DSDT Testing

How to overload DSDT into Windows
1)Download Microsoft ASL Compiler

2)Go to Microsoft ASL Compiler from the start menu program
Right Click on ASL Compiler Command Window, select Run as Administrator

3)At the Command Prompt Window
Change Directory to Desktop.
Eg (cd "C:\Users\{Your Username}\Desktop")
Leave the command prompt open

4)Download the AML File into Desktop (in this example call it DSDT.AML

5)Using the Command Prompt Window in 3) Type:
asl /loadtable DSDT.AML
and Enter.
You should see loadtable successful
Restart for changes to take place.

You should see something like this in event log meaning THRM is enumerated


I am trying to make improvement to Aspire 4530 DSDT
The following is done using the Thermal Control Values from Aspire 4535G because I didn't hear overheated 4535Gs
I feel that this DSDT mod is good but I hope you get your feedback before incorporating the changes into BIOS release.
Please try this especially Gamers!
The aim is to reduce temperature during gaming!

Download the trial DSDT here

Changelog:
1)Added CPU1 to the list of thermal devices to be controlled
2)Use the THRM values of Aspire 4535G for the following methods
a)_TMP return value
b)_PSV
c)_TSP
d)_TC1
e)_TC2

How to obtain the DSDT from your laptop

There are many ways to rip the DSDT out of the laptop BIOS.
If there is a BIOS editor it is possible to rip out the .AML file.
However below is an easy way to obtain the DSDT AML file.
First download and install a powerful system BIOS viewing utility called RW-Everything.

Next launch the program.
Click the "ACPI" picture menu button just below the menu bar.

It will say building DSDT and you have to wait for a while.

Once it is ready, Click on the DSDT Tab and press Save as Binary (The Picture of the Floppy Disk with a "bin" word on it or Shift + F2)

Name it as DSDT.AML

This will be the AML file you will decompile to readable text by a ASL Compiler.

If you want me to check it you can upload it on a file sharing site (please upload it on a easy to download site like mediafire etc no rapidshare please) I will check the DSDT syntax.

ACPI DSDT Investigation

There has been this problem with Acer Aspire 4530.
When the temperature of the GPU hits 99 degrees the fans don't seemed to turn on to cool it.
Instead the GPU throttle down but without the active cooling the throttling doesn't help instead it stays around 95-99 cycling back and forth.
Therefore I investigated the ACPI configuration of the laptop.
Using Phoenix BIOS editor I extracted the AML file contain compiled ACPI instruction.
The AML file is actually the DSDT Table which Windows load from the BIOS
Using Microsoft ASL Compiler I decompiled the AML file to a notepad readable format.
After checking with ACPI specification PDF documentation I discovered a flaw in the coding.
According to the ACPI documentation as shown below
_PSV is supposed to be the temperature which it safe to do passive cooling meaning fan can turn off.
However Acer programmed the _PSV value to be 0x63 (hex) which is actually 99 degrees in Decimal.
Which means when the laptop reaches 99 degrees it is safe to turn off the fan which led to this situation.
Therefore I modded the DSDT changed it to 45 degrees and overload the table to Windows Registry.
Now the fan no longer stop working when the temperature reaches high levels.

Here I share with you the patched DSDT (actually you can patch the BIOS but I prefer not to do this)

To use the DSDT install Microsoft ASL Compiler, v. 3.0.1 [646 KB] from this page.

Copy and paste the patched DSDT to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft ASL Compiler v3.0"
Then open a Command Prompt Windows with Admin Permission then type

cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft ASL Compiler v3.0"
asl.exe /loadtable DSDT.AML

You should see "Table Overloading Succeeded".
Reboot.

I modified another value.
It is the return value for the THRM.
I modified the else condition to a higher hex value so the else condition will assume higher temperature.
I relink the link above to the newer file.

Hi guys sorry I promised there would be no changes to th Acer Aspire 4530 BIOS but I found some errors in the Acer Aspire 4530 DSDT code hence I had to recompile and replace the buggy DSDT code found originally in the Acer Aspire 4530 BIOS.

Here is an excerpt from the original buggy code.

I used IASL Compiler (Intel ASL Compiler) for this purpose as Microsoft ASL Compiler is non-standard(Doesn't guarantee Linux Compatibility), no optimization & buggy.

The new output after I corrected the DSDT:


As usual I always tested the new BIOS with my Aspire 4530 before releasing it so no worries.

Download the new BIOS (Compiled with ACPI 3.0 Code for Windows Vista above Not Recommended as some OS still insist on ACPI 2.0 Standard) here
Download the new BIOS (Compiled with ACPI 2.0 Code for Windows XP above and some version of Linux Recommended ) here
**Note important!
If you do not know simply choose the BIOS with ACPI 2.0 reason being some older version of Windows do not like Optimized Code hence will return error the same case as some Linux as well.
If your Windows report error please flash from DOS (Read Instructions) because DOS doesn't require ACPI so it should be possible.

(Includes Win7 SLIC, Undervolted GPU & Corrected DSDT code)
I noticed things like Brightness Display during unplugging of Adapter and Battery is solved with this DSDT Code Correction.

Important! Regarding Acer Windows 7 Drivers

I am sure you guys noted Acer had uploaded new Windows 7 Drivers for their laptops.
I recommend you guys to install all the drivers from their site except for the Nvidia VGA Driver.
Why?
The Nvidia VGA driver has an issue with Frequency Mode in Windows 7.
On Windows 7 Desktop idling the driver has somehow disabled the default frequency of 169MHZ whenever Aero is enabled this will cause a increased GPU Temperature even when not gaming.

The driver will cause the GPU to switch between 2D Mode@275MHZ and 3D@450MHZ Mode instead of 2D Mod@275MHZe and Default Mode@169MHZ.

