5870m cr card switch

Hey everyone,

I have the m17x r2 with 5870m CF, and here lately I have noticed signs of my master card failing (artifacts and such in the display while gaming). Since I am poor an can not afford a new $200 or more card at this time, I was wondering if I could switch my slave with my master. And if yes, what needs to be done in order to make it work?

motherboard and both gpus have latest bios loaded and latest ccc software.

I have already tried switching them once, but it would not boot at all not even the alienhead showed up for bios/boot menu. I did try the unplug cmos battery and press the power button with main battery out method and that did not work either.

My m17x r2 was made and shipped in oct 2010 if that knowledge is needed.....

thanks for anyones help in advance.

The reason I am posting this is because I have read different forums that do not give clear answer with steps of what to do and if it is possible.

 

Follow the following steps:-

Shut down laptop and unplug battery & charger.
Remove bios battery and press power button for few seconds.
Remove both cards and remove cf cable.
Switch heat sinks between cards.
Plug new master card in and leave new slave card out.
Plug back bios battery.
Plug charger & battery.
Boot the system.

Hopefully that will solve the issue. If laptop doesn't boot with slave as new master then old slave/new master card is dead/broken/damaged/faulty.

 

thx for the info, I will try this tomorrow when my days off start and will reply back to update the status then.

 

vs's instructions are spot-on. If it won't boot, try it with just the master attached.

Also, depending on when/where you buy them, you can get a 5870M for around $130, if that would make it more of an option.

 

You got it +1

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/697859-m17x-r2-can-slave-5870-used-master.html

 

Well, I finally got the time to follow those steps and the slave card booted right up in the master slot (with the master card not in the system). hopefully this will get me by until I can get me an upgraded replacement.

Thanks for the help all!!

Is there a way to get CF to work with the switch? cause with the master card in the slave slot it wont boot, will only boot if the slave is in the master slot and the slave slot empty.

 

Your initial master card might be faulty in which case the system won't boot regardless of what's plugged in the main MXM slot.

 

Probably not until you get a new card.