Acer Aspire 8940 Service Guide
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Chapter 4201 USB (Right Up/Down Side) Failure If the right-side USB fails, perform the following actions one at a time to correct the problem. Do not replace non-defective FRUs: Other Failures If the CRT Switch, Dock, LAN Port, external MIC or Speakers, PCI Express Card, 5-in-1 Card Reader or Volume Wheel fail, perform the following general steps to correct the problem. Do not replace non-defective FRUs: 1.Check Drive whether is OK. 2.Check Test Fixture is ok. 3.Swap M/B to Try. Intermittent Problems Intermittent system hang problems can be caused by a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with a hardware defect, such as: cosmic radiation, electrostatic discharge, or software errors. FRU replacement should be considered only when a recurring problem exists. When analyzing an intermittent problem, do the following: 1.Run the advanced diagnostic test for the system board in loop mode at least 10 times. 2.If no error is detected, do not replace any FRU. 3.If any error is detected, replace the FRU. Rerun the test to verify that there are no more errors. Start Check USB/B to M/B cable Re-assemble th e USB/B cable to M/B OK NG Check USB/B OK Swap USB/B and USB cable OK NG Swap M/B
202Chapter 4 Undetermined Problems The diagnostic problems does not identify which adapter or device failed, which installed devices are incorrect, whether a short circuit is suspected, or whether the system is inoperative. Follow these procedures to isolate the failing FRU (do not isolate non-defective FRU). NOTE: Verify that all attached devices are supported by the computer. NOTE: Verify that the power supply being used at the time of the failure is operating correctly. (See “Power On Issue” on page 192.): 1.Power-off the computer. 2.Visually check them for damage. If any problems are found, replace the FRU. 3.Remove or disconnect all of the following devices: • Non-Acer devices • Printer, mouse, and other external devices •Battery pack • Hard disk drive •DIMM • CD-ROM/Diskette drive Module • PC Cards 4.Power-on the computer. 5.Determine if the problem has changed. 6.If the problem does not recur, reconnect the removed devices one at a time until you find the failing FRU. 7.If the problem remains, replace the following FRU one at a time. Do not replace a non-defective FRU: • System board • LCD assembly
Chapter 4203 Post Codes These tables describe the POST codes and descriptions during the POST. Chipset POST Codes The following table details the chipset POST codes and functions used in the POST. Code Beeps POST Routine Description 02h Verify Real Mode 03h Disable Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI) 04h Get CPU type 06h Initialize system hardware 08h Initialize chipset with initial POST values 09h Set IN POST flag 0Ah Initialize CPU registers 0Bh Enable CPU cache 0Ch Initialize caches to initial POST values 0Eh Initialize I/O component 0Fh Initialize the local bus IDE 10h Initialize Power Management 11h Load alternate registers with initial POST values 12h Restore CPU control word during warm boot 13h Initialize PCI Bus Mastering devices 14h Initialize keyboard controller 16h 1-2-2-3 BIOS ROM checksum 17h Initialize cache before memory autosize 18h 8254 timer initialization 1Ah 8237 DMA controller initialization 1Ch Reset Programmable Interrupt Controller 20h 1-3-1-1 Test DRAM refresh 22h 1-3-1-3 Test 8742 Keyboard Controller 24h Set ES segment register to 4 GB 26h Enable A20 line 28h Autosize DRAM 29h Initialize POST Memory Manager 2Ah Clear 512 KB base RAM 2Ch 1-3-4-1 RAM failure on address line xxxx* 2Eh 1-3-4-3 RAM failure on data bits xxxx* of low byte of memory bus 2Fh Enable cache before system BIOS shadow 30h 1-4-1-1 RAM failure on data bits xxxx* of high byte of memory bus 32h Test CPU bus-clock frequency 33h Initialize Phoenix Dispatch Manager 36h Warm start shut down 38h Shadow system BIOS ROM
