I recently bought a used Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 15SE (model GX551QS-XB99) and it's had some serious issues. After the previous owner did a factory reset, I encountered multiple problems as soon as I got it home. The laptop frequently freezes and sometimes gives me a blue screen with a boot failure error. I've already spent $1100, so I'm really hoping to figure out how to fix it myself or find a reliable solution.
Here's what I've tried so far:
1. Clean install of Windows 11, which took several attempts due to freezing.
2. Downloaded drivers from the ASUS site, including Armoury Crate to get the fans working properly.
3. Ran Memtest86, which confirmed my RAM is functioning fine.
4. Used Cinebench to test CPU/GPU performance; scores seem okay, but the laptop shuts off the screen during tests.
I suspect it might be overheating, but I'm hesitant to open it up for thermal paste replacement without knowing if it's a hardware issue first. I'd love some recommendations on software to check the motherboard, CPU, hard drive, etc. And is Memtest86 sufficient for RAM, and is Cinebench good enough for CPU/GPU tests? If I do need to replace thermal paste, what do you recommend? I've heard PTM7950 might be good, but liquid metal seems risky. What do you all think?
1 Answer
Since you already ran Memtest86 and it passed, it's unlikely your RAM is the problem. Freezing and BSODs often indicate issues with storage or the motherboard. I'd recommend using CrystalDiskMark and CrystalDiskInfo to test your SSD for speed and possible errors. If those tools show any issues, you might want to consider getting a budget SSD just for testing—it’s usually not too hard to replace; just one screw. Also, don’t forget to check for any BIOS updates that might address compatibility issues.
What do you consider 'cheap'? I’m a bit hesitant to buy a smaller SSD only to find out it was the wrong fix.