DIY eGPU experiences

have they released any vidock parts for usb 3? i dont think we'll see many thunderbolt (affordable ones) systems anytime soon
and unless it can be done with the new MBA released yesterday. usb3 would technically be faster than mpcie no?

 

Early results...

Studio 1555, P8700 2.53GHz, 4GB ram
External GTX460 768MB via EC at x1 link speed
3dmark06 5102

About what was expected, going to try get higher though i'm pretty happy with performance in games (the synthetic benchmark doesn't really reflect the improvement you see on screen) as i'm playing at 1080p now with excellent fps, the occasional jitter when loading to the gfx card.

 

Big thanks to Nando and Kizwan for their help with getting my eGPU up and running... couldn't have figured it out without you guys.

Laptop: x220
CPU: i5-2410m (2.3ghz/2.9ghz)
Ram: 6gb
GPU: EVGA GTX460 1gb
PSU: Corsair VX450w (leftover from my now-dead desktop)
PE4L

3dMark06: 14708
3dMarkVantage: 10197

SC2 runs great at High/Ultra settings with 1680x1050.

If anyone has any other benchmark requests/questions, please let me know and I'd be happy to run them.

 

3dmark06 seems to suffer a lot due to the x1 link limited bandwidth.

my GTX460 eGPU on x2 link only score less than 9k in 3dmark06, even lower than 3dmark vantage. but when I play Crysis 2 on ultra setting, dx11, high-res texture, the beginning scene show 20-30 fps by fraps. It's quite playable though I can feel the occasional lag. I'd say 3dmark06 definitely under-estimate the gaming performance of eGPU. I'll try to do some more gaming benchmark with fraps and update for general reference.

 

nice score! looking forward to more gaming benchmarks. I'm very tempted to get an SB thin&light laptop with eGPU running on Optimus which appears to be the best performance achievable right now.

 

written:

I do not know what that means ..
It has a ExpressCard slot?

 

@ Gil3, that is Card Reader. NOT ExpressCard slot.

 

There's something strange ...
Trying to see if this laptop has an ExpressCard slot I first look for this model in other stores and I found that according to other stores this laptop has an ExpressCard slot but not INTEL HD. These INTEL GMA 4500 .. so I was afraid that the data is not reliable.

Later I tried to see how the ExpressCard looks and I've seen that looks like this:

Or this:

Then I noticed what you saw in the first picture (of the ExpressCard slot). I sew this: "SD / SD pro / MMC / MS pro / XD" above the ExpressCard slot which is exactly what was on the Information about the model in this store:

So I searched on Google Images that:
SD / SD pro / MMC / MS pro / XD

Then I found this:

Does this mean that
SD / SD pro / MMC / MS pro / XD = ExpressCard slot

?

 

SD / SD pro / MMC / MS pro / XD is NOT ExpressCard slot.

Please see the picture below. The Blue one is ExpressCard 54 & the Red one is Card Reader.


For eGPU, what do you need is ExpressCard 34 slot:-


For Optimus to work, you'll need Intel HD Graphics or Intel GMA 4500 or Intel HD 3000. Intel 4500MHD & Intel GMA 4500 are the same Intel HD GPU.

 

The reason for my bluescreen was the PSU! A new PSU and all is working very well.

Now I wonder that the performance is not as well as it could be I think. I did a benchmark test GTA IV. Here the details:

Statistiken
Durchschnittliche FPS: 34.09
Dauer: 37.52 Sek
CPU-Auslastung: 95%
Systemspeicher-Auslastung: 43%
Videospeicher-Auslastung: 73%

Grafikeinstellungen
Videomodus: 1920 x 1080 (60 Hz)
Texturenqualität: Hoch
Qualität Schatten: Hoch
Reflexionsauflösung: Hoch
Qualität Wasser: Sehr hoch
Texturenfilter-Qualität: Anisotropisch x4
Nachtschatten: Aus
Sichtdistanz: 25
Detaildistanz: 31

Hardware
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Service Pack 1
Grafikkarte: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470
Video-Driver Version: 275.33
Soundkarte: Lautsprecher (Conexant 20585 SmartAudio HD)
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU M 620 @ 2.67GHz

How can I check if my Optimus driver is working properly?

 

@ jeffi85,

Please run these benchmarks:-
DX9-centric Performance: RE5 1280x800-variable, 3dmark06 1280x1024
DX10-centric Performance: 3dmark vantage (gpu), dmcv4

For Optimus to work, you'll need Intel HD Graphics or Intel GMA 4500 or Intel HD 3000. Your notebook have NVS 3100M. So, Optimus is not possible on your notebook.

