The Official MSI GT60/70 970m/980m Upgrade Thread

MS-16f2 with a i7 2670QM
BIOS: E16F2IG6.30P
EC: 16F2EG61 v.4.22

I apparently got it to work late last night but with an old driver. 353.55. Didn't realize it worked til after starting her up today. But i ran it for 2 hours and did some benchmarks and it seemed to be working just fine. I just can't get it to work with the lastest driver and after all that inf dabbling i can't remember exactly what i did...lol Could someone help me out with the syntax in nvidias inf files?
i've done the following:

in the file nvmii.inf in the section:
[Manufacturer]
%NVIDIA_A% = NVIDIA_Devices,NTamd64.10.0,NTamd64.10.0...14310
and in the section: [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.10.0]

i have added: %NVIDIA_DEV.13D8.110C.1462% = Section096, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8&SUBSYS_110C1462

and in the section: [Strings]
i have added NVIDIA_DEV.13D8.110C.1462 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M"

in the file nv_dispi.inf in the section:[Manufacturer]
%NVIDIA_A% = NVIDIA_Devices,NTamd64.10.0,NTamd64.10.0...14310

[NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.10.0...14310]

i have added: %NVIDIA_DEV.13D8% = Section096, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8

and in the section: [Strings]
i have added: NVIDIA_DEV.13D8 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M"

what am i doing wrong? did i miss adding something? what am i doing wrong? i don't get it so if someone
could help me out that would be greatly appreciated?

 

Hi, im fairly new here. But i have been stalking this thread for quite sometime now. I have a MSI GT60 with a 870m. Can i upgrade it to the newer pascal chips?

 

Maybe. The GTX 1060 is being tested by a user now, but currently it only works with external display. It might work eventually with internal as well soon.

 

Thank you Talon,

I have been reading your threads for quite a bit. Keep up the great work.

 

MS-16f2 with a i7 2670QM
BIOS: E16F2IG6.30P
EC: 16F2EG61 v.4.22

uh nevermind i got it to work...after a lot of wasted time i realized i was running Windows 10 x64 LTSB in my upgraded MS-16F2 and i'd
missed the October 1st 1607 update...The latest Nvidia drivers are NOT compatible with any builds of windows 10 earlier than 1511.
So for anyone else with a similar setup... GTK lol

A Firestrike score of 7611 seem pretty alright to me.

 

Is it working for the ivy bridge GT60? EH bud can you link me where the thread of this member experimenting the GTX 1060?

 

Did anyone buy the MSI GTX 980M Upgrade kit?

Looking for the MSRP.

Thanks.

 

The hopeful of keeping MXM 3.0 alive thread on this forum ,check last few pages there. User Bugii got gtx1060 from woodzstack and he's testing it in his MSI GT70.It's recognized by windows but he can't get Optimus to work properly ,it doesn't switch to dgpu when needed so it's probably vbios issue.

 

Thanks man. It must be bios and/or vbios update I think. As prema won't help unless your nb is a clevo/sager brand.

 

No prob..
Good news is that it works on older LVDS systems with optimus,it's recognized by windows. Prema got gtx1060 working in old Clevo P150EM with Ivy Bridge CPU with his custom vBios . So it's just a matter of time...

 

Good thing to know is that the GTX1060 is working with LVD'S for clevo.. I hope there is someone in this group who will make the first move in doing this upgrade with our ivy bridge nb models? I hope soon though hehe

 

Looking at some benchmarks the 1060 seems to perform very similarly to the 980m, so is there a solid reason it would be better for me to upgrade to a 1060 rather than a 980m, which has been done a lot and will be an easier swap?

Secondly, I see there has been some discussion on whether the 1070 and 1080 will be able to be used on our machines, but most of it went over my head. The performance improvements seem to make it worth waiting a little while for this stuff to get figured out if they will ever be compatible.

 

Hello friends!
I have a MSI GT60-0ND 16F3 model and i upgrading a 675M board with a 980M MSI 4GB one.
When i install it, using BIOS X51 and EC T17 all appears to work, Windows 10 regocnizingiit, nvidia drivers works, but when i play a game, 980M is ignored.
If i try to install EC T18, my Wireless stops to work.
What can i do?

