*** Official Clevo W230ST/Sager NP7330 Owner's Lounge ***

No, you can only use Haswell (4th gen) Intel CPU's.

SLI is dual cards. You barely have room for a single MXM card let alone two, and the GPU is soldered on the motherboard anyhow. You can upgrade the CPU and RAM and SSD's and wi-fi card, but GPU, no.

Check with where you bought your laptop to make sure they offer you the proper BIOS, especially if you're concerned about warranty.

 

As far as I can tell Hawkforce don't have any kind of downloads, etc. It seems like they're strictly a reseller -- they don't have their own logo on the machine or anything -- but then again they did install all the components. I just figured maybe Clevo made their own "reference" BIOS images.

 

PCS is the same, stock bios was clevo one, yet it seems they ask not to flash any other bios than their own.... even if they don't have any

 

Anyone have any feedback on Prema's BIOS mod and specifically how it affects fan bursting? I'd be satisfied with the fan if only it didn't burst at such a low temperature. When I am watching a movie I am quite happy for my CPU to be at 75-85 degrees but the fan bursts even before I hit 70 which is very annoying. This frequently happens if I'm playing a movie encoded with a CPU intensive codec or sometimes just browsing the web. My previous laptop idled at over 80 degrees for several years with no adverse affects and no annoying fan noise

 

@Tom: have you tried the Clevo "quiet mode" setting? I find that even on battery, on quiet mode, almost any video decoding stays smooth, and the reduced power usage means I almost never get fan noise.

 

how is your laptop getting to such high temps watching movies... whats your ambient temp? and idle temp?

 

Hi Ghengis. Yes, I've tried this and it helps but I still find that the fan bursts when temperature reaches the high 60s.

Idle temp is around 55, not sure about my ambient temp but it's 16 degrees outside and I don't have any heating on indoors so definitely not very high! The CPU reaches high 60s when watching some HD movies and that's when the fan bursts. I really don't think it's necessary for the fan to be so aggressive at this point.

 

are you using the laptop on a flat surface?

 

Yes I am and I'm able to reduce temps further by raising the back very slightly, undervolting, underclocking and basically using all the established techniques mentioned in this thread. The point is, I don't consider these temperatures to be high (even when gaming, my temps hardly ever exceed 90) and it seems ridiculous having to make so many adjustments when simply increasing the point at which the fan bursts would solve the problem completely. This is why I was wondering if Prema's BIOS made any difference in this respect.

 

does the nvidia gpu turn on when your watch the videos? i have similar temps without a laptop cooler and my fan never bursts around 60.

 

Does anyone have any experience using an internet connection sharing (ICS) application with this laptop while running Windows 7 as the OS?

I am running into difficulties sharing a wired Ethernet internet connection over the Intel Dual Band Wireless AC-2760 card. Everything seems like it is connected fine, but my actual devices (Android Phone, Nintendo 3DS) can connect to the laptop as an access point, but can't actually pull an internet connection from the laptop.

I have been trying to get the program Connectify working, and am wondering if there might be an issue with the 2760 wireless card.

 

@Tom7: are you using latest bios (.05) ?
prema's mod does not modify the fan table AFAIK.
we still have to wait for clevo, hoping they will finally do it right (if they do it at all).
or maybe someone will play with EC at some point.

@aintz: he said high 60's, which is more around 70

 

I think so as my GPU usage increases in HWiNFO64 when I play a video. I've also selected "Run with Nvidia GPU" on my Media Player. I'm not sure exactly when the burst occurs but I think around 67 degrees. Doesn't often get that to that temp when playing videos, but often enough to be a problem.

Which BIOS version are you using? I've just been given permission by PCS to upgrade my BIOS (with stock version 5) so I might try that. Currently using version 2.

 

Thanks lastnikita for the info re Prema's BIOS. I didn't want to risk using it without being sure it would resolve my problem as it will invalidate my warranty.

 

the nvidia gpu turning on is probably why ur temps are getting near 70s and the fan bursts.

why do you feel the need to use the dgpu for mediaplayer? the intel igpu should be powerful enough for medias (i watch 1080p 12gb blurays just fine on the intel gpu)

 

I have sent HTWingNut a modded EC v5...I don't experience any fan burst problems with the regular version, so let's see...

 

But don't you think the fan speed is sometime too low, sometime too high ?

 

I don't even hear the fan...though don't game with it atm, too many Mods to take care of.... but during bluray etc is fine

 

Well, if you can improve it that's great, it's often too high during work stuff, then turn off for a while, and high again ^^

 

I used the Nvidia GPU because I suspected it would result in slightly lower CPU temps but it doesn't seem to make too much difference either way. Anyway, as I've said, my issue is with the fan bursting at this temperature and not with the fact that the CPU reaches this temperature in the first place.

