AssimilatorX

Hi,

Thanks for All,

I did My Alienware Main board BIOS recovery , I just Follow the this Link BIOS Recovery in case you brick your M17x R3

But I need to modified some STEP Like this:-

Download the BIOS you wish to restore to, in my case Support | Dell US file name is AW17A11.exe

Download the BIOS editor application Phoenixtool256.zip v2.56 from - https://www.sendspace.com/file/vebtct or Download Phoenixtool256.zip

Use double click the bios EXE file (ie AW17A11.exe) to extract the BIOS exe to get the *.fd file in C:\Users\yourUSERname\AppData\Local\Temp\xxxxx.tmp and load it into the previous application(Phoenixtool256). It will tell you what the recovery file name needs to be. (Don't use Winrar to extract this BIOS exe You will never get *.fd file)

Original Bios filename was VAS00A11.fd

In my case, the A11 recovery filename was VAS00X64.fd

Copy the file to a usb stick formatted FAT/FAT32 (I use 512 MB old USB STICK FAT32)

Unplug the battery from your Alienware

Plug USB stick into any USB port (because there is no eSATA port)

Hold the "END" key on the internal keyboard and while holding plug in the Power cable. The fans will kick up and it will start reading the file and initiate the reflash.

In My case There was NO beep But Alienware Main BIOS was flashing I have waited around 5 Minutes then Machine Automatically shut off and reboot about 1 time.

So Crisis recovery Process was Succesfully DONE for Main bios.

BUT STILL my GTX880m is DEAD with BAD flash ie NO BEEP NO POST NO Display.

I just Wonder During Crisis Recovery System is using ALL USB PORT ie ALL USB having POWER.

For That I try to use BLIND FLASH but Still NO LUCK (In Autoexec BAT file i have use nvflash -6 BIOS.ROM) where BIOS.rom is my STOCK vbios file name.

Now I am looking for Another option to recover my GTX880m VBIOS:culpability:.

Thanks

Even it did not helped, it was worth to try.

You could try a different approach, as (disconnect the internal 120hz panel, than hook it onto a vga monitor ) the bios should enable the intel IGP than.

Hi,

Today I have remove the GTX880m Card from My Alienware and Power ON the Button but I couldn't hear any beep sound for graphics card Removal Code.

So I have doubt whether my GTX Vbios is Corrupted or my Main Alienware BIOS having problem ?

Any Crisis Recovery for New Alienware 17 BIOS ?

Any body Know the link for New Alienware 17 BIOS recovery procedure ?

Thanks in advance.

I dont have the new Alienware 17, hate the design LOL. Only alienware M17X-R2 but it was quick to find solution for ya!

Please read here: as the R3 using the same brand bios "Insyde"

BIOS Recovery in case you brick your M17x R3

and here:

Alienware Systems: My computer shows no image, is beeping or the indicator lights are blinking (No POST / Codes Table) | Dell US

I did a few insyde recovery myself its ez....

Hi,

I don't think so Without POST ie if VBIOS get Corrupted , How will you find the Whether Vbios having Original or Modified bios On board ?

Just one question Can I replace VBIOS V-Bios Chip 256k With Follwoing ebay SITE.

MSI NVIDIA GTX880M 880M Replacement Vbios V BIOS Chip 256K for Video Card | eBay

In above link They are showing VBIOS location in GTX880m CARD with circle , is this correct ?

Shall I replace my V-Bios-Chip with that One ?

Thanks

You can if is the same what you need e.g. a dell vbios. Also you need to have decent soldering equipment and soldering skill hence that is a QFN packaged flash ic ( good preheater and heatgun, or better yet, irda soldering station)

Yeah I know that some are like that, I was just offering an alternative to trying to solder the card. Even for me, soldering would be a last resort after I tried literally everything else. I know that sometimes that is necessary in the end but I also wanted to emphasize not reporting anything to Dell. All it takes is for them to send out a tech with a brain and the entire system is void, not just the graphics card. Here in CO, they have some contracts with techs that actually are quite good.

Aye!

Its worth to try, however if you have a few 1000 worth laptop and someone contact you with a question: "Can i test my bad flashed GPU in your laptop" ?? would you let anyone to test a (faulty not working) card in it? Plus take the heat-sink off from yours, because the one on the intended test card aren't compatible with your laptop. My answer would be NO. Even the solution would work or looks so simple, not many ppl would allow such a risky operation a high value laptop.

