Asus N73JQ Owners' Lounge

I very seldom use a mouse with my laptop. If I'm doing work that's better-suited to "mouse-control," I use my desktop system. For that, I have used nothing but Logitech products for years. I prefer trackballs, so my current mouse is the M570.....it doesn't feel as sturdily-made as their older models, but it sure works great.

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Those tiny "Unifying" USB receivers are just fantastic....they make it so easy to mix & match keyboards and mice, and they practically disappear once they're plugged in. And most importantly, they seem to work flawlessly....no complicated setup or funky connections. They use RF, not BT. If I were going to use a mouse with my laptop, I'd definitely opt for one that uses that versus a larger BT receiver. Logitech now has a whole line of mice that use this receiver, and there are probably other manufacturers that do as well.

(I should add, by way of disclosure, that I've used a few BT keyboards and mice, and my current desktop keyboard is BT. In general, they work great most of the time, but I have found them to be "fussier" than RF mice/keyboards.)

 

Bluetooth mouse cannot be connected via integrated laptop bluetooth receiver? That's why i thought to buy one... no stick is better than tiniest stick.
These new logitech receivers are great and seems that I wouldn't need to remove it from behind of the laptop at all, even when carrying laptop around with me in backpack.
Laptop will be used primarily as a desktop replacement, but I need to carry it about twice a week on class, that's why I bought laptop in first place. And it's a little bit hard to draw in CAD with touchpad.
Thanks for proposition.

 

Thanks Cary, most any hardware store should have them and yes they're adhesive on one side only, i chose to adhere the strips to the keyboard as opposed to the chassis so i didn't block access to the screws or the RAM, i ran four strips the length of the keyboard and all deflection is gone, it's nice and firm now.

Like Brody said it's sort of a moot point if you're going to do a clean install anyway but here's a nice write-up by a fellow member if you choose to uninstall some bloatware... http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/380681-asus-utility-bloatware-guide.html

That was my point exactly you just stated it better than i did , while we're on the subject of RAM i recall in an earlier post someone stating their memory modules were Adata, mine are Elpida, what do others have?

 

Mine's Adata.

 

Is this the correct RAM for it? For $50 a pop I could get 3 of them already today if I order in next 5 hours. Could someone confirm please if this is the correct RAM?
It is not part of a kit though. If it is not the right one then could anyone please go here and tell me which one is the right one?

digitec online shop

Change the language at the top right hand corner to English > then on the left hand menu pick > Notebook/mobile devices > then Notebooks > then memory.

Thanks for helping me

ADATA Premier Series SO-DIMM 4GB, DDR3-1333, CL9

Product Number: AD3S1333C4G9-S
Description: 1x 4GB DDR3-1333 DIMM
Dimensions: 1x 4GB
Speed: DDR3 1333 / PC3-10666
Timing: 9-9-9-27 @ 1.5V
Buffer: unbuffered
Pin: 204-pin




Then there is for $60 a pop. Not in stock currently though.

Corsair ValueSelect 1x4GB SO-DIMM, DDR3-1333, CL9

Product Number: CMSO4GX3M1A1333C9
Dimensions: 1x 4GB
Speed: DDR3-1333 / PC3-10666
Buffer: unbuffered
Pin: 204-pin SODIMM

 

Looks to me like either of those would work just fine in your new N73.

 

Ok I have the laptop. Extra 12GB of RAM did not get to the shop in time so I will pick the RAM tomorrow.

First impressions of the laptop -----> EXCELLENT!
It looks better than the Vaio to me. I will write in more detail in the future if I can get away from the laptop I am currently burning the backup DVDs. Slow process by the looks of it.

 

lap_lap: If you want to streamline that process, and make it more reliable, a better solution is to save the system image to a small, separate hard drive partition. Then, the only disc you have to burn is the single recovery environment DVD. It's easy, fast, and tends to work better in recovery than an image spread over several CDs/DVDs. This is exactly how many manufacturers pre-install recovery on new computers. (Or used to, before they got too cheap to spend a few cents on the DVD!) If you're interested, I can give you more detailed directions.

Congrats on your new toy!

 

Does your guys N73's tend to run a little on the "toasty" side? i've noticed even at idle with no apps running my core temps hover around 45 degrees celsius (according to core temp 99.8), i realize that's nothing to be alarmed about but i was expecting it to be a little cooler than that.

 

I've actually been pretty impressed at how cool it runs, based only on the way it feels and how seldom the fan kicks into high gear. Which utility are you using to check core temps? I'll use it and post comparison numbers.

