[GUIDE] Installing and Overclocking the AMD Mobility 7970 in the M17x R3,an illustrated guide

atleast in my case, ive found that my card's settings will go from 900core-1400mem to 450core-300mem causing my fps to drop to 10-20. I can wait about 10 seconds, change my clocks back with Msi Afterburner and it fixes it.

Is there an efficient way to keep them from down-clocking?

 

It doesn't seem to matter what my OC is.

I've also noticed during gaming that if I OC, then reset back to stock clocks, my clocks will revert down to 300/150 and my FPS will drastically drop to less than 10 (sometimes even lower depending on the game). I'll then have to OC the card (it doesn't matter if I do a high OC or a really small OC) the FPS will jump back up. It does this on all the drivers I have tried.

 

300/150 is the exact same mhz i have when it's running on enduro/hd4000 ... so you might wanna check your switching graphics-settings

 

It's already been disabled. Like I've been saying, it only drops down while I'm gaming and I revert my OC back to stock clocks.

 

I hope someone can help me. I just ordered and received a 7970M from UpgradeMonkey on ebay, and it simply isn't working.

I followed the guide to the letter, and I just get the dreaded 8 beeps. After a CMOS reset (and thus, bios), the system booted on integrated graphics, but doesn't show the 7970M as an unidentified device.

On the card itself it says:

AMD WIMBLEDON V1.2 2G
VBios : 015.018.000.000

Any ideas? :\

Seems I have a Clevo version.. is that compatible?

Seems I may have received a dead card. /sad.

 

make sure u send it back ASAP. u have a 90 day DOA warranty on the card

 

Seller claims it cannot be DOA as it was tested before dispatch...

Options?

 

ya, what i've noticed is that if you play with afterburner while your computer is on...i.e., change your clocks from OC'ed clocks to reset default clocks, it messes with the performance. You really need to set the clocks and just let it be. The powerplay is still active...so if you aren't loading the machine, the clocks will come down to 150/300 for me so i just leave the OC in place.

You really need to reboot if you want to reset to default clocks

nprussell...you have the 60hz screen or 120hz screen? The 7970m will only work with the 60hz screen. 8 beeps refers to the LCD, not vid card

 

I actually do have the 60Hz screen :\

Wouldn't 8 beeps occur if there was no video card to feed the LCD?

 

put your old vid card back in and if everything works, then it has to be the 7970m that is causing the issues...DOA

 

Yeah, it works with the 6990M in. The seller is claiming that it definitely worked when he sent it. I have a feeling he's going to be funny about refunding me.

 

you paypal'ed? You're protected

 

yep,could be that ure both right and that the card just got damaged during transport. nobody's fault,just a delicate piece of hardware! id just draw ur money back via paypal if the reseller doesnt give in. totally ur right with a doa warranty

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk 2

 

Hi Slick,

Me and my friend both have M17x R4 with 7970 on it. we followed step 10. Overclocking and was able to do OC successfully.

One problem though, when we try to launch a specific game ( DOTA 2 ), the game hangs / freezes. I can still ALT + TAB and do anything on the desktop screen. when i tried to reset afterburner to default, the game works perfectly fine.

We just installed a new SSD on it and a clean install of windows 7.

CCC is version 12.7 beta.

Havent tried other games. Any idea what could be the cause?

 

Card returned; refund coming tomorrow.

I have just ordered another card from Eurocom in Canada!

 

Hey Kris, it could be that your OC is too high. Have you tried lowering the overclock?

On my machine, I game at 950/1400 on the more demanding games, and leave it stock for those that don't need it. Some can't even get that high on 12.7. My card can still go up to 980/1500 on 12.7 for all games, but each card is different.

12.7 has better GPU utilization. So the gpu won't take as easily to overclocking. So games will run better, but it will affect your OC. Those that are affected can try the 1.075v bios for higher OC's, but if you don't need to, just don't overvolt

Good news bro!

 

GHot my card today and just finished the installation. Great guide, things were made super easy. My first pass on 3dMark11 is P5642. Is this within the target range for this card with stock clocks?

I am suffering from the reduced brightness as well. I think I will try the 12.7 beta drivers and see what happens.

 

For the brightness issue, I have found that if you run HWiNFO the screen will brighten up to the correct brightness. I have no idea why, but I now run it every time I turn on my R3. I just wish I was able to get it to run automatically on start up. I have tried all the configurations, but it just won't auto start.

 

Probably have something to do with the admin right prompt

 

have u tried manually implementing it into the registry? that should work

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Tapatalk 2

 

Copy a shortcut to HWNFO64.exe into the Startup folder (Start>All Programs>Startup). Just tried it, works like a charm. You can also select Auto-Start on the HWINFO64 Configuration screen, but the Startup folder method is probably easier.

 

I've tried it all, doesn't work. Not sure why.

 

My brightness level stays the same, with HWINFO on or off...what drivers are you guys using?

 

It works for me with all drivers. I'm currently on the beta 12.7s

 

after running 3dmark11, does your brightness get brighter when you close that app?

