M17x R2 680M driver assistance needed

edit: problem solved

 

This 340.43 Game Ready Beta driver ensures you'll have the best possible gaming experience for GRID: Autosport and the Battlefield: Hardline Beta.


[Guide] Modding Nvidia OEM INF Files


GeForce 340.43 Beta

Modded nvdmi.inf v340.43

 

Hey J95, can you please identify what GPU I have with this screenshot?

I ordered a 780M but I think I might have gotten 870M by mistake or something, thanks!

 

Yep, M17xR4 3D GTX 870M = 1199
The 780M is superior, memory bus 256-bit / cuda cores 1536. 870m/192-bit, shaders 1344. Mistake?

GeForce 337.88 WHQL
- Win8 disable driver signing.
- Extract driver w/ 7-Zip/winrar
- Display.Driver folder -> open nvdmi.inf (notepad) CTRL+H -> Find What: 05AE Replace With: 057B -> Hit 'Replace All'
- Find What: 1198 Replace With: 1199 -> Hit 'Replace All'
- Find What: 880M Replace With: 870M -> Hit 'Replace All' -> save.
- Nvidia 337.88...International folder\ run setup exe.

 

Yeah, I was working this thread and suggested he ask you http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...trange-overheating-problem-5.html#post9690246

Any input appreciated

 

US$150-$200 mistake. 680M (1344/256-bit) is a superior option too and you'll keep 3D.

 

Game Ready
Best gaming experience for Metro: Redux and Final Fantasy XIV (China)


[Guide] Modding Nvidia OEM INF Files

GeForce 340.52 WHQL

nvdmi.inf_v340.52_AW_M17XR2_R3_R4_M18xR1_R2_GTX_680M_780M_880M



Edit:
Since v340.43 nvidia no longer supports NVCUVENC encoder 600/700/800 GPUs.
Try this mod for both NVCUVENC & NVENC support (Latest nvcuvenc.dll -> #307 nvdmi.inf_v340.52_nvcuvenc.dll_New) -> M17x R3 GPU upgrade to gtx 780m - Page 31

 

The guys at eurocom are trying to put 2 680ms in my Alienware M17x R2 but saying the cards are recognized but he can't enable SLI.

He's tried 6 different cards and 4 different cables. Any ideas what may be wrong?

 

Only one 'out there' suggestion. The R2 had an nvidia iGPU as well, and used to support a feature called 'Hybrid SLi', to make use of both the iGPU and dGPU. Nv dropped support for hybrid Sli some time ago. Once Intel had cornered the laptop iGPU market it died on the vine. I believe there is a bios option related to Hybrid Sli. I'd say try a toggle on that setting and also see if a very old driver gives Sli?

Hopefully someone that has done this can help?

 

BIOS SLI certification (nvidia $), similar 3d vision problem w/R4 780m. eurocom/upgradeyourlaptop...

 

The Eurocom folks are trying to put 2 7970s into my M17x R2 and getting terrible performance (see below). Even with one 680m.

Anybody got an idea what might cause this?

" After testing and getting horrible results with the HD7970m's
I decided to try it without your windows.
So I installed a reference driver and put windows and the drivers on it.
After testing again there was no change.
Example: 3dMark Vantage should be around 39000, and your system I am getting about 12000.
Even running just 1 card the performance is horrible.
Example: should be 20000 where your system is about 6000

After that I tested with a 680M.
And I still have horrible performance
3DMark should be 24000, and with your system I get 5273.
I have never seen this issues before, and I have done many of these installs..
Your system is nuts.
All of my thermal testing in both senarios is right on part as to where it should be.."

 

7970m's performance, better ask @flingin http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...nother-7970m-m17x-r2-installation-photos.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...rex-ultimate-installation-tweaking-guide.html

 

Might be newer revision 7970 maybe and hence issues with performance. Might be clocks not running in 3D, but stuck in 2D. Nothing more can be said here, I spent countless hours troubleshooting, and this is one of those cases where one component changes dramatically overall performance.

It is really hard to say :/

 

Game Ready
Best gaming experience for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, The Evil Within, F1 2014, and Alien: Isolation

[Guide] Modding Nvidia OEM INF Files

GeForce 344.11 WHQL


Modded nvdmi.inf v344.11

 

Hi, I'm trying to install a nvidia 770m on my old R2 following your instructions with editing the inf file. However, I still could not get the drivers to install. Another thing to note is that my 770m shows up as standard vga in device manager however, upon inspecting it with gpu-z it is indeed the 770m with 3gb of ram. Any advice for this?

 

CTRL+H
- Display.Driver folder -> open nvdmi.inf (notepad) CTRL+H -> Find What: 05AE Replace With: 043A -> Hit 'Replace All' -> Save.

