Banias -> Dothan upgrade on TM800 = no fan!

Upgraded the 1.3Ghz Banias cpu in my Travelmate 800LCI to a 1.8GHz Dothan cpu and the cpu fan doesn't turn on anymore (well rarely). If I swap the Banias cpu back in the cpu fan works like normal.

I found that the ACPI Thermal zone temperatures are different depending on what cpu is installed. For the Dothan the passive cooling temperature is set to 92C while the active cooling temps are set at temp1 = 72C and temp2 = 66C.

Seems these are values are determined by the bios. The bios is aware of the Dothan and everything works right (no BSOD) except for the cpu fan which leads to increased heat. I'm not comfortable having my cpu temps reach 80+C @ load.

Emailed Acer support and they said that the cpu is not upgradeabled and they don't support any upgrades in "THEIR" laptops (not even harddrives or memory! unbelievable...no more acer for me!!!). So I'm SOL, even though it seems they put in code to purposely cause the laptop to run HOT if someone upgrades the cpu by effectively disabling the cpu fan.

Anyone know of a solution? NHC doesn't support fan control (yet, if ever) and even if it did there is still overheat issues if I ever want to reinstall windows or something similar when NHC is not loaded.

Would I fair better with a 1.6GHz Dothan cpu (max cpu speed I know this laptop should take is a Banias 1.6Ghz cpu so perhaps the 1.8Ghz is what is causing problems in the bios...sounds weak I know but the only thing I can think of)?

Thanks in advance.

 

bump. has no one upgraded to a Dothan cpu in any Travelmate 800 (80x) series?

I can't be the only one.

 

I want to upgrade my family member's Acer CPU as well. I bought a Dothan 1.7GHz and is now in my hands. I don't have a clue how to take the keyboard off. Will you be able to describe how you take the keyboard off to access to the CPU, with pics if possible? Now the Dothan is laying dormant. If I can install the Dothan to the ACER I will tell you if there is any problem.

 

Sam check your pm. Let me know how it goes.

 

veloscaper,

Thanks.

I will inform you if there is any progress made.

 

you can really upgrade a banias to a dothan? isnt dothan using a different chipset though?

 

The 400MHz FSB Dothan used the same i855 chipset as the banias. Only the 533MHz FSB Dothan needs the i915 chipset.

Have you tried Speedfan to see if it can control the fans?

 

yes tried speedfan, fpcontrol (used by thinkpad'ers), i8/9kfan (dell users) and a few others I forget. Nothing worked. I also don't bother crossing my fingers hoping for NHC to come out with fan control anymore.

Dothans come/came in two packages a 478 pin and 479 pin. 400Mhz FSB and 533 FSB respectively. The 478pin pinout is exactly the same as Banias. You just need to make sure your bios is updated with the proper Voltage VIDs for Dothans.

For my TM800LCI the last updated bios 4a20 includes voltage VIDs for Dothan step A2 cpus, though the step B1 version was the step mass produced. I think they just hacked the thermal zone ACPI tables when they did it.

 

Hi I have the same notebook and I also want to upgrade the CPU!

"The 478pin pinout is exactly the same as Banias."

As I known Banias exists with 479ball, but does it mean that the 478pin CPU is the good one for the TM800?

What is the max temp. of your Dothan CPU. Doesn't the fan turn on even at startup?

Thans!