 

I'm using "Core Temp (64-bit) 0.99.8"

 

That's the name of the utility??

Okay, found it. Mine's about the same. Looks like it runs between ~41-51C, and tends to hover close to 43C at idle.

 

Ok thanks, i just wanted to be sure, i have yet to hear my fan kick into high gear, the exhaust vent gets warm but not what i'd call hot, i don't see any control for the fan in the bios but i guess that's the case with most laptops.

 

Hey BB I was not going to create a backup DVD thing. It's just that when I powered the system it asked me to do it so I thought that I might as well do it. Did not know it would take me more than an hour

On all my systems I keep the C drive only for OS and work software. Then I have separate HDs for data and the same data is mirrored on external HDs. So basically if I need to redo the system then I just nuke my C/system HD and reinstall the OS/software. It does not take unreasonably huge amount of time.

So with the above mindset do you think I really need to worry about recovery image and stuff? I have the Win7 OS cd for when ever I need to nuke the C drive.

Another question- I will be installing 12GB of RAM in few hours after I wade through snow to get to the shop
So looking at the above image I already did a test run of removing the keyboard. Was peace of cake. My question is that when I remove the marked screws and then turn the laptop around to open the back hatch to install RAM......won't any bits fall off from the motherboard internally? What I mean is that those screws seem to be holding more stuff than just the back hatch

Also does the whole silver plate come off or stays there when I turn the laptop around?

P.S- Ran various stress tests and the lappy passed them all. So no lemon...touch wood. Under full stress the max temp reached 71°C (all 4 cores at max) and under no stress they run around 45-51°C. So all seems ok.

P.S 2- I find the keyboard perfectly fine. I was thinking of attaching backing strip thing that someone mentioned earlier but I thought maybe over time heat might melt it and it will go all soft and sticky. I would have preferred a backlit keyboard though. I use a logitech one for my desktop which has each individual letter backlit.

 

Probably not. The only reason I imaged my N73's original C: drive was on the off-chance I had a warranty issue and there was some quirky requirement that it be running the original software. Aside from that, I always schedule my systems to automatically create a new image once a month. Like you said, it doesn't take long to reconstruct the system drive when you keep all your data elsewhere, so it's not crucial. But a backup image gives good peace of mind that I can be back up and running in ~1/2 hour if disaster ever strikes.

Nothing will fall out. As far as I can tell, those screws only hold the back cover in place. In fact, while I've been doing all my various modifications, requiring frequent drive swapping and so forth, I've just left those screws out! They're upstairs on a table as I sit here typing on my laptop. They've been out for about a week.

The silver plate stays there. It's still firmly attached, even when you take the panel screws out.

 

Agreed......I would really like a backlit keyboard. But, we can't have everything, I guess. This laptop still comes closer to perfect (for me, anyway) than any of the others I considered.

 

Hey Cary...I just now got around to checking these drivers you mentioned. Aside from the webcam driver, which I don't even have installed because I don't use it, I'm using all the updated drivers.

The first thing I did after the laptop arrived was check for new BIOS firmware and update to the latest version. (v.207, I believe) Then after I did a clean Windows install, I retrieved the drivers I wanted from Asus' and other sites rather than from the driver disc that came with it. (Those discs, in my experience, never get updated. Somebody can buy a brand new N73 a year from now and they'll get the same disc that the first unit shipped with. ) So, all my drivers are current as of about two weeks ago. I know there's a little Asus update utility, but I don't like those things....so now I'll just check Asus downloads occasionally to see if there's anything new.

I haven't had any issues that would make me suspect derelict or incompatible drivers.

 

Brody, could you briefly outline the steps to update the BIOS? I see the tool there...Does it have to be put on a USB for booting? I've read that updating BIOS through Windows is not the best way to go. Thanks!

Oh, and about the "new" webcam drivers: They seem to have the same version number as the original set. The webcam is functioning as is, but at the other end of Skype, friends are saying my face is too red!

 

Sure. There are two ways to update the BIOS....through the Windows utility Winflash, or through the Easy Flash utility built into the BIOS. I have used both these methods and never had any trouble with either. For some reason, I've gotten into the habit of always using the Easy Flash method on desktop systems, but the Winflash utility also seems very stable to me.

First, you need to download the new BIOS file. IIRC, it comes as a ZIP file, so you'll want to extract it to either a USB drive or your hard drive.

