Acer Aspire 3810tg Service Guide

							Aspire 3810T/3810TG/3810TZ/3810TZG Series 
Service Guide
PRINTED IN TAIWAN Service guide files and updates are available
on the ACER/CSD web; for more information, 
please refer to http://csd.acer.com.tw 
						

							ii
Revision History
Please refer to the table below for the update made on Aspire 3810T/3810TG/3810TZ/3810TZG service 
guide.
DateChapterUpdates 
						

							iii
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 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.  Should the 
programs prove defective following their purchase, the buyer (and not  Acer Incorporated, its distributor, or its 
dealer) assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, and any incidental or consequential 
damages resulting from any defect in the software.  
Acer is a registered trademark of Acer Corporation.
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
Pentium and Pentium II/III are trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Other brand and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders. 
						

							iv
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
SCREEN 
MESSAGESDenotes actual messages that appear 
on screen.
NOTEGives bits and pieces of additional 
information related to the current 
topic.
WARNINGAlerts you to any damage that might 
result from doing or not doing specific 
actions.
CAUTIONGives precautionary measures to 
avoid possible hardware or software 
problems.
IMPORTANTReminds you to do specific actions 
relevant to the accomplishment of 
procedures. 
						

							v
Preface
Before using this information and the product it supports, please read the following general information.
1.This Service Guide provides you with all technical information relating to the BASIC CONFIGURATION 
decided for Acers 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. In such cases, please contact your regional offices or the responsible 
personnel/channel to provide you with further technical details.
2.Please note WHEN ORDERING FRU PARTS, that you should check the most up-to-date information 
available on your regional web or channel. If,  for whatever reason, a part number change is made, it will 
not be noted in the printed Service Guide.  For ACER-AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS, your Acer 
office may have a DIFFERENT part number code to those given in the FRU list of this printed Service 
Guide. You MUST use the list provided by your regional Acer office to order FRU parts for repair and 
service of customer machines. 
						

							vi 
						

							vii
Table of Contents
System Specifications  1
Features  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
System Block Diagram  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Board Layout   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Bottom View   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Your Acer Notebook tour   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Closed Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Rear view   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Left View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Right View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Base view  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Touchpad Basics   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Using the Keyboard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Lock Keys and embedded numeric keypad   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Windows Keys   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Hot Keys  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Special Key  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Using the system utilities   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Acer Backup Manager   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Power management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Acer PowerSmart key  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Acer eRecovery Management   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Burn backup discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Restore  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Acer Arcade Deluxe   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
General controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Navigation controls  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Player controls   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Cinema  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
HomeMedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Advanced   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Albums   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Editing Pictures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Slideshow settings   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Online Media  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
YouTube  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Flickr  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Hardware Specifications and Configurations   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
System Utilities  31
BIOS Setup Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Invoking BIOS Setup   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Main   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Security  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Exit   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
BIOS Flash Utility  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 
						

							viii
Table of Contents
Machine Disassembly and Replacement  41
General Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Before You Begin   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
Disassembly Procedure Flowchard   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Removing the Battery Pack   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Removing the HDD and RAM  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Removing the Battery  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Remove keyboard  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Remove FFC of main board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Remove wireless card and thermal module   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Remove Main board  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Remove I/O board and Panel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Disassembly LCM module   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Disassembling the External Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Disassembling the HDD Module  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Troubleshooting 59
System Check Procedures  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
External Diskette Drive Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
External CD-ROM Drive Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Keyboard or Auxiliary Input Device Check   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Memory check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Power System Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Touchpad Check  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Power-On Self-Test (POST) Error Message   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Index of Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
InsydeH2O BIOS Beep Codes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Index of Symptom-to-FRU Error Message  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Intermittent Problems  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Undetermined Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Jumper and Connector Locations  77
Top View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Bottom View  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
FRU (Field Replaceable Unit) List  79
Aspire 3810T/3810TG/3810TZ/3810TZG Exploded Diagram   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Aspire 3810T/3810TG/3810TZ/3810TZG FRU List   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 
						

							Chapter 11
Features
Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many feature:
Operating system
‰ Genuine Windows Vista®
NOTE: Windows® Vista® Capable PCs come with Windows® XP installed, and can be upgraded to   
Windows® Vista® For more information on Windows® Vista® and how to upgrade, go to: 
Microsoft.com/windowsvista.
Platform and memory
‰Intel® Centrino® 2 mobile processor technology, featuring:
zIntel
® Core™ dual processor SU series*
zIntel
® Core™ solo processor SU series*
zMobile Intel
® GS45 Express Chipset
zIntel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5100*
zIntel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5150*
‰Intel
® Pentium® mobile processor SU series*
‰Mobile Intel
® GS45 Express Chipset
‰Acer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
System memory
‰ Dual-Channel SDRAM support
‰ Up to 2 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, upgradeable to 4 GB using two soDIMM modules*
‰ Up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, upgradeable to 8 GB using two soDIMM modules*
Display and graphics
‰16:9 aspect ratio
‰13.3 HD 1366 x 768
Graphics
‰Mobile Intel® GS45 Express Chipset
Audio
‰High-definition audio support
‰S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) support for digital speakers 
‰MS-Sound compatible
‰Built-in stereo microphones
System Specifications
Chapter  1 
						

							2Chapter 1
Storage subsystem
‰2.5 hard disk drive/ solid state drive
‰5-in-1 card reader
Communication
‰Integrated Acer Crystal Eye webcam*
‰Wi-Fi/WiMAX: Intel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5150*
‰WWAN:
zUMTS/HSPA at 900 MHz/2100 MHz and quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)*
zUMTS/HSPA at 850 MHz/900 MHz/1900 MHz/ 2100 MHz and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/ 
900/1800/1900 MHz)*
‰WLAN:
zIntel
® Wireless WiFi Link 5100*
zAcer InviLink™ Nplify™ 802.11b/g/Draft-N*
‰WPAN: Bluetooth
® 2.0+Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)*
‰LAN: Gigabit Ethernet; Wake-on-LAN ready
Privacy control
‰BIOS user, supervisor, HDD passwords
‰Kensington lock slot
Dimensions and weight
‰322 (W) x 228 (D) x 23.4/28.9 (H) mm
‰1.6 kg (3.5lbs.) with 6-cell battery pack
Power subsystem
‰ACPI 3.0
‰62.16W 5600 mAh
‰3-pin 65W AC adapter
‰ENERGY STAR
®*
Special keys and controls
‰86-/87-/91-key keyboard
‰Touchpad pointing device
I/O Ports
‰5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)
‰USB 2.0 port
‰HDMI™ port with HDCP support
‰External display (VGA) port
‰Headphone/speaker/line-out jack with S/PDIF support
‰Microphone-in jack
‰Ethernet (RJ-45) port
‰DC-in jack for AC adapter