Does my P150EM have a dead 7970M?

Windows 10. Computer has been fantastic since the day I bought, never a hint of problem. I'm sad to think its time has come. Here's what happened;

Early this morning I logged into WoW and had been playing for maybe five minutes when the game froze. I couldn't tab out, no ctrl-alt-del, no response at all. I held the power button down to turn the laptop off and then powered it back up again. Windows 10 was loading, saw the splash screen, then it went dark and never came back up. Rebooted again, same thing. Rebooted once more and the blue troubleshooting screen came up and I was able to get into safe mode and that worked fine. Tried the reboot sequences again, same result. Back into safe mode once again and I removed all AMD software and drivers. Then I could boot into Windows just fine but, obviously, only on the integrated Intel 4000 GPU. Windows runs fine.

I did a complete GPU software flush and tried to reinstall current drivers. When it came time to load the driver portion of the install package the laptop froze up again. I had to perform the whole safe mode AMD software removal procedure again.

Back into Windows, installed an earlier AMD driver, same events as above. Tried a system restore, no boot.

Then it was time to give ATIFLASH a shot. Got a known good BIOS, booted into DOS but couldn't flash it, Adapter Not Found error. Tried all the ATIFLASH trouble shooting and, still, the adapter was never located when trying to flash the BIOS. I could see in ATIFLASH that the adapter existed, I just wasn't able to flash to it.

At this point I'm looking to see there's any trouble shooting tips I could try or is it just flat dead. Is replacing the video card a viable option? If so, any upgrade cards available? Just looking for suggestions.

I do need a laptop so I ordered a Sager NP8152-S this morning. I'm just not ready to give up on my trusty old P150EM if there's anything I can do for it.

Thanks for reading.

 

It does look like the 7970M has failed, since you tried as far as flashing VBIOS. I am not sure what else can be done to save your 7970M, hopefully someone else in the forum can help you with that.

Replacing the video card is definitely an option, I believe the P150EM can be upgraded to the GTX 980M. However, if you want to save some money, the GTX 970M is also a good option.

 

Yup...

But, you can do as @ipwn3r456 suggested and get a 970M or 980M for it.

Or, you can probably go with a 780M if you can find a good one for less.

Then you can...

 

This sounds 100% like what happened when my 7970m died in my P170EM. You could try baking the card to get some more life out of it, if you're lucky. You can replace the card with a 980m like I did, which is still a very respectable mobile card that can handle most newer games at medium to high settings @1080p. You'll have to get Prema's custom BIOS and vBIOS so the 980m will work with your P150EM. Although if you already ordered a new computer, it might not be worth the money because the 980m kits are expensive, especially if you get the upgrade kit through one of the Prema vendor partners. You might be able to find someone selling one here on the forum marketplace too. I too am waiting on a new computer (p870dm3), but I'm glad I upgraded the card on my p170em because it's extended its life, is still going strong and will probably be relevant for at least a few more years, and now I will have a secondary backup laptop for when friends come over for gaming sessions.

Learn more here:
https://biosmods.wordpress.com/

 

OK, that's what my gut was screaming as loudly as it could. So, maybe not trying to spend a ton, are there some lower cost cards that will fit in this application? Is it safe to assume, 7970M, 8970M, 670M, 680M, 970M, 980M from a Clevo will work?

Also, will the heatsink in my laptop fit any and all of these cards or is that something I'll need to address?

Thank you for the help.

 

Yes there are actually quite a few options, but I wouldn't do anything less than a 970m so you have something powerful enough to handle newer games. I'm not an expert, but I think you can get a 970m for $200-$300 less than a 980m. Did a quick check on Eurocom, but beware because they have two different upgrade pages, one for their "Racer 2" branded p150em, and another for general p150em, and you'll notice different prices for 970m. It might be because one comes with the heatsink (second link I think, but you should call to verify), and in the first link you'll have to add the heatsink separately. Doesn't really make sense because they list the 980m for the same price on both pages.

http://www.eurocom.com/ec/upgrade(2,272,0)ec
http://www.eurocom.com/ec/upgrade(2,225,0)ec

Edit: I do believe you'll need a new heatsink, but best to call and check. New one was required for my 980m, so probably for 970m too.

 

You will need a Clevo P1X0SM heatsink to get Maxwell properly cooled. But if you do, you will still sporting a powerful rig!

 

Have you looked into/considered reflowing the card? Granted, it's a temporary fix, but if it works, it saves you the cash on a new card - at least for awhile.