WINFLASH: This is pretty intuitive. When you start the program, the first thing you do is navigate to the new BIOS file. It'll check the validity of the file and then ask if you want to update. It's very quick and painless. (With this method, the new BIOS file doesn't need to be in the root directory...it can be anywhere.)

EASY FLASH: For this method, extract the new BIOS file to the root directory of the USB or HDD, whichever you're using. (Technically, it shouldn't have to be in the root directory, but that's the best way to make sure that Easy Flash will find it.)

1. Open the N73's BIOS by pressing F2 at startup
2. Under the Advanced tab, select "Start Easy Flash"
3. In the program, the left window shows available drives, the right window shows files. Navigate to your new BIOS file, and hit ENTER.
4. It validates the file first and shows, at the top of the screen, the old and new versions and asks you to confirm whether you want to proceed.
5. The update itself is quick, and displays a progress bar as it proceeds.
6. The computer will reboot automatically, and you're good to go!

----------
PS: Which nVidia driver are you using? I think I got the one I'm using from Asus, so maybe I'm not using the latest one?

 

Please do not flash with easy flash from the hard disk, this is a very bad idea and may brick your laptop. Always flash from a freshly formatted FAT usb stick.

 

Over the years, there have been reports of BIOS update disasters with every method. In general, though, I think the MB and BIOS manufacturers have gotten their act together and the process has become much easier and much more stable in recent years. Bad experiences still happen, of course, but I don't think it should be presumed that this automatically makes the method used a "very bad idea" for everybody else.

(That said, I do generally run Easy Flash updates with the new BIOS on a USB drive. I've done it both ways though, and never had a problem.)

If you just follow the directions, BIOS update failures are extremely rare these days.

 

Flashing from the internal hard disk with NTFS has a very high failure rate. Please don't do it. Use a fresh FAT formatted USB stick.

 

So I used "windows calibrate colour" series of windows to set the display up as nicely as a TN panel could be set up. My problem is that restart results in display going back to default uncalibrated state. Any solution?

 

Hello Everyone!
After reading the first few pages of this thread i decided to buy a N73JF and it just got delivered. So far I´m loving it but I´m also having some issues. For one the Optimus is giving me some trouble but I have some ideas that i still have to try and get it to 100% like I want it.

The one that I don´t know how to fix is that when i use headphones there is always a little sound blip problem that sounds like the headphone out is being activated and deactivated. I have been able to find out when exactly this happens. Whenever no sound effect has been transmitted for more than 10 seconds the headphone out is disabled and a little "blip" is audible in the headphones. Then as soon as a new sound is transmitted the headphone out is activated again and another blip is audible. Exactly 10 seconds later if no more sound is transmitted, the headphones are disabled again and another blip occurs.

This can be reproduced 100% of the time and gets kind of annoying because i use headphones quite often and the blip can be irritating. I have already installed the newest Realtek drivers 2.55 but it did not help. Does anyone else have this problem and knows how to fix it ?

 

Welcome! I think most of us here have the JQ model (it is the N73JQ thread ), and Optimus doesn't apply to that one. So you might get more help with that issue on one of the threads for a model that uses Optimus.

One of the first things I noticed in the N73's original bloatware was an "excess" of audio utilities. I suspect that one of them has an "auto-off" function that's causing that obnoxious behavior. Personally, I would uninstall all audio utilities except the Realtek driver. Fewer "fingers in the pie," so to speak, makes it easier to adjust your audio configuration and troubleshoot the problem. I suspect, in fact, that just removing the Asus bloatware may well resolve it, as I don't recall any settings like that in the Realtek software.

 

Thanks for the answer. Sadly uninstalling all of the unnecessary Software didnt help. The Audio still gets disabled after 10 seconds of inactivity. I even put the Volume at maximum level so that i could hear the silent hissing sound in the headphones and that also stops after the blip that comes after those 10 seconds. So im sure now that the headphone jack gets disabled.

To make matters worse I screwed up my graphics drivers now
I deinstalled all the Nvidia entries in the software panel of the control panel which i always used to do on my old laptop before installing new drivers.
Only this time because of Optimus the driver installation setups cannot find any nvidia card anymore and the nvidia card is also gone from the hardware device manager so I have no way of reinstalling any nvidia drivers anymore

I realize that's Optimus related so i posted about it in the N53JF thread already. Just wanted to let people in here know about that too since some might also have the N73JF.

 

gio26, by any chance did you set your sound settings to use the laptop as a "communication device"? And...you aren't using a headset that might be kicking in and out, right? I mean, whatever you are using is working correctly on other laptops, right?

