M17x-R2 + GTX 580M + SLi

It's possible. I can think of a reason why. It's farfetched, but possible. Douse, could you weigh in?

 

Hey Aarpcard, not sure why its not working for you.

I suspect it isn't so much that the cable is grounded, more that the laptop does not know what PSU it is so doesn't try to throttle.

I am heading away for the weekend so I can't test this.

Anyway, all I did was ground the two ID cables to the black, and also the one going to the laptop...So there is still an ID going to the laptop, but it is also grounded...if that makes sense.

Just got up and the laptop is still running and not on fire. It's a good thing

I should mention that in another thread I explained that my throttling had greatly reduced since I re-pasted my CPU. I am hoping this is not skewing my results. However, even with it being reduced, I would still experience throttling around 290 watts. So since following what Stealth has done, it seems to be able sustain much higher figures

 

So i gotta ask a few questions, I have been following the mod you guys are talking about but somewhere i got lost. Are you guys modding the stock PSU for the R2 or are you using a different PSU, and if so where would i go to get a more powerful PSU so i may mod in the first place???

 

Ran a few tests. I didn't even bother to post my Vantage and 3d11 scores; the throttling was so bad that I couldn't even break 20k GPU in Vantage.

As for Unigine Heaven, there was throttling too. A lot of it. The fact that my Kill-a-Watt was hovering around 270 watts average with no throttling means that the system needs more juice to run it. When I left everything stock, I got the following (TheWiz + Chukwu77's results are on the left IN the screenshot):



I increased the FSB to 5% (140mhz bclk) and got slightly higher score (but not by much). Then, I decided to place Icepacks on my PSU to cool it down and I noticed less throttling and as a result:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

So it's pretty clear that the 240w PSU is holding this setup back from full use in the R2.

Also, I did a little digging on some of the unlocked options in TheWiz's unlocked A10 motherboard BIOS and it seems like the R2 has no thermal limit on the PCI/MXM sockets, but gives you the option to set limits. I haven't tried this yet, but it makes me think (and it's pretty much been shown thanks to aarpcard, stealth55 and others) that the system will make full use of a higher rated Power supply setup.

Aside from that, most of the games I have tried that use SLi play very smoothly and don't throttle. Average power consumption via kill-a-watt is around 225w when I maxx out the settings. I'm having trouble with Crysis 2, which freezes everytime I try to change the resolution. I'll let you guys know when I fix this and I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on everything!

 

A couple clarifications:

@Tsunade_Hime: Yes, SLI is working on 580Ms on the R2, it has been tested by ichime and chuku77 with success. For more information, please visit this article:

Success: NVIDIA GTX 580M SLI on Alienware M17x-R2 Laptop

@tomX: Not suer on the fans as I don't own the laptop, maybe chuku77 or Ichime can clarify?

To everyone else:

So it would seem another BIOS release is in need. Currently for those unaware, the version one modification release done by BIOS-Mods successfully unlocked the hidden options and made overclocking possible for all Intel CPUs, not just extreme versions.

Alienware M17x-R2 A10 BIOS Unlocked OC Options

So step two after talking with goodstone would seem to be removing the Whitelists and upgrading the OC limit to 20-40% as the current max O.C. options are pretty low. After talking with ichime a bit more about the PSU situation, its seems probable injecting the PSU id from the m18x BIOS would work, provided we can find the routines in each BIOS and properly add them into the m17x (That could be a project).

TheWiz

 

NBR community Rockz, really, best forum ever, ..it is so good, that it may happen in the future, if people from dell management reads all of the ''great'' things we made with R2, they will solder cpus and video cards permanently to the mobo

loVe you aLL

 

This would be amazing if it works.

 

Will the 330 watt PSU work with R2? I thought it didn't...as R2 is Flextronics...

 

Congrats on getting everything to work! Now can this SLI 580m mod be done on the r3? Or is it strictly on the r2?

 

No, R3 only has 1 MXM slot, and thus cannot be upgraded beyond 1 video card. R2 still houses dual MXM slots, and supports MXM 3.0b and pretty much all the latest cards. This thread talks about all the loops and hoops needed to jump R2's 5870M/285M to 580M.

