***Prema Mod Alienware 18 970M / 980M SLI Performance vBIOS***

Just released the GTX980M & GTX970M vBIOS Mods for the AW18!
(click my signature) >>> Update to system BIOS A12+ first <<<

It won't remedy the throttle issue on other AW systems experience (that's for later).


EDIT: Updated both Prema Mods to v2 in order to support newer NVIDIA driver >>> As always ENJOY!

 

I put this in a new thread so it will be easy to find for the owners of the AW18 with 970M and 980M Maxwell refreshed model. Remember to flash BIOS A12 first.

 

My compliments to the chef.

 

The second FAN still not working even with this vBIOS in M18X-R2 with 980M SLI installed, I'm using HWinfo64 to maintain the low temperatures on second gpu card otherwise it reaches 96 C in idle followed by a shutdown in process. The problem with HWInfo is the annoying high fan noise generated because there's no control between 2000 and 4000 rpm values and what's worse, must be in all fans together. I'm really looking foward to a vBIOS fix someday.

 

This release is for the AW18 and not the M18x R2

 

I honestly don't know what we'll do the day Prema stops doing his thing.

Kudos to you.

 

Should I install a prema bios on my AW18 with the 770M SLI? I have the A12 BIOS, will it fix my 4900MQ Throtling problems?
Sorry I am still in the learning process
Thank you

 

This is for GPU's not system bios.

 

Ok thank you

 

Use Xtu/throttlestop instead of the useless Oc profile in bios if it is the one you use. Replace also Dells paste with Clu too. No reason that your 4900Mq shall throttle in normal use. Power settings in bios is on the wrong track also.

 

Just tried to install and did not get the final "brief message of update complete." Rebooted my computer after 10 minutes of nothing and still bios A12. please help?

 

BIOS ≠ vBIOS

 

vBios is for the gpu.

 

Firstly, a big Thank You to Prema for once again providing a stellar alternative to nvidia's stock vbios. I ran both .bat files and I think the bios installed correctly (the scripts ran through so fast I couldn't read them, and I never saw the "update successful message"). Is there a way I can check if Prema's vbios did, indeed, install properly? I'm running an AW 18 with 980m's. Thanks!

 

You can just dump your BIOS' and check with an editor or use GPU-Z to check the version of the BIOS.

 

Thanks for the reply, Zero. GPU-Z & the "System Information" page within nvidia control panel both report the vbios as: 84.04.85.00.A1 for one card and 84.04.85.00.A2 for the other. I'm assuming this means the flash was unsuccessful due to user-error. I just hope I didn't cause any damage to the cards...

 

Relax mate, there is no user error. They should be different, for what ever reason the 18 needs differing vbios in the 970/980m's. Your cards will be fine.

 

nice. ty

 

its seems that my AW died.

 

sadly, in the eyes of those that matter, it did due to their focus on BGA crappy jokebooks...

 

Wait, what ?

 

i'm facking stuck, cant do nothing, dont have money right now, everything is shadow and darkness for me.

 

You have the screen issue with precision right ?
There was some guide to help fix that on the forum, also TechInferno is back up.
Between the two forums you should be able to find someone who can help you re-flash or repair that screen.

 

So I tried this vBIOS, but undervolting doesn't seem to work with nVidiainspector...

 

Nope (you're right). 1.062v or bust. Based on average ASIC within 6x% 65? I think. He mentions it on his website. I'm around 1v so I'm not going to bother with it just yet. I briefly ran the mod to test my OC and I believe I can get 200+Mhz under 1.1v

 

I'm more interested in undervolting and pushing a small OC. I run my 780Ms with a -37.5mV undervolt and 950mhz core so I'm pleased with that. I would like something similar for the 980M

 

Hi, I was wondering if I should download this mod. I currently have a single gtx 970m in my Alienware 18 (2013). Btw my laptop didn't come like this. I had to upgrade the gpu from 2 gtx 765m sli to a single gtx 970m bought the kit from Eurocom. Will this vbios flash work only on factory Alienware 18 or will this work with my single gtx 970m? Thanks

 

@Rundll32 - check post #1.

 

Thanks for explaining! So I downloaded his mods. Shall I just run the bat files and everything will be OK? No need to do anything special, uninstall drivers, etc?

 

You should not need to do anything unusual. The NVFLASH version provided should disable and re-enable the GPUs, but I like to manually disable them in Device Manager because GeForce drivers crashing during GPU flashing is too scary for my liking. Just right click each GPU and choose disable. After flashing, right click and re-enable both of them, then reboot for the vBIOS changes to take effect. But yes, run each batch file with admin rights and follow the on-screen prompts.

