Acer Aspire M3910(G) Service Guide PRINTED IN TAIWAN
Revision History Please refer to the table below for the updates made on this service guide.
Copyright Copyright © 2010 by Acer Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language or computer language, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.
Disclaimer The information in this guide is subject to change without notice. Acer Incorporated makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Any Acer Incorporated software described in this manual is sold or licensed "as is".
Conventions The following conventions are used in this manual: SCREEN MESSAGES Denotes actual messages that appear on screen. NOTE Gives additional information related to the current topic. WARNING Alerts you to any physical risk or system damage that might result from doing or not doing specific actions. CAUTION Gives precautionary measures to avoid possible hardware or software problems. IMPORTANT Reminds you to do specific actions relevant to the accomplishment of procedures.
Service Guide Coverage This Service Guide provides you with all technical information relating to the BASIC CONFIGURATION decided for Acer's "global" product offering. To better fit local market requirements and enhance product competitiveness, your regional office MAY have decided to extend the functionality of a machine (e.g. add-on card, modem, or extra memory capability). These LOCALIZED FEATURES will NOT be covered in this generic service guide.
Table of Contents System Tour Features Block Diagram System Components Front Panel Rear Panel Hardware Specifications and Configurations Power Management Function(ACPI support function) System Utilities CMOS Setup Utility Entering CMOS setup Navigating Through the Setup Utility Setup Utility Menus System Disassembly Disassembly Requirements Pre-disassembly Procedure Removing the Side Panel Removing the Heat Sink Fan Assembly Removing the Processor Removing the VGA Card Removing the TV Card Removing the Mo
FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) List Aspire M3910(G) Exploded Diagram(AM350-ASSY) Aspire M3910(G) Exploded Diagram(AM351-ASSY) Aspire M3910(G) FRU List viii 60 61 62 63
Chapter 1 System Tour Features Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many feature: NOTE: The features listed in this section is for your reference only. The exact configuration of the system depends on the model purchased.
• • 1GB to 16GB Max memory support Design Criteria: • Must meet Intel Lynnfield and Clarkdale Chipset platform design guide Hard disk • Support up to two SATA ports • 3.5", 25.4mm • Capacity and models are listed on AVLC Optical disk • Support two SATA 5.
USB ports • • Ports Quantity: 12 • 6 back panel ports • On-board: 2 2*5 headers • 4 ports for front daughter board • Connector Pin: standard Intel FPIO pin definition Data transfer rate support: USB 2.0/1.
Block Diagram 4 Chapter 1
System Components This section is a virtual tour of the system’s interior and exterior components. Front Panel 8 1 7 6 2 3 4 5 Chapter 1 No. Component 1 USB 2.
Rear Panel 1 14 2 13 3 12 4 11 5 10 6 9 7 8 No. 6 Component 1 Power connector 2 PS2 keyboard port 3 HDMI port 4 VGA port 5 USB 2.0 ports 6 Mic-in 7 Line-out 8 Expansion slot (graphics card and TV tuner card and Mode card) 9 Line-in 10 USB 2.
Hardware Specifications and Configurations Processor Item Specification Processor Type CPUs which complaint with Intel FSB 800/1066/1333 MHz CPUs Socket Type Intel Socket T LGA 1156 pin Minimum operating speed 0 MHz (If Stop CPU Clock in Sleep State in BIOS Setup is set to Enabled.) BIOS Item Specification BIOS code programer AMI Kernel with Acer skin BIOS version P01-A0 BIOS ROM type SPI ROM BIOS ROM size 2Mb Support protocol SMBIOS(DMI)2.4/DMI2.
Memory Combinations Slot Memory Total Memory Slot 1 1GB,2GB,4G 1G ~4GB Slot 2 1GB,2GB,4G 1G ~4GB Slot 3 1GB,2GB,4G 1G ~4GB Slot 4 1GB,2GB,4G 1G ~4GB Maximum System Memory Supported 1G~16GB System Memory Item Specification Memory slot number 4 slot Support Memory size per socket 1GB/2GB/4GB Support memory type DDRIII Support memory interface DDRIII 1066/1333 Support memory voltage 1.
SATA Interface Item Specification SATA controller PCH: Intel H57 SATA controller resident bus PCI bus Number of SATA channel SATA X 6 Support bootable CD-ROM YES USB Port Item Specification Universal HCI USB 2.0/1.
