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    1/3rd power

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by rippeer, Oct 3, 2010.

  1. rippeer

    rippeer Notebook Evangelist

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    So I unplugged my Laptop last night and then shut it down so I could move it.
    Today I can't get the second card to above 300/400mhz clocks. I'm getting a max of 34/fps in multi gpu fur benchmark when I normaly get a max in the 90-100 range.

    I've tried cycling the power saving modes both with the built in one and the custom one.

    I've turned cross fire x off and on.

    I've turned it off and on twice with the it plugged in. Anyone have any ideas?

    UPDATE: It appears both cards are being throttled now, I don't know if thats from me flipping between power modes or if I didn't catch it at first.
     
  2. Ronaldlf7850

    Ronaldlf7850 Notebook Guru

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    Have you tried the new ATI 8.763 drivers/vbios updates for the HD 5870? If you have already done this, you can try the power drain routine where you unplug the laptop, remove the battery then hold the power button done for about 20 seconds, then reinstall the battery and power back up. That may clear the problem.
     
  3. rippeer

    rippeer Notebook Evangelist

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    I tried the power cycle as suggested.
    I got up to 54fps in fur mark but heaven was still super chuggy (less then 10fps)
    I noticed when I have gpu-z open that in fur mark the card reads 300/400 and runs slower...
    I'll try the new driver. I can't flash my bios right now as I have no CD's or USB memory sticks small enough, handy.
     
  4. Ronaldlf7850

    Ronaldlf7850 Notebook Guru

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    If you do update the ATI driver and vbios, please go to the subforum that covers this and follow the directions closely so you do not have any problems.
    The procedure is covered in great depth in the 8,763 driver/vbios for HD5870 subforum.
     
  5. rippeer

    rippeer Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks I will.
    I followed the instructions (for updating the video driver) and upon booting it just hung at the welcome screen.
    So I'm doing a factory restore (I didn't do the BIOS, so a factory restore hopefully will fix everything) Other wise I will have to talk to dell/alienware tomorrow.
     
  6. Ronaldlf7850

    Ronaldlf7850 Notebook Guru

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    Good luck man.
     
  7. Mechanized Menace

    Mechanized Menace Lost in the MYST

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    Is stealth mode on?
     
  8. rippeer

    rippeer Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks

    Shouldn't be I turned it off and on several times and it did make a noticable difference.

    After several failed attempts to reload windows from the recovery partation froze/failed I finaly managed to recover it from the DVD's I made when I got it.

    I fired up fur mark first thing and got 95/fps. It's just downloading battlefield bad company 2 now.

    I think everything, minus my programs, is back to normal.
     
  9. Mechanized Menace

    Mechanized Menace Lost in the MYST

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    Glad everything worked out