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

No it's not- this GPU temperature is way too high. If it was a 10*C lower it would still be considered hot.

 

Big turn off. I enjoy how quite this laptop is (virtually silent when using Intel graphics). I'll stick with the stock until I figure something else out. Thanks for your input - pretty much made my decision just based off of that.

I've heard that about seagate too. My external harddrive is a seagate (bought it on sale), and it's mediocre at best. *knock on wood* i hope it didn't hear me.lol

I'll check hte WD black out, thanks.

Should be a silver ACER logo with slightly diagonal lines exgraved in it?

 

Thanks for your reply, I know this temp is not safe, but from what I understand, furmark is much more stressfull than any game. I mean, I doubt you can reach 101°C in games.

Running multiple 3dmark06 tests or playing Arma II for half an hour gave me 82°C max.

I guess I will see with my own eyes (or smell melting GPU with my own nose) by playing games with this clocks for hours.
Or could you advise me a GPU stress test or a demo game that would reproduce real gaming conditions and temps during hours? Furmark seems not reliable for that.

Thanks again and sorry if that have already been asked.

 

I re-installed windows on my new gadget. I'm just wondering what drivers and applications I should install.
Launchmanager? ePower? What drivers for the video (i5 + HD6550)

 

Here's what I installed for my version of 3820TG (484G75nks)

Acer.com Worldwide - Select your local country or region

Drivers :
- Intel Chipset
- Intel AHCI
- Intel AMT
- Intel TurboBoost
- RealTek Audio
- Atheros BlueTooth 3.0
- Atheros LAN
- Atheros WLAN
- Synaptics TouchPad
- AMD VGA 8.741.1.6000

Apps :
- Intel Manageability Engine
- Acer ePower
- DriTek LaunchManager

 

@ Noutch91
Unfortunately Furmark is not the worst case scenario.
I got 5*C more in several games than I ever got in Furmark- I do remember that GTA IV was one of those games.

 

:/ I can't seem to get my HD6550 working :/

Mmm for some reason the driver doesn't install. 'Please insert the last disk of the Multi-Volume set and click OK to continue." probably screwed up the download, lets redownload.

Btw I have the feeling my laptop is abit loud.. Even without load the fans are spinning

 

You should do all of the drivers that are specific to your system, so for the 6550 the driver is on the Acer support site listed as "VGA Driver (Radeon HD 6550M & Radeon HD 6370M)". As for applications, all you really need is LaunchManager and the others are just preference. Bronsky has a great guide that is linked in the first post of this thread that you could take a look at for more help.

 

Do you need to install the seperate ati/intel drivers first? (edit: nvm, got it working)

I seem to be having 1 little problem. The button on the left hand side (with the P next to it) doesn't seem to work. If i am correct that is the power switch button right? (for the graphics)

 

Anyone? Please

 

Are you sure that your Windows screen settings is set to extend or duplicate the display. And I'm assuming you mean the resolution is 1920x1080? I've never had trouble running mine on 22" monitors or 42" TVs at 1080p

 

I just did it

It was duplicate and under scaling options it was 10% underscan I think that was the only option I didn't tried in these two weeks I was trying to fix it. New drivers, windows etc etc and again, it was so simple :/

 

Glad you got it working. I'm the same way, often thinking every problem is something extreme where it is usually the simple things we overlook

 

What's the deal with graphics drivers for the 6550 having to go through Acer?

Didnt ATI start including mobility drivers with their Catalyst downloads since 5xxx ?

On an unrelated note: has anybody put OSX on theirs? I guess it could be possible using just the on-board graphics..

Ordering mine tomorrow, next day delivery

 

Probably what you think of your external hdd is because of the USB bus bottleneck. If you install it in your laptop, it should perform greater. Read this post.

I'm happy with swapping it until now. In a few months I may buy a SSD.

 

The inability to rapidly store to an external drive is the 3820's weak link. You can set the 14 up as dual drives. USB 3.0 in the 3830TG should cure that.

Bronsky

 

USB 3.0 plus a 3.0 external hdd... but I really don't care about the USB 2.0 speed. If it takes 20 seconds or 2 minutes to store a big file, it does not make any difference for me.

The difference between a GF 540m and a 6550m does not convince me to change the laptop in two months, anyway.

