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Attempting eGPU set up on T420 with NVS 4200 (internal screen)


Groovu

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My configuration is as follows:

T420

Windows 10 64 bit

NVS 4200m

PE4C

GTX 950

Dell optiplex power supply

 

My goal is to set this up to use the internal screen. 

 

I hooked everything up and booted.   The first boot, the system recognized the graphics card without drivers.   After installing drivers, it recognized the 950 with no error codes. 

 

I rebooted the system and all my display devices were still recognized (Intel HD 3000, NVS 4200m, and GTX 950.)  but it seemed that it was only using the HD 3000 to display graphics.  

 

I tried opening the Nvidia control panel, but I get an error saying "NVIDIA Settings are not available. You are not currently using a display attached to an NVIDIA GPU."   I Googled and people suggested reinstalling the drivers but I still get the same error after reinstalling. 

 

I then tried putting my system to sleep, unplugging, turning back on, put back to sleep, reply egpu, but still the same results.   Except my 950's fan would spin at max rpm

 

I thought to buy diy egpu 1.3 and set that up, but current cannot due to ky system being formatted as GPT.

 

(is there a way to reformat to MBR without losing data?  Do all my hard drives have to be MBR to work in Legacy mode?) 

 

I know back in the day, when egpu was first coming out, I had to use the older diy egpu bios to get my system to work, but seeing so many people be able to set up without it (plug and play) , am I doing something wrong? 

 

edit: After fiddling around some more, it still doesn't work but I have more info on what it does.  When I start the system without eGPU setup and hotplug the 950, the Device Manager reports Code 43.  When I start the system without eGPU, put the system to sleep, plug in eGPU, the wake the system, the Device Manager reports Code 12.  So I'm trying to do the DSDT override and see if that makes the second setup work.

 

 

Edited by Groovu
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1 hour ago, Groovu said:

I installed the final Desktop drivers. 

 

You are supposed to install the mobile/notebook Geforce driver.

 

The Desktop driver does not include Optimus which is needed for internal screen capability.

 

Download the driver here: http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/102385

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Thank you for your response and for leading me to the right drivers.  I uninstalled old drivers using DDU and reinstalled the notebook driver you linked me, but still the same results.  


Booting with eGPU, Windows 10 recognizes both NVS 4200 and GTX 950 with no faults; GPU-Z recognizes and reads both NVIDIA devices; but NVIDIA GPU Activity (in the tray) says both are INACTIVE.  I also cannot access NVIDIA Control Panel with the error "You are not currently using a display attatched to an NVIDIA GPU"  Running GpuTest shows the HD3000 being utilized.


Booting without eGPU allows me to access NVIDIA Control Panel.  I also changed my global settings to "Use NVIDIA Graphics", in hopes that when I start with eGPU it would automatically be utilized.  Running GpuTest shows the NVS 42000 being utilized (with less fps than the HD3000 somehow...)

 

Trying to boot again with eGPU, same as the first.  GpuTest reports the HD3000 being utilized, even though Device Manager recognizes both the GTX 950 and NVS 4200.

 

I tried hotswapping again with the new drivers, and still the same as before.  Sometimes I'll get error 12 or 43.  Sometimes I'll put my system to sleep and it goes into a wake/sleep loop.

 

I found an HDMI cable to try troubleshooting.  Hooked up my eGPU and TV together, and nothing.  TV says no connection, and laptop does not recognize another display attached.


Damn, I was hoping it was just drivers.

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6 hours ago, Groovu said:

Sometimes I'll get error 12 or 43

 

There are hardware switches on the PE4C that are intended to improve compatibility IIRC. Try booting up with them in different configurations. I don't know what the switches do however, perhaps someone more knowledgeable can shed some light on this.

 

That, and one solution for error 12 and 43 is DSDT overriding, in which case, good luck.

 

6 hours ago, Groovu said:

NVS 42000 being utilized (with less fps than the HD3000 somehow...)

 

NVS chips were designed only with one purpose in mind: Highest resolution output on highest number of displays. They were not meant for intensive 3D rendering AFAIK. That said, you have this NVS dGPU, and it seems that a lot of other people with dGPUs need to perform DSDT override as well.

 

6 hours ago, Groovu said:

Damn, I was hoping it was just drivers.

 

There were no guarantees that it would work going in.

 

I don't know if anyone else has performed an eGPU install on a T420 with the NVS chip, but seeing how the T420 is a very popular laptop, I suggest you look for people who have done it. Perhaps the old eGPU threads on the notebookreview forum is worth a try.

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Sorry for double-post, but in light of new information I feel that it's warranted that I bump this thread.

 

I don't know if this applies to PE4C, but from the last page of the EXP GDC user guide: http://yun.baidu.com/share/link?shareid=1234659882&uk=2657154987

 

It appears you have to set the display device within the BIOS to integrated graphics in the case of the T420.

Edited by Arbystrider
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Thanks for the response.  I could not find that option in my BIOS, closest thing to it was output to use during boot (main, displayport, etc.)

 

After a long and frustrating process, I have eGPU working; although I'm not sure if I am maxing out the T420 potential bandwidth on the PCI-e.

 

Long story short, I messed with a lot of stuff to get this to work and ended up bricking my T420 because I messed with some settings in the custom 1.46 BIOS.

 

I ended up ordering a new motherboard, without the NVS 4200M.  Swapped them out and plug and played like everyone else has done lately, and it works.  Some programs still default to the Intel HD3000, but you can enable Desktop > Add "Run with NVIDIA graphics" in Context Menu via NVIDIA Control Panel.

 

Done a couple of benchmarks, and it's pretty underwhelming right now.  Need to do more testing on this.

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