M17xR3 Owners - **Driver Updates**

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...-enabling-overdrive-undervolting-your-r3.html

Follow the directions there. You will need to make the registry change to get the tab to appear, and then you will need to update and flash your vBIOS to allow for useful clock settings.

 

thanks Tostito..... but has anyone applied for the Overdrive/OC panel in 11.8 without having to flash the card.....like a REGEDIT'in or something to enable the panel to appear in CCC

 

Like I said, one registry change will allow the panel to appear in CCC. It's in that link above.

However, by default the clock and memory sliders cap out only slightly above stock speeds so you will need to flash the vbios if you want to overclock any more.

Flashing the vbios is very simple if you follow the instructions there. You basically use a GUI editor in windows to change the overclock limits in the vbios to whatever you like. You are only changing two values. Then you make a bootable USB stick and flash from there.

 

Tostito...i applied the REG hack as suggested, and also tried enabling /"allowing" all three Overdrive options,but to no avail...any ideas??

this is the software/CCC installed on my system nowadays (i can't interpret it....but is this 11.8 or not?)


Driver Packaging Version 8.851.2-110609a-120503C-Dell
Provider ATI Technologies Inc.
2D Driver Version 8.01.01.1152
2D Driver File Path /REGISTRY/MACHINE/SYSTEM/ControlSet001/Control/CLASS/{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}/0001
Direct3D Version 7.14.10.0833
OpenGL Version 6.14.10.10765
Catalyst Control Center Version 2011.0728.1756.30366

I apologize if asking such mundane qs. but this is the very 1st ATI i've had, since the original RAGE128..... i've been a NVIDIA fan since then, its only 'cuz of optimus i'd have to give up NV, but i would say this...the bang-for-buck in ATI cards is awesome......

 

That's actually 11.7. You can find 11.8 here:

Multiupload.com - upload your files to multiple file hosting sites!

This is what I'm currently running. Once installed, GPU-Z should show your driver as "atiumdag 8.88.0.0 (Catalyst 11.8) / Win7 64".

In any case, the registry tweak should work with either. Check CCC and make sure the Performance tab isn't there (that is all the registry tweak does, unlocks that tab).

 

The difference I think is that with the 6970M, the o/c limit sliders are set to 0/0 by default, whereas the 6990M is set to 740/1000. The 6970M's vbios has to be modified to raise the sliders before Overdrive can be enabled in CCC, even with the registry tweaks. Or, flash with a previously modified 6970M vbios.

 

so with a 6990 you can oc from 715/900 to 740/1000 without needing to flash a hacked bios? Just curious as my m17 still hasn't shipped.

 

Hey guys... tried to roll back to previous drivers from 11.9 rcx, this resulted in a big "uh oh" moment. Threw a blue screen at me and windows couldn't start up. Had to do a fresh install of windows. I'm back to:
Driver Packaging Version 8.851.2-110609a-120503C-Dell
but it says I have have catalyst version of 11.8, but presumably not the display drivers from amd. When I tried to install 11.8 from the above listed link, everything was going fine until it tried installing the display drivers, then my screen flashed a couple of times like usual but wouldn't come back and then bam, another error and blue screen and restart. Will i ever be able to rid myself of dell drivers and use amd's mobility display drivers? I'm scared to try to install anything else because I keep getting errors

 

Here's a screen of what I'm talking about does this make sense?

 

Rover18, check this post: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...x-r3-driver-problem-6970-a-2.html#post7920078. Maybe something there would be helpful to you.

 

Exactly, though you may have to modify a few simple registry entries to enable Overdrive in CCC.

Here's how: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/610133-catalyst-11-9-drivers.html#post7907473.

 

Revelator,

Following your link, it looks like if one uses the TriXX software, overclocking and voltages can be modified without flashing the bios. Is there some disadvantage to this? It seems both easier and less likely to be warranty voiding. What kind of OC are you getting with your 6990 or are you OCing it?

Also, completely unrelated to drivers (sorry) how are you finding the 256GB m4... I'm debating 128 vs 256. I think I could make 128 work space wise, but i worry about it. How much are you using of your 256?