 

Yes, I do plan on giving the reflow a go after the replacement laptop shows up. I've done that once before on a desktop graphics card but had no luck, maybe this time. If I end up having to purchase a new video card for it I want to keep it pretty cheap, like $200 or less. Mostly I play Warcraft (Legion is a bit demanding.) and the 7970M did a fine job. I'd be perfectly happy with another 7970M or a GTX 680M. I can wait too, it's functioning well just on the IGPU for Windows stuff and playing video.

Thanks again.

 

Then getting a 7970m will be the cheapest option.

 

$229 OBO - US Seller / Free Shipping - http://www.ebay.com/itm/HD7970M-2GB...o-MSI-Alienware-gaming-laptops-/152291010373?

 

Thanks. I've been scouring eBay since it happened. Are all the cards the same? Will this one work? Seller is top rated with lots of selling experience. $40 cheaper too!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/232116861327

EDIT: I just purchased this one, it looks identical to the others and assume it will fit OK. If that's not going to work please let me know, the seller said he could cancel it if I find out it won't work.

 

Since it is from an MSI, I am not sure. It may work, but it is possible that you may need to use a different vBIOS than what comes on the GPU. Using MSI video cards in non-MSI notebooks can be hit or miss. Clevo and Alienware MXM cards are generally interchangeable.

 

Oh, so even with a Clevo VBIOS flash there's a chance it won't work for me? I don't really want to gamble with that and risk bricking it. If it isn't a guarantee I think I'll go ahead and ask the seller to cancel and purchase the Clevo card instead.

 

I don't know. If I were in your shoes I would spend a little more and go for the Clevo card. See what the seller has to say about it. Maybe he will allow you to return it if your Clevo does not play nice with it.

 

He does offer a 30 day return which is great but I'd prefer to not put him through the time and hassle. I'll follow your advice and get a card we know to work in my application. Thanks.

 

The card you linked, Mr. Fox, was listed as MSI, Clevo and Alienware so I believed them to be interchangeable. I assume that the Clevo/Alienware cards will work in anything but the reverse isn't true for the MSI cards? Is that correct?

 

This is generally the case with some rare exceptions. I am not familiar with the P150EM. You may need to use a different vBIOS. I have read that some 7970M owners have had to change vBIOS on AMD cards that varies by model. Maybe @Prema knows more specifically related to your model. But, yes, I think going with a Clevo 7970M versus MSI greatly reduces your chances for compatibility complications.

If you can get your existing card to work, at least temporarily, it would be a good idea to dump the original vBIOS so you will have it available in case you need it.

 

The MSI card purchase has been canceled, good seller to deal with. I'd rather play it safe so thanks for the information, possibly saved me some trouble. I tried pulling the VBIOS yesterday but no luck. I'll give the reflow a shot but I don't have high hopes. Failing that, hopefully some Clevo owner would be willing to share theirs with me.

 

I downloaded this VBIOS. Fingers are crossed it will be OK if needed.

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/128794/clevo-hd7970m-2048-120605

 

Better not; that one's for a non-Enduro system. Use this one, it's probably the same version you have now:

v018_e_MFR_7970M_clevo_001.rom

Try baking, too. Worked for me with a lot of AMD cards, 7970M especially. Unfortunately, an oven isn't the best tool for the job since its temperature indicator can't be relied upon; it'll swing two-digits below and over the purported value. Better is a hot air station, but if you haven't got one then a regular heat gun will do. Just make sure to use a digital thermometer in either scenario, checking the core will hover around 235°C. An oven can work, but then do a dry run first and find out at which setting the oven will peak at the 235°C mark (could be anywhere from 200 to 260°C ... ).

 

Wow! Thank you very much for that rom.

Baking is definitely tops on my list. How long at 235C(455F)? I appreciate your information on the subject.

Question. If I remove the AMD card from my Clevo right now would I still be able to use the laptop with the IGPU as I am currently or will it fail to boot with nothing installed in the slot? I don't want to take it all apart yet if it will fail to work, I'm using it until the new model is delivered.

 

You can use the iGPU without the dGPU, so no problems.

 

Since when? I recall the system EC throwing a beep code and shutting down without the dedicated card installed - unless there's a BIOS flashed allowing otherwise.

 

Hm, that's weird! I was sporting Prema's Bios and could run it without dGPU - had some vBios flashing issues. Maybe the card was installed, but deactivated. It have been some years.

Maybe I didn't recall it correctly!?

