ASUS U24E Review and Owners Lounge

Normally I would say that it's just a random fluke, but I think the reason your scores are lower is because Windows has recently updated the WEI index to reflect new hardware.

For example, with the hardware seen in my signature, I ran WEI a few weeks ago and got this -

CPU: 7.4
RAM: 7.9
Graphics: 6.2
Gaming: 6.2
HDD: 7.7


Now, for the sake of answering your question, I re-evaluated the system after reinstalling Windows today and got a lower score, seen here -

CPU: 7.4
RAM: 7.6
Graphics: 6.2
Gaming: 6.2
HDD: 7.6


Not a huge difference, but a difference nonetheless.

 

Thanks for the quick reply jamesman.

I got an issue with the touch pad too the scroll keeps on stuttering when I am trying to scroll through the webpages. I have tried to play around wit the elan touch pad setting and still got the same issue. Anyone have any ideas? Plus is there anyway to set up the touch pad with one finger scroll instead of the two I didn't see anything in the settings for this either? Thanks again

 

Where did you hear that Microsoft update the WEI to reflect newer hardware? The reason I ask is because for the most part, my scores have always been pretty consistent with what ALLurGroceries got in the very first post. I'm still considering a high end quad core, but worry that the GPU performance increase would be worth it. CAS 9, 16GB of RAM @ 1600MHz sure sounds tempting. I wonder what this combo would do to graphics/gaming performance?

Trunkz11, my scores for graphics & gaming graphics increased when I added an additional 4GB of RAM(8GB total in dual channel). As expected, when i upgrade the stock WD HDD to a Samsung 470 128GB SSD, the HDD score increased dramatically. My current scores are:

7.1
7.5
6.4
6.4
7.6

 

Hiya Trunkz11 - I have:
Processor 7.1
Memory 7.5
Graphics 4.7
Gaming Graphics 6.2
Primary HD 5.9

with a standard U24E except I've upgraded the memory to 8Gb.

Cheers, GPC.

 

Like I said, I don't know for sure, I'm just thinking and estimating. It doesn't make sense that my scores would go down like that for any other reason.

Also, I ran the assessment a 3rd time and my graphics went up slightly (?)

7.4
7.6
6.3
6.3
7.6

Weird.

 

Very weird! lol

 

This is completely unrelated, but I've been monitoring my battery, and in the 5 weeks I've had the U24E, I've noticed the battery's capacity (mWh) decreasing slowly. It's now currently at 1.4% wear level (56,397 of the 57,200 mWh). When I first got the machine, the battery level was actually about 58,000.

How much have you guys seen your battery capacity go down past the 57,200 standard? How have you been charging your machine?

 

Good topic! I didn't notice this until you brought it up now. Here are my figures.

I received and started using my computer on November 22nd and have been using it exclusively everyday for at least 8 hours a day for the past 41 days. I play Minecraft everyday, so that loads up the CPU/GPU quite a lot. I also do the basics such as Microsoft Office, Skype, Pandora, email, web browsing, Facebook, and Youtube (I prefer plugged in & on high performance). I haven't been very mobile as of lately due to my school's winter break so I've been using the computer mostly with the AC adapter. When I am on the go, I use Power Save.

I use to leave the battery out of the computer when using the AC adapter with my HP Pavilion DV5. In the past, I have read and researched that leaving the battery out when plugged in is best for prolonging battery life. Leaving the battery in, meant possibly overcharging and overheating the battery. Apparently, not all batteries & computers are built/designed the same. That's when I read in the U24E manual that taking the battery out of the computer is NOT necessary after the battery has fully charged. There is a protection circuit inside the battery/computer that prevents overcharging or damage to the battery when the AC adapter is left plugged in. Since then, I no longer remove the battery while plugged in.

I wonder then why my battery already has such a high wear rate? It could be due to my usage patterns. Maybe I should fully charge and discharge the battery to condition it? What are you using to monitor the battery's condition?


Using PC Wizard 2010 v1.961 & Using CPUID Hardware Monitor v1.18.0:

Designed Capacity: 57200 mWh
Full Charge Capacity: 55726 mWh
Capacity: 55726 mWh (100.0%)
Level: 3%
Rate: 0 mWh
Voltage: 12.58 V


Using HWiNFO64 v3.91-1470:

Designed Capacity: 57200 mWh
Full Charged Capacity: 55726 mWh
Wear Level: 2.6%

Current Power Status
Power Status: On AC Power
Current Capacity: 55726 mWh (100.0%)
Current Voltage: 12.575 V

 

Would anyone be able to tell me where it can be purchased in Europe? I have been hunting to buy this item in Europe since its release in November. I would prefer to buy it online but other options would be appreciated.

 

Hi, in Spain, there is the core U24E with I3
here:
ASUS U24E-PX024V i3 2330M 4G 500GB 11,6" W7HP - PORTATILES ASUS - ActivaCSR.com

 

In Poland you can get it here:
http://www.x-kom.pl/c/1618-notebooki-laptopy-11,6.html

 

I currently live in Dubai but even when living in Europe I used to buy laptops from the US. The shipping and duty on my U24E were not too extreme and I still ended up with a well specced laptop for less than I'd pay in my country of residence.

