Aspire 5315 MXM graphics upgrade?

Let´s think in a positive way.

This is my Aspire opened up



This is a close up where you can see that we can paste a MXM socket (230 pin´s)



Now, if I paste a MXM soket it would look like this



But...

If I introduce a graphic card into this new port added by "me". Will my software recognice it?

The bios an windows can sopport it?

I know problems about heat (can be solved) but the important thing is the bios recognition and how to disable x3100 default integrated graphics right?

 

I had 5315 (now my cousin is using it) and I was thinking this way many times, but every time I ended up with - not possible, or way too expensive. If we accept that it is doable you should think about making a custom heatsink and I bet that this alone a would cost a small fortune. The MXM port soldering would be pretty tricky too... and so on, and so on. If you are crazy enough, please try it and share the result

 

First where are you gonna link the heat sink?
Second not sure if your BIOS accepts it (Past POST).
Third how you are going to disable the integrated chip (not in BIOS since it assumes you have integrated graphics) hybrid graphics driver is already buggy and you hope to use it for an unsupported "custom"?
It is a crazy attempt but tell us about it if it succeed just providing expected "challenges" to be overcome.

 

No, no, no, a thousand times no.
Aside from the fact that you'd probably void your warranty a bajillion times over in doing this, there are so many problems that you'll be running into.
1. The chipset is simply incapable of making the change. Only certain variations of the GM965 are even capable of running hybrid graphics, and even then there's a hardware switch that swaps from GMA to discrete GPU.
2. Do you know how many leads you'd need to solder to do that? And how small the wires are? It's physically IMPOSSIBLE for an end user to pull that off.
3. And let's not forget BIOS compatibility.
4. And the fact that the stock cooling solution will be completely inadequate.

It's your notebook's funeral.

 

Forget the "heat" there are pieces of aspire 5520 with mxm video card that can be put on 5315 an fit in it because it´s the same "chasis".



Ok If you look carefully the mmx socket is 90 degrees turned but that´s the idea.

Now about software, I´m thinking in bios of 5"7"20´s. This bios acepts mxm cards,because some models come wit x3100 an some others with nvidia 8400m, am I right?

And I can find where to switch off the x3100 (i think) cutting the energy or the earth.

I can solder the socket, maybe it won´t look like the picture before but there are ways to do it. Time ago I changed the ram module in a XBOX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=MX&hl=es-MX&v=Vi3Bi2i2bEg

Not my video but I worked doing this to make xbox arcade cabinets with mame emulator.

 

Same chassis, different motherboard, and thus, INCOMPATIBLE.
The 5720 and 5720G are two different models with different BIOSes, NEITHER of which would be compatible.
You can't switch off the GMA X3100 - it's part of the northbridge!

Please don't do this - you are literally ASKING for trouble, and the amount of money you'd spend to do the upgrade could be better put to use buying a new laptop with a dedicated GPU.

 

Hey, don't cold-shower him like that. The world is powered by enthusiasts like him

@ferrrrr - Take in mind TehSuigi's posts though You were advised

 

Enthusiasm is one thing, but this...I got nothing.
All the best of luck to you ferrrr, but you have been warned.

 

1. The chipset is simply incapable of making the change. Only certain variations of the GM965 are even capable of running hybrid graphics, and even then there's a hardware switch that swaps from GMA to discrete GPU.

-Recently I run intel chipset identification utility and it detected PM965 so it support MXM.

2. Do you know how many leads you'd need to solder to do that? And how small the wires are? It's physically IMPOSSIBLE for an end user to pull that off.

-I know where to order a pair of MXM conector. When I soldier it I´ll post the pictures. But first I need to investigate more about bios configuration.

3. And let's not forget BIOS compatibility.

Why 5720 and 5315 bios is the same? I guess the bios automatic switch the graphics when you plug in the card. Let me find someone with a 5720 who pull out their mxm card and lets see if the bios configuration change.

4. And the fact that the stock cooling solution will be completely inadequate

-Again 5720 cooler sistem fits in chipset and CPU and has another "pipe" or tube wich fits on MXM.

