Just upgraded my Alienware 17 to GTX980M, now issues

Hello all! I just upgraded my Alienware 17, running up to date Windows 10, from a GTX780M to a GTX980M. I now have two issues that I am unsure how to resolve. The first one being the laptop, which has a native 3D vision display, will no longer boot without a monitor, in this case my LG OLED TV, plugged into the HDMI port. Without and HDMI plugged in, the system will simply sit at a black screen and beep 8 times. This, apparently, indicates a bad LCD, however, the screen works, and configures perfectly fine if I boot with my TV plugged in. Once I get past POST, I can unplug the HDMI, and everything works fine, except the following.

The second issue I am having, which to be honest I did have some issues with 3D vision and the 780 that was previously in the system. Then, it would simply not allow me to configure 3D vision initially, if the TV, which is 3d compatible, was plugged in. Now, it seems I have an opposite issue. Nvidia drivers will not even list 3D as being an option when the TV is not plugged in, it is as if it does not recognize the native laptop display as being 3D vision compatible, but it does show it being 120hz. However, if I boot up with my TV plugged in, it then does allow me to configure 3D in the Geforce Control Panel. Once on my TV, temps are fine, running around 46C as I type this, which is much lower then the 780 ever ran. Games run fine , everything appears to be functioning properly, except for the two issues I have listed here.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or know what the heck might be going on with this thing?

 

Hi,

Well the 3D is never going to work sorry to say. It is actually a licensing issue. NV give (SELL) a bios certificate which only works with the OEM config. Change the card or panel and it no longer works. Totally unlike the desktop 3d Vision. What you see when the TV is detected is for 3d vision to use a plugin that will convert the native 3D into the crappy TV 3D, and at 30FPS! You can get the plugin from NV to try, for a fixed time before paying.

You appear to be one of the lucky ones with boot. Every attempt I have seen at using an external monitor for boot (with 120hz panel) has failed requiring further work. Afraid I don't know what that is but it might be as simple as enabling CSM in the bios, compatibility for UEFI boot?

Good luck.

 

So, there is no way to purchase that certificate from Nvidia? Rather sucks, limiting your upgradeability that way.

I will play around with the bios and see if it helps. I did read somewhere that the 980 requires Optimus, which was never enabled with the 780 installed, it actually shows "Not Present" in the bios, so not sure if it e en has it, and if so perhaps I need to enable it.

It is just the strangest thing, it accepts native Nvidia drivers, with no modding needed, so they appear to see it as an authentic Alienware gpu. Just really has me scratching my head. Rather eliminates the purpose of the upgrade, if the system can no longer be booted without having an external monitor plugged in. Will try playing around with it.

 

No way I'm afraid. I even went as far as purchasing a complete 3D Vision kit thinking this would work but no, the driver install detects a laptop and refuses offer 3D.

The reason optimus was specified was that the 980m boot code did not work with a 120hz panel attached so optimus allowed the panel to be seen using the on-board card. Once the bios is passed all should work fine. By attaching the TV, the bios POST can 'see' the TV (at 60hz) and once windows takes over you get to use the 980m. Kinda confusing.

The driver thing is new. It seems they no longer try to validate a config on a laptop before allowing the install. Hence the modding usually needed.

Good news hopefully for all those using upgraded laptops!

 

The one I purchased, on Ebay, was brand new, but said it was specifically for Alienware laptops, so I am not sure on those drivers. When I upgraded my old M17X R4, to a 680m, I had to mod the drivers for it, much nicer to be able to direct install. I will, as soon as I can get back in front of it, get into the bios, and start with a Fn+F7, since it does not see an intel card at all, and go from there.

Good news, games are running the smoothest they ever have .

 

That's the first I'm hearing about the 980m requiring Optimus. It's the latest card that works either LVDS or eDP. After that it's eDP only with full uefi bios

 

Yeah, I came across a thread, when I was searching out my own issues, and the guy said it was required. First I had heard about it as well. Like I mentioned earlier, I did not even know my laptop had optimus, it's never been active, for certain.

 

If you are using 980m with 120hz panel, you dont have optimus. I already know of a friend who uses the 980m with his 120hz panel and has no issues. That said he hasnt mentioned anything about 3D vision I assume he just doesnt use it. If you have the 60hz panel you can use optimus if you want but generally is a terrible idea as it usually adds input lag and reduces performance.

I dont have the 3d emitter in my unit as I had no interest for it

 

Something isn't right. A 980M should boot perfectly fine on the 120Hz AW 17. It shouldn't need Optimus. Even a 1060/1070 can work with the 120hz display.