Most manufacturers will provide service and support regardless of where you bought the laptop from in my experience.

The only possible setback is the US keyboard layout... something I'm used to after buying all my PCs from America

Cheers, GPC

PS. If you have problems buying from the USA (a lot of companies won't ship abroad) then use PayPal or Google Checkout to pay. You can use a European credit card, ship to a US shipping (forwarding) address and receive your goods in one to two weeks.

Cheers, GPC.

 

Anyone has had problems with the standard bluetooth?

In the system it seems to be installed ok, but it doesn't detect any BT device (as my cell phone) to connect to.

P.S.: I'm running now my brand new 2720qm

Processor: 7.4
Memory: 7.8
Graphics: 6.4
Gaming Graphics: 6.4
Primary Hard Disk: 5.9 (the standard WD 500gb)

 

Haven't had any BT issues thus far, although I don't use that interface all that often.

Welcome to the Quad Club! I guess that makes two of us! Interesting how we both get the same processor score. I guess the few hundred extra mhz don't matter too much when the processor is idling at less than 1.0 Ghz most of the time, lol.

 

Hmmm. I haven't tested the BT with Windows 7, just Ubuntu.

About the scores, I think the rank is too narrow to show the tiny differences, and they "reserve" the zone from 7.4 to 8 for desktops processors (wonder what you have to buy to reach 8.0, maybe an AMD bulldozer?).

I'm a bit concerned about temperature, as I live in Spain, where we can reach easily 35ºC in the summer. It seems with higher CPU temp the heatsink has more hysteresis, that is, the temp takes more time to rise and stabilize when idle, and more time to cool down from top temperatures. Mine starts at 40ºC and reaches about 50ºC after being one hour idle.
What are your numbers?

 

Hi all,

I'm writing from Singapore and would like to thank all of you, and especially ALLurGroceries for his thorough review of the U24E.

I just bought one today as my work machine after some deliberation and a whole lot of waiting. In short, I see it as having the same amount of computing power as a similarly-spec'ced ThinkPad X220, but at about half the price (non-academic) and is slightly smaller and good for travel.

(In Singapore, a ThinkPad X220 with i5-2410M, 4GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, no USB 3.0, Win7 Pro, 3-year int'l warranty costs $2,099. My U24E with i5-2430M, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD, 2x USB 3.0, Win7 Pro, 3-year int'l warranty cost $1,098. And for comparison, a MacBook Pro 13" with i5-2435M, 4GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, no USB 3.0 but has FW800, 1-year int'l warranty costs $1,648. US$1 = S$1.295)

The U24E also has a HDMI port for easy hook up with a TV, and which when paired with a wireless keyboard, should make it an ideal media centre / player.

I'm certainly looking forward to setting it up properly and using it for work.


In case any of you are looking for the system and passing through Singapore, the following variants are available here.

(1) i5-2430M, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD, Win7 Home, 1-year int'l warranty --> $899 / US$695
(2) i5-2430M, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD, Win7 Pro, 3-year int'l warranty --> $1,098 / US$$850
(3) i7-2620M, 4GB RAM, 750GB HDD, Win7 Home, 1-year int'l warranty --> $1,198 / US$925


Cheers,
S CHEN

One question from me ...

In his review, ALLurGroceries had written that the Win 7 drivers for the Elantech trackpad are pretty bad (I agree), while the linux drivers are much better.

I've read that Synaptics drivers are much better and that it might be possible to use them in place of the Elantech drivers. Do any of you have any idea how one go about trying this out? How would we decide which Synaptics driver to download for use with this Elantech trackpad?

Ref.
* http://forum.notebookreview.com/windows-os-software/585128-synaptics-driver-elantech-touchpad.html
* Replacing Elantech Drivers. - Windows 7 Forums
* ASUS Eee PC 1215N | fit.planet.ee


Thanks in advance for your help,
S CHEN

 

What kind of battery time are you guys seeing? I put on battery saving desktop through power gear and I am seeing a max of 5hrs before the system goes into hibernation. Thats with display brightness set at 2 and maximum processor state set at 50%. During that whole time all I did was web browse through firefox 9.0 with maybe 5 tabs open at once and no other programs where open. Is this about right on battery saving mode I was hoping for 6hours at least. Any one got any ideas? Or is this what everyone is getting? Any new drivers or anything that can be downloaded to help increase this battery time? Thanks in advance

 

I am very interested too in learning whether or not anyone has been able to successfully use Synaptics drivers in place of Elantech. Anyone had any luck?? Is it just as simple as deleting the Elantech drivers and installing the Synaptics?

Also, has anyone tried to change out the wireless/bluetooth card? I ordered an Intel 6230 to throw in my U24e, but I would like to know if anyone else has tried this yet. I did a little research and it looks like Wireless Console 3 will not work with the Intel card, which probably isn't a very big deal.

This thread is slowing dying. You guys need to get more excited about modding the U24E. Stop watching CES.