 

Hello Rodrigo,
Probably you are facing the issue that most os us (3rd Gen i7) have with our systems, If you install properly the nVidia drivers the Optimus will not work.
This is because our system need a modded vBIOS in order to recognize properly the card and to Optimus work together.

As you already have an MSI card, I recommend to you to make a test, IF it works, and you don't want to mod you INF files to update your drivers, only at this point you should mod you vBIOS.

Do you know how to mod an INF file to make this work?
I can help you if you want, let me know.

Here is a tutorial that can help you, but I strongly recommend to you try modded drivers BEFORE trying to mod your vBIOS.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-and-play-drivers-gt60-70-ivy-bridges.789799/

 

What about EC T24 - it's probably the newest I've seen to exist with X51/71.

 

You can ask Svet to help you with the VBIOS update since he can get this done right for you.
As far as EC firmware goes, EC T18 was made but you should be using T17 according to this page.
[ MSI Forum Link]

 

I have a GT70 0NE-446US running BIOS E1762IMS.70X and EC 1762EMS1 currently. I would like to upgrade the stock 680M to a 980M and am currently waiting on unlocked and modded BIOS to support the newer cards. Looking at the cards noted in the OP and see there are a few without G-sync. I also read a few people that were selling G-sync cards because they couldn't get them to work with a NB that is not G-sync compatible. I am having difficulty finding out what card I would need to purchase for my laptop and would appreciate whatever advice you all can offer!

I already have SVET building an unlocked/modded BIOS for my laptop and will have him build the vBIOS for whichever card I choose.

Thanks!

 

I have found a 980m card 4gb 10DE 137D-1462 1129 will this work in my gt70 ivy bridge whitebook?

 

You may have to update the BIOS & EC. Do you know of your current version?

 

At least with MSI branded laptops you need 51X/71X bios - but don't know if there is an equivalent for whitebooks. Svet can help.

 

We have whitebook BIOS/EC too.

 

OK that's good. I'm tempted to buy the new gs72 with the 1060 but if I can just upgrade my gpu to get the same performance then I'd rather do that for a quarter of the price. The only issue with this card is it's 4gb and I don't think it's worth doing the upgrade unless I'm putting in an 8gb card is it???

 

Only the GT series of MSI GPU's can be upgraded. the rest are embedded on the motherboard

 

Why not just go with 1070?

 

That would explain why the gs73 doesn't come with a 1070. The only thing swaying me towards the Gs73 is that it's thinner and newer hardware and has a better display.

 

If the 1070 works then I would love to put one in my gt70 but I didn't think that there was a vbios for the gt70 that supports the 1070? And as long as I can find one for a good price.

 

I took my heatsink & GPU out the other day to have a look at the layout on the heatsink and plan out the modifications necessary, but I hit a bit of a snag. My layout is quite a bit different than those pictured in this thread. The picture below is of the heatsink on my 680M inside my GT70 MS-1762:


And here is a comparison shot that I found in Google Images:


As you can see, there are a few raised pads that are not present on the other heatsinks represented in the comparison image or those documented in this thread. I could mill the raised parts off as I have access to a vertical mill, but that would still leave several other areas of inadequate material that would need to be built up with the pads, reducing overall heat flow. I would hate to spend all of this money and cheap out on the heatsink only to have issues somewhere down the road.

I found the proper 970M/980M heatsink on AliExpress.com (PN E31-0406584-Y31 for those looking for them), however I have never purchased from that site before, thoughts?

And another quick question for those that have GPU coolers with the CPU bridge, does the bridge screw down using the same screws as the stock CPU cooler (screws 2 & 3)? I just am trying to cover the bases properly before I buy the card.

*EDIT* - Found some answers to my previous question:

I found that the following Clevo models were not offered with G-sync:
P15xEM
P15xSM
P15xSM-A
P17xEM
P17xSM
P17xSM-A
P370EM
P3xxSMx
P3xxSM-A
P570WMx
P75xZM
P75xDM
P77xZM
P77xDMx
P870DM

 

Hi guys i have the msi barebone with i7 4800 and i used to have it with gtx780m and i upgraded to 970m.
Im wondering if i can upgrade for the gtx 1060 or even with 1070??
Is it possible?
Thanks in advance guys

 

Hi everyone! I just ordered my 980m for my GT70.

