680M Throttling in game Alienware M17x R4 Please help!

Hi guys!
Now to the problems:
I'm using Alienware M17x R4 with nvidia 2GB 680M with 3D screen but i have kept 3D OFF. I'm having multiple issues using my video card 680M which i did not have any problem when using earlier 580M in R3. The problems are:
1.> In "Dark Void" Game the FPs falls badly i fight sequence when monitored with MSI Afterburner v2.2.4 Core Clock falls from 758 to 405 then 231Mhz after sometime too also Memory clock falls from 1800Mhz to 800Mhz then suddenly to 324Mhz at few moment in game and hence the FPS goes straight from ranges from 120-40 then when core clock falls to 758(sometimes 719) - 405 - 231 and memory clock 1800 - 800 - 324Mhz the FPS goes from 120 to 40 then 10-5FPS.(this problem is specifically with this game only not any other game where clock falls to 324Mhz). it happens on particularly in fight sequence when too many enemies and too many guns shots starting from episode 1 part 2 crash site after 5-10 minutes gameplay... if you mange to cross the sequence the game works fine again and problem comes in next couple of fight sequence again.
2.> When sometimes recording few game with fraps the FPS falls from 60FPS to staright 20-10FPS for couple of seconds(2-3 seconds) and then restores back to 60FPS but this spoils recording otherwise without recording the game works smoothly without any problems also when monitored clock speeds falling again from 758-575-628-653 etc. (tried games BF3 and ACR with max resolution 1920*1080 and ultra settings)
3.> Alienfx lights not working properly it goes dark in Dark Void game and turns ON hardly sometime when hurt too bad it blinks red but mostly remains OFF and also not working in BF3 after a couple of minutes gameplay mostly when character dies it goes dark but after respawning it should tun back ON but does not i have to unplug Tactx keybaord any one USB of 2 and plug it in the lights come back fro BF3 but not in dark void...So please help me... none issues with my R3 580M.
Steps i did to rectify the problem:
1.> Updated the new MB bios from A05 to A09 modded unlocked bios from techinferno website and also tried disabling internal Graphics card(intel) to disable optimus still did not help.
2.> Updated from Dell latest version 302.77 to Nvidia latest 306.97 from nvidia website WHQL drivers with customised selecting option "Perform clean install" did not work.
3.> New Alienware Command center version was available and updated it too.
4.> Lastly reformatted and reinstalled windows 7 64-bit too with Alienrespawn keeping no cahnges saved fresh factory install with pendrive even the factory image erased...(ofcourse i tried disabling the Norton antivirus firewall etc)
Still the problem persists the same. Now my question is problem with hardware itself or some drivers issue or something else. Can someone with similar config mentioned in my signaure below try playing dark void game complete episode 1 crash site sequence itself and report do they face same problem also with BF3 lights issue too if you have tactx keyboard mouse to try. deeply appreciate your help and support guys in this matter!

Regards,
vginside

[P.s: Thanks to MickyD1234 for helping me open my first new thread. ]

 

Have you checked the temperatures while gaming?

 

Yeah i monitored the temps... i forgot to mention it remains around 60-65°C.

 

Hi All,
Really no one is responding to the thread? i found the problem with Dark Void game is due to turning the feature Physix feature ON.if i turn the feature OFF the throttlieng is not happening... The problem for alienfx lights not working properly in both games it sgoes dark in Dark void game and occationally goes dark in BF3 still stands... Any solution?

Regards!

 

If you have 680M 3D you don't have Optimus as far as I know. My laptop hasn't arrived yet so this is the only thing I knew anything about xD Dno why your GPU is doing that, all I could suggest is latest drivers.. Nvidia recently release new BETA drivers. good luck

 

You do have optimus in this model... Only thing is you can't switch manually... its auto configured...

 

Incorrect. The iGPU is not even wired in on the 120hz display model.

From your description you are getting the power throttle, but as I don't have a 680 I haven't seen this or read anybody else with the problem so I can only guess.

