M9750 - 7950GTX - SLI - No video output with both cards inserted

Hello, there. Firsts time SLI user here. I messed things up pretty badly. Here's the specs:

- Alienware M9750
- Dual SLI, NVIDIA GeForce GO 7950 GTX 512MB
- Everything else is stock.

I just got this system a week ago, and already I'm trying to tweak things. I've been reading up on SLI, since this will be the first time I've had it. I was under the impression that both cards had to have the same BIOS (now I know that's only partially true). I noticed that one card was version 05.71.22.49.22 and the other was *.27. So I did a stupid thing and:

- backed up the .27 card BIOS with NVFlash.
- flashed the .22 card with the .27 BIOS with NVFlash (no options needed).

Everything seemed great (played Champions Online for 4 hours straight) until I rebooted. Now the system is stuck on the pre-POST blackscreen. However, it boots normally with the parent card removed or the parent card in the daughter card slot, but not with both in at the same time, period. It gets stuck with and without the SLI cable connected. It just won't give me video output...

I've tried redoing the firmwares, cleaning the slots, everything..

I hope someone is able to help me, I'd hate to be unable to use one of these great cards Thanks!

 

Have you tried flashing the daughter card back to the VBIOS that it originally had?

As far I as know, there is little or no gain from having two mother cards.

Does it boot with just the daughter card installed? If so, flash the VBIOS back to stock.

If it will only boot with the Mother card installed, you may want to enter NVFlash, and once there, install the daughter card and see if it will let you flash it. (DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK, AS A LAST RESORT!)

Any other pertinent info would be greatly appreciated.

 

It will boot (as in the LCD shows) with either card plugged into the daughter card slot by themselves. I am able to flash either card when they are by themselves in the daughter card slot.

I'm afraid I only have a copy of the card that was version *.27. I was too naive to see the possible issues that could result. I also have no idea which card I have the bios copy of.

Are there role specific bios? Like one for the parent and one for the daughter? If so, where could I find the files on the 'net? Is anyone willing to copy their own cards and send them to me?

 

Phew, dude, good luck. The 7950GTX is a bit old. I really hope someone is able to help you.

What I don't understand is why it worked initially, and then crapped out after the reboot. You'd think if there was an issue, it would have shown it's face the very first time you rebooted after running NVFlash. This confuses me. If you know the serial number of the VBIOS you're looking for, you should be able to find it. Also make sure to hit up the Dell forums too, as the M1710 was equipped with the 7950GTX as well.

 

Well... I used NVFlash under XP.. it wasn't until later attempts that I realized using it under DOS was a much safer idea...

However, you've got me thinking.. I think I should set the parent VBIOS back to *.21 (at least I think it was the .21 card). I'll let you know after a few minutes.. I wish it was as easy to change out video cards on laptops as it is in PC cases..

 

Still no joy after all that unscrewing and screwing it back together...

The Parent card ran fine in the daughter slot, allowing me to flash it back to .21. I rebooted with the parent card still in the daughter slot, and it displayed just fine. As soon as I put it back in the Parent slot and added the daughter card to its appropriate slot, I got a black screen again.

I also noticed that the Parent card's heatsink was very hot to the touch only a few moments after I rebooted, yet the daughter card's heatsink was cool to the touch...

I'm totally lost. I know this system worked fine less than a week ago...

 

So the parent card works in either slot? If so, you can rule out the possibility of a faulty GPU slot.

If the daughter card's heatsink isn't getting warm, that means the machine isn't sending any power to it.

Are you still able to flash either card, as long as it's in the daughter slot?

The GPUs should be physically identical, meaning as long as one is flashed with the *.22, and one with the *.27, the machine should function normally.

Now that you've told me that you flashed in a Windows environment, things are starting to make sense. Windows didn't look at the VBIOS again until you rebooted. That's when it realized something didn't check out.

As long as NVFlash will recognize the card, there's still hope. It still does, right? If this is the case, you just need to find that VBIOS, and flash it back. I had a 7950GTX in my Dell E1705, and I flashed that VBIOS at least a 50 times. Your laptop isn't brand new, and 7950s have been used in SLi for a good bit now. That BIOS is out there somewhere, because someone has likely modified it with higher clocks.

 

Still seems to be some confusion here, The Parent Video Card is the Secondary Card and should not post a display when it is the daughter slot - if it does then you've got the wrong bios installed on it. The Daughter Video Card is the Primary Card and should post a display when in the daughter slot - if it doesnt then again you've got the wrong bios installed on it or it's fried.

 

I think you're right about the parent card having a wrong bios on it.. I've got to figure out what the correct one is.

The daughter card does function in the daughter slot, that's what I'm using right now just to have a functioning system. The parent card is not in my system at the moment.

Any idea what bios is supposed to be installed on the parent card? Would a wrong bios explain the failure and massive heat generation?

 

I "think" you already know this but thought I'd mention this anyway.

With the M9750 upside down on it's lid and the back facing you with the little subwoofer on your right, the primary video cars slot is on the left and is marked "D". The heatsink for this card has one copper pipe.

The secondary video cardis marked "P" and is next to the subwoofer and has the heatsink with two copper pipes.

This seems backwards but is correct as simonmpoulton stated above.

 

You are correct in assuming I knew this. Also, the cards are labeled "Parent" and "Daughter". And I've seen a tear-down DIY thermal paste article.

I really wish it was something as simple as that...

 

If you want me to, I can dump the bios from both of my video cards and send them to you. I also have the m9750 with SLI 7950s. I just need someone to instruct or link to the safest and most effective way to do it

 

download gpu-z and there will be a button beside your card ID click save to file and then ur done

 

I would personally use NVFlash to dump them, and in a DOS environment.

 

gpu-z works great though and you can do it in the OS

safer for idiots like me

 

Dude, you aren't an idiot...you're one of the main contributors to this forum.

I prefer NVFLash because it's a non windows environment, and that's how he'll be flashing it back, that's all.

 

sorry for the delay, I kinda passed out from the morphine. I would appreciate it x10 if anyone could send me the original VBIOSs.

Thanks!

 

OK, will get them for you tonight.

 

Thanks! I look forward to trying to flash this poor thing again.

Thanks to rsgeiger, the flash to the parent GPU worked like a charm. After applying AS5, I was up and running like a champ! Can someone mark this thread [Solved]?

 

Hello,

I have a m9750 with dual 7950gtx. My main card (daughter) died two weeks ago and I don't have a functional system at the moment (at first I thought it was the MOBO but.. after spending some bucks on ebay I discovered it wasn't )..

Is there any chance you can send me your main card (daughter) bios? maybe I could find a way to flash my secondary (parent card) with your daughter card bios and have a functional system again with one card..

Although this would mean I need to find someone with a m9750 but thats another issue I have to solve.. (any ideas? maybe there is a way to flash it on my pc?)

The parent bios would be enough for now !!!

Thank you!!!

 

You could always try this:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=385973
If it just died, its unlikely flashing the bios will do anything.

 

Hello, thank you for the response. The idea isn't flashing the DEAD card.. the idea is flashing the SECONDARY card (parent) with the PRIMARY CARD BIOS (which I need someone to send it to me) so I can boot just like Phyrewall did.

Thank you

 

BTW.. do I have to do something special to enable PM to a user? I would like to contact rsgeiger for the card bios..

 

Hello, after some googling I found this:

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/12864/Alienware.7950GTXGo.512.070709.html

Can anyone tell me if thats the daughter bios? (primary card bios) of the 7950gtx for the m9750

Thank you!