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Hello all, I'd like to start a thread detailing my experience with getting an eGPU setup on a relatively budget Dell laptop. I am amazed at the progress created by this community. My work has required me to travel for the next year, so I have decided to take the plunge and transition from a desktop to mobile work/game space. Dell Vostro 3560 (base specs): i7-3632QM, Ivy bridge H77 Radeon 7670M dGPU 1920x1080 15.7" 6Gb ram (4+2), 32Gb mSata/750Gb hdd 1x Expresscard 2.0 3Dmark6 HD4000 / 7670M (6197 / 8486) I have swapped ODD with 128Gb SSD, and will be upgrading ram to 16Gb later. eGPU: gigabyte radeon 6870 OC update: used GTX560Ti and GTX760 later on 450w psu PE4L 2.1b DIY eGPU Setup 1.30 software Setup: Default Win 7/8 pci bus TOLUD: 9FA00000 (2.5Gb) (w/ both intel HD 4000 and radeon 7670M enabled). I figured should have no problem with "error 12". 1. Starting from fresh win 8 install (MBR, not UEFI/GPT) using default WDDM drivers: hotplugging the eGPU triggers new detecting device from device manager, eGPU gets seen and resources apparently allocated (256 + 128 mb of pci bus space). However I cannot get monitor (plugged into eGPU) detected. 2. With eGPU still plugged in, rebooting causes both the dGPU and eGPU to be inactivated with Code 43, but I can boot into desktop (via iGPU I presume). 3. Installing latest Dell drivers (AMD + Intel) I can get catalyst/switchable graphics function of the dGPU working, but will get BSOD/crash when hotplugging eGPU. I also get BSOD/crash on boot when eGPU installed (windows boots but can't get to desktop). 4. exactly same situation with win 7. Well at least it only takes 10s to boot to desktop... I suspect this is most likely due to video driver issue? Perhaps using Setup 1.x to disable the dGPU might work (have not tried since I don't have the setup 1.x program yet). Dell bios does not have any options for disabling the dGPU. Q's: A. Does Setup 1.x support disabling dGPU for the newest ivy bridge/series 7 chipsets? I've read how series 5+ chipsets are locked? B. Has anyone had success getting any type of eGPU to work in similar radeon dGPU + ivy bridge laptops? C. Would using an Nvidia card bypass the driver issue? D. Ultimately I am aiming for an internal LCD setup, would Nvidia Optimus perform better on an expresscard pcie x1 @ 2.0 vs AMD 6800 + lucid virtu? I will update as this project progresses, and will include bench results when I can. I'm very grateful for any advice the community can offer, thank you! -T Performance results GTX 760 Zotac Amp stock (boost gpu 1176/ ram 1552) Bench graphics scores (internal / external) 3Dmark11: 5602 / 7183 Vantage: 12381 / 24752 3Dmark'06: sm2.5389 sm3.4299 (score 12477) / sm2.8451 sm3.11304 (score 22447) Unigine Valley DX11: 1766 (avg fps 42.2) / 2940 (avg fps 70.3)

Firstly, I see you've been busy on NBR. I'll ask that rather than continue discussion over there that you post a redirection to this area as shown here. To answer your questions: A. Does Setup 1.x support disabling dGPU for the newest ivy bridge/series 7 chipsets? I've read how series 5+ chipsets are locked? Yes. However, you need to install the patch available here to get Series-7 chipset support. B. Has anyone had success getting any type of eGPU to work in similar radeon dGPU + ivy bridge laptops? Yes. A 4530s user with a HD3000+HD6470M got it working. Only difference was a bios option to disable the dGPU. C. Would using an Nvidia card bypass the driver issue? Maybe. The AMD switchable graphics appears to use some custom iGPU driver. In which case using a NVidia card with Optimus may require you to revert to the stock Intel driver. D. Ultimately I am aiming for an internal LCD setup, would Nvidia Optimus perform better on an expresscard pcie x1 @ 2.0 vs AMD 6800 + lucid virtu? Can't speak for a HD6800 but a HD7870 mostly performed better than a GTX660. See details. Though it's not a fair comparison: a 106W TDP GTX660 vs a 175W HD7870 even though they are priced the same. The more costly 150W TDP GTX660Ti would narrow the gap. There's still the problem of getting a licensed version of LucidLogix Virtu to obtain internal LCD mode with a AMD card. Can try the hack I performed here. For internal LCD mode, the NVidia drivers are superior and come free.

I'd use the Clevo, should work fine on the MSI card, but that's up to you to decide. And yes, that's the guide with all the necessary information.

Grab the 80.04.33.00.10 Clevo vbios. Or the one here if you prefer an MSI vbios.

The graphic engine in the game is quite buggy, so no surprise there. Microstuttering, texture bugs, black screens, you name it. Nice game otherwise tho. Fucking consoles and console ports...

I got that RSS-SVL7 ticker tape ready to go. 5 bucks and it's yours!

Overvolted Clevo vbios versions added, check the second post. MSI will follow.

Howdy! Civil Engineer from eastern Washington.. owner of a Clevo 170HM.. Found this site when looking for ways to modify my laptop, and I am quite glad to see all the information available here, along with the pretty nice informative folks who are willing to help others.

Here, this should give you 1GHz default 3d clock, no more stupid boosting and a higher overclocking limit. Please let me know how it works, some screenshots would be nice. -- removed --

Hey all, brand new to the forum. Found you while troubleshooting my brand new m14x. Hope to be a good contributor and have posted the (as yet) unreleased m14 a10 bios update in another thread which fixes the nvidia issue. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2