 

I thought the 3820 was pretty silent but even when idle just after a reboot you can clearly hear the fans spinning. Is that normal? It spins up and down all the time kind of like a sinusoid...

And the P button for gpu changing isn't working for me either so maybe i didn't install the drivers correctly?

 

Tried the P button on battery mode ?

 

I hate this too. As most of my use is idle (internet and light code editors) I would like to have both coolers completely passive. What I really don't understand is why the right fan is still spinning when I'm on Intel graphics. Wasn't the discrete card supposed to be completely off? Is the chipset that hot?

 

That's because GTA IV uses both CPU and GPU, thus leading to increased temperatures in the chassis.

Is there a way to delete the OEM reserved hidden partition on the 500GB hard drive? I'm using it as an external and while 12.7GB isn't much, it looks nicer.

 

For those of you who value the mobility, this is just a note that yes, it is feasible to add a PCIe slot to non-UMTS 3820TG models, and yes, it is also possible to integrate a UMTS modem, complete with software switching via Fn+F3.



tgoode has a post explaining how one might add a PCIe slot to the mainboard here.

WARNING! Mod
#include "stddisclaimer.h"

Compatibility
I've done this mod on my 3820TG-5454G64nks bought in Singapore. It should work on all 3820TGs, and seeing how the 4/5820TGs are extremely similar architecturally, it may work on them as well.

Stuff
You need the right connector, in this case a 3.9mm high one from element14:

You will also need regular solder (I don't recommend lead-free as it has a higher melting point), a good soldering iron with a clean tip, and some flux. Be sure to choose no-clean flux as other types may be corrosive if not completely and properly removed after the fact. I made do with an old butane soldering iron, and AMTECH NC-559-ASM-TPF(UV) flux from ebay (though I'm not sure if this is the original).

Soldering*
Position component very precisely, solder anchor pads, then slowly and carefully solder each pin.

Small mistakes can be corrected with solder, flux and desoldering wick. It is imperative that you ensure nothing is shorted.

But if it doesn't work the first time, check that you soldered each of the pins properly - they're really small and can be hard to see.

These are some good videos/tutorials for interested parties:
• Surface Mount Soldering 101

If you use a flux you might get a little bit of browning on your board, especially if you overheat things. Don't worry, this is just the flux, and your board isn't charring - it can be cleaned off with a cotton bud and some water. Though, be careful not to actually burn a hole in your board at the same time!

BIOS
I'm using a modded 1.19 BIOS with Intel options enabled, but I believe the stock 1.19 on 3820TGs is not BIOS-locked with respect to 3G/UMTS modems.

Integration
Take a look at the service manual - it's been posted somewhere in this thread, though I can't find it at the moment. (EDIT: It's here.)

Look under the section 3G module, and buy something off the list:
• QUALCOMM Gobi 2000 3G module
• Huawei EM770W Rev1
• Ericsson F3307-900MHz

I chose the Huawei EM770 as the manufacturer is pretty reputable in this part of the world. Look for a deal on eBay which comes with the antenna and driver CD. Although the driver CD isn't strictly necessary, I would recommend it in case you want to move the card to another laptop in the future.



Non-UMTS 3820TGs will not not come with a SIM card holder. I have tried searching around, but (correct me if I'm wrong) I can't find a similar SIM holder with the exact same solder pad configuration as on our mainboard. You can buy a 'solderless' SIM card holder like this.



If you're wondering how it works, it basically wraps around a portion of the PCIe connector, passing through data and power signals, while connecting a SIM holder to the relevant pins. Reference: PCIe pinout.

Antenna Configuration
The best place is obviously the lid, which is where manufacturers put wireless antenna anyway. In my case, I didn't grow the balls to disassemble the screen, so I found that 2 good places for the antennas are:
1) Underneath the palmrest on the right side of the notebook (where the audio jacks are).
2) Between the CPU heatsink and the bottom of the case.

I coiled the remainder of the long antenna wires neatly, and tucked them underneath the secondary USB board (see: service manual). Try to follow the original WiFi wiring where possible, and apply small squares of duct tape where necessary. Be careful not to snag or otherwise apply pressure on existing surface mount components. Don't touch the bare metal of heatsinks, and needless to say, don't jam the fans.

I find that this configuration is excellent when you're working on a table top, but tends to absorb a bit of signal (kind of like the 'death-grip', but not as serious) if you actually work on your lap.

