Upgrade on MBSCM01002 (Acer Aspire x1301)
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DojoFR
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marcmarais Posted messages 24260 Status Moderator -
marcmarais Posted messages 24260 Status Moderator -
Hello,
I am currently trying (with some difficulty) to give my Acer Aspire a second life.
This isn't for playing the latest AAA titles, but rather to run games like BF3, BF4, and The Sims 4 for my wife ;)
I'm currently experiencing a slowdown issue when starting the games (especially The Sims), it doesn't load at all except after a few minutes. Here's the basic problem, I will present my configuration and outline below the steps that led to this issue :)
The base model is an Acer Aspire equipped with the following components
Step 1: the graphics card is the first upgrade. A significant improvement because thanks to it I was able to run BF3 smoothly.
But the desire to run The Sims 4 better, which is CPU-intensive, led me to change the CPU...
Step 2: replacing the CPU with the Phenom x4 945 mentioned above... and that's where the problem lies. Opening The Sims 4 is tedious. Slower than with the old CPU, which led me to explore a few possibilities:
- a RAM issue, 4GB is not enough and the 64-bit processor is pulling from the SSHD disk which slows everything down > increase the RAM
- the CPU, while backward compatible, might be throttled by the motherboard (not enough wattage provided to the CPU)... but the models discussed in other threads were AMD FX, etc., which are much more demanding!
- anything else?
So I was wondering if it was possible to regain stable performance without reverting to the old CPU, that would be silly x), just by changing the RAM (doubling to a pair of DDR2 2x4GB 800MHz) only?
Or will it make no difference and I need to change the motherboard for an AM3/AM3+ (and change the case, the PSU...) and basically go from €140 in repairs to €250/300!?
Thank you in advance for your insights :)
PS: here are the differences between the old and upgraded CPU http://cpuboss.com/cpus/AMD-Phenom-II-X4-945-95W-vs-AMD-Athlon-II-X2-215
I am currently trying (with some difficulty) to give my Acer Aspire a second life.
This isn't for playing the latest AAA titles, but rather to run games like BF3, BF4, and The Sims 4 for my wife ;)
I'm currently experiencing a slowdown issue when starting the games (especially The Sims), it doesn't load at all except after a few minutes. Here's the basic problem, I will present my configuration and outline below the steps that led to this issue :)
The base model is an Acer Aspire equipped with the following components
* Compact Acer case with 220W PSU
* Mobo: Acer MB.SCM01.002 (miniATX format, AM2+ socket, DDR2, PCI Express port)
* CPU: formerly Athlon x2 215 something >> upgrade to a Phenom x4 945 (AM3, 95w) + cooler changed to a CoolerMaster Gemini M4
- GPU: formerly Radeon HD4650 something >> upgrade to Gigabyte Geforce GT1030 LowProfile (35/40W) * RAM: 2x DDR2 2GB (probably 667MHz, non-ECC) * 1TB Seagate SSHD
Step 1: the graphics card is the first upgrade. A significant improvement because thanks to it I was able to run BF3 smoothly.
But the desire to run The Sims 4 better, which is CPU-intensive, led me to change the CPU...
Step 2: replacing the CPU with the Phenom x4 945 mentioned above... and that's where the problem lies. Opening The Sims 4 is tedious. Slower than with the old CPU, which led me to explore a few possibilities:
- a RAM issue, 4GB is not enough and the 64-bit processor is pulling from the SSHD disk which slows everything down > increase the RAM
- the CPU, while backward compatible, might be throttled by the motherboard (not enough wattage provided to the CPU)... but the models discussed in other threads were AMD FX, etc., which are much more demanding!
- anything else?
So I was wondering if it was possible to regain stable performance without reverting to the old CPU, that would be silly x), just by changing the RAM (doubling to a pair of DDR2 2x4GB 800MHz) only?
Or will it make no difference and I need to change the motherboard for an AM3/AM3+ (and change the case, the PSU...) and basically go from €140 in repairs to €250/300!?
Thank you in advance for your insights :)
PS: here are the differences between the old and upgraded CPU http://cpuboss.com/cpus/AMD-Phenom-II-X4-945-95W-vs-AMD-Athlon-II-X2-215
8 answers
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Oh okay, I had understood that you couldn't play The Sims because the computer was too slow, but then there's no need to change the power supply (unless you install a more powerful graphics card).
