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    The Old M15x..

    Discussion in 'Alienware Area-51/Aurora and Legacy Systems' started by inons, Jun 24, 2010.

  1. inons

    inons Newbie

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    I've been rummaging though these forums for tips and advice with upgrading my old m15x for the past week. I believe it's the 2.1 platform:

    Core2Duo T8100 @ 2.10GHz
    8gigs RAM
    Win 7 64bit
    Nvidia gtx 260m

    My 9800gt died a few weeks ago and looking for options stumbled across mxm-upgrade.com. I ordered and paid the amount for the gtx 280m, but what came in the mail was the 260m. Didn't find that out until after I installed the the card and some drivers. Can't say whether it was bad drivers or what since the drivers I am using now only say G92.

    Currently using the x36 BIOS and Dox 182.46 drivers. Used SpeedFan 4.40 to monitor the temperatures during 3Dmark06 test the gpu ~90c and the cpu ~55c on top of a ZM-NC2000. Best I can tell the gpu runs fine at acceptable temps and the cpu doesn't downclock during 3Dmark06. However, when I'm streaming videos off hulu and the like on full screen the cpu finds this zone where it will hit 50c and seem to downclock instead of kicking the fan on. The sound starts crackling and the video starts to stutter.

    I've looked through tons of threads looking for updated answers and here are a few questions I still have:

    Anyone know of a newer set of drivers?
    Or if earlier bios versions will remedy the cpu fan problem?
    Would downclocking the cpu be the better way to go?
    Has there been a fix for the hdmi/dvi out issue?
     
    inons, Jun 24, 2010
    #1
  2. simonmpoulton

    simonmpoulton Notebook Deity

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    First refer here to this link:
    M15x and GTX280m
    Your temperatures seem too hot for the 260m and i'd say you probably have got a 280m and as you'll see from that post it is normal for it to come up with G92.
    If it is indeed a 260m you have then i'm thinking the thermal paste installation is messed up as it shouldnt be hitting 90 on top of a cooler.

    As for your CPU problem i'd make sure you have the latest BIOS as in the link ;)
     
    simonmpoulton, Jun 25, 2010
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  3. inons

    inons Newbie

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    Hey Simon,
    thanks for the response. I read that entire thread, every post, days ago just to make sure I wasn't repeating questions. I have the latest BIOS, the gpu temps are normal for the upgrade, and I'm using the same drivers. I've even tried a handful of other Dox Optimized drivers. 182.46 are the only drivers I can get to work.

    The main thing bugging me is the cpu temp and the cpu fan not kicking on. Early this morning I ran a game putting the gpu and cpu under pretty good load. Both fans came on as they should and after about 5-10min the game crashes. There isn't any sound crackling or video stuttering-it just crashes.

    Device manager displays the card as gtx 260m. Still haven't heard from mxm-upgrade about drivers or possibly sending me the wrong card. Going to try baking my dead 9800m gt soon see what happens.
     
    inons, Jun 25, 2010
    #3