204Chapter 4 3Ah Autosize cache 3Ch Advanced configuration of chipset registers 3Dh Load alternate registers with CMOS values 42h Initialize interrupt vectors 45h POST device initialization 46h 2-1-2-3 Check ROM copyright notice 48h Check video configuration against CMOS 49h Initialize PCI bus and devices 4Ah Initialize all video adapters in system 4Bh QuietBoot start (optional) 4Ch Shadow video BIOS ROM 4Eh Display BIOS copyright notice 50h Display CPU type and speed 51h Initialize EISA board 52h Test keyboard 54h Set key click if enabled 58h 2-2-3-1 Test for unexpected interrupts 59h Initialize POST display service 5Ah Display prompt Press F2 to enter SETUP 5Bh Disable CPU cache 5Ch Test RAM between 512 and 640 KB 60h Test extended memory 62h Test extended memory address lines 64h Jump to UserPatch1 66h Configure advanced cache registers 67h Initialize Multi Processor APIC 68h Enable external and CPU caches 69h Setup System Management Mode (SMM) area 6Ah Display external L2 cache size 6Bh Load custom defaults (optional) 6Ch Display shadow-area message 6Eh Display possible high address for UMB recovery 70h Display error messages 72h Check for configuration errors 76h Check for keyboard errors 7Ch Set up hardware interrupt vectors 7Eh Initialize coprocessor if present 80h Disable onboard Super I/O ports and IRQs 81h Late POST device initialization 82h Detect and install external RS232 ports 83h Configure non-MCD IDE controllers 84h Detect and install external parallel ports 85h Initialize PC-compatible PnP ISA devices Code Beeps POST Routine Description
Chapter 4205 86h Re-initialize onboard I/O ports. 87h Configure Motherboard Configurable Devices (optional) 88h Initialize BIOS Data Area 89h Enable Non-Maskable Interrupts (NMIs) 8Ah Initialize Extended BIOS Data Area 8Bh Test and initialize PS/2 mouse 8Ch Initialize floppy controller 8Fh Determine number of ATA drives (optional) 90h Initialize hard-disk controllers 91h Initialize local-bus hard-disk controllers 92h Jump to UserPatch2 93h Build MPTABLE for multi-processor boards 95h Install CD ROM for boot 96h Clear huge ES segment register 97h Fixup Multi Processor table 98h 1-2 Search for option ROMs. One long, two short beeps on checksum failure 99h Check for SMART Drive (optional) 9Ah Shadow option ROMs 9Ch Set up Power Management 9Dh Initialize security engine (optional) 9Eh Enable hardware interrupts 9Fh Determine number of ATA and SCSI drives A0h Set time of day A2h Check key lock A4h Initialize Typematic rate A8h Erase F2 prompt AAh Scan for F2 key stroke ACh Enter SETUP AEh Clear Boot flag B0h Check for errors B2h POST done - prepare to boot operating system B4h 1 One short beep before boot B5h Terminate QuietBoot (optional) B6h Check password (optional) B9h Prepare Boot BAh Initialize DMI parameters BBh Initialize PnP Option ROMs BCh Clear parity checkers BDh Display MultiBoot menu BEh Clear screen (optional) BFh Check virus and backup reminders C0h Try to boot with INT 19 Code Beeps POST Routine Description
