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    M1330 A12 BIOS Thread

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by macreyes, Jul 10, 2008.

  1. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    Can anyone tell us the diff between the 2?
    I do not have my notebook at the moment so I wont be able to test and let you know...

    Or anyone from Dell lurking around? Hope you can shed some light on the new update. Especially on the "enhanced thermal control"
     
    macreyes, Jul 10, 2008
    #1
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I'm almost certain the enhanced thermal control was the update pushed by nVidia because they found a large number of mobile GPUs failing over time. I suggest you update your BIOS.
     
    Greg, Jul 10, 2008
    #2
  3. sesshomaru

    sesshomaru Suspended Disbelief!

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    The earlier, and frequent turn on of the fan was implemented in the A11.. I don't see the A12 out yet... Or is it?
     
    sesshomaru, Jul 10, 2008
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  4. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    its there already
     
    macreyes, Jul 10, 2008
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  5. darkcond0

    darkcond0 Notebook Evangelist

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    ...are they turning the fan on even earlier than in A11? If so...

    http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/M1330A12.EXE
     
    darkcond0, Jul 10, 2008
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  6. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    That was quick... is it on the official sites yet?
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 10, 2008
    #6
  7. darkcond0

    darkcond0 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah it's on the m1330 support page
    Just installed... grr
    I turned on a fan next to my m1330 until the cpu cooled down to 40c and the gpu down to 60c (all time lows!) and the fan is still on, whereas it would turn off before. I can't really tell since my neighbor is mowing his lawn but the fan is pretty quiet

    edit: my neighbor is done. The fan is annoying >.>
     
    darkcond0, Jul 10, 2008
    #7
  8. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    Just installing it now. The fan that was replaced yesterday with my new mobo is really really quiet compared to the previous 2 I had so I don't mind if it never turns off. I wonder if it's a new design?
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 10, 2008
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  9. darkcond0

    darkcond0 Notebook Evangelist

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    o_O if it's a new design then I'm calling dell right away
     
    darkcond0, Jul 10, 2008
    #9
  10. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    With A12 and an ambient temp of 24C and high humidity (been raining here solid for 2 days now) I get 31C CPU idle and 62C GPU idle after 5 minutes, will leave it longer to see if it drops more but I doubt it will.

    The fan always seems to be on its lowest setting and never turns off. I greatly prefer it this way and with this fan I literally cannot hear it unless I turn the laptop upside down and have my ear less than 8" away then I can faintly hear it whirr/whoosh.

    Used to get 66C idle GPU with my original mobo and A09 bios so am a lot happier.
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 10, 2008
    #10
  11. darkcond0

    darkcond0 Notebook Evangelist

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    Nice, I'm getting 44c and 63c with ambient temp of 22c vs 49c and 66c with A11.
    Penryn?
     
    darkcond0, Jul 10, 2008
    #11
  12. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    T9500, it's now at 31/61.
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 10, 2008
    #12
  13. xboxgon

    xboxgon Notebook Guru

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    [​IMG]

    an hour of surfing/idling
     
    xboxgon, Jul 10, 2008
    #13
  14. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    Is normal clock 400MHz?
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 10, 2008
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  15. finduz

    finduz Notebook Enthusiast

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    Updatet from A11 to A12.
    The temp went fromt 63/43 to 62/39 on GPU/CPU (normal web browsing) and from above 100 to around 95 on the GPU while gaming.

    Specs: T8300 (2.40GHz), 3GB ram, 320GB hdd.
     
    finduz, Jul 10, 2008
    #15
  16. monakh

    monakh Votum Separatum

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    You guys all need to tell us your CPU types when discussing ambient/load(ed) temps. That would help us reference against other CPUs more appropriately.

    So who recommends updating from A11 to A12? A11 has been great for me, don't wanna fix it if it ain't broken!
     
    monakh, Jul 10, 2008
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  17. Sero

    Sero Notebook Consultant

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    how much battery life are you losing though?
     
