Reinforced M17x R3 - Advice needed!

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

So as some of you may know, I have recently moved to the alien side from MSI.

Not that i have anything to complain about my old pal but finding out that M17x R3 support HDMI-input make me forget everything else . I got this new lappy off dell outlet during my holiday stay in Texas so I could not do anything with it other than plug my PS3 in and play. Got to say though the larger screen (compared to my old 15.6") is wonderful! I have used to the 1080P 15.6" on my MSI but using a 17" is so much more pleasant and easy to my eyes.

The specs i got from outlet is as follow:
i7 2630QM
AMD HD6870M
4GB RAM 1333
500GB HDD
1080P screen
Dell 1501 Wireless

Yesterday as I got back from Texas, I pulled out the parts in my old MSI to put into the new machine. I was too lazy and still waiting for the killer wireless n1103 to arrive so i just put the SSD pairs in without doing a fresh windows install or anything. And luckily for me it works with a few restarts and drivers install. The 6990M card got recognized perfectly. Also both SATA ports are reported by Intel RST as SATA III 6Gbps so it seems i didnt get the sata 2 issue as some people.

Whoever designed the M17x R3 is a genius! Its terrifyingly easy to access most of the components with ease. You just need to pull out the battery, 2 screws, slide off the back plate and voila! Although I could use a easier to access optical drive.

Now onto the issues and concerns:
I did a crystal mask test again with my raid as it is and not unexpected the score is lower than what i get on my MSI. I think a fresh install will help:

MSI GT683:


ALIENWARE M17x R3


I proceed to run 3dMark Vantage and 11 and here is what i got compared to my old MSI (keep in mind that the system still has loads of junks and improperly installed drivers as well as different clocks 820/1150 and 800/1200)

MSI GT683:
AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. MS-16F2 score: P16923 3DMarks
AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. MS-16F2 score: P4114 3DMarks

ALIENWARE M17x R3
AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P15975 3DMarks
Intel HD Graphics 3000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P3994 3DMarks

With my old MSI, I can access the AMD overdrive overclocking tool but no matter how i tried the 11.12, 12.1 or 12.1a (which BSOD on me) it wouldnt show up so i have to set the clocks into the vbios itself.

Here is a screencap of HW monitor + HWinfo:

notice that while CPU temp is spectacular (for me) and the GPU temp is mostly good, the shader temp (or GPU temp #3) is spikingly high. When i did a furmark run for 10 minutes i got 85*C max and shader temp is 102*C. I took out the card again but didnt see much other than the fact i use a 6870M heatsink on it.

Thanks for staying with me up to this point and here is a recap of my questions:
1. Which driver should i install when i do a fresh windows install? Is the order i read in other thread: dell stock driver -> intel hd driver -> amd latest driver correct?
2. How can i get the AMD overdrive function to show up?
3. Is there anything i can do to get the shader temp down other than getting a new heatsink?
4. When i plugged my ps3 in the HDMI port i noticed rainbow colors very distintive, especially in Modern Warfare 3, anyway I can fix or decrease that?

I think i forgot something here but will add later when i remember

 

originally by Revelator:

To unlock Overdrive for the 6990M or 6970M, you open Regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ATI\ACE\ Settings\Graphics\OverDrive2. Change the value of the key “Accessible” in the right panel from "Nobody" to "All" (right click on Accessible, select Modify and enter “All” in the Value Data box). Then drop down to Overdrive3 and Overdrive5 in the Graphics section and make the same change. For the 6990M, that's all it takes; restart and a new Performance tab will appear in CCC, which includes Overdrive. The problem is that the default o/c limits in Overdrive for the 6990M are 740/1000, so you need to edit the 6990M vbios using RBE to increase the limits by moving the sliders on the last screen to your desired levels. I use 900/1200, which has served me well. The 6970M requires more. Before Overdrive can be enabled (or the Performance tab appear in CCC), the 6970M vbios has to be modified to move the OD limit sliders referred to above from the default 0/0 to the desired levels. It is a tedious process since the settings can only double with each mod. So, when you first move both sliders to the extreme right, it increases the limits to 1Mhz/1Mhz. Save and reopen, repeat to move to 2Mhz/2Mhz, etc. Keep repeating. Since it doubles each time, it doesn't take as long as you might first think. When you reach the desired level (I use 900/1200), reflash your vbios with the new settings and Overdrive should be available.

 

Just download Trixx to set your clocks. It's the best program out there and does not require any tweaks to your vbios or registry.

Major rep for your post also Dragon.

I too had a 6870M but it actually came with a Nvidia backplate =/ Are you sure you have an ATI backplate?
The difference is fairly big and will affect temperatures. The other issue is thermal pads - I was lucky to get thermal pads of difference layers for every single component on the graphics card (done exceptionally well) and even a massive square at the back, make sure yours is done properly too.
Fairly sure you have an ATI heatsink as well (it's the same for all ATI cards). With my laptop slightly propped up at the back my temperatures (core) on whatever game or program I throw at it - even furmark and overclocked. Shader and memory temps are usually 1-2 degrees higher maximum.