The 3D Vision thing will never work anymore unless you go back to 780m. That's to be expected.

However, you should be able to boot and see the BIOS and windows boot logo without a external source.

Are you running in UEFI mode or legacy mode? I don't know if that matters on the AW 17 models. I know it did on the older M17xR4.

 

Firstly, here's a link to where the guy says 980m requires Optimus.
https://www.dell.com/community/Alie...660m-to-980m-8-beep-error/m-p/5619205#M120792

So, now that you have added that very helpful information regarding Optimus not being available on my system. It must be something else causing my issues. I don't believe it is a bad card, because once I get past POST, everything works great. I have to have something plugged into the HDMI, in order to get to POST, as soon as POST shows up on the screen, I can unplug it, and everything still works great. But, it really hinders my mobility though, lol. It never did this with the 780m, so hopefully it is just something in the bios, which is the latest factory bios from Dell. Clearly, that has got to be where the problem lies, just hope I can figure out. That's the most puzzling part of this, as you don't get any signal out of the hdmi until the OS has loaded, at least to the login screen, but yet the syatem won't attempt to boot up, unless something is plugged in there. I don't believe there is a way to downgrade the bios version, this one was some special release from Dell, due to Win 10 shutdown issues, so perhaps I have found a bug? Laat version before it was a few years back. Guess I'll know more tomorrow, once I can get this thing rebooted again, and try to play around in there.

 

Yeah, I had an M17x R4, with a 680m in it. So not sure, but hoping it is something that simple. Not booting in Legacy mode, for sure, will verify UEFI in the morning. I did not know about the 3D vision thing, until MickeyD mentioned it earlier. Disappointing, tbh, but certainly not a big deal, this boot issue, however, might very well be a deal breaker for me though. I haven't used it on the go much, as of late, but am expecting some upcoming time in the hospital, so was looking to use it there, while I convolesce. Just ordered a new Origin desktop, to be my primary system at home, just wanted to top my laptop off for when I need it on the move.

 

Maybe you need to uninstall the 3D emitter?

 

If all else fails, might be worth a shot. But, wouldn't that be more software related, more specifically drivers? Given how early in the process it's occuring, but hey we're all kind of throwing darts at this point, and your suggestions are very much appreciated. Hopefully at some point in this process, our collective thoughts will hit the proverbial home run. If changing things in the bios don't work, that might well be the next step. Do you know off the top where that little bugger resides? Hopefully not inside the display bezel.

 

Well 3D emitter is hardware, having it install may force the POST to check for whats not there, the 780m which is missing.

@Nomad also has done the upgrade to 980m with 120hz so hopefully we can get some insight.

 

Yeah, I get what you're saying. You very well might be onto something there, for sure.

 

Its worth a try considering there is no extra cost to trial and error that scenario

 

880M can do 3D

 

But it's much slower than 980M.

 

What about gtx 980 desktop?

 

Requires a lot of modding to get working and you'll have to ask a dutch forum or someone to translate for you to inquire if 3D vision was working.

The one who modded the 980 Desktop into the Ranger has since moved on to the MSI 1070.

 

I have a pair of gtx 980 desktop MXM , looks like the msi 1070

 

The individual that modded it had to mod the PSU to give the supplementary power to the 980 DT and also a copper backplate for the VRAM though Im not sure if that was essential or just for better VRAM temp

 

This msi gtx 980 does not require the additional power.

 

That may be for other machines but I am assuming there was a reason for modding the PSU for supplementary power. its the only reference we have for that scenario. Its in Dutch and I cant find the forum at the moment. It may very well be fine in the Ranger but it seemed to have issues with GPU's over 150w TDP. Im basing this on the 1080 failed upgrade, which would work on idle but crash immediately after any 3d application was launched.

Anyways, can confirm 3D vision will not work.

http://alienware-forum.de/index.php/Thread/8042-AW17-R1-120Hz-3D-VR-Ready-GTX-980-N16E-GXX/

880m is the best you're going to get, which is pointless in the face of a vBIOS modded 780m unless for some reason your not saturating core before VRAM.

 

Ok, so here's is where I stand. Sorry it took me so long to respond, as mentioned, my health issues sometimes knock the wind out of me for a bit, and yesterday they did. So, I got around to it this morning, and here is what I have found. First of all, I have no selectable options under UEFI, I can select UEFI, but when I do, a lone greyed out UEFI shows up on the screen, and there is nothing else to select.

