is their a reason why i need new vbios

hi all ive been away for a while, ive got m17xr-2 5870cf and rgbled screen.
ive just been reading from abroad time to time about video bios and drivers and even main bios updates that you all seem to have..

why do i need these new bioses (not sure if thats a word) lol.
does it make it quicker/more stable/etc
can i use ati own drivers with them

thanks for any help on this.

 

If you have been playing full-screen games you should notice bad flickering with the stock Dell drivers. They are also not compatible with Starcraft 2.

If install the newest drivers, your computer will no longer wake up from sleep mode and have problems shutting down.

If you install the new drivers and THEN flash the v-Bios, you will have no problems at all.

The A08 motherboard bios is good to get since it improves the touch pad performance and probably a few other things as long as you don't have a 900 series processor (extreme).

 

Hey there,

the vbios is for people that like to use the new/latest driver provided by dell or ATI starting at 10.8. Where you will have battery/sleep/hibernate and other issues in windows with the old vbios and the new drivers (reference or dells), you will not have any of those issues with the latest drivers and the new vbios. Also the new vbios and the drivers (both revision A01) go hand in hand. But after the flash you can only update your drivers to 10.8, 10.9+ but not go below that, as you would BSOD upon windows login.

About Bios A09, improves Touchpad Polling Rate, so it's more accurate and actually usable and if you have an extreme processor or are going to upgrade soon, it gives the full performance back.

So to shorten the answer, go for it, get the all the latest drivers and enjoy the most stable M17x-R2 with HD5870 since it was released.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...5870-gpus-5870-vbios-discussion-non-beta.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/519400-m17xr2-bios-a09-discussion-thread.html

For further instructions on how to flash the new vbios check page 15, step by step.

 

cheers lads thanks for that...

 

I haven't been having any of the issues the new bios "fix" My only complaint so far would be BFBC2 takes a long time (maybe 2 mintues) to load is there any point doing 3 flashes and updating drivers when my system sleep, hibernates, wakes, shuts down fine. and doesn't flash or corrupt in games?

 

I too had the same long load time in BF2 before when running the stock dell driver with their stock vbios. Since installing the new official drivers and the vbios I have noticed a significant reduction in map load times in BF2, before installing the new driver package I would usually be one of the last ones to spawn into the game and when looking at the map I would see that everyone was already in the middle of the map and in combat as I was huffing and puffing out of the spawn area. But now since installing the new driver package I'm almost always the first or one of the first people in game. I would advise that you do it as it also fixes the flickering and tearing some people (like myself) had been experiencing in the old stock drivers/vbios. I would also recommend flashing over to BIOS A09 as it's stable now for extreme CPU users and for non extreme users as well as having a much better polling rate for the touchpad. There's really nothing to lose here and you could always revert back if you feel it doesn't suit your needs but all in all I'd say it's definitely worth it considering Brian put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into getting these drivers released in a timely manner.

 

I've done all the latest updates and still have that bad flickering and screen corruption pop up in Starcraft. Some game machine this is. Anybody have any idea what I can try?

 

Firstly, i would suggest checking that if you have done the vbios update, that it actually was successful...can be done by dowloading a simple program (gpu-z) and it will tell you what vbios version you are running. Once you have done that, your gpu-z screenshot should have the same numbers (for both cards if you have xfire gpu seup) for vbios....

For clarification on this, i would suggest a good read of this thread http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...70-september-2010-incl-vbios-flash-guide.html as it has lots of useful info and will also tell you exactly what you need to do & how to verify its BEEN done.

People o this forum are always here to help so, post back if you need any.

 

You may want to use the Catalyst Control Center information center>graphics hardware to tell what you VBIOS actual is for both cards. Some of us have found that GPU-Z reported both cards were the same when in fact they were not.

 

Good point. It will also (much like gpu-z) tell you exactly what driver is installed - just incase you may have any conflicts / failed installs....

 

I found somewhere disabling the Catalyst AI helps with problems in Starcraft and so far tonight it's done the trick for me.

 

Yep disabling Catalyst AI can help in some games, however when you disable Catalyst AI you are essentially disabling Crossfire. So you end up running on 1 GPU. So in a way it does fix things however it would be nice to fix it so you can run in crossfire mode as well.

Long term and future gaming compatibility will be much better with updating to the new GPU vbios. Future GPU drivers will also be supported and therefore hopefully help support newer games better. Sooner or later all R2 owners with the 5870s will most likely have to or find the need to update to the new vbios in order to keep using the Alien at tip top power and compatibility.
The final decision is still up to the end user of course though.

Cheers.

 

reborn:

I have done both the latest driver and vbios updates as well as a system bios update.

As far as the Catalyst AI, according to the CCC it deals specifically with analyzing textures so I am confused how that would be defeating Crossfire. According to CCC, Crossfire is is still "enabled" when AI is turned off.