Brody, thank you for the BIOS instructions, and Allurgrocies, for the very reasonable advice to use a flash drive. Both appreciated!

 

I dont' really know where I would even set my laptop as a "communication device". Cannot find anything of that sort int the sound settings. The headset is definately not the problem. Just to double check i even tested with my mp3 player in ear phones. Same problem there.

At least I fixed the graphics driver problem. Had to remove the Intel HD from device manager which resulted in a black screen at first but then everything reinstalled including Nvidia.

 

gio...is it just the headphone jack? I.e., the speakers are operating properly?

 

yes just the headphone jack.

 

I wanted to see if anyone else has encountered this issue... i've noticed whenever i power up my notebook for the day the power plan setting has reverted back to "power4gear" even after i've repeatedly set it to "high power" but it invariably reverts back to the p4g plan, i see there's the option to delete the p4g plan but that's beside the point, any thoughts?

also what's the light next to the power button, does it pertain to our specific model? thanks.

 

Even though I knew I'd be doing a clean installation, one of the first things I uninstalled was Power4Gear. It's an example of the kind of bloatware that really serves no purpose other than causing conflicts, issues, and diminished performance. I'd highly recommend getting rid of it and just using Windows' power settings. They do the same thing, work perfectly, and save your options until you actually change them!

I'm not sure which light you mean. On mine the top buttons are clear plastic and the buttons themselves light when activate. I don't see any other lights up there.

 

The light to the left of the power button is used in the N73JF that utilize Optimus. It shines blue when the integrated Intel graphics card is used and white when the Nvidia GPU is activated. Since the N73JQ does not have integrated Intel Graphics the light should probably just always be white.

 

There's no light to the left of the power button on mine, so maybe there's just no light behind that button on the N73JQ, or it's disabled.

 

Thanks for the replies, the light next to my power button is not illuminated either but i saw the icon above it and just wondered what it was for.

Two fold question... does our N73JQ's motherboard have a "recovery mode" were a BIOS flash to go terribly wrong?

...and secondly is there a change log associated with the latest BIOS update version 207, does it have any noticable changes e.g. higher fan speeds, etc.? thanks.

 

I might not be the only owner who thinks the Power4Gear utility is very handy. With the P4G shortcut button, I can quickly choose one of four power profiles for either battery or plugged-in use. P4G allows me to customize the profiles and easily include disabling of the BluRay drive and the webcam to save even more power.

If I just need to use Word, one button lets me get to the lowest possible setttings. Then, if I need to do some websurfing while on battery, I can just tap the P4G button a couple of times and get good performance. That's what I call convenient.

Hatcher, when you go into Power Options through Control Panel, do you see that your Power Plan is called Power4Gear something? I think you can click on "Show additional plans" to go with Windows 7's various configurations. That way, when you restart, the system won't revert back to Power4Gear settings.

Very observant about that little icon by the power button! Now I wonder too.

 

Hi,
I´m about to buy an N73 tomorrow But actually, I´m in a strange situation:
I found an "N73" in my local store but it´s actually not an N73, but a "X7BJQ-TZ095V 17.3" i7".
To be precise. ( http://ishop.nay.sk/sk/catalog/product-detail?pid=1034830 , Eshop in Slovakia)

It looks exactly the same, but according to Asus page, it doesn´t even exist!
I´ve searched around the web and it´s very hard to find anything about it
Is it an N73 with a different name for unkonown reasons or it has a different mainboard?

If it´s the same, I would love to know these things about N73 (X7B):
1-Are all the 500GB HDDs 7200 rpm?
2-Do all of them come with an install CD/DVD with preinstalled image on it?
3-Do all of them have Dual HDD support?
4-Do all of them come with Win 7 64 bit? (64 is critical for me)
5-Do all all of them have 3 RAM slots? (I´ve found an info that X7J has only two, but then, it would be strange to have 6GB ram; I´ve also read that they have a max 8GB limit).
6-Is the Full HD/1600*900 confusion still a real danger? (I need a Full HD display)
7-Do all models have 1GB ram 425GT? (1GB is minimum for me)
8-Which TZ**** models have a TV tuner?
9-Has anyone tryied if the Adobre Premiere CS5 CUDA hack does work on this model?

If N73 are X7J not the same:
-Is 8GB RAM limit a bloax?
-Are there ANY drvers there on the web/Are they the same as N73?
-Anyone any info on the laptop?

