netzealot

You can see the eGPU is attached on port3 which is set to run at x1 2.0. It just happens that the NVidia eGPU is running at x1 1.0 while not being in use as a power saving measure. If you put the eGPU under load by opening up the NVidia Control Panel and select "Adjust Image settings with Preview" it will show a spinning NVidia logo. If you simultaneously observe the eGPU with GPU-Z, you'll see it change from x1 1.0 to x1 2.0 as it's under load. The "Opt" is the optimus functionality that we've already established is engaged because of your 3dmark06 score is 22k. As it so happens your 3dmark06 score is one of the highest scores I've seen for a dual-core CPU. GTX770 FTW!!

Cool! I feel a little stupid I just realized all the 3dmark scores are listing the GPU score... 6.9k on 2011 isn't bad for a dual-core and everything runs on max so far, can't complain and it was much easier than I anticipated. Gonna mess around with setup 1.x to fix the boot from eGPU DVI issue and this will be good to go.

Cant thank you enough for your help. Have a good one.

Mount the disk image (V: ) with c:\eGPU\eGPU-setup-mount in Windows. Screenshots are saved to v:\diag.

Sounds like the BIOS is getting stuck with the eGPU attached to the DVI port. One thing you could try is seeing if there's an expresscard slot=off option in the BIOS, then use Setup 1.x to enable the expresscard pci-e port. I have that option on my 2570P but the BIOS still doesn't disregard the eGPU on expresscard slot. It still halts bootup if the eGPU is detected on cold/warm boot. MY workaround is to set the PCI Reset Delay (SW1=3, 6.9s though is more like 15s on my PE4L 2.1b) to ensure the BIOS never sees the eGPU. In addition I have a special way of doign a reboot - I always poweroff the system and eGPU, poweron the eGPU then system and boot via Setup 1.x.

I should mention, a SWEX (the little switch that comes with a PE4L) has a cable that can be attached to auto-power off the eGPU when the system is powered off. I haven't tried it though.

Alright, thanks. As is I can get it working, so it's just a matter of convenience to not move the monitor cable. I will experiment a bit.

Here's a screenshot. I am not sure if I am understanding correctly, but would the eGPU=[...]@x1.1 signify only x1.1opt? If not, is there somewhere I can go that will tell that? Once again, thanks for all your help nando, you're a lifesaver!

Did you try cold starting the machine instead? My understanding is that the Lenovo X230 should have the eGPU powered on while booting. If still error 12 then can try removing the "PCI Expess Root Port" that your eGPU is attached to (or all if not sure) as well as the eGPU itself. Then restart Windows and let it pnp the devices again. If still get an error 12 then consider using Setup 1.x. Setup 1.x can be installed as either a grub2 (Linux bootloader) or bootmgr bootitem. Linux is in fact easier as it avoid the bootmgr->Setup1.x->bootmgr loop to boot Win7/8 instead having the grub2->Setup1.x->bootmgr path.

Okay. I've got Setup 1.3 going, and I'm to the point where I can restart with the eGPU plugged in and it shows up in device manager without errors. Here's the weird part though: if I restart (or cold boot) with the monitor plugged into the eGPU DVI, it'll stay black and sit there until I open the laptop and see it's hung up on the Lenovo boot splash on the internal monitor. If I plug the monitor into the laptop's DVI port, it boots up fine and I can move the monitor to the eGPU's DVI once Im in windows and it works. Is this something that can be solved with Setup 1.x?

I took a screencap in setup (not sure where the .bmp is saved now though)... maybe someone can tell me if I'm in 1.2 or not. I'm trying to understand all this as I go along, I really appreciate the help.

Did you try cold starting the machine instead? My understanding is that the Lenovo X230 should have the eGPU powered on while booting. If still error 12 then can try removing the "PCI Expess Root Port" that your eGPU is attached to (or all if not sure) as well as the eGPU itself. Then restart Windows and let it pnp the devices again. If still get an error 12 then consider using Setup 1.x. Setup 1.x can be installed as either a grub2 (Linux bootloader) or bootmgr bootitem. Linux is in fact easier as it avoid the bootmgr->Setup1.x->bootmgr loop to boot Win7/8 instead having the grub2->Setup1.x->bootmgr path.

Cool, I will just cut to the chase and use setup 1.x (sent you a payment).

You have a x1 2.0 link. To confirm the pci-e compression is working, run 3dmark06. If the score is > 12k then it's engaging. If it's < 10k then you are running x1 2.0 without pci-e compression. pci-e compression requires the Intel HD iGPU to be present and the primary video device. Usual culprit for disabling pci-e compression is the system bios - upon detecting an eGPU, some system's bios will disable the iGPU and use the eGPU for primary graphics. The solution is usual to hotplug after boot by halting Win7/8 loading with F8/F12 so the bios doesn't get a sniff at the eGPU, or use the PCI Reset Delay switch SW1=3 and cold boot the system when using the eGPU.

Thanks for taking the time to respond with an in-depth explanation. I ran 3dmark06 and got 22947... results are here: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3520M,LENOVO 2306CTO I think this would suggest some compression is happening.

Here is an issue that I just ran across that might be telling. When I first plugged in the expresscard I got the GTX770 in device manager with a yellow marker, installed the nVidia drivers, reboot (with the laptop lid closed, expresscard plugged in, and laptop powering external monitor directly)... the laptop reboots fine with the expresscard pushed in, and once in windows the GTX770 had no yellow marker so I swapped the monitor cable to the 770 and it came up just fine (I have been running benchmarks this way since then).

However, just now I had to restart and the system hung at the Lenovo boot screen. I had to remove the expresscard and hard cycle it to get it to boot. Now I am getting error 12 on the GTX770, but when I close the lid, reinstall the drivers via external monitor and reboot, it works like it did the first time again (no yellow marker) and I am able to switch the monitor back to the GTX770.

Put more simply... after a fresh driver install+restart w/ laptop closed and directly attached ext. monitor it will boot with the expresscard plugged in and allows me to switch the monitor to the 770 once I'm in Windows with no issues. If I reboot while already on the 770, the system hangs at boot screen, and if I hotplug it in Windows I get error 12. Any idea what this implies? Thanks again for the help...

Edit:Sent you a payment for Setup 1.x, but I'm running a dual-boot Win8.1/Ubuntu 13.10 and I'm wondering how that'll effect the installation. Any thoughts?

So, I'm wondering how everyone is able to tell whether they are running at x1.2opt... I have a Lenovo x230 running Win 8.1, [email protected], 8Gb memory, Intel HD4000 integrated graphics, and an EVGA GTX 770 Superclocked. Now, everything is running great (plugged it in, installed drivers, and it works!) however I'm a little disappointed by the performance considering a lot of weaker setups have posted better scores... I am suspecting it has something to do with the Optimus compression but I'm not sure how I can verify that it's working correctly.

Here is my 3dmark 2011 score and GPU Z. When the GPU is under load, CPU-Z reports it as changing to PCI-E 2.0 x16 @ x1 2.0 (is that right?) Nothing tells me whether x1.2opt compression is happening.