 

the fact that the gpu is on will increase cpu temp by quite a bit since they share the same heatpipe. try it with the dgpu off.

really not suppose to get near 70c watching videos.

 

Nope its not like when you flash the bios, its hard to explain but it is a continues medium beep, i think kleinad maybe right i have been using my W110ER charger since day one, it may not be providing enough power once the GPU is overclocked (120w), anyone know if that could be the problem

 

Well it gets close to 70 regardless of which GPU I use and sometimes even when just browsing the web. Perhaps I'll try re-pasting but it seems like a pretty extreme step that shouldn't really be necessary when temps are relatively low. Don't know what Clevo were thinking with this fan profile. I've updated to stock BIOS 05_05 now but no change.

 

Prema just uploaded the new 06 stock bios on his blog~ But no EC update.
I'm kind of curious what clevo changed; In terms of bios releases this one was pretty unusual, 05 isn't that old. There has to be some reason clevo saw such an urge to throw out the next one this fast

Edit: Until there is any report about something serious being changed/fixed, I will stay on Premas modded 05 version~

 

this laptop is perfect except for battery life. I would buy in an instant an extended battery, if Clevo released one

 

Just got mine today! A few questions/issues.

1. I installed a crucial 128gb MSata SSD which is what I installed windows to. The SSD does not show as an option when I try to select the boot order inside the bios. I see the Sager splash screen a couple times before it loads windows. The only options are the HDD, USB and something from Realtek (what is this?). Them SSD does show as an option if I hit F7 though. EDIT: Figured it out, had to change an option below the boot selection, I forget the name of it.

2. Is there some options I need to change to make the 2.5" HDD strictly a storage drive? I can't format it through Windows and I saw somewhere that it's partition style is set to master boot.

3. Should I install the rapid storage drivers? What do these do exactly?

4. How do I set up optimus?

Thanks in advance.

 

you should probably repaste, it fairly simple and should fix your problems. i dont think many ppl are having the problems you are because before i purchased this laptop i researched carefully about the fan profile/noise since i cannot stand the noise (when not gaming ofcourse) and everyone said its dead silent when browsing/watching videos. and now that ive used it for awhile i can say that the fan does not turn on for me unless im running a game, even watching video with 28C ambient with it flat on the table does not cause the fan to start.

 

Is clevo working on a new fan profile for this laptop or are owners out of luck? Is the fan issue widespread?

 

You could just buy a second battery. Double the life if that helps.

 

Nop, they threw one bios update a month since it launched, so this one is righ on time, again
The official changelog seems to be "Update Haswell reference code from RC140 to RC162", whatever that means.
This website has some changelog too, but they don't have latest .06 yet : W230ST

That latest BIOS is not even on clevo's ftp :-/

His problem is not the temp, but the fan profile.

 

the fan profile is the same on the laptops, his temps are just stupidly high and causing the fan to go on. with an ambient temp of 16C there is absolutely no reason why his temps should be near 70C when watching videos. learn to be helpful instead of posting useless comments kthx.

 

I'm going to install the windows 8.1 update now. Should I be worried that this might break something? For instance, I think someone mentioned a few pages back that it prevented the gtx 765m from being detected

 

I run it without issue.

1- Fan profiles are not the same on all laptops since they depend on the BIOS/EC installed

2- If you knew how to read, you'd have seen that his concern was the fan going loud while the temps aren't so high, and not the temps being high. Regardless of what he's doing.
You focus on the video part, but he could have the same problem doing another thing that actually pushes the cpu enough to get these temps.

3- He actually already told you that himself because you didn't understand in the first place, see:

4- I've already been helpful and gave the correct answer to his concerns, while you repeatedly went in the false direction, thus my "useless" comment which you should learn to listen, because it actually is helpful for you, and just for you.

 

clearly changing bio is not fixing his problem and repasting --> reduce temp --> fan never turn on in the first place. that seems like the easiest solution to his problem. i know he doesnt care about his laptop being hot and is only concerned with fan bursting. reducing cpu heat will make the fan not turn on in the first place therefore solving his problem.

see my way of solving the problem will actually solve the problem. let the op respond instead of you adding your useless comments to my solution kk.

 

Hey guys, I just got the laptop a few weeks ago, and so far this thing has proved to be a little beast. However, I just got my new desk and am trying to setup an external monitor with the thing, and it's proved to be an issue.
For some reason, my Nvidia control panel is only showing 3D options, and no matter which drivers i install it's always the same. I know, i can push the function key and force extended displays, but there is absolutely nothing you can do beyond that, and it's really frustrating.

