Acer Aspire 8930G Owner's Lounge

Hi, what processor have you got, my laptop is a 8930G with a P8400 CPU. CPU-Z also shows the memory as DDR3 which is the same as the Acer spec on the label..

Another photo for you:




Chris

 

Well I've got an 8920G so I guess it's pretty much the same. I've had it for around 8 months now and it's a great machine, very robust and the colour and resolution on the screen is superb.

Only let down was the sound, the 'earth shattering' cinebass TUBA system was terrible and feeble, so I took it out and changed it.

I've managed to modify mine, with room enhancement ramped up to +10DB and dolby real bass etc on it's very loud indeed now.

I'm away from home right now but I have the 64BN or whatever it was called, 2x320gb Drives, 4gb Ram, 2.6ghz dual core, 9650 Nvidia etc, it compares to my last Dell XPS M1710, but has more to offer, I'm very happy with it.

I uninstalled the arcade games as well, most of them were trials anyway and bloated the system, after streamlining vista somewhat and shopping around for drivers, it's giving really good performance now.

Anyway hope you guys are enjoying yours!

Cheers,

 

Hi Daking, sorry must have missed that bit about your processor, I don't believe that your memory will run any faster than 800mhz as they probably have only fitted 6400 memory modules in there. Acer specs are a bit screwy sometimes :-(
Chris

 

Is it possible to install Vista x64 on this notebook using RAID-0? I can create "create volume stripe disk=0,1" RAID-0 via diskpart command before Vista installation, but I cannot set this volume active, thus BIOS cannot boot from it.

Is there any workaround?

--

I have also noticed NVIDIA 9600 GPU is running at PCIe 1x only, eventhough PCIe 16x interface is available. Is this supposed to be ok?

// edit: this PCIe 16x -> 1x switching is not a bug, but a power-saving feature

 

I would also like to install vista on striped disks, is it possible to use raid on 8930G? It seems to me that the hardware supports it, but there is nowhere where it can be configured...

 

Hi, the hardware might support it but if the bios doesn't I very much doubt it. To have hardware raid you need to have more settings than just 'ahci' and ide, there also doesn't seem to be any raid firmware present. However it might be possible to have software raid...
Chris

 

Hi, mine says the same under pci-link as well. I think you are correct that the speed of your ram might be locked to the fsb and it can only manage a 1:2 ratio. Perhaps you might contact Acer to clarify this point, I've always found them pretty responsive...
Chris

 

If I got you right, the answer is no. Vista can not be installed on a dynamic disk.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927520/en-us

I took it for granted that 8930G would support hardware raid, since it has hardware that does. Well, lesson learned.

 

Me too RAID-0 is impossible on this notebook right now. I emailed Acer asking them to include it in future BIOS upgrades. Maybe if more people will do the same..

I am using Vista x64 Ultimate (have MSDN license), but have no luck getting it installed on stripe set. Had to revert to single boot disk.

 

Hi everyone, apologies if this has already been a thread but has anyone had problems with voice quality when watching blue ray discs on Arcade Deluxe? Voice sound is really low but all other background noise is really good. Sems to play music really well. Have tried changing to built in speakers but it's ordinary!

Also when I test 5.1 speakers, the front right speaker is quieter than the left. I sent my laptop in and told them about this problem. They apparently replaced the speaker but it's no different. Anyone had the same problem before I phone em up again??

Cheers

 

My last post didnt work because of server problems so I finally got uploaded some shots with CPU-Z. I see I have Micron DDR3 ram which can apparently go up to 610mhz so I dont see why it cant run at 533mhz. Unless the CPU fsb is locked with the ram I guess because of my T5800 CPU? Another weird thing is in PCI Link in one shot it shows PCI-Link width is only 1x. I run games and stuff though without problems, I dunno if the new bios also caused that. I'm still not certain this bios is right for 8930G maybe their is another one coming out for it. Maybe the people who had corrected changes with it have slightly older revisions or something? Maybe I will contact Acer to give them my info and what the bios update hasnt done..

 

There are a few things you could try. You could try to update your realtek hd audio drivers. The latest is 2.17 which just came out:

http://www.google.ca/search?q=realt...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Before you update you should download drivesweeper its a free program, uninstall realtek from control panel and boot to safe mode and clean the realtek drivers. You could try going to acer audio management and changing speaker setup from 5.1 to 2.0 stereo see if thats the problem. Try playing the blu-ray in another software like powerdvd if you can. Also depending on the realtek driver version you can right click your sound icon in windows in th system tray and go to playback devices. Go to the properties of your speakers there are many things to change their like volume levels for each speaker. Dolby prologic also has a rear/center/front etc..slider thingy you might want to look at..