When the power draw of the card reaches a set limit the card will step down for a period then attempt to return - well that is how my 580 worked. The fact that when you turn off physx and lower the 'strain' on the card it goes away says this even more. Try setting the 'power management' in the driver to 'maximum performance'. This will stop the card stepping down for low power draw so is probably not going to help but worth a try. I'm stumped since you have clean installed, sounding like a HW issue

 

yes the 680m WITH 3D display has the intel HD graphics disabled, you can see that in the bios menu (the first screen which opens up)
try changing your power options from alienware command center too

 

Hey Dude!
install the unlocked Bios from here to see if it really enabled or not... Dell hides this option stating as no IGPU present with Dell bios but tis there and working... IGPU is there and active in 680M i too had 580M but in 580M it did not have optimus edition... but this one has... Trust me...
As for throttling i already said it due to PhysX setting in Game and if you turn off the game does not throttle its actually driver issue turning OFF GPU to 2D clocks in particular scenes... i see from signature in post that LeoVainio and rjtnag have system with 680M can you please download this game DARK VOID and update here where you face same problem with max settings and physx in game Set too... BTW its excellent game if you like flying / shooting games you wont regret downlaoding and playing the game...

Regards!

 

thanks for informing me! will surely try that unlocked bios later, but somehow i am not able to download it

sure i believe you, even i wanted optimus in 3d for bit of power savings when away from a socket for a long time(college)
this bios looks promising
could you upload it for me?

do you have such problems in other games too? sleeping dogs, BF3, need for speed the run, etc ?
or those which have physx support like B.AC , mafia 2 ?

 

This is impossible. The iGPU IS on-board the CPU but it cannot drive a 120hz display. The 120hz display is plugged into a different port on the motherboard that bypasses the iGPU. I unfortunately used an unlocked bios and tried to disable the GPU to get the iGPU working before I knew about the display - instant brick and a blind flash to recover.

 

Hey,
you need to have minimum 5 post to download from that site... Give our 5 post and in any post in that forum website by logging in... I would love to give you but you better try this out after all it hard work for others and i would not spoil it by sharing on this forum (rep+). You can try it out after posting 5 post... if you still not able to get it... just PM me again i'll upload it for you
For games i tried BF3, Crysis1,crysis warhead, FIFA 13,ACII,ACB,ACR, Maxpayne 3,Hitman Blood Money, Sleeping Dogs, NFS world none have problem other then this one... I'll try mafia 2 and BAC too and will update soon... the problem only came with this game Dark Void... Also for dark void there was a patch specifically for Physx which installed but it did not help so feel its driver issue itself...

Regards!

 

thanks i didnt notice that
will surely do that

do try updating all your drivers, most likely it looks like a driver issue
your card is most likely fine

 

My Alienware is not here yet arriving in less than a week

 

Dude you just made my day... You asked me to install Mafia 2 and guess what i found the solution for throttling... Here's what heppend:
1.> i installed mafia 2 and when trying to play it say to me can't find PhysX SDK installed but i already had it installed; Then it automatically tries to install PhysX but nothing happens and windows closes after few seconds then i manually tried to install from the installation folder from CD but it say already newer nstalled and it won't install.
2.> i then try to reinstalled whole drivers again(306.97) by selecting custom install and performing clean install but again game won't work...
3.> so i google for problem many faced similar problem the solution was just just to uninstall the existing PhysX from add or remove programs again guess what i don't see PhysX to remove from Add/remove program then i wen to extrated files by Nvidia (default directory C:\NVIDIA\DisplayDriver\306.97\Win8_WinVista_Win7_64\International\PhysX) i manually try to run the file it gave me option to modify/repair/remove... i removed it...
4.> now i reisntalled the PhysX from mafia installation folder and then try to run the game and it worked...
5.> Now again i also went to "Dark Void" game and checked the PhysX setting... Earlier i had only 2 options as "OFF" and "LOW" but now i have more options as "OFF/LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH". I selected "High" and played the game and Now my friend the game works awesome no throttling...
6.> i also try to install the new PhysX from 306.97 folder and guess what again the game works fine.. both mafia 2 and dark void and dark void still gives me all option till high...
Conclusion:
Nvidia all in one installer for does not perform clean install properly installing one by one is highly recommended... I can also see physX in Add/remove programs too... maybe it installs physX but its not installed properly...

