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[Q] Transformer TF101 Docking Station Woes

Each time I dock my EEE PAD in the docking station I only have a 10% chance it will recognize the keyboard. Sometimes I get the keyboard only, sometime it recognizes the keyboard and the mouse (pad) but mostly it recognizes neither. Sometimes it says it is connected to the docking station and still doesn't recognize the keyboard but mostly it says it is not connected to the docking station after insertion.
I called ASUS support - they had me reset the transformer (Hold volume 'down' while hitting power) and also do the Factory Data Reset. Curiously while on the phone with them the keyboard just started generating 'd' keystrokes over and over! Finally they sent me instructions for updating the firmware, which I was to do myself. I did not research how to do this last step because I think it is completely unnecessary: the latest version is 8.4.4.5 and I already have that version. I called ASUS support back but they say their computers are down and call back tomorrow. However, the last thing he said was I will have to send it to their repair center in CA.
Basically, two questions: 1) Do you think I should download the firmware anyway? 2) Has anyone else experienced this issue?

I am not a genius but I would try reinstalling firmware. Maybe you got a bad firmware in your keyboard?
Fascinating is it not?

Not trying to be too simplistic but you might also make sure that the thing is really in there good too. The connection between my tablet and dock is pretty tough to get just right and the only way I really know for sure it's in there is to pull up on either side of the screen to make sure it's seated properly. I can imagine if one was more finicky then mine it might look like it's in there, latch slid and all, but still pop one side out if you tugged.
Just a thought based on my use.

I noticed the same thing...it's easy to think the dock is in correctly...it has to "click" and the little bar has to go ALL the way to the right side of the slot..otherwise it's not making 100% contact.

I had a broadly similar issue with mine. I eventually got the retailer to accept it back as faulty and ordered another [from a different supplier so it was from a different batch] and have had no issues with the new one... so far!

I am quite conscientious about docking the tablet solidly in the docking station. I use both hands (on each side of the tablet) and push firmly till I see the silver clasp pop completely over to the right. I have tried tugging it out afterward and neither side will budge upward.
Bottom-line is ASUS created an RMA # for me today. They want only the docking station, and not the tablet also. (My concern is what if the problem is the connector on the tablet?). One of the three main reasons I purchased ASUS was reliability, yet this is the first computer I have bought which failed out of the box! Anyway, it's nice to have prompt support and service. I called them 3 times and got through in less then 5 minutes all 3 times.

DreamU said:
Basically, two questions: 1) Do you think I should download the firmware anyway? 2) Has anyone else experienced this issue?
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Click to collapse
1.It can't hurt.
2.Nope, all is well here.

