M17x R3 580M upgrade issue...

Okay so I am having an issue with this upgrade.

For whatever reason, when I put the 580M into the machine, I get a 7-beep code from the laptop. Just repeating over and over again. That's a CPU failure. BUT when I put the original 6970M into the laptop, it works fine without any errors.

The 580M came from an M18x R1, so I'm assuming it's a Vbios issue.

Help?

 

Anyone?

I've heard that this could be as simple as a clearing cmos thing.... is that the standard procedure for upgrading to a different GPU from the opposing vendor? (AMD to Nvidia?)

Also, is it true that the AMD heatsink for the R3 will cause the 580M to ground itself out and cause the GPU to not work properly?

 

Hi man, in the absence of any other ideas I'll give it a go!

The 580m is the worst card I have seen in a long time for reliability. No end of problems with a lot of things being blamed. IMO it's quite simple, they are just not up to the job for long. Keep them cool and don't OC much and you may get a long life. Add the fact that a whole bunch of NV drivers overvolted them and you have a disaster for many 580m/675m owners .

I say this because unless you get to check the card in another machine it's always in question. /soapbox_off

Seven beeps is the weird one. I assume it runs fine without any dGPU in it? I haven't heard of the bios reset being needed on a M17x but desktops sometimes need this. Worth a try anyway. Just remove the battery and the coin cell. Hold down the power button for a few seconds then reassemble. It will beep the first time since the date/time will be reset so don't worry that one.

As to the heatsink, the components layout between the OEM's are the same but the clearances will probably be different. The 580m is a tricky beast to get it all padded with different thickness of pads and a curious thin strip of what I can only describe as thermal putty along one edge. These things won't stop POST though. I do know that if the core area on the heatsink has tape around it this should be removed. This would result in closer contact so is unlikely to be shorting something out. You also must use the NV x-bracket. The AMD one is different.

Wrong Vbios will not normally stop POST and if it came from a Dell then it will be the correct one, so that one is unlikely.

You could try a quick test without a heatsink altogether. Wait out POST and then kill it (before the bios loads if it gets that far). Results will take the heatsink out of the equation maybe? The systems are designed to protect in the event serious overheating and it will just power off if you left it to continue firing up - not good though, baking your card at +105c! Which I am told is the thermal shutdown temp.

Good luck.

 

As much as I appreciate the help, unfortunately the issue now resides in NEITHER card working in this machine. I now get 5 beeps, which is an issue with the CMOS Coin Cell Battery...and I've followed the steps to the tee and the only issue I seem to be having is that neither of my dedicated GPUs will work in this machine now. I can do things just fine with the HD3000 iGPU but the moment I plug either GPU into this machine it's just a black screen and I get 5 beeps all over again.

Is that a dying motherboard?

I just want this POS to WORK!

 

It is looking that way . All I can think now is to reset the bios to default just in case some setting is holding it up and maybe back to the original one (to see if the AMD starts working)?

Strange thing is the beep codes you are getting, usually any GPU issue results in the '8 beep' code.

Maybe tomorrow one of the dell reps can see if there is any internal documentation on this - or tests you can perform.

Run the hardware diags (F12 at boot) as well. It can miss things but sometimes it comes up with a problem.

Running out of ideas here -sorry.

 

Okay... so I ran the diagnostic tests, full test and everything passed... but now my discrete GPU is showing up as Not Detected. So the 580M I just got isn't working now?

This will be the last alienware I ever buy. Period. This is absurd. Never have I ever had to deal with this number of problems with a laptop.

 

Sorry for the second double post here, but would a 765M work in the R3? I figured I'd try to look for anything that was new since looking for used items seems to have netted me several issues. I understand that New parts are generally a bit pricier, but meh...I'm willing to pay if it means that the laptop works again.

 

The 765M should work. You will need the A12 unlocked bios.

 

Did you get it all working again on the AMD?
I've not seen anyone with an R3 use a 765m but I don't see why it won't, with the following in mind: Only GPU's sold with a model work out-of-the-box. Use something else and you need an unlocked bios to force the dgpu all the time. Optimus gets messed up otherwise. You also will always need a modified driver. And battery life takes a hit.

The favorite R3 gpu upgrade I see here is the 680m - loads of threads on putting one of these in an R3

 

R3 765m upgrade [M17xR3] Upgrade from 460M to 765M success! I think.
M17 R3 upgrade Nvidia GTX 765M

 

I'm wary of these 7xx series cards in the R3, the 780M has lots of proof of being a sucess. The 770M hardly any proof that it's compatible, and likely not compatible. The 765M, from those posts the OP in one of the threads looks like he's getting some kind of 'white screen' error, and didn't seem to report back that it was fixed, and one person with one total posts to his name said he managed to get the 765M to work. Hmm, I'm not so sure the 765M is really compatible, unless I'm reading those threads wrong - (I did skim them quickly!).

 

I am just looking at getting the Sager NP7378 and be done with it. I COULD buy a $400 graphics card OR just save up and buy a new machine and not have ANY problems.

I'm just so conflicted right now.

 

I would just save up and buy a new Sager.. Especially since this would be like 1/4 the cost of a new one.. Sell this and save up and get the Sager if it gives your mind peace

 

I think a cheap 600 series is a good bet if you're after a good chunk of performance for a good price, sure there's some messing about with BIOS, pads, and graphics drivers, but I was really pleased with my upgrade. Why don't you just get a 670MX or 675MX (or 680M if you can afford it)? I know you were thinking of a 675MX originally ages ago, but they're getting harder to find now, and 670MX will probably be nearly as good - but with both of those cards it would be sacrilege and only worth the upgrade if you flash a modified vBIOS and overclock the nuts off them! If your laptop is in good working order, and you like it, just upgrading the GPU is a good call I think.