 

1. Impossible - the PM965 does not come with the GMA X3100 you've quite obviously got, so you can't have that. Try CPU-Z, I've found it to be more accurate.
3. First off, you're confusing the 5720 (GM965, no MXM) with the 5720 G (PM965, MXM card). Only G models come with dedicated graphics cards. Secondly, the fact that the 5720 and 5315 BIOSs are different is what I'm trying to get across. Thirdly, there is no "BIOS automatic switch" when you plug in the graphics card, because the system will not work without one. This is because the PM965 chipset doesn't have any other graphics processor - it requires a dedicated GPU. If you remove the MXM card from a 5720G, it will either not boot or have no display.

Ferrrr, I don't mean to be harsh - I just want to save you a lot of time, money, and stress. You're better off just buying a new laptop with a better GPU than going through all of this.

 

Ferrrr--if I were you, I'd listen to TehSuigi. He's done his life's work here at NBR researching the very things you'd want to know. Check his post and you'll find lots of his work going through MXM cards.

Also, there are reasons why Intel sells (and distributes, for manufacturers) different versions of a certain chipset. There are GM945 and PM945, GM965 and PM965, and GM45 and PM45. The GM's only have integrated cards--some special cases esp. in Sony Vaio's (and I think the Asus N10J) do have a GMA 950 and a dedicated graphics card, but in other manufacturers, they never would have GM-- chipsets and dedicated cards. PM chipsets, therefore, are those with dedicated GPU's.

This is much like how there are different motherboards for desktop computers--not all of them compatible with graphics cards.

So I'd follow what TehSuigi said--it's probably a good idea to just use the money instead to buy a laptop with an MXM GPU--that way if you do decide to switch GPUs then it would be easier.

 

Or just a notebook with ANY dedicated GPU; anything's better than Intel GMAs (blech).

 

Thanks for the fix TehSuigi--confused the GMA with GM lol, quite late already when I posted.

Yeah, or at least even the integrated non-Intel ones. I take it the ATi integrated cards perform relatively good?

 

Only the Radeon HD 3100 and 3200 are worth your time - the X12x0 Express models are garbage.
Ditto for the Nvidia models - look for the 9400M G (or at the very least, the 9100M G) for improvements.

 

TehSuigi, I don´t want to start a personal debate but...

The gm965 can switch autamatically to dedicated MXM card.





It´s like a desktop, I´ve already ordered a pair of MXM sockets, when I soldier one into the 5315 I´ll upload photos.

Now Im searching for a heatsink or heatpipe for 5720, with Acer Mexico.

It fits into the 5315 here a 5720 image



That is what I want to do.

Now I have flashed my bios with 5720´s, downloaded from acer support, and it´s the same than 5315.

 

Did you flash the 5720 or 5720 G BIOS? The G's the only one that comes with the MXM port.
Just because the GM965 chipset has the PCI Express connection in its datasheet does not automatically mean that each and every GM965 chipset manufactured has them. I wouldn't be surprised that most manufacturers leave out the PCI Express connection to save money because it would never be used.

If you are so insistent on making this work, be my guest. But I apologize if I do not have your enthusiasm.

 

The 3 bioses are the same.

All of them has diferent names but I´m not a daredevil, first I spent half day with hexplorer looking for diferneces betwen all of them. Coudn´t find a bit or byte diferent.

Then I flashed my bios and It was like I do nothing.

5315 and 5720 are nearly the same, the difernences are only ports disabled or uninstaled in 5315 (HDMI, fireware, usb, MXM...)

Some web places sell both motherboards as the same.

 

Then by all means, go for it.
You've been more than thoroughly warned to this point.
Best of luck!

 

Got news, Acer México found a 5720 graphics heat pipe, It cost $62 USD, tomarrow I´ll pay and in a week Ill get this.



MXM connectors should arrive by friday. There are many heights for this conector so I investigate and fond that 4mm height is necesary.

Now Im looking for a MXM II card, I want a 9600m but let´s see prices before.

Here is another image I found of 5720zg, In a couple of weeks my laptop should look like this.

 

Awesome news mate, you had done quite a lot of work Just a little advice, better choose ATi, because nVIDIA, and specially 9600M GT, has bad reputation when it comes to upgrade (incompatibility issues)

 

Thanks triturbo for the advice but it´s too late because already orderes a 9600m gt. Maybe thats why there are so many and cheap in ebay.

Well I guess I wont sleep today to research for that incompatibility you tell.

Well at last in MXM videoquest website there is a 5720 upgraded from 8400m to 9500m without problems, hope it happens the same way to me.

