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Bit of and Impasse, premas vbios is flashed through windows and not through dos. GPU's need to be active to flash. I don't think I can switch to GPU's until I have a driver installed so I will follow J95's instruction set to install mod driver and then flash vbios through windows once gpu's are running and visible through device manager and hardware monitors.

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 Cant flash vbios as it is not a dos flash. M18x R2-windows 8.1 ahci uefi environment. Installed two 980m gpu's. Need to install NVidia drivers and mod inf. file for driver. J95 requires premamod vbios flash to proceed. Premamod vbios flash requires Active gpu and Driver installed. Premamod vbios is also not a dos flash but a windows flash which creates my problem. System would not boot when 680's were installed when bios was set to igfx on swicks bios.

Not sure how to proceed .

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1 hour ago, Siplast said:

 Cant flash vbios as it is not a dos flash. M18x R2-windows 8.1 ahci uefi environment. Installed two 980m gpu's. Need to install NVidia drivers and mod inf. file for driver. J95 requires premamod vbios flash to proceed. Premamod vbios flash requires Active gpu and Driver installed. Premamod vbios is also not a dos flash but a windows flash which creates my problem. System would not boot when 680's were installed when bios was set to igfx on swicks bios.

Not sure how to proceed .

I think there are a few things that you have misunderstood and the problems are being caused by user error. 

 

First, drivers to not need to be installed to flash. That is not accurate. In fact, the Windows version of NVFLASH for Maxwell temporarily unloads the drivers so feel free to flash with no drivers installed. DOS flashing flashes with no drivers installed as well. When you see the warning about the mismatch answer Y to continue.

 

You cannot do anything with discrete graphics if the BIOS set to IGFX. That setting totally disables the GPUs, cuts off power to the MXM slots and boots from Intel HD Graphics. The BIOS has to be set to PEG for using discrete graphics. When set to PEG mode the Intel HD Graphics are disabled. 

 

Use the version of NVFLASH provided with @Prema. Simply double-click the ModMe.bat to flash the master GPU and ModMe2.bat to flash the slave GPU. 

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I am out of downloads for a couple of days so I went to primas site. The file I downloaded does not  have modme.bat and when I hit the mod me I get a command prompt error msg. ?

 

20160814_020254_resized_1 (1).jpg

My issue was that the file I downloaded from primas site is not dos

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I am sure most know this as a workaround for 8 beeps but for those who don't: 8 beeps happens . perform power drain and pull cmos battery and then replace cmos battery . Restart without laptop battery. If lights do not come on, power on and off till you get 5 beeps and then reinsert laptop battery and reboot. Be sure to reset needed bios options.

Edited by Siplast
possible confusion
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I have the files from TI now which are as you described and will start again in the morning. I do appreciate your patience Mr. Fox and thanks for your assistance in this upgrade I truly would be on this for days without your help !

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9 hours ago, Siplast said:

I have the files from TI now which are as you described and will start again in the morning. I do appreciate your patience Mr. Fox and thanks for your assistance in this upgrade I truly would be on this for days without your help !

No problem. The screen shot you posted shows the ModMe.bat and ModMe2.bat files. You need to turn off the Windows crap feature that hides extensions for known file types to see the .bat part at the end of the file name. That stupid feature should always be disabled. Having it turned on (Micro$loth default) is stupid and it is also a security risk.

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DDU is giving me and error msg. a problem occurred in one of the module. And  I was running in safe mode. I am working on the driver file and easy enough to delete the unwanted files but not sure I understand the mod info needed. The mod me.bat file is stating no NVidia display adapter found.

20160814_111808_resized.jpg

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Deleted the nv_dispi and replaced with the one in the how to. Deleted the nvdmi file and replaced with the one in the how to. Deleted all files but the ones shown to keep. Nvidia installer fails. DDU fails. vbios flash fails.

I am not sure that these cards function and I might need to return them. The guy I got these from was selling them out of his titan used and I just cant confirm that they work.

All the signals I am getting and error msg.s lead me to believe that they do not function. Any suggestions ? I guess I could run 680 in primary slot and try these one at a time in slave and see if they will flash ? If I do this just click on modme.bat 2 only ? Should I try and get version one ,and see if I can flash in dos ?

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22 minutes ago, Siplast said:

Deleted the nv_dispi and replaced with the one in the how to. Deleted the nvdmi file and replaced with the one in the how to. Deleted all files but the ones shown to keep. Nvidia installer fails. DDU fails. vbios flash fails.

