*** XMG Apex 15 with Ryzen 3950X / Clevo NH58AF1 Owner's Lounge ***

@leoneazzurro It appears RJ Tech sells them. But also, please do keep me posted on your results involving the update to Chipset drivers.

I do use Linux for almost everything except for playing games. I've yet to have a keyboard freeze on Linux, but then I don't play games on that OS either. I do however do a lot of writing and other things on Linux that involve heavy use of the keyboard. According to @Malkaven , the freeze is reproducible if you program a gaming mouse to input a sequence of specific character combinations into the keyboard. Shift+F and Shift+W at rapid intervals as you would in an MMO like WoW, SWTOR, or FPS games like Doom that use WASD and SHIFT keys.

If chipset drivers were really the issue with this keyboard situation, then the freezes would happen on Linux as well as Windows 10. Since Linux doesn't use the same chipset drivers as Windows.

 

For what its worth, I have not encountered a keyboard freeze since I disabled the Hotkey Clipboard Service and Control Center Hotkey Service, although it could just be placebo effect - I wasn't freezing *that* regularly to begin with

 

Unfortunately I got one freeze (it's one in four days, though) so it seems the problem is not solved. I will check the solution of the post above, though. I will keep you informed.

 

Hi Unfortunalty I messed up with my laptop. I broke the connection for the antenna in the wifi card AX200 but worst I broke the antenna with transparent cover . So now I bought a replacement card for the wifi but can someone help to understand how to mount the new antenna ?
Any video that show how should I remove the panel of the screen and how route the wire ?

 

I don’t have any good advice regarding replacing the antenna around the display... however I wanted to mention that, if this is a new purchase, you should speak with the seller. I bought a NH58AF1 barebones which came with a Intel Ax200 card which had a broken contact out of the box. I talked to RJTech and was reimbursed for this since I received the laptop that way.

 

You would follow the same path as the old one. You'll need to take the bezel off of course and the top panel.

 

which one is the old one?

 

I just want premas bios....

 

The one you broke.

 

I tried this out and but unfortunately it did not do the trick. My keyboard froze up tonight. I also tried removing the Obsidian fan control application and just running the latest Clevo Control Center. No Luck. @ Adibe do you have the version number of the chipset drivers that you upgraded to? Have you had the keyboard problem since?

 

yes ok but I need a guide how to do.I dont see for instance any screw for removing the bazel

 

the bezel is held on by clips, you basically pull it off. if your not familiar with tearing down a laptop i HIGHLY suggest sending it back to the reseller for repair. you can easily mess the laptop up more if you don't know what your doing.

 

A plastic tool on the inside edge like a guitar pick will do it, fingers can but nails can scratch the screen.

 

@Malkaven
I don't use Windows very often except for playing games. I have yet to experience a freeze while using Fedora Linux. But of course I don't play many games on Linux that require the use of WASD and Shift keys.

The chipset drivers I downloaded and installed on Windows was from the AMD website:
amd_chipset_software_2.13.27.501

I also completely removed the Clevo Control Center including the FN Keys drivers. I still use Obsidian PC Fan Control unless I'm playing games, in which case I use FN+1 to switch from EC to Maximum fan speed.

 

@Prema I can haz bios? I have $100+ waiting for you! I needs it!!!

 

i don't believe Prema made a bios for this laptop.

 

I’m fairly certain he did, it showed up on one of the benching sites in the standings

 

well if he did good luck getting it. i don't think he deals with individuals anymore.

 

Yep I know this... I may just buy another laptop from one of his partners and sell this one

 

If @Prema made a nh58af1 bios, I would also gladly contribute $100 to this endeavor.

 

Well for the first time in a long while, I experienced the lock up again. I was playing WoW BC Classic and my character was stuck running around as if the W key was locked. Then I get an alert saying a Critical System Component has crashed. It seems to be ACPI related perhaps? I don't know.

