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    The First M17x R2 BIOS mod. Need suggestions for future mods.

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by goodstone, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. Crazy1212

    Crazy1212 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Good Morning,
    i have a small question. The Crisis recovery is nice and work perfect. Is there a way to do the same with the M15X?

    THX,
    Crazy.
     
  2. captain008

    captain008 Notebook Consultant

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    This is amazing, its great to see the OC functions for the non XM CPUs. I just have a question for the development team. Will this mod be able to, or is it in the works, to have support for the new 330w power adapter from the m18x, and more video card support?

    Thanks

    -Disregard my last question, in post 325 user goodstone took care of that for me. Thanks.
    "just an update. TheWiz looks like he is back on project m17x again. I have sent him a private message concerning the success of installing the 69 cards into out units. I have therefore asked him if he can look into removing the power check function in the bios so that the m18x 330w psu can be used."
     
  3. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    More Updates, TheWiz has pm'd.

    This will explain why it has taken time for next release. Please bear with us. I am sure the next release will be a knockout.


    Hi Ant,

    The guys in Germany just cracked the Alienware m17x R3 bios around the same time my guys figured out how to unlock Insyde BIOSes, so in short we have made a lot of progress in the research phase this month. Two of my moderators have practically torn down Phoenix BIOSes completly and are able to read the ROMEXEC code that would make that request possible. I'd like to start sending out test versions at the end of August but we are still compiling a lot of our research together to make some great mods. We are also going back and covering the M11x, M15x, as well as upgrading the M17x and the new M18x's. Please report back to NBR that we are surely making progress and will be hoping for a stable release by September.

    Thanks Ant,

    Chris

    STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFO........
     
  4. Mechanized Menace

    Mechanized Menace Lost in the MYST

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    Looking forward to it!
     
  5. svl7

    svl7 T|I

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    M15x... sounds awesome :D
     
  6. ichime

    ichime Notebook Elder

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    Glad to hear that progress is being made on this front. BTW, what request is he refering to regarding the ROMEXEC code?
     
  7. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    The extra request is regarding higher backclock values for xm cpu's up to 40% (maybe a little overkill).


     
  8. djhuydx

    djhuydx Notebook Consultant

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    40% in the bios is great number, I'm looking forward to it.

    thank you!
     
  9. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    With regards to the extra request. Given that the A10 Bios had an XM CPU patch to allow the non XM CPU's to OC, the new FSB values will probably not be limited to just the XMs. Good news to others without an XM chip ;). Once I get internet up, I'll be back in contact with TheWiz. I let him know I'd be out of touch for a while since I dont have internet set up at home yet, but once it's up, I'll dive in on the testing.
     
  10. cookinwitdiesel

    cookinwitdiesel Retired Bencher

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    DR650SE, tether phone to laptop = internet :D

    What phone you running? Surely it can do a wifi hotpost....
     
  11. james_2k

    james_2k Notebook Evangelist

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    any chance of modding the m17xr3 bios to remove the gpu throttling on the 580? :)
     
  12. Mechanized Menace

    Mechanized Menace Lost in the MYST

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    There is a thread with a BIOS MOD for the R3 already. You should post there. :) Someone else is working on it I believe.
     
  13. TotalHarmonicControl

    TotalHarmonicControl Notebook Enthusiast

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    I bit the bullet and gave this a go! working flawlessly.

    My "old" 720qm appears to have a new lease on life...
    I'm eagerly awaiting some more hardcore overclocking options! ;)

    thanks guys!!

    [​IMG][/URL][/IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 6, 2015
  14. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    Well my system is headed to the Depot today for repairs or replacement. Part of me is hoping another R2 replacement. I hope they can still give me the blu-ray burner I had. System is going back as stock config. Part of me wants the R2 to keep testing and pushing the system, maybe with a 330w PSU. Although part of me hopes for an 18x. What ever happens I'll be happy to have a nice working system. If I ended up with an 18x, I'd opt for a pair of Nvidia GPU's since I will already have a pair of 6970's. But if I get an R2, I'll be all over testing new modded bios' prior to release. :D
     
  15. jimmy_d_jr

    jimmy_d_jr Newbie

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    Good job guys, keep it up.
    and i've been running it stable since back when first released so just wanted to say thanks as clearly the testing is paying off :)
    p.s eagerly awaiting new release :D
     
  16. Megatony73

    Megatony73 Notebook Consultant

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    I am really looking forward to any info on the status of getting that OC up to 10% and if more headway was made with getting increased wattage PSU's to work. TheWiz I dont know how you do what you do, but I am glad you do it! LOL
     
  17. Ahmedadel

    Ahmedadel Notebook Consultant

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    guys is there a way that I can go back to my old BIOS? or thats not possible is it ?
     
  18. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    Just flash it back using the same flasher you used to flash the A10 modded bios.
     
  19. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    And don't forget to restore everything to default before you flash a official BIOS.
     
  20. Megatony73

    Megatony73 Notebook Consultant

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    Why are you back tracking...out of curiosity?
     
  21. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    you can just install that off dell's drivers and downloads page.
    Dell - Drivers and Downloads

    @op any idea when your next version will be out? Really want to overclock beyond 5%
     
  22. Megatony73

    Megatony73 Notebook Consultant

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    The OP has been quiet for a LONG time now. I am kind of figuring the project is dead in the water. Maybe when they tried to start changing more options the BIOS just broke down...
     
  23. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    damn that's sad, really wanted to overclock beyond 5%.
     
