A8Js - Owner's Lounge

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have no problems with my machine. It is rock solid and beautiful. I have no light leakage, and the machine rocks. The DvD player is fine on mine... it has some noise, but it's a machine with moving parts!
My only complaint is that we aren't given the option to overclock the machine. The video card is awesome and I can overclock that 20% without a hitch.
3dMark 2006 is 3080 for me in xp.

 

Are you sure about no light leakage?

What that means is a lot of white/bright light leaks out from in this case, the bottom of the screen making black sreens appear grey.

 

I just installed Gentoo on my new Asus A8Js and I'm really happy with it. Based on my experience running Gentoo on my prior laptop, a Toshiba Tecra S3, running Gentoo on my A8Js is faster, and more hardware is supported by autoloaded modules, (once the kernel is configured correctly), such as the built in bluetooth, and the memory card reader. The way to get built in bluetooth on the Tecra was ugly and I never did get the memory card reader working.

No. That was the biggest install problem. Both the current regular Gentoo install 2006.1 CD, (what I always use), and the Gentoo 2006.1 LiveCD, did not have the correct drivers for the internal ethernet, Realtek 8168, or WiFi, Intel 3945, on it. So I had to do an alternate install of Gentoo, which basically had me using my Tecra to download all of the relevant packages from the internet, copy them to an external USB HD, and then copy them to the A8Js.

Once I got my network up and running, install was smooth, although Gentoo's compile approach takes more time, I prefer the configurability of the distro, as well as its up to date HW support, (in portage, not necessarily on the install CDs, although it eventually gets there). Using 2.6.18-r2, the Realtek driver works perfectly, and the Intel 3945 driver works perfectly too. I've had no network problems once I got the right drivers over, compiled, and loaded.

Rock solid so far. (Fast too) I really like the snappier response I get from running my XP Guest OS under VMWare on this laptop. Much nicer than the Tecra.

Well I thought I had gotten sound working by using the external alsa driver, (not the kernel built one), v.1.0.13, and adding an options configuration to the alsa config file, but what I have is sound coming out of only one speaker, and if I adjust the volume at all, sound cuts out, and I have to unload and then reload the alsa drivers to get the one speaker sound back. So linux alsa support for the sound on the A8Js needs to get sorted out.

The only other thing I haven't figured out, is how to do frequency scaling on the CPU. but that's not a big deal. The whole reason I did it before on the Tecra, was that if I didn't load an "on demand" scaling profile, the fan running would drive me crazy. On the A8Js, I barely ever hear, or feel the fan. It's awesome.

Gentoo is definitely NOT the distro for Linux beginners. The one time I tried Ubuntu on my Tecra S3, I found that experience much easier to setup. I would always recommend newer users to try Ubuntu first. They also have a great forum community which can help out on install issues. (The Gentoo forums are great too, it's just the install process can be trying..)

 

Just out of curiosity, has anybody else noticed something funny about their Tab key? I know I've posted this more than a couple of times, but it is starting to annoy me a little more than before... I don't know if I described it fully before, and now that I think of it, I am not entirely sure how to describe it properly. My Tab key seems to be less... stable... than every other key. If I apply very gentle pressure on it, and move my finger forward an backward (towards CapsLock, away from CapsLock), the key shifts from the normal horizontal position to a forward slant along with a disconcerting "click"-like sound (and vice versa, etc).
From my crude description, does this sound somewhat familiar or within the range of "normal"? I thought it might just need to "break in", or I would get used to it, but I am getting the feeling that it won't, and I won't! I guess my main concern is that the "click"-like sound may some day turn to a "crack".

 

no its out or alignment

my tab key is like all other keys.
this is what the keyboard costs

http://estore.asus.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=3276&catid=461

someday you can click that particular key off and see whats wrong.

You might break it though so I dont know what to say really.

 

Got mine yesterday, its absolutely sweet. I'll get over the mint freshness in about a week or so, and then its under the knife it goes. Going to cosmetic mod it with carbon thatching or something crazy... Now.. to visit the local hardware store and consult my stenciling friend...

