Acer MXM BIOS Mods and discussion (was: x920G vs. 9600M GT)

I would like to say thanks for your modded BIS on my 6920G. I burned my 9500M GS and replaced it by 9300M GS from MSI notebook. I had black screen until Win log on. Now it work perfect! I would like to ask for a one think. Is it now possible to switch to any of MXM II card with anyones BIOS or not? I have possibility to switch on 9600M GS or 250M GTS. Thanks again

 

@skodax: If you have a GTS 250M in the right physical format (MXM v2 type II), then yes. However, all GTS 250Ms I've seen before were MXM v3 type A cards, which don't fit physically. The closest thing I know of is the Asus GT 240M, which is V2 type II; and Asus also makes a GTS 360M in an oversized type-II format, but that one requires hand-soldering a BIOS-chip on the card to get it to work.

BTW, good news to TravelMate 5320G, TravelMate 5720G, Extensa 5220G, Extensa 5620G, TravelMate 7320G and TravelMate 7720G owners: modded BIOS available @ http://ifile.it/kt1silu/Extensa 5620G BIOSv1.35 MXM MOD.rar
This BIOS produced so far the silliest mxmparse readout: (notice the power limits!)

Code:

Found MXM structure at offset 0x5cc8 (version 1.0).
Note: Version 1 MXM support is not entirely based on the MXM spec;
some values were decoded via reverse-engineering and may be incorrect.
   Output device #1:
    Device type: Analog RGB
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #2:
    Device type: TMDS (DVI or HDMI) connected to DVI_A
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #3:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #4:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #5:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #6:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #7:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   Output device #8:
    Device type: End-of-list flag (no display)
    DDC port: DDC A
   TV output settings:
    Format: NTSC-M
    Composite video connector: Present
    S-Video connector: Not present
    Component video connector (YPbPr): Not present
   System cooling capability:
    Type: Total power
    Value: 44.4 W
   System cooling capability:
    Type: GPU
    Value: 33.2 W
   System cooling capability:
    Type: Memory
    Value: 22.2 W
   Input power limit:
    Power mode: Battery
    Value: 888 W
   ERROR: TV format descriptor present, but no TV output.
   ERROR: MXM structure checksum incorrect.

Whoever wrote this, must have been smoking something really potent. Seems to be an example MXM structure, that has been copypasted from some internal MXM documentation.

After patching, mxmparse says:

Code:

Found MXM structure at offset 0x5cc8 (version 2.1).
   Output device #1:
    Device type: LVDS (internal LCD)
    DDC/Aux port: DDC C
    Connector type: Internal LVDS
    Connector location: Internal
    Digital connection format: Dual-link LVDS (18-bit)
    Digital audio connection: No audio support
    Digital drive strength: Normal or not applicable.
    Digital reserved field: Correct (0x3)
    Output selection via GPIO: Disabled
    Output selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    DDC selection via GPIO: Disabled
    DDC selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    Device detection via GPIO: Disabled
    ACPI hotplug notification: Disabled
   Output device #2:
    Device type: Analog RGB
    DDC/Aux port: DDC A
    Connector type: D-Sub
    Connector location: External
    Digital connection format: Not applicable
    TV format: Not applicable
    Output selection via GPIO: Disabled
    Output selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    DDC selection via GPIO: Disabled
    DDC selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    Device detection via GPIO: Disabled
    ACPI hotplug notification: Disabled
   Output device #3:
    Device type: TMDS (DVI or HDMI)
    DDC/Aux port: DDC B
    Connector type: DVI-D
    Connector location: External
    Digital connection format: Single-link TMDS on DVI_A
    Digital audio connection: No audio support
    Digital drive strength: Normal or not applicable.
    Digital reserved field: Correct (0x3)
    Output selection via GPIO: Disabled
    Output selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    DDC selection via GPIO: Disabled
    DDC selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    Device detection via GPIO: Disabled
    ACPI hotplug notification: Disabled
   Output device #4:
    Device type: Analog TV
    DDC/Aux port: None or not applicable
    Connector type: Composite connector on TV_CVBS
    Connector location: External
    Digital connection format: Not applicable
    TV format: Auto-determined at runtime
    Output selection via GPIO: Disabled
    Output selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    DDC selection via GPIO: Disabled
    DDC selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    Device detection via GPIO: Disabled
    ACPI hotplug notification: Disabled
   Output device #5:
    Device type: Analog TV
    DDC/Aux port: None or not applicable
    Connector type: S-Video connector on TV_Y and TV_C
    Connector location: External
    Digital connection format: Not applicable
    TV format: Auto-determined at runtime
    Output selection via GPIO: Disabled
    Output selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    DDC selection via GPIO: Disabled
    DDC selection via Int 15h/ACPI: Disabled
    Device detection via GPIO: Disabled
    ACPI hotplug notification: Disabled
   System cooling capability:
    Type: Maximum cooling capability
    Value: 40.0 W
   Input power limit:
    Power mode: Battery
    Value for 4-amp connector: 40 W
    No 16-amp connector.
   Input power limit:
    Power mode: AC power
    Value for 4-amp connector: 75 W
    No 16-amp connector.

