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    Which video cards work in an IFL90?

    Discussion in 'Other Manufacturers' started by bosskong, Jun 17, 2009.

  1. bosskong

    bosskong Notebook Enthusiast

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    I previously posted about the problems with my IFL90, but didn't receive any responses. - http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=389071

    Since then, I've been using the laptop and figured out a little more about the problem. It seems that whenever the laptop is allowed to cool down, it won't boot again until it warms up. I think the problem is related to the defective Nvidia G84 core (Geforce 8600M GT). The laptop runs fine with the GPU core around 61 deg C. When I shot Freeze spray at the video card and dropped the GPU temp to around 19-20 deg C, the laptop still continued to work. But when I shut it down, it would not boot back up until after I let it warm up to around 60 deg C.

    I have no spare MXM-II cards to experiment with, but I was looking into getting one off Ebay. I've can get a 7600, 7800, 7900, 8600, or 9600, but I'd like to get one that will just plug in and work. I'd prefer to not have to do any BIOS or VBIOS flashes. Could someone help me with any of the following questions?

    Why do some cards require a flash and some don't?
    Are there any Nvidia cards listed above that do NOT have defective cores?
    Are there any video cards that will just plug and play in an IFL90?
     
    bosskong, Jun 17, 2009
    #1
  2. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    Get a HD3650. Nvidia cards don't seem to work...
     
    Ayle, Jun 18, 2009
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  3. bosskong

    bosskong Notebook Enthusiast

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    After some more research, I probably will end up getting an HD3650. Although I read some rumors a few months ago about an MXM-II HD4870 that was supposed to come out. Did anything ever show up for sale?

    If not, got any links for a reasonable price on an HD3650?

    If I get an HD3650, it looks like I would have to do a BIOS modification. Is this still the case? Got any tips or links on what would be required for this mod?
     
    bosskong, Jun 22, 2009
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  4. maditude

    maditude Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm curious, how big of an improvement would the HD3650 be, over the nVidia 8600mgt?
     
    maditude, Jun 23, 2009
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  5. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    It is pretty much like night and day.The gddr2 holds the 8600m back quite a bit. So the gddr3 is an advantage, but also the hd3650 is a bit more powerful than the gddr3 version of the 8600m GT... And it runs much cooler. Before overclocking it would almost never break the 80s. And other things: on my ifl90 the 8600 could only run grid at 800x600 and a lot of stuff at medium, while the hd3650 runs it at 1280x800 with everything on high without any slowdowns. Crysis Warhead was pretty much unplayable on the 8600, the hd3650 doesn't have any problem with it. That how good it is compared to the gddr2 8600m gt.
     
    Ayle, Jun 24, 2009
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  6. MrSneis

    MrSneis Notebook Consultant

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    MrSneis, Jun 25, 2009
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  7. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    I got mine from that seller too, but he wasn't selling that many types... I guess you should get the hp one, as mine came with a hp bios.
     
    Ayle, Jun 25, 2009
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  8. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    I was wondering if you can see if what i need is a new video card for my IFL90. I have been havng the issue that there is no display on the screen if the computer/gpu temperature is too low... kind of odd...
    Any help or suggestions will help

    Pictures are in the thread
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=397286

    Thanks,
    Expo25kr
     
    expo25kr, Jul 7, 2009
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  9. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    Ouch! From the pictures I saw, yes your GPU is pretty much gone.
     
    Ayle, Jul 8, 2009
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  10. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    The odd thing is that if i "heat up" my computer beforehand (turning it on when it is on a pillow and leaving it alone for a while and rebooting the screen is normal again. is this normal with those defective 8600 cores?
     
    expo25kr, Jul 8, 2009
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  11. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    Yeah, heat seems to soften the defective solder enough for it to work but once it cools down the solder cracks again. I have a spare 8600m GT for ilf90 but knowing that every single card is flawed I don't think it's a good idea to use that card anymore... You can get a hd3650 from ebay for less than $200, and it is quite a bit more powerful than the 8600m Gt so if you can you should definitely go that route :cool: .
     
    Ayle, Jul 8, 2009
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  12. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    expo25kr, Jul 9, 2009
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  13. Dirt

    Dirt Notebook Evangelist

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    I think it's recommended to flash the latest BIOS before inserting other VGA and as soon as it's inserted never to flash it again, since there is a risk to flash your HD3650 with wrong BIOS.

    The best way to save 8600M GT life is not to game on the laptop with it. :)
     
    Dirt, Jul 10, 2009
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  14. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    Not gaming doesn't prevent the failure, the simple action of turning the laptop eventually kills the card. The simple fact of heating up to operating tempature creates enough thermal expansion for the solder to eventually fail.

    You might have to flash your vbios to a non vendor specific one like I did. The hp bios caused me grief. :D. But if everything works perfectly from the get go. Flashing is not required.

    Just get the cheapest one.
     
    Ayle, Jul 10, 2009
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  15. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    How does one actually flash a vbios? Is it just as simple as a normal BIOS flash with a usb drive or a bootable cd?
     
    expo25kr, Jul 15, 2009
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  16. Ayle

    Ayle Trailblazer

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    Yeah. you just have to type
    Code: 
    atiflash -f -p 0 newbios.bin or .rom
    and you are done.
     
    Ayle, Jul 16, 2009
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  17. bosskong

    bosskong Notebook Enthusiast

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    Will the video work at all if the incorrect BIOS is installed? Will I have to boot into DOS and type that command in blindly?
     
    bosskong, Jul 16, 2009
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  18. SUADE8880

    SUADE8880 Notebook Evangelist

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    SUADE8880, Jul 16, 2009
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  19. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    That is interesting... I think that might be worth a try while my HD3650 is being shipped. Thanks for the suggestion ^^ but I do have to say, it is quite odd heh.
     
    expo25kr, Jul 21, 2009
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  20. expo25kr

    expo25kr Notebook Evangelist

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    Not sure if posting 3 days later is a double post but if it is I'm sorry.

    I have recieved my card via USPS today and am going to attempt to replace the card tonight. Just a question, is a blind vbios flash going to be part of the installation? or will the card still be able to display so that a vbios reflash can be done?
     
    expo25kr, Jul 24, 2009
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  21. SUADE8880

    SUADE8880 Notebook Evangelist

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    I don't think its the vbios you have to worry about but the actual system bios that needs to be flashed if not already to accept the new card. You can do that with the defective gpu in there first with out having to blind flash any thing and then swap the gpu after its done.
     
    SUADE8880, Jul 25, 2009
    #21