Dell ATI 8.763 (M15x/M17xR1/M17xR2) Driver/AMD 5870 VBIOS **READ POST 1 AND 2!!!!!**

Make sure you have all the files extracted on the USB stick. Easy to make this mistake. Sorry if you already checked that and it's not the case. I was just thinking that would be the most common reason the command line couldn't find the flash command. I personally double checked the structure of the USB before I began because I know my command line knowledge is rusty and I didn't want to be changing directories once I started.

The directory on the USB Stick should look something like this:

Hope this helps if not just ignore me.

**Edit** I am slow. Listen to Grim. He's been the best on this thread for helping.

 

Cheers for the instructions on Page 33 guys.

I opted to flash from within Windows.
The first card flashed on the first run however it took 3 attempts for the second card to also be flashed successfully.

No other issues here.

+Rep Joker/Grim for all the detailed help in this thread.

 

Yep, it's a confirmed issue, also noted by brian earlier, i would say if you just retry again and again with the Windowsflasher, and you don't reboot until you get either the message i posted on page 33 where you see both cards programmed with new vbios and also verified the writing or the other message that both adapters are flashed, it is a very safe and stable vbios so far. If you have issues with games, it might be driver releated and therefor we cannot do much and have to wait for a fix on the latest catalyst version or via app profiles.

PS: Will update my post with the other image aswell, so it's all on the same page.

All in all, the best combo so far for your latest needs in gaming usage with this beast

 

Updated the instructions, Mirrors provided by Joker (external link, incl. guide to manually revert to old vbios).

If you read carefully, there should be no problem with the flash procedure in windows, as many already did before, and all the info you need has been provided, good luck:

Beta VBIOS Guide and Mirrors, with verification pics

PS: Do not attempt this, if you are A: not comfortable flashing a BETA VBIOS, B: Don't know alot about Windows e.g. restoring Windows, C: you are dependant on a running system (and not actually testing a system on issues that might occur) and D: don't like to read

 

Lol...
Infernia, that pic came in a second too late...
Pretty sure I bricked the damn things.
Ran it in Windows, it failed, restarted the laptop and BSOD!
That is just screwed up, just arranged a pick up for the machine on Tuesday next.
So I can't flash with no drivers installed can I?
Bouhouhouuuu

 

You need the drivers to install first 8.763, and BSOD doesnt mean you have bricked cards, it means you have a windows issue, you need to get into safe mode, and uninstall all drivers until you can boot your computer on VGA drivers.

Also please read my last post, on why you should not attempt this.

Will update my post with this info aswell. Gosh.

 

Maybe you have bricked em! - im not sure its advisbale to restart whilst you are trying to flash the vbios....i think you should have carried on trying to flash 'em until you got tem flashed....

 

Ok,
Went into safe mode, uninstalled the 8.763 driver on both cards.
Restarted the computer and this is the screen I get in device manager:
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/9941/ouch1.png
Pretty sure if I reinstall 8.763 over this, I will get another BSOD issue.

 

I think it's hard for people that cannot understand what they are doing, to actually apply and solve issues if they occur, so why are people trying it anyway, you always have the risk of bricking something when you attempt a flash, on any device! But if you don't follow the instructions, then i can and won't help anymore, as Dell would give the same instructions out and people would still not be able to follow the advice. Not very motivating.

 

I had 8.763 installed, ran the vbios update in Windows and that's where it got me. Tried the first method earlier to no avail because I forgot the ati-flash step and therefore the flash didn't work.
I have carried out quite a view video card flashes before with success.
Appreciate your help up to here but since it seems to be a bother, don't feel compelled to help me.
Thanks again, will see what I can do from that.

 

Grim, I dont think its possible to get much clearer than the instructions thhat you have assembled along with input and direction from Brian (Erewneila) and Joker.....

 

Install 8.763, reboot, flash vbios in windows as described before, check the screens, reboot, should work. Try to give some more steps on what you did exactly upon installing or uninstalling prior drivers...

Edit: I can't say for sure if you don't tell me, that the drivers have been installed correctly or if you are unsure if the vbios apllied. GPU-Z screenshot or Winflash Message upon finishing would greatly help.