Note: This BIOS may break compatibility with some of the original cards that the 5620G has been shipping with (specifically, ATI X1700 is at risk, because AFAIK it only accepts V1.x MXM structures). This is unavoidable - some old cards require the MXM structure to be V1.

 

are you shure you have uploaded the right bios for Extensa 5620g i can only find v1.0 i it.

 

Indeed. Damn Phoenix BIOS Editor!

It turned out, Phoenix BIOS Editor special-cases for the file ROMEXEC00.ROM (which contains the MXM structure in this BIOS) - instead of reading it from disk when reintegrating the BIOS image, as it does with all other files, it keeps it in memory and actually ignores any changes made to the on-disk version. I've never noticed this behavior before, as all previous Phoenix BIOSes had their MXM structure in BIOSCOD02.ROM, which is handled normally.

Anyway, new version uploaded.

 

I have testet the bios for Extensa 5620G on my Travelmate 7720G
With a 9600M GT and it seems to work.

Unfortunately my 9600M has a weird error on internal screen
DVI and VGA works fine.
It has the same error on my Siemens Xi1526
it must be the card (it's from an Acer 8930G)

But now there is a good chance that another MXM card will work
So thank you for the good work NetRolller 3D

Anyways its safe to try
my notebook still works with this bios.

 

Can you post a photo of that internal display error?

Also, try cleaning the card's MXM edge connector - possibly the LVDS pins are oxidized.

 

Here is a photo of the error
notice the red colour around the text
The colours are only there at 1440 x 900
the vertical stripes are there at all resolutions

it’s the same in my Siemens Xi1526 +30sek problem

I tried Serius Sam 2 and there where some errors on both internal and external display(VGA)

So my 9600M is probably defective

 

If it's out of warranty, I would sign it up for the oven treatment. Quite possibly a solder issue.

Alternatively, it could be the display cable or the motherboard's LVDS circuitry (1440x900 is the resolution where the second LVDS channel kicks in).

 

.NetRoller 3D - Can you check out if the BIOS for the 8935G has the MXM issue you found? I am using the modified BIOS from this post. http://forum.notebookreview.com/ace...nix-bios-bios-mod-request-47.html#post6603188 It seems to be having the same issue where the display doesn't work. When I try booting with HDMI plugged in, my TV showed a couple of times that it detected the source but didn't show any picture. I also added a quad core CPU and it sounds like that might be the issue since there are apparently 2 versions of my motherboard depending on whether it came with a quad or dual core CPU so that may be my issue.
Thanks.

edit: I got it running after swapping out my Q9000 I just put in at the same time as the HD6770 back to the P8700 CPU and now it works. Seems that my motherboard isn't quad core capable.

 

Probably the power supply of the laptop can't handle both a quad-core and a HD6770 at the same time.

However, it is unlikely that I can help with MXM 3.0 cards - the MXM 3.0 specification is not public.

BTW, updated 5720G BIOS (fixes the DVI output on Quadro FX 770M) and a BIOS mod for Fujitsu A1667G (Uniwill P50CA) coming soon!

 

That's alright. It's working great now! Thanks though.

 

Hey,
Can I put a 9800m gt MX2 into a 5920g?
Ty..

 

@.NetRolller 3D

I was searching the web for a solution, when I stumbled on this thread. So, I went trough it, and came to the conclusion, that you're the obiwankonobi of the acer laptops and all their video-card problems.

So I have a 5520g with a 8600m gs. Like always the card died. So i had it replaced, and again after a 9 months, it died. So now i replaced it with a 9600m GT. It booted, and i had a display again.

But now the MXM message comes up, upon boot, so can the bios be moddified, so the message is not displaying again?

The bios is for Version: 62.94.38.00.04

 

@kookoo: No, it physically doesn't fit. 9800M GT is Type III, 5920G can take up to Type II. Electrically, it's compatible - but you won't be able to screw it in place.

@hovingtim: Please dump the first 1MB of your memory using RW-Everything. You can find instructions here. Post the resulting file here.
I will need it for finding free space to insert the MXM structure & interrupt handler into.

 

The weird part is that I found someone selling an 9800m which looks like an mxm2 from the picture, much like the picture you have as avi..