Sorry I'm new to the Radeon world so I'm back in school.

Regards,
Jason

 

Hey there Jason,

Yeh I just got back into the AMD/ATi world not long ago as well. I didn't know what Catalyst AI was last time. However yeh its a bit odd however when disabling Catalyst AI it makes your GPU or 3D apps and games run only utilising 1 of our dual GPUs.
Its a bit odd because yes your right it still does show that Crossfire is enabled in the crossfire section in CCC.

The only real way to test and see the effect of disabling Catalyst AI is to run a game or 3d benchmark that will show you the difference when you are utilizing dual GPUs as compared to when only 1 is being used.

As long as your happy with the way everything is running and performing thats the main thing.

Cheers.

 

I've seen many people mention that disabling A.I. is the same as disabling crossfire, but from my testing is doesn't work that way. I get different results (FPS) with crossfire disabled vs AI turned off. To me that means they are different and do not do the same thing. I get much higher FPS in apps that don't like crossfire if I turn crossfire off vs just turning off AI.

I was hoping to find a better way to disable crossfire and avoid the screen blanks (plus that happens to be how my cards died right during switching on and off).

 

I'll do some testing and see what happens. I've only had the machine since 11/16 so my biggest concern has been getting it stable and as up to date as possible. So far the best thing about owning an Alien is this forum.

 

I hope your sentiments change and the best thing about owning it is using it (gaming, especially) ..... I'm considering getting one and am concerned about all the issues mentioned in the forums here.

I'm hesitant to spend this much on a machine that needs a lot tweaking to run right.

 

I hear ya. I spent weeks lurking on here before finally taking the plunge. These ain't cheap computers and unfortunately in my experience has been anything but trouble free right out of the box. Lots of reading, software updates, and bios flashes have been needed to get it to what appears to be a pretty stable state.

These are very feature rich, powerful computers. Many of the issues people have aren't so much an Alien problem as it is just the complex state of PC gaming in general. A big monster of a OS like Windows coupled with very sophisticated games can make for a mess of problems. But when it all comes together its a beautiful thing. However I can't imagine turning one of these machines over to a beginner or novice PC user.

I guess it boils down to what you play...is it a cross platform title you can play on a console? I'd stay go that route. Hard to beat the bang for the buck of an Xbox or PS3. But there are many fantastic titles that just aren't out there on consoles and a powerful PC like these Aliens are the way to go. And when you're not gaming on it, you've got a very powerful computer to do whatever else you want to do.

Stick with this forum. There is a world of information here and very helpful people. This isn't saying much for Dell, but a information resource like this forum is one of the factors that helped me finally make up my mind to get my M17.

Regards,
Jason

 

I don't even own a console. I only game on PC. I'm considering either the AW M17x or the Asus G73JW-A1. The Asus is cheaper and has an Nvidia 460M with 1.5GB gddr5 and a 1920x1080 screen and blu-ray. Otherwise specs are pretty much the same. The G73 has a few problems too but not as many because of the Nvidia card. I like ATI cards, they're very strong, but I'd rather not have to deal with the 5870. I'll probably go for the Asus since it's a lot cheaper and still has decent specs.

 

I too was in the exact same position...i dont claim to be a computer whizz....far from it...the laptop i owned before this was a sony vaio vpc-fw11...it was a great miltimedia latop and i thought it was all i could want.....

I had to start looking for a new laptop after that one "died" by virtue of an "accident" and i too found these forums...so i read on. Wasnt just about AW but i looked at all systems....weighed up what i wanted in a system...(for me, i wanted to try a system capable of playing all the latest games at good rates and max settings....)

Ive only had an AW since June 2010 and well, not to put you off, i have had a few of them since....maybe that was down to me being a perfectionsit but if something wasnt right , back it went until i felt it WAS right...afterall, were talking £3500 here...not just £800 for a run of the mill consumer laptop.

Even after all my experience thus far, good and bad (and ive had my fair share of bad) , i woulndt have any hesitation recommending Alienware systems to anyone who is in the market for the very best gaming laptop available.

Long and short? - yes you may experience issues...the are not insurmountable....most are easy fixes....the good? - at the end of it, you will get the very best of systems, quality, build and most importantly, performance.

I say go out, splurge and buy an Alien! LOL

 

I really wouldnt go for an Asus.....displays are terrible, (i sent one back cos it was sooo poor) and they too have lots of their own issues....

Honestly, the 5870's might SEEM like a nightmare but this is only cos they SEEM like that....ive been through it....at the end of the day, they are like any other elite gpu....most will have troubles, fortunately, for the 5870 in the m17x, they look like they have been remedied. My system is purring like a kitten with the crossfire 5870's.

