M17x R2 Bios X13

Just wanted to show you all the option's the Alienware guy's have with there internal Bios X13.With that option you would for sure see the full potential of the R2.It would be amazing to have these option's available to us.

 

Set FSB allows us to overclock *much* farther than 15%. The only worthwhile option in there is the FSB locking option(I'm assuming Auto refers to locked of course). the >5% OC options are 'neat' and probably a bit more convient than SetFSB, but in no way is it unlocking the M17x's full potential :/

I'm not sure how much the FSB locking would help anyway, since i7's just throttle and run ridiculously hot. It's fairly apparent all the people that push these machines don't have high fsb issues.


neat for sure, but better than what we have? meh.. I'd say not really. A better CPU heatsink... that would be 'unlocking' the M17x's full potential

 

Yeah the bios option to go higher than 5% is nice but without a built in tdp unlocker, it's all so very useless. Thankfully Kevin's throttlestop takes care of that. BCLK oc'ing can be done with my setfsb hack (I don't recommend the G73 PLL in the latest version, it's not stable, I got BSOD's with it).

 

you know.. I noticed that too, the only way I can get around it is by 'gradually' over clocking up to what I normally set it at. Extremely aggravating to say the least. I think it did that with 2.2 too, which is why I didn't go back and make sure. I'll be sure to try that though.

 

I only use the 2.2 method with the original registers I identified and it's been 100% stable. The G73 PLL in the 2.3 was giving me BSOD's in games.

 

I never had BSOD's in games, I just can't go straight for 156mhz FSB, I have to increase it by 3-4mhz intervals from ~ 144mhz to get to 156mhz. If I go too far in one update it'll black screen or freeze.

 

Ah weird, I never had that problem. Just when I set whatever bclk I wanted (e.g. 146), it would be stable for desktop use or even Vantage runs. But when I got into a game, about 20 mins or so into it I'd get a BSOD. When I switched back to 2.2 using the register editing, the BSOD's disappeared.


BTW Sauce, how'd you come across those bios pics?

 

I think it's the stupid Dell samsung modules I have, either that or a really bad application of TIM since increasing VDIMM doesn't help any. Have some shin-etsu G751 otw(yes.. you made me a convert ;>_> ), and I don't think the method I used was great either. I might try applying a super tiny amount of TIM on the Mofsett module gap pads in case the removal of the heatsink so many times has caused contact to become less than ideal.

 

Very interesting BIOS version. I am not very lucky with the setfsb (146 for the BCLK max) I wonder if those options were within our BIOS what my max BCLK would be. For me throttle stop and eleet did the job.

 

Hmm it's possible, I've got nanya modules. As for the TIM, I'm liking the shin etsu a lot now that it's baked in. You get results faster with MX-3 from my experience but in the long run shin etsu's the better TIM. What I do to apply TIM for the M17x is just spread two thin parallel lines on the die and then put the heatsink on it and apply pressure on the sink while screwing it down. It always applies very evenly that way.

 

I've always used the spread method, which I think might be causing a small air pocket or two. I always applied pressure while screwing it down too however.

 

Nice. I wonder if this BIOS is available somewhere.

 

I am trying to get a hold of that BIOS for us, not sure how practical it is though as the overclockers here mentioned.

 

The big thing is that it's not OC locked to EE only, I'd use it, setFSB works but it's annoying at best.

 

if it also had the option for choosing multipliers and the TDP it would be the most wanted laptop BIOS ever

 

Then it would be.....an Asus BIOS

Shame the rest of the G73 left alot to be desired

 

Looks similar to the M11xR2 bios....
http://i1037.photobucket.com/albums/a452/cord001/5.jpg

 

Tryed looking for this bios,

Even tryed reconstructing tag number which was blacked out on photos and a few hundred permatation with no luck... Worth a go. might be on his dell driver list.

If the bios is legit it will surface sooner or later hopefully sooner.. I also keep a closer look at various bios websites hoping they will crack phoenix secure bios. Still no luck.

Why make this available to alienware people. Wouldnt it make sense to release a bios to include fsb and backclock and other features to stop risking damaging our systems by using other 3rd party software to tweak multiplyers..etc.

Anyway thats my thoughts.

Ant

 

this screenshot is from an internal dell document i happen to have. I am trying to get the bios from the same place the document came from.. no luck so far, i am waiting for an answer.
It is an internal AW bios, that i can tell you for sure.

 

I had a look on the ftp for X13 but did not spot it in the bios section & also did what Goodstone was planning i ran the service tag from the screenshot but said tag was not recognized

 

I really doubt you're going to find it on their website, it's probably their QC testing BIOS, so it's not something they're going to give up lightly. In the old days when AW actually cared maybe, but I'm guessing their Dell supervisors are going to say No to this, if you can even get them to acknowledge it's existiance and ask for it to be distributed to the enthusiast community. I hope I'm wrong, but such things go that way most of the time.

 

Maybe Joker with his Alienware contact's would have a opportunity to ask for a copy for the lads?

 

They'll never give you this bios, if someone give it, he can be fired from dell......

 

Well, i got a negative answer too.. Sorry guys, guess we'll never see that one..