 

I've been using the Bluetooth function under Windows 7 Pro 64 since I got my U24E. I use a Targus Bluetooth mouse all the time (MODEL: AMB04US). I've also paired my Samsung Replenish Android phone to my computer. It can stream Pandora radio from the phone and also control the music player's basic functions and music stored on the MicroSD card. Its not the most impressive or innovative feature but it works. For the most part, BT has worked flawlessly with the occasional hiccup here and there. Reinstalling BT drivers from the Asus driver and utility DVD or re-pairing the BT devices eliminated any BT issues for me.

Can you guys with quad cores test something for me? I'd like to know what differences in gameplay a quad core would make in the game Minecraft. I know the HD3000 is very similar if not the same. But, what I want to know is how the extra L3 Cache, Core Count, and ability to use DDR3-1600 RAM, will affect FPS and overall smoothness of the game.

The i7-2620m handles it very well, but I'd still be tempted to use a quad.

You'll need Java 32 and/or 64 bit, and Minecraft (you don't need to create or pay for an account).
If possible, can you test using the Optifine Multi-threaded Mod (this mod actually improves FPS)?
Also, can you give me results for graphics set on Performance: MAX FPS, Fast, Fancy, different render distances, and different OpenGL graphic settings?


For anyone whose interested in seeing how mobile Sandy Bridge CPUs (dual vs quad cores) compare to each other visit these links:

Review Intel Sandy Bridge Processors Gaming Performance
Intel Sandy Bridge Processors Gaming Performance: Part II
Review Intel Sandy Bridge (Core i7) Update

Keep us updated on temperatures and any other issues that may arise from using a quad. I'd be more worried about high temps like 85-100*C than idle temps.

Welcome and congrats! You won't be disappointed. The U24E has a great balance of performance-to-price. I'm surprised more people don't know about it.

No idea or clue on how to use Synaptics touchpad drivers. I prefer to use my Targus Bluetooth mouse whenever possible (way more comfortable and precise than any touchpad). I would highly recommend a BT mouse.

I've seen my battery estimate go from 2 hours to as high as 9 hours. It all depends on what you're doing. Using the WIFI, BT, high brightness, keyboard, touchpad, loading and saving many pages/programs/files, etc. etc. will obviously eat up the battery so shutting these things off and closing background services (you could also turn off Windows Aero and lower the resolution) will help extend your time away from an outlet. Although I haven't tested actual battery life, I don't think 5-6 hours is out of the norm.

I would also like to know if changing over to Synaptics touchpad drivers is possible. Synaptics touchpads seem more smooth in operation to me but it could just be better drivers. I doubt its as simple as deleting the Elantech drivers and installing the Synaptics ones. I imagine there would have to be some coding to rewrite.

I don't think anyone has changed their wifi card yet. I was looking at buying the Intel 6230 WIFI/BT card too for its 300mbps connection, dual spatial stream, and it uses 2 antennas like the OEM card the U24E ships with. Not to mention you get to keep BT 3.0 which I use all the time. Seems like the best option at the moment and should be a plug and play affair. The most work you'll have to do is install the Intel drivers and wireless utility. You should be able to get rid of Wireless Console 3 and use the wireless utility Intel made (or the WIFI/BT utility in Windows).

EDIT: This Intel 6230 card also supports WIDI and MY WIFI technology using the Intel utilities. On the Asus U24E support page, there are two Intel wireless card drivers listed (WIMAX & WIFI) so that means this 6230 card SHOULD work with the U24E without a problem! Let us know your findings.

This thread isn't dying, but I'll admit I am very entertained by CES!

Has anyone else had the chance to test this?

EDIT: I've been watching this and I've concluded that these battery tests/results are not always accurate, especially when plugged-in. They are most accurate when on battery alone. When on battery, I've seen my Full Charged Capacity go past 57200mWh! And, my wear level is really around 0.0-0.3%. I will continue to monitor my battery but so far it has been flawless! I get 5 hours or more of battery life on average and have had ZERO problems with this battery. It is really a great battery and I don't think we have much to worry about.

 

My wife's u24e is running the Intel 6230 and it works great.

 

Did she have to do anything special when installing it? I have never changed out a wireless card before, and while it does not appear to be difficult, I am paranoid that I will do something wrong when installing the drivers, etc.

I understand the steps to be:

1) Uninstall Wireless Console 3
2) Remove the existing Atheros Wireless Driver and the Bluetooth Driver and restart computer
3) Remove Atheros Wireless Card
4) Install Intel 6230
5) Install New Intel 6230 Wireless Driver and also Intel 6230 Bluetooth Driver and restart computer
6)Profit?

 

Why uninstall Wireless Console3?

 

I read on another Asus forum that the 6230 does not play well with the Asus Wireless Console 3 program because Asus has not released any Intel drivers for it. You lose the ability to turn wireless on and off through the FN key command. This is at least what guys who have the G74SX-A1 are saying.

