Acer TimelineX 3820TG Owners Lounge. Info, benchmarks, tweaks, mods and upgrades

bronsky:
Open any folder. Go to Organize/Folder and search options/View and then checkmark "Show hidden files, folders, and drives".

Backup the drivers from the hidden folder at C:\OEM\Preload\Autorun\DRV


of course, to get to that step, you need to run Vistalizator first to get everything in english

 

OK, here is the original thread for FireGL mod:
ATI FireGL/FireProSoftmod - Discussion Thread for new members - Guru3D.com Forums

And one from here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/asu...m/500390-g73-5870-softmod-firepro-8800-a.html

 

Thanks to you both ... you guys are great. I've bookmarked the discussions. @ed21x ... I'm putting the original drive in an external case and swapping in the SSD before I even start the unit up. I just want to go in to the HD and get the drivers and launchmanager before I put it away for good.

The FirePro mod looks great. My new Acer will probably be here by the end of the week.

Bronsky

 

Is the palm rest ( pic) the only part that is silver or is the brushed aluminum on the cover matching?

 

The PCHome unit has a silver cover.

Bronsky

 

Excuse the blatant pimping - But look at my sig...

On another note, check the BL keyboard mod thread for details regarding adding the correct connector for the FFC ribbon that supplies power to the backlighting... Makes for a super tidy install.

 

The ribbon connector is a great job. Acer really should add a BL KB on this model.

Bronsky

 

Hey Mahtson, are you adjusting voltage to hit 3042Mhz, or are you only boosting the FSB? I could only get to about 2.9Ghz- anything higher would cause a reboot.

~McRaft

 

Can't adjust the voltage up on these (as with nearly all laptops). I just cranked the fsb up little by little until I got errors and then backed it up a little. I've got it set to 3GHz for my permanent setting.

Beyond the stable speed, I'd get an error in IntelBurnTest (none in Prime95 though) every few minutes. If you crank it too far past the stable speed, that's when I'd expect a notebook to reboot or bluescreen.

 

I don't remember changing my hwmonitorw.ini, and it shows CPU_0_TJMAX=90.0

BTW! Is there any fysical reasing between the huge difference in TJMAX? I don't think so, so is it possible to change it?

 

Hi, I just installed the latest Catalyst 10.10 on my Acer 3820TG and now I cant change the brightness of the screen (when Im at switchable mode) with the FN + arrow keys. In the control panel it works. Previously I had 10.8 and everything was fine. Anyone else have this problem? Thanks.

 

same here i revert back to 10.8 and still the same..
the brightness doesn't work either omg..
any solution?

 

Thanks for your reply. Ive used Windows system restore, and everything is now working just fine with 10.8. Strange, because at discrete mode there is no option in control panel to adjust the brightness (it was discussed here, changing it doesnt work). Switching back to switchable the setting appears, but still the FN key system is not working with 10.10.

 

The reason people have been suggesting that you not upgrade to 10.10 is that it is not supported. Only the Acer VGA drivers properly support all of the unit's features in either switchable mode. You should not be surprised when it does not work.

Bronsky

 

How are you guys cleaning the dusk in the keyboard? Q-Tips are too big....

 

Has anyone successfully memory tested these units yet? I have a 3820tg 370m Canadian model. Memtest 86+ reboots instantly, and windows memory diagnostics gets stuck at 20% on the extended test.

If someone else would try the windows test and let me know their results it would be helpful. To do it hit the "start" button from within windows and type in "Memory Diagnostic" in the search bar. When the computer restarts it will run it. You have to hit F1 to select the extended test then start it with the F10 key(I'm pretty sure, if that's not it it will tell you the key at the bottom of the screen).

The reason I am concerned is I have moved a 8GB zip file back and forth from an external drive and after about the 5th or 6th time it failed the CRC check.

 

A vacuum with a small soft brush attachment gets all of the dust and dirt out. Compressed air works as well but just scatters the dust and dirt. Stop eating over the KB.

Bronsky

 

oooh nice idea, about the vacuum that is.

 

question, my advanced power plan had the cooling set to "passive" even when plugged in. I set it back, but how can I know for sure that the fans are running? I can't here them. Is there a program to look at this data?

also, customer support doesn't recognize my serial numbers. They are referring me to the Taiwan customer support. What to do?

 

Pop the keyboard out and run it under a faucet I clean parts all the time like that (they must dry completely before use of course). Have two keyboards and you can swap them out without losing any usage time.

The other way I've done it is compressed air + vacuum. This also works at cleaning up dust inside computers without spreading it around the room/air. Air in a can works but a properly setup air compressor (or output section of a vacuum pump) can be safer since there's no chance of anything weird happening and spraying freezing fluid out of a can. Also not toxic unlike the amount of nitrogen coming out of cans.

 

aww i was thinking of using canned air since its so easy to use...

 

Use canned air - just don't tilt the can or shake it before or during use.

 

Yeah, it's typically fine but I've seen certain cans spray out liquid even level, straight up. I think they were usually the cheaper/free after rebate cans, not that that should matter.

Make sure you DON'T shake a can of compressed air as that can also cause such problems. Unlike most canned sprays, it isn't like paint, adhesives, etc - it will mix up when it should not, lowering efficiency and causing liquid to come out when it should be expanding into a gas instead.

A slight tilt it typically okay but the more level, the better. It's just safer and cheaper to flip on an air compressor (and I have a small oil-less vacuum pump that outputs air about as hard as compressed air the second it is flipped on) so I just use it instead as I hate the smell of canned air. Works great for cleaning out PC's and my Eureka handheld vacuum sucks just as hard as full standing consumer vacuums I've used so the combo works great.