review

Now first let me start of by apologizing to anyone who has had a good experience with The Lenovo TouchPad, or anyone who dose not want to here anything negative about the product, because what is to follows may sound like a horor story. (Sorry for the length)
I purchased the Lenovo Touch Pad 16gb, with pressure sensitive digitizer, and folio case (the one without the keyboard). I dont remember the exact dates but i ordered the above products (directly from the Lenovo website) at the start of September. I received the folio case in about a week and was supper excited. The case seemed on par with what i would expect, nothing to rave over but at the same time nothing to complain about. Upon receiving the case i checked online to see when i could expect the remainder of my order. To my surprise the estimated delivery date was late into October. Thinking something went wrong with the order i called the Lenovo sails department....several times. i was reassured that the date provided was a worst case scenario and i would receive an email conformation that my product had been shipped "any day now." The email never came until the last week of October, thankfully i received my tablet in a couple of days after.
I received my tablet on a thursday and spent the day setting it up with my personal preferences (as i have used several android products). The very first realization i had was the pen added absolutely nothing to the user experience. The note application that comes with the tablet is nice to show off but is virtually useless in every sense. I tried, at the time, every handwriting method of input and note taking application that i could find on the market. Needless to say nothing worked as i was hoping they would.
After setting up the tablet i let it charge on the factory charger from about 4pm to about 9am. I was a little shocked in the morning when grabbing it to test it out in the first day of class that the battery was only at about 70% charged. despite what i mentioned above about the note applications, the tablet performed as well as any tablet would have, I was able to browse the web, read the pdf copies of my books, send emails, etc. but as an engineering student i was hoping to get a little more use out of the pen then i actually did.
Saturday night i had some time to test out its media playback ability. i found some tv shows that i wanted to catch up online and decided my newly purchased tablet would be perfect for the job. upon starting the video stream (that the tablet had to struggle to finally load) i realized there was no sound being emitted from the speakers. I grabbed a pair of earphones and plugged them in only to find the sound coming from the earphones loud and clear. Thinking i missed a setting somewhere i checked and rechecked the system, adjusted the volume rocker up and down, tried everything i could think of, before trying the standard.....restarting the tablet. upon the restart i downloaded an audio test track to the tablet and found it would play from the one speaker on the bottom (landscape) of the tablet. confused, i chalked it up to a bug in Honeycomb. but after 20 mins of streaming my tv shows, while straining to hear what was being said, with the volume maxed out, all sound again cut out. again restarting the tablet seemed to solve the problem for a few minutes. over the course of the next couple days i came to the realization that the speaker did not work more often then it did. (i did find fix, to push down on the screen bezel above the speaker).
Sunday brought on a new issue, i could not get the screen to stay on/ turn on. after finally getting the device to stay on for more than 0.05 seconds i managed to turn all screen timeout settings off, that way the tablet would never sleep. but it did not matter, the screen would shut its self off. the wake/sleep button would often be unresponsive, if the screen would ever turn on i was not able to get past the lock screen. not being able to turn the tablet on long enough to restart it i was left with no other option than to sit the tablet on the shelf until the screen decided to light back up (normally around 4am). completely annoyed by the entire device i called tech support. Their answer, boot into a stock recovery menu and perform a factory reset....didn't solve anything (i was not expecting it to). after 3 more days of use i again called the dreaded Lenovo tech support and after several hours of arguing i managed to convince the technician that the device would need servicing.
A box arrived the next morning for me to place my tablet in and mail to a certified reapair facility. After 3 weeks of no word and no progress (as i was tracking the repair status online) i again called Lenovo. who after several hours of being transfered all over the company gave me a number to call the repair facility. I then managed to get the tablet put back together and mailed back to me so i could return it to Lenovo.
Then i had to arrange a return with Lenovo which took in total 9 hours of phone calls and arguing, as my 30 day full refund window had expired. Eventually i persuaded them to wave the restocking fee and give me a full refund on my order. the next day i shipped everything back, and was glad the entire ordeal was over....it was not over until last week when i finally received a credit on my credit card for the full purchase amount. I had already arranged with my credit card company that if a refund was not received by the first of the year that my credit card company would fully refund my purchase and open a case against Lenovo.
Wrap Up.
I had the device for a total of 7 days. in that time i became dissatisfied with every thing about the device, (other than the folio case). The screen was washed out and faded, the speaker was weak, the tablet struggled to open the app drawer with the addition of maybe 10 apps that did not come with the tablet, the pen was useless in every way imaginable, the sd card slot and full size usb which despite trying to use many times, I never was able to get working. The only pros i have for the device, is the back did not attract fingerprints, the slot for the pen worked great, the rotation lock button was a nice feature but the remainder of the buttons were only an annoyance. However there was no indication that the rotation had been locked and i found myself rotating my tablet and nothing happening. Thinking i had the rotation locked i would push the designated button, only to then lock the rotation, the device was sooooo slow i could not tell if the screen orientation was locked or if the tablet was still trying to rotate the screen. One last note: as being a personal device i never used the security features the Lenovo included for businesses, but all in all i had an absolutely terrible experience.