Intel 6230 and Wireless Console 3

 

Hi,

I did little research because it still make me nervous, and found this:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/toshiba/596920-petition-toshiba-enable-sata-iii-r835-laptops.html#post7745842

Maybe ASUS just blocked SATAIII function and made it non detectable for purpose? Toshiba users are very mad and disappointed of limiting speed of SATAIII to SATAII. But I think TOSHIBA BIOS can detect SATAIII drives, not like ASUS BIOS which can't even properly detect SATAIII drives.

Later I found this as for example only:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/459591-t61-x61-sata-ii-1-5-gb-s-cap-willing-pay-solution.html

Lenovo blocked SATAII in their BIOS, but someone very smart hacked BIOS and Let users to use SATAII after BIOS update. Maybe there is some very smart who can fix detection in BIOS in our U24E to be able to use full SATAIII 6/Gbs function? It is almost 3 months after lunching U24E and there is no upadate at all on ASUS support page.

Addamus

 

David, I haven't done any real testing since I first posed the question, but I noticed a few days ago, after dropping to about 56,000mWh, my battery suddenly went back up to around 57,350mWh, which is again above the rated capacity. I dunno about you guys, but I like this battery!

 

What type of battery life are you seeing on the different power mode settings jamesman? Just curious if it was around 5-6hrs that I am getting on battery saver mode.

 

This was the response from ASUS a couple of days ago...

Dear customer,

I have been informed that currently it is a hardware limitation of the unit (SATA repeater ).
R&D is currently working on solution; however, it might take some time, as further testing by EE/EA/QTC/EMI is needed in order to obtain a certificate for this.

Best regards

Alexander

Asus Support Team

 

When I'm on battery, I set the mode to balanced, and I usually have brightness on the lowest setting. I have BT and WiFi turned on. I have a few programs running in the background, and usually Chrome open. In this configuration, I run about 5 hours. The battery is usually draining at a rate of 9,500 - 10,000mW. At that rate, 5-6 hours is mathematically the full run time. I believe I could get the discharge rate down to about 6,000mW if I really tried though.

 

U24E-XS71 with updated dual core i7-2640m, capable of of using 16GB of RAM, 2.8-3.5GHz ( Intel® Core? i7-2640M Processor (4M Cache, 2.80 GHz)):

ASUS U24E-XS71 11.6" Ultra Portable Notebook. ASUS U24E-XS71

 

Damn it! An even faster one...although not by very much...

 

Addamus, does this
ASUS U24E-PX071V i5-2450M/4GB/500/7HP64 - Notebook / Laptop 11,6" - Sklep komputerowy - X-KOM.PL
come with an english or polish keyboard?

 

Hi,

Please check photo below. There is a keyboard of my U24E. This will be exactly this same.

Addamus

 

dzienky Addamus!

and is the OS in Polish? Is it possible to change it in English?

Last thing..how does the laptop feel in your hands? Is it resistent? does the screen tend to bend if pressure is applied? would you travel extensivly with this little jewel or does it seem to be too light and "nice" to travel with?

cheers

 

For Windows languages visit:

Download languages for Windows - Microsoft Windows

Because of the aluminium lid the display is very sturdy and has very little flex. If pressure is applied from the aluminium side, there is no distortion of the display. The entire laptop feels solid and well built. It does have a little flex in the chassis if you force it hard enough but its not bad by any means. Same goes for the keyboard, if you press on it with a lot of force (not recommended), it will indeed flex. But normally it won't when touch typing. Its a very sturdy laptop.

I have been commuting to and from school using public transportation with this computer and I am confident it can hold up to my travels. I bought an extra cushioned sleeve to add more protection when inside my laptop backpack. The fact that it is very light and thin is a benefit if "traveling light" is your main concern. My old computer weighed more than 6 lbs. so the U24E is much more enjoyable when I have to carry along a book. My way of looking at is this; don't be afraid to use your computer as much as possible, enjoy it and get your money's worth and as long you take good care of it, it will last a long time.

 

Hi Mushlova,

I agree with everything davidricardo86 wrote about U24E. This is a great choice between price, power and mobility. I use my U24E everyday for work and after work. At least 8 hours a day. I installed SATAII SSD Kingston V100 256GB and 8Gb RAM so it makes everyday computing even more comfortable. This is a solid construction a I am not afraid to carry it. I had choice between 11,6inch Zenbook and U24E, but a I choose U24E. This laptop is great. I have Intel Core i3 which is enough for Office applications, Internet, e-mail etc. I don't use computer for games, for this purpose I have XBox 360 Of course there some pros and cons. For me the most annoying thing is BIOS error which won't let you to install SATAIII drives. This should be fixed in the future by updated BIOS release.

Addamus

 

couldnt find this quote when i was posting my previous post, that's why of the w7 language question..anywho, should have read better as it appears vistalizator can sort the issue out..mmm microsoft...

cheers guys you've been very helpful!

 

WARNING - Modifying and flashing a BIOS/UEFI always carries the risk of bricking your computer! There is a recovery process but that is not always a guarantee. This is for educational purposes, please use at YOUR OWN RISK!