The workaround I recommend is first uninstall the buggy driver (187.XX).
Restart.
Run CCleaner and remove all traces of it in the registry. (Otherwise Aero will not start if you installed an older driver)
Then install the most updated driver without that issue Geforce 186.91 from laptopvideo2go.
Reboot.

Acer Phoenix BIOS Emergency Recovery

This is for people who don't listen and interrupt the flashing BIOS for unknown reasons.

This will work provided the BIOS BootBlock isn't screwed up while your Main BIOS Image is gone so remember when flashing DO NOT FLASH the bootblock.

The bootblock is to initialize emergency BIOS recovery for some reason the BIOS screwed up.

Download the CrisDisk here.

Do the following on a spare working computer to prepare the BIOS Recovery Drive:

Rename a working copy of the BIOS to bios.wph.

UnZip & Extract CrisDisk to a folder called CrisDisk.

Copy and Paste the bios.wph inside the folder
(Remember to replace the sample bios.wph in the folder with your working BIOS!).

Plug a USB Floppy Disk with a Floppy Disk inside.

You can try using a Thumbdrive but the chances of working with a Floppy Disk is higher.

Right Click and run and WinCris.exe with Admin Permission.

It will format the floppy, copy the MiniDOS files inside with the bios.wph to create a emergency BIOS Recovery Disk.

I have tried this with Aspire 4530.

Do the following on the Computer which BIOS you need to recover:

Plug in the prepared USB Floppy Drive to the machine you need to recover the BIOS from on the left USB port which is the motherboard main USB (There are 2 such ports on the same side).

Remove battery and AC Adapter.

Press and hold Fn+Esc then plug the AC Adapter in while holding Fn+Esc.

Press the Power Button Once and release while holding Fn+Esc.

You should see the lights flashing meaning the laptop is in BIOS Recovery Mode.

The USB Floppy drive should be lighted up and you should hear the floppy drive reading after that you can release Fn+Esc.

After a while you should see either it power off itself or the laptop lights stop flashing.

Remove the AC Adapter, USB Floppy Drive.

Plug back the AC Adapter your laptop should be working again.

Windows 7 ISO CD Creator

Windows 7 ISO CD Creator
Using this utility you can create Windows 7 ISO CDs and Bootable Thumbdrive.
Download it here.

Successor to Aspire 4535/4535G

The next successor to this series is Acer Aspire 4540/4540G.
The 4540 comes with Radeon 4200 HD Graphics while 4540G still uses the 4535G's Radeon 4570HD Graphics.
The main difference from the 4535 series is the new Caspian Turion II Processor.
This new Processor is a Genuine K10 Architecture CPU unfortunately it is still underpowered compared to Core 2 Duo series of Processor clock for clock.
The new Turion Caspian according to Patrick Moore is not backward compatible with Griffins.
AMD is selling the new AMD Tigris Platform as a Video Decoding System with the assistance of Radeon GPU Computing.
However in my opinion laptop prices for specification have been rapidly dropping making AMD Value segment no longer as "value" previously hence you should probably look elsewhere for new laptops.

Delete Windows System Files

If you play around with Windows System Files sometimes it is not possible to delte them off after you had your fun.
The following commands will make it possible to force their removal:

For Files:

takeown /f file_name /d y
icacls file_name /grant administrators:F

For Directories (will perform action recursively):

takeown /f directory_name /r /d y
icacls directory_name /grant administrators:F /t

Of Course you need admin permission as always.

RAM SPD Burner

I wish to share with you guys this tool ThaiPhoon Burner, I was introduced to recently by der_mali of Notebookreview.
Quite a guy as he had quite a few tip and tricks up his sleeve.
I will not reinvent the wheel instruction of how to use here.

BEFORE I FORGOT, YOU NEED A SUPPORTED CHIPSET TO READ THE RAM CORRECTLY!
THE SOFTWARE WILL NOT RUN CORRECTLY ON CERTAIN CHIPSET.

I did as instructed and flashed both my RAM to PC2-6400 from PC2-5300 but Aspire 4530 only reads 667MHZ as shown in CPU-Z.
But the RAM timings improved and performance improvement for free is considered great.
Only thing I have to warn you is like flashing BIOS it can kill your RAM, so try to flash settings as close to your original RAMs as possible.
Take a look at my upgraded RAM originally it was PC2-5300 at 333MHZ
I even got in an EPP Profile!
In other words this Tool is a must have!

Simple Step by Step Guide:

1)You must run this software on a Compatible Chipset.

Certain NForce Chipset like the one on the Aspire 4530 WILL NOT work.

2)First extract this program to a location you find comfortable to run it in.

Right Click and Run as Administrator.

Agree to the EULA.

3)Click on EPROM, Read SPD at 50H or 52H if you have 2 RAM SLOTS occupied.

If you have 1 RAM SLOTS only either 50H or 52H will be available.
If it is read correctly you should see the Module Specification read correctly as shown above.

An example of incompatible Chipset is shown below.


First notice the numerous SPD displayed.

Next the Module Specification is incorrectly displayed.

Do not proceed if you encountered the above.

4)Next Click on Browser button.

Then Click on Download button.

It will proceed to download all the RAM dumps from the server as shown above.

5)Using the search parameter find the next closest update in RAM Specification

For Example you have a Kingston DDR2-667MHZ find the next closest DDR2-800 based on the

Module Code Number and Parameters.


Click Save Dump and save it to a location on your Harddisk

7)Next Exit the Browser Back to the Main Menu.

Select Open and Choose the Dump File you saved previously.

8)It should open up the Dump File details.


Choose EEPROM Select Full Rewrite.

9)You should see the Full SPD Rewrite Windows as shown below.


Select the correct SPD Device Address and click on write.

Wait for the process to complete and you are done!