Magnetic sensor/switch issue on Asus G53SW-XN1 when closing the lid

[Sadozai]

I ordered my ASUS G53SW-XN1 from newegg back in August. When it arrived it worked for the first week or so and then I powered it off and didn't use it for two weeks afterwards. But then the problem occurred that it just wouldn't power up. It was practically impossible for me to RMA it because it was out of states and had to resort to some other means. For days it lay dead and I had no idea what to do with it. Scouring the internet in desperation I came to a clue that led me to the touch pad ribbon issue. I opened it up removed it form the connector and voilà! it worked. And since then a month has passed I am using it without the touch pad, status indicator LEDs and the lid closing functionality. But I got fed up and tried to make it work cuz other than the touch pad; the status LEDs and lid closing functionality are a must.

I have tried to reconnect the ribbon and it works as long as the lid is not closed. If I close the lid while it is running the system goes to sleep or whatever option is selection in the window's power options but when I resume all the lights are lit, the keyboard illuminated and the HDD working, in shot the system keeps running but the display just vanishes, its black screen. And if I power off the system it wont power up again. Now that I have come to know and I am sure of it that it was never the touch pad ribbon problem but it is the magnetic field sensor issue. Again, I started the gruelling search on the internet and yet again I stumbled upon a solution from some fella who used some mild magnet and rubbed it at the lower right area of the touch pad where the lid magnet comes in proximity when lid gets closed and it worked for him but I am still not clear how it is done. I mean how and where exactly to rub the magnet and which type and size of magnet should specifically be used to rub it and in which state on or off to rub it and for how long and in which direction etc. Too many questions I know. But I am in a dire need of help here, remember it will be a real drudgery for me to RMA it from outside the states and will have to wait for like 2 to 3 months to get it back. Not only I'll have to spend extra bucks but also have to cope with the trepidation of getting it back dysfunctional. You never know so I want to try every other safe option before RMAing it finally.

I'll be grateful and much obliged if guys who know about it or have fixed this issue, post the steps they did to make it work or any other solution that might work. Thanks in anticipation.

[JRd1st]

You're demagnetizing something that shouldn't get magnetized.

Great work! Now all Asus needs to to is to include a magnet with that model; maybe a magnetic ROG keychain!

Seriously, this is awesome! :thumbsup:

[Sadozai]

JRd1st wrote:
You're demagnetizing something that shouldn't get magnetized.

Great work! Now all Asus needs to to is to include a magnet with that model; maybe a magnetic ROG keychain!

Seriously, this is awesome! :thumbsup:

Yeah you are right. Moving the magnet in circles over the target area neutralizes or demagnetizes the problematic material which can be any material near the sensor/switch or the sensor/switch itself.

And your comment about the ASUS ROG magnet keychain is hilarious...

One friend asking another, "Hey! Did you get the ASUS ROG Magnet Keychain with your laptop? I can't find mine I think its missing and I'm very upset because if they don't send in the magnet keychain I think I'll have to RMA mine."

[Sadozai]

I have an observation regarding the magnet of ASUS G53SW. The magnet used in this model by ASUS, and probably other models in the ROG series too, is very strong, much stronger than the ones used in other laptops from other manufacturers. I campared the magnetic strength of mine with that of my friend's HP Pavilion dv6 and there is no comparison. Mine is so strong it attracts any material from a significant distance and hold on to the material with great force. You even have to apply a significant force to separate the material from the magnet. In comparison the magnetic field strength of the magnet in my friend's dv6 is so weak that I had a hard time finding it in the first place. Other ASUS G53 owners will attest to that and this should give you a good idea about the strength of the magnet I am talking about.

Now this observation brings me to a hypothesis of my own.

1) Due to this strong magnetic field of the magnet housed inside the LCD lid, things are getting unduly magnetized when the lid is closed and thus causing problems.

Why I am saying this is because the problem first arose when I closed the lid and didn't use mine for two weeks or so. And my conjecture is that, due to the strong magnetic filed of the magnet in the lid the sensor/switch or any other material in the vicinity got magnetized and then opening the lid had no effect on it because the field was still there.

This also brings me to the other part of my hypothesis.

2) This problem may occur in future because the lid is closed and opened on a daily basis and sometimes the lid is closed for a significantly longer time, enough for the erratic behavior to set in.