My keyboard became completely unresponsive and I couldn't reboot the machine. I tried to do a Windows Power Off using the menu and the computer did a "partial shutdown". As in, the screen turned off but the fans were still going full blast. The power was still on and the only thing I could do is shut the laptop, turn it over, and manually remove the battery. Holding the Power Button did nothing.

I'm all out of ideas. I have no idea how to prevent this from happening. I've done everything I can think of.

• I've updated all drivers and Windows itself.
• I have installed the latest chipset drivers.
• I have tried uninstalling certain programs and even closing them when playing games.

Apparently none of these has prevented this problem from reoccurring.

 

I have had this happen a few times throughout the last year, it’s extremely frustrating and I don’t have a resolution either. I have to assume it’s a hardware issue with the platform or the laptop has poor compatibility with some combo of my components. For reference, I have a 3950x, 64gb memory, 4tb sata ssd, 2tb nvme installed. If anyone does or doesn’t have this issue - please post your hardware specs, maybe there is some common thread between these issues.

I also do not have the latest bios/firmware - I’m running an XMG version from last Summer. I wonder if the newer bios releases from last year might solve this issue?

 

I have everything current on this machine except the hardware itself. I have the AMD Ryzen 9 3900 and NVIDIA RTX 2070. I'm running the Insyde Corp BIOS which was provided by my vendor and for which I can't seem to find any updates so I assume that's up to date.

I've updated to the latest chipset drivers for AMD and I've done all Windows 10 updates. I've done literally everything I can find that might resolve the issue.

I do know that this hasn't happened to me on Linux, however. So I'm not entirely convinced it's a Firmware or Hardware issue. Having said that, I haven't played any games on Linux. If I could get WoW BC Classic to run on Linux, I would test it there instead and I would have almost no reason to boot Windows 10 ever again except to play GTAV, SWTOR, DOOM, or a handful of other Windows specific games that just won't run on Linux.

I've had this bug specifically happen in MMO style games, like SWTOR and WoW.

 

i haven't had this issue occur for me and i am running the latest XMG bios. might want to consider that.

 

@SamuelL421
https://postimg.cc/mchvB0N0
Here is a hardware summary snapshot.

 

I’ll give that a shot, my XMG bios is definitely not the latest. Could you let us know what bios that is just to verify?

Does anyone have the XMG download link and instructions. I know I saved these somewhere (Reddit?) but can’t seem to find the bookmarks.

I’ll check that vs my bios, not at home and don’t have my laptop bag at the moment. FWIW, if had the lockup issue when playing FPS games and maybe once during an RTS game. Maybe it has something to do with the WASD keys or shift key?

 

https://download.schenker-tech.de/package/xmg-apex-15-xap15e20/

 

@zacwhite15

Okay, I just flashed to the latest XMG Bios. Here is a screenshot to confirm.

https://postimg.cc/tYcrjYJN

So, if this laptop ever locks up again I will run to you for questions to determine precisely what it is you're doing differently. You say you've never had this happen. This has happened 3 times to me since purchasing this machine and I have tried everything up until now.

I have just flashed my BIOS to the latest XMG Bios as you can see in my screenshot. The date of file extraction, the file name coincides with that listed on the site you linked, and I even updated the chipset drivers again. Everything else in your link wouldn't work with this machine. This machine doesn't have a fingerprint reader, and the card reader was up to date, along with everything else except the chipset and BIOS.

I'll keep you updated as to whether or not this machine locks up ever again.

 

@zacwhite15

Well, it happened again. I was playing my Night Elf Warrior in Scarlet Monastery Armory and we pulled a group. Shortly after the battle as I was looting, my keyboard quit functioning altogether. I'd opened my bags to see if I had enough space when the loot wasn't automatically picked up. There was no verbal queue notifying me that "I can't carry anymore," so I'd assumed perhaps I simply didn't hear it.

Instead, my keyboard simply stopped functioning. This time the shift key was permanently stuck. How do I know? Well, I used my mouse after adjusting my game to run in Windowed mode so that I could access the On-Screen Keyboard app to notify my group of the inconvenience. On the keyboard displayed upon the screen, the SHIFT keys on both sides were BLUE. Meaning they were somehow locked.