Power Management Function(ACPI support function) Device Standby Mode • Independent power management timer for hard disk drive devices(0-15 minutes,time step=1minute). • Hard Disk drive goes into Standby mode(for ATA standard interface). • Disable V-sync to control the VESA DPMS monitor. • Resume method:device activated (keyboard for DOS, keyboard &mouse for Windows. • Resume recovery time 3-5sec Global Standby Mode • Global power management timer(2-120minutes,time step=10minute).
Chapter 2 System Utilities CMOS Setup Utility CMOS setup is a hardware configuration program built into the system ROM, called the complementary metaloxide semiconductor (CMOS) Setup Utility. Since most systems are already properly configured and optimized, there is no need to run this utility. You will need to run this utility under the following conditions.
Entering CMOS setup 1. Turn on the server and the monitor. If the server is already turned on, close all open applications, then restart the server. 2. During POST, press Delete. If you fail to press Delete before POST is completed, you will need to restart the server. The Setup Main menu will be displayed showing the Setup’s menu bar. Use the left and right arrow keys to move between selections on the menu bar.
Setup Utility Menus The Setup Main menu includes the following main setup categories.
Product Information The Product Information menu displays basic information about the system. These entries are for your reference only and are not user-configurable. Parameter Description Processor Type Type of CPU installed on the system. Processor Speed Speed of the CPU installed on the system. System Memory Total size of system memory installed on the system. Product Name Product name of the system. System Serial Number Serial number of the system.
Standard CMOS Features Parameter Description System Date Set the date following the weekday-month-day-year format. System Time Set the system time following the hour-minute-second format. Halt On Determines whether the system will stop for an error during the POST.
Advanced BIOS Feature Parameter Description Option Quick Boot Allows you to decrease the time it takes to boot the computer by shortening or skipping certain standard booting process. Enabled Quiet Boot When enabled, the BIOS splash screen displays during startup. Enabled When disabled, the diagnostic screen displays during startup. Disabled Specifies the boot order from the available devices.
Advanced Chipset Features Parameter Description Option Intel EIST When enabled, this feature allows the OS to reduce power consumption. Enabled When disabled, the system operates at maximum CPU speed. Disabled When enabled, the processor disables code execution when a worm attempts to insert a code in the buffer preventing damage and worm propagation. Enabled Intel XD Bit Disabled When disabled, the processor forces the Execute Disable (XD) Bit feature flag to always return to 0.
Integrated Peripherals Parameter Description Onboard SATA Controller Enables or disables the onboard SATA controller. Option Enabled Disabled Onboard SATA Mode Select an operating mode for the onboard SATA. RAID Native IDE Onboard USB Controller Enables or disables the onboard USB controller. Legacy USB Support Enables or disables support for legacy USB devices. Enabled Disabled Enabled Disabled USB Storage Emulation Enables or disables support for legacy USB devices.
Power Management Setup Parameter Description Option ACPI Suspend Mode Select an ACPI state. S3 (STR) Deep power off mode Select the Deep power off Mode S1 (POS) Enabled Disabled Power On by RTC Alarm Enables or Disables to wake up the system by RTC Alarm Function Enabled Power On by PCIE Devices Enables or disables to wake up the system from a power saving mode through an event on PCI Express device.
PC Health Status Parameter Description Option Smart FAN Enables or disables the smart system fan control function.
Frequency/Voltage Control Parameter Description Option Clock to All DIMM/PCI Enables or disables control the clock to all DIMM/PCI Enabled Disabled Spread Spectrum Chapter 2 Enables or disables the reduction of the mainboard’s EMI. Enabled Note: Remember to disable the Spread Spectrum feature if you are overclocking. A slight jitter can introduce a temporary boost in clock speed causing the overclocked processor to lock up.
BIOS Security Features Parameter Description Supervisor Password Indicates the status of the supervisor password. User Password Indicates the status of the user password. Change Supervisor Password Supervisor password prevents unauthorized access to the BIOS Setup Utility. Press Enter to change the Supervisor password. Setting a supervisor password 1. Use the up/down arrow keys to select Change Supervisor Password menu then press Enter. A password box will appear. 2.
Load Default Settings The Load Default Settings menu allows you to load the default settings for all BIOS setup parameters. Setup defaults are quite demanding in terms of resources consumption. If you are using low-speed memory chips or other kinds of low-performance components and you choose to load these settings, the system might not function properly.
Save & Exit Setup The Save & Exit Setup menu allows you to save changes made and close the Setup Utility.
Exit Without Saving The Exit Without Saving menu allows you to discard changes made and close the Setup Utility.
