Acer Notebook CPU Upgrades

I was cheap ( My Stupidity) and bought a Acer 5315-2142. The processor (M540 1.86 GHZ 533 FSB 1MB L2 Cache) seems slow. I was looking to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo. I wrote Acer support this is what I received as an answer:

"Thank you for contacting Acer America. I’ll be happy to assist you. If you want to upgrade the processor, it is possible to upgrade the memory and hard drive in a laptop computer only; however, unlike desktop computers, the internal components of the Acer notebook computers are not upgradeable or modifiable. This would include sound, video card/video ram, motherboard, CPU, etc.


Respectfully,
Acer America
Online Technical Support"

Has anyone upgraded the CPU for this computer?

-Joe

 

CPU is upgradeable to Socket P Core 2's. Stick with the 5-series since the laptop probably uses the 960GL.

 

Yes, you can upgrade from a celeron M to a core 2 duo socket P processor.
Their is a link around in the notebook section, I will have to find it for you.

K-TRON

 

Lithus is correct according to Intel documents. But several on this site have upgraded to the faster FSB CPU's successfully. Others have had issues so no guarantee.

 

Why do they tell me I can't upgrade it? Is it because they don't want you to buy the cheaper system then upgrade it.

My chipset is: Intel GM965
Socket: 479mpga

So your saying I should use an Intel t5000 series CPU?

 

If you have GM965 (you sure? Do you have IGP?) no one is saying T5xxx anymore. No one is worried about FSB anymore go for it. T7xxx even T8xxx or T9xxx.

 

RAM and HDD are designated "user upgradeable". Relatively easy.

Everything else is not and will void the warranty. Most companies will not help you with an upgrade that is warranty voiding.

 

Thanks guys I really appreciate the info, and the amazing response time!!! I'm gonna give it a shot. I'll go with the T7xxx and a memory upgrade.
I'll order it now and check back here to let everyone know how I made out.

 

Make sure you get a socket P processor.
Their are a few T7xxx which are socket M, like the T7200, T7400 and the T7600. Stay away from those, they will not work.

K-TRON

 

Ok an Thank you again!!

 

what I would look for first is the service manual which will help you to dismantle the system. I never would have guessed on my Acer I had to literally take the whole thing completely apart.

Some advice; when you are taking the laptop apart, get a piece of paper, some tape, a pen, and mark down where the screws came from. I think at the end of it all, i had taken some 40-5o screws out of the system, no way would I have known where they all went (though some were close/same in size, other's were not).

 

T7300 is a good one,, i wish i had waited and bought the T7300,, you need to check and see what color you CPU socket is.... if it's grey you WILL have to do some modding to the socket to get the CPU to physically fit... I had to do this to mine so i know what i'm talking about... while my mother's 5315 bought the same day, same store has the REAL Socket P style Socket which is a PINK color... if your CPU socket is PINK then you are all set to upgrade, but if you are unlucky like i was you may have to mod the socket slightly..

i think the Grey scoket was designed for CELERON ONLY models of both socket M and P... i tried to put both styles of CPUs in my notebook neither fit... so i had to make it fit.... BUT NOW IT WORKS (with a socket P) in a grey celeron socket!

later,
bigozone

P.S. this laptop model doesn't require dissassembly to replace the CPU... 4 screws.. remove bottom cover.... then remove 3 screws holding fan.. unplug and remove fan assembly,,,, then 4 screws at corners of CPU heatsink die.... lift heatsink die & pipe out...... then turn CPU socket lock screw to unlock CPU... lift out CPU.... place new CPU in,,, then re-assemble in reverse order... i have a real step by step i'll try to dig up and post a link to later

Originally Posted by bigozone
on the 5315, a cpu upgrade is very easy..
1. unplug power, remove battery,, and press power button to drain any residual power held by capasitors.

2. remove 4 screws (one at a time) from the bottom access pannel (large funny shaped pannel w/ circular fan hole).

3. w/ screws removed use small screwdriver to help prise the pannel up, (it takes some force to remove the pannel, just go slow and steady).

4. after pannel removal, locate the FAN.. remove the 3 screws from the fan, unplug fan power cable, then remove the fan.

5. now unscrew the 4 screws from above the CPU (they have springs between the screw heads and the cpu heatsink.

6. now w/ screws removed, lift the heatsink up off the CPU and remove the heat-sink assembly... it goes all the way to the fins that are in back of the fan...

7. with the heatsink assembly removed, you should see the CPU... hopefully you have a PINK cpu socket.
LET ME KNOW IF YOURS IS GREY!!!!!!

8. turn the screw at the top of the cpu socket. that should release the pressure on the CPU,, and now you should be able to lift the CPU out of the scoket.

9. place the new cpu in the socket, MAKE SURE IT IS FRIMLY SEATED w/ no gap between pins cpu and socket... then turn screw back to lock CPU in place..

10. re assemble the rest of the components in reverse order to re assemble.. (heatsink assembly, (screw it back in,, fan assembly- screw it back and hook up power,, replace back cover and replace screws.)

that should do it for you...

before doing all of this make sure you have updated your bios version to atleast version 1.31,, i'm using 1.34 w/ no problems,, and i'd suggest going w/ 1.34.

what CPU are you upgrading to??

if you have any other questions message me,

 

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to Thank you again for all the great advice. I received my CPU today and I just plugged it in and powered up and prayed and thanks to you guys I am writing to this thread on it now.


-Joe

 

congrats joe!!!!!!!!!!
what CPU did you go with???

later,
bigozone

 

Your notebook should be able to take any Penryn Core 2 Duo.

I have an Acer Aspire 3690, which came with a Celeron M 440 1.83GHz. I was led to believe that it could not be upgraded, but I did some research and now I'm running a Core Duo T2700 @ 2.33GHz and it works great.

 

I went with a Core 2 Duo T7500 2.20GHZ SKT P

 

cool.... i bet u r loving it!!! and it's a lot cooler to isn't it?