 

Hi, I actually don't recommend using any driver cleaners as it can clean out too much. There has been many instances on forums of user being unable to install ATI GFX card drivers after using a cleaner. Add/remove will suffice, even installing the sound driver over the top will be fine.

Daking, see my reply 157...
Chris

 

Hi, just fitted a second 320g hard drive to mine, a WD3200BEKT Scorpio Black, as well as retaining the original Scorpio Blue WD3200BEVT. The difference being the new drive spins at 7200rpm, instead of 5400, and it has a buffer of 16mbs instead of 8.
All in all it took me about 45 mins to fit the drive, copy the contents of the old one across using a Norton Ghost boot DVD, swop over the drives in their respective ports, using the shielding from the old one to the new. Then I erased all the partitions on the old, after first checking that 'alt F10' worked ok on the new, I used the windows 7 DVD to get rid of all partitions. Then all I did was re-partition the old drive in Vista, format it and then perform a chkdsk on both drives.
All is now running sweet and I have 320gb of space to do with what I like
Chris

 

Just thought I'd sign in here. Yesterday I took delivery of a shiny new 8930 (the AS8930G-864G32Bn) from Amazon.co.uk. Quite an upgrade from my HP 510 (15.4" screen, 1.7 GHz Celeron processor and no dedicated graphics!) World of Warcraft has gone from between 3-7 fps to 50-60 fps, and that's playing at 1920x1080!

First thing I did was to burn the restore DVDs and backed up the drivers and applications. Once I'd done that, I started removing some of the rubbish that's pre-installed (Google Desktop, Office 60 day trial, Macafee etc.). I installed the CA security suite (I work for CA, so get it free) Thunderbird, Opera and then WoW. I also migrated Thunderbird profile from the old laptop, so I'm almost finished with the old one now.

I'll be moving my iTunes library from my desktop to the new laptop, so I've bought a new 320GB sata HDD to put into the 8930, as it's got an empty slot for a HDD. Is it really as simple as undoing the screws, removing the cover and slotting the new HDD in (with the obvious things to do in Windows)?

Cheers

Steve

 

Hi sure it is, however, if your new drive is faster, then you might want to follow what I did...
Chris

 

Cheers. The new drive is the same as the current one (320GB, 5400 rpm), so I'm just going to add it as an additional data drive.

One thing I've noticed is that it's impossible to get the volume level low with the Cinedash. I can get it down to around 15% (ish), but if I try to take it any lower, it just jumps to 0%. Anyone else seen the same thing?

Steve

 

Hi, yes mine does that too...
Chris

 

I think that's normal, it's too small te be very accurate I guess
Or your fingers are too big

 

Anyone been playing games on it and have a good driver for it?
been looking for some time now, and all drivers I tested just took my scores way down

 

Got a question for you guys/gals,

Does anyone here own the Aspire 8930-6306 from newegg? If so, is it really 1920x1080 as some of the reviews state or is it 1680x945?

Laptop can be found here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834115507#spec

Newegg currently has this on both discount and free shipping, so im looking at it as an option.

 

Hi, according to Acer that laptop has a 18.4" WXGA screen, thus it is 1680x945 resolution, if it had a WUXGA screen then it would be capable of 1920 x 1080...
Chris

 

Yeah and newegg specs says 1680 x 945 too so..

 

Added the new HDD last night.

- Unscrewed all of the little screws on the back.
- Popped the large cover off the back. This was a little worrying, as I thought the back would just lift off. Some of them were really stiff!
- Inserted the new HDD into the empty slot.
- Popped the cover back on. Again, this takes some force to do.
- Screws back on, sorted.

My 4 year old was watching me do it, and he decided that the exposed PCB with all of the little components in rows looked like a town!

Drive Manager then took over 3 hours to format the drive. iTunes is being moved at the weekend and then I can get rid of the old laptop and my desktop as well!

Steve

 

Hi, FYI a quick format would have done it, then you'd have the drive up and running within a few secs...
Chris

 

guys, what's up with Acer assist? it keeps on telling me no new msgs. But I think updates are being released without knowing it. How are you updating your software (wifi, lan, bluetooth, camera, bio, vga ...)?

 

Hi, aside from the bios I'm not updating anything, all is working fine, why mend something that isn't broke? Beside I don't think that Acer has updated ant driver since 2008...
Chris

 

I am going to purchase a Acer Aspire 8930-7665 and want to find out if the Acer comes through with DDR3 memory and a 500GB HD @ 7200 RPM ???

When I check the memory suppliers sites they suggest DDR2 ?? duh

I don't think you can interchange the memory ddr2 replaced with ddr3.

Info on the web is spotty on the real facts of what is included in the Lappy.