 

That's probably an "RP-MXM" card, for Asus machines. It won't fit, because the connector is reversed (hence RP, for Reverse Plug - by analogy with RP-SMA).

 

@.NetRolller 3D

I dumped the first mb of my mem. Using the tutorial, you refered to. I also dumped the bios of my 9600m GT.

You can find it at this link:
request download ticket | ifile.it

Just to let you know, i really appreciate your help!

--Edit-- Acer Bios is v1.33---

 

Ty for tip.

 

And If we modify the 5920G's cooling system to fit that card? That's a very good project

 

@.NetRoller3d

Any luck on the bios mod??

cheers!

 

@hovingtim: Still waiting for my new MXM card to arrive so that I can fix my laptop (old one shorted out on me last week). Once that is done, I'll do it.

@iJoe09: According to the pictures @ The Acer Guy Blog Archive Morris’ Aspire 5920 GPU Swap/upgrade, you would need to cut part of the fan to fit a Type III card. Also, the CPU cooler would need to be modified, since Type III is wider than Type II. In addition, the heatsink mounting holes are different on Type III, which is particularly bad, since the 5920G (mis)uses the heatsink holes exclusively to secure the card in place!

 

From what I understand, the problem is thermal, once reversed card needs to be cooled. Or it wont fit in place anyway? I could try for experimental purposes with a Peltier cooler.
Any idea how much thermal power a 9800M dissipates at max?

 

@NetRoller3d

Hi,

I know it's not the best place to ask this but....I couldn't find private messages

As you look very familiar with MXM VBIOS, I'll would like to ask you a question.

The MXM 3.0 specification says that the "Driver and VBIOS will attempt to locate and use the serial ROM before locating the system methods. If both the ROM and system methods are present the structure information will be used from the ROM rather than from system methods".

Do you know if the VBIOS of MXM card you've add in your hands handle this ?

Thanks.

Franck.

 

9800M GTX: TDP of 75 Watt
9800M GT: TDP of 65 Watt

It's really really high for a 5920G, trust me! I am not if that cards works on this PC ....

 

@.NetRolller 3D no problem, I appreciate your help!

 

Ty. I will try to make some calculations and see if I can find any peltier suited for (with external power, of course).

 

@Franck79: There is no serial ROM included on the 5920G's motherboard, so this is a non-issue. The VBIOS will attempt to locate a serial ROM, fail (because no ROM is installed), and fall back to calling Int 15h, which supplies the correct MXM structure (in the modded BIOS at least).

So far, I have not seen any notebook with a serial ROM. Perhaps the Asus EAH3850 and MA3850M desktop cards (technically desktop-to-MXM adapters) featured one - I don't know.

 

Hi,

I know. I asked the question because I designed a PCIe to MXM adaptater...

Is this really implemented like this in the VBIOS ? I checked I2C signals on the MXM dedicated outputs and nothing happens....

I didn't know those card. It would be great if could buy one. However, I don't think it has ever been sold

Thanks for your answers.

 

It is always possible that some VBIOSes implement this incorrectly. I have seen some MXM cards that contained an additional ROM chip onboard, that could well be an MXM serial ROM (as a fallback in case the SBIOS is missing an MXM interrupt). Also, in MXM v1.x, the precedence was in reverse (i.e. Int 15h first, then I2C serial ROM if it fails).

 

Do you have any advice , tricks or information source to share before I start reversing my Nvidia VBIOS ?

Thanks.

 

Hi

Just flashed the 5920G bios from the first page onto my 5920g, went fine. Then swapped my 8600m gt for a 9600m gt (512 mb GDDR3 version), yet I got no picture. Tried blind flashing new VBIOS to the card, but nothing happens. It reads from my USB memory, it's LED diode indicates activity, caps lock is working too. But whenever i try to either do a backup of the old VBIOS or flash the acer vbios onto the card using nvflash it gives me two short beeps after a couple of seconds. No backup is saved to the USB memory. There's probably a message on the screen, but since I can't see it I have no clue... Any ideas?

 

Put back the 8600M GT, and check if you have additional options in the BIOS setup menu (specifically, look for one controlling Intel VT). If it is missing, then you are not running the new BIOS. (Just to rule this one out.)

 

The new bios is in there, I have a bunch of new options, including Intel VT.

Some more info, I have tried versions 5.100.0.1, 5.63 and 5.57 of NVFLASH. 5.100 and 5.63 gives me the beep while 5.57 gives me a 0 byte backup.rom when I try saving the current VBIOS.