 

I just installed a 680m in my m17x-r2. Iv folled your instructions on what to do to get the modded drivers working and NVidia and the graphics seem to be working fairly well. However, im trying to check my temps on my new GPU and my GPU-Z program will not register that I even have a graphics card in there. It just pulls up to a black screen, this also happens in CPU-Z and when I go to the graphics tab In there. Any advise and thank you for the modded drivers.

 

Also, when I go into device manager. When I look under display, says that the device isn't functioning. What are your thoughts?>

 

Also, when I go into device manager. When I look under display, says that the device isn't functioning. What are your thoughts?>

 

I think you did it wrong, did you try some game ? Does it perform good ? Do you have hwinfos64 installed and set ? The R2 will not control the gpu fan with the 680m so you have to use hwinfos for that.

 

I had to do something wrong because windows will not launch now.... Ive must hAve ed up and now I don't now what to do to begin to fix it

 

I must have done something wrong. Windows will not launch now and I feel like I'm in over my head with this issue. Help please lol

 

Oh dear .

Start with defaulting the bios. To ensure you completely reset it remove the coin cell under the lower cover and press the power button to drain any residual current (Edit: put it back!). This will give you an error on restart but this is only the date being wrong and defaulted, easy to go into the bios and set the date/time .

If windows still refuses to start try safe mode (tap F8 right after bios screen). If that will not start then try the windows repair options. Boot from the win CD and select 'repair'. You might need to do this twice. I had one installation that I had messed up by a bad selection in Disk Manager and it refused to start, two repairs got it back .

Good Luck

 

+1

If you can use windows in safe mod, uninstall nvidia driver and let windows use the vga standard driver. Then try again. Check out your private message.

 

whats the best way to uninstall the NVidia drivers, just want to make sure

 

Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) 13.4.1.0

 

is this for only uninstalling AMD drivers?

Edit- nvm I answered my own question

 

Ok, so my computer is alive again, I can now get back on and actually do things. I have downloaded the above Display Driver Uninstaller. Ran it, Downloaded the Nvidia 340.59 Graphics drivers with some help from Toto I have tried to set up the modded drivers. Got to the install window, started installing them at the end of the day it still came up and said drivers not installed.... What to do now

 

I'm at a loss now. What got windows back?

I have seen the 'installation failed' problem reported sometimes but to find out what is going on requires turning on driver logging ( How to enable NVIDIA Graphics Driver and GeForce Experience installer logging) and then hope something shows up. NV will only look at current driver logs and even then if you are not using a standard mobile GPU for your machine they simply (understandably) walk away saying sorry not our problem.

As long as the machine is booting to the NV card and the intel is not visible in device manager then all I can think is one of two (painful) potential issues.

One is simply a faulty card - not seen a bad 680m before but it could still happen.

Windows is messed up and a fresh install may help

 

@MickyD1234

There is no intel igpu in the M17x R2, it use first generation i5 and i7 cpu, not sandy bridge or newer.

 

Right Doh! Sorry for the bad advice .

Now I remember, it has an NV iGP. I remember something about the bios setting 'enable Hybrid Sli. This was a driver feature that could combine the iGPU and the Dgpu in a sort of dual effort. Once Intel killed the mobile gpu market by including it on-die NV dropped support for it.

We need an expert here but I can say that only very old NV drivers support hybrid Sli so it must be turned off, as well as forcing PEG boot.

 

Nope, no Nvidia IGpu too That's the R1 who has an g8400 northbridge. And yep my old acer use hybrid sli with 9100G/9600m Gs , no driver support for windows 7, work only on windows vista ... Thank you Nvidia.

 

I thought it had a 9600! Surely it must have an iGPU from someone? Never heard of a laptop with only a PCi graphics solution?? Except the AW 120hz where it is disabled. If so then the 680m should just work without any bios changes I would have thought.

The 120hz models with the iGPU disabled can just use most NV cards and only need a modified driver

What does your device manager say for GPu's? Thinking about it if you're running a 7970 then you have done whatever is or might be needed in the bios? Maybe the OP's shows something different?

Edit: just saw this on an R2 TID from dell: In BIOS Turn off Integrated and Hybrid graphics as low power has reenabled it for you.

M17x R2 - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community

And this one says it has a 9400: Alienware M17X R2 gpu problems - Alienware - Graphics & Displays lNow I have no idea what goes on inside an R2. Sorry

 

There is no igpu in this laptop, king of strange i agree. If you burn yours mxms cards you have a nice brick.

Here are some pictures i have just made from my own m17x r2, all bios page.




A lot of people are confusing M17X R1 and M17x R2, they have the same shell but that's all. M17x R1 use hybrid sli and C2D/C2Q cpu, R2 use I5 and I7.

