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.

[Sadozai]

Yeah strong magnets are not good for HDDs, in fact they are good for nothing in a laptop. I don't understand why ASUS used such a strong and powerful magnet in their laptop, it just doesn't make sense. Instead of serving the intended purpose and performing a normal operation it creates a whole lot of problems. They need to get it fixed in the new models.

[Chastity]

The magnet sensor is a switch. I've seen USB HDD's while file transferring (and the servo spinning) cause the unit to detect it and go to sleep. Oops. 🙂

The hand magnet attracts the switch and resets it. If it was demagnetized, the lid detector wouldn't work anymore. 🙂 If it continues to happen, you may need to RMA it so that the switch can be checked and replaced as need be. Having a fridge magnet handy is also useful.

[dstrakele]

If you encounter this issue and manage to get the laptop restarted, go into your power settings, and configure closing the lid to "do nothing". That should provide a workaround that doesn't require you carry a magnet with you.

[BrodyBoy]

Sadozai,

Have you had a chance to read my comment over on your NBR thread about this?

I understand that this is what they use. But I still think it's stupid to put it near the hard drive bays. That was my point.

[Sadozai]

BrodyBoy wrote:
Sadozai,

Have you had a chance to read my comment over on your NBR thread about this?

I understand that this is what they use. But I still think it's stupid to put it near the hard drive bays. That was my point.

Just read your comment there.


Yeah you are absolutely right about that HDD thing, its stupid without a reason. But I have seen other brands like dell doing the same. They can also put this magnet thing in the base of LCD like in the case of HP dv6, in that case it would be far away from HDDs. Besides using the magnet in that configuration will have an added advantage and that would be of a very mild/weak magnet. The reason; a string magnet cannot be used in that config because the magnet and the sensor micro switch are already in close proximity so if a strong magnet is used even when the lid is open due to the strong magnetic field, which will act at a greater distance, it will make the system believe that the lid is closed. So they have to use a weak magnet.

[BrodyBoy]

The good news, for G74 owners, is that this probably isn't a very expensive part to replace if you happen to have this magnetic switch issue. The location of the magnet is different in the G53, so the switch would also be in a different place. Hopefully, for G53 owners, it's on a similarly easy-to-replace part.

[JRd1st]

The magnet is in the lid to the left of the camera. I used a compass yesterday to find it for another user.

Chas says there's a micro-switch in the main unit that it activates. Other people have said it's a magnetic field sensor. I tend to go with the micro-switch.

I can't imagine that a highly technological company never used a digital multimeter to check for continuity.

[Sadozai]

JRd1st wrote:
The magnet is in the lid to the left of the camera. I used a compass yesterday to find it for another user.

Chas says there's a micro-switch in the main unit that it activates. Other people have said it's a magnetic field sensor. I tend to go with the micro-switch.

I can't imagine that a highly technological company never used a digital multimeter to check for continuity.

The magnet can be anywhere depending on the model. It can be to the right of the camera like in case of G53SW, it can be to the left of the camera like in the case of Dell Inspiron 14 (4010), it can be to the bottom left under the screen near the hinges like in the case of HP dv6. But be assured the lid close function only depends on the magnetic field of this magnet and the sensing microswitch.

It doesn't matter if its a magnetic field sensor or a micro switch, in any case it works on the magnetic effect of the magnet in the lid. If its a micro switch, in the case of this problem its not returning to the normal position after the lid is opened.

You know, its like Apple not thoroughly testing its antenna design in the iphone 4 and Intel not thoroughly testing its sata 2 controller in the Cougar Point chipset.

[BrodyBoy]

Sadozai wrote:
You know, its like Apple not thoroughly testing its antenna design in the iphone 4 and Intel not thoroughly testing its sata 2 controller in the Cougar Point chipset.

Yeah, but....that would NEVER happen! 😉

[BrodyBoy]

Have you located (i.e., seen) the actual switch in your G53? I haven't looked for it yet in my laptops, and I'm curious to see exactly what type Asus uses, and where they put it in different models.