Also I managed to get the computer to boot, and as I have remote controlling software with screen virtualization I could see the desktop from another computer, it's 16 colors, minimum screen resolution, yet it finds a "Video controller (VGA Compatible) in device manager. Tried installing driver from laptopvideo2go, and it said new hardware found, 9600M GT, but that something was wrong with the driver. I lost the connection about then, and I haven't been able to get it to boot windows properly again with the 9600M GT.

HDMI and VGA external output is also black.

Still works fine with the 8600M GT.

 

Either your 9600M GT has no VBIOS ROM then, or the ROM is defective. Test it in a different machine.

Also, with the old BIOS back, does it still boot up behind the black screen? (If so, that also signifies a failed ROM chip - normally, the VBIOS will get stuck in an infinite loop due to the corrupted MXM structure, and prevent booting.)

 

Hello NetRoller. Can you please send me your email adress on mine - [email protected] ? I would ask you something, but my English is not so well to solve it here. Thank you.

 

@.NetRolller 3D, hows it standing with the bios you are working on? Any progress or still waiting for your ordered card? Don't want to hurry you, just interested!

 

What you are trying to do is NOT possible.

Its not a matter of cooling. Its the physical space. Particularly in this picture:

You can see 2 screws that secure the CPU heatsink would be in the way of a type III card.

I'm not someone who normally discourages ideas like this, in fact I've thought about it a lot myself, I don't want you to be disappointed when you find out it is impossible.

There are 2 15" Acers where I I believe this would be possible. One is an AMD machine, the Aspire 5520g. The other is an Extensa 5620g. I think you can see what I'm talking about here, there is actually a lot of clearance for the possibility of a type III card:

Spoiler

(MB.TK301.001)

(5520g, 7520g)

 

@hovingtom: Still waiting for the card.

 

Hi,

I have a 9920G with dead 8600M GT.

I have 2 other working mxm cards:

HD 3470 (new)
9300GS (pulled from 17" MSI)

Is there any way to have these work in my laptop?

Thanks a lot,
Nahun

 

Both *may* work (untested!) with the experimental 9920G BIOS I posted earlier in this thread.

 

Thanks for the fast answer.
I will be a beta tester then unless someone has already tried it before???
Am I right that the worst could happen is that I have to
do a BIOS recovery in case sg goes wrong?

Unfortunately it does not work. I had to do a crisis recovery...
Since I am also in Hungary do you think that we could do further experiments?

 

How did you do that?

Sorry if you've already answered that in the thread, I couldn't find it.

 

Thank you .NetRolller 3D for your work.

Any one has an Aspire 5920G...

working with a NVIDIA Geforce 9600M GT 1GB [VG.9PG06.009]...

using this ROM Aspire 5920G (Phoenix, Intel VT and EIST unlocked): request download ticket | ifile.it ?

Gonna try.

TY!

 

Ap, sry, let me present my laptop (now it looks better)



It was broken when it fell from my motorbike and slipped over de asphalt.

No time saved in bios, usb just in 1.0 mode, and only turning on while pressing it.

The red circle part was sold properly (found it doing a bad contact) and now it works 100%. Also fixed with epoxy the screws support and the top case.

So to celebrate the miracle i want to upgrade it.

Thank you for the thread. Kss.

 

@nahun: That's bad news. Did my BIOS completely break the machine (no POST even with the MXM card removed), or merely fail to fix MXM support?

(And yes, I live in Budapest, Hungary - PM me for details.)

@moral_hazard: I modded the granularity field to 1W (it was set to 0.1W originally), so instead of 32*0.1W = 3.2W, it produced 32*1W = 32W. Note that this did not change the hardware - the ability to output more than 3.2W was already there (a 10.8V battery @ 4 amps, the maximum for MXM, can output 43.2W), I merely let the card know of this fact.

@yaincoa: Nice to see it fixed. Good luck for the upgrade.

 

Do u think it will be possible? I'm a little bit afraid of patching a bios. The card is in delivery.

KS

 

Well, the modded BIOS is tested already, so it should be no riskier than a simple BIOS update.

 

Thank you a lot, .NetRolller 3D! Had a compatibility issues with 9300M GS on Acer 5920G (black screen), and after flashing your BIOS mod it works fine.

 

Wi, thank you NetRolller 3D.

I've instaled your BIOS and a new Geforce 9600m GT 1GB in my Acer Aspire 5920G.

I didn't know how to install de BIOS from hardware so i used acer's software tool. As it didn't work under Windows 7 i run it from Hiren's Boot CD starting a miniXP.

Very quick and simple.

Nobody comment my door stop overheating solution in the bottom?¿

Thanks again, kisses.

 

Arf, testing with a Benchmark (FFXIV)


geforce 8600M GT 512MB

score 691
load time 15450ms


geforce 9600M GT 1GB

score 456
load time 29779ms


Sniffsss..... maybe i should play with settings... fail