However, I did try disabling Legacy boot, and the system will no longer go to the laptop screen at all, and POST now shows up on my TV, for the first time ever, and then it instantly goes to no bootable media found. So, I re-enabled Legacy boot, but set it to boot using UEFI, and it did the same thing, with using the laptop screen, and this time actually giving it power (previously, whenever nothing was plugged into the HDMI port, the laptop screen never seems to get power, and the system just sits at a black screen, and beeps 8 times) to the laptop screen, as you can see the screen light up, but it then still beeps 8 times, and never reaches post, until I turn it off and plug the HDMI back in.

So, that is where we stand right now, no joy on any of the BIOS boot options. You may be onto something, with the emitter, but is there a way, short of removing the display bezel, that I can simply unplug it, in order to test, or is opening the display bezel going to be my only option regarding that test?

Thank you, very much for all of your help thus far!!

 

As an added note, I also rolled back to A14, from Dell's site, which seems to be new. I recall not being able to roll back to earlier versions on my M17X R4. Alas, the problem did not go away.

 

I do not see a CSM option in my bios, but as I listed in a couple of posts right before this, I did try several different options in the BIOS, currently A15 stock Dell, with no positive results, but I did get different results, lol.

 

Yeah, saw it. Like you I'm confused, .

Something else I vaguely recall is not using the bios fast start/fast boot as this can mess with windows loading - straw grab!

Just be careful of a brick, it's a real PITA to blind flash, - might be something to research for safety?

 

There is an emergency flash procedure and a how to here in this forum

 

Ok, so I reflashed the firmware, using the emergency procedures found on this board, and the results were identical. However, in the mean time, I got a response on the Dell forums, and it said "You'll need to rewrite the system's firmware to recognize the card - the problem is that the system doesn't have firmware support for a video card with which it never shipped."

This would indicate, to me at least, that I would need to use a custom firmware, which would then, in turn, eliminate the remainder of my warranty. So, it sounds like I might be headed in re-installing the original 780, so the system may be used as an actual laptop. This is very disappointing, given the performance gains I have gotten out of this 980, this card runs my games light years better than the 780 did. Heck, it runs Total War Warcraft 2, on "High" settings, not to be confused with ultra, and the in game benchmarks show an average of 53.2 FPS, whereas with the 780, I had to run that game on "Low" settings, and it averaged around 30, which means during taxing times it could get quite laggy.

Well, it was worth a shot, for sure, and I thank you all, very much, for your responses, you were extremely helpful!

 

Hi,

accidentally ran into this Thread when looking up smthing for a friend.

@BA0701: could you recall and post the steps up to the point when putting in the 980m?

Sm preparations are needed before putting in the card, and then it normally should run without any probs, but please tell your steps first.

Regards


Btw. what you were told on the Dell Forum, is not true. Am running a 1060 in my M17x R4 on stock BIOS (=Firmware) A11, and the AW 17 works a similar way, straightforward with the correct settings.

 

Unless you're using that crappy eurocom card then I doubt your running stock legacy mode instead of full uefi

 

Hi @M18x-oldie !! Yes, I basically uninstalled the old drivers using DDU, removed the old card, and installed the new one, as I had seen on numerous videos on YT, then installed the new drivers. The new drivers do install without modding them, so they def see the card as a Dell branded card. However, I contacted the seller about this, and they directed me to this video, from Eurocom, which has an entirely different procedure. Seller told me I should replace the 780, and follow these instructions, and everything should work fine, with the exception, of course, of the 3D.

Here is the link I mentioned, so if you could tell me if these instructions about cover everything, I plan on following them first thing tomorrow:



Thank you, very much, @M18x-oldie !!!

 

Ok, looks like you just popped out the 780m and slammed the 980m in

And it looks like your TV plugged in smhow bypasses the "normal" POST.

To have the internal screen full running, normally doesn't work that way, as 99% of the upgraders (including me at the time of my upgrade) come from a Legacy/MBR environment.

GTX 970m and higher need to be set up in a full UEFI environment with no remains of legacy.

Thus results in a reinstall with the following BIOS-settings, will/should work 99% (1% safety stock for me ):

Either keep your TV plugged in case you have an image or plug in your 780m for the following BIOS-settings.

- secure-boot off
- fast-boot off
To avoid any hickups when booting

- full UEFI, no legacy/no compatibilty mode at all

- hit "F10" and "yes"

- shut down your machine via the Power-Button

- plug off your TV/put in the 980m

- install Windows (8 or higher) on a GPT partition tabled, NTFS drive (very essential part, no MBR!!)

- usually a modding of Drivers is inevitable

- enjoy the FPS- Boost!!


(As you'd found out earlier, 3D will not work).

 

Seller directed you to the wrong model laptop. Thats 2 generations older than your laptop.