Chapter 3 System Disassembly This chapter contains step-by-step procedures on how to disassemble the desktop computer for maintenance and troubleshooting. Disassembly Requirements To disassemble the computer, you need the following tools: • Wrist grounding strap and conductive mat for preventing electrostatic discharge • Flat-blade screwdriver • Philips screwdriver • Hex screwdriver • Plastic flat-blade screwdriver Plastic tweezers NOTE: The screws for the different components vary in size.
Pre-disassembly Procedure Before proceeding with the disassembly procedure, perform the steps listed below: 27 1. Turn off the system and all the peripherals connected to it. 2. Unplug the power cord from the power outlets. 3. Unplug the power cord from the system. 4. Unplug all peripheral cables from the system. 5. Place the system unit on a flat, stable surface.
Removing the Side Panel 1. Remove the two screws located on the rear edge of the side panel. 2. Slide the side panel toward the back of the chassis until the tabs on the cover disengage with the slots on the chassis. 3. Lift the side panel away from the server and put it aside for reinstallation later.
Removing the Heat Sink Fan Assembly WARNING:The heat sink becomes very hot when the system is on. NEVER touch the heat sink with any metal or with your hands. 29 1. disconnect the fan cable from the mainboard. 2. Use a long-nosed screwdriver to loosen the four screws on the heat sink, in the order as shown below. 3. Lift the heat sink fan assembly away from the mainboard.
Removing the Processor IMPORTANT:Before removing a processor from the mainboard, make sure to create a backup file of all important data. WARNING:The processor becomes very hot when the system is on. Allow it to cool off first before handling. 1. Release the load lever. 2. Lift the load lever and load plate to the fully open, upright position (1) and (2). 3. Pull out the processor from the socket.
Removing the VGA Card 31 1. Release the Slot cover lock. 2. Remove the screw from chassis. 3. Disconnect the power cables from the VGA card. 4. One finger Press the clip and the same time Gently pull the card to remove it from the mainboard.
Removing the TV Card 1. Gently pull the TV card to remove it from the mainboard. Removing the Mode Card 1. Gently pull the Mode card to remove it from the mainboard.
Removing the Hard Disk Drive 33 1. Disconnect the data and power cables from the rear of the optical drive and the mainboard. 2. Remove the HDD bracket a. Remove the screw that secures the HDD bracket to the ODD bracket. b. Lift the bracket up and turn it over.
3. Remove the HDD module a. Remove the eight screws secure the HDD module to the HDD bracket. b. Slide the HDD out of the bracket.
Removing the Front Bezel 35 1. Remove the side panel. Refer to the previous section for instructions. 2. Disconnect the LED cable. 3. Release the front bezel from the chassis interior. 4. Pull the bezel away from the chassis.
Removing the Optical Drive 1. Disconnect the data and power cables from the rear of the optical drive. Power cabl e 2. Remove Four screw from the optical drive. 3. Pull the drive out of the drive.
Removing Real USB Board 37 1. Remove USB cable 2. Release the screw of real usb. 3. Remove the real usb board.
Removing Cables 1. Remove power switch and LED cables from slot of M/B 2. Remove HDD Data and ODD Data cables from slot of M/B. Powe- Led Cabl e HDD Cabl e 3. Remove USB1/2/3 cable from M/B. 4.
Remove System FAN 39 1. Remove System FAN cable from M/B. 2. Release four screws according to the following picture. 3. Take off the system fan from chassis.
Removing the Power Supply 1. Disconnect the 24-pin and 4-pin power supply cables from the mainboard. 2. Remove the four screw that secures the power supply to the chassis. 3. Lift the power supply module out of the chassis.
Removing the Memory Modules IMPORTANT:Before removing any DIMM from the memory board, make sure to create a backup file of all important data. 41 1. Press the holding clips on both sides of the DIMM slot outward to release the DIMM. 2. Gently pull the DIMM upward to pull it away from the M/B.
Removing the removable HDD bay 1. Remove the HDD rail 2. Remove the screws that secure the HDD bay. 3. Remove the HDD bay.
Removing the Mainboard 1. Remove the eight screws that secure the mainboard to the chassis. 2. Lift the board from the chassis. Note:Circuit boards >10 cm² has been highlighted with the yellow rectangle as above image shows. Please detach the Circuit boards and follow local regulations for disposal.
