Area-51 m15x and Nvidia GTX 280M

hi,
you can buy the 280M GTX at RJ Tech as JDELUNA did, and I found another site where you can buy it, but that is in euros (might be intersting for anyone living in europe). the site is http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/m15x.html , they've done the upgrade as well and there are some pictures of it.

@simonmpoulton
There are no shops offering the 280M GTX outside of USA so you have to get it from there. I ordered mine from RJTech which was cheaper than the one from MXM Upgrade (they are getting their cards from USA as well) but with the shipping to europe ($100) it was about the same price....

 

ok i finally got the card to work, temperature is okay as well.
My only problem is that now the monitor only gets a signal on the second bootup. on the first one, eveything else is booting up normaly (or at least it seems like it) except that the monitor doesnt get the signal. The strange thing is that it ALWAYS works on the second bootup. I have the same problem with my desktop for over a year now and couldnt find any solution either.
Any ideas?

 

JDELUNA, my 8800M GTX in m15x is finally dead, and I do read through your post for several times about replacing it by GTX280M from RJTech. Just a few questions to you before I commit the purchase.

1) Can you get the HDMI port working for the new GTX280M?
2) Do I need to use 3rd party notebook cooling pad (e.g. Logitech) for the m15x after I install the new high power GTX280M (75 Watt) via the existing GTX8800M GTX (69 Watt)?
3) Is it working under Windows 7 bundled with driver 186.81?

Look forward to hear from your soon.

Cheers

 

This might be interesting for those considering the upgrade

Linky.

 

Can someone link the correct drivers? Thanks.

 

for the one that jdeluna is using its:
http://imbacore.blogspot.com/2009/04/download-dox-optimised-18246.html
but you can also google the desired version (type in dox optimised 1xx.xx).

 

No, I don't think HDMI will work at all.

 

HDMI will not work with either 280m or 260m GTX

 

i would say the best gpu for the area-51 m15x is the 3870 because of the cooling.

 

I disagree I say 9800 GT, which is a cooler version of the 8800 GTX. Or maybe you fellow m15x users can be more disciplined about it all and not game as much or at long lengths and switch over to the intel GFX when not gaming. This should lower the temps of the overall system and prolong the life and length of it. If you're using your M15x like a desktop, it'll of course poop out. It's still a laptop and I assume you got it to use like a laptop. You really shouldn't be on these things like desktop replacement systems, because they're not, and I get the singing notion that alot you are using them like desktop replacement systems.

 

Thanks for all replies here for my post.

I'm quite curious why the HDMI will not work for GTX280M in m15x, as from Nvidia's website, GTX280M does support HDMI, although the interface for our 1st generation m15x is MXM2.1 HE instead of MXM3.0 Type B in the M15X (2nd generation) which has HDMI port working in this model as posted in Alienware's website, anyone here has any idea or hint of why not?

Making the HDMI port working, is it related to what driver is using? Say using DOX installer 195.62 for Win7 64-bit?

Question to darkloki : Have you physically tried to put a GTX280M into your m15x and found out that the HDMI is not working for this replacement/upgrade?
(P.S. : MXM-UPGRADE also replies me that HDMI is not working in this replacement/upgrade!!)

Any suggestion for replacement/upgrade for my 1st gen m15x in order to get the HDMI port still working?

 

Man.... my m15x just died... well the motherboard i think died. I'm unsure what happened I just know that I'm getting it replaced/fixed through alienware which is good. I hope they can repair it and give me back the same system, I really like it with the 9800 GT. Anyways basically what happened was I closed the lid and then opened it up again and the screen was blank. I'm not sure what I was thinking but I hit the power button and then it shut off then went back on with the Lights all going out and the screen showing nothing but a blank white image. It was weird, and I Was deathly affraid. Then I got a Write error on the bios that it didn't like. People say to take out the CMOS battery or something like that, well the people at alienware told me to take this out and that out, memory, processor, all this $hit. Well it's going to be replaced...


But anyways, getting back on topic I belive that the the 280m and 260m dont support HDMI because the Bios is in Dire need of an Upgrade or a patch, then it'll work.

 

Thanks man! Wish you to have your m15x back soon! Mine BIOS version is X36, and already asking Alienware to see whether they've any future upgarde plan for our old m15x model....