 

Yes, also with different BIOS settings.

Just the Hardware stuff, from min. 1:00 on is the same for the bare swap of the cards.

 

Hi @TheReciever , understood, so, I am assuming by your comment, that the procedure would therefore be greatly different? Now, please understand, I trust this forum to steer me straight, that is why I started here with this inquiry. Heck, I used to be fairly active here myself, when the M17X R2 first released. @DR650SE and I had the same system, and were, at the time deployed just a few miles apart from each other, in Iraq, he was in the IZ (what folks back home referred to as the Green Zone, which was a complete misnomer, as it implied it was a safe area), and I was just a couple of miles away in Sadr City. He was an overclocking benchmarking madman, to be sure, but I digress.

I do not believe you are at all trying to steer me in the wrong direction. However, I can provide you the link to the thread I referenced on the Dell forums, and the guy I quoted actually told me under no circumstances should I do an emergency flash of my system, lest I be left holding a brick. His comments followed your comments that I should look into doing just that, and oddly enough I made absolutely no reference to your having said that. So, please understand my hesitance at this point, in regards to throwing darts. I am simply trying to get a known good procedure in place, because I obviously missed some, possibly even several, steps during my process. The old way, the way I replaced the card in my M17X R2, was the same procedure I followed this time, and the 680 I installed back then wasn't even a Dell branded card, as the one I installed was a 4GB card, and Dell only offered the 2GB card, and they never offered it in that same revision of the system. Obviously things have changed since then, but trying to pinpoint the required procedure has been challenging. I know it can be done, and know these are the forums that will show me the way. I am willing to post screen shots, or anything else thst might be neccessary to figure out where I went wrong.

 

Yeah, I think I have that hardware portion down pat, for sure. Just trying yo figure out what I have done that is clearly wrong.

If you fon't mind my asking you, @M18x-oldie , how did you get that card working in your system? I was told by Eurocom that the 980 was the highest available to use in my system, as the physicsl interface for the 10 series cards is completely different.

 

The link to those comments on the Dell forums:

https://www.dell.com/community/Alie...-my-Alienware-17-R1-now-problems/td-p/6108533

 

980m is best you can use with the LVDS 60hz panel.

However the 1070 will work with eDP 120hz 3d panel. The physical interface is the same. MXM. The signal each card supports is where it begins to differ. Where 980m supports both LVDS and eDP,the 1070 only supports eDP unless you buy the eurocom 1070 which isn't advised as they overcharge for a product with essentially no warranty and has had numerous reported issues here on the forum.

@Nomad has done a similar upgrade for his and @Ashtrix is what I would call the resident expert on the ranger (our laptop)

Hopefully they can chime in

 

@TheReciever to be clear, I am not at all adverse to slinging darts, I just want to make sure I am throwing them straight.

As to your comments about the emitter, not sure if this makes a difference in that regard or not, but I plugged in my pg27vq monitor using hdmi. It is a 3D vision compatible monitor, but requires the use of the display port for that functionality. My system still boots, just like when connected to my TV, however it does not give me an opyion to enable 3D, only the 3D TV option shows up, and due to the lack of a 3D tv being connected, I cannot set those resolutions. I don't know if that makes a difference in your thinking on that front or not.

 

3d is only supported by the 700 and 800 series cards. It's an nvidia thing. There's no way to make a 900 or 1000 series card display 3d internally or externally. It would require official support from nvidia which will not happen. Sorry if this is already answered

 

Hi @EepoSaurus , and thank you for the reply. That issue was mentioned, however it didn't include the use of 3D with an external monitor. Strangely enough, 3D TV does still work, but apparently not the goid 3D monitor 3D. While this is disappointing, as I love that functionality, it's not a deal breaker for the performance gains this card is giving me.

My only hope, at this point, is to be able to boot the syatem, without having an external monitor plugged in.

Thank you, though, for your response!

 

Just follow these steps and (in 99%) you should be fine.

The 10xx cards work same way, but require sm. dremeling to the heatsink itself and only run on the 120 Hz. eDP Panel (which you also have).

 

Thank you @M18x-oldie you have been extremely helpful, and I can't thank you enough!

 

Worked? Running now?

 

Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to do it. I have a minor surgery tomorrow, setting up for the big one at the end of the month. So, I might not be able to try this until after I get back home, some time in August. Thank you, though, very much, for all of your help. I will let you know how it goes, as soon as I give it a go!!

 

Good luck on your surgery, I just underwent a minor surgery, gall bladder removal. Relatively easy compared to a broken femur when I was younger. They all suck though.

 

Yeah good luck for your surgery from me too!