Journey of GTX 980M and HP 8570W (modding involved)

Hello everyone!

I though I could share with my journey upgrading this notebook. It all began few years ago, when I bought my second HP laptop - 8770W with Quadro K4000, Full HD display and also i7 3840QM with four samsung DDR3L memory. I loved this laptop back then, though was very heavy to carry around and I sold him after one year.

Time went on, I bought a lot of different notebooks, from weakest Atom netbooks to mod-able Thinkpads, Dells and even Macbooks. But recently came day when I saw this HP 8570W on auction, won it. It was in bad condition and not working, no power. I repaired it, bought 230W PSU and it went from there.

Two weeks ago I saw two damaged GTX 980M on auction, I though to myself, why not, was curious about what could be damaged on those little boards. Tried luck with single one, won auction... aaaand repaired it (didn't saw it coming, huh?).
It was Clevo board G-SYNC with probably Clevo's VBIOS, which should not work with my HP laptop. At least according to forum.

But didn't it ? It perfectly worked first time, though I had to remove SATA connector for drive bay, desolder it, use dremel, glue little ducktape there and there (because it's magnesium laptop) and it was happily working. Modded inf files, drivers installed smoothly.

Well, I didn't stoped just at that, I went even futher. I bought used 8560W with Dreamcolor panel with backlight keyboard and perfectly conditioned HP battery. By the way, I want to rectify few questions other people had - laptops works no problem with battery, without battery, charging. Battery didn't die, GTX and motherboard also works perfectly normal. Fun fact #142 - there's option in bios, which allows to use battery in case of more watts needed (don't remember name, sorry). So you can use it notebooks were intented to use - portable. And answering next question, yes, I could even watch movie for 2 hours and then surf internet for at least 30 minutes until I plugged charger in. Fan isn't loud when not using 3D intensive apps.
Also speakers from 8560W, previous generation, are better than those newer in 8570w.

I encoutered few problems like cooling problem, DirectX 11/12 problem (some programs/benchmarks/games didn't want to work). Later was resolved by flashing MSI VBIOS - Catzilla, Passmark, RE3 in Directx12 suddenly started working normally!
Laptop is not loud as jet engine or hot as lava thanks to using one of bests thermal compounds there - Grizzly Kryonaut. But I got it right 6th time I was deassembling whole heatsink. With just stock cooling I am able to play newest games or run benchmark. Absolutely no problems, though I want to make it even better. So I'm still looking for 8770w mxm 3.0b dual heatpipe cooling that I will cut and solder with mine. Maybe add additional heatpipe so not only will cover rest of mxm module, it will also transfer additional heat.
No additional fan needed, because I want to preserve original functionality and easiness of dissasembling. But it's possible, both fan's will works as one (because of PWM modulation). Connecting them not as intented results in "whew whew whew mode".

As for GTX card, I modded it. While I was repairing dead mosfets, I saw place for additional ones. Bought them, soldered them, added capacitor and now voltage feeding circuit is colder than before.

There is also very big SMD capacitor on motherboard, near mxm module top screw. I previously ducktaped it, but I wasn't happy with VRAMs not touching thermopads under card. Checked it, if I remember good that was C583 or something like that, it was in 3 volt supply for WWAN circuit, so I removed it. Finally bottom of card was properly cooled.


For now I have the biggest problem left to solve - how to get Dreamcolor to work with 980. I digged very deep to the darkest corners of existing internet, left and right. Still have to read a lot of informations, but I after few tries I think I found issue - I didn't set UEFI Native in bios with secure boot off. When laptop is set in Uefi hybrid, then graphic card could be set in legacy mode. I don't know if it will help, though. When drivers start working, dreamcolor panel don't display anything besides backlight in windows. Bios works normally until OS starts loading. Without installing drivers, DC screen works in windows in safe mode (microsoft basic display adapter). On every Quadro card I have DC screen works wonderfully of course.
If I won't be able to make DC work, I will buy 1050/1060/1070 mxm card. I think that would be faster, easier way. More expensive, though.
Dreamcolor board brain is same as in 8760/8770w dc panel - STDP8028. So if there were people able to get them working with 900 series, so why couldn't I ?


I would like to hear your suggestions what you would want to know, I wanted to share with my knowledge, because it gives me so much fun to get know how everything works and make it even better. I always try to max out specs.

I forgot to make photos while working, so next time I will be disassembling notebook I will make some and edit post to add them here with explanations, so anyone could follow.
I take no responsibility for damaging your electronics, so you're doing it at your own risk!

 

Ok, little update, I got my DC panel to work.


So.. about 980m modding -> look here



Above two big inductors there's added 220nF capacitor, two other red circles are added 3 additional mosfets 87350D - one for every phase.
Now I have to find out how to calibrate screen colors and make cooling better as previously described.

PS. I want to include my VBIOS, version of NVFLASH I used and already modded nvhmi.inf for 1617 gpu card. Password to archive is "123". I will also upload vBios directly to techpowerup site.
Have fun ! =]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUo3tv_LO5A7_QJAervGWX9g4Lz85Zgq/view?usp=sharing

 

Those exposed parts don't overheat?

Also why nvhmi.inf over nvcvi.inf?