Upgrade Acer Aspire 8935g /8940g and NVIDIA QUADRO K2100M 2GB N15P-Q3-A1 GDDR5 Video Graphics Card

I am an owner 2 mainboards for models above. I bought two NVIDIA QUADRO K2100M 2GB N15P-Q3-A1 GDDR5 Video Graphics Cards. One from unknown source. Another from Dell laptop.

First fight last night.:
Unknown source Nvidia
- 8940g, no start POST, switch on - switch off by itself.
- 8935g, starting on integrated Intel graphic. Forcing to start from dedicated (multimedia button on multimedia panel, right side), 1 long signal 2 shorts on POST procedure and stop.
Think:
1. 8940g mainboard broken (?)
2. NVidia is from HP laptop (?)
What to do, what to do.
Now waiting for Nvidia delivery from Dell laptop source.
Any suggestions?
Thank you.

 

Check if it has BIOS chip and if it does - flash DELL vBIOS, if it doesn't - integrate the DELL vBIOS into your system BIOS.

 

Thanks for answer. Today or tomorrow I am planning to integrate vbios into sbios. But before I need to know the source of the card.
Did you heard somebody installed it successfully?
What do you think about written above 8940g mainboard - switching on off itself? It is broken?

 

It runs in other systems.

I can't tell, was it working at all before that?

 

I bought 8940g on ebay 2 years ago. Couldn't check. The fact itself interesting me - switching on and off endless after installing components. For example, if graphic doesn't work there are beeps signals...

NVIDIA K2100M is from HP. Thats why doesn't start. Soon I should get another one from Dell.

 

If the DELL GPU doesn't work, it's quite likely motherboard related.

 

Hi
I am stuck. How to get sBios Aspire 8935g? On the Acer web is only .exe file.(And how to insert a picture here, only url?)
Thank you

 

Sorry, I can't be of help, I used the @valuxin 's guide, maybe he can help.

 

Here you are - latest stock sBIOS.

 

According to service manual:"Search for option ROMs. One long, two short beeps on checksum failure." It looks like there's problem with the video bios since Bios is searching for option ROMs and apparently can't initiate it. I assume that Your cards nave eprom on the pcb. It should be on the left upper corner, black chip with 8 legs with some kind of painted dot on it. If You can boot up on integrated graphics with K2100m in the slot You should be able flash different vbioses onto the eprom. You have to juggle with available vbioses with hope that one will work. That's my opinion. I dig up that there are 3 vbioses available:
#1: 80.06.68.00.03
#2: 80.06.61.00.08
#3: 80.06.69.00.06
Maybe there are some others but I found those.

 

Hi Valuxin
I see you a very clever guy. I read your guide... And there can be possibility you have working integrated Acer Aspire 8935g or 8940g sBios with vBios?
Thank you for answer anyway.
W

 

Good evening Darnok44!
Here is the card. I can't recognise bios chip. Please look at it.
On 8935g mainboard I can start system because there's Intel integrated. When I try to use K2100M to start, then signals occur. But on 8940g, no signals, only switching on/off endless by mainboard. You showed me a numbers for different cards, but they aren't links to download (?)
W

 

Hi
Yeah sure. It's in the red circle.
Two of those bioses can be found on techpowerup database:
https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/149851/hp-quadrok2100m-2048-130612
https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/163744/163744
The third one is apparently from MSI workstation, eg. WT60, WT72. I can't find it anywhere to download. You would have to probably ask on MSI forum to get it from someone having those laptops.

 

Hi again
For all I know, Hp VBioes does not work in other producers machines. Did you hear something about it?

 

Not really, being honest. But I manage to get hands on MSI vbios from this site: https://forum.51nb.com/thread-1492210-1-5.html
What I put together from the translation is that MSI vbios may have best chance to work on different platforms.

 

@valuxin what is your opinion on post above?

 

Thank you @darnok44 for you effort!

 

One more thing, I forgot to mention this earlier. In the archive are two vbioses: 01 is stock one and 02 suppose to be over-clocked, but I don't know to what value of core clock.

 

E="darnok44, post: 10485123, member: 212636"]One more thing, I forgot to mention this earlier. In the archive are two vbioses: 01 is stock one and 02 suppose to be over-clocked, but I don't know to what value of core clock.[/QUOTE]
There's unlocked clock for sure. I know story about K2100M with clock. Thank you.

 

Some good news.
I got shipment from USA with Nvidia Quadro K2100M 2GB GDDR5 Video Card Dell G4FN0 N15P-Q3-A1 M4800
This card working on Aspire 8935g with no problems. Memory chips are Samsung.
I will put here a vBIOS from this card soon.
The card I tested before, was from HP laptop, with Hynix memory chips.
Next month 8940g test with dell's K2100M and i-7 940XM processor.

 

Hi Guys

I am looking to here from you Walter about testing 8940g with k2100m and i7 940xm, because I bought 8942g with dead motherboard and want to change to motherboard from 8940 with your configuration

Can I ask how did you pay for k2100m from usa ?

 

Hi. I was looking on ebay.ca and ebay.com, even ebay.de. If you find what you interested in, just check what countries shipment can be make. In fact, ebay showing you it as an additional cost.
On polish bid service is in good price new 8940g:
http://allegro.pl/nowa-plyta-glowna-acer-aspire-8940g-i6555608668.html
£1 = 4.8 polish zlotych
Even more interesting parts under 8940g search.
The problem is with heatsink for this model, but 8942g sholud be close to fit. Maybe small amends needs. But:
I found at ebay.de

 

And now...
No way to go Windows 10.
1. Bios "Switchable mode". Windows 10 ok. Only Intel visible in Device Manager. Don't see other devices.
2. In Bios "Discrete mode". During loading Win10, white blank screen - after 1 min. one bip like from Bios. Only Safe mode. In Safe mode Device menager see basic Windows card. By manualy instaling - latest from Nvidia webside, posibble, but during loading normal mode Win10 white blank screen again.
Who knows drivers for Win 10 and way to work with Intel?

