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    the old m17x

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Apoc2k8, Jun 9, 2009.

  1. Apoc2k8

    Apoc2k8 Notebook Geek

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    Dual NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 260M, 2GB – SLI
    can these cards be used on the old m17x?
     
  2. dondadah88

    dondadah88 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    what do you have now?
     
  3. anothergeek

    anothergeek Equivocally Nerdy

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    You could ask alienware, but they'll tell you no because their 260's and 280's are MXM 3.0. I would just order a MXM 2.1 card from a Clevo vender (like RJtech or XoticPC) and try it. If it doesn't work, they'll accept a return I'm sure. Just tell them the circumstances...

    However, you couldn't use 2. The MXM 2.1 variant doesn't have an SLi connector. So nevermind... it'd be pointless if you have SLi 9800 GT's
     
  4. AtolSammeek

    AtolSammeek Tokay Gecko

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    If you have Dual 8800gtx or 9800gt. I Beleave you could. If you have eather 8600 or 8700 best to check your Motherboard verson. Log on alienware FAQ/Knowlage base and type in M17x Motherboard and you see How can I determine the motherboard version of my Area-51 m17x mobile system? There 3 digits at the end of the Serial number something like A02, A03 up to A06. Your laptop need to have A06 to support the 8800gtx or 9800gt.

    The other problem is the Master would have good airflow but the slave get about 15c warmer.
     
  5. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    you can't have 280's in SLI

    you dont have MXM 3.0
     
  6. Apoc2k8

    Apoc2k8 Notebook Geek

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    i have 8700's atm.
     
  7. Apoc2k8

    Apoc2k8 Notebook Geek

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    ic, ill give alienware peeps a call lol. Thx for the help guys.
     
  8. AtolSammeek

    AtolSammeek Tokay Gecko

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    I hope you have the A06 on the serial number on the motherboard.
     
  9. spradhan01

    spradhan01 Notebook Virtuoso

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    I dont think it will work.
     
  10. JWest

    JWest Master of Notebookery

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    I think the best you could do is 9800's.
     
  11. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    the best yes

    you can fit 1 280m gtx though
     
  12. AtolSammeek

    AtolSammeek Tokay Gecko

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    If he talk to the right tech he can get a clear answer. When I frist got my laptop a month or two later I order the 9800gt. They forgot the heatsinks. The guy wanted me to use the heatsink fan on the 8600 grapics card. Problem is they where spot welded on the gpu and I was not going to risk breaking it. I sent the gpu back. A few months later I order them again But with heatsink and fan. Put them in and the Motherboard which was already changed once would run the gpus but the fans would not kick on. So you had the basic overheat and computer would shut off. That when I found about the 4 diffent Motherboard for the Older M17x. I had a A02 Motherboard which could only support the geforce 8600 and 8700 grapics card.

    If this guy Motherboard is the right type he could put in faster gpus like dual geforce 280gtx. And have temps around the M15x. Becuse the heatsink fan sit on top of the gpu. Then have a Laptop cooler with fan blowing cool air on the gpus.
     
  13. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    he can only have 1 280 gtx due to the MXM compatibility issues
     
  14. AtolSammeek

    AtolSammeek Tokay Gecko

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    Ok haha I can t check anyway Alienware still has my laptop.
     
  15. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    the m17x does not have MXM 3.0 slots so the only 280 or 260 that could work is the Clevo ones .... which are 2.1 i believe and they have no SLI port