Clevo P170HM GPU upgrade -> Looking for assistance

Hey guys,


I`m new around here, my name is Robert and im from UK.


About few months back i've bought from ebay on a bargain price a quite decent gaming laptop.

I've got the Clevo P170HM by £350.

I've upgraded the 2nd HDD to a SSD and untill now that was my only upgrade.

Basicly right now my rig is made of :
CPU : i7-2760QM @ 2.4Ghz

Ram : 16Gb DDR3 PC3-10700

HDD1 : SSD 128 GB Intel 320 S

HDD2 : SSD 512 GB Crucial MX 1

GPU : GTX 580M 2Gb 256Bit

Here is a screen of GPUz with full info about the GPU :




Currently everything works perfect and no problems of any kind.

Since CPU side im quite happy of my i7 i will not upgrade.

HDD side everything works brilliant and im a speed fan not a storage fan therefore i will not upgrade.

RAM wise im maxed already so i cannot do anything.

GPU side i have googled a bit and i saw that my Clevo can uphold a max GPU such as the GTX 680m 4Gb version.

After several hours via google/ebay (world wide) i found this card on ebay :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Geforce-G...I-Alienware-Clevo-gaming-laptop-/261827044902

It seems that it may be of a fit for my laptop no cooler changes or so.

But as i've read few topics over several forums people are saying that driver wise it will not work by default.

Here is a photo taken from my BIOS :



And here is a screen taken from a regedit lookup :



Not sure what is the "right" version , plus from what i was googling about...it seems that Clevo stopped the BIOS updates for my model ( P170HM )
Basicly right now i am in a twist since i do not know :

1) What is basicly my BIOS version

2) If my BIOS version is "up-to-date"/"latest"

3) If my current BIOS version will allow my upgrade to the GTX 680m 4Gb

4) OR what BIOS version would i need or where to download from so it would match/work with my new potential GPU.

5) What kind of driver / modified driver do i need and where can i download it to make this work on my laptop.

Based on my boooring upper wall-o-text my question is :
What changes do i need to make so i can make that baby work in my laptop ?

My OS version is and will not change : Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit

PS : Yes the 680m 4Gb is slot compatible and cooler wise compatible too

Looking for some brilliant answers about my query, i know you guys are the best in this domain so give me a hand please

Best regards.

 

Anyone with a proffesional advice ?

 

bump...still looking for help.

 

You stressing over it too much hehe.

Ok just make you have latest bios for your laptop this is not the biggest issue.

The 680m Clevo 4GB card will work but you need to have correct vbios on it for it to work(currently away from my notebook to check for you; do a Google search for it). Looking at that eBay item should be ok but you need the Clevo vbios to be flashed onto it. It may/ may not work with msi if that's what is on it ask seller.
Once you install it and there is guides on this too(search here on these forums) you may need to double check your cooler will fit with it. I used from memory my 6990M AMD and it was ok.
Then you boot up into Windows and check that's working fine and Windows sees your card. Here you may do the flash with Clevo vbios if msi is on it.
After this you need modified nvidia drivers again check on these forums for them.
Then you grab a beer and relax and let the gaming begin.
I would also recommend a 2920xm cpu if you want to overclock and push very hard.

Good luck and welcome to nbr..

 

thanks tron for your reply,
i just want the gpu changed and thats all ^_^
i also found out that the flashing for the gtx 680m 4gb must be done only from a Clevo EM series laptop...otherwise the card would brick up.
is that true ?

 

That is completely not true. The card can be flashed in any system that supports the card. Ask if it has a Clevo vbios. If it has a Clevo vbios it shouldn't need to be reflashed. If it doesn't have a Clevo vbios the system may not even POST with the card in. You can run nvflash on any system that will POST with the card.

 

No probs. When I got my 4GB Clevo 680m, I had owner flash the clevo vbios onto it. He had a msi notebook with Clevo 680m. I doubt it matters what system you have. Mind you I had an alienware m17x r2 just in case to do flash if Clevo went pear shaped.
From memory I think the msi vbios if this is what's on it should be ok to get into Windows and do the flash with. Otherwise a blind flash would be on the cards if you see black screen.
The vbios you need is this one. Works fine on my system
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131179/clevo-gtx680m-4096-120507.html

Do ask any further questions

 

An HM system will only boot with a 4GB GTX680M and ONLY with Clevo v80.04.29.00.01 or MSI v80.04.33.00.24 vBIOS.
If the card comes with a Clevo v80.04.33.00.10, v80.04.67.00.01 etc vBIOS the system will hang at boot and you will not be able to flash the correct version on the HM itself.

EDIT: Small correction

If my memory serves me well v80.04.33.00.10 is a bit unique in a way that it gives you at least a chance.
It hangs for like 10 minutes during boot and then gives you the chance to at least flash the card in DOS with another version, but don't count on that.

 

I have finally remembered to save that list now Follow the advise from Prema

 

Which list???

 

List of bios files that work for the 680m in the hm series as posted above.

 

Good day, here is a fool's question:

Command Prompt states the BIOS version as:

SMBIOSBIOSVersion
4.6.4

System Info specifies it originates from American Megatrends and its date is 22/4/11. SMBIOS Version is listed as 2.7
Embedded Controller Version is 255.255 and Bios Mode is listed as Legacy.

So what I am asking is, can you tell by those numbers if my system is actually compatible with the GTX 680m?

 

No fool question here
If you have a clevo P170HM series notebook the clevo 4GB with that vbios on it will work with your notebook.
As Prema has listed only specific vbios's will work.

isellountos your posting is of the system bios on your notebook. Assuming you are using a P170Hm or P150HM series notebook with the 680M clevo (4GB) model, then it should work no problem assuming you have the seller flash the correct vbios on it before you plug it in.

Hope this helps.

 

Your BIOS is a bit old. Grab the latest EC & BIOS and update before getting the new card.

 

Hm, to acknowledge my ignorance, I have no idea how 'flashing' a card works, does someone install (by what procedure?) BIOS to it? IF i find a card to install in my laptop - which is a big IF because the money is a major issues- I doubt I will be able to do it by a vendor who will actually bother to mess with the card prior to shipping. Question is, what can you do, and is it worth the money and the risk? Thanks nonetheless, even though i still have NO IDEA on how those BIOS numbers I post and those you guys post are -if at all - related!

 

The motherboard itself has a system BIOS and EC (embedded controller). Updating these is not 100% essential to your case but recommended.

The video BIOS is hosted on a chip on the GPU MXM board.
You should ask the seller to flash THIS version to the card before shipping it to you. Otherwise it won't work.

 

Just so you know there is a blank screen if put the HM to sleep and wake it up. I used a 4gb 680M for 2 years but it has died too so moving to new system.

 

Yup that's correct. I disabled the sleep mode in Windows and all good.