Asus G73JW Freezes after Windows 8.1 Update - Network Related

I had the freezing issue on upgrading from Win8 to Win8.1 on my G73JW that so many has reported. It couldn't get past the 'Getting Started' part of the install. Looks like I fixed it by updating all my drivers.

Here's a list of the drivers I updated in the order I installed. I first did a clean install of Win8 as it seemed stable. I then installed all the Win8.1 drivers I could find and then upgraded to v8.1.

• Bluetooth: Qualcomm Atheros W81 v8.01.312
• Chipset: Intel Inf Updater 9.3.1027
• LAN: Qualcomm Atheros Lan Driver v2.1.0.21
• WLAN: Qualcomm Atheros v10.0.0.274
• Audio: Realtek R273
• USB3: Fresco v3.5.73.0 (Note: v3.5.74.0 did not work)
• Graphics: Nvidea Geforce 331.82
• Touchpad: Synaptics v17.0.6.13 (Newer version failed to install. Found this older one. Bonus!: Supports the gestures needed by Win8)
• RST: Intel RST v 12.9.0.1001

I did have one failure but realized I installed the wrong Lan driver and had not installed RST. Once I installed these two all freezes disappeared, Win8.1 installed, and my system seems stable again. I did not worry about the model laptop I had but rather what hardware was in it in finding these drivers. Seems to work great.

Thank you for sharing (especially the driver version numbers).  I noticed that many of your shared drive folders were empty.  With the driver version numbers you provided, we may be able to locate the drivers ourselves.  My freezing issues began happening on a working Windows 8 system.  I was able to update to Windows 8.1 without a problem, but the freezing issue began happening again a few days after the upgrade. I'm not sure if these drivers will help me, but they are worth trying.

Just here to confirm that most of these drivers worked on the G73Jh model as well... minus of course the Nvidea drivers. I am using the latest Radeon drivers from the AMD site and no bluetooth. This seems to have resolved all freezing issues.

I should also note that I replaced my Intel Centrino wifi card with a Broadcomm, but plan on placing an upgraded Centrino card with a Wifi/Bluetooth combo that IS Windows 8.1 compatible. I will post back when I get that working with the drivers.

I also flashed my BIOS to the latest version on the ASUS website. All seems well now.

I haven't tried removing the battery (and I see you updated INF files below in a specific manner; may give that a shot) but I did solve my stability issues: I leave my USB devices unplugged aside from the wireless receiver to my mouse/keyboard.

The only USB devices I would leave plugged in previously were a wired Xbox 360 controller and a smartcard reader. Not sure I feel like doing extensive testing and dealing with more BSODs to figure out which was the culprit, but as long as I remember to unplug all USB devices other than my mouse/keyboard before I shut the lid to place the laptop in hibernate then I don't have any BSODs after it wakes. The one night I accidentally left a USB headset plugged in my laptop woke from sleep during the night and crashed like usual.

I still have the occasional times where I will find it has woken from sleep on its own (after disabling all wake events from hardware, software, services...anywhere I could find) but they are very infrequent and don't create a BSOD. So for me, I can tolerate my laptop working about 98% of the time now as long as I don't leave USB devices plugged in.

Finally got this figured out and it's the intel chipset drivers!  I'm able to reboot with wifi / bluetooth and battery plugged in no problem.  No more hard drive lag either.

Steps for full Chipset Install:

1. Navigate to https://downloadcenter.intel.com/default.aspx
2. Choose "Embedded Components" -> "Embedded Chipsets" -> "Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset"
3. Download "INF Update Utility 9.2.0.1030" ZIP FORMAT!
4. Extract all files from the INF Update Utility to C:\intel_auto (you'll need to create the folder)
5. Open command prompt
6. Navigate to C:\intel_auto (cd c:\intel_auto <enter>)
7. Setup.exe -a <enter> (This copies the setup files to C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\INFINST)
8. Setup.exe -overall <enter> (This opens the intel installer and forces installation of the chipset drivers.  The screen will go blank / flash and then at the end, it'll ask you to reboot).

DONE!

OMG! THANK YOU!!, i followed your instructions step by step, all worked fine! random freezes are gone!!. I was frustrated and i was thinking in coming back to Windows 7 because everything i tried didn't work.

 Thanks for sharing the fix with us!

It's absolutely critical that you install it using the cmd method and not the auto exe (the exe won't update any files).  Where did you find that 9.4.0.1027 driver for the HM55 chipset (series 5 chipset)?

Ah.  So it is the installation method that is the difference maker?

Intel's INF updates are not drivers in the most technical sense, but are instead updates to important files that tell Windows how to use Intel integrated hardware. However, most folks usually still refer to them as drivers.  You can get v9.40.1027 INF installer here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail\_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=23061

Although it was not packaged specifically for the older Series 5 Intel HM55 Express Chipset, the bundle still contains a newer INF file that supports the chipset (ibexcore.inf).

Please give v9.40.1027 a try and let us know if works as well as the other version.  Thanks!

It's absolutely critical that you install it using the cmd method and not the auto exe (the exe won't update any files).  Where did you find that 9.4.0.1027 driver for the HM55 chipset (series 5 chipset)?