I did some research on our BIOS and found some good information. American Megatrends, Inc. (AMI) made our BIOS for Asus. But they don't support it. Asus is responsible for all its maintnnance and upkeep. The BIOS is controlled by a UEFI called Aptio. Then I searched for Utilities to work with or on Aptio and found:


Resources:
Training: An Introduction to UEFI
Training: Comparing BIOS, UEFI and Boot Loaders
UEFI - UEFI Learning Center
The UEFI Primer
“Ask a BIOS Guy” on Twitter
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) on Wikipedia

Aptio is AMI's next-generation BIOS firmware based on the UEFI Specifications and the Intel® Platform Innovation Framework for EFI. Aptio is specifically designed to address firmware portability and extensibility to future platforms.
Along with silicon enabling components, Aptio can be expanded using a variety of drivers, development tools, support utilities and pre-boot application solutions:

Aptio Development Applications:

• Visual eBIOS (VeB)
• AMI Debug for UEFI

Aptio Support Utilities:

• AMI Flash Utility (AFU) Suite
• Change Logo Utility - OEM splash logo management
• AMI BIOS Configuration Program (AMIBCP) - Change setup paramaters and strings in Aptio ROM images
• MMTool - Manage modules, drivers and Option ROMs in Aptio ROM images
• DMIEdit - SMBIOS data management
• AMISDE - Command line tool for exporting setup date from an Aptio ROM image
• AMISLP - Enables the insertion of Microsoft System Locked Pre-Installation (SLP) key files into the BIOS image
• AMISCE - Command line tool for simple update of NVRAM variables
• AMIUCP - Tool for customization and pre-configuration of Aptio Flash Utility (AFU)

Aptio Features:
AMI Text Setup Environment (TSE), advanced UEFI functionality with a familiar BIOS interface
Compatibility Support Module (CSM), providing legacy BIOS compatibility based on AMIBIOS8
AMI PreBoot Application (PBA) environment, allowing OEM/ODM to store and execute pre-boot applications in a protected hidden partition


This is a list of most Aptio Utilities:

Aptio® Utilities

AMI’s Aptio® firmware offers an easy transition to the new Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
model. With Aptio, OEMs have all the advantages of UEFI - modularity, portability, C-based coding - while
retaining easy-to-use tools that facilitate manufacturing and enhance productivity. Aptio offers a rich
set of utilities for customizing the BIOS ROM image without rebuilding the firmware, a true advantage in
terms of both time and cost.

AMI Firmware Update (AFU)
AMI Firmware Update (AFU) is a scriptable command line utility for DOS, Microsoft Windows®,
Linux, FreeBSD and the UEFI shell. Utilized for factory or field BIOS updates, AFU is flexible
enough to update the entire Flash part or only a portion. It programs the main BIOS image, boot
block or OEM configurable ROM regions.

*** AMI offers several flashing options:
AMI Flash Utility (AFU) is a command line utility for DOS, FreeBSD, Linux and Windows command prompt
Winflash is a GUI Utility for Windows

***For a how-to & more information on the available flashing utilities, check out the " BIOS update guide for ASUS notebooks"

ChangeLogo
ChangeLogo allows developers to easily change logos displayed by Aptio at boot, via the GUI
or CLI. The fullscreen “splash” logo and small logos appearing on the main screen during POST
can be replaced with custom logos. ChangeLogo also allows logos to be extracted from existing
Aptio ROM files.

DMIEdit
DMIEdit is a scriptable command line utility for DOS, Microsoft Windows®, Linux and the
UEFI shell. The Desktop Management Interface Editor for Aptio enables customers to modify
strings associated with platform SMBIOS tables (System, Base Board, Chasis, OEM string, etc). In
manufacturing, use DMIEdit to embed platform serial numbers, UUID and license keys into the
SMBIOS table, which identifies platforms to management software.

MMTool
Aptio’s Module Management Tool (MMTool) allows developers to manipulate Option ROMs and
the UEFI DXE drivers embedded in an Aptio ROM image. Use MMTool to extract, replace and insert
these binary components using a graphical or command line interface.

AMIBCP
The AMI BIOS Configuration Program (AMIBCP) for Aptio enables customers to modify parameters
in a BIOS ROM without rebuilding from source. Developers can modify default values for BIOS setup
parameters, modify default boot order in BIOS setup, view and edit sign-on and setup strings, and
edit SMBIOS string data. AMIBCP also features multi-language string support for added utility.

AMISDE
AMISDE is a command line tool for exporting setup data from an Aptio ROM image, including
spreadsheet applications such as Microsoft Excel®. It generates a helpful summary report of BIOS
setup parameters and default values that enhances productivity in testing and manufacturing.

AMISLP
AMISLP allows the insertion of Microsoft System Locked Pre-Installation (SLP) key files into the
BIOS image. SLP keys are used for OEM activation of Microsoft Windows®.

AMISCE
AMISCE is a command line tool which provides an easy way to update NVRAM variables. Extract
variables directly from the BIOS with AMISCE, and change settings using either a text editor or
a setup program, and then update the BIOS. AMISCE produces a script file that lists all setup
questions on the system where AMISCE is running. The user can then modify the script file and use
it as input to change the current NVRAM setup variables.

