The Definitive Guide to Acer Aspire Gemstone Blue Throttling Issues

Yes, I'm willing to test it! I'll study the instructions again on how to compile and overwrite the tables. Thanks!

 

here is my first attempt to speed up the fan.
I changed a zero to one.

Lets see if it does anything.

 

By the way, if you get a blue screen next time you startup, just boot last known good config.

 

The only time I broke someone's DSDT was when I compiled it with ACPI 3.0 standard Intel ASL. LOL
But it was okay after a BIOS reflash.
Anyway I strongly advocate use of Intel ASL rather than Microsoft buggy ASL Compiler.
To those modders:
During compiling for insertion into bios please use the -oa flag and compile the changes from the original AML file.
This will ensure backward compatibility with ACPI 2.0 standard which is what aging OS such as Xp and certain Linux will accept.

Anyway a successful overload will create the following event log


You should see new ACPI value being enumerated

 

@moral hazard
I would like to give this version a try too, so can i use this dsdt-file for my 8920g or could yiu modify the abraxis.dsdt you have to the same changes you did for warnold?

 

Here it is.
All I did was change a zero to a one.
This may keep the fan on more.

If you get a blue screen when you startup, boot last known good config.

 

Hi moral! Sorry for the late feedback. I was trying to make sure.
It doesn't seem to keep the fan always on at full speed. Actually, it seems the same as before, but I'm sure I overwritten the tables properly.
If you think of another way, I'm still willing to test. Appreciate all your help!

 

Ok, thanks for testing it.
I will think a bit more.

 

Sometimes it seems that the throttle doesn't depend on temperature. Sometimes i got throttling with CPU<40 and GPU<70 degrees. For me thats completely illogical.

Didn't have the time to test the new dsdt, but i'll test it asap.

 

not to mention that if i'm doing a heavy task (not a game), with the cpu temp as high as 75, it would NOT throttle.

this throttling issue is very weird.

 

To me it seems thats only gonna happen, if GPU & CPU are in use. Only heavy Tasks for CPU theres no throttle (e.G. Prime 95 with 100% CPU Load) even though the CPU temp is higher for a long Peroid.

If it throttles when the GPU is higher 90° thats ok, but if the temps are as low as mentioned in my post before it doesnt make sense at all.

Maybe this is a problem with the correct use of the shared memory? But even with the 1,2gig shared memory use of the GPU theres no use of all the 3,2gig that can be used by a 32-bit system.

Something is wrong if GPU and CPU both are in use an it seems that it is (sometimes) independent from Temp. Very very weird.

Sometimes i start a game and the throttle appears instant without any heat issue. Without the RMC Semi-Fix i'd gone crazy but it is still not nice if u always have to tab out of the game and push refresh and apply.

 

@abraxis
How do you apply the semi-fix in Rmclock? Rmclock is able to recognize your chipset? You have an 8920 right?
I have an 8930, the checkboxes in Advanced CPU settings in Rmclock is mostly grayed out. In Chipset says Chipset Type Unknown and in Throttling all checkboxes cannot be set.

To do the semi-fix, I must be able to change these settings right?

 

I think I have to agree that throttling is more likely to occur for me when both cpu and gpu in use. Stressing GPU by Furmark doesn't throttle, even if GPU hits 90. Stressing CPU using Orthos throttles only when CPU is around 67C. But when playing games, throttle happens even when CPU is just around 53C and GPU is around 70 to 80C.

 

Could it be insufficient power supply to run CPU and GPU at full voltage?
Or is it a System Resource Load issue?
Check if the system cooling policy is set to active in Windows 7

 

Warnold,

if the options are greyed out maybe you can enable them in the rmcregistry. But with my 8920G it worked since start without setting anything.

 

Even if your chipset options are greyed out, undervolt.
That is currently the best way to stop any throttling issues, by bringing your CPU's temperature below any trip points.

