Z84j Owners Lounge

Thats great meanboy!

Since we are talking about audio, has anybody used the s/pdif yet? I just bought a fancy $25 cord to connect the s/pdif output on my Z to the coaxial input on my surround sound receiver but it doesn't work.

 

Hello,
After much lurking here I bought me a nice Z84JV a few weeks ago and last wednesday it arrived :

Core2Duo @ 2Ghz
2Gb Kingston RAM (2x1)
7200rpm 120Gb Seagate Momentus disk
Geforce GO7700
Avermedia A301 hybrid tvcard
Vista Ultimate OEM

The performance is great (Compared to my 1 year old AMD Athlon64 workstation with Geforce 6600GT card) and the screen is an absolute jewel.
I'm not to sure about Vista though: it looks like vista's constantly fiddling around the disk....

 

Hi MReijm,

as I wrote earlier I have the same problem. My harddisk blatters all the time and it is very annoying.

If somebody has a solution, please share it!

 

What exactly does both of you mean? you mean vista constantly spins the HDD to max for no reason?

WElll guys, I just bought a 8600GT card from C90s and planning to put it on my Z84... hope it works.. otherwise... i'm just gonna send to ice-tea or ebay. Can't wait for it . I'm so excited.

 

Not to the max, but it is working all the time (click-clack), like a clock hand.
BUT I'm using xp pro so I think it's not a vista issue.

WOW khanhfat, good luck, I hope you'll succeed!

Is it possible to buy JUST a mobile graphics card (a new one)? I have been searching for a long time now, but haven't found anything. Or the only option is to find someone who is willing to sell it to me from his/her notebook?

What do you think: http://xoticpc.com/laptop/5790/87007950chart1.jpg

 

i don't notice much of the HDD spins stuff BUT THE system has an error that sometimes freezes for 3 seconds then go back to normal. I've changed HDD and RAM and my guess is the motherboard. Some other user of Asus has experience with their w3J and other models. I don't know what's the problem with asus motherboard though.

Another thing is now , instead of freezes.. it'll freeze some of the programs , which the system will not repond to whatever application i click to . ... only the mouse move, along with that, the wireless stop working also. ALl i can do is shut down the system by holding the power button. (MAN I HATE IT!!). I thinking of getting a cheap back up computer and send my Z84j back for repair.

About the Graphic card thing.. I don't think it's gonna work. But who knows ? only 50% chance it work or won't work. So i just hope for the best.

Nobody have tried this yet so i take the chance first : D

 

I noticed these freezes too, I tought it was because of XP. At least now I know I can't help it... The wireless also stopped several times without any acceptable reason. I always trusted ASUS, I had only ASUS motherboards and graphics cards but now I'm starting to be disappointed in ASUS.

Any opinion about the chart?

 

I think that chart will change once the direct x 10 games come out.

The hard drive thing is due to the indexing service built into windows. Just turn off the indexing service and it will stop making noise all of the time.

 

You do man?

I thought i'm the only one.... at first only freezes but recently ( about 7months of using, it'll freeze... then later it'll stop responding to what I want to do, it's just like a virus or spyware trying to take up all the CPU power.

 

Indexing Service is disabled by default (I created a custom XP install CD).
So the problem is somewhere else.

 

Right click on HDD, properties, then uncheck the Indexing service, click ok, then ignore all files.

 

Hi,

I have the Z84jp with XP pro.

I have tried using a external CRT monitor with Z84jp via the VGA port.

I want to have the external monitor at a 1024x768 at 70 hz. or higher refresh rate.

I would prefer to keep the laptop screen at it's native resolution.

You can do this easily with HP laptops that use the Nvidia card.

But I can't do this on the Z84jp.

What I can do is set it for clone mode and set the external monitor for 1024x768 but this causes the laptop to also go to 1024x768.

Further on the external the only refresh rate is 60hz.
Which is hard on the eyes due to flicker.

The Nvidia force ware driver on the Z84jp is "86.47".

Can someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong or is there another Nvidia
driver that will let me set the external monitor like I want too.

I called Asus support and they said I could not do this as Nvidia has disabled that feature with their Force Ware driver.

I would appreciate any help from others with the Z84jp.

If there is no way to fix this laptop might you know of another custom/barebones laptop that will do this.

Thanks, bjf

[email protected]

 

well, it depends. The clone mode means everything will be the same.. so if you want 1024 res on your CRT, the laptop will display in 1024 also.

