M17xR3 - VBIOS UPDATED (10/12) - nVidia GeForce 460M/580M/560M (see post#1)

580M VBIOS HAS BEEN RELEASED

Release Date: 10/5/2011
Version: 70.24.2B.00.06, A01
Download Type: BIOS
File Format: Hard Drive
File Size: 8 MB

ISO image of GTX580 A01 Vbios 70.24.2B.00.06
Dell highly recommends applying this update as soon as possible. The update contains changes to improve the reliability and availability of your Dell system.
The flash utility will ask for user input to override PCI Subsystem ID. This is normal. Press y whenever prompted to complete the Vbios flash.
Updates Vbios on GTX580M cards.

Drivers and Downloads

Instructions:
ISO image of production GTX580M Vbios. Burn image to CD and reboot system. Press F12 to choose CD/DVD drive. When prompted, press Y.


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560M VBIOS HAS BEEN RELEASED

Release Date: 10/10/2011
Version: 70.26.36.00.09 , A02
Download Type: BIOS
File Format: Hard Drive
File Size: 8 MB

Drivers and Downloads

Instructions:
ISO image of production GTX560M Vbios. Burn image to CD and reboot system. Press F12 to choose CD/DVD drive. When prompted, press Y.


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460M VBIOS HAS BEEN RELEASED

Release Date: 10/12/2011
Version: 70.06.3B.00.08, A02
Download Type: BIOS
File Format: Hard Drive
File Size: 8 MB

https://support.dell.com/support/do...dateid=-1&formatid=-1&source=-1&fileid=479086

Instructions:
ISO image of production GTX460M Vbios. Burn image to CD and reboot system. Press F12 to choose CD/DVD drive. When prompted, press Y.

 

anyone? por favor

 

its a known 580m issue. You can try the custom modded bios.

 

This may help if you haven seen it.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ttling-m17x-r3-580m-without-120hz-screen.html

 

nVidia GeForce GTX 580M

Fixes and Enhancements
Updates Vbios on GTX580M cards.

Version: 70.24.2B.00.06, A01

Download Type: BIOS
File Format: Hard Drive
File Size: 8 MB

Drivers and Downloads

 

the fix say urgent! i wonder what it fixes????

 

the thing is that i have the latest cpu and the a04 bios update will remove support for that processor...what about a moddd vbios?

 

Try this:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/616015-new-driver-nvidia-geforce-gtx-580m-bios.html

 

No, no, you will only be flashing A04 temporarily. You then blind flash A08 which brings the support back along with no throttling.

 

Probably adds a lower threshold.

Or if we're lucky, removes the throttling.

 

Just saw this on the Dell Support site Drivers and Downloads

PS: Comparsion between A04&A08 with new VBIOS (285.38 Betadriver, stock clocks)

A04:

--- --- ---

A08:

--- --- ---

I can say its better on A08 with new VBIOS than before, but throttling is still not completly gone.
Instead of falling below 5FPS in Furmark every few seconds, it now falls to ~15FPS (and ~475 Coreclock) every few seconds.

I'm staying on A04 for now, maybe Dell plans to realease a accompanying BIOS in the next few days, or its aimed for the next nVidia driver.

 

thank u...imma go ahead and give that a shot. if that dont work, then move on to plan b which is the a04 to a08 thing

 

Nice find

Be sure to save a copy of your old vbios prior to flashing, just in case...

Wonder if it removes the throttling?

 

Apperently it helps, but i can only confirm that for my non 3D m17xR3.
But i think i get lower overall FPS on Furmark and really short "hicups".
im gonna revert to A04 again for comparsion.

 

I'm just using the old vbios (overvolted) with the throttling fix applied. Tried the new one, hardly saw any difference.

 

you can also repaste if you haven't done so. That will keep your temps lower and maybe you never hit that thottle threshold

 

Hi
Only have my m17x r3 for one week and trying to learn how to get the best out of it. On the Dell site there is a new vbios for the 580m marked "urgent" and dated yesterday.

My computer seems to be running perfectly as it is so just wondering if I really need this..."if it's not broke don't fix it etc"...

If I do install it it says to copy to a disk and then reboot system. Does that mean to leave the cd in the drive, shut down and then reboot?

There is also a recommended driver update; 269.03,A01. My current driver is 8.17.12.6903 listed in the device manager, should I update that too?

As I said my system seem to be working just fine with no apparent issues running games even at high settings.

Sorry for the noob question.

