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    M17x R3 Ivy Bridge compatibility

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by beto247, May 6, 2012.

  1. beto247

    beto247 Notebook Enthusiast

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    This may be a stupid question but will the new ivy bridge cpu work in a m17xr3?
     
    beto247, May 6, 2012
    #1
  2. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

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    Probably not.
     
    widezu69, May 6, 2012
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  3. sjefferson

    sjefferson Notebook Consultant

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    the socket is physically compatible but requires updated bios. will Dell do it? probably not.
     
    sjefferson, May 6, 2012
    #3
  4. beto247

    beto247 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Ok so it all depends on if dell updates the bios. Anyone thinking of modifying the bios themselves to make it compatible or is that just wishing too hard.
     
    beto247, May 6, 2012
    #4
  5. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

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    we can put the request in but for the little performance gain you get over sandy bridge, its not worth the headache
     
    SlickDude80, May 6, 2012
    #5
  6. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Though not confirmed, it also maybe electronically incompatible, that happened with people trying to put AM3 desktop CPU's into AM2 motherboards, physically fits but electrically incompatible. Point in case, the jump from SB to IB really isn't worth selling your current Alienware, unless your current graphics card isn't powerful enough, then jump to the latest Alienwares.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, May 7, 2012
    #6
  7. darkdomino

    darkdomino Notebook Deity

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    You basically summed up my thoughts completely.
     
    darkdomino, May 7, 2012
    #7
  8. charlie22911

    charlie22911 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Are there any updates on this? I have the 2720qm but want to go up to the Ivy Bridge XM if I can.
     
    charlie22911, May 13, 2012
    #8
  9. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    Let us know how it works out when you test it!
     
    DR650SE, May 13, 2012
    #9
  10. charlie22911

    charlie22911 Notebook Enthusiast

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    charlie22911, May 14, 2012
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  11. codesx100

    codesx100 Notebook Consultant

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    as of now no, but if we can find a way to use the r4's bios in the r3, then it may be possible. for now its not, but im sure later on it will. But from the SB to IB, its like not worth the extra price, and headache, just wait for the 2920/2960xms to go down and buy one of those and overclock it, they have more than enough power.
     
    codesx100, May 15, 2012
    #11
  12. charlie22911

    charlie22911 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yeah I just got a oem 2920xm off eBay, will be here Friday.
     
    charlie22911, May 15, 2012
    #12
  13. christophe@ikalizer

    christophe@ikalizer Newbie

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    Hi !
    So bad.

    I've tested an Intel Core i7 3610QM from a new Alienware m17x R4 into my old (feb-2012) m17x R3 (Intel Core i7 2860QM).

    The result is :
    - Black screen
    - No beep
    - Nothing at all !


    My m17x R3 bios is :
    A10 mod BIOS (File: PAR00MEC.fd, MD5: c98ae6a4cf2579a0ed09fc9ebd3cfd98)

    [​IMG]

    PS: After this test, the processor Intel Core i7 3610QM has not been damaged and works perfectly on the m17x R4 socket (Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge are pin-to-pin electrically compatible). The m17x R3 was not damaged too.
     
    christophe@ikalizer, Jul 12, 2012
    #13
  14. christophe@ikalizer

    christophe@ikalizer Newbie

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    I'd like to know the reason of this incompatibility...

    BIOS ? Chipset ?
     
    christophe@ikalizer, Jul 14, 2012
    #14
  15. bigtonyman

    bigtonyman Desktop Powa!!!

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    Bios is probably the culprit and I'm not sure there is an easy fix for that.
     
    bigtonyman, Jul 14, 2012
    #15
  16. superdave643

    superdave643 Notebook Geek

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    Bringing this thread back from the dead. Anything new? Using 6-cores for a Fluent CFD model and maxing out at about 2.8-3.0 GHz with my 2760QM as per HWINFO64.
     
    superdave643, Nov 21, 2012
    #16
  17. radji

    radji Farewell, Solenya...

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    Unless any of the BIOS modders here or over in techinferno are working on this, then it very unlikely this achievement will ever come to fruition. By design and architecture, Ivy Bridge is supposed to be backwards compatible with Sandy Bridge CPUs, and Sandy Bridge is supposed to be forwards compatible with Ivy Bridge CPUs. But system manufacturers are locking this function out within the BIOS to prevent users from just upgrading the CPU to the newer models and not have to buy a whole new system.

    The Tech Empire Strikes Back!@!
     
    radji, Nov 21, 2012
    #17
  18. martin541

    martin541 Notebook Consultant

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    i completely agree Dell will never go for this EVER they would not only see any gain from it but they are losing sales of R4s. disappointing really but what can you do right although there are a number of desktop motherboard manufactures that actually did provide updates to allow ivy bridge CPUs ASUS being one of them
     
    martin541, Nov 22, 2012
    #18
  19. superdave643

    superdave643 Notebook Geek

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    So I guess even the 3820 upgrade path that was discussed before turned out to be a dud?

    Well I'm getting an update to Ansys Fluent 14.5 from the IT admin in a couple of days and it's supposedly CUDA-enabled. Any better luck upgrading the R3 to Kepler graphics?
     
    superdave643, Nov 24, 2012
    #19
  20. radji

    radji Farewell, Solenya...

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    Nope. Other than christophe@ikalizer's test of the CPUs in the opposing motherboard socket, no one has come forwards with any new information. Given that the Haswell CPUs and chipsets will be out soon, I don't think anyone will put any more effort into making this sorta thing work.
     
    radji, Nov 24, 2012
    #20