The other option is to find someone who has a system with onboard graphics and stick the card in there, have them boot from onboard, then flash the card with stock. If it finished successfully, its quite unlikely that it's bricked, it just needs to be reflashed with the stock image in a system that has onboard. I flashed a bad vbios to my cards in my Clevo and had to stick one in my old M17xR1 and boot off the integrated and flash the card then put that back in my Sager and flash the other.

120hz display means no onboard graphics. I wouldn't call Dell, they will void the entire system warranty if they find out. If that card is alive and the tech sticks it in a machine and sees the modified bios, you are screwed.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

I also a laptop repair tech. By experience i know some systems will also not post, if a damaged flash chip present on any of the GPU's. Dell tech's usually not that brainy, sorry no offense meant anyone. However, they will mess around anyway and being a typical PITA. If you near Ashford,UK i can offer assistance.

Hi ,

I have Alienware 17 with GTX 880m 8 GDDR 5 (17.3 inch (439.42 mm) 120Hz WLED FHD (1920 x 1080) TrueLife 400 Nit Display w/3D Bundle)

Recently I have Flash the Modified OC Vbios for GTX 880m 8GB GDDR 5 , Flashing was Successful but after that I got BLANK screen ie NO POST.

So after reboot NO beep NO POST just Blank Black screen. I think my GTX880m did not flash properly so NO POST at all.

I have disconnect the battery , Disconnect CMOS battery But still No LUCK. My Alienware Keyboard is lighting up but No boot at all. Even No Blind FLASH is working.

Any help from any Body ?

Svl7 and Johnksss any help for that.

Still my new Alienware is in Warrenty .

Or May be my Main Alienware BIOS corrupted . Is the any Crisis recovery for New Alienware 17 UEFI BIOS recovery ?

Thanks in advance

Your only option is "Soldering" at the moment . You or someone will have to remove the SPI flash and reprogram it with your backup, and solder it back onto the board. Unless you want to involve dell to replace the card for you. They will ask to take a walk-through of their idiotic troubleshooting then there will be questions and more tests, and more questions. Like what happened and when. If you lucky the tech will not find out what you did. If he do your warranty will be void. I had to do soldering on my GPU's a few times in the past after failed flash, easy if you got all tools.

Wait, so do we have to flash in a different way if we have UEFI?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-T989

No you don't. the current vbios is designed for legacy bios and UEFI operation, when is powered try to load the uefi first than switch to legacy mode.

I just did it for myself, because i don't need the uefi wrapper try to boot every time, stall the boot process with a few seconds.

My card were working flawlessly out of box...

Not sure what you exactly mean.... what's the problem with HWiNFO and fan control?

When i install hwinfo and set to control the fans:

My cpu fan is much quieter but temps getting higher than before.As for the gpu it completely messig it up. GPU overheating and the game or 3d test crashes, windows is still running thought. Since hwinfo not running the gpu fan at idle, a bit more faster than before when i had the AMD 5870M setup.

As for gpu fan is barely spinning at idle, but when gaming is responding to temp as it should be. Could be because the vbios is somewhat different or newer than some ppl have.

I only edited the vbios so is not having the UEFI code, because R2 is not UEFI And i overlock it with nvispector to 850/1100 still stable not not throttling, even with the standard R2 GPU heatsink. my temp not even stays 69-75c i think is good after (9hours) of gaming session with assassins creed v

I may just lucky because my setup is working as it should be.

If you need my vbios i already posted it.

Hello,

Need some info if someone can help,

Just upgraded my R2 Dual AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5870 to one lovely GTX 680M card.

Its running SMOOT and a real "plug in heater" 89c after 8hours of gaming, no artifacts or slowdowns. Its really stable...

I think is a bit hot compared to the Radeon cards they not usually went over 65/70c, Just in case i ordered a left side M18X GPU heatsink and try to modify it to fit the R2 chassis. I will take pictures when is arrive. The interesting part is that i dont have to use hwinfo to control the fan is seems working. it looks hwinfo causing more problem and heat than without it.

The card is a DELL Card (020HTK) with vbios 80.04.5B.00.02. I used someone else inf file and is recon is a MX card but actually is not.

Anyone have experience with this?

DELL_020HTK_GTX680M_80.04.5B00.02.zip

Sorry for late reply i was busy.

The vbios is the standard AMD vbios 015.022 and now with catalyst 14.4 I was the one who installed the card into his laptop. The card was not working in my M17X-R2 so we tried with his clevo . The process was some sort of trial and error approach. I de-soldered the flash chip programmed it put it back and try.... until it was worked. for me having a bad flash not a problem usually i have multiple SPI flash chips laying around.

