*** Official Clevo x7200 and Sager NP7280 owners lounge ***

In case you haven't downloaded the latest manual for this model, it now shows the AMD Mobility HD6970M CrossfireX option...To be announced soon that is...

 

Attention x7200/NP7280 owners

Someone had mentioned about a resource to keep up on all the Drivers for the x7200. Assuming people will donate time, I've created a wikipedia page for the Clevo x7200 / Sager NP7280 here.

If you can, please take some time to update the page for the latest driver downloads! It sure makes a nice resource to go and make sure everything on our own systems are up to date.

Thanks for your help.

 

I've been wondering if this would work with the X7200.

Newegg.com - Habey HB-MAT5070 ATI Theater HD PCI express Mini Card ATSC/DVB-T/Clear-QAM Digital TV tuner card - Server Accessories

It's kind of handy having an internal one. Anyone else tried this?

 

There is a new Intel Chipset driver (9.2.0.1025), a new JMicron Lan driver (R0.0.26.6), a new JMicron Card reader driver (R1.00.57), a new Synaptics driver (15.2.7), a new Realtek Sound driver (R2.58) and a new Intel 6300WLAN (13.0.4.02)

Those are all that I found and are different from the drivers cd that came with my laptop.

 

No idea on that one. But, for the same price ($85 USD), why wouldn't you just order the x7200 with the optional internal TV card that comes from Clevo?

 

Cool. Have you thought about updating the wiki page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NP7280? Note, I think some of the drivers listed there may be more up to date.

 

Because I already have an X7200. This used to be Speedy's laptop. I asked a couple of resellers today to see if the have the internal TV-Tuner card and if they are selling it separately. Mythlogic is says they have it when I asked him a couple of days ago, but its $110 + shipping. From the specs that he gave me:

It looks the same as the one being sold at Newegg. I don't know if that is the same component that is being shipped by Clevo.

 

I see your point. To me it seems the vendor might be overcharging a bit on that one.

 

Yeah, that 110 would be nice if it's the product + overnight shipping. If the resellers dont offer it then I'm gonna try the Habey TV-Tuner and post the results here.

 

Remember I buy less than newegg, so I can't always magically match their prices =) If I bought them by the crate then I could lower the price

 

I understand volume pricing can be a bear for smaller resellers. I don't know if it was the same part or not, but my comment was regarding the $85 price when buying a new system vs. the add-on after the fact. Sorry if this offended anyone.

 

So, what do you all do to keep up on drivers ? Do you use one those automated programs that scans your system and tehn tells you new drivers are avaliable, if so, which ya reccomend ?

If you dont, what do you do ?

 

Go here: Google Translate

ALL of the drivers that you need for the X7200 is there.

EDIT: Intel RST: http://translate.google.com/transla...rev=/search?q=station+drivers&hl=en&prmd=ivns

JMicron: http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhjQqq3E10RR8QsujU1G-iam4Q1leQ

Synaptics: http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhhvX3bHN7t0x9SJWbsqH4Muj4gNSw

Intel Wireless: http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhgsvchK3YzFuu9SwqDnetWW7elatw

Realtek Audio: http://www.filehippo.com/download_realtek_high_definition_audio_vista_64/

 

No offense taken at all =)

 

Low tech solution - NP7280 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Looking good so far

 

3/8/2011 1:30am: Well, port 2 just failed, but I am working so really cant shut down to replace the drive at moment, rebuilding it now, but soon as I am off work will replace it and see whats up, unfortunately, wont be able to replace it for about 6 hrs, need to make a image of drive first, just in case....... Yea

 

Hey DGDXGDG
I'm so glad to see someone with interest in HyperX, could you please give my advice?
I'm ordering myself a new Sager NP7280, but thinking of dropping the 6GB Ram that comes with the setup, and installing HyperX (with 1600 mHz capability) once I received the unit.
Thing is, I'm uncertain which HyperX Ram to buy [many kinds ] and are there modules available in 4GB, so I can install 2X4 and have one slot open in future.
I'll appreciate any links or advice!

 

now ddr3 is cheap so get 4g*3
when i bought 2g*2 $99>>>>>>now 4g*2 $99
but about fortune, if your machines oc potential is poor......oc 2g*3 may be easier than oc 4g*3

 

It will be interesting to know if it is the drive or the port. Keep us posted.

 

Well, just fired it up with the new drive, good thing is the raid controller (ctl-I) immediately notified that there was a non-raid disk installed, and asked me if I want to re-build the aray, when I said (Y) it said rebuild will continue once in the os. Which leads me to aneother question, is this true hardware raid or hardware/software-assisted raid ? I have read that these chipsets are not true hardware raid.......anyone know for sure ?

Bright side....Dident need the image I made..yea

So now its rebuilding, unfortunately, I am not sure how I am going to test this thing, besides wait....the "normal" time betwen failures has been 2-3 days or so....guess if it doesnt fail, it was the drive, and if it does fail again, with the new drive I must conclude its the controller ?

Not sure how else to test....open to ideas. Cant afford to get to crazy with the tests, this is also a work system (although I have backups)

The rebuild does "seem" to be going a bit faster...so mabe.....

 

Unless someone knows different, I would classify the ICH10 controller as a "fake RAID" variety.

 

My thoughts also.......so drivers play a HUGE part in it....well, like I said in the above post...we will see, its already 25% rebuilt, quite a bit faster than when the old drive went "degraded" , and one time actually went into failed state, so...I am optomistic.

BTW: wiki is comming along nice...soon as I have something worthwhile to contribute I will

 

seems the firmware/fake RAID assumption on the ICH10 is correct.

