Ordered a Clevo P870DM-G from HIDevolution

Windows Installation done.

Now they are booting in Audit Mode (CTRL + SHIFT + F3) to setup the machine/drivers to prepare it for the OOBE (Out of box experience)

As per my instructions, the first thing she did after reaching the Windows desktop is to disable NTFS Compression and reboot to prevent Windows from compressing any system files and what not:

 

Liking the step-by-step walk-through!

 

yeah she is making up for the delay that they took to start the build so she's staying for overtime to finish the build

 

RAID 0 Array created for the two 2TB Samsung Spinpoint HDDs with a 128K stripe size since that will be my 4TB HDD storage for my movie library:

 

Good news guys, the latest nVIDIA Driver 358.91 installed right away without the need for modifying the INF file, seems like nCRAPIA finally added the hardware ID for Clevo

@Mr. Fox @Ethrem

 

I connected to my soon to be system via TeamViewer to setup all the final touches / disable telemetry / added OEM info + Logo of Clevo. Tomorrow they will do the final testing on the unit and hopefully ship it. Stay tuned for the review

 

The beast is coming together. Can't wait to see what you think of it once you get it!

 

@Mr. Fox @Ethrem @Matrix Leader for me the latest nvidia drivers still don't install/don't detect the graphics card as compatible.

Lucky you matrix

 

That's strange, so how were they able to install it then right away then? They were showing me screenshots of every step they were doing during the build. It's the same GPU as yours. I'm no expert in this but I hope someone might shed some light on this.

Are you sure you downloaded the 980M (notebook driver) for the Windows version you are using for the same architecture (64-Bit)?

 

@myx

BTW guys, when I was logged in to my system last night remotely, I checked the refresh rate and it was 75hz with no option to choose 60 hz even which is great, I guess that means its factory overclocked to run @ 60hz?

 

I've never had a problem with my P377SM-A needed modded INFs. You generally only need a modded INF if you're using a video card that your machine didn't either originally come with or was able to be upgraded to by the original manufacturer. Any official GPU upgrade by Clevo won't need any sort of mods.

And no I'm not trying nVidia's newest cancer drivers...

 

@Matrix Leader - Not sure what you are referring to. I've never had to mod the INF for my Panther or for the Sky X9 for GeForce drivers to install. I only need to do that on Alienware laptops configured with a GPU that is an aftermarket upgrade never offered by Alienware. I've never owned a Clevo configured with a GPU never offered, so that hasn't been an issue.

It's such a ridiculously easy task, I don't care whether it is necessary or not, even when I have to do it on Alienware. Not a big deal, but easier is always nice... especially if doing that is intimidating to some folks.

 

In the P770DM Owner's lounge, I saw a guy saying that he is modding the nVIDIA Driver so I asked, why do you need to do that??? The reply was because nVIDIA Didn't add the hardware ID yet for Clevo so that put me under the impression that the nVIDIA Drivers don't install without a modded INF. I cannot find that post but this is why I was expecting it to not work. Luckily that wasn't the case.

 

Your very own P570WMx was never offered with GTX980M, it only works out of the box because you are using it with my BIOS Mod.

 

Aye, that is a nuisance. How's the build coming along?

 

If you had read my posts bro, you would see that the build was done, as soon as they installed all the drivers before going online, because I told them not to dare to go online without installing all the drivers otherwise Windows Updates will install all the drivers it can through Windows Updates, so after installing the drivers, they installed TeamViewer and I connected to my system to do my final tweaks / touches, used O&O ShutUp10 to disable all the privacy invasion features, copied my hosts file to disable telemetry connections, disabled the bad Windows 10 Scheduled Tasks, so after that, they are exiting Audit Mode to have the system ready to be shipped in an OOBE state where I would get to setup my username and stuff as if it was a brand new installation alabeit with a lot of the stuff predone already. No better way to ensure customer notes were done correctly than having him actually login to the system remotely to finalize things before shipping it out. This way, the customer wouldn't have to even email them saying "oh but I told you to do this, and I told you to do that", this way it's perfect to my liking.

Today they will start doing the testing and if all passes, they will ship it.

 

That's true that it works because of your BIOS mod. However, the INF from NVIDIA does not need to be modded because NVIDIA has the correct code in the driver. Had NVIDIA not included the appropriate strings, modding the INF would still be required the same as it is on an Alienware. For stupid reason, NVIDIA refuses to add the correct strings to the INF for Alienware because aftermarket upgrades are "not supported by Dell" LOL.

Back when I had 7970M CF in the M18xR1 a simple email to AMD Support was all it took to not have mod the INF any more. They replied to my email, acknowledged the problem, told me they would fix it right away and the next driver release had the correct strings because I asked them to add it. They did not check with Dell or get their permission first.

 

With the factory BIOS I had to modify the INF on the Panther 5, when you received it, it already had Prema's v5 MOD on it. Without his Mod you actually would have to modify the INF still.

 

Ah, you have been updating us. I skimmed over things, but there is not enough coffee in the world to keep me coherent at 7:30 AM.

Anyway, very cool! Good job on keeping tabs on it, and thanks for the follow up.

 

That's not my point. INF modding is frequently necessary when a new platform is released before NVIDIA has drivers in place. It is due to NVIDIA's driver not being ready for the new models. When new Alienware laptops are released it takes 30 to 60 days for NVIDIA drivers to catch up with the new models. Prema made an aftermarket upgrade work for the Panther 5, which is oustanding. That mod changes the GPU hardware ID, not the driver INF. Since he uses a hardware ID that matches what is already in the driver INF, everything works flawlessly. (Gosh @Prema is so amazing... what would we do without that awesome guy?)

Driver modding would not be required, nor would BIOS modding, for a factory-installed configuration that is supported by the manufacturer.

 

Her names Vivian

She's been the only person kind enough to do a teardown of the P770ZM on youtube...

 

It's a good thing VLC has slo-mo.

 

This is the dual 330x2 power adapter:

 

@Mr. Fox

I think this is the post where I saw some guy not being able to install the nVIDIA Drivers without a modded INF, which is why I asked them back then why do you need to do this and another person replied because nVIDIA Didn't add the hardware ID or something. Glad it installed on mine without the need for this hassle.

 

Still waiting on AUO 4k panels, won't be getting my P870DM within a week or two it seems.

 

And this is the inside of it



Really efficient design

 

Overpriced.

 

their warranty unlike others, covers shipping of the system both ways for repair should the need arise. That by itself is worth it IMO.

 

What others? And I actually see 2 others that pay shipping. Both ways. I like the service and the customer rep seemed to joke about people over killing there gaming laptop... Hmm

 

I didn't know that as I always see people complaining about other resellers where they send their machine, pay for shipping, only to receive it not fully repaired, then send it again, and pay shipping again.

It's your money at the end of the day, I am posting my experience, please see this:

HIDevolution's Warranty!

 

We cover shipping both ways in the continental US as well

 

Your right it was worth my time so far. I'll keep everyone posted and let you know exactly how my experience is because i know how it is on the other end of that screen trying to buy a laptop from a reseller. I've started my order and man was it a Thin line between two companies and today I've chosen.