Thanks!

 

That's right. TriXX works very nicely and allows voltage adjustment with the proper card. However, voltage is limit-locked on the 6990M's and cannot be increased by any method (at least none yet discovered), including flashing the vbios, so that benefit is lost. It can be deceased by flashing the vbios, in which event TriXX would probably let you raise it back to 1.1v (stock), but I haven't explored that yet so I don't know. The main advantages of Overdrive are that it can be set to apply overclock settings at startup and that it is convenient. With other cards, it also allows an overclocked card to reduce voltage to 2d levels, whereas TriXX will freeze the voltage at 3d o/c levels even when the card returns to 2d tasks and clocks. Not a big deal, but it results in somewhat higher temps at idle and desktop use. On the other hand, TriXX makes precise adjustments much easier. Just try both and pick whichever suits you best. I have traditionally overclocked my video cards, even for general use, but I have found no reason at all to overclock the 6990M for anything other than benchmarking. The card is a laptop beast in stock dress.

In retrospect, a 128GB SSD would have served my needs perfectly well in the dual drive R3. I had the single drive M15x with a 160GB SSD at the time I got the R3 and thought the extra space would be a welcome luxury. But with a 750GB storage drive, that was silly. With minimal discipline, you can keep the SSD from getting congested by simply moving files and programs to the secondary drive as needed. For most people, Windows, Office (or equivalent) and their other primary programs don't really consume that much space once the data, documents, games, music, movies, pictures, etc. are consigned to the secondary drive. The 256GB SSD's are also somewhat faster than the 128GB drives of the same model. But both are fast enough that the difference is not apparent except when benchmarking. So, for most people, I don't think the extra expense of the 256GB is justified, notwithstanding the advantages of the larger drive, unless expense is not a factor. At the moment, I'm using about 80GB of the 256GB drive, but if I had only 128GB, it would be easy to reduce that further.

 

Thanks, Revelator, you're incredibly helpful!

 

Does anyone get constant alienrespawn errors?

 

Aww sugar... the Reg. hack alone will not work with 6970, and 11.8's

 

just 740/1100
It's all

My 5870 is OCed to 850/1100 without any problems.

 

The default Overdrive limits of 740/1000 can be easily increased to any levels you desire by modifying and flashing the vbios. Using Radeon Bios Editor ( Download TechPowerUp Radeon Bios Editor v1.28 | techPowerUp, just go to the Additional Features tab/screen and increase the OD limits by adjusting the sliders in the lower left quadrant. Then flash the modified vbios to your card using AtiFlash. I use 900/1200 for the 6990M and 1000/1250 for the 6970M.

 

so, AMD has posted a preview of the 11.10 driver, AKA the Battlefield 3 driver.

http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDCatalyst1110Previewdriver.aspx

I assume this is desktop only, and we have to wait for someone to mobility mod it? how long does that typically take?

Edit:
Not that there's a hurry... i still haven't managed to join a server... it'll be especially good once it's open beta on Thursday...

 

+1
so the max stable oc of 6990m is 900/1200?
What about temps?

 

No, those are just upper limits. Few 6990M's can be pushed beyond 850 on the core or 1200 on the memory without auxiliary cooling, and I'm not sure you can call those stable. Cards vary, but not many 6990M's seem happy much above 820-830/1100 on a day-in day-out basis.

 

You can get a mobility modded version of the 11.10 Preview drivers here: [AIO] AMD Catalyst 11.10 Preview (8.901.0) Win7.7z.

​

 

got a big fat bsod with that driver on a 6990M. had te revert back to 11.8

 

Is AMD Switchable Graphics avaiable with drivers not from dell website?
For example if I install 11.8 this option is still available?

 

No. To use more recent AMD reference drivers, you have to install them over the Dell default drivers. The Dell drivers include the drivers for the Intel IGP, but the reference drivers do not, so you have to continue using the Intel drivers from the original Dell set. Usually, the newer versions (at least the WHQL versions) will install and function cleanly, but sometimes they do not. One workaround that usually works is to use Custom Install for the new drivers and do not install the newer version of CCC. So far as I know, no one has devised a foolproof method for installing the newer reference drivers that works in all situations while preserving the ability to switch between graphics cards. I sure haven't. Here's an example of using the 11.10 Preview drivers with the default Dell CCC, which is working very well.