Software
If you've bought one of the modems in the service manual, just download and install the corresponding driver from the Acer support website, as well as LaunchManager (if you don't already have it). Instant 3G software radio switch!

Known Issues
1) Sometimes when you shutdown the notebook, it doesn't detect the 3G modem on the next boot.
Resolution: Shutdown the computer again, remove the battery and pull the power cord. Allow 10-20 seconds (or longer, if it still doesn't work) for everything to discharge, then turn it on again. The modem should be detected. Personally I believe this is a race condition caused by LaunchManager and not an issue with implementation.

Changelog
0.1.0 - Intial release.
0.1.1 - Added compatibility, changelog sections; Re-uploaded images to imageshack; More pics; Edit: incorporated changes suggested by prikolchik.

Credits
tgoode - I really hope you don't mind me referencing your post.
prikolchik - Thanks for your comments.

* Stern Warning
It is extremely difficult to remove a wrongly-soldered SMT component once more than a few pads have been soldered. You'll probably need special tools. If you do solder it wrongly, and the situation is irreparable (ie: FUBAR), my advise would be to use a blade to saw off the PCIe connector at the pins, ensure nothing is shorted out, and call it quits - there's not much that can be done without special tools at this point.

 

When you say the fan is spinning, do you mean at high rpm or just a sort of 'I can hear it' sound. I thought that I had the latter but turns out it was just my HDD spinning. A quick update to the SSD I bought made this notebook extremely quite and running BIOS 1.19 the fans hardly turn on when just browsing and such.

Also, for those with fan problems, check your power profile settings in Windows 7. Under adv settings, go to Processor power management and check to see if system cooling policy is set to passive or active. Might solve some of your problems. YMMV

 

GEOKILLA, OR ANYONE: I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS OF DATA IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY BELOW:

1 - Type diskpart on Search, Run or Command Prompt and press Enter.
2 - Click Yes for the User Account Control warning.
3 - Now use the following commands:
list disk (it will show all disks on your computer)
select disk X (where X is your 500GB disk, according to the list disk)
list partition (it will show all partition in that disk)
select partition X (where X is the recovery partition, or the 100mb reserved partition if you want too)
delete partition override (be careful to not do this if you selected the wrong partition)

I hope it helps.

Raul

 

Low RPM, but it's still turned on. I'm sure it's the gpu and chipset fan, not the HDD spinning.
My laptop came with BIOS 1.19, but my fans never turned off, even on completely idle.
One of the first things I did was to set the cooling policy as passive. I also changed everything to optimize power savings. Thanks for your answer anyway, it's very reasonable.

 

You should change the thermal paste on CPU and GPU. I used Arctic Silver 5 and running on Intel graphics with just Firefox open the fan rarely turns on low. If you were to use MX-5 or for best results IC Diamond, then you would get even lower temps and have quieter fan.

I have also installed OCZ-Verxtex 2 80GB SSD and now my laptop is completely quiet, apart from typical electronic pitch/humm coming from the motherboard and I usually don't hear it anyway.

I have 3820TG with i5 430M CPU and ATI 5470 and my computer usually idles around 40C CPU and 43C ATI GPU with room temperature of 20C.

 

Thanks.

If I have to send in the laptop for RMA, should the recovery partition be included? Or can I just send it in with a blank 500GB hard drive that my 3820 came in?

It'd be great if there's a program that can control the fan speeds. My Acer Aspire 5601 had no fan control whatsoever. I'm sure fan control would do wonders for this little gem.

 

If the reason you are RMAing the laptop is not HDD related (for example, LCD screen is dead) then you can just take HDD out and send it without one. They usually do a system restore and delete all your data anyway.

No fan control as of yet. It may be possible in the future if someone finds a way to do it.

 

A very nice guide. Seems like you have covered all the basic questions people might have.

Just a few comments:
1. Here is Acer 3820 service guide/repair manual. It is from Acer's website so you can link it directly in your guide.
2. You should upload ebay images to an image hosting website and post links. ebay link usually dies in 3 months so it would be nice to keep information for longer.
3. Perhaps, it is worth mentioning that this mod should also be possible on Acer 4820, 5820?