206Chapter 4 * If the BIOS detects error 2C, 2E, or 30 (base 512K RAM error), it displays an additional word-bitmap (xxxx) indicating the address line or bits that failed. For example, 2C 0002 means address line 1 (bit one set) has failed. 2E 1020 means data bits 12 and 5 (bits 12 and 5 set) have failed in the lower 16 bits. Note that error 30 cannot occur on 386SX systems because they have a 16 rather than 32-bit bus. The BIOS also sends the bitmap to the port-80 LED display. It first displays the check point code, followed by a delay, the high-order byte, another delay, and then the low-order byte of the error. It repeats this sequence continuously. C1h Initialize POST Error Manager (PEM) C2h Initialize error logging C3h Initialize error display function C4h Initialize system error handler C5h PnPnd dual CMOS (optional) C6h Initialize notebook docking (optional) C7h Initialize notebook docking late C8h Force check (optional) C9h Extended checksum (optional) D2h Unknown interrupt Code Beeps For Boot Block in Flash ROM E0h Initialize the chipset E1h Initialize the bridge E2h Initialize the CPU E3h Initialize system timer E4h Initialize system I/O E5h Check force recovery boot E6h Checksum BIOS ROM E7h Go to BIOS E8h Set Huge Segment E9h Initialize Multi Processor EAh Initialize OEM special code EBh Initialize PIC and DMA ECh Initialize Memory type EDh Initialize Memory size EEh Shadow Boot Block EFh System memory test F0h Initialize interrupt vectors F1h Initialize Run Time Clock F2h Initialize video F3h Initialize System Management Mode F4h 1 Output one beep before boot F5h Boot to Mini DOS F6h Clear Huge Segment F7h Boot to Full DOS Code Beeps POST Routine Description
Chapter 5207 Jumper and Connector Locations Top View ItemDescriptionItemDescription U6 PWR/B FFC connector PU2 Charger IC U18 Second thermal IC CN9 Subwoofer, rear, center SPK connector U9 LAN IC CN11 KB connector CN4 KB Backlight connectorCN12 T/P connector CN1 MMB2 FFC connector U23 BIOS ROM U15 Clock Generator CN15 USB Y2 14.318MHz CN13 MMB & VR CN3 New Card connector U24 EC/ KBC U14 1394 & Card IC Y5 32.768KHz CN2 Front SPK connector U22 ID ROM Y4 32.768KHz PU3 RAM PWR CN5 LCD, CCD, D- microphone conn.CN16 USB CN39 Logo LED and MMB1 wire connectorCN14 BT connector U17 LCD SW IC CN10 RTC BAT CN5/ LCD, CCD, D-Microphone conn. PU2/ Charger IC U17/ LCD SW IC CN9/ Subwoofer, rear, center SPK con. CN13/ MMB & VR CN11/ KB conn. U23/ BIOS ROM U24/ EC/ KBC Y5/ 32.768KHz U22/ ID ROM PU3/ RAM PWR CN16/ USB CN14/ BT conn. Y2/ 14.318MHz CN2/ Front SPK conn. CN4/ KB Backlight con. U9/ LAN IC CN1/ MMB2 FFC con. U14/ 1394 & Card IC CN3/ New Card cn.. CN39/ Logo LED and MMB1 wire con. U15/ Clock Generator CN10/RTC BAT CN15/ USB CN12 T/P conn. Y4/ 32.768KHz U18/ 2nd. Thermal IC U6/ PWR/B FFC conn. Chapter 5
208Chapter 5 Bottom View ItemDescriptionItemDescription U28 CPU socket CN28 RJ45 PU5 CPU Core PWR CN30 CRT CN21 Battery conn. CN36 DP PU6 Render Standby CN27 HDMI CN37 CN38 Mini Card CN25 MXM-3 CN20 First HDD CN31 eSATA + USB CN22 CN23 DDR3 CN CN32 USB CN18 SATA ODD CN35 IEEE1394 U27 First Thermal IC CN33 Line-IN jack U29 GMCH (NB) CN34 Microphone jack U39 New Card PWR SW CN29 Phone jack & S/PDIF CN17 Second HDD conn. U44 Subwoofer Amp. PU7 3 & 5V PWR U35 Rear & HP Amp. U31 ICH9 (SB) U43 CODEC U46 LAN Transformer U41 Center Amp. CN6 PWM FAN conn. CN24 Media Card Reader PJ1 DC Jack U32 CIR PU6/ Render Standby CN21/ Battery conn. CN37 CN38/ Mini Card CN20/ 1st. HDD CN18/ SATA ODD CN17/ 2nd HDD conn. CN22 CN23 DDR3 CN. U29/ GMCH (NB) PU7/ 3 & 5V PWR U32/ CIR CN24/ Media Card Reader U46/ LAN Transformer PJ1/ DC Jack CN27/ HDMI U28/ CPU socket CN36/ DP CN30/ CRT CN28/ RJ45 U31/ ICH9 (SB) CN25/ MXM-3 U43/ CODEC CN31/ eSATA + USB PU5/ CPU Core PWR CN29/ Phone jack & S/PDIF CN34/ Microphone jack CN33/ Line-IN jack U35/ Rear & HP Amp. CN32/ USB U27/ 1st. Thermal IC CN35/ IEEE1394 U44/ Subwoofer Amp. U41/ Center Amp. U39/NewCard PWR SW CN6/ PWM FAN conn.