So, installing the latest XMG bios and updating to the latest chipset drivers doesn't seem to have fixed the issue. This is still a thing. I'm at a complete loss for how to remedy this situation. I'm pretty sure there is no way I could possibly predict when this incident happens so I can't very well record it in action at all times. Such a thing isn't feasible.

I can't send this computer back to the retailer and demand another one. First of all, they wouldn't be able to prove anything is wrong with it unless one of their technicians plays WoW Classic for several hours until it actually happens. What's more, this error is never logged by the system. How do I know? Well, I've looked. Every time.

Secondly, I really like this machine. It works wonderfully under Linux without issues. Ever. Not once. But the moment I load a game in Windows this eventually happens. Is this a Windows related issue?

There is never a Bug Check, or anything indicating anything has happened! It's as if the system completely locks up and refuses to record any error at all. Even though the computer keeps functioning. I'm still able to play the game using the mouse only. So what kind of system could possibly fail without being logged by the Windows Event System? Amazingly, I've combed through the Event Viewer Logs and haven't found any Error or BugCheck informing me that a critical system component has failed.

My guess? ACPI related. Perhaps. Apparently there is nothing wrong with the processor or the computer would just up and die instantly.

My Processor isn't overheating. I run in the 60's to 70's range under load with the fans maxed and the CPU downclocked to 3800mhz @ 1.025v.

 

if its not doing it under linux then its gotta be an issue with windows. but what exactly is causing it has me perplexed as well. I've never had it happen to me though so i wouldn't even know where to start troubleshooting.

 

Kinda sounds like you are enabling sticky keys, after you press shift a couple times it turns on, disable sticky keys option in the ease of access settings. Disable stiky keys, toggle keys and filter keys, and also make sure you turn off the shortcut to enable them as well:

 

That is one of the first things I turned off when this happened a second time. At first I thought perhaps when it happened that maybe it was due to installing a game and so I rebooted the computer. Then, when it happened a second time I started searching for solutions. Sticky Keys is the first thing I turned off when I began troubleshooting this issue.

I have even tried a clean install of Windows. I've come to the conclusion that if this is somehow software related, and I'm convinced it might be, that perhaps something ACPI related. Here's my reasoning for this hypothesis.

When I ran Obsidian PC Fan Control (which I've since uninstalled btw), there would be an error window on the program when the keyboard freezes up and stops functioning. It reads; "A Critical System Component has failed."

But nothing is ever logged in the Event Log. Ever. Not once.

So I have thus far replaced my BIOS with XMG's latest. I have also updated chipset drivers again. I've done a clean install of Windows. I haven't installed Clevo's Control Center software. I don't overclock. I use ZenStates to downclock to 3800 or 4000 @ 1.025v. All I want to do is to be able to play games with the peace of mind knowing my computer's keyboard won't randomly stop functioning in the middle of a Dungeon or Raid. This has always happened when playing WoW or Star Wars The Old Republic. But that makes sense because they are MMOs that requires many repeated keystrokes to play.

This hasn't happened in World of Warships or Farming Simulator. Of course those games don't require special key combinations to play.

I have also yet to encounter this issue while running Fedora 34. But Linux is entirely different operating system.

 

Battletech games can get pretty serious on key combinations

 

Selling my one of these with 3900, 2070 and 32gb of ram if anyone is interested.

It's on eBay on the desktop hype again

 

Good luck getting a desktop at the moment but the members market is the place to sell on here.

 

I got 3, one each for me and my boys.

£1500 for hexacore systems, nvme, rtx 3070s 16gb of ram, decent cases. B450 boards .

So mid range to low end other than GPUs but pretty decent value.

 

Nice work on sourcing the GPUs.

 

I can tell you that it definitely happens with World of Warships, too. As in World of Tanks. Not often, but it happens. Now, it would be interesting if we could try to run a Windows virtual machine under Linux and see if the problem happens there, too. This would definitely solve the doubt about a software or hardware issue.

 

Did you update your EC as well?