 

Found an interesting blog, about another dsdt modification. It is another Acer model, but maybe moral hazard or weitner could use this one to try these things in the 8920G/6920G DSDT. I've no experiences with editing such things and hex-values, thats why a cannot do it by myself.

http://aspiregemstone.blogspot.com/2009/08/acpi-dsdt-investigation.html

If i understood it correctly the Passive Cooling (with no Fan ) starts after max fanspeed at a high temperature level which leads to the thermal throttling. This should be fixed for GPU and CPU values.

But why the throttling starts with every temp in optimal range is still very very weird.

Just as additional information:
While throttling the GPU clock stays at max.

 

an example for this weird throttling (30sec after starting the game):

GPU: 66°
CPU: 33°

 

dude the temperature in rmclock is extremely inaccurate. use realtemp instead

 

I editet RMCregistry, so that the CPU Temp is shown 5° higher, so it is the same.

 

@abraxis
Can you use Hwmonitor? Do you have under ACPI several temperatures? Do you have TZ00, TZVR, TZVL, TZ01?
Can you check and tell me how they relate to the CPU / GPU temperature?

For my 8930g, the cpu temps are stuck and it's the TZ00/01 that triggers the throttle around 55C when the GPU is in use and quite hot.

 

Yes i could do this. But sometimes i use Hwmonitor as well. And without doing that again i can say TZVL and TZVR are usually much hotter than 00/01. VL/VR are closer in range of the GPU temp. Thats maybe why VL/VR could trigger the throttling because of their higher temps.

But at this moment (of the screenshot) VL/VR couldnt be much hotter than 65°.

Another thought is:

maybe it isnt the temp value itself. Maybe it is a temp difference in a special time that triggers the throttling.

e.g. 35°->40° in 3sec or 85°->90° in 3sec..so 5° in 3sec

(no real values, just to explain what i mean with my terrible english, sorry for that but i am german and my technical english isn't the best)

So this could explain throttling at lower temps...just another thought. All in all Acer did a Dsdt that suxxx -.- But there must be a solution.

Edit:
Especially for Warnold,

iirc for the 8930g the newest Bios together with the Realtek driver R2.24 or higher should fix the problem (had read that in a german forum) but doesn't help for my 8920G. Every driver for sound is crappy for 8920G an i use the vista-own...

 

so, with HMW:

first thing...no throttling for 30 minutes yesterday 30sec, thats one more thing that makes the throtlling seem to be arbitrary.

Another weird thing is..today the throttle clock is higher than usual, haven't had this before ever and i have the notebook since release. Did'nt change anything since yesterday.

-first Screenshot without throttle

-second scrennshot throttle while gaming, but not the first, forgot to take a screenshot from the first throttle.

 

I actually cannot manage to stop the throttling, but undervolting the CPU helped. However, when I overclock the GPU and play really demanding games it still kicks in, however it takes a lot longer (30-45 mins).

What i did to find out if it throttles was to run Orthos and Furmark simultaneously. Never took longer than 2 minutes to start throttling.

For all those trying to solve this ty issue - keep up the work ! I hope you find the solution sooner than i buy a new lappy

 

Hi.

I found recently a deal and I bought this nice 8930G. Mine is the P8600 + 4 GB RAM + 9700m GT + 2 x 320 GB WD Scorpio Black version. Don't know the exact name of the model.

I successfully removed Vista and went back to XP. I have issues with the 5.1 sound system (very low volume on the subwoofer) but otherwise everything is working fast and nicely.

Anyway, I'm posting here because I can't for the life of me find a program to watch TV on the computer with the TV card the laptop includes. I know it is an Avermedia A309. The driver is correctly installed and the device is ready, but no program I installed seems able to acknowledge that I have a TV card. I installed lots of programs from Avermedia and some other I found, but had no success. No program was bundled with the computer to accomplish this task and I can't remember if the original Vista the computer came with had one. I googled hard and failed equally hard.

Does anyone ever successfully used this card to watch TV on the computer? Which program should I use?

TIA and regards.

