Question for 8943G owners

I'm looking at getting a new laptop and I keep reading about heat related problems with Dell and Asus and some of the other laptops with i7 processors and good video cards but have not read much about the 8943. Can you please tell me if it runs real hot or has a heat problem? Hot is fine as long as it is not running right on the edge whe playing games.

Thanks
Brandon

 

One other thing, has anybody added a second hard drive? I read on Newegg I think that someone said the cover does not fit when you add the second drive.
Thanks
Brandon

 

I don't use mine for playing games, but when watching hi-def movie files and other processor intensive tasks I haven't had the machine get overly hot.

Haven't tried adding a second hard drive yet so I can't help you there.

 

Hey Brandon...I've really had no heat problems to speak of. In fact, I would say if anything, it runs cooler than my Alienware with a T7200 processor did. I have not done too much gaming yet, but in the little bit I have done, I did not notice any unreasonable heat.

As far as the second hard drive, there are a couple of issues. The cover that goes over the area for the second hard has several plastic barriers that protrude into the space. That will definitely have to be busted off in order to install a second drive. Also, they did not include a mounting bracket for the drive itself...I think we could pretty easily rig a little mount to hold the drive securely.

Someone mentioned that once they took the excess plastic off the cover that the cover did not fit once they put the HDD in. I haven't made it that far, so I can not speak to that.

I put a Patriot Inferno SSD in the original hard drive spot...performance has been fantastic, but I really have to get the second drive in for data.

 

The top pic is the 2nd HDD space. The bottom one is the cover for the space...you can see the plastic there that intrudes into the space. If someone else has cleanly taken that off, would love to hear how you did it.

 

I broke them off with pliers. Comes off easily. Only used pliers just to get a good hold as very little force is required. Just twisted them off. No pulling.

Whatever plastic remained I just sanded down with sand paper.

My 2nd hard drive is installed and the cover screwed on but there is still a small opening where the bay cover doesn't completely seal.

I also added a 500 GB 7200 rpm drive for the main drive and replaced the optical drive with a blu ray burner.
Did a clean install upgrade to windows 7 ultimate.

Also I'm still getting the wireless disconnect. No solution yet.

Below are some pictures of about the best you can expect from the second hard drive bay with the included bay cover.

 

Hey Jim,

Thanks for posting the pictures of your 2nd HDD install. This is incredibly disappointing...it would appear that Acer marketed a product knowing full well that this flaw existed. Part of my purchase of this was predicated on having that second hard drive.

I am at a cross roads now: The ongoing wireless problem (which I think could be resolved) and the hard drive bay issue which could only be solved with a reworked cover. I love so much about this computer, but I'm not sure I can spend that money and then live with these issues...thinking.

 

Jim...does the computer sit flat with that setup or does it now rest on the HDD cover?

 

The computer sits flat and does not rest on the HDD cover.
The close-up pictures make it looks worse than it actually is.
The gap is not really that noticeable when the computer is sitting flat.

For now, I think I will be keeping mine.
I have a beautiful screen with no dead pixels and like you I think the wireless disconnect problem will be resolved.
If I send it back for a replacement (NewEgg) I will get one that most likely has same wireless glitch and risk getting a screen with a few dead pixels.

The HDD cover is dissapointing but Acer sells the 8943 in Europe with 2 hard drives already installed so I figure there is a cover that fits and should eventually be available from Acer or Ebay etc....
8943 with 2 hard drives installed here:
Acer Aspire 8943G, 18.4inch HD LCD Notebook, Intel Core: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

 

Thanks for the info Jim...I really appreciate your thoughts on this and the pictures you posted. I have an email into Acer support right now asking if they are going to put out a modified cover. I'll post their response when I get one.

I'm with you...I have a great screen and I also got it from NewEgg...I doubt a replacement would be any kind of improvement.

 

I'm also interested in hearing what Acer has to say about the cover issue. My plan all along was to get a SSD to use as a boot drive and relegate the standard hard drive to just storing media, but it looks like it'll be a little more difficult than I thought if this issue isn't resolved.

What Acer should do is offer the cover that they have for the European models, whether for free for those who ask, or for a modest price. That way those who want them have the ability to easily get them direct from Acer.

I was already a little miffed at the various things the European models offer that aren't available on the U.S. versions (Blu-Ray burner, dual hard drives, remote control), and this, and the accompanying wireless issue, isn't making me have a lot of faith in Acer as a company right now.

 

Well, trying to get a straight answer from Acer tech support is really hard. They finally gave me the number of a parts supplier in TN to call - they were already closed when I tried calling.

I wonder if it would be possible to get a friend from across the pond in Europe to let us know if that cover is different, or if somehow the internal configuration is different. Any takers out there?