You sure your CPU is stable at that clock/voltage combo?
Do you also run that undervolt on Fedora?

 

On a side note I've been having fun with world of warships torping people

 

I had updated to the latest EC available at the time, 1.07.04TR3 which is available from the XMG website.

On Fedora, the processor automatically runs at 2200 @ 0.9v and under load will go as high as 4100 @ 1.1v

I've had zero problems with this. If this were a problem, I would assume the CPU would let me know by abruptly shutting off. Or there would be some obvious issues under Fedora. Which I've had none. While visiting my family, I've run this laptop for 30+ hours straight. I will often fall asleep in the bed with the laptop on the nightstand next to me where it will go idle and the screen will automatically dim and go blank while not in use while running Fedora.

I can do the same with Windows, and have, but I simply can't play games under Windows without this problem happening at some point within six hours or more.

 

I don't wish to jinx myself by posting this, but after re-flashing the EC Firmware and then updating the BIOS to the latest versions available @ the XMG website ( https://download.schenker-tech.de/package/xmg-apex-15-xap15e20/ ) I've had my first several days gaming for several hours at a time without incident. So Far. I'll keep everyone posted if I run into any further incidents with the keyboard freezing or otherwise. I just wanted to post this update and let everyone know that despite my previous efforts, it seems that first Flash the EC Firmware before doing the BIOS Update.

Previously, my EC firmware was up to date when I updated my BIOS. Afterwards, I updated my EC Firmware. I was still having issues. So, this time around I decided to re-flash the EC Firmware with the latest update (same version as before) and then re-apply the BIOS update. I don't know how this makes a difference, but it appears to somehow have an effect. For three days in a row now I have been able to play games for 4+ hours continuously without incident.

But, if anything happens I'll be sure to let everyone know. I'm hopeful this has resolved the issue. I was previously unable to play a game for more than 2 hours without the issue appearing.

 

Fingers crossed that has sorted it.

 

I sent mine back in to the shop. The issue is extremely frustrating. I was told by support that my laptop was sent back to the distributor to see if they could fix the issue. I'm assuming that's Sager. If the issue isn't fixed when I get it back I'll try flashing the EC as well.

 

That depends who you got it from.

 

HiDevolution. Back when my keyboard was replaced the part came from Sager. I don't know for sure but my assumption was based on that.

 

Yesterday I flashed mine with the same version. Initially i cold sweated a lot because it seemed my laptop "forgot" how to drive tha fans and it shut down without warning. I let it cool down, and I loaded BIOS defaults. It started working again, but in Windows I saw temperatures rising quite high. I forced fans speed going higher than in the past, and it went to normal temperatures again. I have to check if this BIOS release applies some more voltage to the CPU. I downloaded latest version of Clevo command center, anyway. So far no keyboard freeze.

 

Latest update.

So far, no issues. I have been able to play games continuously for many hours at a time without incidents. My two days off from work was spent playing WoW BC Classic and Farming Simulator 2019 without any problems. I even threw in some GTAV here and there without once having the computer lockup and throw a fit.

I have also noticed issues with the fans running much quieter than before and also a little hotter than usual. But simply adjusting the voltages in Zenstates while leaving the BIOS in Performance mode hasn't presented a problem. I'm able to run around the 70C mark with occasional peaks in the 80's without much concern while under a decent amount of load.

I still run my CPU at 4000 @ 1.025v and when I'm playing games I use the FN+1 combo to max the fans. Flashing the EC and BIOS invalidated my license for Obsidian PC Fan Control and I haven't yet renewed the license or reinstalled the product. I've been able to do just fine using the manual fan override via keyboard whenever I play games.

I've also tested WoW BC Classic on Fedora 34 using Lutris/Wine and Farming Simulator 2019 using Steam Proton 6.3.

Here is a collage from CPUX on Fedora 34.

 

In case there are any concerns, I'll post one more screenshot of CPUX with the CPU under load. See below.

I use a Dynamic performance governor and the CPU will boost as necessary when under load.

 

I know WoW can be quite CPU hungry, does it load all the cores?