1. Anyone have advice as Memory is or is not DDR3 ?

2. 500GB HD is or is not 7200RPM ?

Thanks for any and all info.

 

Hi, if you are from the states then Acer say it's DDR3, but not what actual speed the 500gb hard drive spins at, although I suspect it is a 7200rpm as in the general spec it says "Up to 500GB* SATA hard disk drive, 7200RPM" Here is the Acer spec for the USA:
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium ; 64-bit version; Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q9000 (6MB L2Cache, 2.0GHz, 1066MHz FSB); 4GB (2/2) DDR3 1066 SDRAM; 500GB hard drive; integrated Blu-ray Disc™ drive / Super-Multi drive combo; 6-in-1 card reader; Acer® CineCrystal 18.4" WUXGA (1920 x 1080) TFT LCD; NVIDIA® GeForce® 9700M GT graphics; 802.11a/b/g/Draft-N WLAN, Bluetooth®, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem, webcam; fingerprint reader.
Chris

 

Thank you for quick response:

Yes I am in the states and Newegg has the Acer and says DDR3 and a 500GB @5400 RPM. They had to correct their listing as it was @ 7200. A new york company has the Acer with DDR2 memory and a Florida dealer has it with DDR3 memory and 500GB @ 7200 Rpm.

I went to a few memory supliers such as OCZ, Corsair and they say the Acer takes DDR2.

I was interested in hearing if everyone got what they paid for.

Thanks

 

Hi, I can only say I knew what I was getting, thus I got what I paid for ;-)
Chris

 

I have one of these beauty on order, does anybody have a user manual, as i cannot seem to find one, and the FTP site is not working for some reason.

thanks

 

I manged to get the FTP site to work, but their in no user manual , in the 8930 manual directory.

Can anybody help!

 

Hi, I could send you mine if you give me a e-mail address. It's only 2.5mbs but I can only do it tomorrow at the earliest...
Chris

 

thanks, but i will see if anybody else has a link or can upload it for me, if not i will PM you my email tomorrow.

Thanks

PS. Is it easy to upgrade the Video Drivers , you do not lose brightness control? , just had a Samsung with an 9200m and the brightness was linked to there drivers

 

If you get the P8600 processor version do you get the DDR3 or DDR2 system memory?

EDIT : It looks like the UK , only gets DDR2 memory , according to the Acer UK website.

 

does anybody know what tv-tuner card comes with this laptop?

 

i have mine 8930g comes with ddr3 memory and processor is t5800 i bought from pc world uk.

 

Thanks for the reply, It just seems strange that the Acer UK website says DDR2 , I thought they might have when with DDR2 on some boards

http://www.acer.co.uk/acer/product.do?link=oln23g.redirect&changedAlts=&kcond5e.c2att92=122&CRC=1164770960

 

If you're considering to actually buy this model why don't you e-mail the shop to make sure? I'm considering 5930G myself and the specs say 9600GT but I surely will email the shop and ask them about the GPU memory.

 

The pcworld website , says it`s DDR2 in the 8930 specifications, but these are quad core systems!

It makes virtualy no difference if it`s DDR3 or DDR2 , it`s just confusing.

 

I checked it out and it does says DDR2 but they are talking about the system RAM not the GPU vRAM...?

Edit: My bad you're actually talking about system RAM. And yeah, DDR2 it is, according to both pcworld.co.uk and acer.co.uk.

Edit2: us.acer.com claims it has DDR3 but then again it's the Aspire 8930 G model..

 

Acer uk , when you click on the 8930 , it gives all the part numbers and they all say 8930G

 

D'oh just checked France(acer.fr) and Germany(acer.de) both say DDR2. I guess we, Europeans, are screwed again.

 

Hi, perhsaps it is better to get one with the P8400 CPU, mine is and it came with DDR3 running at 1066mhz...
Chris

 

I am going to hold out for a quad core

 

where did you buy it from , also what country.

 

HI, here http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/Acer_Aspire_8920_Gemstone_Blue_Laptops/prod.asp in the UK. A quad would have only a small advantage, if any, over a dual core and
there are only a few programs that can make use of such a CPU.



Chris

 

It looks like you were lucky, out of 10 systems only 1 has DDR3

The Q9000 2.0ghz quad gets double the score of the P8600 2.4ghz in the benchmark below.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_list.php

 

I am glad to see that there are others who have noticed that "Are you getting a DDr3 or DDR2" Also, some sites are listing the 500GB Hard Drive runs @ 7200 RPM...... This is also incorrect. it it not as advertised 5400 RPM.

I am confused also. I am interested in a AS8930-7665 LX.AFA0X.012 Quad Core

Later