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13" Fujitsu T901 + GTX660Ti@4Gbps+c-EC2 (PE4L 2.1b) + Win7/8 [angerthosenear]


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This will hopefully be a somewhat useful guide to getting your eGPU working. I will try my best to extend the guide to system configurations outside of my own (that I cannot test). This is only for Windows based systems. I will cover Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. I have my system (Fujitsu T901) running with an eGPU with Windows 7, Windows 8, and currently Windows 8.1. I will try to be as general as possible, but bear in mind that it is based on getting my system running with an eGPU. So if you have a Fujitsu T901, this will help you get your eGPU setup.

Before you continue, make sure you read, re-read, read read read till you get sick of it - the official page:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2109-diy-egpu-experiences-%5Bversion-2-0%5D.html

This guide is more to show the steps for a single application. Mine just so happens to require all of the troubleshooting steps to get working correctly. Pain to setup, but good for a guide.

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For the T901 you will need to have Setup 1.x and will require the following steps (covered in this guide):

If you do not want the dGPU active: 32bit compaction with Setup 1.x.

If you do want the dGPU active: 36bit compaction of the eGPU with Setup 1.x and a DSDT override is required (whether it is loaded into the registry if you are using Windows 7 or loaded into memory during boot if you are using Windows 8/8.1).

This is my system (Fujitsu T901):

i7-2620M

16GB RAM

NVS 4200M

GTX 660 Ti

From this:

I have a 6-series chipset. 6-series and later (guessing probably all that come later) support PCIe 2.0 ports for use for an eGPU. Essentially - the ExpressCard or mPCIe ports can run at Gen2 speeds.

My iGPU in this case would be Intel HD 3000.

My dGPU is the Nvidia NVS 4200M.

My eGPU is a Nvidia GTX 660 Ti.

The RAM amount (since it is over 3.25GB) means that I might run into memory allocation issues (which I do). There are some exceptions to this.

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Seeing my laptop has ExpressCard, I got the PE4L-EC060A adapter for use with my eGPU. If you don't have express card, but have a mPCIe slot free (or can be made free by removing your WiFi card), you can get teh PE4L-PM060A. With some testing (MikjoA, naturbo2000, and myself) we determined that getting the 100cm cable doens't hurt performance, longer cables might however. See here:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2109-diy-egpu-experiences-%5Bversion-2-0%5D-38.html#post67617

You will need a separate power supply (PSU) to power the eGPU. I use a modular (to cut cable clutter) 550W PSU. Certainly a bit overkill since it is only powering my eGPU. Some people have used the XBOX 360 power supply as well.

If you haven't decided on what card you want for your eGPU, you get to read the main post that you are now probably muttering in your sleep. Tech Inferno Fan explains here:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2109-diy-egpu-experiences-%5Bversion-2-0%5D.html#whichcard

You may need Setup 1.x here (usually a pretty good idea to get this - needed in most situations):

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2123-diy-egpu-setup-1-x.html

I have two videos of me using Setup 1.x here to hopefully help walk through the process:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2123-diy-egpu-setup-1-x.html#post78919

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Hardware wise, this it is a fairly simple procedure - especially for ExpressCard applications, mPCIe applications will require an extra few steps not covered here but you can see MikjoA's procedure here:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2158-diy-egpu-guide-sony-vaio-vpc-z2-svz13.html

Plug power from your external PSU into your eGPU and adapter (floppy connector). And that's about it really. Plug in your PSU and plug your adapter into your computer. Harder part is making your own enclosure. I use a stripped mini-ITX case.

Once you have it all plugged in and whatnot. Turn on your laptop and see if it works! Once you get to your desktop, go to device manager. If you don't see any flags on your video card you should be good to go (lucky you :D ).

But..... if you are like me, you will have a whole series of errors. In a nutshell:

Error 12 - Memory allocation issue. You might get by with using Setup 1.x to perform PCI compaction to get it working. I perform a DSDT override to get mine working correctly (which I'll cover later).