I've been really lucky and haven't had any of the issues that most users are reporting on in other forums.
It's strange, 4 of us bought 16GB/3G units at same time. I've never had an issue. One of the other guys had issues even running the applications that came preinstalled on the Tablet. A complete system reset seemed to fix all his issues.
Bugger it didn't work for you

you dont happen to have the IMEI number?
low chances... but just in case... if you could publish the last 4-5 figures of it?!
that tablet of yours is going to go back into circulations, and there will be someone else frustrated with it... it'll help if part of the IMEI number is out there warning people of this fugitive of the QA department
seems the QA department was kinda spotty on these 1838's...
some people report no problems at all... some cry a river.
(I hope mine, coming this weekend, will be alright)

Asus Support Europe - Incompetence²

So... My Transformer has a bit of a bug, where when I am charging it or the charger is plugged (separated or in the dock), the touchscreen would become unresponsive unless I also touch the metal of the Transformer with my hand simultaneously.
Now, that Tablet is about half a year old and it suddenly happened from one day to the other.
Naturally, I researched it first, and I found that a few people had similar problems. Suggestions ranged from completely discharging the battery to updating the Tablet - I tried them all, they all didn't work.
So, I send in a request to ASUS support - in the UK, and after a bit back and forth (like asking what version the Tablet was running at), I was referred to their exchange and repair-service.
So I contacted them, and it seemed to work out quite well. The tablet was collected and I included the charger as well as a description of the issue.
At some point I got an answer - in polish, for whatever reason - that told me the tablet was repaired and sent out. A bit weird that it was in polish, but oh well, I can deal with it.
So I finally get it back, wrapped up very nicely. With a little note (in English this time) saying that no issue was found. Awesome. Maybe you could've informed me via Mail before just... Sending it back with that note. Maybe I could've helped them to reproduce the error.
Needless to say, as soon as I plugged the tablet in, the error was back. They reset the Firmware tho. Nice guess.
So yeah, stupid support, not helpful at all. I will consider that in future purchases. -_-

Just to point out the obvious. How do you know it's not something YOU are doing?

CrazyPeter said:
Just to point out the obvious. How do you know it's not something YOU are doing?
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Click to collapse
I don't know what I COULD do to make this happen... I mean, there's not too much you can do wrong with plugging in a cable.

have you tried pluggin it in at a friends house?

It could be static build up. Perhaps your house has carpet that builds up static when the air gets dry from running the heater. Since the screen operates by capacitance from your fingers vs. pressure, this could be an issue if you are holding more than the expected charge. Do other people experience this issue with the device? How about if you use it in different locations?
My Nook Color will double or sometimes 10X enter a keypress when I use it when it is connected to the charger. The fix is to not use it on the charger.

Did you try to change the charger plugged in the wall socket ?
I mean turn around.
It sounds silly but I read about people get a little "shock" if they touch the tablet when the charger plugged in, depending how it is put in the wall socket.
Maybe you will see a difference.

I had to send mine after less than a month having it because something appeared between the backlight and the screen.
I got it back one week later with a dead pixel right in the center (and lightbleed) and left speaker not working.
I sent it back and got it back two weeks later with working screen and speaker but a lot of lightbleed.
I then gave up on sending it back again and learned to live with the backlight bleed which is present at least one third of the circonference of the screen.
So I mean yeah they will fix it to a degree but don't expect perfection...

N7 screen issue + not recognized by PC

So I have an issue with a 2012 N7, warranty is long gone. I've tried all suggestions from billykxda's thread, but no luck thus far. I've also tried Google's official page on the topic as well.
I've left the device charging for many consecutive hours, both via AC power and USB, and I suspect my issue resides with the LCD screen. Also tried a hard battery pull. It's also important to note that I haven't undertaken any mods on the device at all, i.e. the bootloader is still locked and USB debugging is not enabled yet.
When I plug the device into my PC the Win7 driver notification bubble pops up, usually reporting either an Unknown Device or an "APX drivers not installed" message. I'm unable to get it to boot into Fastboot, Recovery, or Android OS. Plugging/unplugging the device via USB yields these driver messages over and over again, along with the Win7 sound notification, so the device isn't totally dead, but no amount of button combinations or 30-60+ second button holds are getting any response.
Has anyone else experienced these issues before? Do you think my device is totally dead?