 

Oh yeah that's right. I forgot that has only has one MXM 3.0 slot. Thanks for reminding me lol. I am trying to refrain from buying a M18x on top of my R3. It get's so tempting because I wouldn't trade my R3 in for anything at this point but at the same time I want the M18x for dual cards and the inch bigger screen, which means I would have both which is pointless lol.

 

its currently working for me but i had to do a physical mod to it which is attach the ID cable to a black cable. Downside to this is

1.you cant change brightness
2.cant have battery attached (cant charge also) while using modded 330 psu
3.gotta restart laptop every time psu is connected to laptop.

I'm hoping they get the PSID of 330 watt psu into the m17x r2 bios so it can be reconized this way no physical modding will be required on 330 psu with no negative effects.

 

See if it charges with the laptop off.
Did you ground both ends of the data wire?

 

It dont charge while laptop is off. No i didnt ground both ends since i dont think the ID cable leading to laptop is ment for high electrical power xD.

I just connected the ID cable(green) attached to the PSU to 1 of the black cables so the other half that is cut(not connected to anything) leads to the end of the cord where plug is for laptop. You can do this mod in any area of psu cord i did about 10 inches from psu brick.

 

That's the reason I asked, thank you.

 

I did ground both ends, and nothing bad has happened. I thought that it should be ok as it is not on the positive...meh its still working

Tomorrow I will disconnect the ID cable leading to the laptop and see if it changes anything.

Aarpcard, any luck?

 

Still no luck. Same results. My two PSU's are different brands - delta and Flextronics - that may be a reason why. I still can't understand why grounding the data cable would have any effect on the results. Someone should try just cutting the data cable and following Stealth's steps. My guess for you guys it would produce the same results.

There's no need to ground both ends of the data cable. All that would do is produce the same result that simply cutting the cable would have done. Grounding the cable forces any data on that cable to 0 - but it's not like the laptop will be reading that from the ground wire.

If that were true then the laptop basically wouldn't have a ground and it wouldn't function period - so something else if happening - try just leaving the data cable disconnected and see what happens.

 

Yeah I agree, I don't see how it is working either so I am going to just disconnect the ID cable tonight and remove any grounding and see if I get the same results.

 

Guys anyone here who tried 330w PSU from M18x in our laptop?.. Does this ebay NEW Original Dell Alienware M18x 330W AC Adapter XM3C3 ADP-330AB B DA330PM111 | eBay work without issue?

 

Kingkong, please read the thread before posting and take a moment to resize your signature. forum rules.

 

Thats the same exact one i modded and using atm.

 

Ok, so I am getting some strange results.

I disconnected the ID cable completely and it seemed to sustain the same power draw in Furmark, but then shutdown after about 30 seconds. I think that may have been a heat issue though as it is hot as in here today.

I have now connected my ID cable like it was originally (not grounding) and it still sustains the same power draw and I have my brightness controls back.

So it seems that grounding has the same affect as not connecting it at all, as Aarpcard stated.

So why can I all of a sudden can I sustain higher watt draws?

Well I mentioned that I noticed an improvement since re-pasting my CPU and ensuring that the voltage regulators are being properly cooled. Perhaps this improved the situation even more then I thought.

Is it possible that those voltage regulators regulate the voltage for not only the CPU but also the GPU's? And it is these that are getting hot and causing the throttling to occur (with a larger power supply)?

Or perhaps it is somehow related to the cards themselves. All I know, is that there is more going on here than meets the eye, would be nice to speak to an Alienware engineer

EDIT:: Just ran benches and results are the same as when the ID was grounded.

EDIT x 2:: just played BF3 with all overclocks. Sustained 300-320 and did not get a single throttle

 

Just to clarify. Were these done using the 480 watt PSU? Also did you have the data cable attached like normal or did you have it cut?

To answer your other question, the voltage regulators on the mobo by the cpu are for the cpu only. The video cards have their own voltage regulators soldered onto the MXM cards themselves. If there was a really bad cooling job on the cpu voltage regulators it is possible that that is what was causing your throttling - because they would limit the whole system.

 

Yeah all done using the 480 watt PSU and I have attached the data cable like normal, so the BIOS is detecting a 240 watt supply.

