Official MSI GX640 Owner's Thread

How do I do that? It says no valid devices found. Furmark in extreme burning mode with post processing enabled still doesn't artifact but everything else does.

 

Are you using this version?---> Download AMD GPU Clock Tool v0.9.26.0 For HD 5870 | techPowerUp

 

Thanks. Also isn't it supposed to run a 625/1000? Why do you want me to set it at 400/900?

 

I wanted you to do that to figure out if the problem was something inherent with the hardware or if it was heat related. At 2D clocks, heat output is lower and if it is a heat issue, you won't see artifacts.

The other option is software. Don't use ATI-Tool. It is old and most likely does not support this card. Can you post some screenshots of 3D-Mark 2006 artifacts? If it is tearing, enable VSync and see if it fixes it.

 

It is artifact free at 400/900. I wasn't able to capture them in 3dmark so I used dragon age instead. No artifacts at 400/900 there too. I took screenshot at 400/900, 625/1000 and 700/1000.

700:
650:
400:

The small squares are the artifacts. You can see the 3dmark06 screenshot on page 240.

 

Try removing the heatpads and substituting them with a thermal compound. Be careful though not to damage the heatpads, so later You can put them back. Damaging the heatpads might also void Your warranty.

 

I'll try that later, does anyone have a link to the vbios? It's not available anymore on msi website....

 

Don't flash the VBios yet. This looks to be a thermal problem which you have to sort out regardless of the VBios. I am on the old VBios with no problems. As a first step, try tightening the VGA screws 1/8 of a turn at a time and see if things improve. Also try removing the back cover and testing. Try to fix the problem with minimum effort before embarking on disassembly.

 

Well I already did the bios flash with no difference. my vbios was 039.037501 and I downloaded 032.037501 from msi. But no difference. Already tightened everything as far as it could go. I'm going to buy some IC Diamond tomorrow, because whoever put past on the gpu did a shoddy job at it: It's all over the place. In the mean time what would you suggest I do.

 

Try testing with the back cover off and perhaps a room-fan blowing on the beast. I would try increasing clocks very gradually. Try these settings:

Legend: Mem/Core

1. 400/650
2. 400/700
3. 400/750
4. 400/800
5. 400/850
6. 400/900
7. 400/950
8. 400/1000

Figure out where you see artifacts. If we guessed correctly regarding VRAM heat, then with the back cover off and a fan blowing, you should not see artifacts.

In the next set of tests, Keep the VRam at 750MHz and bump the core clocks till you reach 625MHz. If it does not artifact, you can rule out the core.

 

Ok. Ram test alone didn't show anything until I hit 1000mhz and the artifacts started showing seldomly but tt started artifacting as soon as I bumped the core to 450mhz.

 

My temps are worse than they were before i screwed up the vbios flash. MSI may have put a new card in and put on a crappy thermal compound. I just ordered some mx-4 tho.
I also get artifacts at my old stable stable overclock from before i sent it to MSI.

 

Well, it looks like you may have to re-seat your heatsink. If there is too much thermal paste, air bubbles form and this is bad for conductivity. Also, God knows what the MSI guys used.

 

I don't know either but it was white and also looked like cottage cheese....

 

I've talked to MSI RMA in Canada and they just Arctic Silver, how well they apply it I don't know

 

That is definitely not Arctic Silver or micronized diamond. Sounds like standard cheap junk. If you are using Arctic Silver, use a rice size grain and let the pressure do the spreading for you.

 

I use IC7 for all my stuff. I need to get more. I'm also planning to get ramsinks. Is that a good idea?

 

Get rid of the heatpads in the first place, ffs...

 

Yes, even the most ghetto placement of RAMSinks cut my temps by a whopping 15C. Get as many as you can for both CPU and GPU. Hell, the way I see it, even stacked pennies would do more than the garbage stock cooling.

Don't worry about jamming it in either. My setup is super messy/ghetto, but it works. I am on the lookout for slightly lower profile sinks for the CPU side. Also, remove that useless black piece of plastic blocking the GPU side of the vent. You can also try to remove the mesh, but it is going to prove to be difficult.

 

If anybody needs it, this is the VBios for the Whitebook in my sig.

1656 VBIOS_BR36533.006.7z

 

My GPU is emitting a squealing when in 3d mode.... It extremelly high pitched, I didn't catch that before because my apartment was pretty noisy during the thanksgiving break... I think my VRMs might be defective. Unless the card is supposed to be making that noise....