Many thanks

Gerry

 

Dell just released a vbios fix for this edit ahh Serephucus beat me to it lol
Drivers and Downloads

06 vbios has 4 entries now as follow:
---------------
core:50.5MHz
shader:101MHz(bumped shader:270MHz)
memory:67.5MHz
---------------
core:73.5MHz
shader:147MHz(bumped shader:270MHz)
memory:162MHz
---------------
core:475MHz
shader:950MHz(bumped shader:950MHz)
memory:750MHz
---------------
core:620MHz
shader:1240MHz(bumped shader:1289MHz)
memory:750MHz

 

Urgent means yes update
the gpu throttling will be less aggressive
06 vbios has 4 entries now as follow:
---------------
core:50.5MHz
shader:101MHz(bumped shader:270MHz)
memory:67.5MHz
---------------
core:73.5MHz
shader:147MHz(bumped shader:270MHz)
memory:162MHz
---------------
core:475MHz
shader:950MHz(bumped shader:950MHz)
memory:750MHz
---------------
core:620MHz
shader:1240MHz(bumped shader:1289MHz)
memory:750MHz

 

gpu throttle is less aggresive (still there) from 50mhz up to 475mhz now!

 

Yep throttle still there but only throttles a bit. Once I get my hands on the unreleased version of nibitor, I can probably edit the entries to the throttle clocks are the same as the 3D ones.

 

that would be much appreciated widezu69

the throttle doesnt happen now because of temperature (At least for me). it happens due to high power consumption. if it is clocked slightly higher (just 30mhz on core for experimenting), it just clocks back down before hitting 70C to 475 and then cools of a bit (by reducing the voltage automatically for a second) and then goes back to normal. by doing this, the power consumption is reduced so it extends the life of the card. i hope this makes sense

 

can you clock this to 3d speeds?

core:475MHz
shader:950MHz(bumped shader:950MHz)
memory:750MHz

 

Yeah I know. Why don't you try flashing to A04, then blind flashing to A08. That removes the power throttle.

 

i am a bit scared...because i have to do it while in the OS, which means A04 will not read the new processor

 

Updated the first post

 

Yeah I dunno, thing is after you flash, your comp will restart, you don't even have to let it boot into windows to blind flash. Maybe get a friend, borrow their Rev1 CPU and flash to A04. After I get my 2920XM. I could lend you my 2630QM.

 

woahh...you so nice

will the bios sense the new processor?

 

Well, you can stick in the 2630QM, flash to A04, then blind flash A08. Then put your new CPU back in. Should be all fine then.

 

3D Vantage score before and after --> no difference --> P14612

 

i dont have the old one with me they took it back

 

I was saying you can do it when/if I lend you mine.

 

yup that sounds splendid...thank you widezu

 

in my opinion there is no reason to be happy about this new vbios or even think about applying it to your system (gpu).

with the a08 blindflash-method we get max gpu performance up to 78°C.

now we get max gpu performance until 70°C, than its starts again to downlock (not as aggressive as before, but still, it downclocks).

seems we still have to wait for nibitor to be released to finally unlock the full potential of the 580M -.-

or maybe im missing something here?!

 

I suggest folks start posting their results from the updated VBIOS. I'll ask Bill to keep an eye here since he is working on the same for the 18x.

IMPORTANT: You have to post info. What your results are both before and after applying the updated VBIOS, any reproduction steps, etc. Without info, they cannot fix it.

As to why people may be interested in an updated VBIOS - well, simply put, not all are ok with using the workaround method as its not going to be supported by Dell and technically you are killing your GPU support/warranty by doing it.

Anyway, feedback folks - without it, a fix is at a standstill.

 

Keep in mind my results are a bit less useful as I didn't have the old vbios installed to compare them to - the technician came today and installed a 580m as a replacement for an ATI card. The replacement 580m came with the new vbios in place already.

The tech helped me pre(re)-paste it, removing the square shroud on the heat sink and used a liberal, but not excessive amount of Arctic MX4 along with the stock pads for the memory.
The machine has the bios throttle fix applied, the clocks are stock, Dell Drivers and the machine sits on a Coolermaster Notepal U3 with the fans on full blast.

I ran Furmark for 7-8 minutes, temps rose slowly over the course of the first 6 minutes and then just flip flopped back and forth between 77c and 78c and stabilized. Never throttled back or slowed down.

It seems to me that the square shroud and undersized thermal pad that comes attached to the stock heatsink would be pretty woeful for cooling though. If my 580m - with all the cooling and re-pasting done to it - sits just barely under the throttle-stop at stock clocks, I cant imagine how quickly the stock setup would bounce off the 79c temp limit.