    Sero, Jul 10, 2008
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  18. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

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    I actually flashed back to A11 from A12, because temps were lower with A11!
     
    roy_bo, Jul 10, 2008
    #18
  19. johnny13oi

    johnny13oi Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah I was wondering if we should flash back to a lower bios than A11 after doing the copper mod because that fan constantly on reduces my battery life by at least 30 mins.
     
    johnny13oi, Jul 10, 2008
    #19
  20. yasdaz

    yasdaz Notebook Evangelist

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    Hi, I was wondering if anyone had access to A11 as I have not downloaded it yet :(. Interesting that they apparently felt that they had to beef up the fan even more. I wonder how much more stress it will put on the fan and if it will cause premature fan failure. I hope not! TIA.
     
    yasdaz, Jul 11, 2008
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  21. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    chelet, Jul 11, 2008
    #21
  22. yasdaz

    yasdaz Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks so much! How do you find these things?
     
    yasdaz, Jul 11, 2008
    #22
  23. FujisawaGaijin

    FujisawaGaijin Notebook Guru

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    Can I jump straight from A09 to A12?

    Or, do I have to flash A10 and A11 first?

    Does it make any other beneficial changes to the running of the laptop?
     
    FujisawaGaijin, Jul 11, 2008
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  24. Full-back

    Full-back Notebook Guru

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    Yes, you can jump straight. The newest BIOS-updates only affects the cooling.
     
    Full-back, Jul 11, 2008
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  25. benna

    benna Notebook Evangelist

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    I think A11 was better because, now when i keep my hand in the palm rests, i feel it hot. But when it was A11 i did not felt it. May be this is because of the fan always on, is it? or is A12 nightmare for me?
     
    benna, Jul 11, 2008
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  26. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    benna,

    have you done a comparison on actual temps of your system between A11 and A12? or just the feeling of the palm rests?
     
    macreyes, Jul 11, 2008
    #26
  27. benna

    benna Notebook Evangelist

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    I have no comparison or exact figures, but i just feel the temperature on the palm rests little higher than before.
     
    benna, Jul 11, 2008
    #27
  28. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    i do not have games installed on my notebook as of yet.
    anyway, just a question, will nvidia ntune's stability test be able heat up the gpu the same as games can?

    i want to test the max gpu temp of my computer even before i install the games...

    FYI, ntune's stability test peaks my GPU temp at 82C

    im not exactly sure if this is a good test since the stability test has a 1 second pause before starting again.. which leaves time for the gpu to cool down a bit... im not exactly sure if games do this also... which i assume does not give the gpu a pause
     
    macreyes, Jul 11, 2008
    #28
  29. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    just found the answer to my question...
    stability test of nvidia is nothing compared to a real stress test... found this software that made my GPU run at 88C in less than 2mins so i stopped it.
    http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/
    anybody care to try and post their gpu temps?
     
    macreyes, Jul 11, 2008
    #29
  30. MatzeXXX

    MatzeXXX Notebook Consultant

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    I quickly like to tune in here. I still got the A10 running, and I am wondering if I really need the A12 if my laptop runs fine. If the updates only increase fan noise and fan usage, I consider sticking with A10. What was the purpose of A11? I know they introduced A12 because of the Nvidia GPU heat problems...

    Thanks!

    Matthias
     
    MatzeXXX, Jul 11, 2008
    #30
  31. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    hi Matthias,

    from what ive read from other's experience, A10 is not a good BIOS rev. either use A09, A11 or A12.
    If you dont have an Nvidia video card, then you should be okay though. However; for X1300 users, there is an update for your graphics card with the A12
     
    macreyes, Jul 11, 2008
    #31
  32. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    Playing a game will stress the components more than stand alone GPU stressing programs. Try running something liek CSS stress test as games.
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 11, 2008
    #32
  33. MatzeXXX

    MatzeXXX Notebook Consultant

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    Hello,

    thanks for the tips! I recently updated from A09 to A10 and it greatly improved the disc drive eject, which would previously make the audio stutter like hell.

    That's why I got A10. And I do have a NVidia 8400 GS, so I propably should get the A12. But since I am not gaming so far, I was wondering if it would just decrease ergonomics with a constantly running fan...

    Cheers

    Matthias
     
    MatzeXXX, Jul 11, 2008
    #33
  34. ghost_boxer

    ghost_boxer Notebook Enthusiast

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    KenHT, Traveller and other Cu, modders please post back your throughts..

