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    M17x R2 Can Slave 5870 be used as Master?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by gl2009, Nov 25, 2012.

  1. gl2009

    gl2009 Notebook Guru

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    M17x R2 has a fried motherboard and master 5870. After replacing the motherboard can the slave 5870 be used as a master?

    Also is there any soldering needeed to replace the motherboard. If I recall it just screws and connections.

    Thanks
     
    gl2009, Nov 25, 2012
    #1
  2. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    You can use your 'slave' mobility 5870 in the primary slot. You'll just have to swap the heatsink from the primary card.

    To replace the motherboard, no soldering is required. See the op of the owner's lounge for useful links.
     
    katalin_2003, Nov 25, 2012
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  3. gl2009

    gl2009 Notebook Guru

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    Thanks! Another question If get another master 5870 that has not had the Alienware vbios update Should I boot with the slave in primary slot and other 5870 in secondary and flash the Alienware vbios update? then switch them?
     
    gl2009, Nov 26, 2012
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  4. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Were you buying non Dell MXM cards? Or had you just not updated the vBIOS on them?
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Nov 26, 2012
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  5. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    There is no slave and master vBIOS and no physical diference between primary and secondary cards so no need to switch them after flashing the one that doesn't have the latest vBIOS.

    The latest official vBIOS for the mobility 5870 should read 012.020.000.027.037640 in GPU-Z.
     
    katalin_2003, Nov 27, 2012
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  6. gl2009

    gl2009 Notebook Guru

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    Thanks again katalin_2003

    And I saw one with vBIOS not updated for sale
     
    gl2009, Nov 27, 2012
    #6