AMIUCP
AMIUCP is used to pre-configure the Aptio Flash Utility (AFU). Insert and exchange the default
command string and ROM image used in AFU to create a customized version of the utility.

AMIDiag for UEFI
AMI offers the only PC hardware diagnostic solution for the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). AMIDiag for UEFI operates independently from the operating system, offering great advantages to AMI customers.

• The only diagnostic product designed for UEFI
• No dependency on legacy BIOS
• Available for IA32 and x64 UEFI environments
• For today’s UEFI systems & next-generation products
• Builds on a long history of AMIDiag products
• Tests leverage the original AMIDiag products
• Designed by a pioneer in UEFI firmware
• AMI has shipped Aptio UEFI firmware for years
• Tested against multiple UEFI implementations

AMIDiag for UEFI is available only to OEM/ODM customers. For more information, please contact a software sales associate.

AMI Provisioning
AMI Provisioning™ integrates firmware configuration, firmware update, hardware diagnostics and pre-OS applications in a Unified EFI (UEFI) environment. When combined with Aptio® UEFI firmware and AMIDiag™ for UEFI diagnostics, AMI Provisioning greatly simplifies system maintenance and configuration.

Embed Utilities With The System — Replaces the "recovery DVD" with an always available pre-boot management tool. AMI Provisioning can be executed from the BIOS flash ROM, NAND flash, on-board USB devices, protected hard disk partitions and OEM proprietary storage.

Power Pre-Boot GUI — Move away from text-based applications to an intuitive graphical interface. AMI Provisioning presents a consistent interface to the user, with OEM branding via customizable themes.

OS-Independent Firmware Updates — Executing BIOS and firmware updates in pre-boot eliminates OS compatibility issues, and allows customers to recover in situations where the OS cannot boot.

Simplify Pre-OS Configuration — Provide a GUI alternative to the text based "legacy BIOS" setup menu, taking advantage of UEFI standards.

Integrated Diagnostics — Make system diagnostics readily available to the user. AMIDiag for UEFI integrates into the AMI Provisioning solution, enabling full system tests even when the OS is not functional. Avoid the cost of system returns due to trivial issues.

Standards Based — AMI Provisioning is built on the industry-backed UEFI specification, simplifying usage across multiple platforms and market segments. Users experience a consistent management interface on AMI’s Aptio solution or other UEFI implementations.

Easily Extensible — Create a framework for integrating new applications that leverage the same GUI and customized OEM themes.

Key Features of AMI Provisioning:

• UEFI 2.x (IA32 & X64)
• Customized look & feel
• Multilanguage support
• Context Sensitive Help
• Network support
• (CIFS / NFS / FTP / HTTP)
• Verify digital signatures to avoid using "tampered" updates
• Firmware Update
• Update all firmware components
• Update from file, network share, HTTP or FTP
• Verify authenticity and of firmware images

I found some AMI Aptio tools right here, BUT we still need to find some of the most recent versions of these utilities...


REQUEST: Clevo P180HM (Lots of Tools)

Thread-UPDATE-14-JAN-CLEVO-P170HM3-incl-Aptio-MMTOOL-4-5-AMIBCP-4-53

These are the links to the AMI Aptio tools I found, Version 4.x is the one I used to open our 202 BIOS.

Here are all of the amiflash utilities:

http://www.ami.com/support/downloadagree...npDrvID=90

Here is the basic tools that Prema included, mmtool, amibcp, etc:

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

Here is a big collection of AMI Bios Tools I found:

MEGAUPLOAD - The leading online storage and file delivery service

And here is the BIOS (BIOS_P180HM_Default.rom)!

BIOS_P180HM_Default.rom

USE THESE FOR U24E 202 BIOS!!!

AMI APTIO TOOLS (UPDATED to AMIBCP 4.53, THX@qtm):

Download amibcp mmtool.rar from Sendspace.com - send big files the easy way

***You're going to need WinRAR (or equivalent)!


Here is our UEFI and BIOS info:


American Megatrends, Inc.
Aptio Setup Utility 2010
2.01.1204 (U24E)
Version: 202
VBIOS: 2111.1I200870.01
EC version: 203D0F0000
ME FW Version: 7.0.10.1203

BIOS Vendor: AMI
BIOS Version: 202
BIOS Release Date: 09/22/2011
BIOS Start Segment: F000
BIOS Size: 2048 KBytes

"2011.10.14 Update" (this date is listed on the Asus U24E Download Support page for BIOS 202)


Next, here's what I did to get access to the contents inside the BIOS/UEFI "U24E.202"...

1. Download the BIOS 202 file from the Asus U24E download support page. The file will be a .zip archived file.
2. Extract the U24E202.zip file and locate the U24E.202 file.
3. Right click the U24E.202 file and then click properties.
4. I then renamed the the U24E.202 file to "U24E.202.rom" A warning will appear, click yes.
5. The file will then have been converted to a .rom file. We can now use it with AMIBCP, MMTool Aptio, Change Logo and other AMI Aptio tools.

