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    GTX 285m + Alienware M15x R2?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by Oldakowski, Aug 6, 2010.

  1. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    I was wondering if a GTX 285m could possibly work in my M15x. The MXM ports match up but when i boot up my laptop doesnt even recognize its there. When i log in my computer automatically searches for a new driver for "standard VGA graphics adapter". I know I installed the card correctly but cant get it to run properly.... or at all. i tried installing drivers from nvidia but they dont recognize the card is there either. So now im wondering if these two are even compatible. Ive looked this up apparently no one has tried this. Any help or advice guys?
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 6, 2010
    #1
  2. Brendanmurphy

    Brendanmurphy Your Worst Nightmare

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    The card is unsupported by the bios it will not work. You are better off getting a 5750 or 5780
     
    Brendanmurphy, Aug 6, 2010
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  3. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    Is there any way i can get it to work? and if it doesn't i will probably sell it. will a 5870 work with my bios?
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 6, 2010
    #3
  4. ilovemypc

    ilovemypc Notebook Enthusiast

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    5870 will work with your system if you update ur BIOS mate ! just buy it ....
     
    ilovemypc, Aug 6, 2010
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  5. Marecki_clf

    Marecki_clf Homo laptopicus

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    If You can boot into Windows, then the card is recognized by the laptop's BIOS and it should work. You need to find different drivers for it.
     
    Marecki_clf, Aug 6, 2010
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  6. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    Ive tried many different drivers. All of the setups automatically exited with the error "No compatible hardware found" or something along those lines. I think i am going to sell the 285m and buy a HD mobility 5870. they seem to be a better card anyway and alienware told me it is supported and tested.
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 6, 2010
    #6
  7. yotano211

    yotano211 Notebook Evangelist

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    yotano211, Aug 6, 2010
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  8. JohnnyFlash

    JohnnyFlash Notebook Virtuoso

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    This isn't true. 2.0 got a 280m into an HDX20, and it would boot into windows but no drivers would install. It's the close enough to a card the BIOS does support, but I don't think you're going to get any drivers to install correctly.
     
    JohnnyFlash, Aug 7, 2010
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  9. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

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    It could be that your hardware ID is one of the non standard ones and is simply not being recognised by any of the official Drivers. This has happened to quite a few people before. Before you sell it, try this Driver with its modified .inf.

    This is an older Driver but I suggest it because I have found the ''nv_disp.inf'' are more likely to work than the other .inf files. If this works then you can just update to a more recent one.


    @ yotano211

    They also upload modified Notebook Drivers because many of the official ones don't work for some people. Nvidia has missed some hardware ids in their setup files. I know one reseller who had to contact Nvidia to get them to add the missing ids but they still haven't done it properly.
     
    LaptopNut, Aug 7, 2010
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  10. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    I just tried to install this driver and it doesnt work. The list of compatible cards included the GTX 280M not the 285. i figured id try it anyway since they are practically identical but it didnt work.
    .
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 7, 2010
    #10
  11. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

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    My bad, I completely forgot that the GTX 285M came out after this Driver and the .inf may not have been updated with the hardware code. You should try some of the others like the 25x and the 19x series.

    That error "No compatible hardware found" you get is the same one I get with some official Nvidia Drivers while some others work perfectly fine. Make sure that you overwrite the old .inf with the new one when you download and make sure it has the correct name i.e no .txt at the end of it.
     
    LaptopNut, Aug 7, 2010
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  12. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    Oldakowski, Aug 10, 2010
    #12
  13. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    Why did you not go the whole hog and crab an HD5870 1GB GDDR5?

    You say the 285 was $500 but the 5870 is faster, uses less power, will be compatable and costs $40 less.

    *face palm*
     
    Meaker@Sager, Aug 10, 2010
    #13
  14. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Did you try going into device manager and right click on the display adapter > properties > driver > update driver > "no not this time" > install from list (advanced) > don't search I will choose.. > have disk

    And then point to the inf file of the driver you want installed. Then force the install and ignore everything.

    Also just to test you could try linux.
     
    moral hazard, Aug 10, 2010
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  15. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    really why not HD5870? Its way better than GTX285M...
     
    sean473, Aug 11, 2010
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  16. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    I plan on getting a 5870 once this sells. I bought it because i havn't seen anybody do it. i figured i would try it and see what happens. It would have been a major upgrade from my gt 240m anyway and i would have been happy if it worked. but it didn't.....
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 13, 2010
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  17. weiwei12

    weiwei12 Newbie

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    weiwei12, Aug 14, 2010
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  18. weiwei12

    weiwei12 Newbie

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    [​IMG]
     
    weiwei12, Aug 14, 2010
    #18
  19. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    even if it did work, i'm guessing it would throttle like crazy, the 260m already does if you have an i7 quad
     
    xeroxide, Aug 15, 2010
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  20. msparrow88

    msparrow88 Notebook Evangelist

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    theres not point to the 285 in the m15x...
    it will just waste your money.

    you can get the 5850 that can be overclocked to 5870 speeds
    which is at least equivalent to the 285...
    and it will cost you way less money...
     
    msparrow88, Aug 15, 2010
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  21. weiwei12

    weiwei12 Newbie

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    one more pic
    [​IMG]
     
    weiwei12, Aug 16, 2010
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  22. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    Oldakowski, Aug 17, 2010
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  23. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    moral hazard, Aug 17, 2010
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  24. weiwei12

    weiwei12 Newbie

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    go to this weblink Drivers | drivers for mobile cards and laptops | laptopvideo2go.com
    and than go to video card details on your lappy (the picture shows where to look at)
    input rasked information,than check filter. download both INF & drivers. unzip drivers but do not install it. copy nvac.INF file into unzipped driver folder and replace the old.
    after you done all the process. you can enjoy gtx285M on your alienware

    [​IMG]
     
    weiwei12, Aug 17, 2010
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  25. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    Oldakowski, Aug 19, 2010
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  26. Oldakowski

    Oldakowski Notebook Geek

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    I GOT IT TO WORK!

    Thanks weiwei and moral for the instructions. deffinatly +1rep

    The card is running great only it runs a bit hot. When i ran the crysis benchmark on high/ultra settings, my temp shot up and peaked at 87C. I downclocked it 20hz and that saved me 2 degrees.

    My 3dmark 06 went from 7500 to over 14000 from my gt 240 oced

    Thanks again for all the help
     
    Oldakowski, Aug 21, 2010
    #26
  27. Nick

    Nick Professor Carnista

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    Lucky :) My Macbook hits 96C on MW2.
     
    Nick, Aug 21, 2010
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  28. weiwei12

    weiwei12 Newbie

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    i got 91C by running furmark, the card should handle 100c without any problems.
     
    weiwei12, Aug 21, 2010
    #28
  29. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    good thing i nver got a crappy macbook.. my 9600M GT hits 75C at most in MW2..
     
    sean473, Aug 22, 2010
    #29