3. Punching in IO Shield then you can remove it. 4. Remove the RTC battery. Note:RTC battery has been highlighted with the yellow circle as above image shows.Please detach the RTC battery and follow local regulations for disposal.
Chapter 4 System Troubleshooting This chapter provides instructions on how to troubleshoot system hardware problems. Hardware Diagnostic Procedure IMPORTANT:The diagnostic tests described in this chapter are only intended to test Acer products. NonAcerproducts, prototype cards, or modified options can give false errors and invalid systemresponses. 1. Obtain the failing symptoms in as much detail as possible. 2.
System Check Procedures Power System Check If the system will power on, skip this section. Refer to System External Inspection. If the system will not power on, do the following: • Check if the power cable is properly connected to the system and AC source. • Check if the voltage selector switchis set to the correct voltage setting. System External Inspection 1. Inspect the LED indicators on the front panel, which can indicate the malfunction. 2. Make sure that air flow is not blocked. 3.
Beep Codes Beep codes are used by the BIOS to indicate a serious or fatal error to the end user. Beep codes are used when an error occurs before the system video has been initialized. Beep codes will be generated by the system board speaker, commonly referred to as the PC speaker. AMIBIOS displays the checkpoints in the bottom right corner of the screen during POST. This display method is limited, since it only displays checkpoints that occur after the video card has been activated.
Checkpoints A checkpoint is either a byte or word value output to I/O port 80h.The BIOS outputs checkpoints throughout bootblock and Power-On Self Test (POST) to indicate the task the system is currently executing. Checkpoint sare very useful in aiding software developers or technicians in debugging problems that occur during the preboot process. Viewing BIOS checkpoints Viewing all checkpoints generated by the BIOS requires acheckpoint card, also referred to as a POST card or POST diagnostic card.
Checkpoint Description DA Restore CPUID value back into register. Give control to BIOS POST (ExecutePOSTKernel). See POST Code Checkpoints section of document for more information. DC System is waking from ACPI S3 state. E1-E8 ECEE OEM memory detection/configuration error. This range is reserved for chipset vendors & system manufacturers. The error associated with this value may be different from one platform to the next.
Bootblock Recovery Code Checkpoints The Bootblock recovery code gets control when the BIOS determines that a BIOS recovery needs to occur because the user has forced the update or the BIOS checksum is corrupt. The following table describes the type of checkpoints that may occur during the Bootblock recovery portion of the BIOS. NOTE: Checkpoints may differ between different platforms based on system configuration.
BIOS Recovery 1. This function only effects when the BIOS BootBlock section is healthy. 2. Allow to execute recovery function media: FDD / USB storage / ODD. 3. The recovery media to support Boot function is unnecessary. 4. Recovery step as follow: 4-1. Copy the latest BIOS ROM file to the root directory of recovery media. 4-2. Rename the BIOS ROM file to be "AMIBOOT.ROM". 4-3. Insert the recovery device to system and then power on the system. 4-4.
Chapter 5 Jumper and Connector Information M/B Placement Chapter 5 52
LABEL 53 COMPONENTS 1. CPU Socket Supports the LGA1156 Intel Lynnfield/Havendale/Clarkdale processors 2. CPU_FAN CPU cooling fan connector 3. DIMM1~4 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM slots(Channel A: DIMM4, DIMM2 Channel B: DIMM3, DIMM1) * Single Channel Mode: DIMM2 must be populated. * Dual Channel Mode: DIMM2 and DIMM1 must be populated. 4. GPIO0~1 General Purpose I/O Signals 5. ATX1 Standard 24-pin ATX power connector 6. SPI_DEBUG SPI debug header-factory use only 7. SATA1~6 Serial ATA connectors 8.
Jumper Setting The section explains how to set jumper for correct configuration of the mainboard. Setting Jumper Use the motherboard jumpers to set system configuration options. Jumpers with more Than one pin are numbered. When setting the jumpers, ensure that the jumper caps are Placed on the correct pins. Checking Jumper Settings The following illustration shows the location of the motherboard jumpers. Pin 1 is labeled.
Connecting Optional Devices Refer to the following for information on connecting the motherboard’s optional devices: SATA1~6: Serial ATA connectors These connectors are used to support the new Serial ATA devices for the highest data transfer rates (3.0 Gb/s), simpler disk drive cabling and easier PC assembly. It eliminates limitations of the current Parallel ATA interface. But maintains register compatibility and software compatibility with Parallel ATA.
have this kind of case, use auxiliary USB connector to connect the front-mounted ports to the motherboard.
Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name 1 +5V 2 KEY 3 SPDIF 4 GND C_INTRUSION: Chassis detect header This detects if the chassis cover has been removed. This function needs a chassis equipped with intrusion detection switch and needs to be enabled in BIOS.
Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name 9 PD7 10 ACK 11 BUSY 12 PE 13 SLCT 14 ALF 15 ERROR 16 INTT 17 SLCTIN 18 Ground 19 Ground 20 Ground 21 Ground 22 Ground 23 Ground 24 Ground 25 Ground 26 NC TPM: TPM Module Header This header allows user to protect the PC from impermissible visit.
Pin Signal Name Pin Signal Name 5 VCC 6 CLK 7 GND 8 DO GPIO0~1: Button recovery jumper Pin 59 Signal Name 1 GP36(GP16) 2 GND Chapter 5
Chapter 6 FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) List This chapter offers the FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) list in global configuration of the Aspire M3910(G) desktop computer. Refer to this chapter whenever ordering the parts to repair or for RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization). NOTES: chapter 6 • When ordering FRU parts, check the most up-to-date information available on your regional web or channel. For whatever reasons a part number is changed, it will NOT be noted on the printed Service Guide.
Aspire M3910(G) Exploded Diagram(AM350-ASSY) NOTE: This section will be updated when more information becomes available.
Aspire M3910(G) Exploded Diagram(AM351-ASSY) NOTE: This section will be updated when more information becomes available.
Aspire M3910(G) FRU List Components Model Name or Key Spec. Acer P/N MB Kit MB Kit aSampras EIH57MK for M3 Intel H57 Realtek RTL8111E Giga LAN ATX W/O 1394 LF w/i D-Sub+HDMI port MB.SDX07.002 Hon Hai Chassis MicroATX HM090G with front USB 4 port for Aspire AM350 bezel HS.13100.116 Hon Hai Chassis MicroATX HM090J w/i 3.5" carrierx1 w/i FIO USB 4 port for Aspire AM351 bezel HS.13100.123 Hon Hai Aspire Bezel AM350 USB 4 port bezel for HM090G chassis PZ.11900.
Components Model Name or Key Spec. Acer P/N CPU CPU Intel Core i7 870 LGA 2.93G 8M 1333 1156 95W B-1 Quad Core KC.87001.CI7 CPU Intel Core i7 860 LGA 2.8G 8M 1333 1156 95W B-1 Quad Core KC.86001.CI7 CPU Intel Core i5 750 LGA 2.66G 8M 1333 1156 95W B-1 KC.75001.CI5 CPU Intel Core i5 670 LGA 3.46G 4M 1333 1156 C-2 73W, Dual Core KC.67001.CI5 CPU Intel Core i5 661 LGA 3.33G 4M 1333 1156 C-2 87W, Dual Core KC.66101.CI5 CPU Intel Core i5 660 LGA 3.33G 4M 1333 1156 C-2 73W Dual Core KC.66001.
Components Model Name or Key Spec. Acer P/N ODD TOSHIBA DVD-ROM HH DL 16X TS-H353C LF Black Bezel SATA (HF+Win7) KV.01601.001 GH-41F(H/F) Win7 non-Labelflash KU.0160D.049 DH-16AASH (H/F) Win7 non-Labelflash KU.0160F.009 ODD TOSHIBA Super-Multi DRIVE HH DL 16X TS-H653G LF Black Bezel SATA (HF+Win7) KU.01601.007 DH-4O3S Win7 KV.0040F.002 ODD HLDS BD COMBO HH 6X CH10N Black Bezel SATA w/ WIN7 KO.0060D.004 ODD HLDS BD COMBO HH 6X CH20N Black Bezel SATA HF + Win7 KO.0060D.
Components Model Name or Key Spec. Acer P/N Lite-On PCI Modem card, D-1156I#/A7A, LSI Universal Modem (PCI) 56K V.92 - Pinball (P40) FX.10100.004 WP81R1, WLAN PCI Card 802.11b/g/n 1T x 2R, Realtek RTL8190 NI.10200.021 WN7600R, WLAN PCI-Ex1 card 802.11 b/g/n 1T x 2R, Ralink 1T x 2R, RT2790+RT2720 NI.10200.008 WN7601R, Ralink RT3090, 802.11b/g/n 1x1 WLAN PCI-E x1 card NI.10200.037 Lite-on Optical mouse USB SM-9625 with new color AC-MT-018 MS.11200.048 Chicony RF2.