Windows 7 the same. Device Manager don't see new device k21100m.No way to putit to see with switchable mode in Bios.
Windows 7 and discrete mode in Bios - white blan screen after few second loading windows 7.

 

@triturbo @valuxin @darnok44
Help please.
I can't run card in Windows 10 and 7.
Switchable mode - Intel visible in Device manager, AIDA64 sees two of them - picture.
Discrete mode - only run under Safe Mode (F8), possible instaling only drivers from Nvida. Not possible Dell,Lenovo others with k2110m driver for Windows 10. Not possible run Windows 10 normally.

 

Can You make printscreen in Device manager in discrete mode ?

 

Hi
Discrete mode load Win10 only in Safe mode. Then you see Standard graphic vga Microsoft. By manually instaling drivers is possible to instal last ones from Nvidia website. But when you restart in Normal mode it stops after few seconds with blank white screen. You can see it trays to do something but with no result. It is possible to switch off system by pushing power button - once, not hard restart. But after restartin stopping on white blank screen with no additional work. In Safe mode (F8) see properly.

 

Maybe it is windows 7 or 10 fault ? Do you have Vista or oldest drivers for nvidia to try ? I was fighting with gts 250m in 8935g and without proprer bios in graphic card windows 7 didn't let me even install drivers.

 

Hi
How to flash proper bios in vga card without installing properly in any operation system in computer? Everything is so hard.
The card has Dell's vBios, that was reported as a plug working bios.

 

Flash it in the DOS mode. The card just have to be recognise by bios to do that.

 

Thats true. But somewhere in the forum I read that Dell vbios is good, plug and play working bios. Because this card is Dell's one...
What is your opinion and recommendation?

 

Like You see not everything about MXM upgrades is white and black. I haven't seen anything regarding K2100M upgrade on 8935g or 8940g so You are probably first one on this subject. If one vbios isn't working try flash other one eg from MSI. Off course You have to bare in mind that there is a chance that card might not boot after flash and You will have to flash it back with the programmer to make it work again.

 

Anybody from London to programme a graphic card?

 

Walter try with this according to k2100m:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/8935g-gts-250m-driver.637808/page-2

 

Thank you. I will try to use this driver and I will add some edits in the ini file. Will see...
I am still-patience, waiting for any ideas.
Walter

 

I tried,but no success.
But there is something strange for me in my k2100m from Dell. Vendor.
This is vendor:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_019E1025
1025 at the end means Acer! My laptop is Acer, but Acer never used this graphic card in their computers.
Means it, somebody - my seller from Ebay, who said it is from Dell, overwritten vBios with Acer Vendor?
4 Producers used this card: Dell,Lenovo, Msi, Hp.Hp I have as well,but Bios not recognizing HP vBios.
Dell's vendor,taken from their driver .inf file is:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_05CC1028 or
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_15CC1028 (memorys are Hynix and Samsung)
Lenovo:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_221117AA
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_221E17AA
Msi:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11FC&SUBSYS_10FB1462

 

Have a nice day. You will be able to backup your notebook BIOS using the Universal BIOS Backup ToolKit. It is necessary to set up the work of the laptop. From the official site does not help, because there, just a little, an update, not a whole bios.

 

Thank you for answers.
An update.
Dell's K2100m is visible and working on cleen Windows 10, 8935g Acer Aspire notebook. One problemo is two pulpits. One -visible, icons not visible, on integrated Intel.
Second- hiden, on the left side of laptop screen,with all icons invisible.
If somebody has an quick solution,I will grateful.

 

Walter1970 if I'm corret k2100m didn't work with your 8940 and you didn't find a solution ?

 

Looks like video card is very sensitive with Windows 10. It couldn't been an upgrade from 7, just clean instal. With 8940g I will finish probably next week. I suspect my mainboard is broken and thats a problem. Anyway -8935g, needs to find a way to work together on one screen with two cards.Now I see clean from icons screen with Intel graphic and every program is running on not visible screen with K2100m.

 

Walter1970
Did you fix 8940g with k2100m and clean Windows, any issues? If so, please let me know

 

No, not yet. I have everything ready,all parts but not time.
Moreover, I have to sell k2100m from hp. The card is the same like from Dell. But needs to be overwritten by Dell's bios to start.

 

One more question
What is the difference between nvidia k2100m N14P-Q3-A2 and k2100m N15P-Q3-A1 ?

thanks a lot

 

I don't know. :/

 

hi guys, i tried to install a red pcb hd6770m on 8935g,however it boots using the Intel gpu. Any idea how I could get the computer to recognise and use it? there are no unknown devices in the device manager

 

nvm issue solved! hd 6770 rocks

 

You spend whole night to do it.
And what you did? It one model of computerand many solutions with the same things.
W

 

not really, it was a really simple fix, just had to download the correct driver and thats it!

 

[QAnd E="Corse, post: 10527008, member: 688434"]not really, it was a really simple fix, just had to download the correct driver and thats it![/QUOTE]

And what drivers- numbers, and system did you install?

 

all i did was to upgrade to win 7, then install the official AMD drivers

 

Win. 7 always working. Windows 10, this is..