Chapter 5209 Clearing Password Check and BIOS Recovery This section provide you the standard operating procedures of clearing password and BIOS recovery for Aspire 8940. Aspire 8940 provides one Hardware Open Gap on main board for clearing password check, and one Hotkey for enabling BIOS Recovery. Clearing Password Check Hardware Open Gap Description is as follows: If users set a BIOS Password (Supervisor Password and/or User Password) for security reasons, the BIOS will prompt for a password during system POST or when systems enter to BIOS Setup menu. However, if it is necessary to bypass the password check, users need to short the HW Gap to clear the password by performing the following procedure: 1.Power off the system, and unplug the AC and Battery from the machine. 2.Open the Hard Drive and RAM doors. 3.Remove the Hard drive 4.Remove the mylar as shown in the above figure 5.Find the appropriate HW Gap on M/B as shown in the picture. • G2 is the Secondary RTC Reset. This signal resets the manageablility register bits in the RTC well when the TRTC battery is removed. The SRTCRST# input must always be high when all other RTC power planes are on. In the case where the RTC Battery is dead or missing on the platform, the SRTCRST# pin must rise before the RSMRST# pin. • G3 is the RTC Reset. When asserted, this signal resets register bits in the RTC well. Unless the CMOS is being cleared (only to be done in the G3 power state), the RTCRST# input must always be high when all other RTC power planes are on. In the case where the RTC Battery is dead or missing on the platform, the RTCRST# pin must rise before the RSMRST# pin. 6.Use an electric conductivity tool to short the two points of the HW Gap G3. G2 G1
210Chapter 5 7.Plug in AC, keeping the HW Gap shorted, and press Power Button to power on the system till BIOS POST finish. Then remove the tool from the HW Gap. 8.Restart system. Press F2 key to enter BIOS Setup menu. If there is no Password request, the BIOS Password has been successfully cleared. Otherwise, please follow the steps and try again. NOTE: The steps are only for clearing BIOS Password (Supervisor Password and User Password). BIOS Recovery by Crisis Disk BIOS Recovery Boot Block: BIOS Recovery Boot Block is a special block of BIOS. It is used to boot up the system with minimum BIOS initialization. Users can enable this feature to restore the BIOS firmware to a successful one once the previous BIOS flashing process failed. BIOS Recovery Hotkey: The system provides a function hotkey: Fn+Esc, for enable BIOS Recovery process when system is powered on during BIOS POST. To use this function, it is strongly recommended to have the AC adapter and Battery present. If this function is enabled, the system will force the BIOS to enter a special BIOS block, called Boot Block. Steps for BIOS Recovery by USB flash crisis disk: Before doing this, prepare the Crisis USB key. The Crisis USB key could be made by executing the Crisis Disk program in another system with Windows XP OS. Follow the steps below: 1.Plug in the USB disk. 2.Launch the wincris.exe program to create a USB Crisis Disk. Click Start to initiate the process. 3.Select the Quick Format option to format the disk and click Start. Follow the instructions on the screen to create the disk. 4.Copy the KAYF0X64.fd BIOS file into USB flash disk root directory. NOTE: Do not place any other *.fd file in the USB flash disk root directory. To use the Crisis USB key, do the following: 1.Plug USB storage into USB port. 2.Press Fn + ESC button then plug in AC power. The Power button flashes orange once. 3.Press Power button to initiate system CRISIS mode. When CRISIS is complete, the system auto restarts with a workable BIOS. 4.Update the latest version BIOS for this machine by regular BIOS flashing process.