 

Ah, that could be it!

 

This is correct. The card has to be installed, with it disabled in device manager for the system to be able to run on iGPU only.

@balane I know you're trying to avoid spending too much, but I would advise against buying a used 7970m. They are known for going bad, to a point where it seems like a defective product. Sure, video cards dying isn't uncommon, but I'd have to say 7970ms have a worse reputation than others. A lot of people had theirs die 2014-2015. I remember researching when mine died a year ago, and there are a ton of threads about 7970m failures, and I feel like I see new posts like yours pop up every so often more than I see posts for dead 680ms. Plus, did the previous owner overclock, game for hours on end or use benchmark programs that are known to cause problems like Furmark/Kombuster? Did they change the thermal paste, thermal pads or clean out vents and monitor and maintain adequate temperatures on a regular basis? It's not worth gambling your money because what kind of mileage has it seen? I've been burned by two used video cards purchases, where the cards only lasted for a couple months before they died. My guess is they were defective, reflowed, tested to work, sold on eBay and then died shortly after as reflowed cards often do.

 

Ugh! OK, you're right and it's kind of how I felt about the situation even if I wasn't admitting it to myself. I'll try to reflow it and wish for the best but if it doesn't work I'll just hang on to it as a good Windows computer. I'm just honestly not interested in dumping $3-400+ into a computer that's not going to be seeing much use in the future. Maybe sometime down the road I'll stumble into a killer deal on something. Thanks for the good mental shaking, I needed it. This laptop has had a good long run and I definitely feel like I've gotten my money out of it. (That's why I'm buying another Clevo.) Maybe a family member will enjoy it.

I was a little disappointed to see my new Clevo has the GTX 1060 integrated into the motherboard. I probably wouldn't have ordered it. I guess if I have this problem in the future with this one I'll know what to do with it more easily. (Garbage can.)

 

Why don't you cancel the order and replace it with something good (not BGA) instead? The order was only placed yesterday, correct?

Get something with 6700K desktop CPU and either 1070 or 1080 MXM. You'll be glad you did. The BGA thing probably won't hold up like your P150EM has and you can count on a mobo/CPU/GPU combo being retarded expensive. There won't be an opportunity to fix it for a reasonable price with an eBay GPU if it gives up the ghost out of warranty.

 

A minute is fine. Any longer will not do better and only serves to risk damage to the smd components.

 

Money is why. My maximum budget is $1500, that's absolutely the top end. What do you recommend with a GTX-1060, 15" G-Sync IPS, SSD, 16gb &OS installed? I read a bunch of reviews and this Sager seemed to have the best cooling in my price range. It also has a 2 year warranty.

 

There will be nothing socketed in this price range. Maybe second hand.

If you're confident that the gtx 1060 will last you for the next two years, go for it!

Otherwise go for a replacement card. You can grab a new 970m for 350 bucks!

 

The NP8152-S from Sager would be right in range with those specs basically, right at the top of the budget. Otherwise, you could go with an NP8152, they are the same core model, but the -S just has some upgrades done at a discounted rate basically. Then you could add in the SSD or more ram in the future, whenever it is convenient for you.

 

Basically the S adds a 256gb SSD to the 1 TB platter drive and also an additional 8GB of memory for a total of 16GB. To me those two additions are worth $100 especially considering the OS will come preinstalled on the SSD meaning I wouldn't have to switch it over if I added a SSD later. I'm 100% happy with the specs of the NP8152-S for the cost, the only issue I'm not pleased with is the integrated Nvidia GPU.

 

Yeah, it is a good value to get the -S model and not have to worry about that. Plus, you could still always upgrade again in the future if you would like. But you are right on that.

Yes, unfortunately, it is BGA on that model. The NP9152 would be the closest one to the specs you are seeking, but then you are looking at $1800 to $1900 (depending on configuration). But the 1060 in the NP8152 would be a nice upgrade anyway.

 

Maybe just fix your old machine then wait and save up for something more capable that is not BGA. For about $200 more you could buy a Eurocom Tornado F5 or a Sky X4E2, either of which can be had with 6700K and 1070 for around $1700. Plus, the Tornado F5 should be updated soon with 7700K CPU.

You can get Windows 7 Pro or 10 Pro here for under $30. https://www.kinguin.net/software-games/ plus upgrades to memory and drives are generally cheaper purchased some place like NewEgg or Amazon.

 

Baking my 7970M in an oven fixed this problem which was the same as your's. Look for guides online for how to do this.