[Guide] - M15x with AMD 7970m

[nidcuim]

Tried this before but still failed, did the re-paste using different thermal including Arctic Silver 5 . Is it normal if i use MSI Kombustor the card will max to 850/1200 all the way? Thanks

If it stresses or sets clock yes. I don't use kombustor except on a desktop with gtx470 to auto load overclock. It's been fire and forget the last year.

Curiously what are your idle clock temps like on the 7970m

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[Genetics]

If it stresses or sets clock yes. I don't use kombustor except on a desktop with gtx470 to auto load overclock. It's been fire and forget the last year.

Curiously what are your idle clock temps like on the 7970m

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Idle clock temps very good i guess, its around 38-45c only. But if i use the Kombustor, the temp increasing like hell till 85c then turn off Same goes if i'm on gaming, more load more faster the temp increase!

[ssj92]

Idle clock temps very good i guess, its around 38-45c only. But if i use the Kombustor, the temp increasing like hell till 85c then turn off Same goes if i'm on gaming, more load more faster the temp increase!

Okay let's back up for a minute. You're using the m17/18x backplate right? Did you grind down the screw posts or use a copper shim in between the gpu die and heatsink? If not, then your issues are from the thermal paste not contacting from the gpu die to the heatsink. This is what happened to me the first time and after placing a copper shim in between it was fine. My temps were 36-40C idle before the copper shim and would auto shutdown when I loaded the game. Now with the copper shim I get 28-32C idle and load can get up to 73C.

[Genetics]

Okay let's back up for a minute. You're using the m17/18x backplate right? Did you grind down the screw posts or use a copper shim in between the gpu die and heatsink? If not, then your issues are from the thermal paste not contacting from the gpu die to the heatsink. This is what happened to me the first time and after placing a copper shim in between it was fine. My temps were 36-40C idle before the copper shim and would auto shutdown when I loaded the game. Now with the copper shim I get 28-32C idle and load can get up to 73C.

First, thanks for the reply!

1 : The temp improved with the HWINFO64! But still can reach to 84c after 2 mins running on Kombustor. Could you tell me what is the max RPM for the stock GPU fans M15x? Currently i set 5200 RPM when temp reach 80c.

2 : I don't have the copper shim, it's hard to get here, but i do make one custom by myself, could you tell me what is the thickness (prefer by you) for the copper shim? I attached the custom copper shim for your review (It's not easy to do the sanding bro!)

3 : Yes i am using m17x backplate, I don't grind down the the screw posts, but make the copper shim.

[svl7]

Please guys... don't use Kombustor or Furmark. Use a game or a benchmark like 3dM11 for temperature testing. All that Kombustor/Furmark will do is stress the voltage supply circuits beyond usual levels. Not recommendable.

[Genetics]

Please guys... don't use Kombustor or Furmark. Use a game or a benchmark like 3dM11 for temperature testing. All that Kombustor/Furmark will do is stress the voltage supply circuits beyond usual levels. Not recommendable.

@svl7 - Thank you for your reminder bro. It's just hard to monitor the temp by using the benchmark like 3dm11 or in gaming monitor temp. Will avoid using the Kombustor/Furmark in future! Thx again

[svl7]

HWiNFO or MSI Afterburner have a feature which allows you to see the temps during games / benchmarks.

[Genetics]

HWiNFO or MSI Afterburner have a feature which allows you to see the temps during games / benchmarks.

@svl7 - Thanks for tips

@ssj92 - I am quite happy now! After playing Far Cry 3 , seem like my system not shutting down anymore! Before my m15x shutting down on the introduction video on first mission! You can see my logs by TechPowerUp CPU-Z here http://goo.gl/ZLzDB

Using 12.11 Beta 11 for the drivers!

What do you think? It is stable now you think?

[svl7]

Looks good to me.

[Genetics]

Looks good to me.

I will do some more testing after this. Playing youtube also slightly increase the temp for the card, i guess its normal since i enable the hardware acceleration, i also use your method to lower voltage from 1.050v to 1.000v (Many thanks for your effort on this )

[ssj92]

Glad its running better, my copper shim thickness is 1.5mm.

If you need to test temperatures, try 3DMark11, Vantage, a game like BF3, Crysis 2, Metro2033, etc.

I know you want to see how high the temperatures you can get but furmark is bad, even on desktop cards.

Like mentioned above stay away from it. I haven't used furmark since the 400 series desktop GPUs.

Your temperatures look better and look like you should be fine. I think 75C was the highest I saw which is fine.

[Genetics]

Glad its running better, my copper shim thickness is 1.5mm.

If you need to test temperatures, try 3DMark11, Vantage, a game like BF3, Crysis 2, Metro2033, etc.

I know you want to see how high the temperatures you can get but furmark is bad, even on desktop cards.

Like mentioned above stay away from it. I haven't used furmark since the 400 series desktop GPUs.

Your temperatures look better and look like you should be fine. I think 75C was the highest I saw which is fine.

Yeah bro so far its running good. I will monitor and see how it goes in few days! Thanks again!!

[RodEire]

Hi,

I have installed my 7970m and cannot get the display out working, I got a card from mxm upgrade, with the orginal vbios on the card, a Clevo one I can get video out but not sound, when I flash the Dell bios to get sound through the display port i get display when its booting but once windows kicks in the display goes black, I saw that user : nidcuim had this issue a few weeks ago, it their any fix for this? I am using 12.11 drivers and just the standard vbios's. Thanks

[loafer987]

RodEire: if you mean you have the internal display working but its the external that you cant get going. I have the same issue any time I connect to anything with older HDMI revisions or anything like an amplifier. If I go straight to my tv it works. I still haven't found a solution for this either but i have a media pc so it really doesn't matter to me.