Error 43 - Yay you don't have error 12 (my reaction). Means you need to install the video card driver. ...but if you are like me, it won't go easy. I'll cover this later.

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If you see nothing in device manager, check your connections. If that all checks out, make sure your ExpressCard / mPCIe port is active in BIOS. If it is, you either have something going wrong, or an extreme case of error 12.

How to (probably) fix error 12:

If you are on Windows 7, Setup 1.x is more than likely the easiest solution. You get a lot more flexibility in your setup this way. A DSDT override might work instead (covered later), but this is a more involved process. For Windows 8/8.1, you will need Setup 1.x regardless if you decide on needing a DSDT override or not - you will use it to load you DSDT table during boot.

Get Setup 1.x from Tech Inferno Fan as shown in the link above. Installation instructions are on that page so I won't replicate them here.

All of the commands I perform through the 'menu-based' Setup 1.x. I find this much easier.

If you have a dGPU you will want to disable this within Setup 1.x. After you get your eGPU up and running you can decide to get your dGPU enabled again depending on hardware and what you want it to do (like I use my NVS 4200M as a dedicated PhysX processor, but I lose DX9 performance). If you have a AMD dGPU and a Nvidia eGPU, you will need to keep it disabled to allow for Optimus compression.

This comes with a lot of trial and error. But essentially try a combination of the following:

dGPU[ignore] or leave this alone

32bit or 32bitA compaction

dGPU[off] (if you did dGPU[ignore] )

chainload

If you freeze during boot. start over and try a different combination. One of these combinations will probably work.

If you have a 6-series chipset or later you may need to force your eGPU port to a G2 port (better performance). May not have to manually set this depending on the system.

Hopefully that got rid of error 12. If you can manage this, the hardest part (imo) is done.

How to (probably) fix error 43:

This is usually somewhat painless. You need to install your eGPU driver (desktop driver). In my case I would install the Nvidia desktop driver.

If you have a dGPU, you will probably have to follow this (unless you disabled it in Setup 1.x):

Bootup so the dGPU and eGPU appear in device manager.

Uninstall the dGPU. (it should disappear from the device manager list leaving only the eGPU - and perhaps the iGPU)

Install eGPU drivers.

Reboot.

Install dGPU drivers. (Unless your dGPU works with the desktop/eGPU drivers, then don't do this)

Pretty much it.

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DSDT override info:

Readup here first please:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2109-diy-egpu-experiences-%5Bversion-2-0%5D.html#dsdtoverride

Link to my guide showing how I performed my DSDT override and how it allowed iGPU+dGPU+eGPU:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/3539-guide-dsdt-override-simultaneous-igpu-dgpu-egpu.html

If you are running Windows 8 or 8.1 you will want to take a look here too:

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2109-diy-egpu-experiences-%5Bversion-2-0%5D-6.html#post31421

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Upgrading video drivers.

1. Open device manager. Uninstall eGPU driver.

2. Reboot as you would normally with your eGPU.

3. If you have a dGPU uninstall that driver. It will disappear from device manager (good).

4. Install eGPU (desktop) driver.

5. Reboot

6. Install dGPU driver (if it doesn't share your eGPU driver).

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This pretty much ends this guide. Since you have it all up and running, you are pretty much set.

Hope this helped you!

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My setup:

The pictures were all too big for the forum to handle so just see this imgur album instead:

eGPU setup - Imgur

1. eGPU case

2. side pic

3. top view showing awful dremel skills and custom IO shield

4. internal pic. PSU mounted with steel pipe hanger. GPU on modified rubber stoppers and held in place with more steel pipe hanger

5. case is just a smidge too small, so the PCIe power cables poke out a little bit, not much though

6. custom PSU power plug thing

7. shows adapter and ATX switch board, plus my GPU with a little dirty fan...

8. showing it all hooked up, I can reach my finger inside and flip the switch directly on the PSU to turn the eGPU on/off

9. full setup, no laptop

10. full setup, up and running!

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  • 3 months later...