 

You use Windows Media Center to view and record live TV, as no other software was include that i know.

 

Thanks, Tinderbox. This software seems to be available only in Windows Vista and 7. No alternatives for XP?

 

I don't know if any of the software below works, but there is other free software out there, you just have to find it.

http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/free-pvr-tv-recording.shtml

 

Well, at last I found this AVerMedia app which works in both Vista and XP with the A309 DVB-T card on my 8930G.

Thanks for the help.

EDIT: Everything was my fault. I was running the software from a sandbox because I wanted to keep my Windows clean. That was the reason of the program's inability to find my hadware.

 

Strange my TV card is an A310 in my 8930G , but i can only find info on the A309 what is the difference, drivers and software in the link below.

http://www.avermedia.eu/avertv/UK/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=370&SI=true

 

No idea. But does your card work? And the remote?

 

I am using W7 not XP and my card and remote work fine in WMC just tried the remote.

We should get all your post made into a new thread as we have really messed up this thread up with off-topic subject.

 

True. Sorry. I thought this thread was a generic one about the 8930G. Didn't saw the "Owner's Lounge" thread.

 

In a german forum someone wrote, that he fixed the throttling with deleting the EISA-partition from the HDD. Could this be a solution? Is there any risk? Would i've to reinstall the whole notebook or is it just deleted?

 

Abraxis, not true.
Already deleted on my machine with no luck.
Plus, that EISA partition is your factory image partition. So if you like burning recovery DVDs and using disk-to-disk recovery, I'd say keep it.

 

Same here. I deleted the D2D Recovery Partitions.
The problem still occurs unless I use my own Tweak.

 

Hi all, today i found this site:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/showthread.php?t=7509

Here are 2 modded bios versions for the 8920G.

Unfortunately i cannot try it today but maybe on sunday. Does anyone have experience with one of those oder do see any risk in it? Maybe someone other can try this and give Feedback here.

Are the modded Versions just to use W7?? Or does Slic 2.1 work with VIsta as well?

Maybe the 1.15 in original has some improvements to the 1.14. Its an unofficial one, but seems to work for users that tested it.

The reason in which way this is modded isn't metioned, cannot say if it has anything to do with throttling, but i think i is optimized.

 

argh! i feel so fustrated! still having throttling even with undervolt! argh! what to do! rmclock settings are greyed out! argh! i am so mad and sad, cannot use my laptop for gaming! argh!

 

Sad for you. Because you have the Geforce 9700M GT. It's DDR3 or DDR2?
If it's DDR2, then, I think it won't be too pain. If it's DDR3 version, it's really pain. LOL.
There's 2 fastest and brainless solution here,
a.) Get a NEW PC either desktop or laptop
b.) Flash your MOBO(motherboard) BIOS with Modded BIOS which can fix the throttle.

We have tested some many ways to fix the throttle and until now there's no-1-fix solution. Acer... You're really locked everything of these Laptops with stupid BIOS settings.

Never mind. I am getting new Desktop with Radeon HD 5870 1GB GDDR5 very soon yeahh!! Don't need to think about those throttle stuffs anymore(eventhough I dont have throttle already)~

 

Or call Acer and TELL THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
Why do people have this pathological aversion to talking to their tech support? They aren't going to do anything about the problem unless lots of users CALL THEM AND SAY SOMETHING.

The worst-case scenario is that they replace it under warranty. Just call them.

 

Hey guys, you can check this or this topic I'm about to try it, just waiting my first blocks, they should be here in Monday. I don't have throttle issues, but I want my lappy cooler, so I guessed that it would be helpful for you too (cooler = no throttle)

 

@Darksilver, any links to these modded bios and what they have been doing or trying?

@Tehsuigi, I'm actually trying to clean up everything and probably send this back to acer and tell them to fix it. I don't want to call them at first because I know they will just tell some stuff I already know and I'll just be wasting my time. But I guess I have no choice now, I can't continue using it like this so I will really make it their problem and not mine.