Great news about the card @AssimilatorX Pity about the vBIOS incompatibility though.

Did you try the ES vBIOS I posted earlier? It's a 015.013 version running 750/1100 clocks but that can be changed easily if the card works with it.

Unfortunately it didn't worked it made the card give blinking error msg on the [scroll caps num] leds . My card was fitted with Samsung K4G20325FD modules The ES Vbios only supports the Elpida ED2032BBBG and Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR memory modules no auto detection. The dell 015.022 vbios supports all 3, Hynix Elpida Samsung modules plus autodetection. However the card booting fine in my friends M17x R3 tested for few hours gaming and fury cube its NFF . He got nvidia 480M but thinking on upgrade to radeon i may let him have it.... and hope his gf not kill me. LOL

Update:

All stuff arrived to install the card Unfortunately my R2 wont recognize the 7970M

She gives me no GPU beeps when the 015.022 vbios flashed, and no display at all when 015.017 vbios used. Only no GPU error blinking (caps+ scroll + steady num lock) Officially GPU preventing the system to complete post.

And now the exciting part are: when i flash back the 015.022 vbios and have the card in my friends m17x-r3 it post and installs. we played games for half a day no freezing or artifacts.

Conclusion: The card rev A00 with vbios 015.022 DOES NOT WORK in the R2 nor the 015.17 vbios.

Odd part being that while BIOS almost never detects two RAM's, but mostly CPUID shows all the ram. When CPUID doesnt show correct amount of ram is when i try to start it to soon after windows start.

But it does vary between showing it as dual or single channel memory. Mostly dual but not always.

It is the same either i use the original 2*2 or my newer 2*4.

Will eventually try to swap to the original CPU to see if problem disappears.

I know by personal experience that some of the modules not compatible ... I had to try two different 16GB sett to get it working with my 920XM QS cpu Corsair works but bios shows 0GB LOL I recon it could be your cpu.

It looks that you have bigger problem than a vbios conflict. Maybe your CPU acting up , as memory controller are built into the cpu on the i7 for higher access speed same as the pci-e 16 for video cards.

With a single 7970M you wont have to downclock or undervolt at all. Although at stock clocks you may want to undervolt as the card runs cooler.

Fans don't work on auto for Dell 7970M cards in our machines although AlienHack was able to get his fans on auto, Display Port, HDMi video and audio working on his Dell card by using the vBIOS that came with his 7970M ES version. I've attached it if you want to give it a try. You're fortunate in that you're able to program the vBIOS chip directly if it ends up being incompatible.

Disclaimer: This vBIOS file is intended for AssimilatorX as he is able to program his vBIOS chip if this vBIOS bricks his card. DO NOT DOWNLOAD AND FLASH this vBIOS if you are not prepared to deal with the consequences of it potentially bricking your card. Flash at your own risk.

Will let you know ho it goes. Damn bracket hasn't arrived yet. I not in the mood to chopping up my 5870M bracket.

I using one of these flashers, if anyone interested works on win 7 x64 even on server 2008 r2.

High Speed USB Professional Programmer EEPROM FLASH ISP SP8-A 40 Pins 24 25 93 | eBay

That's brilliant news man

Please let me know how it goes, I'm quite interested to see if there's a particular vBIOS that works with 015.022 cards on our machines. It might make it easier for R2 users to purchase 7970M's without worrying whether it'll work or not.

Will do as soon i get the bracket for it. Hope i could use the card without modification.... down clocking or under-volting it.

Would be also nice if the fan work normal without hwinfo... i dualbooting with linux mint.

The RGB LCD incompatibility is only applicable to CLEVO 7970M's. Dell 7970M's when used with our machines don't have this problem. From what I understand other vBIOS's for the CLEVO cards do not detect our RGB displays correctly and treat them as a 3D display which over time damages it. This is just a theory though, don't worry about it since you are safe with the Dell card.

Use SVL7's vBIOS mod pack as most users are using it with the DELL cards. Is there any particular reason you want to use a modded vBIOS? The reason I ask is I see your vBIOS version is 015.022 and cards shipped with that version usually are incompatible with R2's and will not provide display after installation. Downflashing the card may also lead to bricking the card.

Thanks Nospheratu,

I already down flashed the cards Flash chip with a SPI programmer. I am not worried about bricking the card, i experienced with bios repairs myself. If i did a bad flash just repaired with a "direct approach" Sometimes i needed to desolder the chip sometimes i dont. In this case it was working with the clip... Thanks for the help.

