| CPU | Core | TDP | Requires BIOS version | Notes | |-----|------|-----|-----------------------|-------| | Core 2 Quad Q6600 (G0 stepping) | Quad | 105W | R01.B0 (or later) | Maximum recommended | | Core 2 Duo E8400 | Dual | 65W | R01.B0 | Best performance/watt | | Pentium Dual-Core E5800 | Dual | 65W | Any | Stable and cool | | Celeron E3500 | Dual | 65W | Any | Budget option | | Core 2 Extreme QX9650 (130W TDP) or Xeon mods (LGA 771 to 775 adapters often fail on this board due to VRM limitations). 3.5 RAM Compatibility Matrix | Type | Speed | Max per slot | Max total | Registered/ECC? | |------|-------|-------------|-----------|------------------| | DDR2 (non-ECC) | 533 / 667 / 800 MHz | 2GB | 4GB | No ECC support |
| Setting (Location) | Recommended Value | Why | |--------------------|-------------------|-----| | (Advanced > IDE Configuration) | IDE (not AHCI) | The Rev 1.02a has spotty AHCI support under Windows XP/7. Use IDE for stability unless you slipstream drivers. | | Video Memory (Advanced > Northbridge) | 256MB | IGP GMA 3100 uses system RAM. Max is 256MB. | | Hyper-Threading (Advanced > CPU) | Enabled | Useful for Pentium 4 HT; irrelevant for Core 2 Duo. | | Power On by RTC (Power) | Disabled | Can cause wake issues. | | USB Legacy Support | Enabled | Required for USB keyboards in DOS/BIOS. | 3.4 Supported Processors (CPU Compatibility) The official manual lists only the CPUs Acer sold with the system. But after years of testing, the Rev 1.02a supports: Acer Ipimb-ar Rev 1.02a Manual
Why is this manual so hard to find? Unlike retail motherboards from ASUS, Gigabyte, or MSI, Acer uses custom OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) boards with limited public documentation. The IPIMB-AR Rev 1.02a—sometimes labeled as "EG31M" or a variant of the Intel G31 Express chipset—requires a specific approach to find documentation, drivers, and BIOS settings. | CPU | Core | TDP | Requires
Use this guide as your living manual. Bookmark it. And if you eventually find the original PDF from an old hard drive or a backup CD, consider uploading it to the Internet Archive for the next person searching in vain. Use IDE for stability unless you slipstream drivers
If you are still daily-driving an IPIMB-AR system in 2025, respect its limitations. It is a DDR2, LGA 775, pre-UEFI relic. Treat it as a retro gaming rig (Windows XP or 7) or a lightweight Linux server (which has excellent G31 support). For anything modern, retire the board – but keep the manual for nostalgia. Keywords used naturally: Acer Ipimb-ar Rev 1.02a Manual, Acer IPIMB-AR, Rev 1.02a, IPIMB-AR manual, motherboard manual, Acer Aspire M3800 service guide, IPIMB-AR drivers, IPIMB-AR BIOS settings, LGA 775 Acer motherboard, G31 chipset manual.
The GMA 3100 integrated graphics has no official Windows 10 driver. The Microsoft Basic Display Adapter works, but you get no Aero, no video acceleration, and limited resolutions. The manual recommends adding a discrete PCIe graphics card (e.g., GeForce 210 or Radeon HD 6450) for modern OSes. Part 6: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q1: Is the Acer IPIMB-AR Rev 1.02a the same as a Foxconn G31MX? A: Similar, but not identical. The Foxconn G31MX has a different I/O panel, SATA layout, and BIOS. Never flash a Foxconn BIOS onto an Acer board – you will brick it. Q2: Can I upgrade the BIOS to support NVMe? A: No. The Rev 1.02a BIOS is based on legacy InsydeH20 with no UEFI support. NVMe boot is impossible. You can use an NVMe drive as storage via a PCIe adapter card, but not as a boot drive. Q3: Where is the CMOS battery on Rev 1.02a? A: Near the PCIe x16 slot, between the last PCI slot and the rear I/O panel. It is a vertical CR2032 holder. Q4: The manual says Max 4GB RAM, but I see four DIMM slots. Can I use 8GB? A: No. The G31 chipset physically cannot address more than 4GB of system RAM. Populating all four slots with 1GB modules works, but 2GB modules in each slot (8GB total) will cause the BIOS to report only 3.2GB or fail to POST. Q5: My Rev 1.02a has a blown capacitor. Is it worth repairing? A: This board has known capacitor aging issues (typically the 1000µF 6.3V units near the CPU). If you have soldering skills, it’s repairable. Otherwise, used boards sell for $15–30 on eBay. The manual does not provide a capacitor map, but you can use the board’s silkscreen (CE101, CE102 labels). Conclusion: You Don’t Always Need the Original Manual While the Acer IPIMB-AR Rev 1.02a manual is a valuable document, its scarcity has pushed the community to develop better resources. The official manual focuses on safety certifications, basic installation, and Acer-specific warranty void procedures. It does not, for example, explain how to unlock hidden BIOS menus or which 45nm CPUs are truly stable.