Ahh...why doesn´t the Asus have a complete list of the TZ specs or a configurator on their page? How can they be this inconvenient...

The purpose of the laptop will be video editing in CS5. That´s why I need 64 bit OS and, Full HD display an 1GB RAM Nvidia card.

Thanks to any info on this I hope to join the N73 users soon.
Cheers.
D.K.

 

That's a good point, Cary. For someone who needs to switch between power sources a lot and sometimes needs to eek out as much battery life as possible, that convenience is a consideration.

It's worth noting, should someone need that kind of power control but either doesn't want the extra Asus software or has issues with it, they can still get those same functions natively in Win 7. The advanced settings allow similar hardware control, and you can set up any number of custom power profiles you need. With a desktop or taskbar link, it's a two-click switch between any of your profiles. Not quite as convenient as one click, but not too bad at all!

I can't say whether it's the same unit, but I can try to address your questions about the N73 in its JQ configuration, which is what most of us have here.

Yes, although the Asus N73JQ spec page does suggest alternative drive options are theoretically available.

No. They come with a driver disc, but if you want a recovery disc and a recovery image, you need to make that yourself. You are prompted to do so the first time you start up. You supply your own blank disc(s).

Yes.

Yes. (I virtually never see new computers shipping with anything but Win 7 64-bit these days.)

I've seen that misinformation too, but they do in fact have three slots. They ship with 6Gb RAM (2Gb x 3), upgradeable to 12Gb.

The U.S. models are 1600x900. There is indeed some confusion about what's available and sold as "Full HD" in European models. I think this comes from the fact that the adapter is Full HD, while the installed display is usually 1600x900. Read other European owners' comments about this earlier in the thread.

The N73JQ does. Check Asus' web site for other model configurations.

You need to check the Asus site for model specs. The N73JQ does not have a TV tuner.

Not me. Others may have more info on that.

Welcome. As I mentioned, this thread focuses on the N73JQ, so there's not apt to be as much info about alternative configurations and how they may differ. Asus would be the best source for that, though I couldn't agree with you more that their product web site is EXTRAORDINARILY inconvenient. They make it virtually impossible to filter for the models that suit your specs, or even to quickly see the basic specs for the models you're browsing. (I actually emailed them and complained about this while I was shopping...I just couldn't believe how hard they make it for potential buyers to easily learn about Asus products. ) Oddly enough, there support site is just the opposite. I find it very easy to navigate and find what I need.

 

BrodyBoy: Thanks very much for the reply
It´s impossible to get the TZ**** list or any extended info about N73, so I´m not even bothered to think Asus will have info regarding the X7B.
Although the X7B is in the driver list, it´s not on the product page (nor Slovak, Czech or American page...)
I´ll try to compare drivers for those two and look for identical files or versions.

I really wanted the N73JQ but nearly every shop in europe says - sold out.
Our local asus dealer said they´re not going to have them... until january- february. Thx a lot... Today I was present hunting and walking through the store, there it sat.
I´m going to check the X7B tomorrow at the store. I can post some info If you´re interested (how much of the N73 it is; *seems like 95 percent).
There really is no way you can tell the difference from the outside (ports are in the same place, everything...)

Although there used to be Acers that looked the same from the outside but there was different mainboard and spec. But these two are neck and neck in specs. And it has the Bang and Olufsen audio as well, which to my knowledge, is the party piece of the N series only...

Why, tell my why do you have to confuse us this much Asus??

EDIT:
"ASUS released her new laptop X7BJQ-TY104V, a 17.3 inch model from running platform Intel Calpella N73JQ series"
source: http://www.worldbestlaptopcomputers.com/tag/x7bjq/

So it looks like X7B = N73.
Also the X7B comes in models X7BJF X7BJN X7BJQ, which is exactly the same logic as with N73
source: http://www.windows7next.com/asus-laptops-drivers-windows-7/

But on the other hand, the drivers are handled as different on the support page...
There´s probably different spec and other things according to different market (Euorope, USA...) thus naming the model differently.
Again, not very convenient for users...

EDIT2:
I found it on a french Asus site:
http://fr.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=vnTBADCl1rPyQkte#
As for the looks and spec, it´s the X7BJQ IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS N73JQ!
Or am I wrong?

 

deekaysk:

It looks very much to me like the X7B is one of the "theoretical" N73JQ configurations we see on the U.S. Asus site. Or at least, that's the closest match amongst out models. In the N73JQ specs, it lists a non-specific quad-core i7, a variety of HDD options, two display options, two optical drive options, etc. (see image below), but in reality, there seems to be just one configuration actually sold here....the one with 6Gb, one 500Gb 7200rpm HDD, Win 7-64 Home Premium, 1600x900 display, and a BD optical drive.