The one that's strange for me is my HDMI 1080p Samsung 23" monitor doesn't work through my DP adapter either. Same as when i connect to my denon AVR3806 that outputs to my 50" panasonic plasma. But connecting directly to my 50" panasonic 50PZ77 plasma works perfectly... Very strange. I bought my adapter off ebay and the company refunded me for the adapter as we assumed this the the problem. i dont have an original alienware one to test with unfortunately.

[RodEire]

I am using the alienware official dp to hdmi adapter and have tried it on 3 different tv's and still no joy. I have heard reports that svl7 has the display out working with sound from an mxm upgrade card but I can't get it to work. Looking for solutions really. I've tried a good few drivers and vbios but can't seem to hit the right combination to get it working.

[nidcuim]

I've been trying out the Clevo vs. Dell bios on my Clevo card in the m15x to see if I could get automated fan controls - no luck, still need hwinfo64. Will try both vbios' on a few different monitors and tvs later this week for displayport. I'm using a aftermarket Siig DP->HDMI btw

[eastbayrae]

Which 920XM will fit the m15x? I plan on doing the CPU/GPU at the same time.

[Neutralia]

I installed my 7970m a week ago and I'm having problems getting decent performance out of it. I'm running the 740Q CPU. With farcry3 I'm averaging around 30fps and dips down in the 20's at times. I've monitored my stock clocks they're fine. My temp's are fine too. I don't go far over 70.

I just ran 3dmark11 and my combined score is low: Graphic score: 6293 Physics score: 2235 and Combined Score: 1972.

Anyone know what might be the issue?

[Genetics]

I installed my 7970m a week ago and I'm having problems getting decent performance out of it. I'm running the 740Q CPU. With farcry3 I'm averaging around 30fps and dips down in the 20's at times. I've monitored my stock clocks they're fine. My temp's are fine too. I don't go far over 70.

I just ran 3dmark11 and my combined score is low: Graphic score: 6293 Physics score: 2235 and Combined Score: 1972.

Anyone know what might be the issue?

What drivers are you using now? I also got something like this before. Then i switch to 12 Beta 11 by AMD and now seem pretty stable and good! Worth to give it a try bro!

- - - Updated - - -

RodEire: if you mean you have the internal display working but its the external that you cant get going. I have the same issue any time I connect to anything with older HDMI revisions or anything like an amplifier. If I go straight to my tv it works. I still haven't found a solution for this either but i have a media pc so it really doesn't matter to me.

The one that's strange for me is my HDMI 1080p Samsung 23" monitor doesn't work through my DP adapter either. Same as when i connect to my denon AVR3806 that outputs to my 50" panasonic plasma. But connecting directly to my 50" panasonic 50PZ77 plasma works perfectly... Very strange. I bought my adapter off ebay and the company refunded me for the adapter as we assumed this the the problem. i dont have an original alienware one to test with unfortunately.

Currently i am using this one --> http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&sku=330-1271

Doesn't matter what TV or Monitor i attached to it, it works! Last time i tried with 39" inch LED TV and it works like Edward Cullen!

[RodEire]

Hi Genetics, thanks for your reply, yes that is the adapter I was using, can you please let me know what driver and vbios combination you are using.

[myxcon]

I installed my 7970m a week ago and I'm having problems getting decent performance out of it. I'm running the 740Q CPU. With farcry3 I'm averaging around 30fps and dips down in the 20's at times. I've monitored my stock clocks they're fine. My temp's are fine too. I don't go far over 70.

I just ran 3dmark11 and my combined score is low: Graphic score: 6293 Physics score: 2235 and Combined Score: 1972.

Anyone know what might be the issue?

You could try running ThrotleStop, as your combined score seems a bit low.

[Dakeryas]

Hello everybody.

I have an m15x with a 5850M GPU and am also interested in upgrading to an 7970M GPU.

I have seen "upgrade kits" offers on eBay that go for 525$. They're for the m17x/m18x though. As I have read here, the bracket is too high. I would rather not add a cooper shim because it adds three more layers and needs paste on both sides. I would like to have the lowest temps for long-term reliability.

Since I already have a 5850M GPU, could I just remove the X-bracket from my current GPU and swap it with that of the 7970M GPU? Is it easy to remove? Would there be no more use to grind the bracket or the screws down?

Thanks in advance,

Dakeryas.

[Genetics]

Hello everybody.

I have an m15x with a 5850M GPU and am also interested in upgrading to an 7970M GPU.

I have seen "upgrade kits" offers on eBay that go for 525$. They're for the m17x/m18x though. As I have read here, the bracket is too high. I would rather not add a cooper shim because it adds three more layers and needs paste on both sides. I would like to have the lowest temps for long-term reliability.

Since I already have a 5850M GPU, could I just remove the X-bracket from my currenet GPU and swap it with that of the 7970M GPU? Is it easy to remove? Would there be no more use to grind the bracket or the screws down?

Thanks in advance,

Dakeryas.

Hiya Dakeryas,

1 : Afaik you cannot use X-bracket from 5850M for 7970M.

2 : Default bracket for 7970M is good, I'm using it right now without grind it down.

Thanks.

[eastbayrae]

Hiya Dakeryas,

1 : Afaik you cannot use X-bracket from 5850M for 7970M.

2 : Default bracket for 7970M is good, I'm using it right now without grind it down.

Thanks.

A little OT but I see in your sig you have two drives listed. How are you running two drives in there? Did you ditch the optical for one more HDD?

[Dakeryas]

Hiya Dakeryas,

Default bracket for 7970M is good, I'm using it right now without grind it down.

Thanks.

Thanks for replying. But from what I have read, you're using a cooper shim. I would rather not use a cooper shim to have the lowest temperatures. So it means grinding down?