Anyways, my temps have been awesome on this little guy, underclocked 80mv and running the Notepal x slim a previous user recommended, BF4 never left 82c through hours of gameplay on ultra. I read up a lot about this things cooling and most people said the notebook coolers were actually less effective than propping up the back, however, that doesn't seem to be the case for this one.

 

the reason i recommended the notepal x slim is because it just has 1 huge fan and its very good for cooling a small laptop like w230st. makes about a 10C temp difference for me when gaming.

glad you are enjoying the cooler.

 

@aintz @lastnikita

Sorry guys, didn't mean to start an argument! I appreciate both of you taking the time to assist.

The point was that having the fan on full blast at 70 degrees (or less) is ridiculous IMO and I was hoping there was some news of a BIOS update to correct this. I really don't want to be be obsessing over temperatures just to prevent the fan kicking in and regardless of what I am doing with the laptop I want to be able to push the temps past this point before this happens. However, as there is no such update available it seems that in the short term the only option is to manage temperatures in order to avoid reaching the threshold so I will try re-pasting the CPU and GPU tonight and keep my fingers crossed for a BIOS update soon

Thanks again for the help.

 

After installing an MSata SSD and installing windows on it I'm not sure how to set up the stock Sata HDD to be strictly storage. It seems like some setting has it set up as a master drive or something, I can't format it, etc. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

It will have the boot partition on it which stores the data on what OSs are installed for multi boot setups.

 

So how do I remove that?

 

Just to make this easier for others. I just upgraded to Windows 8.1, and most of the text became all blurry. So i had to do this:
1: Right click on the desktop and select screen resolution.
2: Click on Make text and other items larger or smaller.
3: Tick the "Let me choose one scaling level for all my displays.
4: Set it to 125% which you probably used before the upgrade and apply.
It might ask you to log in and out of the account, so save all your work before you do this.

 

Are you saying that your system is successfully booting from the mSATA drive and then you cannot access your 2.5" SATA from within Windows? Or do you mean that the system is still trying to boot from the 2.5" SATA drive?

In the case of the former, boot windows, press windows key + r, type "compmgmt.msc /s" and hit enter, select "disk management" on left-hand side. Do you see your 2.5" inch drive listed there?

In the case of the latter, you simply need to ensure that the system boots from the mSATA drive by selecting it in the BIOS or by pressing F7 and selecting the correct drive at startup. This is assuming you have correctly installed windows on the mSATA drive.

 

No the 2.5" Sata is listed and I am successfully booting from the mSata. However if I try to format the 2.5", it fails. It's acting as if there is a lock on it or that it's still being treated as a master drive or something of that nature. It's also only showing 690 some gb of 750, is that right or is there some partition that's being used?

 

~690GiB for a 750GB HDD should be fine, because the storage companys are treating an gigybyte as 1.000.000.000 decimal bytes, but windows shows one gigabyte at 1.073.741.824 binary bytes. So 750 Gi gabyte (750.000.000.000 byte) turn out to be 698 Gi bibyte (698.491.930 byte)
It´s just my quick flash over this, please correct me if i´m wrong.

I think the companys do this because 1000 Gigabyte sound more impressive than the "real" 931GB.
Much people don´t have the background knowledge to this topic and find themselves running back to the local electronics discounter,complaining that the 3 TB HDD in their brand new laptop only has 2.7 TB.

 

Hello.

I have this laptop, but a few days ago it started beeping very high when my battery was low. I've checked my BIOS settings and the low battery beep was disabled. This is unbearable, as it was late in the night and my family was a sleep and I was finishing work... And I know how to manage my usage and battery life manually.

How can I disable these very annoying beeps? Is it a bug? Can a BIOS update (if there is one) solve this?

Thanks a lot.
Regards.

 

In the VIA HD VDeck, set that option to 0, will disable the battery-low-beep

 

Hi.

Thank you for your answer.
That is a Windows specific option, however I don't use Windows. Are you saying that is a software issue, not a firmware issue? So in every Operating System I have on the machine I have to find how to solve this, instead of flashing some new BIOS or something like that?

 

It should only beep when it gets to 5%, and if you're at 5% you better shut down or plug in. I do agree it's very annoying though.

 

Hm, the PC-Systemspeaker isn't really bound to that software - just the easies way to reach it IMO. It is registred as being connected to the VIA High-Def Audio device and can be set silent in the regular system dialogues. I guess other systems also offer options to set volume level of it, but no idea how it would be called there :$

 

OK thanks a lot.

If anybody is using Linux in this laptop, please say something about this.
Anyway, I'll look in the Linux forums.

Thanks again.