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Individ · ‎01-06-2013

I feel pretty embarrassed, but I need help.

Some background: I was looking to install a fresh Win7 / Win8 dual boot on a new SSD.
I disabled "Secure Boot" and enabled CSM in BIOS. I installed the SSD, replacing the HDD that was in the second drive and formatted it MBR into two partitions as I want to install windows 7/8 in MBR using disk management. Then, like the bonehead I am, I booted into BIOS and changed the boot order, putting the DVD/BR drive 1st so that it could (presumably) read my Win 7 DVD and start the installation (yes, no need to tell me that I could have merely changed what to boot from with F12).

So now my G75 will not boot up into the windows installation, and I can't even get back into BIOS to sort it out. The screen is just black. I have attempted with several Windows installation DVDs, I've tried pressing F2 repeatedly after power up, holding it down, F12, Esc.....

Any ideas how to access the BIOS and sort this out?

*edit: BIOS v204

dstrakele · ‎01-06-2013

1) Do you have any peripheral devices attached to your laptop - a USB drive, smart phone, even an SD card in the Card Reader? If so, remove them and restart.

2) Try pressing Fn+F8 to switch between video modes.

3) Connect an external monitor or HDTV to your laptop to see if video displays there.

4) Discharge your laptop by unplugging, removing the battery and any peripheral devices, holding down the Power On button for 10 seconds, then plug in and start the laptop.

5) Pressing Esc during startup typically allows you to choose a different boot device. Pressing F4 at startup launches the BIOS-resident EasyFlash utility.

6) I just now realized you may still have an HDD in the 1st drive bay. If you remove it, does it change behavior?

G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

Individ · ‎01-06-2013

dstrakele wrote:
1) Do you have any peripheral devices attached to your laptop - a USB drive, smart phone, even an SD card in the Card Reader? If so, remove them and restart.

2) Try pressing Fn+F8 to switch between video modes.

3) Connect an external monitor or HDTV to your laptop to see if video displays there.

4) Discharge your laptop by unplugging, removing the battery and any peripheral devices, holding down the Power On button for 10 seconds, then plug in and start the laptop.

5) Pressing Esc during startup typically allows you to choose a different boot device. Pressing F4 at startup launches the BIOS-resident EasyFlash utility.

Thanks for your help dstrakele!

Ok, so:

1) No peripherals were attached, however I did try plugging and unplugging my external hd and usb thumb drive to see if there would be any change.

2) Tried it, no dice

3) Good suggestion. The monitor was not reading any signal from the laptop unfortunately.

4) Tried this as well several times.

5) I wasn't aware of that. Gave them both a try, by long pressing and tapping repeatedly upon power up. It's hard to tell when I need to press them actually. The keyboard lights come on at the initial power up, but obviously due to no boot screen I'm not sure when I would need to press the key. So I've been doing it right after the keyboard lights dim. Does that sound about right to you?

Karrde · ‎01-06-2013

Individ wrote:
It's hard to tell when I need to press them actually. I'm not sure when I would need to press the key. So I've been doing it right after the keyboard lights dim.

Have you tried to already press the Key and hold it down BEFORE Power up?
Works for me (but i didn't changed my boot order).

dstrakele · ‎01-06-2013

If Windows 8 "Fast Boot" is enabled, it will prevent access to the BIOS. Do you still have an HDD with Windows 8 installed in your laptop?

How long have you owned your laptop? Here is another strange case where a change in the BIOS (simply restoring defaults) rendered the laptop unusable: http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?25953-Asus-Rog-G55VW-can-t-power-up-after-loading-BIOS-defa.... A downgrade of the BIOS was required to resolve this particular case.

G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

Individ · ‎01-06-2013

I have a SDD with Windows 8 installed on it, and I think I disabled fast boot, or just made a mental note to do so when I'd reinstall it for the dual boot (as that is required for win 7 to play well). So... I can't remember 😞

I took a look at that thread, and really hope that I won't have to resort to getting the laptop "repaired", but if it comes to that then what choice do I have.... I've only had this laptop for about a week or more.
I attempted to follow this:

BNaughty wrote:
Here's how to fix it...

Use a different computer to download the latest BIOS, or the BIOS of your choice...
Format a 2GB or less USB drive as FAT16
Place the BIOS files on the USB drive
Plug in the USB drive to your dead G55VW
Hold both FN + Home then power on
Continue to hold FN + Home
The BIOS Recovery Utility will come up and flash the BIOS from the USB drive

Followed it to the T but nothing happened. Used multiple usb ports just in case.... starting to get discouraged.

*edit: Thanks Karrde for the holding down suggestion. I tried powering up with all possible keys I could think of. Still nothing..

dstrakele · ‎01-06-2013

If you remove the SSD, can you access the BIOS?

G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

Individ · ‎01-06-2013

dstrakele wrote:
If you remove the SSD, can you access the BIOS?

I removed both, and still nothing. Even tried removing 2 sticks of the 4 ram (as some threads mentioned this caused their issues), to no avail.

dstrakele · ‎01-06-2013

It sounds like you're hosed unless you can get into BIOS Recovery. @BNaughty's description of the procedure was incorrect. CTRL- HOME is the key combination needed. But you may also need to rename the BIOS file. I'm hoping @rewben will weigh-in here, since he has better knowledge on the exact procedure.

G74SX-A1 - stock hardware - BIOS 202 - 2nd Monitor VISIO VF551XVT

Individ · ‎01-06-2013

+rep for all your suggestions and help!
Thanks for the correct key combination. I tried CTRL + HOME with my FAT formatted usb stick which has the v203 BIOS from the Asus site (funny enough they don't have the 204 version which is what my laptop was shipped with). The keyboard lit up on Power up as per usual, and then something different from the usual happened, it lit up again a little bit later (while still holding down the keys), I continued to do so hoping the flash screen would appear or something would happen, but nothing else did after several minutes (and screen was still black).

Stumbled upon something rewben wrote about putting the bios file on c: drive, but not sure how I would accomplish that.

rewben wrote:
yes, Mike, thank you 🙂 i will send it back when i really need to.

this just serves as a heads-up to those who wished to upgrade, so that they don't get panic.

as long you have a c:\G55VW.BIN in place (stock bios or whatever later versions that works), you can always revert to it by doing the CTRL+HOME combo during boot.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?26472-G55-BIOS-217-Power-Button-Fail.-Again.&p=197436&viewf...

With further research I also came upon this suggestion to reset the CMOS:

kssgill wrote:

For future reader if anyone gets stuck on a weekend and needs to try cmos reset. The process is to take the battery out and hold the power button for 2 -3 minute. Plug power back in after 5 minutes and power up the laptop and keep tapping the F2 key. The machine should then reboot to factory default.

I couldn't fully try it as it never went past post and nothing was visible on the screen but those were the steps the support walked me through. Hope it helps someone.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?25639-G55-vw-CMOS-Reset&p=194849&viewfull=1#post194849

Got pretty excited, but I tried it and still no luck. I'm wondering if I should try it for longer (5mins + with power button, wait longer before plugging power back in, etc..). I'll try just about anything now!

G75VX : Changed boot order, can't access BIOS