Your HP is kinda special which can display 2 resolution in clone mode.

There is nothing wrong with the laptop or nvidia.

 

I should also mention Asus support said this would not work via VGA out to external but on other laptops with DVI connectors it should work like I want.

But I need the VGA port/analog for my use.

Thanks, bjf

 

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Might you know of any other Nvidia drivers that would give me this feature.

The HP was a DV9000 series that did what I wanted.
You could simply set the choices for dual monitor and ext. monitor resolution and refresh rate. Very simple setup.

I could live with the laptop having the 1024x resolution if I could still set the
external refresh rate higher. But it's only giving me the choice of 60hz.

Other than this I really like the laptop.

Another reseller said the clevo models (m570ru) would do what I want.
Not sure if that is accurate but was told this.

Thanks, bjf

 

Done, no change

There is another problem: if I'm connected via wireless and I change the wireless settings (Fn + F2) and choose to disable the wireless (no matter if I disable JUST the wireless or the bluetooth too) the lid goes off and the tray icon changes but the wireless doesn't disconnect. I have to disconnect manually.

Any ideas?

 

my laptop have more problem than urs meanboy. MIne does'nt even show up the Wireless lights.

My best usage is use WIndows to confirgure the wireless. Toshiba tool to configure Bluetooth. I usually disable bluetooth from start up and disable it from Network Connection. I only turn on whenever i need to.

You might want to disable intel wireless also.

The wireless management tool of Asus software works ok though but i never use or install it.

@ Joe: www.laptopvideo2go.com is what you need to look up the drivers. Please check the text file attached to each download version to make sure it supports the GF 7600.

 

Just a followup.

After playing around with the setting controls I was able to set the external monitor resolution and higher refresh rate.

No thanks to Asus or Nvidia tech support.

They both either were not sure how to accomplish this or said it couldn't be done.

So this Asus laptop functions like the current HP's for external monitors.

bjf

 

I'm experiencing exactly the same problem, using a WD My Book 32OGb dual interface..

 

The only luck I've had with eSata is to go into add hardware to detect the hard drive, then format (if need be), and allocate the disk using Computer Management as with any other disk. Works fine from then with the exception mentioned below.

Two major problems here. One is that there's no way of removing the drive short of rebooting. If you disconnect the drive on the fly then you're likely going to hang the OS. Someone suggested killing disk caching, but that didn't help much. The second is that several utilities don't seem to understand drives appearing and disappearing gracefully without plug and play.

Checking Microsoft they say that eSata is a controller level thing. Since the Z84 uses Intel's 945 chipset that would mean that either Intel or Asus would need to modify drivers to understand plug and play on the south bridge SATA interace. So far I've had no luck finding anything helpful on Intel's or Asus' websites.

This much I've found from reading several threads. I haven't been able to track down all of the details and to verify them yet. And I haven't been able to check out Vista. So at this time I would say that Asus has enabled a feature in hardware, but hasn't really implemented software to support it.

 

ESATA plug and play success!!!

Finally found an eSATA driver for the Intel 945/985 chipsets. It was a little obscure since the documentation referred to the S96 and Vista, but looking into the docs this driver should work fine:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/det...d=954&dwnldid=12650&agr=y&lang=eng&prdmap=954

So far this evening I've been able to use plug and play to detect and remove the eSATA external drive and use it just fine.

Would like feedback on success or failures so that I can avoid any problems myself if there are any.

 

Sorry, I forgot to write that my eSata is working like a charm!
The problem was: either the cable's clip or the plug on the notebook, I don't know but I have to find the perfect position when I plug it in. So the connection beetween the clip and the plug is far from perfect. When the esata cable moves, it gets disconnected and the notebook hangs till I reconnect it 'perfectly' Not so funny...

When it is plugged in 'perfectly' windows detects it immediately.

Removing it safely is possible once in a blue moon, it is always used by something according to our beloved windows
So I just turn the enclosure off, windows freezes for a minute then goes back to normal Again not so funny...