 

HOWTO: Acer TimelineX 3820TG/4820TG/5820TG "Intel only" option in BIOS (disable ATI)

Just wanted to let everyone know that in BIOS there is a way to disable ATI and use Intel HD graphics. It would be similar to selecting "Intel only" in Switchable menu if only there was such an option.

This is just a quick guide. I plan on writing an easy-to-follow one when I have some time.

I have confirmed that this indeed does work. ATI dissapears from the Device Manager and, judging from the battery life both on Windows and Linux, ATI is powered off.

EVERYTHING YOU DO IS AT YOUR OWN RISK! Since we are changing only NVRAM, in case you leave your notebook in unbootable state it is possible to bring it back by resetting CMOS settings. To reset CMOS you must take out the CMOS battery.

Here is how to disable ATI graphics in the BIOS:
Step 1. You must unlock hidden Intel menu. Download SYMCMOS.EXE and follow this guide starting at where it says "Update".

Step 2. After unlocking the hidden menu at Step 1, enter BIOS and go to Intel menu. Then go to MCH Control Sub-menu and change Primary Display from Auto to IGD. (NOTE: The Switchable option will dissapear from the BIOS. Nothing to worry about). Press F10 to save settings and restart computer.




If you want to turn the ATI graphics back on, simply change MCH Control Sub-menu-> Primary Display back to Auto. Save via F10 and restart.

Step 3. When laptop boots into Windows it will be in VGA mode and will install drivers. If it doesn't do so automatically, download and install Intel drivers from Acer's Support site or from Intel.com.

Step 4. Enjoy!

ATI graphics is gone from Device Manager and there is no longer "Switch graphics" menu.


ATI graphics is also gone in Linux

Code:

$ lspci | grep -i graphics
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 12) 

 

Same here, same BIOS aswell. It really does bug me that my 2 year old laptop is less noisy when idle..

 

Edited. Thanks for the note!

 

I'm the first poster of the 1,000th page, I win. Congratulations, thank you very much.

EDIT: I fail, lol

 

@prikolchik

Edit: Thanks for this, too bad that HDMI doesn't work on Intel graphics but this is still nice to know about.

 

woo 1000!! so many pages!

 

Just bumping this.

Anyone?

 

Mmm I ran into another odd thing, in system properties aswell as in dxdiag windows reports 4,00 GB (3,68 GB usable) for ram and that I have an 480 cpu while I have an 460...

 

Are there any benefits to doing this over just switching to integrated graphics while in switchable mode?

 

For the first part it could be due to 32bit Windows you have installed
For the second part it could be due to the factory image they did for you laptop had a 480 CPU to fix that go device manager uninstall the processor and let it redetect and reinstall the processor.

 

It shouldn't be because of 32bit Windows as it should only report 3.3gigs or so usable. It should be because of the graphics card's HyperMemory function, because my computer has 8 gigs of RAM and it reports 7.68 gigs usable.

 

The 3820TG I had to RMA also had the fan problem. The right one literally never turned off. I'm hoping when my replacement arrives, that will be solved.

 

Ok so it is HyperMemory then. HyperMem shouldn't be an issue.

 

You could not fix it? I would rather not RMA because i bought it in germany

 

Lol.

"Congratulations! You Won!" (that sound when you pass your mouse over a flash ad...)

 

You won! You wrote the 10 000th post, I'm so jealous!!

 

hi guys
is there a list of compatible 3rd party power adapters for our 3820tg??
thanx

 

Amazon.com: AcBel Ultra Slimmest & Smallest Laptop AC Adapter for Acer Aspire TimelineX 3820TG 3820T 4820T 4820TG 5820T 5820TG Series NoteBook PCs (Worldwide Safety Certificate with 3 years Warranty)+ Free All-in-one Universal Plug Adapter: Electroni

 

That sucks... No hard drive for them to restore!

YOU WON!

Only benefit I can think of is that you don't need to worry about whether your graphics are coming from the Intel GPU or ATI GPU.

I'd rather hack the BIOS so that I can set the amount of memory the integrated graphics to use. I want my full 4GB of RAM!

 

this isnt aviable in germany. dos this one also work ???

USNA 95 - Cooler Master

 

Yay just bought mine!

i5 480, 6550, 8Gb ram, 750gb HD.

Going to have to read the post on how to go from German to English though. I hate having my language in anything else than English. Hopefully it will arrive at my parent's place tomorrow or Saturday so I can pick it up this weekend.