THANK YOU TECH INFERNO!!! AND ALL WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FORUMS!!!

Here is my new setup, totally replacing my desktop yet instantly mobile!

post-21887-14494997238948_thumb.jpg

I am an industrial deign student, about to graduate. This arrangement of displays is improving productivity, I am loving it!

Here is the eGPU...

post-21887-14494997239396_thumb.jpg

More to come, thanks again everyone!

KenInSF

P.S. the laptop is resting on a 2.5mm layer of padding, it seems happy with the hot air exhaust pointing up. There are no ports on the side facing down, just the extra battery in the CD drive bay.

P.P.S. About the system

T901:

i7-2620m

16gb ram

NVS4200m

500gb 7200rpm :( will be upgraded to an SSD... some day

eGPU:

Zotac gtx 760

Antec 400w PSU...

The PSU was formerly used for 3 water cooling loops in my old desktop overclocking rig ([email protected] 24/7 for like 4 years, crossfired volt modded ati4850's, CPU-GPU's-RAM all water cooled, industrial AC and dehumidifier for benching :P ).

Huge dedicated edifice on the desk is so 90's though... anyone want to buy a desktop pre rigged for water cooling? Kidding, as it really would be the entire desktop. The pumps and radiators are all mounted to the underside and tubing runs right into the base of the case through the desk. Everything is very custom... or full of oddly placed holes, depending on how much of a geek you are.

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How are your temps holding up? In that position the temps aren't too bad. But it still is a Tablet|Inferno. Mine was running 85-98C when under a heavy load. And that's after a re-paste and heatsink pressure increase.

---

Were you the guy that messaged me on reddit perchance?

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Not me on Reddit, some other guy. Temps running Unigine Heaven benchmark were 65c on the nvs4200m and 75c on the gtx 760. CPU temp unknown, suppose I need a temp monitor now that I'm pushing my tablet into the red zone.

Ah.

Yeah, the 4200M temps are pretty decent, they don't get too bad. Use Real|Temp to monitor the CPU temps. It gets absurdly hot.

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eGPU setup 1.2

PE4H with E2C2 express card mini HDMI link cable

The GTX has DVI HDMI and display port, I'm using 1 DVI, 1 HDMI, and have the T901 as the third monitor for very futuristic desktop that has touch screen, cintiq like wacom pen screen, wacom pen tablet, 2 mice with the Wacom mouse that works on the tablet, so I can leave one over on the drafting table for the 50" TV used as layout full size preview screen. I put allot of 11x17 landscape prints up for design presentations so its really nice to view them full size before wasting paper (forests of it :( ). The T901 screen is used for browsing research and as a media player. The main display is the 'current application' display. you get the idea.

I have tried screens stacked vertically, side to side, all kinds of ways, but it seems their is usually one that is the focus and the others are only really useful when the data input demands more room to see pages and files and such to contrubute to whats being done the primary display. Gaming I actually prefer about a 22" to 24" and no bigger. Tracking the eye across to big a screen waists time that in online games usually means a re-spawn :P

back to the setup, what I like is that the laptop goes to school and work and coffee, I do something, and its just their on my desktop at home, because I don't have to use 2 computers to do GPU intensive stuff now. The t901 is a great digital sketch tablet and general work system, it just lacks a worthy gpu to be awesome. I love it, yet Fujitsu was seemingly on crack designing allot of its features. The spin dial right where your hand wrests when typing or using the touch pad, so awesome if your into randomly scrolling up or down the page by mistake. But dont try to make that dial adjust the volume! Oh no, that would be insane... to make the cool spinny control actually useful AND cool... then again, the speakers are like mice farting so you could spin all day and not hear a damn thing... but still, I LOVE THIS LITTLE THING!

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So I have come to realize that I do not have Gen2 5 gbps only Gen1 2.5gbs PE4H 2.4. Get the newer faster Gen PE4L 2.1b Gen2 units not the one I have.

Also, anyone ever plug more then one laptop into a Gen1 PE4H? I wonder what would happen...

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