 

Okay, sorry for resurrecting a super old thread, but I think the people here may be the only ones who can help me:

Just received my GTX 280m from the good people at mxm and I'm having pretty much all the problems

First of all, my temps are getting all the way to 104*C using ATi Tool, 3D Marks or Battlefield bad company, whilst idling at around 50*C. Maybe I've applied the AS5 incorrectly? First tried quite a thick (but even layer) then switched to more of a "just covers all the copper, but very thinly" approach, (which yeilded the slightly higher 104*C as opposed to my previous 102*C max).

Furthermore, using any working drivers I can find (a couple Dox ones, or the modded Dell ones MXM send you), my system occasionally just locks up for no apparent reason, and suddenly the GPU fan goes crazy (this happens at idle as well as during stress testing).

Oh yeah, one more odditude; riva tuner shows my clocks to be all a little higher than GPU-Z,

GPU-Z-----------------------------Riva Tuner
Core at 200Mhz--------------------Core at 216, shader at 432
Core at 583Mhz, Shader at 1450----Core at 630, shader at 1566

Both record the memory clock the same, 100Mhz at idle, and 800 at max.

Hopefully thanks in advance....

 

Hi Redbear,

Where did you buy your 280?

 

The card is simply too hot for the M15x's stock cooling. You need to do a copper mod like the OP of this thread went through, or it will continue overheating. Even after the mod, he hits 90+ which means the GPU just shouldn't be in the M15x.

As far as clocks, Rivatuner will not read it correctly. GPU-Z is correct.

Barring the copper mod, you can use Nvidia System Tools to underclock the GPU. Maybe try 9800M clocks, 500/1250/800. That will cool it down a bit.

To be completely honest, you made a mistake selecting a 75w card, without doing some homework. Maybe you should exchange it for a 260M.

 

Hey, thanks for the help. Got it from the people at MXM-upgrade (who btw I'd definitely recommend).

I did read up on it quite extensively to be fair, and I am equipped to perform the copper mod, though I was hoping it wouldn't come to that (I'm pretty lazy). Furthermore, my choice was really made for me by the lack of any alternative card that will fit my chassis being available to replace my expired 8800GTX. This was an upgrade of necessity.

Anywhom, I suppose the copper mod it is....

 

Shocking, your temps are better than mine, and I'm running X9000 and 9800gt

Idle at 77-80
Gaming 92-94
And that's with cooling pad + Arctic Silver 5

 

Mine doesnt even go that far. Normally switches off at about 65*C... any explanation for this??
I've got the AW area 51 M15X with the 280M GTX (with copper mod) AND a cooling pad... Still I can hardly play any games... My idles are actually pretty good at 40 -45

 

I use a 9800m GT on my system and no matter what DX 10 gaming never went smoothly as planned, I always had to go with a DX 9 for more stable fram rates, which didn't really bother me but you know I'm just saying.

 

My m15x has the 9800GT and I really haven't had any problems with performance gaming or otherwise. My main gripe other than having had the hinges replaced twice already, is that I can't get any Nvidia drivers to upgrade past 186.81 . I would be happy with the 195 series if possible and they seem to install without any issues but after reboot the OS (windows 7 64bit) will disable the driver or it tries to enable the GPU and it blue screens with dxgkrnl error.

Anyone have any luck with a newer driver?

 

I have been experiencing the same issue when I try to update the 9800gt driver past the 186.81. Additionally, I can only run the dot x drivers for 280m which lacks support for hdmi

 

Since my M17x r1 came with GTX280m's in SLi and I have upgraded to 4870's in CrossfireX I decided to take the main GTX280m out of the box and see if the M15x would be happy to run with it. Took longer to get a working driver than it did to remove the 240m that was in it.

I redid the heatsink compound and used the heat assembly from the 240 which certainly has more copper going to the radiator fins on the exhaust end than the GTX280M had.

Got the DOX 182.46 driver loaded and it's running from 38C as the low to 50C as the high thus far but have not done any benching to stress it. 3DMark06 is downloading now and I'll grab MSI Kombuster and Afterburner later.