​

 

so, if I do everything exactly as you wrote the Switchable Graphics will be still avaiable ?

 

Aldam, I don't know whether installation of reference drivers works the same with the FirePro cards. Ultimately if you follow that procedure, switchable graphics should be available, but it sometimes requires more than one effort. I had to reinstall drivers from scratch several times this weekend. Most often, when first installing the 11.10 Preview drivers over the dell drivers, I would get a BSOD part way through the installation (set to Custom,all except CCC). Upon reboot, it would boot into VGA screen with a notice that it was unable to find a valid driver for the AMD card. Checking Device Manager revealed that the 11.10 display drivers were installed, but did not have a valid digital signature. At that point, I would reboot, tap F8 at the boot screen to access the boot options, select (highlight) disable driver signature enforcement and boot. It would then boot cleanly with the 11.10 drivers, but the installation was not complete because of the prior BSOD. So, I would run setup again to start Install Manager and repeat the installation effort (Custom, all except CCC). The second time everything would install normally (if asked whether to install an unsigned driver, agree and proceed), except that when it finished, it did not ask whether to reboot to complete the process. I would then shutdown. Upon restart, it booted normally, all of the 11.10 drivers and apps except CCC were installed, the CCC from the July/August Dell driver set remained in place and switchable graphics was and remains fully functional. It should work the same for you, unless the FirePro card introduces new factors. Svl7 recently flashed his 6970M with a FirePro vbios, but I thought he then needed to use FirePro drivers. You might check with him.

 

Thanks.

I'm sorry about not telling you what system I have in mind :

Code:

ALIENWARE M17x R3 Black | i7 2630QM | 8 GB DDR3 | ATI 6990m 2GB GDDR5 | 320GB HDD | 17" Full HD | Win7 x64

I have now this R3 at home and soon also R2 CF 5870m RGB.
So I wonder which one would be better.
I like R3 because of the Switchable Graphics and If I lose this functionality I won't be happy.

 

If you're using a 6990M, then it should work the way I described. I am using a 6990M in my R3 and enjoy both the most recent drivers (currently 11.10 Preview) and switchable graphics. It should work the same for you, but the process is not always smooth.

 

once more thanks for your help.

 

guys... i've seen a lot of truble installing the latest drivers from amd... someone then goes for the mobility modded... but... what about the embedded? i'm using the embedded and they works and install's great... here is the link:
AMD Embedded GPU and Chipset Driver for Windows XP/Vista/7
for the problems of the switchable graphics u can easily avoid unthicking during the installation the voice "catalyst control center" u still then have the dell's control center but with the newest drivers. hope it helps...

 

No offense, but I hope no one follows this recommendation. The M17xR3 doesn't use an embedded GPU - it uses a discrete card (excluding the Intel IGP). In addition, it is built on the Intel HM67 chipset - not an AMD chipset. And what exactly do you mean by 'unthicking' ???

 

sorry....deselecting the voice catalyst control center.

and i know that in the m17xr3 we have a discrete card..end not embedded..but they works really good.. no problems at all...in bf3 i'm getting around 40-60fps all maxed but noAA

 

and with the original amd..i got bsod... with modded... bsod.... with this one no problem.... i know it's strange... then help me understand...cause they works great..

 

hey guys, regarding the whole intel integrated graphics + ati drivers I have it working with the latest 11.11a.

Pretty much clean windows 7 ultimate sp1 install, installed dell ati drivers + restart and then installed 11.11a via custom install - select ati display driver only (deselect everything else), BSODed, restarted and then do this:

Make sure you have the proper mobility 11.11a drivers downloaded. Make sure you have Dells drivers and the 11.11a drivers extracted in 2 different places.

