Asus G73JW Owners' Lounge

You can backup the windows 7 activation on a flash drive then reactivate after the clean install, otherwise I believe you have to call microsoft to reactivate the key at the bottom. The detailed instructions are here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html

 

Doesn't sound like much fun! Are you still trying to install from the recovery discs/partition? I've seen quite a few posts from people with issues when installing from either of these onto a new drive, so I didn't even bother. If you've still got the SSD - I'd try this first as it worked for me after 2-3 failed installs when other HDD's were present:

1. From stock: Unplug both 500gb drives and remove one.
2. Insert the SSD and plug it in; leave the other drive unplugged (ie. so only the SSD is installed)
3. Boot into bios and make sure you're booting from DVD first.
4. Install Windows 7 from disk to the SSD (use a Windows 7 install disc, not the recovery discs).
5. Switch off, reinstall a 500gb drive.
6. Boot into bios and set the SSD as the first boot drive.
7. Format the 500gb drive when you get into Windows.

Like I said, this is what I had to do in order to get a working install. For some reason I couldn't install to the SSD properly with any other drive plugged in..

 

ok, this is turning out to be very funny now. So, after my long and exhausting ordeal with this Vertex 2 120gb ssd, I scheduled a return to Amazon due to the frustration. Being that its Sunday, I wanted to salvage the rest of my weekend. Met up with some friends to have a couple drinks and so on.

I get back and decided to boot up the G73JW and forgot I had the windows dvd in, the vertex in (left slot, port 4 on BIOS menu), and primary 500gb HDD (right slot, port 0 or 1 on BIOS) and what happens... the drive shows up in the win7 install list. Installed Win7, powered down, removed HDD, place the vertex in the right slot (port0/1)... boot failed. Placed the win 7 dvd in it couldnt find the vertex in the install list. So I reverted everything back before, vertex on the left, hdd on the right- and the drive showed up again in the win7 install list. Did not want to reinstall, so i just removed the HDD on the right and BAM, i'm in business, full boot back into windows.

I guess for some strange reason, my G73JW is not recognizing my SSD on the right sata port, So I just installed in on the left port and all seems well so far. I guess comming home drunk made me see things a little differently.