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Hi all, This is just to report the success of installing a gtx 1060 on my M17X R4. Mine is the 3D version and as far as I'm aware, you need a screen in eDP mode (120Hz 3D model) for it to work (confirmed) on top of UEFI support to boot up. See here for the gtx 980m install which is the same for this card, but the 980m works on 2D models too: https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/8103-installed-980m-in-m17x-r4120hz-3d/ HDMI in and out works but it does raise the question if the gtx 1060 will work on the 2D model via HDMI out. It should do as it's the eDP connector for the laptop screen is the issue here. Also 3D mode will no longer work (like anyone cares about 3D anymore ). The cards above the 8xxm series have no 3D support. Prerequisites A 120Hz screen is needed to pascal GPUS as only the 120hz connector in the laptop supports eDP mode. Keep your current card, in case you try modding your Bios or something like that, if settings become reset, UEFI is usually off by default. That means in this situation the GTX 1060 won't work without changing the Bios settings. Install your old card as it supports non-UEFI and UEFI modes. UEFI mode: This is must for the reason above. Windows needs to be installed on a GPT partition to use this feature. As this laptop origianlly came with windows 7, GPT and UEFI originally was not used. However Bios updates and windows 8+ could use it so UEFI was enabled. Install a fresh copy of windows on a GPT partition. The windows installation menu can help you with that. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/dn336946.aspx Bios settings: In the boot options, set to UEFI mode, disable fastboot and legacy options. This ensures that your old card and the Pascal card both work when you swap them out. Installation It seems the laptop just about supports it. One Major thing to be aware of is the installation. For at least the MSI model of the GTX 1060, you need to use very thin heat pads as the core only just makes contact with the heat sink otherwise. I have found that on the core side are some new resistor blocks (Labelled R.22) that weren't in my old GTX 680m and thankfully they are the exact height of the core, so it isn't impossible to mount the heat sink. It's a very fine mark but provided you use thin pads (stock GTX 6xxm cards have nice thin ones) and a tightly screwed X bracket, you can get good cooling performance. The top R.22 blocks also do not need thermal pads (may benefit from thermal paste though) as you need as little height as possible. I'm aware of two types of heatsink used in the m17x r4. Both will work but there is a protrusion (in red) that can prevent proper contact with the core. If on a copper cornered heatsink (second image), you may not have to file this bit down. If you seriously have no tools to do this, you can very carefully bend this section VERY slightly to provide a little more clearance. To ensure good contact with other components in this case, use thicker pads or more paste on this section. (Top) Taken by Zoldago (Bottom) Taken by Decool Drivers Drivers are fine, just go to laptopvideo2go and get the latest drivers with the modded .inf files. Remember to use DDU before installing . Simple guide for drivers:) - uninstall any graphics drivers, including ones automatically downloaded by windows (disable windows update if need be). Using DDU ensure every trace is wiped clean to avoid any problems - Disable driver signature enforcement (Shift + restart button in the start menu -> troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Startup settings) OR f8 at boot screen (windows 7) - Run official installer, quit once the driver files are extracted. - Place the modded .inf file into "display.driver" of the extracted files - run "setup.exe" from extracted folder. Done! Bios + screen Generally, a modded bios is not needed as all necessary options are already available. Some scenarios may need a display type change or the iGPU cannot be disabled the usual way. To convert from a 60hz to a 120hz screen, you need to ensure that when booting up on the 60hz screen to disable the iGPU (FN+ F7) (Check BIOS settings to ensure it stays off). Once in dGpu only mode, you can go ahead and install the 120hz screen. 120hz screens do not support optimus as the iGPU is incompatible. Performance wise it's pretty close to a desktop 1060, hitting a score of ~3600 in time spy and ~12,000 graphics score in Firestrike (desktop scored ~14,000). Temps settle at 75C as the card is limited to ~80W (so very limited OC for now ). First Screenshot below used the stock paste that came with the card. Highly recommend a different paste such as mx-4 paste which I used (second screenshot). I doubt it will work on a M17X r3 due to the lack of UEFI support. Fan control and monitoring I use MSI afterburner for monitoring temps. You can also use HWinfo to control the fans, seeing as the 1060 is an 80W GPU compared to the 100W that the laptop is capable of cooling. If you're interested in lowering the fan speed for the sake of noise, use HWinfo. I'm aware that a system lock up can occur when using the fan control feature. However, so far I may have a solution. - Remove the main battery. A fix for many users and easy to implement - Alternatively use the settings provided in my screenshot. I know that the ACPI features are likely to be the main cause of lockups, but to be sure copy my settings and only monitor the sensors needed for fan control (e.g. CPU package temp and GPU temp). the author of this program is aware that the battery monitoring is the cause for lock ups (which uses the ACPI in windows) Remember that you can only control both fans at the same time! Be sure to stress your CPU with a program prime95 to ensure your CPU does not overheat with your new fan settings. Also use both fan tables, one for the CPU and the other for the GPU so the fans spin up under loads from either. A final note. I would set a re-spin period on the fan control menu to reduce fan pulse. I found 2-3 seconds ideal. In my machine at least, the BIOS sets the fan speeds higher than needed before settling down to their target speed. E.g. at 4000 rpm, the fans spin up to 4600 rpm and in around 10 seconds slow down to 4000. Below is my preferences, although you may not want to run components quite as hot. Under max load, the CPU hits 90c and GPU 78c. Good luck and enjoy!