One other note, while working with the driver's page last night, I stumbled across Intel Turbo Memory (code name Robson). This let's the computer move/pin some data from a HDD to flash memory.

Some notes on Intel Turbo Memory:
a) You need to purchase/install an Intel NAND flash memory card module.
b) I don't think it will install if you've upgraded to Intel Rapid Storage Technology for the RAID driver.
c) If you have your OS on a SSD, don't bother.

 

Just saw this.....

Why would my old drive (that I replaced) be still showing up in Intel RST ? I mean, the old one is gone...to weird.

See screenie.

 

Yea they do that sometimes, is the RAID done rebuilding i'm assuming, sometimes you have to manually delete the drive and sometimes they just fall off automatically depends on the version of RST you are using, some builds are smarter than others

 

77%.....I am useing the latest RST from intels site. Man I tell ya I REALLY hope it was the drive and the new drive takes care of it, would suck to have a bad controller.....

Just wish there was some definitive way of telling if it was the disk or the controller is bad besides waiting for a drive failure.......OK, rebuild done...now for the reboot and to see if that ghost drive is gone.

YEA ! ghost drive is gone....and now...the waiting game begins.

9:52pm: everything seems fine so far, array performing well......

 

Brilliant. All you need to add is BIOS updates!!!

 

Update: 24hrs and all is well...here is to hoping. Anyone know of a program to get disk SMART data off a raid array, or does the array mask it ?

36hrs and array is well

 

Guys, I am interested to purchase the sager 7280 and I was willing to configure it with 2x ssd drives (vertex 3 pro – 6 GB/s) in raid 0 for the main drive, would the motherboard controller will run them in full speed or there would be some limitations? if so is choosing vertex 3 still will be faster than vertex 2? is that the same case if i had it in a single drive with no raid?

 

Thanks for that. Has it been determined what one PSU can safely supply without tripping off? If I did swap to an X7200 then I would want the best GPU's I could get but a lower spec CPU would be fine.

 

Honestly, depends on the load you put on the system. I have dual PSU's for mine.

 

I'm pretty sure with the Intel RST/Matrix drivers when you place SSDs within a RAID array, they will loose TRIM functionality. Is that all extremely terrible? No, but over time, it may end up slower than a single SSD.

The discussion of RAID and SSD on the x7200/NP7280 starts here. Follow it through a couple of pages...

 

Heya jclausius, just a update on the Raid5 situation, 48+hrs and all is well........if goes a few more days think I am gonna call it was a bad drive

 

Glad it's working. You're situation got me thinking as well. I ordered another Momentus XT Hybrid - just in case.

Off topic - did you notice any beeps, whirling or other strange noises coming from your drives? I was reading through the Seagate forums regarding SD24 firmware and looks like a lot of people were having problems with these drives.

They've worked like a charm for me, but I'm a little nervous now after reading all those posts.

 

I have 4 laptops, including the 2 in my sig, all use 2 of those drives except the Sager, which has 3, SD24, and have had none of the issues you describe. Regarding your ordering a "spare", yea I always have 2 on hand for those "special"moments.

I am also seriousely anal about backups, I make nightly backups via WHS, then weekly backup that to Amazons cloud. To much important data, my work system and my wifes system (PHD thesis and other stuff).

 

Thanks jclausius for the quick and so helpfull response, so I will get 2 ssd's but not on raid.

Q. which one should be the fastest since we will have a speed limitations by the M/B and can't add a raid controller, vertex 3 pro SATA 6GB/s, or vertex 3 SATA 3GB/s?

 

Interesting news on the x7200 Temp analysis/comparison page.

 

Nobelove. The 7280 only has 3Gb/s SATA internal ports. If you want 6Gb/s and the full 550Mb/s bandwidth the Vertex 3 SSD offer, you will need to take a Sager NP8170 (Sandy Bridge).

 

I don't know much about OCZ prodcuts. Besides the SATA 3 vs. SATA 6 support, what else is different between the drives? Better garbage collection in the firmware? Better TRIM support? Price differential?

If the price is the same, go w/ the newer model as the drive would be more useful w/ other models if you want to remove/use it somewhere else. If not, being that the speed b/w both drives will be the same, weigh the benefits of the Vertex 3 against the price difference, and that should help you make your decision.

 

There is a Sata 2 version of the 2nd gen sandforce controllers that would be good for the x7200 - not sure if OCZ is implementing it in drives yet though (of if they ever will)

The performance is about comparable to first gen sandforce controllers but the GC and some other firmware related stuff is improved

 

jclausius, quick update on the raid5 issue, I think gonna call it a bad disk if it holds together for next 12 hrs.........everything fine so far.

 

anyone played crysis 2 demo/leaked with dual gpu? does sli work?

 

Here is your screenie...BIOS is same on both

 

thanks
so 485m sli with same bios..........
btw i swap my 480m(different bios) then one become pcie x16@x8

 

so I am cureious, what were ya looking for ?

 

In my M17x I have always used the same bios on both cards (for the GTX 280m's and my 4870m's) and have never had any CF/SLI issues. Should be the same for the x7200

 

are you running sli 480 or sli 485 if you are running 480 i have a excelent bios for you with unlocked V that im running so i can oc the cards a little .
Or are you saying that u r running one of each ????
O i forgot to ask eny one with the 485 that would could rip a copy of ther org vBIOS using GPU Z and post it for me and if you want
it Modded like unlocked V tell me and ill give you it back with the modd done .
The reason i need it is im thinking of upgrading to the 485 and i want to have the BIOS modded and ready you know plug them in install driver flash vBIOS then ready for OC

 

Here is a copy of my 485 vBIOS. I dont want a modded vBIOS, this beast is a work system as well as play and I dont want to risk frying anything.

 

Thank you m8 nice one