My system specs are:
GT70-2OC
GTX 770m
i7 4700MQ
BIOS: E1763IMS.50J

It seems like I will need to update my BIOS. Is this correct? How do I figure out how many steps I need to do in between to avoid bricking?
I will try to just swap it first and see if it works. I've read through a lot of this thread but I haven't seen anyone upgrade from a 770m to 980m.

Thanks everyone, there's so much great info in this thread. Almost too much.

 

Congrats, good upgrade

It's been a while since i upgraded my gt70, but if I rember correctly the heatsink for the 770m is the same as 780m/880m so it will be all the same.

Can't remember about the bios thoug

 

Well, I just did a lot of reading so I was comfortable upgrading my BIOS, this was the first time I've done it and I was pretty nervous. Got the card and am going to get it all put together, will update if it works or if I have any problems.

 

Ok, here's where I'm at. System BIOS is updated, the 980m is recognized and drivers are installed. I was having a problem where the fan would randomly spin at 100% for a minute or so, then drop down to idle. All while temps are only 30-35C. I thought this might be because it was an Alienware card and there could be a problem with the vBios. I installed the premamod Vbios and that problem went away. In game, however, the fan does not ramp up to speed. It will stay at 25-50% I'm guessing, and the temps as a result will shoot up. What can I do about this? Should I try a different vBios, or could it be something else causing the problem? I never tried running a game with the original vBios so I don't know if it would have cooled properly there.

 

With Prema mod the system should still protect the card and ramp up the fan speeds when necessary. What were you temps in game when the fans were at those lower levels? It won't ramp up to 100% for non normal temps. If you don't like the temps just set them to a higher level or force the fans to max with the button.

 

the ecfirmware holds the fan speed. ask svet to modify the fan speed for you so that when your gpu runs hot the fan spins at full speed.

 

Bios/vbios updates can be a bit nerve-wracking the first couple of times, but they are usually succesfull

Please let us know your temps, if they are low then the fan shouldn't ramp up

 

The temps were VERY hot, up to 90C. The temp will just rise more and more without the fan changing, and it got to 90C in about a minute. The turbo fan button does work, and with that on it is still pretty hot at around 80C.

Edit: To clarify, this is only GPU temps. CPU temps are normal.

 

What laptop model do you have? Is it haswell? Maybe Silent Option works for fan control if you have a haswell unit? That way you ca make a custom fan profile?

 

GT70-2OC with haswell i7 4700MQ

I'm not able to modify my fan curve in Afterburner. Would silent option allow me to do that?

Also, is 80C 'normal' for a 980m with turbo fan running? Or should I try reapplying thermal paste or look for other solutions there?

 

Dragon Center might work - Win10 version does work with my ivy bridge Win8.1 GT70 0NE and allows modifying my fan curve, even shutting the fan down.

 

BIOS update is much more secure than in the past. If a BIOS is altered from original file then the flasher will not accept it. So it's much harder to brick the system from a corrupted flash, but not impossible.

 

My 980m is running stable at 92C any my CPU under 70C. I tried several of the suggestions for my fan issue, but it seems to have just gone away on its own. My best guess is that the EC firmware reset while I was travelling for the holidays. I'm still not sure if I should be running it at 92 degrees, but I will be getting some MX-4 thermal compound in the mail soon which is much better than the stuff I've got right now.

I got my 980m from parts-people.com for only $500. They're out of stock now, but if they get more I strongly suggest. They also have a great return policy. I don't think its worth $700+ to do this upgrade anymore, but I'm happy with my purchase. I expect I should be able to sell my 770m for $200-$250.

For anyone who wants to use an alienware/dell card the vbios probably won't work. I just had to switch to prema vbios, and it's been fine so far.

Specs again:
GT70 2OC
System Bios: E1763IMS.51B
originally 770m, now 980m
Processor: Haswell i7 4700mq
premamod vBios
Windows 10 x64
Normal Nvidia Drivers

Thanks y'all, I never could have done this upgrade without all the information in this thread. It was a lot of fun and I learned a ton.