 

Hey if you look at the costco.com website and look at the pictures and look at the front view and it looks like it has a bulge on the left bottom about the size of a hard drive so it could be a cover that is shaped to fit over the second hard drive. I think we need to get an answer from acer about this.
So I'm ready to order the laptop from costco with 4gb memory and if I do not like it I have 90 days to return it. Allso they extend the warranty to 2 years and not 1 year so that is good too.
So that gives me time to see if the wireless gets fixed and make sure the computer does not over heat.
Brandon

 

Hey Brandon - I couldn't find it at the Costco.com website...any chance you could link those pictures here?

Thanks!

 

Look at your other thread for help and read the review. look at the pictures on the side and it has a great shot of a cover that sticks out to cover the second hard drive. So need to get a part number from Acer for that cover and the bracket to hold the drive in place.

 

Hi All,

I'm trying to add an SSD to my 8943G and have run into the same problem with being unable to put the HDD into that slot.

Googled it and found this thread.

Did anyone ever succeed in getting either a straight answer from Acer or better still manage to get the cover that fits the slot without having to cut the existing one up?

Cheers,
Alan

 

anyone got a final answer from acer?

I called them for the same problem ..

they were suppose to ask the Department of Engineering ..


Still waiting for them to call me back.




pierlucm

 

its a sweet looking lappy whats the i7 version like at playing games?

 

I did a little research myself after talking to Acer support they sent me links for stores that carried Acer products but not parts. I found a few sites in Europe and although I now have the part number there is no picture to verify it isn't the original low profile cover that came with my notebook but rather the oversized one that will properly fit the hard drive without leaving a gap.

The part number I have found is
42.PWC07.009 Cover Door HDD 2nd 2nd

I also found a Canadian site that sells parts

Acer original cover - AC32907 - $23.95 US : Notebook Solutions, Parts, Service & Support

Again there is no picture verifying whether it is the over-sized cover.

I've sent an email requesting more info.
I will post when I know more.

 

Just ordered the 2nd hd cover with 2nd hd installed.

I haven't picked it up but it says it's the right cover for 8943g models with the 2nd hd installed.

Acer original cover (2nd HDD present) - AC36400 - $23.95 US : Notebook Solutions, Parts, Service & Support

I will update once I have it.

 

http://www.notebooksolutions.ca/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_223&products_id=17550

I just received the part above and it's just what the doctor ordered. The cover fits perfectly over the 2nd hard drive compartment with the 2nd hard drive installed.

 

Thanks for the update!

Been hoping someone would find the proper cover for the second hard drive bay. If possible, could you post some pictures of what it looks like installed?

 

I don't have access to a digital camera right now but here are some pix I found with a quick search on google of how it looks installed.

 

Thanks for that. I was thinking about getting a SSD to use as my primary drive and relegate the standard one to media storage so it's good to know there's a proper cover available if I decide to go that route.

 

Thanks for the info gboy1...I ordered mine yesterday! Notebooksolutions was really responsive when I emailed them asking to verify that the part would fix the problem. Website was secure, standard shipping wasn't bad...$9.99 for 7-10 business days delivery from Canada.

 

Got my 2nd HDD cover today!! Authentic part from Acer...It was shipped from their service inventory warehouse in Temple, TX. I actually live less than an hour away so it arrived very quickly, on the third day.

Cover was a perfect fit!!! Now, why Acer didn't include this cover from the get-go is beyond me.


Acer part # 42.PWC07.001 | 2nd HDD DOOR

 

Is needed hard disk drive bracket for second drive installation? Or is enough only cover for 2nd HDD installed?

 

I don't think it needs it but I wish I had it. It feels somewhat tightly secured via the SATA connector, but the fact that it's not screwed in worries me.

 

Thanks, Danja.
But isn't possible to put some soft laying between Hard disk and cover to immobilize disk?

 

Now that you mention it, yes. I'm off to find some styrofoam . Thanks for the tip

 

)))
No, I don't think about foam, but some soft plastiс may be

 

Why not foam? Are you afraid of it melting?

 

I am afraid of unlimited volume of the foam when is let out from tube. The force of foam can destroy all around))

 

Hi, i am waiting for the prices of the SSD to come down. So i was wondering whether anyone knew what the maximum storage space the laptop would support if i installed a standard sata 2.5 drive into the spare hdd slot?

thank you in advance..

Hi, did you install a second hdd in the end? if so which one please as im looking to do the same. thank you.

 

I think there are non limits in supported HDD volume

 

Does anyone know how to change which programs are started by touchpad buttons "movie" & "music" ?

 

I just wanted to add another option to those looking to install a second hard drive. If you remove the plastic fins on the 2nd HDD door (I also used a pliers), and install a thin SATA hard drive (7mm), it will fit with even lesser aesthetic issues.
I upgraded my stock 500GB HDD with a SSD drive and miss the storage. So I bought a Seagate ST320LT014 and it fits perfectly, there is only a very small bulge in the HDD door now. Since I didn't buy the second drive install kit, I also needed a spacer to keep the drive from coming apart from the SATA connectors, but I cut a length of computer power cable and wrapped it in electrical tape and it works quite well. Never had a problem with it at all.