 

Yeah i've use canned air before. is the liquid REALLY that bad, all i know is that it freezes.

 

Potential for self harm (frostbite) and damaging parts (unlikely with a keyboard, but it CAN cause problems with anything depending on what they're made of). Other than that, it's just a waste of money to dispense liquid as the liquid won't come out as high a velocity as the gas, negating the reason you're using the canned air in the first place. A certain volume of liquid will be a much larger volume of gas. Spraying gas will make the can last much longer than spraying liquid.

 

Atheros Wireless Network adapter:

When I had my old laptop with an Intel 4965AGN adapter I had a reasonably strong signal when in a restaurant at a certain airport.
Now, with the 3820 with Atheros AR5B97 at the exact same spot, I have a very unstable connection, sometimes 2 bars, the next moment no bars at all. Connecting to this WLAN is impossible.
I tried swapping both cards, but the Intel is Mini PCI and the Atheros is Half Mini PCI. Then I stumbled across this forum and saw some posts about the Atheros being better than the Intel adapters.
If this is the case, then what is causing the bad connection I am experiencing? Would this have to do with Windows 7? My previous laptop was running on XP.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi !
Any free CPU OC tool yet?

 

Hey, so since people seem to be having problems with 10.10 drivers should I go with 10.07 or 10.08? I know some people had problems with 10.08....thanks

 

Dunno, but i've just ran a 3dmark06 on my i450m & hd5650 and my results are less then mentioned in the first post.

6626 overall,
sm3 3089
sm2 2747

I'm using 10.8, anybody with same low scores? it's interesting..

 

sm2 2182 after setting AA samping to the max performance setting.

Interesting, because the Super sampling AA got better scores. Anyona knows whats going on?

MOD:
Uninstalled ati driver, and reinstalled the one from aces site, but smg is wrong i think, with OC @ 630/960 , SM 2.0 Still below 2600 in 3Dmark06.

Thats about 1000 short, from the 3600 mentioned in the first post, with 10.5

 

my i3-370 hd5650 gets me in the low 9000's with OC 620/1030

 

lol it costs $5.

Bronsky

 

I'd pay 5$ for it, if i know my clockgen, and the possibilities, but i don't want to pay even 1$ for nothing.

 

maybe smg wrong with my OS? or drivers?

 

I downloaded the AMD Gpu clock software but when i load it the only clocks i see are the ones from the discrete card. Does any one know how to load the clocks of the ati 5650?

 

I've ran 3dmark a few times
the highest score i got 1360x768 was 7720, everything switched off/lowest in CCC, and HD5650@ 625/960 . Thats really bad i think.
Anyone some advice?

@ 640x480 i got almost 10k...

 

ati powerplay clocks the GPU @ 150/100 when idle. if any 3d power is needed it goes up to 550/800 , you should begin OC from there.

 

Any CPU drivers I've missed? It's running heavy.

 

Hey i just noticed that i can either OC to 730/1050 or 620/1120

which is better and is this normal?

 

First overclock is the one you want. However, is it stable at those speeds? Any artifacts? Run Furmark for a bit and loop some 3D Mark if you can. Try aiming for 720/1110 as well.

If I or a friend can get the Staples AS3820TG-3022 for around $600 + tax?

 

^

That's the model that I have. Luckily, I got it for $730 CAD off a seller on Craigslist

 

Actually, the creator of SetFSB will tell you if his program is likely to work on your computer when you donate. You send him the diagnostic information and he tells you if you have a class of clockgen that has been successfully used.

When I did that he told me that my unit would probably not work and offered to refund my donation. As it turns out, he was wrong and my 3820TG turned out to be one of the better overclockers but it took a few weeks to figure it out.

This stuff is not an exact science. It needs a lot of trial and error to use most effectively. It's not for everybody. I will say this, I have not yet seen a TimelineX model that I believed was TME and could not be OC'd without a pinmod. Some units clearly OC better than others.

Bronsky

 

I am in the same boat as you... i can't seem to OC higher than that and i get 7800 in 3dmark.

The clocks i set in AMD GPU CLOCK will revert to 100/150 even though my CCC is set on the high perf gpu. I set them up, play around in my computer and when i check them again after running 3dmark they are back at 100/150. Is that normal?

 

I upgraded the ATI video drivers to 10.10 and everything works as expected so far. Games work and switching to power saving gpu works too. I haven't done any benchmarks so I don't know if they bring any performance improvements over the stock drivers, but I'll keep them since I like always using the latest drivers.

 

its stable, i get no artifacts at all. if i try to get the second over 1080 i get artfacts, but if i keep my the engine lower the second one goes higher.... ill run 3smark06 on each to see the differences.

 

Anyone know where I can purchase an extended battery? Or are we still stuck with trying to get someone with one already to get another from Acer? =D

 

What about your brightness keyboard adjustment FN + arrow left/right keys? It was working fine too for me 10.10, till I tired the FN + Arrow left and right = Nothing

 

There are now Acer resellers in the EU who stock the battery I think. I don't know of a source other than eBay in North America.

Bronsky

 

Just ran 3DMark06 at OC 730/1050 and got 9155. still REALLY far from the 10's but not bad for a stock i3.

and max temp is 70 for cpu and 75 for gpu

 

Considering that 3DM06 takes the power of the CPU into account, that is a great score for an I3. Your temps look very low. You might run some WPrime loops to see if your CPU heats up a bit to make sure that your monitor is giving you a good reading.

Bronsky