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[GUIDE] G55/G75 Upgrade Notes

rewben
Level 13
QUICK GUIDES:
- Fresh Install of Win8 Pro Over Win8 On G55 (by @Ratspootin)
- CLEAN WINDOWS 8 INSTALL ON GPT SSD DRIVE (G75VX) (by @gokica)
- G75VX WINDOWS 7 CLEAN INSTALL (by @bjurn)
- G75VX WINDOWS 8 CLEAN INSTALL (by @cvmocanu)
- SSD: FIXING 4K CLUSTER MISALIGNMENT (by @DanishKid)
- Bypass key input in Windows 8 install, DVD (by @BNaughty)
- [GUIDE] RAID-0 Dual-Boot WIndows and Linux (by @BNaughty)

MY OTHER NOTES:
- Setup Planning Basics
- Fresh Operating System Installs
- G55/G75 BIOS
- HOW TO INSTALL STOCK WINDOWS USING DISM AND INSTALL.WIM
- HOW TO CREATE A SYSTEM IMAGE USING MICROSOFT WINDOWS POWERSHELL
- G55 SSD RAID 0 NOTES

after these few months of trying to help others resolve problems related to their laptops, i would like to add these for reference, so that hopefully it will serve the purpose to minimize the potential issues that we frequently met for the past months.

this guide is for those who are new to operating system upgrades/downgrades/fresh installs, and decide to take up the challenges by doing things themselves. however, please remember that the ROG community is the actual driving force behind all these. if you have a question, please ask.

for the impatient, you can always start by searching through the forum for similar threads to your questions. with google, you can type 'site:rog.asus.com your keywords' without quotes (e.g. site:rog.asus.com adding ram g75). if possible, please post in the same thread.

please also understand that for many of us who do this often, we have done the best (to our knowledge) to prevent the worst from happening. so i hope you can be as prepared as you can for the same reason. prevention is always better than cure.

Before You Begin

  • back up your system, but more importantly, data, before doing anything else (and make sure the backup actually works);
  • use a spare disk for testing;
  • if you must do this on a production system, see step 1.


Operating System Upgrades/Downgrades/Fresh Installs
again, before you do anything to your stock windows, please perform necessary steps to make sure you can recover from possible catastrophic outcomes:

1. make a full system and data backup:

  • for those with w7 preloaded - use AI Recovery (1.0.24 or later) to prepare the recovery disks (or you can use the below);
  • for those with w8 preloaded - use Macrium Reflect (download), or the built-in windows file backup (backup and restore in w7) to create a system image. make sure these backups work by trying them out with a spare disk first. note that the built-in windows file backup can only be used on a drive that is equal or larger (although there is a way to make it work, but let's stick to this first)
  • for g75vx owners - now you have the new tool called ASUS Backtracker. get it from the asus' support page. you can follow the instructions to this here.


the above are options for system backup. most of us consider the second one because we can do a full system recovery to the working state with all the drivers and apps up to the point when the image was created. for data backup, always use external storage.

2. our systems allow us to run operating systems in BIOS and UEFI mode (one at a time; by default, they're running the OS in UEFI mode).

additionally, for machines with preloaded w8:
a) you can retrieve your w8 key with keyfinder or Belarc Advisor;
b) your bios is locked to prevent installation of other OS. what you need to do first is to unlock them:
b.i) disable secure boot control and fast boot;
b.ii) enable launch csm.

3. my suggestion will always be a fresh install using usb (to me the usb route is more flexible and faster). that's the simplest thing to do to get rid of many things that are in the way. for w8, to create a usb stick is simple (assuming your usb stick is at x:\):
a) format a 8gb usb stick with FAT32;
b) copy all the contents in the windows 8 installation disk to x:\

as of the time of writing, the official downloads are opened to subscribers of MS TechNet and MSDN.

after you have download the ISO, make sure you verify its SHA1 checksum with the ones published at Microsoft websites (using free utilities such as HashCalc).

