BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram: 2GB!

I have been working with the AAOne with much pleasure, but I want to upgrade my memory. Unfortunately the chipset only allow 2 GB max memory which leaves us a maximum upgrade to 1.5GB with an additional 1GB memory stick because of the build-in ram of 512MB. However it is possible to disable the build-in ram via a BIOS option if Acer decides to put that option in future BIOS releases. MSI Wind bios 1.07 has this option to disable the build-in board 1GB ram (I still think Acer should have put 1GB in the AAOne as well).

Why such an option then? Well if the build-in ram is disabled through BIOS we can put a 2GB So-Dimm in to our AAOne laptops to have 2GB installed of course! I have looked around the Acer website and beside some not working inquiry form or local service centers I haven't found any technical service address of headquarters to send my questions. Does anyone here have an idea where to send my question to? An address directly to the BIOS guys for AAOne would be great . My experience with such kind of technical questions is that if you don't send them to the right department they are just lost in the process.

I have an AAOne 150L with 1GB memory and I want maximum upgrade. With my previous 2 EeePC's I already collected a 512MB So-Dimm from them, but at least I could have 2GB installed without problems. So if I add another 512MB So-Dimm from my AAOne to my collection I would be happy if I can replace that with a 2GB So-Dimm.

So what do you think of such a BIOS option? I would love to have it and then I will immediately upgrade to 2GB.

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

If you're looking for technical support from Acer, I wouldn't get my hopes up, if I were you. I made a fairly innocuous enquiry about TVout support (mentioned here), and got referred to a premium rate support line. You could give them a bell, with your BIOS feature request, if you wanted. But, again, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Just out of interest, do you have any idea what happens to the Wind when you disable the on-board RAM and there is none present in the SODIMM socket? Does it just hang the POST?

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

I have send an email to the Dutch technical support. I also don't have high hopes, but who knows. My AAOne is werking fine, but if I can install 2GB it would be great. It's worth a try and lets see how much effort Acer puts into making the AAOne a great device with good support. MSI and Asus are providing new BIOS' on regular basis and so far Acer still has to prove themselves.

I don't know what will happen if you don't install any ram. With a desktop motherboard it will not post and it will give an acoustic error with some beeps. I think with the AAOne it will not boot withour ram installed.

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

I was under the impression that the chipset in the One could only have 1GB per slot, so even with the soldered RAM disabled you couldn't use a 2GB SODIMM anyway, though maybe I'm wrong. I'd guess the reason MSI added this option was in case the onboard RAM developed a fault, then the machine could still run using the RAM in the slot. Would they really give you the option to disable the RAM just so you could put a 2GB SODIMM and have the same amount of RAM as if the onboard was enabled and you just had a 1GB SODIMM in the slot?

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

Well, the chipset has support for 2GB memory. That can be 2*1GB or 1*2GB. Since most netbooks have only one memory slot you have to use a 2GB module to fully utilize the memory specifications.

If MSI can disable the soldered memory then Acer should be able to do it as well. Lets just hope someone from Acer realizes that the users may want such an option.

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

It would be better it the new bios will allow us to boot from the SD cards.

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

really............mine can :lol:

 

I would like to see such feature too
You guy should try tech support email on ACER US website

http://us.acer.com/public/page6.do?...m=en&ctx3=-1&ctx4=United+States&crc=790373818

 

Re: BIOS update with option to disable build-in ram

wimpie,
As far as i know, we cannot boot OS from SD cards in Aspire One. You can boot from USB pendrives.
What model is your's and how do you make it boot OS from SD cards?

:?:

 

Not sure he's talking about the same solution, but here's one way.

 

Lol, yeah, exactly. Acer support isn't that great. Actually, it isn't great at all. Who volunteers for holding for 5 hours?

 

Yes, Acer support is not the best there is. But with the problems that are related to the BIOS they should at least release a new update a little bit more frequently. Just look at Asus and MSI. The problems that could be solved now are the screen flickering and the 'not wanting to start' problem. If they could add the 'disable onboard' memory option that would be great.

 

I'm almost sure it can be done through a simple bios update, the wind uses the exact same chipset (just like all other atom netbooks atm) and I don't think that disabling ram slots is motherboard specific, I think it only depends on the chipset used. The only problem we have here, is how can we get some direct contact with somebody from Acer? The helpdesk is not the way to go as they are probavly not even related to Acer and are there only for giving basic troubleshoot. It would be great if Acer would give one of their employees the task to communicate with their users on forums like these. The AA1 could be even made a whole lot better than it is already now, just by simple things that don't really require much effort from Acer but would make a lot of users even happier.

Offtopic: @kiddyl:GoT is overal

 

As expected so far no response from Acer. I really hope Acer will enable this feature in their future BIOS releases. At this moment there is a new BIOS is released but you cannot download it from the website. The fix for the screen flicker is solved in this BIOS by disabling the lower backlight settings. Well at least they can disable things though the BIOS

 

Isn't it the one on the taiwanese website?