M17x r3 680M compatability

Yes i have a access 2 a 2nd PC.
Btw it is supposed to be RAID because i get bluescreens in ACHI.

Where do i disable IGPU? And that flash thingy is indeed complicated.

 

Oh, might not be ACHI, sorry, im just going off my rig, which is similar specs.

The blind flash is easy, trust me.

Take some time to read this:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/601701-bios-recovery-case-you-brick-your-m17x-r3.html
her is the unlocked A12 BIOS:
Downloads

Follow the steps, create the recovery file and you good to go. It really is just a case of removing the 680m and and holding down the 'End' key until the blind flash is complete.

Its the best way to find out if your card is dead or not, like i said, if it is, you'll get the dreaded '6 beeps' on start up.

 

To disable Interegrated Graphics. Go into Bios>Advanced Option>Video Configuration>Primary Device (Set to PEG) Then scroll bdown to Internal Graphic device> Intergrated Graphics Device and select Disabled.
Save and exit.

 

ok, now where do i disable IGPU?

 

See above your last post, mate.

Also, dont worry, i'll stick around if you decide to go for it and get stuck

 

I'll try without flashing. Its actually easier to clear Cmos if i cant get the GPU to work after peg activation and IGPU disabling.

 

Yeh, but beware, CMOS reset doesn't always work.

But you have a 2nd PC, so it wont be a prob. I didnt, you see, so had to wait till i went back to work to create the recovery file

 

This is silly, Iam getting really tired of this
The video config under bios-> advanced dosent exist, i repeat it does not exist.
All i can do is enagle/disable PEG under primary display

 

Install paths are different with every driver release, it's easy to edit.There are twelve entries divided into three groups.(only nvdm.inf Dell)

%NVIDIA_DEV.11A0.0490.1028% = Section208, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11A0&SUBSYS_04901028
%NVIDIA_DEV.11A0 = GTX 680M
0490 = M17XR3
1028% = Dell

The second and third are the install paths (section), the forth is the ID you'll see in device manager: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11A0&SUBSYS_04901028.

 

Then your not on an unlocked BIOS. Download this: Downloads
extract and use the insydeflash.exe run it and let it do its thing.

I know its frustrating, but rememeber im just trying to help you.

 

Ok its bricked =) and CMOs clearing does not work on unlocked A12 obviously.

Now i have to flash it again by, removing the GTX 680M, and reassemble the PC leaving the 680 out, and the PC battery uninstalled
then use the USB with the PAR00X64.fd. file on it ?
Plugging the Power cable in and pressing END with the USB stick into Esata port? does USb stick fit in an Esata port?!

And that should be the end of it.
Where have i arrived at now? That the 680 card is trash?

.

 

You need an unlocked bios to disable igpu, follow Joe85 first post http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...7x-r3-680m-compatability-55.html?#post9025378 and leave it in raid mode.

 

Blind flash the Bios, once it's done install the card again set it to PEG and disable IGPU (advanced video settings) if it doesn't work then it's a faulty one. Probably upgradeyourlaptop will ask you to do same, speeding up the returning process.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/672230-m17x-r3-680m-compatability-29.html#post8844020

 

Thats right, mate. But make sure you hold down the End key until it has rebooted at least 3 times. As for the card being trash well, how many beeps did you get?

If its 6, you need to send it back where it came from, as j95 has said, its a dud.

Once your back into BIOS, change back to SG, re-enable Intergrated graphics (if you have your old card shut down and re install it) if you dont (OPTIONAL) go to PCI express graphics and disable it untill you have a replacement card. I found that with no GPU installed and PCI express graphic enabled, my laptop would keep giving me 6 beeps code.

 

I can see the "standard VGa graphics adapter" in the device manager right under intel graphics 3000.
I was not able to see this before and i was able to install the 306.14 drivers on my cd but not the 310.90 drivers found on this thread.

Now what does this mean? that the card is actually detected and should work?

I can see nvidia GTX 680M in the device manager now after i installed the drivers BUT i have not yet rebooted after driver installation.

After reboot i got the black screen again during win login screen. doing a system restore now to have the nvidia drivers uninstalled.

 

Now enter the A12 unlocked bios, disable the integrated graphics Advanced Menu>Video Configuration>disable IGP (option now visible with the A12 unlocked bios) and set PEG.
Download Nvidia driver NVIDIA DRIVERS 310.90WHQL
1-Install Nvidia driver.
2-Let it extract
3-Installation failed, close dialog.
4-Browse the extracted Nvidia folder open Display.Driver folder copy and replace nvdm.inf.
5-Run setup.exe within the extracted Nvidia folder.
6-Select custom install>next>Check clean install option>uncheck Nvidia update.
Use this .inf http://forum.notebookreview.com/att...ompatability-nvdm-m17xr3-gtx680m-v310.90.zip?

 

It worked!
Juuust when i was about to give it all up it worked.
Never throw 2nd chances away! =)

Got 5780 3d mark 11 score and max temp was 65. its a 4gb 680M card, what are the OC possibilities?
could i tweak it a little perhaps?
I know i did 25% oc on my 560M

 

Good, go here NVIDIA Kepler VBIOS mods - Overclocking Editions, modified clocks, voltage tweaks participate before doing anything, svl7 is doing an amazing job with the Kepler vbios mods.

 

Good job mate.

Enjoy your new card, but monitor those temps! The card runs quite cool but its best to keep an eye on temps with a new one.

 

Good job mate.

Enjoy your new card, but monitor those temps! The card runs quite cool but its best to keep an eye on temps with a new one.