 

Does the sound disappear as the GPU load changes? AFAIK, there are no coil inductors on this card. This sound is usually due to some kind of lower harmonic of the switching frequency that is pronounced in coil inductors.

 

Yeah. When it switvh from 2d to 3d mode it sounds kinda like a flash capacitor charging. I sensitive to near ultrasonic sounds so it kinda annoys me. I repasted everything and cpu idle at 43C while gpu is idling at 50... The funny thing is that I'm starting to ignore the artifacts, basically the way my eyes are focused they are almost invisible. But I still want to fix that problem.

 

Give it a week and the thermal compound will settle in. You may see higher temps in the interim, but it will go down once the paste cures.

 

O.k guys, here is the official Whitebook System BIOS.

E1656IG6.10E.RAR

 

DO you hear this hight pitched noise only when GPU outputs lots of fos (more than few hundreds) in 3D mode? If yes, it's normal and happens to most of higher end graphics card (though you can barely hear it in desktop computers)

 

Did your 3700m do that also?

Because mine does...

 

Usually inductor whine is harmless if intermittent.

 

Yeah it did. Come to think of it I think it's normal.

 

I have read this forum for years for advice, never wanted to post till now. I got my GX640 coming today, its on the truck heading to my house sometime in the next 9 hours.

However, I just noticed this:

Newegg.com - MSI GX740-235US NoteBook Intel Core i5 450M(2.40GHz) 17.0" Wide SXGA+ 4GB Memory 320GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870 Broadway XT

Newegg.com - MSI GX640-260US NoteBook Intel Core i5 450M(2.40GHz) 15.4" Wide SXGA+ 4GB Memory 500GB HDD 7200rpm DVD Super Multi ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850

I had been looking at G73s and such for the past month or so but then settled on a laptop with a 5850 because the price was more agreeable. But now that its almost here I find the 17" with a 5870 for the exact same price and only 180GB off the HD? I have buyers remorse. Someone convince me that the GX640 runs cooler or better or...something.

 

lighter, more portable, smaller form factor.
You can OC it to 5870 because they're the same card.

 

Sorry to say, but I would go with the GX740 any time. I'm happy with my 640 but 740 anytime

 

Heh, that't true. It's better not to look for alternatives after you made your call and ordered, because there will always be a "better" offer
Yet, as an owner of GX640 myself, I have no issues with this notebook whatsoever. Comparing to GX740:
-you get smaller screen yet the same resolution = higher pixel density;
-keyboard is the same on both models - you'll just have to get used to it;
-5850 is a lower clocked 5870. (625/1000 vs. 700/1000). I run my 5850 at stock clocks of 5870 (700/1000) without a hitch and can still ho higher;
-GX640 is lighter and thus more compact - more comfortable to take to class/travel/or just put on your lap
-Cooling: it's better on 740, yet both models are can be tweaked to run cool&efficient and forget overheating issues.

That's about sums it up. Don't feel remorse - you'll love your new toy

 

Yeah this is my college laptop and represents the highest amount I could have spent, so I am absolutely TERRIFIED about potentially having to open it up and apply paste or whatever I need to do. That just makes me want the 740 more

 

Agreed on everything except pixel density.
Having same resolution on smaller screen just makes everything seem smaller and harder to read. Although the screen quality may be better than 740.

As for cooling, don't worry unless you start going to 95-100 range.
70 or 90 makes very little difference.

 

Okay so it just arrived. I'm screwing around on it as we speak. I did read through most of this thread and did some searching so I really apologize if people get all put out because this has been answered in some form I didn't think to search for:

The fan shows its usage @ 30%. I believe this model came with the new BIOS, it doesn't have a problem resuming from sleep or anything. I am not one of those people who minds if it is at 100% all the time. When I run FurMark and stuff, the GPU clocks up appropriately but the fan seems to stay at 30% and I feel like...you know, it would cool better at intense moments if it was at 100.

I am using HWInfo and the CCC to see what the fan is at and it always seems to stay at 30. I'm running furmark and it hits 90oC...fan stays at 30%. I want it cranking at 100% to be cooler.

 

fans cannot be controlled and 30% is just an arbitrary number.

 

I've just RMA'd mine.

 

K...here's another question about our GX640s then. Is the 30% an arbitrary number just assigned by all these programs?

More importantly though, I am now looking for a lapdesk/cooler thing, but I am picky apparently and have these specifications:

Have room for a normal mouse, sticking out or not.
Actually have a fan.
Be USB powered.
And finally, I'd like to be able to somehow sturdily attach it to the bottom though this last request seems like it wouldn't go well in a backpack.

