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14" Lenovo G40-70 + [email protected] (PE4C V4.1) + Win10 [andr01dm]


andr01dm

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System

Lenovo G40-70 (This may work with these other Lenovo laptops which share the platform:  G40-30, G40-45, G40-70m, Z40-70, Z40-75, G40-80)

CPU: Intel Core i7-4510U, 2.6 GHz

iGPU: Intel HD Graphics 4400, 1024 Mb 

RAM: 8 Gb DDR3

OS: Windows 10 x64

 

Setup

eGPU Board: Bplus PE4C v4.1 with M.2 Key A/E (http://www.mfactors.com/pe4c-v4-1-pci-express-16x-card-to-m-2-card-or-pcie-x4-connecter/  Model: PE4C-M2060A)

Video Card: MSI Radeon R5450, 1024 Mb GDDR5

Power: Antec 430W

External Monitor: Asus VE228

 

Tools Used

DIY eGPU (https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/files/file/87-diy-e-gpu-setup-130-by-Tech Inferno Fan/)

HWiNFO64 (https://www.hwinfo.com/download.php)

Phillips Screwdriver

Dremel

Heat Gun

Sugru

Packing Tape

 

The Build

To run DIY eGPU, Windows has to be installed in a non-UEFI boot mode.  Here are my current BIOS settings:

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Once Windows was re-installed, I installed WiNFO64.  Here's what the hardware looked like prior to installing the PE4C in place of the wireless card:

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Then I installed DIY eGPU by right-clicking on setup-disk-image.bat and running as Admin:

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Rebooting and selecting DIY eGPU Setup 1.30:

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Then "menu-based":

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There's the Atheros wireless card in the DIY eGPU hardware list:

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Shutting down I then removing the wireless card:

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I then used a Ryobi dremel clone to slice off a portion of the laptop's plastic case and chamfer the edge off of the CD drive connector.  This was necessary to get the cable to fit into the PCIe slot and tuck the cable up so that the laptop is able to sit level on a desk.

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I also cut a notch into the removable cover on the bottom of the laptop:

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I used a heat gun to soften the hot glue inside of the heat shrink on the plug, so that I could slightly bend it to fit:  (Note: That is a cat hair, not a manky man hair.)

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A blob of Sugru:

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And some masking tape keep the cable secure, while letting me remove it relatively easily:

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I plugged my MSI video card into the PE4C, kept the Delay and Settings switches at their stock positions, turned on the ATX power supply and booted the laptop into DIY eGPU.  And there's the video card listed in the hardware where the wireless card used to be:

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Then i ran PCI Compaction:

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HmMeBabhysDYtMLg1pLDeGUZX8usaXkyWQJv7ULh

 

I was unable to return to the DIY eGPU menu:

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So I just rebooted into Windows and ran WiNFO64 to check that the external video card was detected:

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Then I installed the latest Radeon drivers, & connected up my second monitor.  I now have dual display with the second monitor set as my Primary and the laptop's display below it as the Secondary.

 

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Quality-wise I've been able to run games that my laptop alone couldn't handle, such as the We Happy Few alpha.  The low-end frame rate isn't great, but with some overclocking using MSI Afterburner it's doing pretty well.  As the card is sitting out in the open it doesn't overheat.  I'm not sure if this matters or not but I ran.. or at least tried to run.. three different benchmark apps:  3D Mark Demo (wouldn't run), MSI Kombuster 2 (also wouldn't run) and Heaven benchmark.

 

Stock

FPS: 14.0
Score: 352
Min FPS: 5.7
Max FPS: 25.3

 

Very Basic Overclock

FPS: 13.8

Score: 347
Min FPS: 10.4
Max FPS: 24.6
 

Next steps might include a different power supply, so I can put the ATX I'm currently using back into the 3d printer, and perhaps a case for the PE4C & video card.  Maybe someday a better video card.

 

I hope this has been helpful for someone.  Please ask me questions if you have any.

 

Note:  This is my second PE4C, as the first one I purchased would not work no matter what I tried.  They eventually RMA'd it and I bought a second one which worked out of the box, first try. \o/

Edited by andr01dm
Added the directions
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Just a follow up post...

 

A friend sold me his 2nd hand EVGA GeForce GTX 970.  Initially I had a lot of trouble installing the new card.. mostly because my dual boot to Ubuntu was messing with my video display, making it impossible to boot into DIY eGPU.  Once I had that sorted, I removed the old drivers, installed the new.  But no joy.

 

I could see the new vid card in DIY eGPU and in HWiNFO6, but Windows would only boot up using the onboard video hardware.

 

After much fooling around with various settings, reboots, etc.  I opened Hardware Manager to make sure the card was appearing there.  I noticed that it wasn't enabled.  So of course I enabled it and BOOM everything worked!

 

Maybe this info will help someone else.

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  • 1 year later...
21 hours ago, Irwandee said:

Did you change you hard disk to mbr from gpt?

 

I deleted all partitions and did a completely fresh install of Windows.  (I'm not certain it was even  necessary.)

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On 4/3/2018 at 12:43 PM, Irwandee said:

 

 

Does your Mobo authorize you to insert other wifi card into your ngff? Mine doesnt authorize. :( Will DIY EGPU help?

I don't know, I've never tried.  But an EGPU setup will plug into your wifi card slot and make it impossible to plug in a different wifi card.

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  • 10 months later...

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