Something I haven´t noticed untill a couple of minutes ago is this:

"from readme of 5315 bios"

BIOS CORE Version ................ Insyde EFI 2.0
CPUs Supported ................ Intel Merom,Merom-Lite
Chipset ................ Intel Crestline
Bridge ................ Intel ICH8M
CardReader ................ RICOH833,N/A(KAL10)
_________________________________________________________________
>>>Video ................ ATI M71M,M76M,>>N-vida NB8M,NB8M-SE,NB8M-GS,NB8P-GS<<,Intel<<<<
_________________________________________________________________
Audio ................ Realtek ALC268 codec.
LAN ................ Broadcom 5787KMLG(Nettiling),5906(Acadia 2/KAL10)
1394 controller ................ RICOH833(Nettiling),N/A(KAL10)
KBC ................ ENE926
Clock Generator ................ ICS9LPRS365
Super I/O ................ NONE
BIOS ROM Part ................ MX25LV008BB

So another point to my theory.

 

Sorry for being late You would have two options - 1/ It would boot, but with 30 seconds MXM-incompatibility-error delay and in powersaver mode (reduced clocks), which is not that bad after all, because it's fixable (ASUS C90S). 2/ It wont boot at all (5920G).

9500M is just an 8600M with changed name, so no surprises that it works on most of the laptops, it also works in 5920G. 9600M is different story and if you dig good enough, you'll see that upgrading older laptop with it, always brings one of the above mentioned two options.

Nice ReadMe, it gives some hopes

 

A guy named "boruta" reported 9600m in his 7720, fortunately 7720 is the same motherboard than 5315, I already flashed my bios for 7720.

Now I´ve got bios version 1.45, the latast for 5315 is 1.43, the latest for 5720 is 1.42. Why I could flash 1.45 version?

Hope this bios flash works with 9600m.

 

Wow. This is interesting. You are one determined chap. Nice one. I'm surprised though, that with all the hassle you're facing you're not thinking about just changing laptops altogether..but well a few bucks less than a new laptop would be great.. Good luck on that there.

 

I´m in that point where you doubt.

Now I know many mac laptops has an nvidia gpu and gm965 disabled so...

But there aren´t many people who upgrade theirs aspire with a 9600m gt.

I´m beyond from the half way so I have to end what I started.

Think that everything started saving money for a xbx 360...

In fact I´ve made some maths:

Aspire 5315= 500 USD "18 monts ago"

This upgrade- CPU (C2D), GPU (9600m) gpu heatsink, 3gb RAM 667, mxm socket heatpads and many china-mexico shipments= 500 USD

I know in US you can find many good laptops for 1000 USD but here in my country minimum today you need 1500 USD to find a MXM I laptop.

Believe me my cousins bought laptops from "better" brand like:

Sony C2D in april 2007 with gm950= 1500 USD

DELL xps 1330m in january 2008 with gm965= 1500 USD

Sony again with gm965 when I bought my 5315= 1500 USD

Today with 1000 USD the best laptop you can buy "here in mexico" in a store like wallmart or radioshack is one with X4500HD

Aspire one is about 350 USD in internet stores. *the first ones with 8" and 8gb

Still waiting for mxm sockets to upload pictures when I solder it.

 

Ok, i am NOT saying that i am going to even attempt this, as i wouldn't even know where to begin. But it does sound very interesting to me. Forget the actual project in hand... there's 2 things that interest me about this whole makeover.

1: the new heatsink. Does it come with a new fan as well? Or how does that all work? More details about that would be interesting. Also, what would the benefits/set backs of adding one to the stock 5315 system (without your mxm project) be ? More information on this would be very intriguing to me.

2: Ok, as said, i am also a 5315 owner. My bios is running 1.45. So i could flash my computer to one of those others so that i could enable the things such as "(HDMI, fireware, usb, MXM...)" ? Any benefits from doing this?

 

Amour means love but the word, not the verb, you would say j'aime les petits seins ! (for an english translation i love small breasts)

that was for the nickname, now let's talk of 5315 video upgrade.

i'd like to find something where to see a tutorial to add the white socket for adding the mxm daughter video board.

 

Since ferrr hasn't come back with a positive result in over a month, there is no way to add an MXM slot to the 5315. PERIOD.
Just save your money and get a new system with a discrete graphics card - like the rest of us did/do.