Here is a screenshot of the U24E.202.rom from inside of AMIBCP. From AMIBCP we can enable/disable things like hyperthreading and turbo mode among many other things:



Here is another screenshot of some SATA-related options:



Here is a screenshot of the U24E.202.rom from inside of MMTool Aptio:



Here is a screenshot of the Change Logo program:



Here is the original logo, a .bmp file (with this we can set our own custom logo during the BIOS/UEFI splashscreen):




To be continued...


With these AMI Aptio tools we can modify our UEFI. I will update this information as I make new findings. I don't know much more than what I have shown you here. I do not yet know how to create a final flashable BIOS/UEFI yet.

Asus is reportedly working on a BIOS/UEFI update. I am trying to learn more about this and my ultimate goal is to learn how to add SATAIII storage device support and unlock hidden advanced menus, if possible. I need help though, I am not a programmer and just passionate about learning about computers, so if you or someone you know knows more about this subject, please contribute to this topic and share! We all want SATAIII in our U24Es (plus other updates and fixes).

I DO NOT OWN a SATAIII SSD/HDD to eventually test on, so I will need help from those guys that do.

1/16/2012 - I am comparing the BIOS 206 from the UX31E to our BIOS for anything that looks interesting or clues. The UX31E does support SATAIII SSDs.

1/18/2012 - Awaiting feedback from members from bios-mods forum. Seeking help.

 

davidricardo86,

Great work!

Here is what I did during weekend.
- installed SATA3 SSD Corsair Force 3 240GB,
- installed Gparted live cd on USB stick,
- prepared Windows 7 HP 64bit DVD

My goal was to check if SATA3 drive can be detected by UEFI or Windows 7 installer run from portable DVD in UEFI mode.

First I double check that AHCI mode is on, then I run Gparted from USB stick. I erased all partitions, erase entire drive - writing (zero) to all cells on SSD SATAIII! SSD was never discovered by BIOS, but is perfectly seen on Linux based Gparted run from USB stick or CD only.
After this operation I run Windows 7 installer in UEFI mode. But as I expected installer could not find a SSD to install system to (but linux could - strange)
Conclusion: UEFI mode is unable to detect SATA3 drives.

Well, I changed back my SSD to SATAII model - Kingston V100 256GB. And stared installation of Windows 7 in UEFI mode. Everything went very smooth expect audio device (realtek) could not be discovered and I spent few hours to figure out why, but I could not find solution. So I back to normal BIOS mode, and Installed clean Windows 7 without any problems.

Addamus

 

davidricardo86,

I compared our BIOS using your tools with Clevo P180HM which is base to our 202 bios.

In original BIOS P180HM there is function which is missing in 202 - SATA Device Type and this can be set to HDD or SSD in failsafe and optimal mode.
We also have additional function Port Multiplier

I dont know much about bios programming but this can be very interesting

Addamus

 

Hi guys,
I'm in France and I can not find the pc, but we will have the Asus B23E, what do you think?

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Commercial Notebooks- ASUS B23E

Thank you for answering me!

 

Looks like a different system almost, it has esata and expresscard, which is very surprising for this form factor. The U24E does have unused headers on the motherboard for a TPM and fingerprint reader, so this could be a similar platform in a different chassis. I don't see a fingerprint reader listed on the Asus specs, though it does list a smart card reader.

Asus introduces B23E 12.5 inch business notebook - Liliputing

Edit: The fingerprint reader is visible in the pics on the asus site. Also confirmed that it has expresscard and esatap in the pics here:
http://www.excaliberpc.com/611819/asus-b23e-xs71-12.5-notebook.html

 

THANKS ALLurGroceries,

This PC is SATA 6 gb/s thanks to the QM67 chipset, eSATA too, with extensive connectivity. I will buy this pc and try to install a cpu I7 2630QM, crucial M4 128GO ssd, 8go ram memory, to improve and check performance....

http://www.intel.com/cd/products/services/emea/fra/latest/467360.htm

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us...et-qm67.html?wapkw=Intel QM67 Express Chipset

 

Hi there!

I want to share a "little mod" I made, to improve the u24e's cooling after the quad core upgrade.



Full story here:

With the original cooling, at a room temperature of about 18ºC, the cores quickly reach 85ºC at 100% load (junction Tmax is 100º).
I first tried to put some thermal paste and a fanless chipset-heatsink on top of the heatpipe, over the processor. This resulted in instantly lowering the temperature about 10ºC, but as soon as the sink got hot, it couldn't handle the dissipation of the heat just by natural convection.

Test attaching a heatsink over the processor.
So, adding any mass there wouldn't help.

Then I thought about adding a new heatpipe, as seen in many gamer laptops that have several pipes in parallel. I was lucky to savage two small heatpipes from an old laptop, that would fit perfectly in the space left at both sides of the actual heatpipe.

Two small heatpipes savaged from an old laptop, next to the Asus u24e
Of course, I would need to flatten and re-bend the pipes in the proper shape. I did it slowly, by gently applying some heat to them in the kitchen fire and with the help of a custom wood mold.

Custom wood mold to help bending the pipes

Flattening the pipes
I also made an extra support out of a cooper plate, to increase the heat transfer at the end of the pipes opposite from the processor; and a fitting to fill the gap on one side of the original heatsink (which wasn't properly soldered in the middle, but displaced about 2mm).