Well that's my story

 

Hi,

thanks for the replies guys. This evening I'll try out that 'obscure' driver you found beasleym and I'll keep you up to date with the succes/failure.
Meanboy, I don't think it's the connection because it fits perfectly, but I'll check it again anyway.
what I didn't mention before is this strange situation: when I connect the eHDD with eSata it does get detected and I can read files from it, but its when I want to write data to it that my whole system freezes - completely (in XP pro and Vista Ultimate). Also not so funny
anyway, I'm glad you got your eSata up and running, meanboy

 

Battusai?? I guess you were going for battousai ^^

quick / sword drawing

ja ne ^^

 

Battusai try this, worked for me:
in bios switch to ahci mode from ide, I know bios says that you should choose ide for xp but for me only ahci worked for both xp and vista.

 

Has anybody used the front s/pdif port to send audio to anything yet? I can't get it to work with my receiver.

 

I just recived my z84, but i have 2 questions, i have the hole for the tv port, but not the jack, i have a rubber piece in its place, is it possible to put a tv card in there? and has anyone figured out if the 8600 gt fits/ works?

 

I have been using my Asus Z84J for about a week now. Mine came with the GF 7700go, must be a refresh model of some sort. Quite impressed with the performance of it, only running a T2500 right now but hope to put in a T7XXX sometime soon. Heres some 3dmark scores:

Stock No OC in 2006 = 2,463
GF 7700@ 530/450 = 2,800

in 3dmark 2003, i've only ran it oc'd and got 10,410

One minor problem i'm having is that very randomly it will lock up, and it will take 1 or 2 reboots for the system to start normally and then it works fine. I'm thinking ram, but i've tested overnight with orthos, anyone have any ideas.

Specs

T2500
2gb Crucial ram
120GB Hitachi 5400rpm
Gf 7700 Go
Intel 3945 Wifi

 

Nope, i bought the card.. tried and it's not goin to work. WE need a hacked bios from C90S to make this thingy work.and the card is in different size than the regular one.

 

U mean the system freezes then it won't response to anything u click right? It's just suddenly slow down right?

I have that same problem.. even worse with freezes for 5 secs.

 

I have experienced the 5sec freezing problem as well. The freezing i'm talking about in addition to that is when the computer freezes and doesn't respond, meaning i have to turn the laptop off and reboot the system

 

Hey everybody i ordered a z84jp form gentech today (not for me but for my brother, but im the designated IT guy in my family so ill be posting for him)

Can anyone recommend a good set of speakers that uses the spdif jack?

thanks!

 

i guess there' aren't speakers that uses SPDIF unless u use Receiver to ur spekaers

 

If you have the money to spend the logitech Z5500 speakers are awesome speakers, i have a set. The have spdif/coax and analog inputs. Works great with my Z84j

BTW i fixed my freezing problem, turns out i had a bad stick of ram

 

Thnaks ill take a look at them

 

I'm glad you could fix it!

khanhfat, maybe we have bad memory sticks in our notebooks too? Have you ever tried to change it? (Sorry if you did and wrote about it in the forum and I missed it!)

I can't find any solution for this constant HDD using thing... I can't figure out what's doing it.

 

you commented on the 8600gt graphics card but does anybody know where to buy a tv mini card? i cannot find them, but ive done research and found that there are newer models made my avermedia (a312). all i really want is to use my laptop monitor as a screen for my xbox 360, but i dont know the best product to do that. i had it working on my old laptop with an avermedia built in card. I use an s-video, or composite(yellow cable) for my video and a mini jack adapter for my audio. but any input you would have to help me find a way to do it on my z84 would rock. thanks

 

Oh nice.. So may be both of my ram stick is bad.

last night ii tried to swap parts from my Z84 to another computer ... then put those ram hdd back to my Z, the system won't boot , until i remove a stick of ram. I didn't have time to run memtest on those memory sticks. May be just called NewEgg and RMA those.

 

Hey all, I just got my z84j with win vista ultimate...doh... I hate to bring up the HDMI problem again but I can not find NView anywhere the most similar thing I can find is the NVIDIA control panel. I am trying to connect to a HANNS-G monitor that has HDMI capability it only shows up in the control panel when I have VGA connected. When I have it plugged in from boot with just HDMI it shows up, when I enter the BIOS it sticks with me all the way untill I exit and vista starts to boot. The monitor is vista ready and i believe certified. Any suggestions, please?

 

i don't like the new layout of nvidia control panel... try to look more in the settings and something about Display Wizard, it'll help. I'd just connect Via VGA, it works like a champ.


UPDATE: bought new pair of muskin 2gb. System still freeze. Gonna RMA it til i get another replacement laptop. I still have 4 months warranty left.