Btw, mine came from taiwan, no quirks or problems at all, i love storefront inspection

 

I encountered this too. Add the following line to your /etc/modules.d/alsa file (found this workaround on the ALSA bugtracker):
options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1 model=3stack

 

Thank you.. thank you.. thank you.. Sound now works great in Linux on my A8Js.. If you got frequency scaling working, I'd be curious what your kernel config settings are. Specifically what CPU architecture you picked, and what frequency scaling options you selected, and whether it is built in or modules..

 

I roughly followed the power management guide ( http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/power-management-guide.xml) in the gentoo documentation (disabled a couple options I didn't need, and what I needed, I compiled in, not as modules) to get frequency scaling working. Use EMT64 (assuming 64 bit kernel) for the architecture and make sure you have Intel Speedstep selected. I've got it set up so that when I'm on battery, it uses the powersave governor (sets it to the lowest frequency ~ 1GHz) and performance (sets it to the full clock speed ~ 2GHz) when on AC power.

Not sure if it matters, but I'm using the suspend2-sources.

If you can't get it working with the guide, let me know and I'll see if we can figure out what is going wrong.

 

Has anyone had success getting TV out to work using the S-video-to-RCA adapter cable that came with the A8Js? I can't get RCA (composite) TV output to work.

Using an S-video cable, I can get TV out to work. When I connect my laptop to my TV using an S-video cable, I can use Fn+F8 to switch to "TV only"/"TV+LCD"/"LCD only".

But when I use the S-video to RCA (composite) adapter that came with the A8Js, and then connect to my TV using RCA, the Fn+F8 key will not go to TV. It will only say "LCD Only". I have tried using RCA on two different TVs. Any ideas how I can get this to work?

 

netjeff,

Yes, I was able to use the RCA converter from the svideo out. Instead of using Fn+F8 try using the nvidia driver control. There is a tab in the advanced nvidia settings (or in the system tray icon) to enbale "CLONE" mode. You want clone (not DUAL screen). You'll likely need to change the resolution for both to scale to whatever external TV you have running. I don't own a DVD player, so I have to connect this laptop to my old RCA TV.

Hope that works,

 

Hey guys, I just got mine as well good stuff I tell ya!

Quick question, does anyone know how to reprogram the hotkeys? since I don't have the BT option, i'd like to use that button for something else.

[edit]
Oh, and additionally the Gear4Play app, can you add new profiles? or even add new params to the profiles (as in, the super performance doesn't list the "cpu" setting, yet the battery one does, how does one add those settings to the profile?

Thanks!

 

I just got my A8Js today! YAY... this laptop is so **** small and powerfull... i just need to say a couple of few things

First of all... when i closed the lid the right side of the screen dint want to close... so i had to push the open button in order for it to close... I had to slightly bend the metal thing on the right that holds the screen down.... After i did this it closed perfectly.

Any of you dudes had this problem?

 

Well the big differences between us is that I'm using a 32 bit kernel, and not 64 bit, and I have a T7400 and not the stock T7200 (which I assume you have). I could try by rebuilding my Gentoo into 64 bit, but I'm now suspicious that the problem may lie in the BIOS. So I've emailed Asus technical support to ask them about BIOS updates, and will wait until I hear back. Thanks..

 

Hey guys, I was just wondering do any of you hear a soft "clicking" noise, similar to the window's "blocked pop-up window" sound clip, but a lot softer/quieter once in awhile? Btw, I don't know the origins of this noise. Wait it just occurred to me that it could be the HDD noise people were talking about.

Opps, I also forgot to add, during the Window's Welcome screen almost top left of the screen has a "brighter" spot compared to the rest of the screen other than the bottom, but doesn't appear after I login.

These aren't huge problems.

 

If the sound coincides with the light at the farthest left above your keyboard, I would suspect it is indeed the hard drive sound.

My first guess about the "brighter" spot might be Power4Gear... but it appears after login...

 

No I don't think it coincides with the HDD light, you just hear the noise one in awhile, there is probably a duration in between but I haven't timed it, nor its not always consistent.

hrmm I am stumped in the bright spot, but I am not too worried about it.

 

Hi,

I understand that this beeping is now considered "normal" after others verified its existence. I don't agree at all. This beeping is an affront. What I thought I was buying was a valuable notebook that enables me to get work done - what I get is a ring tone?! This beeping is well noticable in a quiet room, let alone in a library. Can't be disabled, has no use, trying to catch attention by making noises at me - classic nuisance. I guess it's trying to sell me another drive. Thanks Asus.


s.