I'm running 12.7 and the screen does get brighter...still not perfect, but better

 

Nope, it stays the same. One day we might get some official drivers

 

maybe lol

 

About to cleaninstall again... Should i just gostraight for the 12.7 beta drivers..?

 

StZu, are you on a R3 or R4

If you have a R3, disable the integrated graphics and you can install any driver you want straight.

But with the R4, i would install the dell drivers first...then do a custom install of the 12.7 betas, select "display driver" only. Install.

This way, you are only changing the display driver on the 7970m but you leave all the other things alone from the default dell driver

 

Im on an R4,

So ill just fnf7 and simply install 12.7 over stocks? No need to use driver sweeper and all that ?

Also i remember it asking for something regarding audio when installing the drivers, should i skip that ?

 

only install the display driver over stock...don't select any of the other stuff. This is how i tell the clevo guys to install their drivers...and I think R4 users should be using the same method

no need for driver sweeper *yet unless you have issues and need to do a clean install.

i don't know what the result will be if you tried to go straight to 12.7 beta, but if you are going to try that, download the official 12.7 beta from amd becuase that one isn't modded and is therefore safer.

Worse case, if the straight install of the driver doesn't work, you can use the method i outlined above which will

 

Perfect, thanks again for thehelp!

 

Would this be beneficial for R3 owners? I'm still trying to solve my Crysis 2 OC issue, and my GSOD (Grey Screen of Death as I like to call it, it's really just grey lines, but always happens after I revert from an OC).

 

Oh, forgot to ask you slick, what about the profiles?do i need to download them too ?

 

i don't think so. Logically, if you're getting weird results after reverting to stock clocks now, reinstalling the driver will give the same results. i too have noticed that if you set your clocks to default after an OC, it seems my clocks get set at the lower clock profile. The system gets confused. A quick reboot fixes it for me

However, if you have to the time to try it, go for it

when you say profiles, are you referring to the 12.7 caps? I haven't bothered, but you can download and install them. Most of the cap fixes are for crossfire performance and a few single card game improvements. These will get rolled into the official 12.7's so i'll just wait

 

Hi, I too am having this brightness issue with a single 7970m on a m17x r3. I have tried using multiple drivers, multiple settings in my bios (enabling IGD with sg/peg as some users managed to fix this way but when i did it the lappie wouldnt even post so i has to remove the 7970 and boot with the 3000) and tried using hwinfo.

The one breakthrough i have had is that when i get the grey lines after clocking too high i managed to get back to desktop without a reboot and the brightness was at its fullest. but when i used fn+5 to go down then try to go back up it was back to being dim.

I have now found if i close my lid and send the computer to sleep then wake it the screen is also working at the correct brightness... so this must mean its a bios related issue???


Thanks for any help

 

i think the brightness issue has to do with the disabling of the igp. If you enable igp, your brightness goes back to normal...however, you have to deal with enduro which you want to run from. 12.7 has made my screen brighter..so it is fine in my books since i have the brightness turned down normally anyways

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk 2

 

When i enable the igp and leave the primary display on peg then the lappie wont even boot not even a bios prompt.

 

That happens every time. Primary Display needs to be set to SG (Switchable Graphics) when using both cards, i.e, when IGP is enabled. Are you getting 5 beeps when it tries to POST or nothing at all? If nothing at all, a blind flash of the BIOS will ordinarily restore function. If you getting 5 beeps, try this: Alienware Mobiles - 5 Beeps after turning ON the system | Dell. Maybe try it anyway.

 

When IGP is enabled and the Primary Display is set to SG, i think it doesn't do anything, it used to sound like it was reving up to start then start again... ( this is what defiantly happens when PEG is set. it may have started and worked but still with a dim screen or worked but only booted with IGP and fn+f7 didnt switch to 7970m

Why a blind flash?

Yes when i select SG as primary and set IGP as auto it boots only boots with IGP and wont let me switch

 

Set IGP to Enabled. On the flashing matter, I was referring back to your earlier post where you said it wouldn't boot after set to PEG and Enabled, a common occurrence. Apparently I misinterpreted the post if in fact you were able to boot.

 

Yea I tried this and still no fix, iv tried every combination and still no fix. When it boots using the IGD it works as it should... This has to be a driver issue.

 

Clsoing my lid and opening it again causes my screen to return to max brightness as well, but only sometimes. Since I have discovered this, I am sometimes opening and closing my laptop 2 or 3 times before I begin my session :S

 

why everytime i restart or turn off the alienware,my overclock back to default ??
and why in the middle of the game my alienware always freeze ??
i overclock at 950/1400
(alienware m17x R4)

 

I feel your pain, so far this is the only fix I have found to work. I fear we must wait for a new driver of even a new vbios to flash.

 

Do you have MSI AB set to run on start up and have the OC run on start up?

Your games are probably freezing because your OC is too high. Try lowering your clocks. Also, what game are you playing that you need to run 950/1400 to play?

 

Guys, where are you buying this card? Still cant get it everywhere ...

 

Dell, ebay, eurocom.....

 

Didnt tried Dell yet, but Eurocomm still doesnt have it on eBay ...

 

You have to send them a message through ebay. Or you can message Dan Ross directly at dross (at) eurocom (dot) com