 

Please do not post something like this in here, where there is an actually easier way to just update the vbios. And modifying it should not belong into this thread... o.o' You are just giving unreleated info releated to the BETA drivers and VBIOS update to even more confuse the already confused people xD

 

Ok Grim, they are bricked, I did get the first pic you posted on p33 but they bricked anyway. Thanks for your advice, your instructions are right, I just didn't read far enough.
Sorry for the trouble.
And great stuff, thank god there are people like you giving the right advice to lesser enthusiasts like me.
Cheers

 

Grim don't get disheartened. You have done an awesome job here. I tried to write the same 'kind' of sentiments in my post above. (first time I quoted myself) People are more familiar with GUI's and a command line intimidates them. They aren't getting the "keep flashing card #2 until it takes" part of the GUI flashing procedure. Not your fault and nothing you can do. Either the people need to print out the instructions before starting or better yet open up a window on another computer and run back and forth if they have an issue and can find a fix in the instructions. Still you and Joker are great. And now you know what it feels like to do tech support.

 

Lol dude, i'm sorry if i offended you, but i said it in general since there were many noob questions releated to this and people just didn't read.

And NO, your cards are NOT bricked if you can boot into windows somehow, that is ridiculous, they are bricked when you don't even see the alienware alienhead bios screen anymore. There is no trouble at all, if you follow my guide correctly. I'm sure you just failed at installing the beta drivers correctly since you didn't uninstall the catalyst via setup (express option) and maybe without drivercleaner like you should have done.

Well i do that all the time, but not on computers normally, so i might have an issue with myself in how to explain things to people, so they don't take it personally on the internet. But without proper info and just assuming the cards are bricked, you are not actually in the picture of what is going on then. Well another unneeded dell support act that is soooo unnecessary, really.

 

NOW! Why can't I get the same files you have on your USB?
I use HP USB maker, select the WIN98 DOS files and format.
Then I extract the Dellb0.rom and Dellb1.rom to the USB stick.
And do I simply extract the ati flash files (2 of them) to the USB?
That is my last request, thank you.

 

Why are you asking about the dos method if you said you know about flashing? I can't follow you... I can only say if you have got the first picture with the exact same info, your cards are fine.

You need the Dell beta Drivers, no other, the vbios is not backwards compatible to any previous cat version, you need 10.8 or latest beta from dell or you will get BSOD right before login windows (VGA is OK aswell, Clean Windows Install is recommended after flashing):

Drivers and Downloads - Public Sector

 

It's good info, i agree, but for the people that are not so GAME, they won't understand it and will maybe begin to mess with that aswell, since it's in this thread.

Sorry, i think i have to calm down alittle for today, or i will get some people on the wrong leg. Was not intented like that.

Gonna enjoy FFXIV Open beta for now.

 

I think you are asking me? The USB Stick that I used was created after I
1-Made a new folder on my computer and downloaded all of Joker's list of programs/files. Extracted said files in respective folder for my own understanding of what was what.
3- I installed the HP USB maker and followed joker's exact instructions on formatting the USB stick and browsed to extracted Win98.
3-Copied the extracted files from the vbios and the flash utility over to the USB Stick once HP USB maker was done.
I hope this answered the question. It's all in the details in Joker's instructions. The command line can not extract compressed folders intuitively so everything has to be done ahead of time.

**Edit**
Grim is right BSOD's are not the same as a system that fails to POST. Everybody needs to breathe.
Grim go enjoy. I am installing all those games I promised as I type. Will be joining you in game Eutopia.

 

Yeah, it is just I wasn't sure what to do with the ati flash files (I only have two).
Thanks, trying to do it through DOS since I can't get the 8.763 driver installed correctly (BSOD upon reboot). I think maybe 1 of the cards has updated vbios while the second one hasn't. That would explain the issue I think.

Edit: http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/5900/oups2.png

Edit 2: <3 you Grim^^

Edit 3: This is right after completing Ati Catalyst setup and before restarting the system:
http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/685/oups3.png

 

Reapply the Winflasher right again when you were in that state there where both cards are on 8.762 (by the way, thats not the beta driver). Post the picture from flasher upon finishing, thanks.

