Acer MXM BIOS Mods and discussion (was: x920G vs. 9600M GT)

[u6b36ef]

I don't know, but in 9600M's, the C1 revision is the DDR2's whether GS or GT, and the A1 are the GDDR3's. Correction: it has been shown C1 revisions of 9600M GT appear in GDDR3 512MB version. (They do seem quite rare though.)

There is another difference too, but I can't be conclusive just yet. I think overall the C1's are smaller chips.
Since I have the C1 in 9600M GS, and A1 in 9600M GT, I discovered the size difference. My idea is that either:
1. It's down to the fact the 9600M GS is smaller because it clocks lower and is volted just slightly lower, so is a different chip.
2. Or the A1 revision is larger, to accomodate the higher data transfer rate with the RAM, (and 70MHz higher clock).

As you see I'd need either an A1 GS, or a C1 GT to know for sure. Either way, for now, my A1 GT (core,) I think is no thicker, but is about 2mmx2mm wider (lxb).

However, I guess you'd be the one to know whether it makes any difference to how they run ref. BIOS's.

[aikidokaboy]

Hi guys!
I just signed up and I've read all your posts (well I'm lying I've read most of them but not all ) form the first to the last page.
.NetRolller 3D I have to say this is great work mate!
Also blackened87 you've inspired me with that cooling stuff.
We need a donation button in your signature or something.
Now I have a question for .NetRolller 3D and blackened87.
I have an Acer 9920 computer with a working motherboard but unfortunately I do not have the original video card.
What should I do next?
From what I found on this forum it seems that I have to go Nvidia all the way.
If I buy a 9600M GT will I be able to overwrite the computer bios with the modded one without getting the error that says the original video card is not installed?
If it's not possible then can it be done with a regular 8600M GT installed or you need the original one in place?
Also if it doesn't work one way or another which cards are working without this modded bios and only by overwriting the vbios of the newly installed card with the vbios of an 8600M GT card?
And also is it necessary that the new cards installed have to be from another Acer laptop or the source providing them doesn't really matter?
Thank you very much guys for all your help!

[.NetRolller 3D]

@u6b36ef: A1 was manufactured on a 65nm product line, while C1 is a 55nm shrink version. Also, the chip package had to be redesigned to avoid Bumpgate.

BTW, here is a 9600M GT DDR3, rev. C1: NEW Nvidia Geforce 9600M GT DDR3 512MB MXM II VGA Card 9600MGT for ACER | eBay

So, "C1" basically means "55nm die shrink".

@aikidokaboy: The 9920G doesn't use whitelisting, so you won't get an error about the original video card anyway - however, without the BIOS mod, the internal display won't function, due to a bug in the BIOS. You will also need to use a modded VBIOS to correctly handle the 9920G's unusual display panel (the 9920G uses a panel designed for LCD TVs, rather than laptops).

You do not need a 8600M GT at all - all you will need is an external display to use during the flash.

[aikidokaboy]

.NetRolller 3D thank you very much for your answer mate!
I think I will try the 9600M GT but I wonder if the source of the new video card matters or not.
I mean does it matter if it comes from an Asus for example?

[.NetRolller 3D]

Asus cards are not recommended - for example, almost all Asus cards I know are DDR2, which is not supported in the 9920G.

Others (e.g. MSI) should be fine, though.

[aikidokaboy]

Asus cards are not recommended - for example, almost all Asus cards I know are DDR2, which is not supported in the 9920G.

Others (e.g. MSI) should be fine, though.

Should I look for DDR3 cards?
What if I find a DDR2 card from another Acer?
Will that work?
Thanks mate!

[.NetRolller 3D]

There is currently no working VBIOS for DDR2 cards. Not even Acer ones.
(They are much slower anyway, so I don't see a point in buying them.)

[u6b36ef]

@.NetRolller 3D,

@u6b36ef: A1 was manufactured on a 65nm product line, while C1 is a 55nm shrink version. Also, the chip package had to be redesigned to avoid Bumpgate.

BTW, here is a 9600M GT DDR3, rev. C1: NEW Nvidia Geforce 9600M GT DDR3 512MB MXM II VGA Card 9600MGT for ACER | eBay

So, "C1" basically means "55nm die shrink".

1. Sorry there, I think I have to correct you, believing all 9600M's were manufactured in 65mm lithography. I read it wasn't until the 9650M GT, that the 55nm tech size was introduced, and the GT120M and 130M followed suit. Then GT230M/240M's moved up to 40nm. (Plus anyway, all I have read so far is that bumpgate was with only, and 'died' out with G84/M.)

3. Difinitively, I think my C1 9600M GS is 65nm, as is my A1 9600M GT.
*This is the link to my pic of my 9600M GS screenshot, (as it was back on page 63 in this thread).
9600M GS screen shot (in GPU-Z).gif
*CPUID CPU-Z (graphics tab) display C1 as 65nm tech.
*Notebookcheck info, (though their info can occaisionally be sketchy).
*Speccy reads it as 66nm, (haha), but also sees it as an A2.

It makes sense that my guess is the A1 chip is larger to accommodate faster ram interface, partnered with GDDR3. Bandwidth comes at a price.

[.NetRolller 3D]

GPU-Z lists it wrongly. C1 is definitely a die shrink. Also, I seem to remember a NBR user once having a C1 DDR3 card.

Nvidia will never release chips with different capabilities but the same chip ID, differing only in revision. All "G96-630" chips can do both DDR2 and GDDR3, regadless of revision.

Also, notice how all A1 chips (except FX 770M ones) tend to have 2007-2008 date codes, while C1 is 2009 or later (rarely 2008, and never 2007).

And yes, early G96s were affected by Bumpgate. Anything manufactured after mid-2008 is safe, though.

BTW, here is another GDDR3 C1: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Nvidia-Geforc...item2a06a0d1d5
(The first picture reads A1; the rest all show C1. The description explicitly mentions that it's C1.)

IIRC my avatar is also a C1 DDR3 card.

[aikidokaboy]

@nikki
well since i am the only one having a fully functional 9920 with the 9600m gt i will guide you in what i did

first you need to install netroller's modified sbios-you can find the link for download on page 1 of this thread.
then you install the next to last(not the last) vbios mod netroller did.maybe 3-4 pages prior to this one.
now your acer will boot normaly with the 9600m gt.

at the moment you will not be able to install any drivers.
you need to download the driver with the modified inf files in order to do so.
go to laptopvideo2go.com and download 259.47 version of the driver
you also need to download the latest nvidia drivers go to nvidia.com to do so.after download run the latest drivers just so they can decompress on your hard drive. the usually go to c:\nvidia...the installer will then exit with a prompt that you don't have a compatible graphics card...
run the instalation of the modified driver and restart the laptop-mind you that you need to do this step with the internal screen!!!
after bootup your screen will be all messed up!don't panic! in my case the picture was double and purple!!!-also stay with the internal screen(when i tried the same thing with the external screen it didn't work...
the screen is all messed up but you can still navigate through it with a little effort...
go to device manager and find your graphics card-now from there do a step by step driver update by foot.find the latest nvidia driver you have prepared earlier and locate the required inf file.select your card from the list and update.
click allow on the prompt's by windows....and would you look at that your screen turns normal without restart required
and everithing works just fine!

ouh and this is all done in windows 7-i don't know if other version's of windows will respond the same and it will have the same result...but it works you can see for your self on the pictures i posted earlier

blackened87 can you please let me know the revision of your 9600M GT and also can you please confirm it's a DDR3 one?
And also can you please explain in detail what do you mean by "run the installation of the modified driver"?
Thank you mate!