 

OK
So maybe the store Who wrote the data on this model simply copying what was written on laptop to the website. They paid no attention to this mark. (I hope that this is the word for it .. I'm writing through google translate)

But I'm not sure about one thing.
All the other shops Write about this model that it have INTEL GMA 4500 And not INTEL HD.
It's not a mistake?

INTEL GMA 4500 = INTEL HD
?

 

OK, I took another notebook and now I'm trying with this configuration:

-Dell Precision with 2 GB ram, ExpressCard slot, only Ethernet (no bluetooth, no Wi Fi), Win XP SP3.
-PE4H ver 2.4
-EC2C
-GTX590
-850W PSU

I formatted the notebook with eGPU Kit and GTX590 on and reinstalled only Win XP SP3. After that I installed Nvidia driver. In hardware list now I see 2 GTX590 but with error 12 .
What can I do to resolve this issue? Thank you for help.

 

As I mentioned earlier, for Optimus setup, you'll need Intel HD Graphics or Intel GMA 4500 or Intel HD 3000. Intel 4500MHD = Intel GMA 4500. Any of them are OK.

Error 12 means not enough resources to run eGPU. GTX590 is a dual-GPU graphic card which require 2 x 256MB PCI space. It is almost difficult to allocate 2 x 256MB PCI space on notebooks though. Please post the screenshot of the Setup 1.x main screen. For example like this:-

 

Thank you for your answers.
I'll buy this laptop

 

Hi everyone! I'm new to all these technical terms here, but before i start delving into the whole process, can someone tell me if the lenovo edge 14 is compatible with this egpu thing? The lenovo website isnt really clear about what card ports my lappy has. I'm a bit new to laptops too.

 

Ok thank you. This is the screenshot:

<img src="http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9773/printmo.png" width='600'

 

@ NewNet,

Please try the solutions available at Troubleshooting FAQ page (no.3 - error 12: cannot allocate resources).

The problem you experiencing right now is explained in " Details with solution" column, no. 1. Please try Solution#2.

 

Ok I did that but the problem is that i don't see any "HDMI Audio devices" in the Device Manager.

PS: I've Win Xp not Win 7.

 

I found that booting Win7 after the eGPU is detected and powered on either via Setup 1.x or hotplugging at the Win7 boot menu would always result in my GTX460's internal LCD mode working. Doing the sleep/resume method or hotplugging after Win7 boot wasn't as successful.

Optimus is working. If it wasn't you'd be seen a 3dmark06 score of ~5k. Though your 12.1k is a bit low, lower than I get with my [email protected]. I recall another i7-xxxLM user having a similar result. Might want monitor temps then try using Throttlestop to engage Turbo mode to be on 100% of the time on AC to boost your performance.

 

Please migrate to Win 7 because you have better chance solving error 12 with it than using Win XP.

 

This PDF file contain Lenovo Edge 14/15 specification.

ExpressCard slot is available on this notebook. Looks like this notebook have two sub-model; 1) with Intel HD Graphics & 2) ATI® Mobility. If your notebook have Intel HD Graphics, you can setup x1.Opt with Nvidia graphic card which give better performance than x1 or x2 setup.

Remaining issue we need to learn from this notebook is TOLUD. TOLUD determine whether you can or not use 4GB+ RAM with eGPU. Please post screenshots of the Device Manager (set View \ Resources by connection) & AIDA64 (chipset - PCI express ports) - refer to post #4501.

 

For those who were not sure about expresscard 2.0, here is a printscreen of hwinfo64 that we can see my NEC USB 3.0 expresscard running at 5gt/s through my expresscard slot.

 

I'm old, I can't see it. Can you post link to the bigger picture?

 

Lenovo E520 (iGPU only) is eGPU compatible

A iGPU only Lenovo E520 does have a 256MB 32-bit PCI window to host a NVidia or ATiAMD eGPU. It has TOLUD=3GB. Can see it's eGPU Setup 1.x diag output if want the detail. I wasn't able to access a HD6630M model to determine it's TOLUD setting.

As the Lenovo E420/E520 is one of the most inexpensive (affordable) systems available it would be great to get have an example installation for others to consider replicating.

 

I want to know if my Lenovo have reall an expresscard 2.0.. I use a usb 3.0 external HDD to a usb 3.0 expresscard and I obtains about 105mb/s transfer speed.

Do I have 5gt/s bandwidth??

 

I wish x220 eGPU would work with newer bioses like 1.18 and 1.19. My mSATA is not recognized on previous versions.

 

There is hope! Now we need somebody (*cough* nando4 *cough*), who can explain the matter to the lenovo staff member.

I understand the TOLUD problem, but my technical know how is not good enough (lost the point with 36-bit blahbhlab ).