 

Ati uses a general driver for the whole 5800 series, and dell uses specified hwid and svid's in their drivers to differ from them, tho still the same specs and functions used from the drivers. Also i think they are physically and vbios sided labeled as 5870, no matter which driver package you use, even if it shows it as 5800 series in ati reference drivers, and 5870 for the dell drivers.

 

Is there word on when this will be 'out' of beta? I use my machine for production (and some gaming), and cannot have the luxury of trying out beta software. I'd love to have the benefits that others are seeing.

 

Ok, think I am about done with resolving this.
The following pic depicts my current status.
Grats to Grimfan

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8510/resolution1.png

 

Main issue with these drivers WITHOUT vbios, is sleep/hibernate/booting on battery problems.

Main issues with these drivers WITH vbios is, that you get BSOD with older Catalyst drivers < 10.8, therefor it wasn't posted yet. All windows anomalies have been cured though, if the system has been setup correctly for these drivers and vbios and it has been very stable so far for me.

If you do a clean windows install, and have as first driver your VGA default display drivers, and you will only go from 10.8 up, then you should not encounter any issues and no problem with uninstalling/updating and worrying the system would revert back to the older 6.9xx driver stack.

 

Sleep mode works, all is well on the Western front
Cheers guys.

 

Perfect, and for upcoming people, it does NOT hurt to retry the ATIWinFlasher, if you are unsure, in the end this is what it has to show to be on the good site.

How is that possible with bricked cards?^^

Nah joke, glad it worked out in the end for you, cheers.

Ps: You better call dell and let them know, all is good now... regarding this issue atleast

 

Here's a quote straight from the 'horse's mouth'. erawneila; after being asked when this will be out of Beta:
I'm hopeful that this will happen relatively quickly (a few weeks), but as mentioned before, the beta VBIOS is the A-rev candidate. It will almost certainly be the version that is posted on support.dell.com, so if you're waiting for that, I'd just load the beta now... It will 99% be the same exact thing.

Getting the new VBIOS and driver into the factory will take longer - there are lead times associated with those changes. Support.dell.com is always first, factory will follow...

I'd guess it will take a couple months before we're shipping the new stuff out on brand new systems.
__________________
Brian
Alienware Quality [M11x, M11xR2, M17xR2]

Was just helpin' out

Congrats on the DIY Thenzfarmer.

 

Lol yeah, tried this evening but too late allready.
Will call first thing tomorrow and Monday

 

Alienware (not Dell) should have a 24h technical support hotline afaik, of course i didn't had the pleasure yet to use that offer so far Maybe i should call them once in a while and say hello (too bad it's not a free number)

 

Thanks infernia. I hate to say it, but I will have to wait till it's released. I guess I'll have to wait to play Starcraft 2, till then

 

System
M17XR2
820QM
ATI 5870XF
A07Bios
8.763 Dell drivers


I am having terrible frame rate issues with SC2 running Ultra on everything...I have tried running the Catalyst profiles and it just gets worse. Any tips of ideas what kind of performance are you guys getting with SC2 using what drivers and setting?

Thanks

 

I have called Alienware tech support from the UK and I have a free phone number for them....wonder why you cant! and its 24 hour cos i have been on the phone early hours of a sunday morning pulling my hair out LOL, theres always someone there but wether they are much use is another question.....

 

Hi and welcome to the discussion.....firstly, i STRONGLY suggest reading this entire thread back to front and front to back till you can sing it in the shower more or less word for word LOL (j/k).....its got alot of VERY useful info (thanks to Grim and others) and is FULLY worth the read.

If your NOT running the beta vbios that Brian from Alienware has provided, i suggest you read the entire thread and make your own mind up if you want to use it.

Upsides? - lots of 'em including better performance and stability without sleep/hibernate issues

Downsides? - if you DONT follow the instrucitons BY THE LETTER you could get unstuck and wreck your graphics cards.

Worth the risk? - i'd say so as if you DO read in full, you wont have a problem and the results are worthwhile AFAIK.

 

Hi everyone. Just caught up on the reading. Keep up the good work.

I'm enjoying the new vbios combo with dell 10.8 8.763 driver.

Just a quick question though. I just tried to run my system off my Tele. Sony Bravia 40 inch. Was trying to watch a movie.
It didn't fill up the whole screen however. I was just wondering if anyone knew how I can fill up the whole screen area? Or is this just a driver bug and I will have to wait for catalyst 10.9 or dells next driver.