The design (internals and of course externals) is simply mind blowing, best I have so far seen in a laptop - I'm with you there!

It would definitly be a good idea to reinstall Windows, I'm sure it's somewhat confused with the new motherboard and what not. <3

My benches:

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2474596
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2470690
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z92/chaotic_george/Best.png

For the graphics card: Dell Stock Drivers -> 12.1 imo (kinda best and newest so far imo)

 

thanks a ton mate! will rep you later when i'm allowed to rep again

yeah theres always an option to install trixx or msi afterburner but im just trying to install less programs as possible you know and kinda got used to the overdrive thing too.
About the backplate...i'm not sure as i dont know how to check ). I only know that it fits quite well and theres a small part that cover the right column of VRAMs . Yup i got that massive square pad in the back too, and its more slimy?/wet than the one i got off ebay to try mimic it on my old MSI.
And yeah i never did test the card at stock clock, maybe after fresh install.

Man your scores are so high Is your temp still at +/-70*C when overclocking? Thats....ungodly @.@

EDIT: Tried to push my card and got to 840/1170 max (could be more on memory but that would have to be done later)

AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P16554 3DMarks
Intel HD Graphics 3000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P4130 3DMarks

EDIT2: geocake did you use the tips and tricks wizeud posted to push the CPU a bit? if so can you share how much did you push it? Did you enable C7 also?

 

Bro, Trixx is essential. It's not the kind of program you think twice about - it is a requirement! Don't be silly - get it, it's not the kind of program that installs over 9000 registry settings and startup thingies, it's nice and neat and light-weight.

I am afraid you have (I think) the Nvidia backplate which is bad bad bad for you! If it's this one in the picture: New Alienware Dell m17x r3 GPU Heatsink Complete J9H7X | eBay it's certainly something you should change. The ATI backplate is thicker and doesn't have the extra plate thing. Does it reduce temps? Yes it does, tried and tested. You should be able to get one from the dude I PMed you about, he should have a few spare.

As for widezu69's tips and tricks - yes I have all enabled. Unlimited turbo, Bus speed set to 100.4Mhz (tiny but why not) and C7 states enabled. Gives a nice little boost in performance and well worth doing.

Yeah, my temps are pretty insane. Here's a GPU screen after a few 3DMark11 runs: http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/12/01/03/4v3.png
You have a Dell card so your memory can be pushed to 1200, max is 1075 for me xP

 

Your score is lower because the drives are storing more data on the 2nd run than on the first.

 

I will install it asap mate!

Come to think of it that backplate looks very identical to what i have, kind weird that dell put a nvidia one into a amd 6870m. I contacted "the guy" and unfortunately that was the last one he got. But he also have one that is kinda similar but not sure would be better or worse
http://forum.notebookreview.com/att...al-6990m-backplates-extra-cooler-100_3152.jpg
Do you think i should get it?

I did not know about the unlimited turbo thing, will try it later .
The backplate you are using is supposedly for a 6970M isnt it?

i'm thinking of maybe creating a WTB thread in the marketplace asking for the backplate and heatsink.

Precisely!

 

Yeah, getting a matching heatsink and backplate is important (I see you already have a reply in your thread and hopefully that's one of your issues solved). But you also need a very good pad job, you'll need each component having really good contact with the heatsink so you might need to use 2 layers of pads (which my card seems to have on some parts).

The unlimited turbo thing is by bar the best, keeping the turbo overclock permanent, overclocking the bus hasn't really made a difference for me so I just leave it at 10019 for an accurate reading of 100Mhz. You've flashed the unlocked bios as well, right? Quite important to have.
And is your integrated GPU enabled?

 

so the killer wireless card arrived today. I then proceeded to install it and did a fresh windows install. Man its a thing of beauty! The connection signal never drop below 98%, mostly 100% and I can see probably triple the available networks around my house now (though being able to connect to them is a whole different matter ).
Did another run of crystal mark with the partition nearly empty and the result is not unexpected


The guy who pm'd me about the heatsink and backplate said he wont be home until next Thursday so not much i can do about that other than waiting. Though compared to my MSI rig, the temp as it is now is good enough for me

I set the CPU at 10030 and wow it consumes as much as 58W :O (according to HWMonitor) and it does give a little and consistent boost! And yes GeoCake of course i use the modded A08 bios, anything i get my hand into would be tainted almost immediately ). And the integrated graphic is enabled, though i rarely switch to it (the error in 3dmark 11 saying intel hd 3000 instead of amd 6990m is annoying!).

Now with everything almost properly installed, i settle for 835/1200 on my 6990M. Nothing breath-taking but good enough for me .
AMD Radeon HD 6970M / 6990M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P16837 3DMarks
Intel HD Graphics 3000 Mobile video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2860QM Processor,Alienware M17xR3 score: P4150 3DMarks

Currently downloading the unofficial 12.2 driver to test out some more .

 

Very nice results