ROG G752VS - Hardware problem, USB 2.0 & keyboard stop working

[Striffly]

[post updated]

Hello community,

I had one of my most enjoyable awakenings as an independent developer this morning. After turning off my ROG G752VS the day before the "hard way" (because of keyboard and mouse didn't respond anymore), I was surprised to see this morning that half of the PC devices were no longer working.
Which explains the problem of the day before.

The devices that are out of order are:

• the keyboard
  
• all USB ports if the connected devices are not USB 3.0 (important for the future)
  
• Bluetooth
  

As a result, it is impossible to use a keyboard / mouse even in USB. I have no access to BIOS, GRUB or USB boot. I was blocked on my Arch Gnome's login screen, powerless in front of the input that was waiting for my password.

However (and by chance), remains functional:

• the touch pad
  
• all USB ports using USB 3.0 peripherals (hard drives, USB sticks)
  
• jack
  
• Thunderbolt port (which, with the USB station purchased this morning, is currently saving my day)
  
• screen, processor, RAM, hard disks, CPU, GPU, etc. As I was saying, I can boot under an OS without any problem
  

NB: One of the USB ports has always worked only in USB 3.0, for some reason I don't know.
NB2 : Thunderbolt doesn't work at boot time, only when an OS is loaded :'(

I haven't tested the HDMI port, Ethernet port, SD card and all the audio jacks.

1. One of my priorities right now is to be able to navigate on the BIOS / GRUB / Refind, because I have no way to boot on a USB stick. Do you have any idea how to achieve this under this configuration?

2. As the warranty is no longer valid, I would like to replace the defective component myself. But that's where I'm blocking.
I assume (and I emphasize the term "assume") that only one component (probably located on the motherboard) should come into play. But how to identify which one?
Do you have any idea what component could involve these devices (USB2 / keyboard / Bluetooth)? But above all, if it is purchasable and replaceable, without having to change the entire motherboard?

3. Can continuing to use the PC despite this malfunction pose risks?


Thank you for your support

Striffly

[jdfrench3]

Take a look at some of the teardown videos on the internet. Looking at the laptop, screen in back, keyboard forward, the left USB ports are USB2 and are serviced on a sub-board located next to the left fan, the right USB ports are USB3 and are serviced directly off the right-side of the motherboard.

Please identify what USB ports are working or not working.

What BIOS are you running?

What does you Device Manager look like? Here's mine (G752VSK) as example:

[Striffly]

jdfrench3 wrote:
Take a look at some of the teardown videos on the internet. Looking at the laptop, screen in back, keyboard forward, the left USB ports are USB2 and are serviced on a sub-board located next to the left fan, the right USB ports are USB3 and are serviced directly off the right-side of the motherboard.

Please identify what USB ports are working or not working.

What BIOS are you running?

Hi jdfrench3, thanks for your response.
As I said all USB ports are working, but only with USB3 peripherals. All USB ports are USB3, I don't have USB2-only.

I got BIOS v.312.

And about my currently active devices :

λ lspci                      
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 07)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor PCIe Controller (x16) (rev 07)
00:04.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor Thermal Subsystem (rev 07)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 31)
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Thermal Subsystem (rev 31)
00:15.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Serial IO I2C Controller #0 (rev 31)
00:15.1 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Serial IO I2C Controller #1 (rev 31)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 31)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Q170/Q150/B150/H170/H110/Z170/CM236 Chipset SATA Controller [AHCI Mode] (rev 31)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev f1)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev f1)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev f1)
00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #9 (rev f1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation CM236 Chipset LPC/eSPI Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Power Management Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family HD Audio Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family SMBus (rev 31)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP104BM [GeForce GTX 1070 Mobile] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 8260 (rev 3a)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 10)
04:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation DSL6340 Thunderbolt 3 Bridge [Alpine Ridge 2C 2015]
05:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation DSL6340 Thunderbolt 3 Bridge [Alpine Ridge 2C 2015]
05:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation DSL6340 Thunderbolt 3 Bridge [Alpine Ridge 2C 2015]
05:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation DSL6340 Thunderbolt 3 Bridge [Alpine Ridge 2C 2015]
3c:00.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation DSL6340 USB 3.1 Controller [Alpine Ridge]
3d:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Toshiba America Info Systems NVMe Controller (rev 01)

[jdfrench3]

I stand corrected, all your USB ports are USB3 as are mine on my G752VSK. Funny that there are two different types of USB sub-boards one for the G752VS and another for the G752VSK.

Have you tried to perform a System Restore? Restore to an earlier set of data.

If you have not erased your OEM Recovery Partition, have you tried to perform a System Recovery? Only good if your laptop originally came with Windows 10.

I asked you to post a copy of your Device Manager so as to see if there are any errors (Yellow Triangle with Explanation Mark or Red Question Mark).

[Striffly]

jdfrench3 wrote:
I stand corrected, all your USB ports are USB3 as are mine on my G752VSK. Funny that there are two different types of USB sub-boards one for the G752VS and another for the G752VSK.

Have you tried to perform a System Restore? Restore to an earlier set of data.

If you have not erased your OEM Recovery Partition, have you tried to perform a System Recovery? Only good if your laptop originally came with Windows 10.

I asked you to post a copy of your Device Manager so as to see if there are any errors (Yellow Triangle with Explanation Mark or Red Question Mark).

As I explained, I can't browse the BIOS, so I have no way to access Windows. My default OS is Arch Linux, I could only use this OS to provide you information.

To answer your questions:

• a recovery of my Linux is impossible, due to lack of access to an external OS
  
• the OEM partition no longer exists, ans is not accessible
  

[jdfrench3]

If you remove all storage devices, can you then access your BIOS?

[Striffly]

jdfrench3 wrote:
If you remove all storage devices, can you then access your BIOS?

Your post reminded me that a reboot on the BIOS from Linux is possible.

sudo systemctl reboot --firmware-setup

Unfortunately, it is not navigable, due to the non-functional laptop keyboard and the Thunderbolt port not initialized at boot time.

[jdfrench3]

BIOS has basic driver for keyboard at power-on.

If you cannot access your BIOS, then your motherboard is most likely hosed.

Good Luck