See my reply to your other post here.

Are you saying the card is currently flashed with a bad vBIOS ie. its currently bricked? I don't mean to burst your bubble but that doesn't sound good especially since the original VBIOS is version 015.022.

The M18x heatsink will not fit, its too large.

Yes it was bricked when i got it... I can flash the Pm25lv010 SPI chip directly and is already done with an SP8A flasher I've flashed to 015.017.000.001.042717.

Can i flash this to a dell card with ver A00 Original vbios is 015.022.000.001.000000 only asking because i don't want to get my LCD panel dead within weeks. However i don't see the relation why the heck a GPU would killing LCD panels. Just rather not install the card then if i going to end up with a dead LCD... Any experience with this would be helpful.

Thanks

Got my 7970M picked it up from ebay from pau1ow, the card has been flashed with a bad vbios... Not installed yet still waiting for the x-bracket from HK. Anyone any advice ? I know i know "use search" thanks there are "only" 154 pages just in this topic... Can you read all in one go? Most of the knowledge i covered, vbios versions and fan issues. Planning to install it in my lovely M17X-R2 replacing the cfx 5870M s

The original vbios was dell 015.022.000.001.000000 can i use that?

Thanks,

PS, Anyone know if the m18x left GPU heatsink could be fitted with the card into the R2 chassis

DP doesn't work for me, only HDMI and VGA...

So be it.. I just don't need to use it than. LOL It may works with 13.8b this driver looks very solid.

Thanks StamatisX

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking here but I'll give it a shot...

If you want a 7970M that you can just plug in and use without fiddling that would be the Clevo 7970M, providing you do not require HDMi. HDMi video has been confirmed to work with the newer drivers but HDMi audio does not. The Dell card does give you full HDMi functionality with audio and video but it does not have automatic fans. You would have to use HWinfo to set up an automatic fan profile and make sure it loads when logging in to Windows.

With regards to the 6990M, if after flashing it back to the original vBIOS and performing a clean install of AMD Catalysts you are still receiving screen artifacts I would probably think its a problem on the hardware level. Make sure the card is installed properly with proper heatsink and thermal pad installation to rule out any possible VRM/GPU/vRAM overheating issues.

If that does not work, the card may have been damaged if you removed it and re-installed it after the Clevo vBIOS flash. As a last resort, and if you feel you have nothing to loose, I would suggest baking the card but only if you feel you have exhausted all other options.

I see from your signature that you are triple booting. Is the 6990M exhibiting the same problem in all OS's?

That's just exactly helps. Thanks.

I don't care to lose HDMI, as i never used it. using DP instead.

HWinfo is not an option for me, as i running on Server 2008-R2 and don't want to disable driver signature. and is not safe for me to control hw, by a software from os level.

My 6990M was dead until yesterday, when the replacement memory chips and a GPU arrived, after few hour balling ,and bga rework, IS ALIVE. Probably it was already damaged when i got it. And my friend bought it from me for his m15x.

My main OS is a server 2008-R2 and running a few others on vmware workstation. Not triple booting. Have mac, linux, another two srv2k8-r2 on vmw, and a 32bit win 7 and a win xp for different purposes and mobile repairing for samsung htc sony lg etc etc. That's why i asked for help, because i need a solid card without problems and without the possibility that makes my system intermittently crashing.

Thank you again, i'll go with a clevo card then.

Iam just looking for one 7970M card to replace the dual CFX-5870M don't want to buy nvidia and lately had enough trouble with the amd drivers.

And because i had a "few" personal problems in my life , i not really interested to play around with compatibility, and driver issues. @least not for a while.

If someone have experience with clevo or dell card, could shed some light on the issue? I have tried a dell 6990M and it was not working, so i flashed with a clevo vbios and went dead. Now is just messing on the screen even with its original vbios, even i am an expert repair tech but cannot do anything with it to get it working again.

Thanks

Would be better to have new drivers instead of the almost 3 years old ones...i running on server 2008 R2 and have to hunt for my drivers to get them working...

Sent from my C6603

I know this tread is old. I Just had a similar experiment with a Broadcom HD decoder from dell. (It did not worked in the Bluetooth's socket) But it did recognized and installed, in the half mini pci-e wireless card's socket. I not using the bluetooth and i have the socket empty because currently using a Dell Wireless + BT combo (Broadcom BCM94313HMGB) But is really interesting that any wireless card i stick there is working even a crappy ralink usb ones. and the mini pci-e diagnostic cards too.