Not planning on gaming with this but basically it's a replacement for the DELL XPS Gen 1 laptop that is nearly 6 y/o. Nice little rig, 4Gb RAM, 128GB SSD and 500Gb external, BluRay drive, 900 screen, i3 330 CPU (may upgrade to a 920XM ES if I can find a used one, and the GTX280m GPU running at 583/950/1450.

 

so who got a stable driver for the 280m? looking around and all i can do is 186 driver but not stable..i was reading that some or shoot2kills got his stable...
anyone?
thanks

 

also want to add has anyone experience when stealth mode is on the fans do not kick in at all and gpu gets amazingly hot! i thought it was suppose to cut heat because of down clock...just wish there was a fan controller would be just perfect.

 

Talk to Jdeluna that's what he has in his system.

 

getting great temps on my 280m gtx
idle at 38 or so and on full load 55 to 65 give or take depending on game!
my gpu fan is always on max blowing lots of cool air
(might be annoying but its the part where i switch to gpu for gaming mode

 

First of all,

Thank you all for your posts and info! i had a customer come to me to set this up for. m15x-r1 with a 280m. spent hours installing this thing and playing with VBIOS and Laptop bios. Customer was not happy that his computer couldn't run sc2 on low settings..... found out he was turning on stealth mode..... :..( so few hours there more time. now its out of stealth mode barley plays SC2. Core clocks match the guy who posted here. now i just noticed i dont think i ever installed physx. any tips or hints would be GREAT! i will be installing physx tomorrow and hoping it will fix my complaining customers problem!


Desperate for help!

-Eric Rush

 

2 x GTX 280m on the way for my Area 51 M17x. Will create new thread when they arive. Both might work, or just one. But atleast we will finally know

 

Ok, so I happen to fall upon this thread and thought I might be able to get some advice. So I have an M17X R1 PRE DELL laptop, the version that looks like this > http://weblogsurf.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/alienware-area-51-m17x-laptop.jpg<. I have recently purchased a GTX 280m which I now can't return. I previously had dual 8600m GT setup and now I have a single GTX 280m plugged in. I didn't think heat would have been an issue however I am plagued with temperatures that reach over 100°C when playing any game or running benchmarks such as furmark. I was wondering if anyone would have any advice on how to get around this with any type of mod or something. Underclocking doesn't seem to help and i have applied Arctic Silver 5 between the chip and heat sink. Thanks.

Edit:
This is what the gpu compartment and fan/heatsink look like.
> https://sth-se.diino.com/view/gunner6999/Gunner6999/iPhone3GS/942.JPG<
> https://sth-se.diino.com/view/gunner6999/Gunner6999/iPhone3GS/945.JPG<

 

Is your GPU fan running? Im attempting the same thing in my M17x.

 

Weird thing at first is the fan didn't want to run, and after putting one of the 8600m gt's back into the secondary slot the fans started to run again, and now it runs when the secondary card isn't in the slot, but even with the fan running the temps still climb above 100°C when playing games.

 

EVGA's prescion tool works well at down clocking which well help you in temps. Becareful of 100c

 

Yeah I have been using that utility to monitor temps and adjust clocks but it doesn't seem to help with most games. another thing that helped with a few is to limit the frame rate to about 30-35fps but that is hardly a solution and can't be done with most games either.

 

What BIOS are you running? The cooling system in the Area 51 M17x should be able to handle one GTX280m as it really doesnt put out more heat than thr two SLI cards you had.

 

The BIOS are what the laptop came with, I have tried to find updated ones but this laptop seems difficult, if even possible to do such thing. They are American Megatrends version 306 07/23/2008. I'm gonna stress again this is the pre-dell model like i described in a previous post on page 23 and it doesn't use the A05 and similar BIOS that I'm aware of. I also noticed the chip on the 280m is quite larger than the 8600m GT, I don't think the heatsink covers the whole thing.

 

Sorry I meant the VBIOS. Well Im trying the same thing you can see my thread to see what Ive encountered so far. Im heading to the field so I wont be trying anything for a few days.

Yes I know I have the same exact one, look at my thread labeled Area 51 M17x Dual GTX280m project.

 

That card dosent run nearly as hot in my M9750, which may have an inferior cooling system. Mine run around 80c max after an hour of Crysis 2. Check the thermal paste and make sure there is proper contact with the GPU.