Cheers.

 

Anything to do with tellie settings? - just a guess...

 

Hey reborn, look no further, mkelliny provided the solution. Should work for the 40" aswell.

 

YOUR TV MUST BE PLUGGED INTO THE COMPUTER
This is a scanning issue Open up CCC in advanced
goto the desktops and displays tab
right click your TV icon
click the tab that says scaling and drag the bar over till the desktop fits completely around

this happened on my 46" bravia as well

 

Here are sscreen shots






Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

haha, i did not look carefully i think back then, that was completly wrong what i said before will delete it, such b**ls**t

Thanks for the real tip, Mkelliny, that overscan to 0% worked for me, did not know about all those tv options. +rep once i can give out some rep again, good job!

PS: Gonna try FFXIV Beta on the tv now

 

Oh WOW!

Thanks guys for all the help. Awesome help. Works great now.
Great info for future reference.

I had similar trouble with Nvidia last time but I just changed drivers and it seemed to work. So I thought it might just have been the drivers. Thanks for the fix info.

Scaling strikes again LOL. I had some mouse DPI scaling issues last time with BC2 and SC2 games. Mouse would be pointing here but it would actually be pointing there lol. Very annoying. Eventually found the fix by right clicking on properties of the game exe and disabling scaling.

Cheers.

 

BTW: Cloning works for movies, but just tried it with FFXIV in Fullscreen, and it didn't like it, exit on error, in stereo

Edit: It does not like my tv at all even when i use the TV as main monitor with expanding. Same with only display set to TV. Starcraft 2 works though, in CrossFire.

Edit2: Hmm nice, played first mission of starcraft 2 in full hd and on 46" sony bravia, very cool. Had to change the resolution to the appropriate 1920x1080 and turn on V.Sync or i had some strange ghost effect / double distorted layered picture. Runs very smooth and looks great. I think i could see myself playing some games like that on the tv.

 

Hey... Tried one more time to install amds 10,8 driver. But it doesnt install the video driver? Catalyst installs fine but no video. Ive done the true thing and run setup in C: Ati: support.. The file is 69,1 mb and is directly from Amd. And yeah, it says mobility radeon. Any thoughts about this

 

Im sorry.. Just noticed that i was in the wrong thred.. Sorry..

 

You need to uninstall everything first via Setup - Express Uninstallation, then Reboot, use Driver Sweeper, Analyze ATI Display Drivers, Clean, Reboot, Install 10.8 ATI with Workaround. I think you can't install the drivers from ATI if you have the Dell Beta installed, as it's a bit newer in revision, so no update. Try that once. If that does not work and you're sure you're using the workaround correctly, you might have a corrupted installer, try some other site to download catalyst, like this one (official link): https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/920...mobile/10-8_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc.exe

It has CCC and Drivers, maybe you just got the Installer with just the CCC, might be possible aswell. (To check that look if there is a Packages/Drivers/Display/ folder in the extracted directory)

Edit: Now that's weird, i actually forgot to set workaround to install the drivers from atis site, and they installed without any moaning, did the uninstall procedure i mentioned before. Installed App Profiles, runs great.

 

I've seen page 33 for Vbios version on GPUz and it's seem I had exactly new Vbios version, but my problem is I still use stock driver which is 8.692 and it still runs fine ecept on Street fighter 4 which was dropped FPS after about 10 minutes! Should I go on with 8.763 and any problem if I already had new vbios and update that driver after that? Thanks..

 

Are you sure you are using the beta vbios as Brian has stated that it will BSOD with drivers that are prior dell 8.7xx.....

 

Grim: I have been out of town. You had asked when I said BFBC2 worked fine for me if I had vsync off in game. I do have it off and everything is fine for me in that game for the 3 or 4 hours I have gamed since then. Sorry it took so long to get back to you.

 

NP, i think i have a slightly broke crossfire cable which causes some bad sync, one of the blue wirestrings looks broached. And i have the issue with all games anyway. Thanks anyway, better late than never

What Stevie said You should not be able to boot into windows if you have still the stock drivers and not 8.76x.0, it will give a BSOD once you restart. If not, you're the first!