G53S series - No POST, Black Screen (not typical) - Please review the full post

[G53SW-A1_16G]

Hello all,

First off, i'd like to say hello to everyone, as i've never really posted here.
I typically just review threads, stickys, etc when in need of any information.

Sadly, I've now come across a major problem and in need of assistance.
I've searched online for about a day now and did not find a single case similar to my own problem.

I'm pleased to say i've been more than a Happy user with ALL Asus Products i've purchased and own.
Their H/W is by far, one of the best there is, out there, so congratulations and keep up the good work.

Now to the issue at hand:
My G53SW-A1 notebook would not start today 😞 and i'm really frustrated.

When powered ON, the 3 left buttons/LEDs (BackLight/Turbo/Asus Logo) and the right Power SW LED are ON.
The screen remains black but i can notice the HD LED flashing a little, then stop.

Fact 1: This indicates laptop is working.

However, when placing my hands at the back (both fans exhaust), i can only feel air flowing out from the left (CPU exhaust).
I feel absolutely nothing from the right exhaust (GPU). I cannot really hear anything because of the excellent exhaust design.

After reviewing A LOT of pages online (took about half a day), I tried all possible solutions, battery discharge, tried external monitor both VGA & HDMI, opening it up, cleaning fans and exhausts, (they indeed needed cleaning).
Result was the same. Nothing changed.

Then i tried the RAM (i've got total 16GB - 4x4 sticks) tried some combinations but with same results.
I even booted up the laptop with just 1 stick, no internal disks (i have 2) or optical drive. Again nothing.

I carefully reviewed the mother board, fans, cables, etc but everything is OK and clean.

Please note that i was an engineer in another company for years, repairing laptops as well as PCs, but not anymore.
So, it's fair to say i'm very oriented with PCs H/W components. I'm still in the engineering field but now SW only.

So, are there any other suggestions that i could try?
Please take into account that the GPU exhaust does not work. This is the only thing i can confirm.
I cant tell if it is the FAN because everything looks good inside (i've checked).
From my experience, it is not likely for a FAN to just stop working like that, but you can never know.

I've had this laptop for some years (so its not under warranty), and even if i would send it to Asus, i've custom
set it up for the office mails & documents and as my own portable Entertainment Center/Recording Studio.
(Got 1 SSD with Linux & Win7/Apps on the 750GB SATA). The G53SW has 2 drive bays.

If any ASUS support engineer could provide me with any assistance, on how to repair it, if at all possible,
then i would be much obliged.

I will even consider shipping it back to Asus (via our local Asus Support here in Cyprus) for a replacement,
if it is beyond repair.

The cost difference can be discussed. If repair cost outways replacement with new one.

Feel free to contact me for further details/suggestions at my contact info below.

Best Regards,
Erotokritos Erotokritou

Home: eroserotokritou@cytanet.com.cy
Office: erotokritos.erotokritou@cytanet.com.cy
Local Time: GMT +2

[C4RN1]

Remove your hard drives, boot with one stick of ram in slot 1 with the vga connector plugged in to a monitor. If the computer doesn't post you should take out the gpu and try to reseat it. You can clean the contacts of the card with an eraser and isopropyl alcohol.

To test the fan you can take a small pin and remove the blue wire of the fan from the connector, this will bypass the pwm function and your fan should spin at 100%.

I would expect the gpu to be the culprit here, especially since you said it needed to be cleaned. GPU's tend to run very hot, and if they are too hot for an extended period then they will start to soften where the processor mounts to the board and either fracture or meld with another bga solder point when it cools down.

The easiest solution here would be to start switching out hardware. I would gamble on the gpu being bad and replace it, they're about $100 USD (here in the US). If you don't want to buy another gpu then you're going to have a tough time diagnosing and resolving the issue.

[G53SW-A1_16G]

Hello C4RN1
and thank you for your time.

Although I'm reluctant to going further more, i.e. removing the GPU from M/B and then reseat it back, i fear i don't have much choice at this point.

However, since i suspect that the fault is 99.9% probably the GPU, would it be possible to find the exact one for the G53SWA1 which was originally by ASUS? I would prefer NOT to buy a GPU via ebay for this.

2 days ago, I received the keyboard from an online eu store for ASUS parts. I checked today and they got pretty much everything except the GPU. My guess it will be available in the US but not in EU.

Also, i would most definitely need those blue thermal pads i noticed (which were quite dirty and look like they need replacement).

In any case, has anyone here ever heard of anyone that actually replaced the GPU for this series notebook?

My extensive searches online did not come up with anything.

Thanks again C4RN1

If any news, i'll return and post updates and/or have this thread closed/removed.

[G53SW-A1_16G]

Hello everyone,

I'm glad to report that the unit is working fine!
I am simply replying to this thread, if other "G53SW series" members/owners has faced similar problems.

After one last careful disassembling, cleaning (again) the fans + exhaust fins, the system booted up and is working (at least so far).

For some reason, the fan noise is much less (reduced to a level where i cant really here it - unless on heavy load).
I can't explain this, other than perhaps the amount of air being exhausted out the back was less, before the last cleaning.

SOS - Note:
I did not remove/reseat the GPU as intended, because all around the GPU board, especially in between the motherboard and GPU,
there is a blue rubber pad which is placed on all the GPU components (chips) as a TIM as well as a heat insulating material.
I can only assume that Asus did this (fine job as usual) so as the GPU HW components will not transfer heat to the motherboard,
due to such close proximity.

That was also dusty, but i could not clean it very well, because it can easily fall off the components when touched even just a little.

In any case, i ran some temp tests today. I don't really recall exactly how they were, but they are around:

CPU Idle: 42-55 Celcius range
GPU Idle: 45-48 Celcius range

CPU Heavy Load: 85 Celcius Max (running "Sensor Test" Prime95x64 - via RealTempGT 3.70)
GPU Heavy Load: 75 Celcius Max (FurMark 720p preset test)

Hope anyone might find this useful.

To the forum admin(s), if this thread is not needed any more, you may safely remove it.

To all other owners/members, i would like to strongly suggest that if you do face similar problems,
please DO NOT attempt to fix this yourself, unless you have the skills and patience to do it.
It was not easy as i perhaps led you to believe, and i have many years of laptop HW repair experience.
(and a butt-load of patience!!)

I strongly suggest you to return/send your ASUS unit, if you really care about it, to an ASUS authorized
service department and have it repaired/cleaned/etc.

Best Regards,
Eros

*edited: ALWAYS KEEP A BACKUP OF YOUR Important files!