In the Dell Packages\Drivers\Display\W76A_INF folder delete the B-something folder. Then from the 11.11a drivers copy the whole Packages\Drivers\Display\W76A_INF folder into the dell Packages\Drivers\Display folder and overwrite it all. Re-install the dell drivers.

Take a look: http://i40.tinypic.com/29em54z.png

 

The whole over-lapping of dell drivers, custom driver, back to dell driver has me seriously scratching my head... Yeah it might work... but the real question is, is there a gain?

 

The real answer is that it's staring right into your face.

You can have the latest ATI drivers and have the ability to switch back to integrated graphics, that's the whole point. You only get 1 BSOD and it's the quickest way...

I've edited my post to make it as clear as possible.

This, with the latest AMD drivers. Don't even ask me why you would want the latest drivers.

If you don't want the latest drivers for whatever reason then just install the dell drivers and that's it. You'll be left with 11.8 and newer games won't run as well as they will with the latest set of drivers.

 

So you're certain that the latest games such as Battlefield 3 does in fact run better after doing this method of driver installation? That's the only confirmation I really need. Also I'm using a 6970 standard not a 6990 Clevo.

 

don't know about ATI, but nvidia claims bf3 drivers increased performance by %7, I would say ATI does the same

 

The method is so that IGP + AMD GPU switching works with the latest AMD drivers.

Drivers are updated so that your GPU performs better in the latest releases.

Download the Dell drivers that are relevant to you - I have made my instructions universal, it does not matter what card I have or you have. Just make sure you download the correct mobility 11.11a drivers so that you can extract it and access the files - http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_11.11_hotfixes/amd_catalyst_11.11a_windows_vista_7.exe

And by custom I meant custom install and not express install.

 

Alright thanks this is done with sucess, but why was BSOD'ing necessary? Couldn't I have just downloaded it, decompresse it. Replace the proper files, followed by a reinstall? Or is BSOING your way of uninstalling current drivers?

Any how I'm going to install and update an Anti-Virus then run BF3 to see if I can see any gains. Again this isn't for my PC, it's for my Brother whom I gave the PC too as a gift so I hope he's happy with everything I've done here.

 

I think the BSOD is AMD's fault on 11.11a, something to do with driver signing. It works so I'm happy, we'll see what 11.12 is like, could be easier.

You could have done it that way you mentioned, but I can't keep re-installing win 7 to test it/find the best way, this way worked just fine and you've confirmed it.

 

the easiest way is downloading the embedded drivers... i don't know why you guys don't try it... and still try to install the catalyst LOL

 

and don't tell me it's risky....cause i've never had a bsod... insted all of you trying the catalyst...

 

It's not 11.11a and 6990M not supported. AND no Intel HD drivers, stop giving poor advice and understand what we are trying to achieve here.

 

i've got a 6990m and they works well. no problem in bfbc2. no lag no stuttering no poor framerates.. maxed out. they are the same as 11.11a. they only names differente cause they are embedded. But have u tried the embedded? or are u writing without having tried? they works well. end. if u wanna try great. if u don't wanna.. np. i just wanna help u.

 

the intel hd drivers are already installed with your first installation of the alienwares drivers.. u just have to install the embedded deselecting the voice ccc. in this way u still have the ccc of alienware and u still be able to change form integrated intel and discrete amd 6990m

 

First your embedded drivers were released @ 11/8/2011

Offical 11.11 released @ 11/15/2011

11.11 are the same; however

11.11a released @ 11/21/2011

11.11a is different - and so are the 12.1 preview drivers. When I first installed my 6990M it used 6970M drivers for some reason and performance was a little less than I had hoped, re-install windows & and all drivers and it was way better.

 

ok..understood. sorry for the misunderstanding. when u write 6970m drivers... u don' refere to dell stock drivers or yes? cause i score only 7.6 in win score and not 7.7 as in notebookcheck. even if my stock 3dmark11 is better then the notebookcheck one. 3462 vs 3227 and 3179 of xmg and panther. iv've got a 2630qm and 6990m it's 3462 right as a stock score?

 

You need to overclock a little to get 7.7; GPU benchmarks all vary depending on the drivers and clocks you have really