A8J: How are you meant to unplug the graphics card?

EDIT: graphics card problem solved, but now need to find a way of flashing BIOS - please read bottom post.

I've been searching the forum and Google in the last half an hour, and I just have to give up. (trust me - I've used all sorts of possible keywords; I don't usually post questions unless I really have to )

Basically, I want to upgrade my CPU from T2300E to T7200 on my A8Ja, but to get to the CPU I have to first unplug the graphics card (ATI X1600) in order to remove the heatsink, and the Asus internal service manual said simply remove the four screws on the card and then you can pull it out.

Well, from what I can see there is no way that I can pull the card out comfortably - there is hardly any gap around the card for me to do so (see photo). However, I do know there are some people who have managed to upgrade the CPU, so they must know what the trick is.

I must be missing something vital here, as it should be a straight forward operation. If you have any idea then please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

 

Nevermind - after some *very gentle* wiggle on the furthest corner (relative to the photo) using a small screwdriver, the card popped out!

Back to CPU upgrading.

 

Glad you solved it. Good luck with the CPU upgrade.

 

Oh dear... After everything's put back together, the machine turns on (hard drive spins, power light on), but the screen is dead and one touch on the power button switches the machine off straight away. It's the same without the graphics card...

I am going to put the old CPU back in. Hopefully it will work then.

 

I was confused for a minute as to how you posted the above message... glad you're other machine is still working.

Hopefully there's a simple fix like the processor wasn't sitted correctly.

 

Phew... ok... The machine still works with the T2300E. Seems like my A8Ja just didn't like the T7200. The BIOS was already the latest, so I guess I will have to use a BIOS from a different model.

I'm looking at A8Js now, but will need to double check. Any feedback is welcome.

BTW the chipset is Intel ® 945PM. I thought it is compatible.

 

LOL Yes I do have a spare machine (ThinkPad X31), otherwise I wouldn't have attempted this mod.

Good point about that possible silly mistake, although I'm pretty certain that it was sat well and locked in place. I will take a break now as it was a pain in the butt to take the heatsink out. I think it's time for supper too.

 

You really need to double check before using a BIOS from a different machine. Bad BIOS could turn your laptop into a paperweight... and the A8J and A8S are different enough machines to make that a distinct possibility.

But can you expect the CPU to work at all? If I'm not mistaken, the T2300E is a Yonah and the 7200 a Merom; the hardware/chipset should then support it. If so, then probably the CPU microcode is missing from the BIOS. Which means that a newer BIOS would be your best bet, if available.

What does that E stand for though? I hope it's not a low-voltage CPU, if so then maybe there is not enough power to run the newer one (and there might be problems with heat dissppation as well).

 

The current BIOS I used is for both A8Ja and A8Js (not A8S as you mentioned). Of course, there may be catastrophic consequences if playing with the wrong BIOS, so I will look into that. One of the A8Js configurations uses the T7200, so I will just need to check that spec.

The E means virtualization not supported. Good point about the power supply though, but I have read somewhere that people have upgraded from Core Duo to Core 2 Duo on the A8J series with no problems.

 

OK, need help again.

After some research, it seems that the A8Jp is where I want to get to (it has T7200), apart from the graphics card still being X1600.

The A8Jp and A8Ja both share the same chipset (945PM) and same graphics card manufacturer (ATI), plus both are Centrino machines, so it is pretty fair to say that one's BIOS should work on the other. Some users even say that the motherboards of the two are identical!

However, Asus is very clever at preventing users doing the wrong thing, and have added a platform ID check on their BIOS flash tools.

So the question is: can I bypass that and force flash? Any further warnings that you guys want to provide regarding BIOS flashing?

 

Seems like I can either mod the BIOS to add the microcode (safer, I guess?), or find a way to flash an existing BIOS that is for a variant of the series (slightly risky).

Any thoughts?

EDIT: I've used mmtool to copy the T7200 microcode from the A8Jp BIOS to A8Ja BIOS and flashed it, but the laptop still refuses to run along with the T7200 (lights and hard drive on, black screen).

Intel's given specs show that the voltage is about the same on both CPUs (but please tell me if I am wrong):

T2300E
T7200

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

the model that was the same as the a8ja was called the a8jm


a8js, is the next model


a8ja will never use that cpu btw to make a long story short. a8jm could not either its here in this forum.

the bios will be incompatible because the motherboard is different

sata hard drive instead of ide and other small differences.

No this is no can do this project is doomed.

 

I'm getting curious about this... What is the reason for which the CPU doesn't work? For instance on the V6J I know that Merom was drop-in compatible as soon as the BIOS was updated with Merom ucode.

richardlai, I won't venture any advice since I don't have any experience with modding BIOSes and the like. I wouldn't try it, myself, either.

 

Well, at least I know I should stick to the A8Ja BIOS. Thanks for pointing out the storage device interface difference - I forgot about that.

I spent good money on the T7200, so I'm determined to get this working - after my exam on Monday, that is.

 

Thanks anyway - you're the one who lit up my lightbulb with the word "microcode".

It seems like I will have to further modify he A8Ja BIOS to get this working. I was hoping someone has successfully done this before, but it seems like I'm the only one sad enough to attempt this?

 

here in the us we did not have the a8ja, but the a8jm is the same thing with the 7600 nvidia gpu

No bios was released for merom cpu. You can search for the a8jm user forum or look at the asus site.

They released the a8js with merom you see

Yes they could have but they did not a few models did not get merom bios updates.

If you are so skilled as to write your own it should be hosted here even. a8jm was the most owned orphaned model.

 

Yes, the A8Ja seemed to be only available in Asia Pacific (mine was from Hong Kong), and it didn't stay in the market for long as the A8Jm came out at about the same time but more expensive. I know they are identical otherwise.

I am also aware that there is no Merom BIOS update for either models, so if I do manage to get a BIOS working with the T7200, I will publish my method and files.

My next step is to look at how the desktop motherboard BIOS modders do their job.

 

Well good luck with the ucode! And keep us posted.