Making the cooper support

Piece of cooper to fill the gap, just on one side.
After reading this article about efficient cooling with heatpipes, that shows the poor result of a bad cooling configuration, I was afraid of getting an opposite result from my mod. So I did a preliminary test attaching the pieces with some nylon cord and putting a nice amount of thermal paste.

New heatsinks held on place with nylon cord (I)


New heatsinks held on place with nylon cord (II)


New heatsinks held on place with nylon cord (III)
The results were very satisfactory: with prime 95 the temperature took about twice as much time to reach a peak and it never went above 84ºC (without the mod it reached 85º after a few seconds).
So I got some thermal adhesive to make the thing permanent. Soldering would probably improve the performance a lot, but I didn't dare to do it, as the lowest melting point solder alloy (179ºC, alloy: SnPb 2%Ag), is almost the maximum recommended temperature of the heatpipes (180ºC).

Mixing the thermal adhesive

Some pressure to keep the bond as thin as possible.

Detail of the fixture.
Some lapping of the cooper plate in contact with the processor would also help, as there were some irregularities in it's surface. I noticed the thermal paste made an excellent polishing paste, used together with some regular kitchen paper.

Irregular surface of the cooper face. There was a longitudinal line-dent in the middle.


The plate almost mirror-finished


The thermal paste ended up shiny as well.
In my excitement I forgot to make pictures of the finished piece. But you can see how it looked like when installed. I had to flatten one of the pipes at the tightest point, to be able to put the board in place.

The cooling mod finished and in place.


Detail of the tightest point between the memory banks and one screw's place.
After the mod the temperature playing some very demanding games went down from 85ºC to about 73ºC. Not as cool as some gamer laptops, but lower than before anyway. We'll see how well it performs in the summer !

 

Ordered the U24E with the i7-2620M and received it Monday. Took 16GB of ram without any issues. I'm running Linux right now along with some VMs and I got about 2 hours of battery life before some sandy bridge optimization. Haven't tested it since, but it's currently reporting around 4 hours when I unplug it.

What's people's experience with battery life been?

 

Getting about 5 hours with screen at low brightness, with a few apps open, WiFi and bluetooth enabled, with the 2630qm, 16gb RAM, and an SSD.

 

this looks like a likely replacement for my dm1. im kinda upset with myself that I didnt know about this machine. for 350 more then what i paid for my dm1 i could have had a much better machine. we will have to see.

 

@dasaki

Awesome job on modding the heatpipe! I wouldn't mind doing something like that. What computer did you get the spare heatpipes from?

I also just noticed you have the Red u24e! nice

@soleblaze

Congrats! When I bought my u24e-xh71 many sources said that the i7-2620m would only take upto 8GB of RAM. But apparently that isn't so since you were successful. Also, I noticed that on the Intel website the RAM spec has changed to 16GB since I last checked. What brand/model RAM are you using?

I get around 5-6 hours of battery life on average, but it also depends on many other variables (wireless, display brightness, cpu/gpu usage, etc.).

I'm interested and would like to learn more about the Linux operating system. How did you install it on the u24e? Did you keep Windows on a separate partition? How difficult would you say it is?

@AppleUsr

The u24e is a great computer. If you lived near me I would offer you my u24e to try out if you let me try out your dm1!

I've been wanting to test the iGPU in the E-450 to see how well it runs Minecraft in comparison to the HD3000 iGPU.

I've also been wanting to test the HD3000 iGPU from a quad core to see what difference it makes compared to my 2620m.

 

if your interested in trying linux to see how it runs on your u24e laptop there is a ubuntu that runs right off a usb stick. you dont even have to install. its great fun to see what works and such. I keep one on my keychain.

the last linux operating system i used was about 8 years ago suse linux. I dont know which ones are considered really good these days. so many flavors to choose from.

 

I used g-skill 8gb sodimms. For Linux I would suggest starting with Ubuntu. Like AppleUsr said, you can boot it up on a usb stick and test. You can also install virtualbox or vmplayer and run Linux in a virtual machine. If you don't plan on using it 24/7 and you don't need direct hardware access then running it as a virtual machine is a better option. (Oh, and generally you get better battery life in Windows due to better driver support.)

For my setup I took out the drive without booting into windows, put an SSD in, and installed arch linux on it. I'm running Windows in a virtual machine since I don't need to use it all that often.

If you really want to dual boot, the Ubuntu installer should be able to resize the windows partition and setup dual booting. I remember it being pretty painless.

 

@davidricardo86

Thanks! The heatpipes must come from a realy old machine, as the aluminium structure it was attached to was that kind of heavy, sturdy thing you don't see nowadays anymore. But you can get new heatpipes of many distributors. Farnell has a nice selection:

Farnell Export


Apart, about Ubuntu and the laptop. I was getting issues with the regular bluetooth (Azureware nb037). It wasn't detecting any bluetooth presence (in Windows it was fine). So I bought a Intel 62230ANHMW 6230 in ebay, and this works perfectly out of the box.