How to change your M17x CPU Guide

Wow, you dug this thread up? A guide on changing the processor? J/k man, have you downloaded all the drivers for your computer? Start here, download all the drivers, flash to the new BIOS, install Win 7, and then update all drivers. Drivers & Downloads for Alienware Laptop M17x Then I suggest turning to the DPC Latency threads and fine tuning the drivers to get rid of audio anomolies, and stuttering. Hope this helps. Welcome to the forum! You may want to bookmark it as a one stop shop for your answers. Just try the search function. You'll find a lot of your answers with that quick.

Oh if you have a Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad then you have the R1. I-Core = R2

 

I do have all the updated drivers, it's just windows 7 doesn't support the actual hybrid graphics, so it only utilizes the very minimal integrated. but I also only had bios A02 when I tried the install of Win7, did they "fix" the hybrid graphics issue with the new Bios? I haven't tried. also the last time when i went to win 7 my system crashed so often (because of the graphics errors) that I had to a system restore to factory. It was bad. What do you think the chance of me having the same issue is? and thanks for the quick response. better than alot of the other sites I have gone to. I am definitely sticking around.

 

I think you should totally reformat, start with a clean install, and make sure you have all the alienware applications. I had Win 7 on my M17X R1 and I was able to switch from integrated to discreet. You might have had some sort of registry error. Try that, or also post your question in the M17x "All Powerful" General Information Thread , or the *OFFICIAL* Alienware M17x Owners Lounge - Part 2. Or maybe even the M17x and Windows 7 thread. They may be able to help you more as no one is probably looking at this thread due to the nature of the topic. I suggest the Win 7 thread, and then the Owners lounge. Hope this leads you in the direction of the eventual answer.

 

This guide is great! It's more of a PITA then it should be but only took 30 min after watching the guide.

Time to do some burn in and temp tests.

As for the Q(x)9200 3.2 (12x multiplier) did not work. I'd need some extra voltage IMO to get it to work (fingers crossed for a BIOS update). So I'll play with FSB. I'll be happy with 2.8-2.93 .

 

people have not been breaking 3 GHz with the Q9200

 

Yeah, it needs voltage tweaks. If Dell shows us some love in the next BIOS I'll see if I can crack it.

2.8 is no problem: 10.5 multiplier - I've been running Everest Stability test for a while with no issues.

Is 333 FSB pretty much a given on this chipset? Maybe I'll try 333*9.0 and see if that is stable.

 

Wow, that A03 update did give you guys some juice to play with! 2.8 stable with Q9200? Cooo!
I want my R1 back.

 

its not the voltage ... yes it could help but its the chipset that is holding you back ..

Increaseing voltage is like brute force overclocking.....




The chipset is just not very well design for high end machines...It just cant handle it ..

 

I like brute force!!!

The Q9200 passed an 8 hour stability test at 2.8 with peak temp of 82 Celcius.

Last night I could not get 2.93 stable and over 3 would not post (multiplier or FSB based OC). So the prediction above was confirmed.

 

I can fix that. Let's trade.

 

The chipset CAN handle that fsb....the problem is the voltage to the cpu. People regularly got over 400 FSB on the desktop version of this chipset Moo (dam near the same silicon)

If you drop your multi and boost your FSB I would bet money that it is stable just fine right up to the 1333 bios limit.

8x 333 would give you 2.66, the same as a desktop Q9450
8.5 would be a q9550 @ 2.83

I don't think that chip can handle 9x 333 which would be a q9650 at this voltage though (the qx9300s are higher binned chips - as are all extremes. That helps their overclock headroom a bit in the voltage department)

 

I think the Q9200 is just a golden sample Q9000. It stops very abruptly at 3.

A true 2.4 binned chip should hit 3.6 in the right conditions IMO.

In many years of OCing Intel chips (back to the Celeron 300a) I have always found 50% to be a reasonable OC expectation.

I will try 333*8.5 tonight.

 

I know for a fact 50% would be doable if we just had more voltage for the qx9300

 

lewdvig, you should run the laptop while it sits directly on top of an air conditioner. Keep it nice and cool. May just help.

 

Do it the way Moo did it, in a freezer!

 

the freezer method requires external monitor mouse and keyboard though, if you lack those the method is harder haha

...starts benchmark run and panicks go get the laptop in freezer in time.....

 

yea you can tell it 400 FSB but the quality and the efficiency is reduced in laptops.

You should know that.

I know what the chips can do ... I see it and try it but the fact is that chipset SUCKS for overclocking even the M98NU with the 9400 struggled getting a x9100 up very high ...

Same chipset as a desktop but the quality and efficiency of the PCB is reduce in some cases and entirely crippled

 

people were doing it in cheap $80 mATX boards Moo....you think we are much lower than that? lol