Temps with new WHQL nVidia 178.13 drivers on XPS M1330

Yesterday night I updated my XPS M1330 with the new official nVidia drivers, version 178.13.

http://es.download.nvidia.com/Windows/178.13/178.13_geforce_winvista_32bit_international_whql.exe

I used the laptopvideo2go unofficial .inf so I could install them in my laptop.

Howto:

1) Download official drivers
2) Extract them in a folder with 7-zip, WinRAR or similar program.
3) Download modded .inf file from laptopvideo2go and overwrite the original from nVidia in the folder.
4) Install new drivers with setup.exe in the folder
5) Reboot and you're done.

My XPS M1330 was bought in July this year and I did the copper mod so I was enjoying some cool temperatures already (33-38 ºC CPU, 54-60 ºC GPU when browsing, text editor and so on), BIOS is A12 and I used Dell's official drivers 175.97.

Well, right now the temperatures are a bit cooler with the new nVidia drivers. As you can see, CPU temperatures range is 30-40ºC and GPU is 51-57ºC. But what it's most interesting is that the fan actually turns off when reaches 51-52ºC. The GPU temp climbs till 57ºC and then turns on again till it drops to 51-52ºC and turns off. I included a I8kfanGUI log so you can see.

I am using the 9-cell battery and no passive cooler, so I'm quite happy with the new nVidia drivers.

Room temperature is 22ºC here in Spain (Autumn) and I use Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 with Aero on.

My laptop is almost all the time in the Power Saving Vista profile, I only change it to Full Power when I'm editing audio or video.

Hope this helps a bit

Natxo "Baraja"
Valencia, Spain

 

I haven't done the copper mod, do you think it's important that I install this driver?
The only thing stopping me is that it's a modded driver, not the original..

 

I would recommend the Copper Mod before any driver update. The Copper Mod reduced around 8-10ºC when idle the temperature of my GPU.

But this driver is not modded, because nVidia drivers are all the same for any of their GPUs. It's just the .inf file that it's modified to be installed in laptop GPUs.

 

There is nothing thats related to the copper mod and updating the driver of your video card.. each of them have their own benefits and doesnt mean that if u don't have a copper mod, this driver wont be useful.. the driver will still do its job... though, IMHO, the copper mod is not a "must-do" thing, though it does help a lot for temp'.... as the OP said...!!

You can still install the driver..

And btw, its not a 'modded driver' per se.. the driver released by nVidia is for desktop', and what laptopvideo2go does is moddify the inf file to include details of your mobile video card so that you can install it in ur laptop.. though the modded inf' generally render the WHQL certification or signing (or whatever u prefer to call it) useless, and WHQL is needed for proper blu ray playback.. so there.. otherwise those driver' are the same as nVidia in general...

 

Ok thanks...
One quick question: Will I lose my warranty if I do the copper mod?

 

yup.........but do what I did.....I just saved that little sponge thing with my Arctic Silver 5 in a little bag.....in the fridge next to the extra ketchup and BK honey mustard package.


If it brakes.........change it and send it to dell........maybe buy some of that POS compound like the one dell uses and slap it on all crappy so they freak out when they see it