  24. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    Yes, but 5% is better than nothing, right? ;)
     
  25. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    will I be able to use this throttlestop thing on the unlocked bios?
     
  26. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    Not unless you have an xm cpu, but regardless you can still use SetFSB to oc past 5%.
     
  27. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yeah but setfsb will pretty much fry all my other parts.
     
  28. flingin

    flingin M17x R2 Mafia

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    i would say that main focus should be on radeon 7xxx / nvidia 600series support (yest i know they are not out yet, but they will consume much less energy and perform better), and pure overclocking like we can see on desktop mobos. Also if they could implement a fix for crappy SSD performance issue.

    That would be lit :D
     
  29. captain008

    captain008 Notebook Consultant

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    I agree, I want to get on the wagon and put the radeon 6990s in my system. I am waiting until there is support for the 330 watt psu to make sure the system has enough power.
     
  30. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    Please dont give up waiting. The project is very much on. TheWiz is a busy man. I believe they recompiling the bios from scratch due to a German site cracking the phoenix bios.

    They are rebuilding the bios's in the entire m17x range. I will pm him again at the end of the month for a update on the progress.

    Sorry for the wait....


    Quote from TheWiz

    "Hi Ant,

    We are working on trying to refine the overclock options, and some additional new bits that we have discovered in Phoenix BIOS modding. I will let you know as soon as we finish some more coding so that you can do some testing. I also have Dan back (DRE650) from his move, so he will also help out.

    Thanks for checking in,
    Chris"
     
  31. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    You know I'm down for testing as always goodstone. Been busy, but have kept in touch, though not as often as I would like since I never get enough time.
     
  32. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    yep just edited the last post Wiz man has got you earmarked in for testing.
     
  33. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    Sounds great, I'm down as long as I have warranty :p
     
  34. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    This means the M17x too?
     
  35. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    apparantly so m17x,m17xr2 and m17xr3.
     
  36. cookinwitdiesel

    cookinwitdiesel Retired Bencher

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    Is the R3 not an Insyde bios like the M18x is?
     
  37. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    It is .
     
  38. captain008

    captain008 Notebook Consultant

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    This is some great news, I just popped my cherry and flashed with the revised A10 mod. I have to say its great to have some OC options in the bios area. I have not noticed any significant issues as of yet with the mod. I have noticed (from watching the sensors in HwinFO64), that my cores are ranging from 2000mhz to 3000mhz. With the stock A10 I was at 1000 to 2000 per core.
    Not sure if its an issue but, I have noticed that on restart into BIOS sometimes it does not read as being OC but will show the 5% option enabled. I have a i7 740QM at 1.73ghz and with OC its 1.81ghz. Is this normal?

    Also I got really comfortable with the bios program and recovery. I actually found a cool way of using my android as a possible way to recover if the worst should happen. So if you need another tester (one with using a non XM CPU) let me know. (Just like DR650SE, still under warranty)
     
  39. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    That's good news, can we have an eta? Before or after diablo 3?
     
  40. captain008

    captain008 Notebook Consultant

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    LOL, here's hoping its way before that.
     
  41. LeafyVegetable

    LeafyVegetable Notebook Enthusiast

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    diablo 3 is scheduled for november last I heard and really really wanna max everything on launch.
     
  42. Mongooseking

    Mongooseking Newbie

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    hi has anyone tried this bios mod with 2 5870 cards in xfire with both rev a00 as i cant get a newer bios than a02 to work with both cards installed because if both cards are installed on a higher bios update then all i get is a black screen until i remove the secondary card.

    If some one has tried this with that setup could u tell me your experience if it worked or not, if it didnt work could this be implemented in the next version of the bois. Thanx for reading
     
  43. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    Have you tried the updated dell vbios for the cards?
     
  44. Mongooseking

    Mongooseking Newbie

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    yes i have tried the vbios update and it went through with out a hitch then restart then update to another bios but when i restart the screen just goes black and then i have to turn off remove secondary card turn on reflash back to a02 then put the secondary card back in. i dont know if im doing something wrong or using wrong vbios program or update but it just doesnt seem to want to work for me. some people say just get new cards but i have no warranty or anything because i built this laptop piece by piece off ebay, NBR forums and parts people sites which took about a year to do but i enjoyed it and i know if needed how to take it apart and which part goes where and everything just missing an optical drive at the moment which i will get soon, sorry about that rambling a bit there.
     
  45. captain008

    captain008 Notebook Consultant

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    Hey mongooseking I may be asking the obvious but, do you have one master and slave card? I have heard something like this on a m9750 but involved nvidia cards.
     
  46. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    In the M17x R2, both cards can run the same vBIOS ;)

    @ Mongooseking put the secondary card alone in the left slot swapping the heatsink from the primary card.

    If you can, post here a screenshot of GPU-Z from both cards.
     
  47. Mongooseking

    Mongooseking Newbie

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    yes they are both ati hd5870's with xfire ones master and one is slave. i have done a bit of research on them before but all methods seemed to fail for me. some other people on the internet have same problem but i believe the highest bios version they could go to with both cards working was a07 which i tried but it didnt work either i also tried a03, ao5 and a10 (proper dell/alienware)
     
  48. DR650SE

    DR650SE The Whiskey Barracuda

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    I have 5870's and they seem to work fine with all bios'. Used them with the A10 modded bios as well.
     
  49. goodstone

    goodstone Notebook Consultant

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    yep, some work has been done on that platform as well..
     
  50. Mongooseking

    Mongooseking Newbie

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