 

Yeah, I've tried a few different times with the thermal paste and it is touching the heatsink fully. The way the M9750 is set up looks similar to the newer dell m17x. The m17x - r1 dell and the older m17x - r1 PRE-dell share the same name for some reason. I have the older model that has a very different fan/heatsink setup. I think I will need to come up with some way to increase the cooling ability but I don't know how I am going to do this yet.

Again, this is how my fan/heatsink is set up for reference.
> https://sth-se.diino.com/view/gunner6999/Gunner6999/iPhone3GS/942.JPG<
> https://sth-se.diino.com/view/gunner6999/Gunner6999/iPhone3GS/945.JPG<

 

I don't know what is wrong with my system. I just received new GTX 280M and I can't get it working at all, windows finds it only as standard graphic driver and any other drivers don't work. When I used old drivers recomended here on the forum 182.46 Dox it did installed drivers, but card didn't seem to work anyway. I'm very confused what can be the problem. Anyone has an idea?

 

Hey black, what'd you put it in? I had the same problem with mine in an M9750 until i used 270.28 with a modded ini from laptopvideo2go.com

 

Hello.
First I tried newest drivers, but couldn't install them. Then I tried Dox 180.xx with modified inf. They did install, but GPU doesn't seem to work anyway, any 3D application totally slow. And if I try to update drivers through windows, it reistall back to standart video driver :/

Also I'm not sure if its not making collision with my integrated GPU, but can't get to BIOS to turn if off as I forgot the password and obviously there is no way for this machine to reset it.

But I just don't get it. Many people did try this card with area-51 m15x and it was fine. I was expecting problems with temperature or something, but why can't get any drivers to work is just strange. Even the same drivers people used and was fine for them. Either I'm doing something wrong or I just don't know. Gonna reinstall windows and will try with new clean copy.

 

As I think you should be aware with the Area-51 M15x you cannot install drivers newer than version 190 (It may have been earlier) due to an incompatibility with the integrated GPU.

 

Yes I'm aware of that. But even if I istall older drivers than 190 card doesnt seem to be working. Is it right that I should get the driver from Laptop Drivers page, modify the inf file and than istall it even when win tels me its not signed driver and such? Than I do have driver on, but nothing else seems to work any better. 3D mark runs on 1 fps, if I start any game it just let me sel lowest details, isnt there any other driver I need to have or something? I just dont really know. Feels like I can force drivers to install, but my pc work same as with standart drivers which windows install automatically.

By the way how could I find what version of BIOS do I have outside of BIOS? I just can't reset the pasword no matter what. Took of Cmos battery, left PC whole night with 0 power. Pressed power button lots of times to leech all power of it, but pw is still there. Time has been reset, but no pw. Alienware guys told to do it this way but obviously it doesn't work. Old BIOS could be the reason why PC doesn't recognize the card.

 

Black, you should be able to find the BIOS version if u go into 'system information'. If you are running windows 7 you can just type system info into the start menu, not sure how to get there in an older operating system.

 

Didn't I got wrong type of card or something? Was NVIDIA GTX 280M - MXM 2.1 TYPE III suppose to work in area 51 m15x?

 

The card you have will work just fine, BUT it is limited to the 186.xx drivers due to a BIOS and driver conflict due to the integrated video card. Use the 186.xx drivers, load the latest PHYSX drivers and you will be at about 85% of the newest drivers in my guestimation.

As far as why your PC wont recognize that card, make sure you have the BIOS update. Go to page one of this page. JDELUNA explains in great detail how he got his working.

 

what size copper shim/square did you use? I'm getting an fx 3700m later this week and would like to be prepared ahead of time.

 

My BIOS version is Quanta vX36 P3,29/08/2008.

I was just trying Nvidia186.81_notebook_win7_winvista_64bit_international_whql as recomended and it tells me that Nvidia software couldn't located any drivers compatible with my hardware.

 

Go to Laptopvide2go and download the same drivers and the modded ini file. Once you extract the file open the display driver file, delete the old ini file, drag and drop the new ini file. Run set up, you will get a warning saying no hardware found, cancel and proceed with the instal.