 

Not sure why noone has extracted the BIOS file. I am doing it right now. No CD burner, at the moment. I can easily flash this within Windows using NVFlash, not sure why they make you boot off of a CD.

EDIT:

Tested myself, works great, here is the rom in a zip file

http://www.sendspace.com/file/b696kn

----------------------

C:\Users\xxx\Desktop>nvflash -6 Dell_580M_A01_BIOS.rom

NVIDIA Firmware Update Utility (Version 5.100)

Checking for matches between display adapter(s) and image(s)...

Adapter: GF1xx (10DE,1211,1028,0490) H:--:NRM B:01,PCI,D:00,F:00

WARNING: Firmware image PCI Subsystem ID (10DE.0000)
does not match adapter PCI Subsystem ID (1028.0490).

Please press 'y' to confirm override of PCI Subsystem ID's: y
Overriding PCI subsystem ID mismatch
Current - Version:70.24.2B.00.04 ID:10DE:1211:10DE:0000
GF104B Board - 13140001 (Normal Board)
Replace with - Version:70.24.2B.00.06 ID:10DE:1211:10DE:0000
GF104B Board - 13140001 (Normal Board)
Update display adapter firmware?
Press 'y' to confirm (any other key to abort): y
The display may go *BLANK* on and off for up to 10 seconds or more during the up
date process depending on your display adapter and output device.

Identifying EEPROM...
EEPROM ID (C2,2012) : MX MX25L2005 2.7-3.6V 2048Kx1S, page
Executing automatic disable of EEPROM write protect...
Remove EEPROM write protect complete.
Clearing original firmware image...
.
Storing updated firmware image...
..
Verifying update...
Update successful.

 

I did this to solve the throttling. I simply overclocked the new power state they added to the same level as the max performance state and it works, but it works best only if you have a modified BIOS to up the voltage on the new P1 intermediate throttle state they added. I also have a custom BIOS where the 2 higher performance states are at 0.92v for my m18x and it works great no throttling. I have both my 580m's OC'ed to 850core and 2025memory on my m18x.

 

Do you gave the newest nibitor with 580m support? Share?

 

I've asked the guys over at mvktech to provide us with a custom vbios. I asked them to create one in which the throttle clocks are identical to the 3D ones. I'll post it as soon as I get get hold of it

 

Look 2 posts up from yours on mvktech, I had requested the same thing on mvktech and they responded with a 0.92v one with both throttle and 3d clocks are the same and at 0.92v on both.

 

Oh right. I see oops must have missed that one!

 

Yea just tell them you already have what you need otherwise it might make them angry..lol. Good idea by me though huh?

 

Wait, I flashed it and nvidia inspector still reads lower clocks for P1. I wanted both P1 and P0 to be 625/1250/1500

 

the clocks still haev to be manually edited and then a shortcut can be made similar to this: C:\Users\xyz\Desktop\nvidiaInspector\nvidiaInspector.exe -setShaderClock:0,3,1700 -setMemoryClock:0,3,2025 -setVoltage:0,3,920 -setShaderClock:0,2,1700 -setMemoryClock:0,2,2025 (but for stock clocks in your case)

If you want both at stock simply move the bars on the p1 state to the stock level and hit apply! Then make a shortcut like I did with your clocks. You can probably easily get by one stock voltages btw if you just wanna do stock settings because even 0.85v of the p1 state can easily run it at stock and even a little OC'ed. Simply move the clocks to the stock level for p1 state and hit apply. 0.92v vbios is needed if you wanna do extreme OC'ing like I have.

 

Yeah I know you can do it that way. But I'd prefer them both to be the same. Peace of mind really.

 

They will be the same if you set it to be the same, and then make a shortcut like this: C:\Users\xyz\Desktop\nvidiaInspector\nvidiaInspector.exe -setShaderClock:0,3,1240 -setMemoryClock:0,3,1500 -setVoltage:0,3,920 -setShaderClock:0,2,1240 -setMemoryClock:0,2,1500

This shortcut above will modify P1 and P0 state clocks in 1 click but you will have to make the same for the 2nd card by changing the 0's to 1's.

(By "make a shortcut" I mean use nvinspector to create a shortcut and then edit its Target in properties of the shortcut)
notice I do not touch the voltage for the 2nd part because the voltage is unchangeable even in the bar at that state.

 

Yeah I know I'll wait for a identical clocks one as well. Just for the other members and it is also the easiest. I'm in no hurry. I'm using the blind flash fix at the moment.

 

ok but are you excited about this idea?

 

Of course I am. It's good that you came up with the idea. I had the same thoughts when the newest vbios was released. Dell tried, just not hard enough