Ok, I suppose that makes sense. Sigh, would have been good if that was the answer

 

Won the auction on ebay for the 580m, 500 $ delivered and it's one of Eurocom's cards

now:

what heatsink and screws did you use on your 580m?
Anybody think the one for 5870m/6970m would fit on Nvidia or No way Jose ?

 

Your only option is the M17x/M17x R2 heatsink, there's only one for all the GPUs that fit these models, unless you want to mod one from a different model (Clevo ). With these heatsinks it's all in properly arranging the thermal pads.

Nice price on that 580M, congrats.

 

Congrats! best green mobile card for $500! i am eyeing on this until you got. )

can you post actual pic of the card?

 

Having some trouble with the drivers it seems. When SLi is enabled, my system freezes when rendering in Windowed mode. Thus, when I change resolutions or go from Windowed to full-screen mode, the system freezes. Also, I'll have to ask TheWiz what specifically he edited in the drivers files so I can see if older drivers have this issue...

Same heatsink and screws I used for the 6970M (see the 6970M/6990M in M17x-R2 guide for more info on how to prepare the heatsinks)

 

Hey ichme how is the temperature? Can you run furmark on just one gpu? I want to know how the temps on the 580m compare to the 6990m.

 

So i just got my 330w PSU in the mail today and want to test any modding that Stealth has done that have been successful. I would like to see some pictures of specific mods to the PSU so i make sure i get it right if i have to actually cut the cord open. Thanks for the help

 

Hrm will the 920XM bottleneck the 580M's vs M18x Sandy Bridge CPUs?

 

Ok ill take pic. Give me few minutes please.

 

This and the 6970/6990 mods have made the M18x undesirable in my eyes! Thanks for all the hard work everyone has put in to this. Truly is an "All Powerful" Laptop.

 

I second this!

I really love this laptop

 

I just did a sliced a opening on power cord (about 3inch)just on black cover dont slice to deep so you dont damage cables inside. Then i cut green cable and trimd about 3/4 of a inch from the end on green piece that connects to power brick the other cut cable i just let be. You'll see 2 black cables pick one to slice then your going see the shinny strings of cable try not to cut into these. I took the trimd green cable and wrapped it around the back of shinny strings of the black cable. To do this i pulled the shinny strings from black covering that was not sliced on black cable and forming like a needle hole which i put the trimd green cable in and wrapped in place. Then just seal everything off i used electrical tape.

Image - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting (might take min for pic to load)

 

Ok great i will try this myself and see what happens!

 

Just remember when you have it all ready that you cant have battery on laptop if you wanna be able to use CF without shut downs due to low power that is available with battery. You must also restart laptop when you first start laptop when you use 330 psu. Once restarted you wont have to restart again unless you unplugd psu from laptop.

 

I have to admit, threading that wire into the silver strings is one of the hardest things i have EVER done lol! I did barely knick the white wire doesnt appear to be any damage but there is a very slight cut on it so im going to wrap it in a tiny piece of electrical tape as well

 

I just went around the back of all silver strings like a tie was just hard making space between rubber i didnt want to solder. I did this so incase in future support in bios for this psu is added i can just reconnect green cables easily.

 

Ok so is there any settings i need to change? I was trying to play BF3 but it was going at a very slow FPS with SLI enabled

 

make sure your battery is off. set to max performance in your power settings for while pluged in and restart laptop.
Keep battery off

 

Ichime & TheWiz any futher notices / luck on anything?

How is the tutorial going?

 

Common I've been dying for an update.

 

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay, my email stopped receiving notifications for some reason.

@tomx: tutorial has been available here for some time:
Success: NVIDIA GTX 580M SLI on Alienware M17x-R2 Laptop

TheWiz

 

clarification: were you referring to a PSU tutorial Tom?

 

Now I am jealous of r2

 

Thank you for the guide to setup the SLI.

Not sure if I missed anything, but did they get to allow M18x PSU to work on R2? Without the right power SLI is pretty useless.

Kudos to the great work!!!

 

I dont have money for upgrading my R2 at the moment but thank you guys for all your hard work,

++rep

 

yes thanks for all your hard work. I hope someone adds the psu id for 330w adapter. Out of the things I really don't want to mess with it would be the power supplies.

 

damn thats verry nice ! great job