 

You actually maxed out your system if the GPU is running at 92 Celsius because of the limiting behavior by the EC firmware. If you encounter stuttering during gameplay then you may need to reduce visual quality settings in order for the temperature to drop as well as allowing your gameplay smooth. Lastly, be sure to update BIOS & EC to the latest version.

 

It will sometimes rise to 93, max. My BIOS and EC firmware is up to date I believe. I havent seen stuttering, and it seems the gpu is still running at stock clock speed. Reducing visual quality didn't result in lower temps, just more frames. So far only played Doom extensively and I was getting 100+ FPS on ultra, 200+ on whatever the preset was. Both were at 92 degrees.

 

I've been able to get significantly better temps with better thermal compound. Unfortunately though the problem I was having before has come back. The fan will randomly shoot up to 100% speed. It will do it when any application causes it to switch to the 980m, even just afterburner, when the temperatures are still very low.

 

I had this issue when my GXT 980M was installed without Optimus enabled, like with modded drivers.
Could you check if your power button is white or orange?
If your power button is always orange after drivers loading, probably your Optimus is disabled and the dGPU is active all the time, as soon as you get Optimus working again probably you will not have this random FAN speed up.

Tip: Disable MSI Afterburner at startup, it prevents your dGPU to be idle, so the Optimus will never be enable.

 

Optimus is working properly. The fan problem will only occur when the light is orange. It doesn't matter what program causes the gpu to enable, afterburner is just an example, to show that it's not just games and that it is not caused by thermals. By closing all programs that cause the gpu to enable the light will turn white and the fan will slow down immediatly.

 

Yeah, for me it's the same...
I requested to Svet to make a custom EC firmware with a personalized FAN curve, it keeps quiet below 75°C and TURBO FAN beyond that, when I'm playing the temps are always between 75-85°C never more, rarely less...

In the past before I modded my vBIOS the Optimus wasn't enable, my dGPU was constantly On (Orange power button LED) and as you pointed, no matter the temps or even if I was using 3D app, it seems to be random, it sets the FAN to 100% and a second after it slows down again.

Now I let the Optimus enabled as much as I can, so the FAN only works when really necessary.
And If I forget to close MSI Afterburner and HwInfo this issue also happens.

 

I got the fan problem resolved it seems. Now I have a new problem. I've been getting horrible fps in games and benchmarks. When running furmark I can see it getting 60+ fps, and then the AC adapter cuts out and of course the performance tanks. I switched back to my old 770m and had no issues. The 770m actually scored better in furmark. The hybrid power application confirms that the AC adapter is cutting out. Is the 980m just too much for the 180w power supply? Or do you think mine is just not working properly?

 

The 980M is installed in my GT70-0NE 446US (MS-1762) with updated 71X bios by Svet. Drivers installed, albeit very slowly compared with a normal installation. The card is being recognized properly by everything or so I thought.

Here's the info screen from GPU-Z:


It doesn't appear as though the GPU is being utilized at all. Usage shows zero in GPU-Z regardless of what I am asking it to do (Solidworks, 3DMark, games). I have ensured that the "High-performance NVIDIA Processor" is selected in NVIDIA Control Panel under Global settings and made sure to clear out the old drivers before installing the card by using DDU.

What could be going on here? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. It probably is something stupid that I overlooked.

Thanks in advance!

 

I have almost the same problem with my Ivy bridge, when I got this card everything was fine.
But I wanted to replace my 3610QM by a 3840QM.
I had to limit the power in the vBIOS to avoid this power switching.

Maybe the motherboard does not have capacity to supply 45W for CPU and 100W to the GPU.

Now I'm using only 70W to 980M.
If I set more than that I get these power issues.

Hello swartlkk!
Usually the Ivy Bridges have issues with MSI board like yours, (1462 = MSI / 1129 = device).

Try modding your nvmii.inf file and use the 1131 configuration to your 1129 device.

If it start working, you will going to need a vBIOS mod.
Try this and tell me what happens.