 

so what ever happend to the whole "lets try to put a 8600gt on the z84jp"??

any luck?

 

it just wont boot wont' work .. already answered before no hope for it man... we'll just gonnna keep sending asus letters about making upgrade card for Z84J

 

too bad i was hoping to upgrade my c90s card with an ati and then upgrading my brother's with mi old card. thanks

 

Most of my games are running great, (Company Of Heroes, EAW, BF2, FEAR) on generally high settings almost maxed. but GRAW and GRAW2 have major hitching (equal amount) on every setting i set them 2 High-low. does anyone else have this problem?

Z84j
Vista home premium\
T7600
2gb Ram
7200rpm HD

 

Problem.... I am trying to install windows on a 20gig partion and when it goes to boot from the disc it just won't. I press "esc" to reach my boot devise and select cdrom (duh) but then it says "press any key to boot from cdrom......_" but it won't do anything when I push any key. Its like its locked up except the cursor is flashing.

Z84JP
7600
T7200
2 gig 667mhz
100 gig 7200rpm seagate

Here is some of what I had going on before all this happened. (I've already had XP and Vista installed a couple different times before this on this machine trying to decide what will work best for me).
First, when I was installing Vista on my blank hard drive I created 2 partitions, 20gig and 80gig and put vista on the 20gig. I then put Ubuntu (fiesty fawn) on the 80 gig (with a 1 gig swap partition). Everything was going fine, Ubuntu was working and was getting beryl set up etc etc.... I don't think any of this really pertains to my problem I am just trying to avoid a lot of basic questions a hopefully give you guys a better idea of what was going on.

Anyways the home design program that my wife uses isn't working well under vista so I decided to go back to XP. So I put my XP disc in (I had my boot order in my bios set to boot from cdrom first) and started my install, deleted and formated the 20gig partition that vista was on and got on with the install and wasn't paying much attention to it but when I came back it had restarted and it was saying "press any key to boot from CDrom" and thats when it started saying that but not letting me push any key to boot. That is also the last time that I was able to boot from any windows disc, XP or Vista. The other thing that happened is that when it won't boot into linux now. When I boot form hdd it just goes to a blank screen with a flashing cursor at the top. I can boot from my Ubuntu disc. I had some very important pictures (sisters wedding and newborn baby)on my linux partition but by using my Ubuntu disc I was able to access my hdd and copy my pictures to an external hard drive. Lucky for me!!!!. When I have my Ubuntu disc in it boots automatically without asking me to press any key. It is only with the windows discs. Is there something basic/stupid that I am just missing here??? This all happened 3 1/2 weeks ago sitting around in the hospital right after my daughter was born. I have not had any luck with doing anything since then. I tried calling Asus support but all the guy would tell me is it might be my hdd....it might be my cdrom.... etc. The guy knew absolutely nothing!!!!

Sorry for the long post. Its late, I'm tired frustrated and want to start using my computer again.

By the way. I just installed Ubuntu on the whole drive (install went just fine) and now when I try to boot from my windows disc it shows that "press any key to boot from disc" for about 3 seconds and then automatically starts up Ubuntu.

 

check your WinXP cd, is it original? otherwise, borrow a CD from your friend with un scratched surface to reinstall it. If it goes fine with Ubuntu, it should do the same with winXP.

If not for some reason, use Hiren boot CD 9.1 and boot that disc, there'll be tools to test your HDD.

 

Jagged, it sounds like your boot sector is corrupted.

Try booting into Ubuntu and locate the gnome partitioning software. Delete the 20gig partition that you tried to install XP on. Restart and try to install XP on that partition again letting the install wizard format it for you. That should do it.

And just for some added info here is a link to some nice freeware partition editors. I'm not sure if any of them will work with linux but they are quite usefull for any partitioning needs you may have, including recovery.

 

Hi I have the Z84J and I have an audio problem. . .

So far as I can tell, everything works. Unfortunately my sound is too loud. When I use the Fn key and the volume up and down it does get quieter and louder, and it does go silent on the bottom setting, however the last tick from mute on the slider is still too loud. This is the same with Windows XP volume. I dual boot with Linux but I don't have audio working there yet.

I tried downloading the latest drivers from Realtek, but it didn't seem to help.

Suggestions greatly appreciated!!

 

Try downloading the driver from Asus. I havent had any problems with that one.