AvidPhisherman said:
Has anyone else experienced these issues before?
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Click to collapse
Yes; I am also experiencing similar issues. Unfortunately, I have not reached a solution. I just replaced a broken screen for a friend. Once I got the screen in, I tried turning it on but didn't see anything happen. I began to research and thought I had the dead battery issue that most people get when leaving it unplugged for an extended period of time. I plugged it in using the wall adapter for a few hours, used the power+volume buttons and still didn't get any response. Finally, I decided to charge it with my PC. The PC recognized something was plugged in, installed drivers, and now I have a Nexus 7 in my connected devices list. While connected to my PC, I hold power+volume down and hear the USB disconnect, reconnect, and have an unrecognizable device attached. This leads me to believe that the Nexus 7 is working properly and the screen is not working. I have taken the entire device apart to re-seat all connections 3 different times and still cannot get it to work. I hope someone can shed some light on our issues!
Edit: I forgot to mention, I also tested the battery with a digital multimeter. It reads approximately 3.79 volts DC. I thought it may be important to state this in case the issue is battery related. I'm not certain what the correct value should be for it to work properly.

I am currently trying to diagnose this problem. Yesterday, I hopped on Craigslist and bought a working Nexus 7 for 50$. I am currently taking it apart to rob parts from it and figure out where the problem is. So far I have tested the battery. The battery reads approximately 3.78 volts DC so I can probably rule this out as my problem.
Also, I noticed something strange yesterday. I took the broken Nexus with me when I went to meet up with the man selling the used/working Nexus. While I was outside in very bright sunlight, I pushed the power button on the broken Nexus. I noticed that I could actually see the screen doing something. It was all fuzzy and had lines running every where, but you could in fact see it doing something. I think the replacement screen I received is bad, but I won't know until I start swapping parts.
AvidPhisherman, for now maybe try taking your Nexus out in very bright sunlight and see if you can see the screen do anything when you press the power button. Also, I'm not trying to hijack the thread. It seems that we have very similar issues. I hope to find something that fixes both of our problems.

Success.... kinda. I tried combining the broken Nexus 7 motherboard with the working Nexus 7 screen but it wouldn't fit since one is the 3G model, and the other is the Wifi only model. Next, I put everything back together on the broken N7, but this time I used the LCD ribbon cable from the good N7. Success!!! It powered up, and I can see the screen. My problem now, is that the screen is mostly unresponsive and acts like you are touching it in random spots, when you're not touching it at all. I'm taking it apart to re-seat the connections... again.

__redfox__ said:
Success.... kinda. I tried combining the broken Nexus 7 motherboard with the working Nexus 7 screen but it wouldn't fit since one is the 3G model, and the other is the Wifi only model. Next, I put everything back together on the broken N7, but this time I used the LCD ribbon cable from the good N7. Success!!! It powered up, and I can see the screen. My problem now, is that the screen is mostly unresponsive and acts like you are touching it in random spots, when you're not touching it at all. I'm taking it apart to re-seat the connections... again.
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Click to collapse
Hey redfox thanks for taking in interest in this! You're not hijacking the thread, your posts are very helpful. Good to know I'm not the only one experiencing these issues.
I'm just a hobbyist with an interest in fixing things, although I don't have much experience with DIY fixing. I didn't have a chance to try turning the screen on under direct sunlight, but yesterday I took both my non-working Nexus 7s (the first one I mentioned in my OP, the second one just has a bad/hollowed out USB port) in to a repair shop for a free diagnosis. I'm actually a business user, my company owns the tablets but I'm responsible for maintenance/tech troubleshooting.
Please keep me posted with updates as to how your progress is going. I'll post again once I get a report from the repair shop re: my issues.