I feel bad because I know my 8930g can do so much more if not for this problem... sigh...

@triturbo, that looks fun! But I think a bit too time and resource consuming for me. Well, I guess my biggest problem is where to get the blocks! LOL!

 

Copper Heat Sink and Sekisui 5760 Dbl Sided Thermal Tape, because the one that comes with the heat sinks is not as good as this one

 

It's bad to use modded BIOS because we don't know what actually in it and it's not official at all. Flashing un-official BIOS is far more dangerous than flashing official BIOS. A bad flash can kill the MOBO(motherboard) instantly.
If you want to try, you can google around to check 1st.

 

I have a problem with throttle of the CPU. My GPU is a 9600GT DDR2 and is not so fast and as the 9700GT DDR3 but I have a 8930g with a Q9000 processor. The problem is the processor instead of the graphic card. The notebook, when the processor reaches 70 degrees Celsius, the speed slows down by half. It happen when I run the twice the test Julia of the Everest and check the speed with RMClock.

Does anybody have the same problem? If I send the laptop to ACER, you believe that they will fix it?

Sorry for my English.

 

Jgarciac, this thread is specifically for problems like what you have.
Use RMClock to undervolt the CPU (go back to the first post in the topic, there's a link to a great guide there).

If undervolting doesn't work then yes, please contact Acer. Again, the only way they're going to release a fix is if EVERYONE who runs into the problem tells them about it!

Actually, that statement is a general gripe to everyone posted in the topic. As far as I know, I'm the only one here who's even reported the throttling problem to Acer! When will you actually take the 15 minutes, call up Acer, and tell them there's a problem with these models?
They won't do anything if they don't know.

 

I did an experiment, the results are puzzling! Please read till the end...

1st test, I bought/modified a notebook cooler, and see that my GPU temps are on the high 80s, and TZ00 and TZ01 are in the middle 50s degrees (my CPU temps are always stuck) when playing NBA 2K10. This is with cpu undervolt, without undervolt TZ00/01 is even higher. Throttling kicks in every few minutes while playing, annoying!

2nd test, I removed the bottom cover, put in on top of notebook cooler. GPU is almost 10 degrees cooler now, only middle 70s when playing games. And TZ00 and TZ01 at high 40s (around 5 degrees lower than before). But still throttling every now and then!

So, I did the ultimate test.
3rd, with no bottom cover, I put the 8930G in front of the aircon machine such that the aircon blows directly on the CPU and GPU. Wow, idle temps are low 20s for TZ00/01 and low 30s for GPU! Nice!
While playing NBA 2K10, temps go up to around 30s for TZ00/01 and around 50s for GPU. I said to myself, there's no way it will throttle now!

BUT I SPOKE TOO SOON! Throttling kicks in even with these very low temps! And I can actually feel the heat pipes are not that hot! WHY!?!

 

As i wrote times before, i think theres a FAKE Throttle and a right one, the right one kicks in, if the temps are very high, thats ok.

The Fake one seems to kick in weird and randomly and must be ab bad Bios or a software problem, cannot believe that is has to do with hardware.
But i've no idea what triggers the Fake throttle...maybe bad Dsdt, maybe s.th. concerning with the shared memory GPU...i hope someone will find out the real cause....

 

that's very possible... this test was done after a clean install of Win7 64 bit... as i want to rule out other possible cause of problems.
i'm actually thinking that maybe a continuous high cpu / gpu usage will trigger a throttle?

@Darksilver, Why did you say before that DDR3 is more painful than DDR2?

 

One stupid solution for those like me that nothing worked so far: Just push your cpu 'till it throttles (keep rm cpu clock opened in monitoring), then imediatelly put the computer to sleep, then wake it up. You will see in the graph that the throttle problem vanished. The best way to se this is by using a game that really pushes your pc and when it throttles and the games starts to crash do it and when you awake him you'll se that the throttle has gone and you should be capable of playing for hours and hours before the throttle restarts
Just the biggest stupid solution i've found, but it worked of me:S