Other question: Any news to the new PE4H with pcie2.0 support? Sold my PE4H 2.4 and might be getting one... Forgot the release date and can't find it - was there actually one?

 

You have a link capable of 5GT/s but your HDD can't transfer at that rate. The latest HDDs see sequential reads at 100MB/s as you are seeing. Only the latest SATA-III SSDs would hit interface limits of ~500MB/s during reads.

Done. [Comment on Lenovo forum about TOLUD issue]

pci-e 2.0 status of hwtools gear is here which was obtained by a reseller. Last ETA was end-of-July which is now. Suggest make your own enquiries as hwtools have avoided replying to my emails requesting pci-e 2.0 status updates.

Villagetronic's Facebook discussion: Is PE4H aka "DIY ViDock" a cheaper alternative to ViDock 4 Plus ?

eGPU users may be interested in Villagetronic's comments about their hwtool's hardware, a sample below:

I personally like QuadroNVS' youtube video Vi Dock Video Response where he draws the following conclusion about a ViDock 4+:

Interestingly, a facebook user suggested Villagetronic reduce their prices by 30%. I agree with this - ViDock 3/4/4+ is overpriced for what it is but it but does claim pci-e 2.0 compliance so may justify the extra expense for Series-6 chipsets if wanting maximum performance. hwtools coming out with a new PE4L/PE4H with pci-e 2.0 compliance at end-of-July as noted so soon that advantage will be no more.

If you do respond on their page I recommend using the new name of eGPU or DIY eGPU. No need to use ViDock as it's clear we are dealing with two different products that provide very similar functionality.

 

Any guesses on how the new Macbook Air will do with a eGPU?

 

OK, help please.

==================== Info ====================

I'm trying to get an GTX 550 working via eGPU on my system.

I am getting a code 43 error.

My system is a Toshiba L300 C2D 2.16GHz 4GB RAM w/ Win7 x64. I am connecting via express card adapter to a PE4L v1.5a.

Jumpers JP3 and JP4 are set. Switch SW1 is set to 2-3. Switch SW2 is set to 1-2.

Have tried using both the desktop drives that came with card and the mobile drivers (275.33) from here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam.../418851-egpu-experiences-123.html#post6542661
Code 43 in both cases.

I have replace the mini HDMI cable, still code 43.

I initially was powering the card via a 120W adapter with connectors from the floppy molex to the 6pin power plug on the card like here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...s/418851-egpu-experiences-31.html#post5964738
Then I tried power the card off a 200W power supply (best I have ready access to atm).
Then I tried powering it off both, 120W adapter to PE4L, 200W power supply to 6pin power plug.
Code 43 in all cases.

==================== Thoughts ====================

I'm thinking either the GTX 550 or the PE4L is defective. (Other possibilities anyone?)

I don't have ready access to a desktop with a PCI express slot. I'm thinking I'll ask a friend to try the GTX 550 in his desktop. If it code 43's I RMA it. If it works, I'll likely let him keep it (its better than his current), call this project a failure and start looking for a new laptop.

Other thoughts? Please?

 

200W PSU? What is the brand of your PSU?

 

It some (old) generic thing out of china. Why?

 

Says "Delta Electronics, Inc" on it in amongst a lot of Chinese.

 

It sounds like your card is getting so little power that it can't run at all. A cheap no-brand 200W PSU will likely supply only 100W at best at 12V, likely worse than that. I played around with 2 PSU's a little with my 460 and found that the card draws practically no power through the slot, it all comes through the 6-pin connector(s).

It wouldn't hurt to try the 550 in your friend's desktop, but I highly recommend trying out his PSU.

 

Card pulls 75W from the PCI slot (that's the limit according to the standard I believe).

This card uses up to 116W according to nVidia ( GeForce.com - Get the Most Out of Your GPU). That leaves 41W that needs to come from the 6-pin connector in my case.

My (piece of junk) PSU should be able to supply 41W.

Further the most a 6-pin connector is supposed to supply is 75W. (That's why your GTX 460 has two of those 6-pin connectors.) The line I was using from the PSU was rated up to 120W so even if it wasn't pulling 75W from the slot it still should have worked. (I used two separate lines when trying with just the PSU.)

I'm really not thinking its a power issue. (Though after this discussion I really wish I had a larger PSU sitting around to definitively prove it.)

 

I bought a Lenovo E420 on sale today and have begun my eGPU journey! Is a GTX 460 still the recommended card to use with the PE4L?

 

Paying $180+ (+59%) for a GTX560Ti over a $115-shipped Zotac GTX460-1GB (336 cores) will gain you at most an extra 29% of performance on a x16 link, less on a x1 link. Therefore a GTX460 offers the most bang-per-buck. A nice complement to your E420 which is also one one of the top value for money systems out there.