Hi,
I have been having the same problem,
I bought my wife a used Nexus 7 and it worked just fine for almost a year then all of the sudden the screen would not function
there would be lines going through it but it remain dark.
thank you for researching the matter i will try to buy the part online and see if i can get it to work now!
if i understand it correctly there is no need for a new mother board but just a new LCD ribbon cable?

godnessy said:
Hi,
I have been having the same problem,
I bought my wife a used Nexus 7 and it worked just fine for almost a year then all of the sudden the screen would not function
there would be lines going through it but it remain dark.
thank you for researching the matter i will try to buy the part online and see if i can get it to work now!
if i understand it correctly there is no need for a new mother board but just a new LCD ribbon cable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cannot guarantee that it will fix your screen, but it is possible. When I had this one out in the sun, it did the same thing. The screen was super dark, and I could see crazy lines. Hopefully a new ribbon/cable will fix your problem. They are only a few dollars on Amazon.com

godnessy said:
Hi,
I have been having the same problem,
I bought my wife a used Nexus 7 and it worked just fine for almost a year then all of the sudden the screen would not function
there would be lines going through it but it remain dark.
thank you for researching the matter i will try to buy the part online and see if i can get it to work now!
if i understand it correctly there is no need for a new mother board but just a new LCD ribbon cable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
__redfox__ said:
I cannot guarantee that it will fix your screen, but it is possible. When I had this one out in the sun, it did the same thing. The screen was super dark, and I could see crazy lines. Hopefully a new ribbon/cable will fix your problem. They are only a few dollars on Amazon.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello fellow users! Quick update, I finally heard back from the repair shop.
Bad news - they tried swapping out the screen, then the battery, USB charging port, display cables, etc. etc. and nothing worked. Their diagnosis is that the tablet has a fried motherboard, and they're unable to repair and/or replace it
Good news - it cost me nothing to receive this diagnosis
Hopefully the outlook is not so grim for your respective N7s. Just wanted to post an update as to what I learned from this whole experience.

Hi guys, Reporting in.
Toke a while but i got the part AND found the stupid device!
After ALOT of fiddling, taking apart and putting back again i found out that the problem was the battery!
it looks like it was on its last leg and that caused all the strange screen stuff.
I dont have another battery to replace it so instead i hooked it up straight to a USB cable and into the socket and it works just fine
thanks for the tips and hopefully this helps someone else!

I have a problem, and i need help solving it

Hello!
3 days ago i bricked my Nexus 7, it would only go in APX mode, then i found a cheap one online and ordered it, it worked but it was banged up, the wi-fi antenna was also broken, but it worked, i then decided to switch the motherboards, becasuse my nexus was in perfect condition. Now i am stuck, wherever i put the "new" motherboard it does not boot, i used the same battery it had and everything, except the usb port, because it was preety banged up on the "new" one... but now it won't work even if i put it back in the old config...so now i need your help, i also saw that the screens are different one of them is Hydis (mine) and the "new" one is HUNGHWA, is that the problem? did i fry it or something?
I can also post pictures if you it woudl help...thank you so much
EDIT: Left it charhing all night and it worked, but the battery would not charge, so i switched out the battery for my own, and now i am trying again

outlawman007 said:
Hello!
3 days ago i bricked my Nexus 7, it would only go in APX mode, then i found a cheap one online and ordered it, it worked but it was banged up, the wi-fi antenna was also broken, but it worked, i then decided to switch the motherboards, becasuse my nexus was in perfect condition. Now i am stuck, wherever i put the "new" motherboard it does not boot, i used the same battery it had and everything, except the usb port, because it was preety banged up on the "new" one... but now it won't work even if i put it back in the old config...so now i need your help, i also saw that the screens are different one of them is Hydis (mine) and the "new" one is HUNGHWA, is that the problem? did i fry it or something?
I can also post pictures if you it woudl help...thank you so much
EDIT: Left it charhing all night and it worked, but the battery would not charge, so i switched out the battery for my own, and now i am trying again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mods can delete this thread, the tablet has woken up, i left it charging for one day and now it works