 

Hi all!

I just bought A8JS a couple of days ago and its been very good The go 7700 overclocked great and 3dMark06 gives 3100 points now.

I found that you can at least change some memory timings with Systool ( http://www.techpowerup.com/systool/). I don't know was it just the (slow?) memory, but I couldn't change Cas timings (crashed the comp), but everything else was changeable! Although I don't know how big performance gains can be got by lowering the timings, but it at least works I could see the timings go down with cpu-z so it really was working. Maybe that program got potential to change the fsb in the future! Someone just has to find out what clock generator this notebook has.

The only thing that irritates me a bit is the lcd. I understand the bad viewing angles, but the light leakage is sometimes very bad. I can't see anything, for example, when I'm in dark places in oblivion. Splendid helps a bit, but still I would like the screen to be better with dark/black colours. Is it only my screen or do others also have problems with "seeing in the dark"?

 

Install Notebook Hardware Control and go to Hard Disk- and change setting to default or quiet, and this will pretty much get rid of the sound. it drove me nuts until i did this, now i don't notice it 95% of the time, completely acceptable.

The bright spot is something that has to do with Window's Welcome screen, not with the LCD itself. check on any other computer or LCD with it, it will be the same. the first time i used an LCD a long time ago I panicked thinking this was a huge defect, but nope. it's not your LCD, anyways.

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try. I figured there might be a setting buried someplace.

 

its definitely the windows screen, it has many different shades of blue on it.

 

Alright, that's what I thought. Since it only appears when on the welcoming and exiting screen.

 

I think he might have been referring to the DVD drive rather than the hard drive.

 

has anyone upgraded to the new Bios 207 revision?

It doesnt have a change log on the ASUS site

just wondering if it'll make a difference

 

Yes, I have updated. I don't know if it's better than 205, because bios update was the 1st thing to do when I got the computer. Was easy to flash. Just downloaded the bios file to hard disk and then booted to bios. Then I just flashed the bios there with the easy flasher

And the bios has been working great! It states at the Asus page that 207 also updates video bios.

 

Hi, I just got my A8js the day before yesterday. Can anyone tell me how to repartition the hard disk (inc. the partitition with the system files)? I wanna have more space for data and media (around 60GB). There's no floppy drive so rescue disks are ruled out. I don't want to buy any program either, so is there any free solution to this?

Thanks

 

thanks a lot Laum
ill probably update my bios in the near future

ive just recently been using my A8JS because my desktop died on me..and ive noticed that my dvd drive can get PRETTTY loud when i have a cd in there..


ive been reading this thread and i see that some people are having the same issue and some arent...
does anyone know if the ASUS warranty covers a replacement or something for "loud cd drive"? =S
ahahah, doesnt sound too serious for them to replace imo

ive never owned a laptop before, so im not sure how loud a cd drive SHOULD be...
but all i know is mine sounds like a 747 landing when i load up a cd..
although its VERY quiet once everyting is done loading (but then again, the cd is most likely stopped then)

suggestions? =S

 

your dvd drive has a problem or possibly youre using a media I havent yet

Ive used dvd + r and cd r


Has anyone noticed that the speakers are in the palmrest?
No wonder the volume doesnt get high. its actually beaming through solid plastic. The only openings the sound is coming out of are the fan vents that point down.

It took me a long time to figure it out when it was new it seemed like it was magic.

 

those arent fan vents lol

 

ok but they are like fan vents. the sound is coming through solid plastic vents pointing down ( um your head is up so the sound is pointing down??? whats going on here?)

I bet they would sound quite different going through a speaker mesh.

 

I got my A8Js yesterday. It performs very well, but I am dissapointed at:
1. screen. Viewing angles on the vertical are terrible! With dark webpages or games you have to be on the right angle, or it is very distorted. Also black is not good, it is more grayish. Leakage is also terrible, regular on the bottom section of screen and irregular on the top (every inch or so brighter, then darker, then brighter, etc).
2. finish. Its not what I expected. Its ok, I guess, nothing bad, but was expecting better materials. But sure... I guess I cant compare with one of the W models which are more expensive and do not have the excellent specs on this machine.
3. The touchpad surface is unlike or others I have used, but this I will get used to it. The buttons are uncomfortable to use, takes effort to find them and click them.