 

Thanks for the schooling! Looks like I've been down this path before: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...upgrade-options-gtx-680m-7970m-questions.html

Nothing under performance options on the advanced page? The dell document stating R2 and integrated settings is weird, even they do not know what is in it?

 

So toto, upshot for the OP is that the 680m should just work on bios defaults?

 

Yep, just put it in and install the modded driver. And no there is nothing under performence option sadly, pretty good bios for a laptop anyway , so sad there are not bclk settings and stuff like that.

 

Thanks again, sorry for questioning you!

Swings and roundabouts I guess. For an Sli MB to only work off the mmx seems to be a much better option for a gaming machine anyway. No wonder the R2 is still alive and well.

Now, if it could run 980m's in sli that would be just awesome .

Do you know if any R2 owners have used a 780m?

Cheers,

 

No, i have heard about a 780m who work only on external screen and onboard audio desactivated, so we can say "it work" but now it's a desktop rig...

The R2 can take two 7970m in crossfire but it need a 330W psu from m18x and 920xm at 3.4/3.5 Ghz to limitate the cpu bottleneck. For now it's not bad but in one or two year we will have to think about a new one. If you don't have already one 7970m and an 920xm cpu it would be a waste of money to upgrade it. I don't think it will support 980m in sli or even single, some guys had find a way to use a 580m sli but that's all, thanks Nvidia again

 

Ok, so I am working on default BIOS. Iv downloaded the latest drivers from NVidia.com. All I have to do is take the file from J96. replace the nvdmi file with his, run the setup and I should install? Just wondering because I have done tat and it hasn't worked for me. Even tried some older versions with Toto's help.

 

Have you tried the laptopvideo2go modified inf file?

It might not be the same inf name as it sometimes changes with different driver versions.

LaptopVideo2Go: Drivers

Win 8 is win 7 as well.

Edit: make sure you get an overwrite message when you copy the file to be sure you are putting it in the correct location .

 

(You paste it into a folder called Display.Driver)

New driver from NVidia out today too! http://www.nvidia.co.uk/download/driverResults.aspx/78975/en-uk (note that's the link for the International driver)

Tested 344.48 driver (the new one), same performance as previous one, although I did marginally get the highest score I ever achieved in Firestrike. Although, couldn't find where the DSR function is - the new downsampling function that's now supposedly been put to Kepler with this driver. EDIT: DSR only for desktop cards apparently.

 

I cant get anything to ing work. im simply just trying to get this 680m to work on my m17x-r2. How ing hard is it, im getting so damn frustrated. Furthermore laptopvideo2go inf files are in a different format that the stock inf file? im needing help

 

Hi, I've just posted one for you in the driver thread.

Common mistakes:

Saving the file 'as text' in the save file box. This adds a hidden .txt extension stopping the file working. It needs to replace a file of the same name (and this can change with different driver versions so don't worry if it's not the same as ones you have tried before.).

In some browsers the inf file opens up with a wall of text. Use the browser's 'save' feature to create a file. Note the warning above about the file type, it will offer you the correct filename.

Saving the file in the wrong folder. It has to go in the 'Display.Driver' sub folder, not 'Displaydriver'. You should get prompted to overwrite if you got it right.

If that does not work then you need help from someone that understands the way this all works. J95 will be publishing a modded inf I would expect very soon and hopefully he can assist.

 

Thank you for the help, ill try this when I get home from work tonight

 

So i was trying with Ewow to make that thing work, it failed.

We have try :

- install the 340.45 , wait for the fail, copy paste the nvdmi file . Driver failed.

- install the 344.something, same

- wipe all with DDU and then install a clean oem 340.45 , wait for the fail , copy paste the file , the computer froze after some minute while installing driver . Hard reboot, windows check the file and then black screen.

That's where we stop. So if someone had an idea ...

 

@Ewow Device manager -> Display Adapters -> Details -> Device Description -> Hardware Ids. Post results.

Specs?

 

these are from the standard VGA, thats all thats there

m17x-r2, i7 740Q, trying to get an nvidia 680m drivers to install, 8gb ram, windows 7

 

Those look like the NV ones he needs - good luck

 

• 
  Run DDU/Safe Mode "Clean and Shutdown" option
• Download GeForce 344.48 WHQL
• Use 7-Zip/Winrar to extract the driver. Right click Extract to "344.48-notebook-win8-win7-64bit-international-whql"
• Display.Driver folder copy/overwrite nvdmi.inf
• Extracted driver folder "344.48-notebook-win8-win7-64bit-international-whq" -> setup.exe -> right click "Run as Administrator" -> "Successful Installation" -> Reboot.
• Try v337.88 if issues persist, here (repeat the steps above).

nvdmi.inf_v344.48