Yes, it's better to install a 120GB SSD for Windows, and you can even keep your SSHD as a secondary disk, provided there are enough cables from the power supply and SATA ports on the motherboard (otherwise you'll have to unplug the DVD drive). After that, the SSHD is faster without Windows operating on it (you can leave Windows installed on the SSHD; it shouldn't be too much of a hassle, otherwise it will be a little complicated if you have a lot of stuff on your SSHD). -
Hi there :)
Personally, I would say to go for a new setup and dismantle this one to salvage the SSHD, the drive, and the GT 1030? ^_^
https://www.topachat.com/pages/configomatic.php?c=TtU5z7Bux9ts02ZK8BB5Lq882DQhkFKxwobKKc7eMac%3D
I don't know if this interests you.. I didn't include a drive or a hard disk since they can be salvaged from your current PC
As for the Phenom X4, it's possible that the cooling system is having trouble keeping up and is throttling to prevent overheating ^_^
Otherwise, I was able to run Battlefield 4 on my old PC at low-medium 720p
-Core 2 Duo E6750
-4GB DDR2 667 MHz
-EVGA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB DDR3
And for Sims 4, I believe I had the graphics settings on high at 1366x768p-
Hi qwllu, and thanks for your reply :)
Your link doesn't display the configuration you made x) it redirects to the Topachat homepage.
The problem is that, like many manufacturer motherboards, there's no information on its specs (wattage for the CPU, etc...). So we can't be sure that the motherboard is bottlenecking the CPU...
Changing the motherboard to regain responsiveness at startup has a 50% chance of success...
- So either we need to change the motherboard for one that delivers more wattage to the CPU
- Or it’s a RAM issue and DDR3 would be necessary, requiring a motherboard change
- Or it’s a matter of RAM quantity and the order I placed should fix the problem
As for switching to DDR3, if I'm not mistaken, compared to DDR2, it's a matter of speed.
The one I ordered (800 MHz) runs at a frequency equal to an average DDR3.
I’ll have an answer in 2 weeks ;) fingers crossed!
If you could give me your component configuration part by part, I would appreciate it in advance!
PS: Thanks for your testimony with your old PC, it's reassuring already; I haven't bought BF4 yet, so at least it will run :D -
It's true :) but in my opinion, your motherboard is really garbage x) (low-end Acer xD)
https://www.topachat.com/pages/configomatic.php?c=TtU5z7Bux9ts02ZK8BB5Lq882DQhkFKxwobKKc7eMac%3D -
Personally, I would have put an R3-1200 instead of the Pentium, cheaper and more powerful.
You can always try changing the power supply first. After that, if you want to change the RAM, it's better to also change the motherboard and the CPU. -
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Hello everyone,
There’s a little issue with this upgrade, you seem to forget or ignore that the prices are pushed to the limit on this type of PC, so the motherboard is very limited!
CPU: formerly Athlon x2 215 something >> upgrade to a Phenom x4 945 (AM3, 95w)
You’re going from a CPU with a TDP = 65W to a CPU with a TDP = 95W:
the power supply for the CPU provided by the power stages of the motherboard is certainly limited to 65W (costs require it)
So your 95W TDP CPU is throttled... No need to look further...
In my opinion, the one who’s right is qwllu in message 1: it’s better to replace everything and salvage what’s possible...
And also change the case and get a standard power supply :)-
Hi Marc,
So that was my first doubt regarding the motherboard... But there's no way to know if it's the one bottlenecking the CPU...
If the power supply wasn't strong enough, during a CPU stress test or multitasking, would the voltage cause the PC to shut down? -
But there’s no way to know if it’s her that’s throttling the CPU...
If the power supply wasn’t powerful enough, during a CPU stress test or multitasking, would the voltage cause the PC to shut down?
It depends. If the motherboard's power stage only handles 65W and only draws 65W, the processor will be throttled due to underpowering, losing performance, but the machine won't shut down because the power supply won’t have to provide more than it can. In some cases, the processor may not be recognized at all.
These kinds of issues are relatively complex, especially with AMD sockets from that time, which sometimes could support more or less processor ranges, despite having a similar chipset... -
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No "solution"... The power stage of the motherboard is integrated into the motherboard and supplies power directly to the CPU pins.