Every time I search for one I find great coolers, or great lapdesks that have room for a mouse with an attachment. I kind of want one that I can use in bed or at school with a mouse that also cools.

Like this one: Gamer's Desks, Gaming Laptop Desks: LaptopDesk.net - Futura Gamer's Desk w/Regular MouzPad and Max MouzPad
But it...needs to be a cooler and not just a desk. It wouldn't necessarily need to be as XTREME GAMER!!!1111one as that one though.

I've been reading about coolers for days but I always seem to only fulfill some of my conditions and not all. Anyone know of a good one?

 

laptop coolers don't work on beds because they need to suck air from the bottom for teh fans. Using one on a bed would just be blowing dust up into your machine.

 

Okay then...not for use in bed. But still a cooler with a mouse thingie that is USB powered.

 

Get a separate mouse pad instead...

 

It depends of the cooler. The notepal infinite for example has a side vents. And my cooler master as a recessed fan with an adjustable base. So some coolers are better than others when it comes to couch/bed use.

 

Perhaps I'm just not being clear. I want a laptop cooler that is powered by USB that has a continuous, flat surface providing space for a mouse.

A cooler + a separately purchased mousepad does not provide the functionality I described.

If there are none, then there are none. Thanks for all the help that has been given thus far and thanks for any that will be given.

 

So you want a super wide cooler then.... hmmm. Don't think I've ever seen one of those

I think a cooler pairs well with the GX640 since it raises up the laptop so the heat from the exhaust goes above your hand on the right side.

 

Hi all,

New to the forum (this being my first post). I purchased my GX640 a few months back now. Not a huge fan of the looks but fell in love with the spec and "feel" of the notebook, very happy with it out of the box.

This is my first gaming laptop, I’m not so interesting in over clocking and manipulating the GPU. I purely want it to run safely with the most up to date drivers. That said, after uninstalling default drivers and using the ATI 10.11 drivers I’m now experiencing black screen on start up.

To further explain:
- The unit was perfect with default drivers, I never really use sleep or hibernate so deactivate both. I was however unhappy with performance whilst playing Fallout New Vegas. I read on the net that this was due to the ATI drivers needing updating
- Uninstalling old drivers and moving to 10.11 drivers, eventually the black screen of dead popped up for fun and games
- After experimenting I came to the following conclusions, I always got the black screen when booting up without the mains plugged in and also when I closed the lid whilst Windows was shutting down
- I restored to factory, updated the BIOS, restart followed by VBIOS update, and then tried the ATI drivers recommended on the MSI website (8.732). These drivers seem to up the performance so I was pleased, but again black screen after shutting the lid

My theories aren’t 100%, but I'm pretty sure that lid shutting and starting with no mains cause problems. Not sure if anyone also agree with this?
I’ve read through this thread so many times, scanned the web with NO real solution to my issues.
Its really annoying as I do love this laptop, I’m prepared to get rid of it at this stage but want to make sure there is no other solution before I do this.

Has anyone out there actually got this laptop to work okay without making changes to the GPU/CCC itself.
I'm aware that I can just avoid not using the mains and also avoid closing the lid. But this morning after avoiding those two scenarios I found it to return to the black screen! Very annoying.

Sorry for the long post. Many thanks,
Rush

 

What's mains?

You can avoid black screen from closing the lid by changing it in the power options.

 

Mains, as in power adaptor. If I dont have my charger plugged in it seems i always go to a black screen on start up. However with the charger plugged in nearly always the laptop boots up okay.

My power options are set to "do nothing" when i close the lid both with and without the charge in. However closing the lid during shutdown seems to still upset the system.

 

Try disabling powerplay in CCC

 

Hi,

It seems as though the black screen issue afflicts us out of the blue. Some people have experienced this at startup and some like me at shutdown, where the lights on the laptop are still on.

I will narrate my story and hopefully you can pick up some clues. Initially, no BIOS updates were made and I had a hard time installing 10.11. Junking it, I moved to 10.8. No problems, but for hibernate not working.

Feeling a bit adventurous, I updated the System BIOS and not the Video BIOS (I was unsure if VBios was the same for both the whitebook and the GX640). Tried installing 10.11 and it worked! But,Black screen at shutdown.

Next, I reset the EC by pulling out the battery and the power for about an hour. Black screen situation intermittent.

Next, I took a risk and flashed the Video BIOS to the GX640 VBIOS. It works and Black screen issues disappeared. Did not have to reinstall Catalyst drivers. Still on 10.11.

When you updated the system BIOS, did you reinstall all system drivers?