Here’s the back story, and it’s time for an update.
There is no update. The fucking ASUS is still dead, unresponsive to all blandishments and tricks (such as suggested in Comments originally) and a trip to Geek Squad up the road to see if someone perchance could go “Aha! We know that problem!” and fix the thing (Best Buy does sell ASUS laptops).
I have a warranty — and an extended one as well — except that the details thereof are safely installed on the hard drive of the ASUS itself. So I’ll have to contact ASUS through their website [groan] and try to get the situation resolved that way, somehow.
In case you’re wondering, Best Buy does do warranty repairs on ASUS laptops… but only on machines purchased from Best Buy.
Doubleplusfucked, I am.
As I said in the previous post, blogging is going to be light because trying to function on the old HP laptop is akin to taking a covered wagon from coast to coast instead of flying the friendly skies NYC-LAX. There was a reason I quit using it, after all, and replaced it with the shiny new… brick.
Raw, unadulterated suckage.
Wish me luck as I try to get this issue taken care of.
I know it doesn’t help you now, but you’d do well to buy a refurbished “professional” grade laptop/PC. I have been told by tech and sales reps that the systems geared for corporate use have better components. It has also been my experience that they will usually last 10 years at least. Granted, M$ and windoze may not support old hardware, but they’ll last a lot better than the consumer grade stuff.
Agreed that there is a difference between the various “Grades” of systems. The cheap ones are cheap for a reason. But just like desktops, laptops are a box of switchable components. They just are not as easily switched out. From your description I would suspect a bad power supply. Find a Local Laptop repair shop. At best It will be a simple fix. Plus they may also have some used refurbished systems if the Troubleshooting finds a bigger problem.
I have some questions, don’t feel the need to reply if you don’t want to or if you are not sure:
1 – Can you return the laptop to where you bought it? I know the anti gun commies at Costco allow returns on some things 30 to 60 or even 90 days after you buy them. Asus makes good motherboards for the build it yourself PC crowd, but I have never been a fan of their laptops and other items. If you can return or exchange this thing – maybe you can get this taken care of.
2 – When you buy a big ticket item or an item you rely on, sometimes it may be worth buying from somewhere you can return or get it serviced or pay more. I buy Apple iPhones from the Apple store. That way I can return there to get it fixed or even exchanged within the first 7 days after purchase. You can buy from Verizon or ATT but then you can only get a repair at Apple. Still good service either way. Also on the premium thing – get a name that maybe is more reputable or has a better track record. I like Lenovo laptops and Dell is also good for Windows based.
3 – Do you need a laptop? Desktops are so much easier to take care of and replace things on. You won’t get portability, but you could use your phone or get an inexpensive tablet like the Samsung or Apple iPad tablets if you need portability once in a while. I have an Apple desktop (Mac Mini, NO WAY to an iMac, the mini lets me use any monitor mouse and keyboard that I like. I use a Samsung monitor and a logitech bluetooth keyboard and mouse). Easily and affordable replacements of monitor and keyboard if needed.
4 – Is there an independent service place other than the worst buy nerd brigade that you can bring this to?
5 – Since you have a working (albeit slow) spare, which is a good thing – if you can’t return or exchange the lemon you have, maybe you can just call Asus direct and they can send you a box with a prepaid label since it is under warranty and you can send it out to get repaired. Sometimes this option is best that way if it gets to a warehouse repair facility, they can test the equipment and replace parts as needed to get it working again and then send it back to you. If it is under warranty make sure they pay for the shipping, don’t eat that cost yourself.
6 – I know you might not be this techie – but – most laptops today do not have a “removable” battery… Except they kind of do. Lenovo and Dell you can remove the bottom cover (they are thin covers so be careful not to crack them). Tons of tiny screws, then carefully remove the bottom cover. Then unplug the battery, wait about 15 minutes, replug in the battery and then try to turn it on again. I have seen this issue with Lenovo laptops where this fixes the issue.
