My response: I did not see that. So he tells me that I might be charged to have the eeprom reflashed with a bios. What choice do I have, I tell him - the laptop is bricked as it is.

I looked at the download page and can't see any warning there, nor any indication of how to proceed nor what to avoid. The forum talks about problems - but nothing with certainty.

Costs me close to 100$ to send it in. I wonder if I will charged over that. If so I would feel it to be unfair.

Anybody has been charged for this when on warranty? How much, if so?

[Vantharas84]

I've flashed the bios on my laptop to stop BSOD. Downloaded the file specifically for my laptop. Flashed it. Verified ok ect.. And it bricked it. I sent it in. They updated the bios to the latest version and sent it back. I wasn't charged for it.

[denismx]

I've flashed the bios on my laptop to stop BSOD. Downloaded the file specifically for my laptop. Flashed it. Verified ok ect.. And it bricked it. I sent it in. They updated the bios to the latest version and sent it back. I wasn't charged for it.

Nice to know. I was told I should not have upgraded the bios without being told to do so by a rep. Silly I know. But were you directed to do the upgrade or was it from your own initiative?

[mundee]

I find it totally insane for them not to have dual bios protection on these machines... ive even had this discussion with the tech support people about it. for the sake of a few extra dollars and bit more work motherboard side it would save a hell of a lot of RMA's when the full proof bios updates they give out go wrong. Gigabyte used to do it on all the boards and what a good idea it was too. If something went wrong it would boot of the second chip and reflash the first one. Simple stuff. If your under warrenty i would certainly questions why they want to charge you. Make sure you get it in writing as well. Most customer service reps of most companies rely on the customer not knowing if they have rights or not. Ask them to explain exactly why they will charge you to repair it.

[denismx]

... Ask them to explain exactly why they will charge you to repair it.

I certainly will if they do, although the rep who gave me the RMA might believe that a little intimidation could reduce the number of RMAs for bad flashes.

I agree they should have a section of the eeprom that does not get erased and at least lets you boot to a basic bios. More so that they now send out machines that do not work as documented unless you flash a new bios. It's a sorry situation that a rep feels the need to claim that we should not flash a bios unless told to by a company tech and pay for repairs if we do.

(PS posting mainly to keep this thread over the spam that's coming in despite the capchas.)

[BrodyBoy]

Anybody has been charged for this when on warranty? How much, if so?

No, they don't charge for this repair, but some owners (like you, unfortunately) happen to get bad, ill-informed phone reps that give this kind of erroneous info. The repair is covered, and turnaround seems to be pretty fast in these cases.

Failed BIOS flashing can happen under the best of circumstances, but putting the BIOS file on the hard drive and trying to update from there does increase the chance of failure, since NTFS isn't supported. Of course, there's no way you should have known this, since there were no instructions issued with the BIOS file that they make readily available on their website. Just think of all the trouble (and RMAs) that could be avoided by a simple little "README" text file.....

[Boosted_R]

could be avoided by a simple little "README" text file..... You beat me to it.... its amazing how it still hasn't been done........... to the OP try to get a refund as it is covered, horrible asus reps is no excuse to be charged.....PM Mason@ASUS on this forum, he might be able to help

[denismx]

could be avoided by a simple little "README" text file..... You beat me to it.... its amazing how it still hasn't been done........... to the OP try to get a refund as it is covered, horrible asus reps is no excuse to be charged.....PM Mason@ASUS on this forum, he might be able to help

Haven't been charged yet, just warned that I might be for having done a burn without obtaining a rep go-ahead first and not following proper published (not true) instructions either.

But now I'll be prepared with the right answers if it comes to that. I think the phone rep was just trying to educate a customer with intimidation and that I will not be charged after all. Strange strategy.

[Myk SilentShadow]

. Just think of all the trouble (and RMAs) that could be avoided by a simple little "README" text file.....

You'd be surprised how many people do not bother reading the "Read Me" file included with software....if it was however all caps saying IMPORTANT READ ME FIRST!! that...may get people reading first before jumping in the deep end.

Oh and to the OP, next time you wanna flash your BIOS mate, put the ROM file onto a FAT formatted usb stick and you *should* hopefully have no problems

[denismx]

You'd be surprised how many people do not bother reading the "Read Me" file included with software....if it was however all caps saying IMPORTANT READ ME FIRST!! that...may get people reading first before jumping in the deep end.

Oh and to the OP, next time you wanna flash your BIOS mate, put the ROM file onto a FAT formatted usb stick and you *should* hopefully have no problems

Even less people read the README file when it's not there, for that matter.

I hear even when on a FAT usb stick, the EasyFlash utility jumping at you when in the Bios will too often brick the unit. From what I have now gathered, although no one has offered the "company approved method" yet, the way it should be done is off a drive NOT in NTFS format, a usb stick in FAT format is fine, with the aFlash2 utility available on the download site (not the one glaring at you in the Bios). Badly written utilities, if you ask me, and a supervisor not doing his work.

In any case I should get my G74sx back with a 203 Bios that resolves the missing 2D/3D button problem and it it is unprobable I will ever have to flash that machine again in the future.