Regarding the screen, you will not get a better display on a laptop than with an M17x....thats a given fact if you ask anyone here.....the rgbled screen on these systems is beyond (literally) belief....eyepoppingly brilliant....i did have a g73 in my possession for about 2 days, in which time, i evaluted it, and returned it like i said before. The screen was dismal, i found out that there were several screens they use (some very substandard ones even for their 1080 panels).

If you want a cutting edge system which is FULLY UPGRADEABLE (which the asus is not), then there is really no choice.....it may be more expensive....but im a great believer in "you get what you pay for" and in this case....its is so obvious....like night and day between Asus and Alienware.

 

Holy Crystalballs! That's $5,592.34 USD at today's rate of exchange! There's no way I can spend that much. My max is about $2,000 USD. For that I can get the Asus G73JW-A1 and from what I've read, it does well with its Nvidia 460M. The drivers for that card are now evolving rapidly and no vbios problems.

It's not going to be quite the powerhouse of dual 5870s, but I'm okay with it.

Thanks for your input.

 

Your welcome....i thought i would put across the good and bad of both....obviously price is an issue for most of us and if you are operating within a budget, $2000 is a good amount and should get you a good AW setup....maybe not top flite (i am in the UK so we obviously pay MORE than US - my system runs at about £3500gbp but would be alot less from the US i would imagine)

Check out dell webiste US for offers - i believe that black friday may have some good deals and then there is the dell outlet which they dont have over here in the uk.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you choose....neither one is really poor, just one is better than the other....but again, budgets dictate dont they?

 

I had a G73 for about 6 months and I loved it. Mine had the 5870 and I never had any problems with it, also the screen was great. I'm not sure what suposed problems the 5870's had or who had bad screens, but I had neither on mine nor my brothers that we bought at the same time. For a $1500 laptop it was the best bang for the buck you could get. Ran very cool, well built, had absolutely zero issues with either unit.

Oh, as Steviejones said above, you should be able to get a m17x for well under 2,000 wif you don't mind the outlet. Find a 20-25% off coupon and watch it daily. If you go the route I hope that you don't buy one then find out that it never existed or they already sold it like some of us have had happen.

 

Maybe i just had a bad experience with Asus - the G73 i ordered was supposed to come with a full 1080p screen...it came with 1440 or something and the viewing angles were horrendous...the colours were worse....

Thats one of the main reasons i found this forum and glad i did....pointed me in the right direction after doing some reviewing and asking opinions on the alienware / asus systems.

Im not saying Asus is BAD, just my experience of them aint GOOD and i, personally, found that opinions on the asus were not that good....mind you, there is alot of "silliness" about....some people dont like AW as they think its a "boutique" brand and "overpriced".....many people seem to have that opinion but i can only speak from experience...if i were to put a G73 side by side with my M17x.....hands down...(without any of this Fanboi-ism) , i would HAVE to go AW.

 

@stevie: Sounds like you got the "dumbed-down" model that is sold here in the USA by Best Buy stores. That's the only G73(JH) available here with less than a full HD screen. It's 1600x900 and you get a slow 640GB HDD, no blu-ray and no USB 3.0 ports... less memory too. But that one is only $1200 right now. I have an SSD I could put in it to make game maps load much faster.

You're right about screen quality... sometimes. It all depends on what screen Asus is putting on it at any given time. They sometimes use pretty good LG screens and other times they use the horrid AUO ones. I checked Device Manager on the display unit at the local Best Buy and it had the awful AUO screen so I wouldn't consider buying that one.

The screen on the AW is surely its biggest attraction for me... well, that and the TWO 5870 cards. I'm a little wary of the outlet after what dajohu said above. I assume you can get your money back if they didn't really have the unit you ordered?

 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you away from the outlet. I have bought 5 laptops from the outlet and only this last try, the m17x failed to go through. Yes they are supposed to give me my money back but after a month they still have not. I'm glad you reminded me I will call them this week.

 

Failed to go through? I guess I don't understand how the Outlet works. I'm assuming there's no guarantee that they'll have what you ordered? Why then, would they accept your money? I'd be totally enraged if they took a MONTH to return my payment for goods they didn't have. I'd be calling lawyers.

But then, I suppose their "fine print" protects them in this case with some sort of disclaimer. I don't think I want to take the chance and will order from somewhere else if I opt for the M17x.

 

Well after a few days the status had not changed so I decided to call in, that's when they told me they already had sold it to someone else. They searched for a replacement and found none, then forced me to cancel my order. I don't know if they really sold it to more than one person, if it never really existed, or if it failed during testing before they sent it out, doesn't really matter at this point. I really don't think it happens very often, but I know it has happened to others as I've read about it on the forums.

 

For further 8.763 Driver or VBIOS related discussion, please use this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...5870-gpus-5870-vbios-discussion-non-beta.html

Thanks.