Besides this, I am happy with the machine. The resolution of the screen is wonderful. But the screen is, as I pass many, many hours in front of the laptop, a very important part of the computer for me, and I am considering returning for something better. Problem is, of course, what other machine will I find with comparable specs? Alternative is a slightly more expensive V1J with a X1700 in a 15.4" package (which is ok for me), or a W1Jc (available in my country). We'll see - I'll give it this week to try it.

 

What graphics card driver version are people using?

(I just installed Diablo 2 and I am having some issues... so I am wondering if I need to update my graphics card driver....)

 

I just ran the Direct3D test in dxdiag, and received this error:
Direct3D 7 test results: Failure at step 40 (Creating flipping primary surface with one back buffer): HRESULT = 0x8876024e (error code)
So, perhaps my suspicions are correct?

 

I just ran the test and didnt get an error

 

After patching the game, I don't have errors with Diablo 2.
and I just ran dxdiag tests again, and didn't get the error... which is strange!

However, whenever I exit Diablo 2, or finish the dxdiag tests, my desktop wallpaper disappears. Also, when I exit Diablo 2, my Sysmetrix bar (running along the top of my screen) is cutoff (at what seems to be 800 pixels, which is the resolution of Diablo 2).

Any suggestions for what I should do?
(dxdiag tells me my display driver is nv4_disp.dll, version 6.14.0010.8602)

 

wow I dont know.

I was going to bring this up but there are no other drivers that support the 7700 than the ones that came with our computers out there.

the nvidia ones and the laptop ( i forget laptop4something ) ones dont have the 7700 on their list.

Theres a good chance you can use one of those and just click on 7600 go ot 7600 gt and it will work though but I dont feel like testing it for you sorry.

we have the only machine in the world with a 7700 go and the only video card drivers for it right now also.

 

Well, I think I've narrowed my problem down to a bug in Sysmetrix (system monitoring program). When I close Sysmetrix, I do not have any problems.
I'm relieved that its not a problem with the graphics card or driver, but disappointed that I don't want to use Sysmetrix anymore....
Anybody run into this problem and have a workaround?

Oh, by the way, thanks for your input Stamar.

 

I'm using these http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=163&Itemid=41/ drivers and they are working very good. Also the newest drivers from www.laptopvideo2go.com work like a charm with their inf files

 

the laptopvideo2go drivers dont have the 7700 in their list. did you choose 7600 go or 7600 gt?

 

Huh? Did u use the drivers from both sites? Mind telling us how you updated the driver?

Btw stamar, what program did u use to OC the video card?

 

coolbits

I got the core all the way to 520 btw.

3178 3dmark 06 test.

 

With the stock drivers? Btw, since you got to a lower core for 06, r u supposed to use 500 instead of 520?

 

no but running the core ahead of the ram doesnt make a big score difference. So even going all the way up to 520 doesnt make the score higher enough to make any sense.

Youll see the optimal score sets it at like 485 487. When you take it to 500 497 thats all you should do. going to 520 is abusing your core more than makes any sense.....

now I saw this but the 7600 gt is the same card and its core is at 550 so you know the core can go that fast with stability.

 

btw i finally looked at the bios settings

the speakers come set to volume 4 in bios and they go all the way to 8.

set it to 8 and youll get em to go really loud lol.

 

How did you overclock it? Max out the core, then max out the ram? Or gradually increase both core and ram at the same time?

Btw, what does it mean when the system freezes for a few seconds in the middle of a test game? Is it considered artifact too? Do you have to lower your core/ram because of that?

 

no i just did optimize then i set the ram as high as it can go and tested then the core to 500.

 

I might have found a bug in this computer.

If you listen to music with the internal speakers and the volume is set to 100%, the hard disk stops working until you turn the volume down or the song gets more quiet. I believe the hard disk starts to resonance with the music and stops working. Can anyone else comfirm this or is my a8js faulty one?

I really think the left speaker is too close to the hard disk..

 

And go 7700 in fact is, and has been quite a long time, supported by laptopvideo2go infs.

 

I can't produce any such error...
Any chance you could have a software or driver issue?