Game over... Problem is solved

Dude i think you made some mistake... mark my words... You know what even if you remove your GPU with heatsink from system and switch ON your system your windows will boot... you can try this even if you have R3 system with 580M with 3D display... So don't think IGPU is not wired... if you want i can guide you steps to remove the GPU and try it yourself... Steps are:
1.> remove the battery and unplug the adaptor and press and hold power button for 15 seconds to drain the power from MB.
2.> open the back panel by removing the two screws
3.> remove the right side FAN by removing the 3 screws on FAN no need to remove other FAN (Right side if Fan is closer to your body and battery side is away from your body i.e the back of laptop facing you when you are looking at bottom)
4.> remove the 2 screws only in exactly middle of GPU card(black colored) left and right each side on corner of card.
5.> Gently try to lift the GPU part closer to HDD it will pop slight tilted.
6.> Pull the card away from socket it will come out with Heatsink... make sure you do not open heatsink screws because if you remove the heatsink by any chance the you have to repaste the thermal paste.
7.> Do nothing place battery back and try power On the ystem the System will still work
8.> Follow the steps to reverse order above to replace the card...

Hope this helps...

Regards!

 

Only going on what the 'experts' here told me when I bricked. I tried removing the GPU and... 8 beeps. It fails POST on not being able to drive the display in 60hz mode at startup. Do you see both the intel and the nvidia cards in the device manager? If this is the case and you definitely have a 120hz display I think you have cracked a problem that a LOT of people have tried. Do you ever see the intel being used? Curious??

Edit: Take a look at this thread: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/666561-m17xr4-120hz-display-79070m.html

Talking about using an AMD with the 120hz display but the basic mechanics of the way the display is connected is discussed...

 

YAY!!
feels good to know that could help someone!
you could also have used the driver sweeper to remove the all the display driver inculding physx.
much better than the setup's clean install

good to know that everything is up and working fine!

 

As per best of my knowledge 8 beeps stands for LCD gone faulty and not GPU... Where did you get this wrong knowledge... You are really mistaken... The system works even without NGPU unplugged i did use to work that way in 580M wehn on works outstatio since i never required Nvidia GPU to use... to save power... I just use to remove the 580M ;p No idea for 7970M though on 120hz...
rest for system properties i don't iGPU and NGPU both but its is configured to work both since actaully NGPU make IGPU to do calculation with help of Nvidia drivers in comes into effect only after windwos start... so you need NGPU to be working even to continue with IGPU use from my unlocked bios i can turn Off IGPU i did notice huge change in battery power when kept On and OFF.

Regards!

 

many of the people on that thread, yodagonemad among others. Weird with the power. If you do not see the iGPU (intel) in device manager then all your theories fail, it's not there!

 

The graphics are fully muxed in alienware systems.

When on dedicated mode, the display is only connected to the dedicated card, so the integrated graphics is also likely hardware disabled.

 

Thanks, it is hardware disabled - the 120hz display is plugged into the MB on a different port. That is why I can't boot without the nvidia card and my bios is set to auto detect. If I select the igpu only, it bricks.

 

Yeah the iGPU cannot output a 120hz signal.

 

Like the others have said, a system with the 120hz display doesn't have optimus. The Easiest way to know if you have integrated graphics is to check the device manager and see if you have Intel 4000 graphics along side your 680m, but I'm 120% sure you won't find anything other than the 680m there.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 running Resurrection Remix

 

Hi Micky,
Why don't you do try the method i told you to verify... Remove your NGPU physically and just power On the system your system will work no bios settings changes required so no chances of ssytem getting brick just remove and start the sytem that's it the process is just takes 10 minutes ... it will give you enough proof that the system work on IGPU too even on 120hz display... (rep+ me if the sytem powers ON to windows without beeps) if it gives beep just plug back it in and you are normal... I did this on my R3 and sure system will power ON in R4 too. Deeply awaiting your repaly after you removed NGPU...

Regards!

 

Hey dude would you mind taking a picture of your device manager if it works? Your should see something similar to mine except with a 680m and intel 4000 graphics listed instead of what I do.

 

I am 100% sure that the BIOS will beep if he removed his Nvidia GPU. I was so bored so I decided to take mine out just for the hell of it. It beeps without the 680m.

 

Thanks, I did try - already said this!

I did already dude. No post just beeps, same as others. If yours POST's without your nv card then you don't have a 120hz display. No rep I'm afraid but I'd like to be wrong...

Edit: the 8 beeps IS display failure. The bios attempts to use the iGPU but no display is connected to it.

Can you post a pic of your device manager as per bigtonymans's request?