I am not sure that these cards function and I might need to return them. The guy I got these from was selling them out of his titan used and I just cant confirm that they work.

All the signals I am getting and error msg.s lead me to believe that they do not function. Any suggestions ? I guess I could run 680 in primary slot and try these one at a time in slave and see if they will flash ? If I do this just click on modme.bat 2 only ? Should I try and get version one ,and see if I can flash in dos ?

I thought MSI GPUs were compatible with other machines, but maybe not. But, it could be something simple. 

 

What is the hardware ID in Device Manager? Maybe that's what the deal is. If so, you may be able to edit the INF and have drivers that work fine. A "normal" 980M is 13D7. If those are not 13D7 the @Prema 980M vBIOS for Clevo and Alienware won't work. 

 

13D7.JPG

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1 minute ago, Siplast said:

Device manager is not showing the 980's at all

Well, that might be why you are running into issues. What does it show? Please post a screen shot.

 

You have the BIOS set to PEG, correct? What do you see for GPUs on the BIOS main screen?

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@Siplast - did you double-check the BIOS? Does the main screen show NVIDIA/GEFORCE GFX or INTEL GFX? Is it set to PEG mode?

 

Your Device Manager only shows one GPU, which leads me to believe it is set to use Intel HD Graphics instead of PEG mode.

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7 minutes ago, Siplast said:

I cant believe I did not see that. They are not detected ! I cant set to peg or I get 8 beeps

OK, sounds like something is wrong. Either the MSI GPUs are not compatible with your Alienware or they are messed up. Probably just not compatible. 

 

See if you can POST with UEFI enabled and Legacy Option ROM disabled. If you still get 8 beeps that way, you need to send them back for a refund. If that fixes it, it sounds like you won't enjoy the full benefits of the @Swick1981 BIOS mod with MSI video cards. They may only work in pure UEFI mode, which would suck.

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I am going to summarize for seller and refer him to this thread.

Installed cards but no flash for vbios was ever done as the system could not see the cards. No brick possible as no flash permitted.

No mod driver was ever installed as the system could not see the cards.20160814_174757_resized.jpg

If you refer to the pics that I showed of the cards you can see I was working on and anti static mat and I had a wrist collar on .

Finally : what would have saved me a lot of time would have been to check the bios first to see if the cards showed as they do not.

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38 minutes ago, Siplast said:

I am going to summarize for seller and refer him to this thread.

Installed cards but no flash for vbios was ever done as the system could not see the cards. No brick possible as no flash permitted.

No mod driver was ever installed as the system could not see the cards.20160814_174757_resized.jpg

If you refer to the pics that I showed of the cards you can see I was working on and anti static mat and I had a wrist collar on .

Finally : what would have saved me a lot of time would have been to check the bios first to see if the cards showed as they do not.

If you see Intel Graphics the BIOS is probably set to use IGFX mode. In that case seeing [Not Detected] for Discrete Graphics 1 and 2 is completely normal and expected. 

 

You cannot boot the M18xR2 in SG mode with two GPUs installed. (The M18xR1 can boot in SG mode with both GPUs installed and all 3 will be visible, but the discrete graphics will not be usable by Windows in SG mode.) With the M18xR2 you will get 8 beeps even with compatible GPUs installed if you set SG mode. SG mode only boots with one GPU in the master MXM slot and it activates Intel and MXM at the same time. This is how you flash bricked GPUs, but the slave MXM slot has to be empty.

 

The ONLY setting that will work for discrete graphics with both MXM slots populated is PEG mode. Anything else will produce 8 beeps if there is a GPU installed in both MXM slots. Doesn't matter what GPUs... can be any NVIDIA or AMD GPU and it's the same problem. With both MXM slots populated with GPUs, the only options that are bootable are IGFX (Intel ONLY) and PEG (Discrete GPU ONLY). Any other option will fail with 8 beeps.