With this observation and hypothesis, it boils down to two solutions I can think of:

1) Keep a handy magnet with you in case you need one if this problem shows up again.

2) Replace the magnet inside the LCD lid with a mild intensity/strength one. This is a permanent solution in my view.


Solution #1 is safe. It works as I have done it myself and there is no issue with it so far. As far as solution #2 is concerned I haven't done it myself and it requires a full tear down of the system to get to the LCD lid and then open up the panel and then replace the magnet. It still would involve trial and error but if this thing bugs me often I am going to go ahead with the solution #2 which would be a permanent fix.

[JRd1st]

I think such strong magnets are not good for the HDD's.

[BrodyBoy]

Non-magnetic does make a lot more sense. A magnet to the left of the camera puts it right over the touchpad and drive bay 2.

[Sadozai]

BrodyBoy wrote:
Non-magnetic does make a lot more sense. A magnet to the left of the camera puts it right over the touchpad and drive bay 2.

It is magnetic without a doubt and it makes all the sense. I don't know for sure if its some kind of sensor that relays a magnetic field proximity sensing data or a simple mechanical switch that acts under a magnetic field or a read micro switch that is actuated under the magnetic field effect. But if you are still skeptic about this magnetic thing, there are three questions for you:

1) Why is then this magnet there? What is its function if not for the lid closing function?

2) And most importantly if its a micro switch, that has got nothing to do with the magnetic field (non magnetic), where is it located then. It should be near the LCD/frame hinges then. But if it is there then why do we loose the lid close function when we disconnect the touch pad/ palm rest ribbon. So it must be under the palm rest but how come this micro switch register a lid close action other than a field sensing mechanism, there is no physical switch and the only physical contact the LCD lid/frame to the chassis is through the hinges that are to the other side (opposite of palm-rest side). And why the display is turned off when the lid is not fully closed its just 1-2 inch above the the palm-rest when a lid close function is registered and depending on the options selected under the lid close in the windows power options it will either go to sleep or hibernate or shut down or would do nothing except the display would turn off.

3) Why is it then, that when you put a magnet on the palm-rest at the spot, the location of which I mentioned in my earlier post, the display would go black i.e. turn off and if the sleep mode option is selected under the lid close in windows power option it would go to sleep. It would perform any other function as the lid close would do if your bring in the magnet near to the spot where the lid magnet comes in contact/proximity when the lid is closed.

The problem in ASUS G53SW can also be ascribed to a faulty calibrated micro switch or sensor whatever be the case and this can explain the too many DOA cases. The other possible reasons cannot be ruled out either. Its like many disparate things making sense at the same time.

[BrodyBoy]

Okay, then that puts it just outside the lower left corner of the touchpad, where a little PCB for the headphone jack sits. I'd guess, then, that the reed switch is integrated into that board. Next time I open the G74, I'll have to disconnect that cable (which I'd thought was just an audio cable) to test my conclusion.

EDIT: After disassembling the G74 again to more closely examine the magnet and switch locations, I'm convinced that the switch must be in the left side of the TP button assembly. I can't actually find it in there, but that's exactly where the magnet meets when the lid's closed, and there are simply no other components in the vicinity.

[Ricko]

hello i haven't a clue who figured this out but i got to say Great job!! almost junked this 1300.00 laptop cause of this issue was at its 12 month rma mark so it could not be fixed from asus and i was at my wits end with this thing pulled it apart 100 times and couldn't figure it out thought the mother board was cracked but sure enough tryed this tip for the heck of it a wham it wa fixed that easy still cannot belive it but it is true been up for 2 days and been fine so again thank you for your help this is a great thread and i am sure there are a lot of laptops that have this issue out there not just this model going to try it on another asus i have and see if this magic works on that onr thanks again guys much apreciated 😄

[sjoblom]

"As far as solution #2 is concerned I haven't done it myself and it requires a full tear down of the system to get to the LCD lid and then open up the panel and then replace the magnet. It still would involve trial and error but if this thing bugs me often I am going to go ahead with the solution #2 which would be a permanent fix. "

Getting to the inside of the lid should be fairly easy, here is an excellent "tutorial" I found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JajGQE5OtsI

[BrodyBoy]

Next time I open the laptop, I've got to find this magnet! I just can't imagine why they would put a magnetic field anywhere near the hard drives. (But then, I couldn't imagine that they'd use a peice of sticky tape to "ground" the touchpad, either....)