 

Overclocking potential is around 50-55% on the core with bios mods if you push it to get to around 8500-9000 3dmarks

 

I will indeed keep an eye or two on the Temp. Using MSI afterburner all the time in the background.
I'll see what OC i can do and Thanks you joe and J for all the help. It is people like you who keep the embers inside people like me.

 

Oh and of course the master behind the modded softwares and bios deserves a beer ;-)

 

Use HWinfo fan control and monitor in game temps/benchmarks with MSI Afterburner Riva Turner http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...mperatures-game-benchmark-screen-display.html
I run it as a Task with OpenFanCtrlMin=1 parameter added to the .ini file

HWiNFO64 Download

1-Start HWinfo>check sensors only>configure>GENERAL>check remember preferences>check Minimize main window on stratup/minimize sensors on startup/shared memory support>uncheck anything else>SAFETY>check from Bus clock/SW SMI>check disable driver scan>uncheck anything else (see picture)>SMBus /I2C>uncheck GPU I2c / GPU NVAPI>DRIVER MANAGEMENT>check persistent driver.

2-Warning dialog>Enable Dell EC>remember preferences.

3-Hit he fan icon>set custom auto>sensor>CPU 0# digital thermal sensor>reading>Core #0>hit ok

4-Configure>Important Under Dell EC disable CPU/CPU/System/GPU monitoring and reading.

5-Open task scheduler create new task, name it.

6-General>Check run it as administrator>windows 7

7-Triggers>new> at logon of any user.

8-Actions>new>browse C:\Program Files\HWiNFO64\HWiNFO64.EXE

9-Conditions>uncheck everything.

10-Settings>check allow the task to run on demand>uncheck stop the task if runs longer than 3 days>check if the running task does not end when requested force it to stop.

11-Run notepad as administrator>select all files>browse C:\Program Files\HWiNFO64\HWiNFO64.ini>bottom add OpenFanCtrlMin=1 and save.

Alienware has a good cooling system, not well implemented as Marketing wants them to be dead silence.

 

Msi afterburner hardware monitor works great and i think its enough for my goals.
It looks like all i can clock on the card is core clock and memory clock speeds, not the voltage nor the shader clock.

So i need to flash the Vbios in order to unlock those other 2 parameters right?
And by doing that the only thing i can do to unlock them is by following Slv7s steps?

I have the Dell 680m - 80.04.33.00.32__'OCedition'_revised_00 rom and the nvflash. Do i need to do the USB boot prodecure or can i flash the vbios from windows using nvflash.exe?

 

Both should work; windows is just riskier. I do it from windows but I take my chances.

Its your call.

 

yeah that's right, backup your current vbios first. To create a bootable USB is easy with Rufus, use MS DOS not FREE DOS Rufus - Create bootable USB drives

 

Can I upgrade my M17x R3 3D on gtx 680m dell or required only eurocom? will I have a 120hz monitor?

 

With Dell preferred account is $200 cheaper and yes 120Hz continues the same.

 

Can anyone give or make a complete guide, At least in the short, step-by-step what to do with gtx 680 on hand and bring it fully operational in R3.

 

Sorry J95 mate, can I have the latest .inf?

Thanks mate!

 

You can always grab it from here : LaptopVideo2Go: Drivers

Just save the page when you get to it.

 

Micky, how do you what the correct inf files is?

 

Just follow the links to the driver you want and you will see a link for the modded inf as well as the driver package. Hit the inf link. It will open the inf so you need to save it. In firefox it just works 'as-is with the correct name. Other browsers might save it with a 'txt' extension that you need to remove.

The filename will be the page title.

 

cheers man, though those drivers never work for me...

 

That's weird. You are also getting their matched modded inf? Always worked for me on NV mobile chips for the last year or so. I just took a user through getting the modded inf on a 680/R3 combo (V310.90) that refused to install with a vanilla driver package. Worked fine so ???

 

yeah man, weird I know!!

 

ok worked fine, I didnt realise I had to download the .inf separately! !

 

LOL. I was sure that was the case but didn't want to appear rude

 

nah, it doesnt work...

so... provided 310.70 is installed with J95's .inf 310.90 starts installing then fails, deletes the old driver and then if you restart the installation it can't find the hardware...

Yet J95's .inf with original 310.70 - installs every time... Absolutely no idea...?

 

ok so my turn.
card is installed fine, disable intel graphics.
tried installing graphics...failed.
changed in .inf file it starts to install screen flickers a couple of times and then fails to install the drivers...

 

I do know the inf needs to match the version so maybe it has somehow messed it up? Looks like you will have to wait for J95 to sort one out for you.

Does the LVtoGo inf give you the 'can't find compatible hardware' error?

 

Anything in here help? http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...alled-680m-but-computer-doesnt-recognize.html Not the same problem but might have something that helps

 

I have been through it all and nothing seems to work...just trying to reinstall everything again

 

it starts to install and then i just get Nvidia installer failed

 

Only seen that error once. I had to uninstall all the NV stuff then delete the device in device manager. Selected to delete the driver software as well. Restarted the machine and windows installed 'a' driver. I then installed the NV driver fresh and got it to install. YMMV!

 

You disabling the driver sig?

 

trying not to sound silly here, but with every release, laptopvideo2go will create a modded inf that will work for the R3? is this like a universal modded inf file that works with all machines?

 

yup, all sorted my PC just needs magic from Mr. J95..

He's already actually put a .inf up from 310.90 here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/672230-m17x-r3-680m-compatability-57.html#post9025879

Worked a treat, thanks man!

 

Well it does install something, but my laptop afterwards comes up with some sort of random new hardware and the driver install fails from there... I forgot but this actually happened last time I used their drivers too...

Weird - I dunno if J95 can shed some light on what's different...?