A comparable performance test may be able to show whether the CPU holds up or not.
Also, is the CPU new or used? Because if it's used, it could also be a CPU that is worn out or has been improperly used and has "defects"... -
I was thinking that the motherboard doesn't necessarily have to be limited in CPU power supply, especially since the overall power supply isn't sufficient. Just changing it for a more powerful one might bring some improvement, and it won't be a loss anyway since it can be reused for a new build.
But with the power supply format, it wouldn't fit well in a standard case.
Replacing everything is always a good solution xD, there's just a big little difference in price ^^
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Hi DojoFR,
To upgrade the CPU, you can't just decide to put in whatever you want; the same socket isn't enough, you need to check what the manufacturer indicates, only they know what their motherboard is capable of...
The issue is that Acer usually doesn't provide any information about upgrades on their site, unlike other brands like HP.
Do you have the exact model number of your PC, please?-
Acer Aspire X1301.
Yes, that's right, they are sleeves at Acer, I would never have bought that.
My father-in-law is an electrical engineer, but I will never understand why he bought this PC one day! I think he has never been very good with PC configurations =D
But hey, I got it and being able to boost it for less than €150 seemed pretty good to me. -
In fact, the reason I chose this processor is that it is used by Acer in the same range (source: Acer's official forum, response from a guy from their team)
https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/509413/aspire-x1301-cpu-upgrade-options
Edit: it seems that the Acer X3400 with the DA061/078L-AM3 motherboard is the compatible one... which was not specified in the first link above that I had found back then xP- The reference X1301 doesn’t yield anything on the Acer site for an update, we only have drivers.
We could try with the serial number, but it’s not certain that it will give better results.
For your link community.acer.com, you should ask them the question with your motherboard reference, as the responses concern a different motherboard.
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FINALLY!
While searching for the X3400, I found its service guide, and that of the X1301!
And surprise, the X1301 is compatible with the x4 945 and is recommended for the motherboard! =O
With the same 220W PSU. Incredible.
Here is the Acer guide:
https://www.google.fr/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpdfstream.manualsonline.com%2Ff%2Ff01796aa-a86a-4dd6-8a72-be84e0e90fbf.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj2p9uNwYPaAhWSJlAKHYzZDvUQFggLMAA&usg=AOvVaw0c8MzJ9j6spHlrPOtus5nM
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I proceeded step by step to identify the weak link.
NB: worth what it's worth, but I’m adding performance win index ratings next to each component, rated on a scale of 1 to 7.9 :)
- CPU (7.3): it is perfectly healthy and adopts a high frequency when loading a heavy program (like The Sims 4) and a proper CPU usage. So it doesn’t seem to be bottlenecked by the motherboard.
- GPU (7.7): nothing to say.
- PSU: I don't have voltage spikes, so it doesn't indicate a PSU that is too weak.
Honestly, your warnings about needing a more powerful PSU didn’t fall on deaf ears ^^
I’m buying one next month! I’m going for the SeaSonic SS-300M1U 300W.
- RAM (5.9): just okay, 97% of physical memory used while The Sims 4 is running (some hardware faults, but normal for non-ECC). The 2x4GB 800MHz can only do good; I will get back to you as soon as I receive them (1/2 weeks). I read that a lack of RAM could lead to an overload of the SSHD usage... and indeed...
- SSHD (5.9): it is very stressed. However, once the game is launched, it’s smooth.
I read that SSHDs don’t have enough SSD memory (8GB) to load Windows + some heavy software in overlay. And The Sims 4, in addition to Origin, the SSHD must load the nearly 20 expansions + all the mods downloaded from the internet (furniture, clothing, etc.)...
This leads me to ask for your opinion:
what do you think about the usefulness of buying a 400/500GB SSD to clone Windows 7 onto it + software, leaving the rest of the multimedia files on the SSHD to relieve the launch of heavy software in overlay?
Have a good Sunday :)-
Hello,
It's good if you're not limited by the motherboard or the power supply, but with Acer there's always a risk since this manufacturer doesn't provide any technical information about its PCs...
However, why didn't it work at first? What did you modify?
The SSD will of course improve program loading speeds, but once the game is launched it won't make much difference.- Hi Marc,
I'm back to give feedback on the RAM purchased on Amazon.