for machines with preloaded w8: if you have an untouched w8 ISO, there is nothing much you should do. one of the potential and common problems is this: since your key is embedded in the bios, you will have problems if you used a w8 pro install disk. to overcome the issue:
a) convert it to allow w8 installation;
a.i) go to x:\sources and look for x:\sources\ei.cfg (if it's not there create it)
a.ii) open up ei.cfg with notepad and replace the content with the following:
[EditionID]
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0


or,

[EditionID]
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0


source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824952.aspx

b) put your w8 key in x:\sources\PID.txt (if it's not there create it), like this:
[PID]
Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX


for w8 pro installation, just do b) should be good enough.

a better overview of a w8 clean install can be found here.

the better way to perform OS install is to make sure only one disk (hdd/ssd, the target disk) is physically attached to the system. please detach additional ones to avoid 'accidents' (e.g. wipe your data disks instead of the actual target). also, if the boot order is already pointed to the target disk, use esc key to boot from installation media. there is no need to change the boot order every time.

The Drivers
i think the question of which drivers is to be installed first is solely of personal preferences. here i would like to highlight the minimal set to get your system up and running.

my preferred list with installation order is this:

  • Intel Chipset Driver
  • Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver
  • Intel USB 3.0 Driver (as of the time of writing, this is not working for w8, unless you use the hacked version)
  • Intel Management Engine Interface (you can leave this as Windows Update will install one for you)
  • NVidia GeForce Drivers (the first choice is always the latest one from geforce.com; choose the notebook version. if that failed, find the latest at ASUS)
  • Audio Driver
  • LAN Driver
  • WLAN Driver
  • Bluetooth Driver
  • Multi-Card Reader Driver
  • ATK Package (for ASUS-related drivers, this is the first one to be installed first, before the rest of them)
  • Touchpad Driver
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rewben
Level 13
Setup Planning Basics

in this part i will try to give you some brief ideas on what i think is a better g-series (compared to stock machines).

in terms of better user experience, i suggest you do this:
1. OS drive - use SSD instead of HDD; this is where you put your OS, apps, and games that you play most;
2. Data drive - convert your stock HDD to data drive; this is where you store your files; you can also move some of the key folders and pagefile from C: to here, to free up space;
3. RAM disk (optional) - a small ram disk (2gb or more) can be used to boost up the performance. by pointing the system- and user-based temporary folders, scratch disks, and web cache to the RAM disk, you can move high read/write operations in such folders to it and thus reduce further write/erase cycles in your ssd. there are a number of free RAM disk apps for this purpose. here is how i set up mine using SoftPerfect RAMDisk.

if you still think there is not enough storage space for you, then if you do not use the DVD-ROM (most of us don't these days), just simply swap it with a compatible HDD caddy and put another HDD in. usually, a 12.7mm SATA-to-SATA HDD caddy is good enough for a g55/75; however, there might be variations of the connector as reported by some friends here, so you should double check the compatibility before purchase. to maximize compatibility, it's better to convert data drives to MBR disk.

for a g55/g75, we have 2 SATA 3 (6GB/s) ports (hdd bays; msata slot), and 1 SATA 2 (3GB/s) port (DVDROM drive). the layout that makes more sense is to use both SATA 3 for ssds, and hdd uses SATA 2.


now back to the topic of OS install. here i will focus on the fresh install of a single OS. the fact is that many of us have our own preferences. some of us prefer dual boots because each OS get raw throughputs from the underlying hardware; alternatively, you can use virtualization for this purpose (if you have w7/8 pro, there is a built-in feature that allows you to do that).

when you're are ready to go further on your own, you can explore more options to make full use of your system.

1. Windows 7 versus Windows 8

in general, w7 and 8 work fine on a g-series; as long as you:
i) have the legit license of your OS; and
i) make sure working drivers that you need are available either at ASUS's website, or directly from the manufacturers, you're good to go.

you can identify and verify all these from your device manager.

note: as of the time of writing, the driver for Atheros .ac wifi adapter is still not available for w7. if you happened to have this adapter and you have stock w8, i suggest you stick to w8. compared to those with stock w7 (home premium, 16gb ram limit), you get the advantage from w8 that has a higher ram limit (128gb).

- UPDATE: to those who have Atheros .ac wifi adapter, @demoadds reported that there is in fact a working driver. please try it out and report it in the relevant threads!