Dang. Let me look into this. I think a friend of mine has the same laptop, let me see if I can figure things out on his system. Will update you later this weekend.

GeForce Hot Fix driver version 376.48 • Workaround to fix incorrect Folding@Home work units • Random flashes in Just Cause 3 • Some issues that could lead to Battlefield 1 crashing • SLI texture flickering in Battlefield 1 • Corruption in Wargame: Red Dragon game *Install drivers at your own risk* Windows 10 + GeForce Drivers are Killing Samsung and LG Notebook LCD Display Panels Uninstall PrecisionX, including screen overclocking tools. Instead, keep MSI Afterburner's RTSS for monitoring purposes. Requirements: Flash latest @Prema's v2 980M & 970M (Please consider donating to Prema) Win10/8.1 'F8' Boot options 'Safe Mode' & 'Disable driver Signing' cmd (Admin) bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy -> reboot -> F8 -> select 'Disable Driver Signature Enforcement' -> Install drivers Run DDU "Clean & Shutdown (Safe Mode) Extract driver using 7-Zip Display.Driver folder, copy/overwrite the proper .inf file(s). Extracted driver package >> delete the folders as shown below (don't skip this step) -> run setup.exe >>> Keep these folders only <<< INF MOD v376.48 nv_dispi.inf (including nvdmi.inf) PEG/Dedicated All Models: M15x, M17x, AW17 R1, M18x, AW18 R1 (including Optimus/M17xR4) excluding AW 2015 - GTX 980 , 980M , 970M , 965M , 880M , 870M , 860M , 780M , 770M , 765M , 680M , 675MX , 670MX , 660M nvcvi.inf: Optimus Alienware 17 / 05AA (only) GTX 980M - 970M - 965M GeForce 376.48 Win 7/8.1 GeForce 376.48 Win10 Alienware nv_dispi.inf_v376.48_Win7_8.1_PEG_Dedicated_Alienware.zip nvcvi.inf_v376.48_Win7_8.1_Optimus_Alienware_17.zip nv_dispi.inf_v376.48_Win10_PEG_Dedicated_Alienware.zip nvcvi.inf_v376.48_Win10_Optimus_Alienware_17.zip Clevo Laptops (non-Optimus) nv_dispi.inf_v376.48_Win7_8.1_PEG_Dedicated_CLEVO.zip nv_dispi.inf_v376.48_Win10_PEG_Dedicated_CLEVO.zip AW 900M Throttling workarounds: M18xR2 First, flash @Swick1981 [Bios Mod] M18xR2 - Legacy Support now Available M18xR2 980M workaround Hibernation method HERE and HERE Please use the SEARCH function to see if your question has been answered/posted already. https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/announcement/4-user-account-promotion-rules-read-before-posting/

@J95 can you please mod: http://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4288 ? Includes several fixes for Battlefield 1 and other games!

Yeah very bad, But seems like the Quadro is also affected lel. Nvidia really worst at delivering the drivers nowadays it's more of a 99% miss.

Wanted to move to a stable driver newer one, from 369.05 I moved to 373.06 and I get Black screen boot and then machine reboots all over and then it boots successfully says PC ran into a prob checking the dmp file shows the nvlddmkm.sys / ntsokrnl (wmiacpi - this one is new one i noticed after 4th time of failure never saw it again tho), which error happened . Anyone with AW17 R1 could replicate this ? Running SVL7 vBIOS. Edit : Tried Prema v2 vBIOS, same issue, tried the driver 375.63 same issue with both vBIOSed. Tried disabling the Win8.1 fastboot no change, always happens when I shut the system down and start, with restart doesn't happen, A huge PITA T__T. Win8.1 something is happening with the new drivers...!! Edit2 : Weirdly after disabling the hiberfile using powercfg.exe -h off it boots (the reboot causing the system to boot everytime after that shutdown is because of the messed up hiberfil, wow ngreedia & I disabled the fast boot in BIOS it doesnt but the admin cmd does disable the fast booting properly wtf ? ) Keeping that aside, So what's the issue with the Hiberfile.sys on these new drivers ? They don't allow what ? Dafuq Nvidia shenanigans did omg !! Trying the notebook drivers this time.. EDIT 3 - Posted at Nvidia forums.