That XB7 appears to ship with these differences from our N73JQs: 4Gb RAM (speed not specified...it actually says 4 Mb, but I assume that's a typo ), a combo drive, and a different i7, but otherwise looks pretty much the same. (Unfortunately, you guys seem to get shorter warranty coverage as well.) If that's the model available, and the BD optical isn't important to you, it looks like a great choice.

 

Thanks again.
X7B model I´m about to buy has this spec.:

ASUS X7BJQ-TZ095V 17.3" i7
intel i7 720QM,
RAM 6GB,
HDD 500GB,
Display 17.3" 1920x1080,
NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M 1GB,
DVD RW,
webcam 2.0,
card reader,
LAN, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth,
TV tuner,
1 x USB 3.0,
2 x USB 2.0,
HDMI
VGA, RJ-45,
1 x E-SATA (USB 2.0 combo)
Windows 7 Home Premium

I don´t need a BD because I´m going to buy an external RW drive anyway.

So, are the N73 users willing to add X7B user to the group?

 

3

Absolutely!!

Looks like a great buy (basically an N73JQ with a TV tuner and a combo drive)....I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

 

The things I notice different from my particular configuration are that your CPU is 720QM instead of my 740QM, Win7 OS premium insr^tead of my Ultimate, no TV tuner in my case though, I have 2x500GB HDs.

It's a good machine so buy it. I am using CS5 without problem on it.

P.S-My colour calibration not sticking problem was solved once I deleted Asus pre installed colour utility thing.

 

Thanks, it´s finally at home! But I can´t unpack it until 24. for obvious reasons
Does yours also come with a mouse and a bag?

I also wanted a 740 but I couldn´t find a good configuration with that CPU so I went for the 720. Hope there´s not a vast difference.
Have you tried the CUDA hack?

 

Hey guys. Anyone tried to do a fresh install of Windows 7?

I just tried, but I can't get to install any of the drivers from the Asus Driver CD, probably because Windows 7 installed some drivers by default.

As I can't install drivers, Windows 7 doesn't recognize the nvidia card in the display settings, only shows "Generic Monitor on Generic VGA Adapter". The strange thing is that I have installed the nvidia drivers, and it still doesn't recognize it (although it shows installed in the device manager).

Any ideas?

 

If you read back through the thread, you'll see that several (if not most) of us have done clean Win 7 installations soon after we got our N73s. Windows does install its own drivers whenever it can, but that doesn't prevent you from installing other drivers, so that's not the problem.

There are a few Asus utilities that won't install until they recognize that it's an Asus laptop, but I don't think that applies to any drivers. (Tip: It's the ATK package that those other programs look for before they'll install.)

Did you try the "Install all" option from the CD, or are you installing just specific drivers? Could you elaborate a little on how this failure happens? What error message do you get? Do any programs or drivers install? Does the installation interface ever load? Which version of Windows did you install, and which type (retail, upgrade, OEM....), and was there anything unusual about that process?

Some more detail would help with troubleshooting.

That's only two days, but I'll bet it feels like a long wait! The laptop doesn't come with a mouse and a bag....I suspect those were retailer perks.

 

I am on holiday and was uninstalling lot of pre installed rubbish stuff. I also used ccleaner to clean the registry. Bottom line is that the buttons on the left are not working any more Which software is needed for those volume buttons on the left to work? I don't have the software CD with me as I am on holiday but maybe I can download it from Asus website.

No as I don't use premier that much.Maybe you can be brave and test it for me Yes I got the bag and mouse too. Mouse is useless and the bag is semi-useless. The laptop won't fit in the main padded section but only in the compartment next to it. I took it with me for holiday as I did not have another 17" laptop bag.

I hate security checks at airport. If they had their way they would break every laptop!

P.S-Just reinstalled the ATK pack and all in ok.

 

That's the one!

 

It's 3 am and I am working away on the laptop No lag or slow down doing heavy graphic stuff. This laptop is as close to perfect for the price. Anything that I would like more than this would be in the $5'000 range. Excellent bang for the buck. No wonder they are selling like hot cakes in my region.

Normally when I visit my parents I have so much dead time but not this time. Getting so much work done ;-)

 

That´s music to my ears
Santa where are you??
BTW, where are you from? You´re only one time zone away