 

Okeydokey... I've backed up my current vBIOSes with GPU-Z just in case.
My fans work perfectly now, hopefully there won't be any issues with the new VBIOSes!

...here goes nothing...

 

...right... so now my laptop doesn't run the cards properly. The device manager reports problems with the cards and I'm now seemingly on a default software driver. Basically no GPU acceleration. Inspector shows up blank with 7316 in the title bar.
Do I need to reinstall Nvidia drivers or what?

EDIT: Trying to reinstall Nvidia drivers crashed my system...great...
What's even better is that Device manager no longer shows me the GPUs... Probably because the driver is missing, but I dislike this... WTF do I do?

Edit 2: Right, so I reflashed my old VBIOS and still had no GPUs. So I went into safe mode, DDU'd the **** out of the driver and then reinstalled and it seems to work... Will see if I can get Prema to work this way!

 

Ok, so here's my brilliant path to failure as I'm back to my trusty ol'e VBIOS set...

Flashing Prema VBIOS seems to work fine. But it all falls apart when I restart. Under my first try the laptop would restart but upon booting to Windows the GPUs would show errors and not work properly. I thought I'd reinstall the driver. This failed, crashed the computer. Upon restart - Microsoft Basic Display driver, no GPUs in Device Manager (yet Nvidia driver was still there, mind you).
So I uninstall the driver with DDU in safe mode and reflash my old VBIOS set. Restart, try to install the drivers - works like a treat.

OK, try two then. I disable the cards, flash Prema, enable both and restart. Windows would not boot and would only give me recovery options upon multiple failures in a row. I go to Safe mode, DDU the drivers, restart. Windows loads up fine, but again in Basic. So I pick up the Nvidia's driver again and try installing. As soon as it hits the display driver and the screen flashes once - it hanged and restarted itself. Back in basic. So I AGAIN reflash my old VBIOS set, restart and the Nvidia driver installs like a charm again. I enabled SLI, 110Hz, etc, blah blah blah - back in full force again.

So... What the hell was that all about? Anyone had that happen? Were the VBIOSes I downloaded corrupt maybe? Why would Prema VBIOS make my laptop crash with anything to do with Nvidia drivers?
Very weird and scary experience...
At least nothing got bricked, by the looks of it...

 

Thanks mate

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk

 

Simply stay away from the 361 driver, they are FUBAR...there are endless threads about them...

ANY other driver is fine.

 

so then if I flash your VBIOS again and install a previous driver It'll install fine?
How come the 361 works fine on my VBIOS but goes fubar under the mod? You guys sure this modding is not what causes your screen failures after all? Because I was ****ting myself when this whole thing was happening as I've NEVER seen anything like that :\

 

Install a non 361 driver before flashing anything...

We have user with identical vBIOS/BIOS (mod/stock) and 361 works for some while it fails for others...

It looks like the driver does some registry changes on first install which are not deleted by current version of DDU or a de-installation...in general it doesn't like old vBIOS (stock/mod) and also can't handle the change of vBIOS afterwards...

Either way that driver is broken for so many people on unmodded systems and even caused hardware damages so better stay shy off it. People have crashes (stock vBIOS Desktops/Notebooks) after installing 361 even after going back to old driver...

361.43 FUBAR:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/nvidia-graphics-drivers-v361-43-findings-fixes.785618/

NVIDIA knows its broken and is trying to fix it, but

361.60 still FUBAR:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/nvidia-361-60.786773/

631.43 @ NVIDIA forums:

https://forums.geforce.com/default/...hql-display-driver-feedback-thread-12-21-15-/

631.60 @ NVIDIA forums:

https://forums.geforce.com/default/...vers/announcing-geforce-hotfix-driver-361-60/

 

Hmm, having none of those issues personally...

Anyway, do you think that if I DDU the 361 driver, flash your VBIOS and then install an older driver - it will work? Or should I DDU and then install and THEN flash? What about that mystery registry entry that gets left out, isn't that gonna affect things?

Thanks!

P.S.: I saw in one of the threads that you may have a VBIOS mod based on a newer stock. Does that make this issue go away AND stop the power throttle? I've downloaded the VBIOS mod from your website, but there's only one for AW18 v1.1.1, so not sure which one that is. Would appreciate the help!