You might not have been wrong when you talked about a bottlenecked motherboard!
The PC boots with the new RAM, but I experience crashes when starting a large program (games...) or rebooting the PC while trying to run a MemTest. Strangely, there's also no access to the BIOS...
Here are some BSODs that have appeared:
MEMORY_MANAGEMENT
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
...
The sticks are 100% compatible with AMD, same frequency as the original ones, non-ECC, and it's a new pair of RAM designed to work together.
In the task manager, we can see that physical memory goes up to 4/5 GB load and then BSOD... Is it the motherboard? Probably.
https://www.crucial.fr/compatible-upgrade-for/acer/aspire-x1301#memoryResults
I saw on Crucial's site that only 2x2GB was offered, it was worth a shot at least now we know for sure! :)
Well, I'm making a summary post for those who might be interested later, and I'll mark the topic as resolved!
Thank you so much for your help! \ /°^⁻\
Best wishes to you,
Dojo
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I may have expressed myself poorly:
the SSD significantly improves access times, thus the loading of programs, but changes nothing once the program is loaded
For games, it completely depends on the game; if it loads completely at the beginning or if it regularly accesses the disk during gameplay, you can read:
https://dgpinformatique.fr/un-ssd-est-il-utile-pour-les-jeux/- I think you hit the nail on the head.
The Sims 4 and all its expansions, like Witcher 3, a SSD would be a good investment.
BF3 less so.
On the wise advice from the link you provided, I will get myself a small SSD of 120 to 250GB next week ;)
Anything above wouldn't be useless.
Thanks for all your advice, I'll get back to you to give you updates!
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Hello everyone!
I received the Crucial BX300 120GB SSD and the first impression from Windows is that it loves it! I first ran the Windows performance index program and the SSHD that was at 5.9 jumped to 7.8 with the SSD!
I'm still installing DirectX etc., tonight when I get home I'll install the Sims and I'll let you know how it loads after 3/4 power-ups.
But everything seems smoother. The SSHD is really a good complement to an SSD, but on its own, after a while formatting is never far away.
Thanks again for your advice, I'll get back to you asap. -
Here we go! :) The Sims 4 starts up quickly, in 4/5 seconds it's launched! The game must have really started to be too heavy for the SSHD cache.
So the little BX300 is perfect, but 120GB is still a bit small, you can never have enough, I would opt for a 250GB one during the next sales and I'll move this one to my laptop.
I will make a final post once the DDR2 is received, for the next people who would like to upgrade the X1301 to have a "budget" PC for current games.
Thanks again to each of you for your insights! :) -
For those looking to upgrade their old Acer Aspire X1301:
Validated config for:
- Battlefield 3 (Ultra)
- Battlefield 4 (High)
- Sims 4 (Ultra)
- CS GO (Ultra)
- Tomb Raider (High)
... And probably more!
Retained parts:
● Acer Aspire X1301 case
● Motherboard: Acer MB.SCM01.002 (if CPU-Z gives you another reference, this is indeed the mobo, it is specific to the X1301)
● PSU: 220W stock power supply
● RAM: Transend 2x2GB DIMM DDR2 non-ECC 800MHz
Upgrade parts:
→ CPU: Phenom x4 945 (AM3 socket, 95w) + CollerMaster Gemini M4 cooler (ebay) 25€+30€
→ GPU: Gigabyte Geforce GT1030 LowProfile non-OC (if you choose the OverClockable one, change the PSU) 75€
→ HDD: Crucial BX300 120GB SSD connected in place of the DVD drive (recover power and SATA cables) 50€
→ HDD 2: Seagate Firecuda 3.5'' 1TB SSHD connected in place of the original HDD 65€
TOTAL UPGRADE: 245€
Optional upgrade: PSU: SilverStone FX350-G (350W 80+Gold) or SeaSonic SS-300M1U (300W 80+Gold) 40/50€</li></ul>
Tested but unsuccessful upgrade: RAM: Hynix 2x4GB DDR2 DIMM DDR2 non-ECC 800MHz... Fail, cannot hold the load > BDOS</li></ul>
Thanks for their help to:
Judge_DT jumulka marcmarais qwllu
you have been very helpful in this brainstorming to recycle an old PC. The planet thanks you for the CO² saved! =)