YMMV
Good luck. Ever since covid the quality of everything, vehicles, laptops, fridges etc is all pure fucking shit. It is a throw away world and you pay top dollar for bottom of the barrel quality and service.
there must be independent “fixers” in your area who can get your machine back to you within 24 hrs; were you down in the Sarasota area, you could have your machine fixed inexpensively quickly, prob same day service
the trick is to find these guys, not the poseurs
I thought I had that happened to my ThinkPad the other day. Turns out that I forgot to plug it back in and the battery went dead. That there was a senior moment, for sure.
You might want to consider getting something like a Chromebook or ideapad as a backup. I find 90% of my time is spent on a browser anyhow. I use an iPad for backup. They are great, but spendy.
Laptops are a lot like cars. People want a new one, so they get an Asus or similar. I prefer used cars. I find I like a higher end car with a little wear on it than a new shiny cheap one. Same applies to laptops.
On the calendar year, and the fiscal year (January/Feb & July) corporations do refreshes and unload the old gear. I generally go for thinkpads. You can get a pretty powerful one with little wear on ebay for under $200. I’ve only ever had one fail.
“I use an iPad for backup. They are great, but spendy.”
Not to argue, but are you sure about that?
You get what you pay for. Chromebooks are cheap and yes many things can be done in a browser, no argument there.
HOWEVER – Chromebooks build quality, especially some of the 200 and 300 dollar ones are really chintzy.
Apple usually supports their products with updates for 5 years, I find Apple’s batteries to work well for a long time (4 year old iPhone 11 battery health still at 88 percent capacity) and iPads pricing starting around $ 300 dollars and many times you can get them on sale.
I would pick an iPad over a chromebook any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
And if you hate Apple, check out Samsung Tablets, another version of Droid / Linux / Android OS like a chromebook interface but much better build qaulity as well compared to cheap ass chromebooks.
Honestly, I got tired of the Windows 10 shenanigans, especially the fact that it won’t install on my 5 year old thinkcentre. So I bought a brand new macbook.
It took seconds to setup. It automatically shares with my iPad.
When I got it opened, even the box it came in was like it was made on another planet. I liken the build quality to going from a Hyundai to a Ferrari.
Their support is really good. I had an iPhone (an older one) that the battery was dying. I got tired of the chinese fixit places screwing my stuff up, so I opened a ticket with support and waddled down to the apple store.
The clerk gave me an earnest look and told me that since I didn’t have applecare, it would cost me $49. Pfffft! do it. That battery lasted until I got tired of the thing and got an upgrade.
Yes, iPads are seriously spendy. I have an iPad Pro and it cost me over £1000, plus over £100 for the special keyboard. But it’s so very useful.
Apple products do not cost much more than comparable windows PC’s. Sometimes even the same or less.
The real question is on the 600 dollar laptop Kim has (I think he said it was 600 bucks correct me if I am wrong), how much time has he wasted and how much more will he waste getting the POS laptop working? In addition to time, how much stress was involved.
I am on my 2nd Mac Mini. First one took it out of service working at 7 years. My current one is 4 years old, M1 Apple Silicon.
Next year I plan to get an M4 or newer one at year 5 or so.
NO problems so far.
What is your time work above all else?
Another issue worth mentioning. I’ve seen Lenovo laptops stop charging when plugged into power. Acts like it’s on battery even when plugged in. As long as the battery is 50 percent or more run the Lenovo updates. Not windows. The Lenovo think vantage system updates. Bios and chipset updates correct this issue when it hits Lenovo laptops.
– be careful if you only have one machine – if the battery dies during a bios or chipset update the computer is now a paper weight. Then your only option is to send the machine out under warranty.
When I see this issue at work and if the battery is less than 50 percent I’ll pull the bottom cover off of it and transplant a charged battery from another of the same model into the one needing updates and then run them.
Not sure if this issue is hitting other brands too. But I have seen this with Lenovo lately.
have you tried sacrificing a vestial virgin to the computer gods? I dunno where to find a vestial virgin these days either
As a former IT guy I concur with replacing this lemon with a business-grade device. Dell Latitude and IBM / Lenovo Thinkpads were my go-to devices. I’ve not kept track so I’ll leave specific recommendations to better minds.
If you’re soured on laptops, take a look at the NUC / uSFF ecosystem.