Once I'm back home from work I'll check the MD5 hash to see if my download was not buggered somehow, just to eliminate that possibility...

 

Establish functionality on something other than 361 drivers before flashing. Those are garbage drivers. I can't prove it, but I think they are responsible for the death of some peoples' video cards as well. I know that they have caused OS instability, BSOD, CPU (yes, CPU, not a typo) overclocking instability and file corruption on the Sky X9. Soon as they are gone it is miraculously all better. They started off working awesome, and after a few system shutdowns and restarts it began to misbehave.

I moved all of the posts out of the old 344.75 driver thread to this one since it is a more appropriate place for them.

 

It's funny you mention shutdowns and restarts, because my laptop just runs 24/7 xD
But in all seriousness - haven't seen anything like the behaviour you described. Rock solid driver, no crashes, no system instability, nothing whatsoever. I'm almost actually afraid that the MOD will break my system instead of the driver as I've had nothing but rock solid performance on my lappy minus the power throttle reducing the boost clock every now and again (which is the only real reason I want the mod). Got some contemplating to do here...

 

hello everyone,

i am in need of help again from the most experenced
people here, presumably @Mr. Fox @Prema @slv7

so, i just ordered myself a 970m 6gig for my m18x r2. i have a 3920xm.
i am running windows 8.1, in GPT, pure UEFI,
secure boot and legacy are disabled.

i want to unlock the full potential of this beast, so i will be installing "Prema Mod vBios = AW18_6GB_GTX970M_OC_PM_v1.1.1",
is this the right version for the m18x r2 with 6gb 970m?

and unlocked a10 bios.
"[FPT]-M18x_R2_BIOS_A10_-_[unlocked]_V2"

now my questions are, what should i be doing as precautionary measures.

i have already downgraded the a12 bios to a10,
another question on my mind is, in what order should these should i do these tasks.

since i dont want to swap my gpu in and out again and again.

1. is there anything else i have do to to successfully install the unlocked a10 v2.
(do i even need a unlocked bios, or just a vbios)
and what is the safest method of installing a unlocked bios, and do i need to do this before i install the cards.

2. is unlocked a10 v2 better then the unlocked a8 or a3

3. do i need to downgrade all the way down to a3, or just to the version i am trying to install.

4. what is the best nvidia driver for the 970m
i have already downloaded the
"Mr. Fox 344.75 Desktop Mod v2.0"

any help would be much appreciated, thank you.

 

edit.
i have already flash the modified a10 bios, and its working flawlessly,
so thats out of the way, you can guide me for the installation process of vbios, and gpu. thank yoyu

 

Ok... so I installed the 359.06 driver after DDU'ing the 361.43. Flashed Prema VBIOS on both cards and it now works! Throttling is gone, clocks and voltages unlocked - damn good stuff!
But I'm experiencing another problem. With clocks at +174 and mem +195 (basically I'm rounding off boost to 1300 and memory to 2700 xD) I get no throttling whatsoever, but after about 10 minutes of gameplay I get a black screen and a freeze which if I'm lucky - I can salvage it with a sleep>turn_on cycle and only end up with a driver crash or, if I'm not lucky, I have to shut down to sort out.

What's that all about?
Could it be because I didn't touch the voltages? (do I need to give the cards extra volts to keep the stability?)
Could it be that the clocks are too high to keep? (surely I've seen higher clocks when benching!)
Could I be running into some PSU powerdraw garbage wall of the AW18?

Would really like to sort that out because the fps when gaming is great and there's no thermal/power throttling going on, just the damn freeze. You guys obviously know a lot more about these things than me

Thank you!

Edit: It also seems that in some games I now get very weird behaviour when alt-tabbing. In RE6 bench tool alt-tabbing or exiting the tool gives me a frozen display with a solid color while Witcher 3 alt-tabs sorta fine but then I got a laptop freeze/shutdown.

 

Any news about Prema's 980M vBIOS mod for M18X-R2? Is it in progress yet?

 

nope :/

 

We are both, literally, using every ounce of our free time for development projects involving the Eurocom Sky X9.

 

Great to hear It will be awesome.

 

Indeed! And, getting 'more awesomer' by the day.

 

So we probably wont be seeing the m18x r2 vbios for a while it sounds like. oh well... sucks for us waiting for it.

 

On AW18_8GB_GTX980M_OC_PM_v1.1.1 and latest nvidia drivers I'm have black screen on boot, on stock DELL GTX980M vbios work fine.