2. UEFI versus BIOS Install

i suggest you stick to UEFI. the recent bios enhancements improve boot time in UEFI. furthermore, for machines with preloaded w8, you get to access an additional security feature: the secure boot control that is supposed to further minimize the security risks of your system.

however, if your daily usage is more towards BIOS, it's fine to go for it, too.

to check if you're running UEFI or BIOS install on your current system, simply open up the file, C:\Windows\Panther\setupact.log and look for 'Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect' without quotes. the immediate next line below that line will tell you it's EFI or BIOS.


2013-01-30 09:02:54, Info IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect:FirmwareType 2.
2013-01-30 09:02:54, Info IBS Callback_BootEnvironmentDetect: Detected boot environment: EFI


3. Stock versus Fresh Install

most of us find a fresh install to be the least problematic (and save a lot of space, especially when you use a ssd). we had a number of issues that were either caused by the bloatware that came bundled with the stock OS, yet-to-find-out driver / OS issues.

4. Recovery Strategy
the last thing i would like to touch a bit is the recovery strategy. by default, with everything stock, we should have a working recovery (F9 recovery) that allow us to go back to factory state when bad things happen. with fresh install, and everything wiped, you can still implement a similar recovery strategy.

this is especially true for machines without the tool set to create recovery DVDs (notably those with preloaded w8).

there are a number of options to create a working copy of recovery media:
1. using third party cloning and imaging tool, such as Macrium Reflect.
2. using the built-in back up and restore (w7) / windows 7 file recovery (w8).

this is a video that gives you an idea on how easy it is to set up a recovery using system image. you can use the same install usb to initialize the recovery option.

i hope by now you can get the idea what you can do with your g-series. and with creativity of your own, you can rebuild your system to be more slick and responsive by making full use of its strengths, and still preserves the emergency recovery option that is provided by the factory setup.

rewben wrote:
note: as of the time of writing, the driver for Atheros .ac wifi adapter is still not available for w7. if you happened to have this adapter and you have stock w8, i suggest you stick to w8. compared to those with stock w7 (home premium, 16gb ram limit), you get the advantage from w8 that has a higher ram limit (128gb).


Well, I wish I had known that BEFORE I made my downgrade from win8 to win7 back in January... now I'm screwed!! 😞 😞 no wi-fi on this laptop...
I really hope they fix this problem, it is an important one...
Asus G75VX-T4022P
Processor: Intel i7 3630QM
Memory: 32GB (4*8GB 1600Mhz)
Storage: 256GB SSD + 750GB 7200rpm
Screen: Matte 17.3" LED FHD / NG
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX670MX, GDDR5 3Gb
Wireless: 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.0
OS: Windows 8.1 Pro (x64)

Tomislav
Level 11
bro, awesome...
ASUS G75VX
Win 8, i7-3630QM, 2,4 GHz, GeForce GTX 670MX, 8 GB Ram,120 Gb Samsung 840 SSD+750 Gb HDD

Clintlgm
Level 14
Thanks Rewben for putting this all in one place that we all can find and direct people to.
G752VY-DH72 Win 10 Pro
512 GB M.2 Samsung 960 Pro
1 TB Samsung 850 pro 2.5 format
980m GTX 4 GB
32GB DDR 4 Standard RAM

Z97 PRO WiFi I7 4790K
Windows 10 Pro
Z97 -A
Windows 10 Pro

Bellic
Level 7
Thank you Mr Rewben. You are very helpful - as always !

User_n
Level 7
many many thanks mate!!! cheers...
G75vx, win7 ultimate x64, OS drive - Kingston V300 SSD 120 GB...

Fresh Operating System Installs

now we move on to the actual fresh install process. a typical process is pretty simple:

1. create and back up your current windows system image
for machines with stock w8, you might also wanna grab your windows 8 key now. from what i've read, windows will be automatically activated with your stock bios. however, to be safe, do this as a backup.

2. grab the latest bios and drivers from ASUS Website
- if you don't have the windows installation media, get the relevant ISO and create one now.
- as for your current bios, you should be able to find a copy in your C:\ (it might be hidden, so you need to turn on "show hidden files" in your windows/file explorer).
- save all these files into an external storage. normally, with a 8gb usb stick, you can create a windows install usb, and then create a folder called drivers and start filling up that folder with the latest drivers that you can find.

