Alienware M17x R3 - GTX 970M 6GB - Testing to see if it works

Hey All,

The GTX 970M has just arrived and I will be testing it in the M17x R3.
It most likely won't work because the system bios doesn't support UEFI or is too old.
However I'll be giving it a shot.

Any system bios setting recommendations are welcome.
I will testing all setting combinations to try and get it to boot into windows at least.

60Hz screen and Windows 7.
System Bios - unlocked A12
I might try Win 8 later as well if all else fails with initial testing.

Any other ideas please let me know. Thanks!

Cheers. :thumbsup:

 

So far:

PEG mode enabled - Boots up with 8 beeps.
SG mode enabled - Boots up and then endless loops of restarting

 

I would try Windows 8.. I think that's one of the reasons why the 970M can't start up in Alienwares.. Let us know if the Windows 8.1 install helps..

 

With the SG mode enabled, did you also enable IGD? It's the following:
Advanced>Video Configuration, and change Primary Display from PEG to SG, then click on Internal Graphics Device, then IGD again and change from Disabled to Enabled. Save and exit.

+ rep to you for giving it a go in the R3!

 

Nice work sir.
Can't wait to see it working on a r3.
Keep us posted .

 

Okay just bricked the M17x R3 lol

Currently blind flashing it back to life!

 

LOL, that happens. Let us know if you make it work.

 

Hey Robbo,

Yup tried the above and it gives some hope but it just continually loops. It tries to load the Alienware loading screen bar, but only gets to like 1/10 in and then reboots. It shows the Intel RAID hdd screen then tries to load the Alienware loading bar screen and reboots immediately - just continuously looping.

 

Yup defs will do! So far no luck. I even just tried to flash the system bios back to an older version A08. Just for kicks to trick it or something haha. The alienware loading bar actually reaches half way before rebooting now. No beeps just continuous loops of restarts.
I think I will give Win 8.1 a shot tomorrow.

 

Did you disable on board sound before install ? Try doing that.

 

Good idea. Do you mean the 'High definition Audio' setting in the bios?
Or another setting?
I think i need to flash back to the unlocked A12 to get that setting back to disable on board sound.

 

Sorry for not being clear , yes your correct , it's high definition audio: disable it and see what happens.

 

All good! No luck. Continually reboots

 

So just to confirm you did specifically try toggling the IGD variable to enabled, not just the SG variable to enabled?

(Looks like it's not gonna work in the R3!)

 

Yup went in and changed the bit to Enabled.
That was the same way I bricked it earlier as well by changing it to disabled lol haha!
Yeh not looking good so far

 

Windows 8 isn't gonna help it get past the BIOS boot screen is it, because the OS doesn't have any influence during POST? (You're getting stuck on the BIOS POST screen aren't you.)

My guess is that only changing BIOS settings will help you get through POST, but sounds like you've changed all the obvious & sensible ones.

 

Yup exactly right i don't think Win 8 will help here either. Something is stopping it from posting properly.
Strange because it works fine in an Alienware M15x lol. I wonder what is different there.

Maybe i need to get a hold of an even older system bios. Like the very 1st A01 or something.
Trying A08 earlier got it to at least half way on the POST loading bar. On A12 it barely even gets moving. Like 1/10th along the bar before it auto reboots and loops again.

 

That's a good idea, are they not on Dell's website? Although, I looked just now - A07 is the earliest that I can find, and to find that you have to click on 'earlier versions' underneath the A08 heading.

 

Subbed with interest

 

@reborn2003 (chiefule) first R3/780M.... Here you go Product support for Alienware M17x R3 (Early 2011)...

 

Appreciate for putting in the work reborn2003! Whether it will work or not at least we'll have more answers for all the M17x R3 owners.

But it's still strange how the M15x was able to do it but not the M17x. My guess is that it's all in the Bios. Need one modded similar to the M15x.

 

Maybe the old bios trick would make it work.
@bnjohanson : respect other members , also your not paying from your pocket for this upgrade , if that 970m doesn't work on r3 he will just sell it here as it got good price and going here.

We should help him rather than complaining .

 

curious to see how this ends up. Let us know!!

 

Legend. I'll give those a shot after work today.
Man this new look forum is weird!

 

Why not try the 3.x version it's a bit smooth over the unusual new look.
Plus have a look here - > http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/xenforo-upgrade-post-bugs-and-other-issues-here.770191/

 

Looking forward to seeing if the old BIOS versions can make it work, although the negative in me says that it won't, but certainly worth a try! (Yes, the new look to the forums is a little weird, but I'll see what I think when I get used to it!)

 

Just tried A04 with no luck

Not really sure what else to try next. Not looking good!
I really would like to know what is so special about the M15x.

 

From everything I have read so far you are SOL on an R3 .

