Notebooks & Netbooks

[Kiwi1]

Hi,

I upgraded my Acer Aspire 8735G 6502 from an Intel T6600 to the T9800 CPU. Everything was working fine before I installed the T9800. Afterwards, however, Black Screen of Death -- the blue power light will come on (and stay on) and the volume lights will come on for a few seconds (then turn off then back on and stay on) but no Acer flash screen or POST - just black screen. No activity from the hard drive light. So far, I have reset the RAM, 240M graphics card, attempted to connect to VGA (failed) and, of course, put the T6600 back in.  T6600 was reinstalled after first black screen so all subsequent troubleshooting eliminated defective T9800 as problem.

Based on reading many posts the most likely solution is to reset the BIOS/CMOS. I have located what appears to be the CMOS battery ("AF 18L 1B") located under the fan. It has a black plastic ring which I have gently tried to pry, twist, and screw out to no avail. The technical manual gives no instruction on where or how to replace or reset the CMOS battery (which is now about 4.5 years old). Can anyone confirm that this is the CMOS battery and, if so, how to remove it?  How does one reset the CMOS?

I think that it is unlikely that the MB or graphics card is fried. There is no sign of burning and, as I said, it has been working perfecly for 4.5 years before the CPU swap. Also, there are no error messages.  Any ideas or suggestions?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

SPECS & TROUBLESHOOTING

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit

Separate graphic card - nVidia M240; 1GB DDR3(OEM)

4GB Samsung 1033 DDR2 RAM (have swapped 1 bank at a time)

Intel Core 2 Duo T6600,2.2Ghz, 800Mhz FSB, 2MB Level 2 memory, 35W, tMax 100, released Q12009 upgraded to used

Intel Core 2 Duo T9800, 2.96Ghz, 1033 FSB, 6MB Level 2 memory, 35W, tMax 90, released Q42008; Arctic Silver 5 applied

Phoenix BIOS v1.04 dated 9/2009 installed; v1.07 latest (2010?) available; Acer does not list CPUs supported by BIOS version.

HDD 0 Samsung EVO PRO 128GB SSD; HDD 1 Western Digital Blue 500GB

Motherboard JV80 1033Mhz

Intel Chipset P45

All periphials disconnected for troubleshooting

FWIW other than the black screen and the inability to locate/reset CMOS battery the only thing that stands out in my mind about this upgrade effort was the substanial dust removed from the INSIDE cooling fins next to the fan.  I didn't know dust would accumulate in an area that was only accessable by removing the fan from the heatpipe/heatsink/fan component.

[laurent_14]

Hello Kiwi1,

1- The CPUs installed in origin on the Aspire 8735G (only one MB model):

KC.64001.DTP	CPU.DUO.T6400/2.0G/2M/800/R0
KC.65001.DTP	CPU.DUO.T6500/2.1G/2M/800/R0
KC.66001.DTP	CPU.DUO.T6600/2.2G/2M/800/R0
KC.73501.DPP	CPU.DUO.M-2.00GHz/3MB/1066/M0
KC.74501.DPP	CPU.PDUO.P7450/2.13G/1066/M0
KC.74501.DPR	CPU INTEL CORE2DUAL P7450
KC.75501.DPP	CPU INTEL CORE2DUAL P7550 PGA
KC.86R01.DPP	CPU.2DUO.P8600/2.4G/3M/1066
KC.87R01.DPP	CPU.2DUO.P8700/2.53G/1066/R0
KC.88R01.DPP	CPU INTEL CORE2DUAL P8800 PGA
KC.95501.DTP	CPU.DUO.T9550.2.66G/1066/35W

2- CMOS battery --- out of voltage ---:

    It's located under the keyboard and the upper case. You'll see on the page 103 of the document (down and left of the

    first picture - KTS CR2032). Remove it, wait few minutes to clear CMOS  and change it by an new one.

    See this picture of your motherboard.

    In the same time, you can do a good cleaning with an air duster.

[Kiwi1]

Hi, Laurent.

Thanks for the reply.  For updated troubleshooting please see this thread.

Can you confirm that the latest AS8735G BIOS (v1.05, v1.07, or UPEK(2011)) supports the Intel T9800 cpu?

[laurent_14]

Hello,

I have indicated you the list of the CPUs mounted. The most powerfull is the Intel T9550.

I don't know if the Intel T9800 is supported (perhaps the CPU code isn't contained in the bios). 

[Kiwi1]

Laurent,

I think there is a minor miscommunication.  My interpretation of your comment about CPUs being "mounted" is that the 8735G was originally offered for sale with the various CPUs you list "installed".

My experience with other PC manufacturers is that BIOS upgrades commonly include support for more powerful CPUs.  Thus, my inquiry as to whether the T9800 was among the CPUs supported by later BIOS updates.  Unless I am looking in the wrong places I can't find what, if any, additional CPUs are supported by BIOS v1.05, v1.07, or UPEK.  Do you know if it is Acer's policy not to support additional CPUs in BIOS upgrades?