3. set up your bios
- normally you should update your bios to the latest; here are some of the precautions that i have made:
a) i will load the bios defaults BEFORE bios upgrades;
b) i always put a copy of the latest working bios in C:\(g55vw.bin, g75vw.bin, g75vx.bin), so that i can always revert to the working one using ctrl+home ezflash combo;
- if things go well, you should make sure that AHCI is selected in your Bios > Advanced Boot > SATA Configurations; for bios with secure boot option, you might need to adjust the relevant options accordingly (see above).
- NOTE: always check the forum for new bios issues; up to this writing, some of our friends had problems after a successful bios upgrades. if you're not comfortable with this step (especially when your system works fine without new bios), it is better to skip the upgrade.

4. prepare your SSD
- if you're installing a new ssd, put it in the secondary bay, and boot your machine. for now all you need to do is to upgrade its firmware, if there is any. to do this, you need to get the latest ssd management software and firmware from the manufacturer website.

5. fresh windows installation
- here is when you replace your stock hdd with the new ssd (i.e. put it in the bay where your stock hdd is placed);
- take out the stock hdd physically. it is better to keep it untouched for a little while, until the new system is stable. you can proceed to load the windows installation.
- if your windows failed to boot, check and make your target disk the first boot option in bios. make sure you take out your installation media upon first reboot. normally it will boot straight away and continue the installation process (because the target disk is the only bootable one in your system).

6. driver installation
- install the drivers. multiple reboots are required in this stage.

7. run Windows Performance Index
- from what i've read, this triggers SSD optimized settings in w7/8 (e.g. TRIM, prefetch, superfetch, etc.).
- if the system works fine, you can now activate the windows.

8. install necessary software
- for common and useful software, there is a website called Ninite (a good find by @Tomislav) basically you just check the boxes of the software listed in that website, and you can download the unified installer for the checked software. it might help to make your life easier when you perform a clean install.

9. create a new system image

note that you normally need to perform the steps above once (except for no. 6, 8, and 9).

after that, whenever the OS is acting weird, you can choose to restore the windows from the system image (which is why it's important to keep the system image as updated as possible).

below is how to create a usb stick (i assume your usb stick is at x:\):

w7, UEFI (GPT disk)

a) format your usb with FAT32;
b) copy all the contents from windows 7 iso into the formatted usb stick;
c) if you have a working windows 7 64bit, find C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi; if not, use 7-zip to open the install.wim in x:\sources\ (select > right click > open archive). then in the 7-zip explorer, browse to folder '1\Windows\Boot\EFI\'. extract the file bootmgfw.efi.
d) now in you usb stick, create a 'boot' folder in the 'efi' folder (i.e. x:\efi\boot) if it's missing. in that efi folder you should see the 'microsoft' folder.
e) put the bootmgfw.efi inside the newly created 'boot' folder and rename it as bootx64.efi (x:\efi\boot\bootx64.efi)


w7, BIOS (MBR disk)

a) format your usb with NTFS;
b) follow the steps above; steps b) to e).


w8, UEFI (GPT disk)

a) format your usb with FAT32;
b) copy all the contents from windows 8 iso into the formatted usb stick.


w8, BIOS (MBR disk)

a) format your usb with NTFS;
b) copy all the contents from windows 8 iso into the formatted usb stick.

So I am finally gettibg around to installing a SSD on my G75 bk55. Price on black friday are so awesome I can't wait. So I was reading the guide and all of the notes since and it looks straight foreward. My plan is to folow the steps outlined, replacing the old hhd as my primary os drive and games and the old hhd as data. My question is, the tranfering of the os key and reusing the old hhd. After I upgrade bios, I swap the ssd into the primary bay where the hhd was and do a fresh install, can I use the same key? Do I have to unregisted the key so thatwhen I do the fresh install I can use the same one? Then once that is done and the system seems stable, I just put the old hhd into the secondary bay, clean it up and go? Anything special I need to do? Thanks in advance.

rewben
Level 13
hey don't mention it guys; the guide is by no means a perfect one, so please help correct it if possible. i will do some fine-tuning later, too.