SW2 is correctly set. You want position 1-2.

Try devel eGPU Setup 1.x's Video Cards->Initialize function followed by PCI compaction->Run compact (32-bit, select iGPU+eGPU only), then Apply Config.Chainload mbr.

Failing that I would suggest using an ATX PSU with a 12V rail supplying 16A or more. Also check the 'Clean install' option during the NVidia driver installation.

 

Thanks! Also, any recent news on PCIe 2.0 support from hwtools?

 

So my switch settings are fine and I don't need to change them? (Or am I misreading this.)

Did that.

Will try.

 

Still getting code 43 with setup 1.x.

In case I'm doing this wrong, here are my exact steps.
- hook everything up
- reboot
- at windows boot manager select eGPU setup 1.0f
- select menu-based
- select video cards -> initialize -> eGPU
- select PCI compaction (it says 32bit on a previous line) -> !Run compact -> iGPU eGPU
- chainload win7

 

@ lightnica,

Right now you'll need to test your GTX 550 Ti on desktop computer to confirm it is not hardware defect or whatever. Even though I don't think it's likely power issue but it doesn't hurt to try another PSU. Like nando4 mentioned earlier, PSU with 12V rail & supplying 16A or more is recommended.

I just learned that some graphic cards are naughty, where they use more power than the advertised max TDP when running demanding application. It can be 30W to 40W more. However, this only happen when it running demanding application & GTX 550 Ti is not one of the bad boys.

 

I used Throttlestop and increased the TDP to 25 watts and set the CPU to C1 mode. When I run the built in benchmark, the multiplier stays at a little bit under 19 the whole test, so I think I'm getting the CPU to run full speed at a little over 2.5 Ghz. I re-ran 3dmark06 and 11 and got 13276 and P4070 respectively. I guess it's not much of an improvement, but I'm okay with the performance right now. Is there a way to overclock the PCI-E bus on my laptop?

Connecting the GPU by hitting F8 during Windows boot and plugging it in then allows me to use the internal display to accelerate games, but it causes Windows to say "no audio hardware detected" when I mouse over the audio icon in the tray and thus I don't have any sound. Do you have any suggestions on how to fix that?

 

I'll try to talk a friend of mine into letting me test it in his desktop tomorrow. If it code 43's it gets RMA'd.

If it works, I'll likely have trouble getting it back out of his system. (It's better than what's in his desktop and he is always complaining about his system not being powerful enough.)

 

setup 1.0f-pre18-26 had critical bugs.

Steps you have listed are OK but the Setup 1.0f-pre26 had a critical bug. These have been fixed in pre27 which I've just uploaded. @ALL, recommend updating to this development version as anti-whitelisting and Video Cards->Initialize was broken in 1.0f-pre18 to pre26.

Suggestions below. @kizwan, can you add these to the Troubleshooting page?

 

Done. 10char.

 

This power supplier:
Google Translate
Good For The GTX 460 + PE4H?

LOL
I cause him to write all of this article ...

I asked him on Facebook a serious question. And he took it seriously

I was suggested him to drop the price by 30%

 

@ Gil3,

Please post the PSU specification here.

 

Okay, thank you.
I saw that Nando has released a new version of "eGPU-Setup". I'll try that with the other PC that has Win7 but took error43 with old release and will post the results.
Bye

 

(EDIT'd)

My GTX 550 Ti eGPU is now working with my Toshiba L300.

Detailed specs:
-Core2 Duo T3400 2.16GHz
-4GB RAM
-Win7 x64
-PE4L v1.5a via express card adapter. (Jumpers JP3 and JP4 are set. Switch SW1 is set to 2-3. Switch SW2 is set to 1-2.)
-using mobile drivers (275.33) with modified nvam.inf
-120W power adapter from HIT

Originally my eGPU got nothing but code 43 errors. After trying many things, I pulled one of the two sticks of 2GB ram. It worked. Nando then gave me some steps to save that pci memory arrangement and reload it after I went back to 4GB of ram. It worked, thank you Nando.

Here are his steps, I (to my knowledge) followed them exactly:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam.../418851-egpu-experiences-462.html#post7742027

Additionally due to some BSODs, I've used MSI afterburner to lower my core voltage from 1.15V to 0.95V. Working great since.

Benchmarks (using internal display):
RE5 - 34.6 FPS
3dmark06 - 7646 (I had to disable system information to get around an error.)

Benchmarks (using external display):
RE5 - 44.7 FPS
3dmark06 - 8438 (I had to disable system information to get around an error.)

Photos:
to come