As I understand it the card will not pass POST unless UEFI is enabled. This was introduced on the R4 when win 8 was released. It should work with pre-UEFI microcode on board but for some reason (design/fault/deliberate choice?) the AW BIOS POST does not like it.

People have managed win 7 on machines with UEFI enabled. Although win 7 does not use it (for it's own fast boot algorithm like win 8) this has got the machine past POST. Often they still have problems, but inside windows - which is at least fixable, hopefully.

Good luck though, it will make a lot of people happy if you can come up with a fix .

 

M18x was not having a UEFI BIOS, Still it can't run these new GPUs .

I guess at that time the Clarksfield / Nehalem CPUs didn't had this low-end " IntelHD" GPUs so there might be some power / Mobo hardware / Architecture related changes with the Sandy-Bridge that they have undergone with hardware & BIOS point with the machines from R4 and up when pairing with the new Maxwell GPUs, that might be the cause (speculation ofc)

 

Me too.. BTW, have you tried installing Windows 8.1 and seeing if the card works?

 

Well there's A03, A07, and A09 left to try out I think, might be worth trying?

 

Since you have aw 18 you could install in it and make sure it works , if yes go ahead and download the svl7's vbios that he used on his m15x , maybe the vbios you got needs UEFI .
Also you can try other bios's mentioned in above post.

These are the options left for you .

 

Yeh definitely worth a shot since its so easy to test in the M17x R3. Not looking good though however at least we can confirm for ourselves that it might be the end of the road unless perhaps the new AMD mobile GPUs can work, providing they aren't rebrands again.

 

Cool, looking forward to hearing how you get on with that, although I'll probably be resigned to riding out my overclocked 670MX!

Yep, when are the new gen AMD mobile chips supposed to come out, I haven't been following that - although I think I heard that the next generation is out in the iMac & is as hot as hell (vague recollection though!)?

 

Unfortunately Win 8.1 won't work here since it can't even get past the POST bit atm

I should have a little more time later today to do more testing hopefully.

 

dude,watever success or not,tys 2 u for wat u did.

 

Thanks Champ! yeh.

Good to rule out but way better if it can work out!

So back on the unlocked A12 bios and in PEG mode with a few settings changed.
It just loops continually rebooting with nothing coming up on the screen or external HDMI connected screen.
It is definitely using the GPU as it is heating up.

 

Still those remaining old BIOS versions to try I guess.

 

Identical problem with the M18xR1 and 980M. PEG mode results in 8 beeps and no POST. Setting SG mode with one 980M (Optimus) you see the Intel Option ROM screen, seems OK, then for a split-second the BIOS Alien head logo flashes and the machine reboots. It will do this behavior loop indefinitely and all efforts to press F2 to access BIOS setup are unsuccessful.

 

Here's a crazy idea...has anyone tried to hot swap it in there? Not the safest thing in the world and totally impractical but its worth trying anyway.

 

That was actually what I was thinking about in the morning... Install Windows 8.1, when your'e on desktop, hot swap the GPU and then install drivers..

 

A bit risky with arcing and such but if you're up for it .
Here's one in a similar vein. Does hibernate recover through the bios? Sleep does not so that may be a better first try for a hot swap?

 

What's to be gained by hot swapping it? If it works it's not a solution. Whatever happens, something would have to be modded in the BIOS to make it practically usable. What's to be gained?

 

Nothing, just a chance to use it once, IMO.

 

To me it seems the last course of action is to try some of the older & other BIOS's that Reborn hasn't tried yet, I think there's 3 more left for him to try.

 

It sure would be cool to get it to work even just once haha.

Yup those are the exact symptoms of what I saw to Fox. Only difference this time was when i altered the PEG mode slightly there are no beeps anymore but it just shows black screens, continually restarts with black screen and then after about the 5th reboot it finally sits there on with Alien lights but black screen. The GPU then starts to heat up as if it is being used. No luck getting it to output an image though.

I'd be willing to give the hibernate recover a shot. Will try it later today.

Great idea actually but I think I'd be too scared with shorting out the GPU. We shall see haha.

I gave a couple more bios's a shot last night actually with no success. I'll try out the rest later on but it seems like a no go on that front - sorry Robbo

 

Just tried the hibernation trick. Boot up black screen and nothing.

 

It's OK, you don't have to be sorry, thanks for testing it & trying to get it to work!

I was briefly playing with the idea of buying an R4 Motherboard & sticking it in my R3, then using all my current components on it bar the GPU which could be upgraded to 970M or 980M, but motherboards are hundreds of pounds - not worth it! Looks like I'll be riding out this 670MX (probably not that much point upgrading to 680M/780M for the performance value difference at this point, and then just buying a new laptop or building a desktop in a year or two!).

 

Oh well, I wasn't too optimistic but certainly worth a try.

Edit: Sleep might be another straw to grab? Problem is removing the battery causes a failure to resume IIRC.

 

What about finding a way to use R4 BIOS on M17x R3 ?