    :p
     
    ghost_boxer, Jul 11, 2008
    #34
  35. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

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    I have already said that with A11 my temps are lower than with A12 (did CU MOD).
     
    roy_bo, Jul 11, 2008
    #35
  36. xboxgon

    xboxgon Notebook Guru

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    mine seems to run cooler with A12, and the fan is not as loud when i'm doing something like watching videos, surfing, playing css
     
    xboxgon, Jul 11, 2008
    #36
  37. ghost_boxer

    ghost_boxer Notebook Enthusiast

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    then it seems you have a problem. it should not be hotter.
     
    ghost_boxer, Jul 11, 2008
    #37
  38. sinstoic

    sinstoic Notebook Deity

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    The A12 revision of BIOS firmware has a better control over the fan. I find my Notebook more cooler and quieter than with the A11 revision of BIOS firmware.

    Also, the latest version of Video Driver from Dell in combination with the A12 BIOS gives a better battery life as compared with any version of LaptopVideo2Go Video Drivers with the A12 BIOS.

    Upgrade to the A12 revision of BIOS firmware to reap maximum benefit from the Copper Mod.
     
    sinstoic, Jul 11, 2008
    #38
  39. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

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    roy_bo, Jul 11, 2008
    #39
  40. Kreeeee

    Kreeeee Notebook Evangelist

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    Get the NC-1000 for 15" or less notebooks. Mine lowered peak temps by 4C.
     
    Kreeeee, Jul 11, 2008
    #40
  41. roy_bo

    roy_bo Notebook Guru

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    roy_bo, Jul 11, 2008
    #41
  42. trebuin

    trebuin Notebook Evangelist

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    My m1330 dropped another 5C idle with the new fan control. I haven't run it stressed yet.
     
    trebuin, Jul 11, 2008
    #42
  43. Bowlerguy92

    Bowlerguy92 Notebook Deity

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    Great..........so where is the M1530's next bios? The 1330 has gotten about 3 since the last M1530 update.
     
    Bowlerguy92, Jul 11, 2008
    #43
  44. macreyes

    macreyes Notebook Guru

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    blowerguy92,

    apparently, dell is concentrating on the M1330s.
    which i presume, based on reading this forum has a way higher failure rate than the M1530s :)
     
    macreyes, Jul 11, 2008
    #44
  45. Tusin

    Tusin Notebook Evangelist

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    Nor have we gotten a Video Driver update, like ever.... Not that we don't just steal yours. But still, I feel like we are the red-headed stepchild of the bunch ;)
     
    Tusin, Jul 11, 2008
    #45
  46. chelet

    chelet Notebook Deity

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    Size mostly.
    The NC-2000 is like a larger version of the NC-1000 -- large enough for a 17" laptop.
     
    chelet, Jul 12, 2008
    #46
  47. imzomnia

    imzomnia Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah, M1530 BIOS needs a same fix as M1330 for cursor frozen when DVD is inserted and ejected.
     
    imzomnia, Jul 12, 2008
    #47
  48. 7oby

    7oby Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm a X3100 user:

    I'm having now 3000 rpm where I had 2000 rpm before with A12 compared to A10.

    However I cannot confirm that the fan doesn't go off. It does for me:

    [​IMG]
     
    7oby, Jul 12, 2008
    #48
  49. johnny13oi

    johnny13oi Notebook Evangelist

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    dang how did you get it to get 0 rpm? I have 35C CPU and on low power and the damn fan is still going.
     
    johnny13oi, Jul 12, 2008
    #49
  50. 7oby

    7oby Notebook Evangelist

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    I should have extended the image, such that you see that I'm not controlling the fan by forcing a certain fan state.

    Anyway: Controling circuits are designed such that there's some overlap between control thresholds. For example:

    > 45°C => Turn Fan on
    < 35°C => Turn Fan off

    This prevents fluttering of control circuits. If threshold would be 45°C for both turn fan on/off, then reaching 45°C would turn fan on. This would result in 44°C degrees almost immediately, which again results in fan off. The procedure begins again and rather frequent.

    All I want to say: I haven't figured where the thresholds are, but after I turn on my laptop (or return from suspend to disk), fans are in general off. Once they are on, they hardly turn off in recent BIOS versions (they did before), but this isn't surprising since table heats up as well to some degree.
     
    7oby, Jul 12, 2008
    #50
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