 

Summary: 

IGFX = Intel Graphics Only (MXM slots are disabled and discrete GPUs will not appear - you will see [Not Detected] in the BIOS)

AUTO = Should boot with single GPU in master MXM slot as long as slave MXM slot is empty (this mode serves no useful purpose)

SG = Will boot with single GPU in master MXM slot, requires an empty slave MXM slot... Intel will be also be active (some call this Optimus mode, but there is no Optimus on the M18xR2)

PEG = Single or Dual MXM works and Intel Graphics is disabled (this is the default setting and allows for full performance with discrete single or dual graphics)

 

You can use either of the two modes shown with bold green fonts. The two in red font will fail to POST with 8 beeps with two GPUs installed. Alienware Command Center switches between IGFX and PEG. The other two modes are never used for normal operation. In most cases Alienware Command Center will not switch between IGFX and PEG modes if only one GPU is installed.

 

 

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Tried peg with uefi and legacy and got 8 beeps on both . Wouldn't the cards show up and be detected either way in the bios ? Reinstalled the gtx 680's and the cards showed up in the bios_{ in any mode that I set}. Set to peg and then downloaded driver and installed. Wanted to make sure that the integrity of my system had not been compromised. Drivers are installed and all is working as it should again in sli. I could never and not in any environment get my laptop to boot in peg when these 980's were installed, I consistently got 8 beeps and then would to do power drain and the system battery trick just to boot back into igfx. Can you think of any thing that has been missed ? Can you think of any way for me to proceed other than returning these cards to the seller ?

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Mr Fox, just to be clear. Earlier I stated that at no time would the laptop boot when set to peg. I further stated that When I click on the mod me.bat a cmd window opens and states no NVidia display adapter found and then disappears. I believe this would mean that no device was found to be able to flash ? Are you stating now that I flash bricked both of these gpu's ?

After rereading what you wrote above please remember that the laptop with both mxm slot populated would not boot but would only give 8 beeps when set to peg, as I tried to boot to peg repeatedly but could only get it to boot igfx. At no time was I able to allow a flash as nvflash did not see the gpus

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At no time did I use any settings other than IGFX and PEG so I am asking that by trying to flash unsuccessfully in IGFX could this flash brick both GPU's ? This is important so please advise. If their is a chance that I bricked the gpu's then the seller is off the hook and I eat the loss.

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3 hours ago, Siplast said:

Tried peg with uefi and legacy and got 8 beeps on both . Wouldn't the cards show up and be detected either way in the bios ? Reinstalled the gtx 680's and the cards showed up in the bios_{ in any mode that I set}. Set to peg and then downloaded driver and installed. Wanted to make sure that the integrity of my system had not been compromised. Drivers are installed and all is working as it should again in sli. I could never and not in any environment get my laptop to boot in peg when these 980's were installed, I consistently got 8 beeps and then would to do power drain and the system battery trick just to boot back into igfx. Can you think of any thing that has been missed ? Can you think of any way for me to proceed other than returning these cards to the seller ?

No, not at all if by either way your mean PEG or IGFX. As I mentioned earlier, if the BIOS is set to IGFX mode the MXM slots are disabled so the GPUs will be completely invisible everywhere... in the BIOS, in Windows... as if they do not exist. If you mean Legacy or UEFI, yes... should be visible either way. 

2 hours ago, Siplast said:

Mr Fox, just to be clear. Earlier I stated that at no time would the laptop boot when set to peg. I further stated that When I click on the mod me.bat a cmd window opens and states no NVidia display adapter found and then disappears. I believe this would mean that no device was found to be able to flash ? Are you stating now that I flash bricked both of these gpu's ?

After rereading what you wrote above please remember that the laptop with both mxm slot populated would not boot but would only give 8 beeps when set to peg, as I tried to boot to peg repeatedly but could only get it to boot igfx. At no time was I able to allow a flash as nvflash did not see the gpus

If that is the case, either the cards are no good or not compatible.

1 hour ago, Siplast said:

At no time did I use any settings other than IGFX and PEG so I am asking that by trying to flash unsuccessfully in IGFX could this flash brick both GPU's ? This is important so please advise. If their is a chance that I bricked the gpu's then the seller is off the hook and I eat the loss.

There is no way you bricked the GPUs if NVFLASH said that no display adapter was found. If you see that they never got flashed. Only stands to reason NVFLASH cannot flash GPUs if it cannot detect them. While it is possible you were sold two dead GPUs it is far more likely they are simply incompatible, which would explain the 8 beeps when set to PEG mode.

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Thank you so much for the clarification as I would like to invite the seller to view this discussion. You have been a great help once again ! It is a shame I cant make use of these cards.

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  • Klem changed the title to [Bios Mod] M18xR2 - Legacy Support now Available

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