TomJGX

Don't use 347.09.. Those drivers are a mess for OCing.. 344.75 is better..

Talon, I have a 970M in my M17x R4.. It's installed in Optimus mode and I have 0 throttling.. The issue seems to be in dedicated mode (NVIDIA GPU only) where throttling occurs... So in essence, if you are in Optimus mode in Alienware, you get 0 throttling.. I can OC too in Optimus mode so no complaints here... vBIOS has been great...

Ok the way I flashed and this is simple was 1. Download the mnvflash which svl7 has linked in the 1st post 2. Download the vBIOS for whatever card you have 3. Extract the files from the 2 folders onto your desktop 4. If you have an Alienware, make sure in your BIOS you have the "load legacy option ROM enabled" before doing anything 5. I was in Optimus mode and I disabled the 970M in device manager 6. I open command promot in Windows, navigated to the folder and ran mnvflash 7. See the link in Svl7's OP about using nvflash and use those commands.. Remember program is now mnvflash 8. Once flashing is done, restart, disable the legacy option and then renable your 970/980M in device manager Now my one concern is does this method work for those with 120Hz screens? Svl7 has a AW17 with 120Hz screen so can anyone confirm if this method works?

Nope using Precision X... Will try NVIDIA Inspector later..

This vBIOS is great! Stock clocks are now the boost ones and they run at 0.95V.. Stock 3D Mark 11: Intel Core i7 3940XM @4.2GHz and stock 970M(running on full boost): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3940XM,Alienware M17xR4 For Firestrike: Stock 970M (full boost ) + 3940XM @ 4.2GHz: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3940XM,Alienware M17xR4 Anyways, max stable OC I've done on 344.75 is +300 core and +600 memory (+300 on boost memory clock) with power target on 130% and 1.056V.. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3940XM,Alienware M17xR4 Will be doing more benching later today.. Need to ramp the voltage up a bit..

vBIOS flash has worked.. Time to OC.. Thanks Godfafa, you've been a great help.. Svl7, you kind of need to update the instructions.. It needs to be more clear with regards to the fact that you have to flash in windows and not DOS..

I would think you'd have to flash 1 card at a time. So disable 1st GPU in device manager, flash that GPU, reboot, enable it, disable 2nd one, flash 2nd GPU, reboot and enable.. I think someone like johnkss can clarify.. Ask over in NBR on the M18x forum thread and you'll get a faster answer on this.. Aw m18x R2 Dual 980m SLI upgrade!!

But yes, this in WIndows right? So do you just extract eveything to one folder, open command prompt with admin and navigate to folder where nvflash is and flash right? Am I 100% correct now?

So wait, you are basically flashing in Windows right? Yes? You are not booting into DOS etc.. You just go to windows explorer and click on mnvflash file and run it? Correct?

Ok Godfafa, I have made a bootable DOS stick and downloaded the mnvflash folder, extracted the files to the root of the USB stick. I have also put my vBIOS in the root. In the instructions for using nvflash, it says to boot into DOS and then type nvflash etc etc.. Since our nvflash version is called mnvflash, I typed that and it said can't run program in DOS.. I have been following instructions. What did u do that is different? I'm doing UEFI boot with the legacy ROM option enabled.. Do I have to use legacy boot to boot instead of UEFI to flash in DOS? That would cause 8 beeps I thought.. My 970M is also disabled in Windows as svl7 asked to.

Hi, Are we supposed to flash in Windows then? I thought you had to boot into DOS and then flash vBIOS from the instructions I've been reading?? Am I wrong?

Godfafa, see my last post.. I'm having some weird problem..

Hi anyone help me ASAP.. In BIOS, I enabled the "load legacy option ROM" setting and then booted into DOS.. I typed mnvflash -a but it's saying this program can't run in DOS.. Is this because I'm still in UEFI mode in essence? Do I have to physically set the BIOS to use legacy boot option? Thanks

Well here in Europe, they're shipping this week.. Also Godfafa, how this 980M running on your machine? Is it in Optimus mode? Also how did you flash vBIOS? Can you list your steps? I'm flashing today and currently, I'm in Optimus mode so I'm planning on disabling 970M, restarting, enable legacy mode, flash vBIOS, restart, disable legacy, go to windows and enable 970M.. It should work right?

Hey how did you get the Clevo P750ZM? It's not supposed to have shipped yet..

Godfakr is claiming he is getting throttling so I'm a bit worried about this.. more ppl with AW's need to flash this and confirm if working 100%..

I don't have unlocked BIOS.. I'm currently in Optimus mode so I should be booting from the Intel iGPU right? I will disable the 970M and enabled Legacy and flash.. Mikecacho who upgraded the R4 with the 980M is saying that this should be fine and he has done so... Am probing him more about this.. Also godfakr, what throttling is occuring in the R4? Could you be more clear about it? I've had 0 thorttling while Ocing the 970M in the R4...

Oh very sorry, I have an Alienware M17x R4 with 3940XM and GTX970M.. Apologies, I don't have my specs in signature.. Will add it in now..

That's a problem as 970M won't boot without full UEFI.. Is there no way to flash vBIOS in UEFI mode?

Svl7, I should have no problems flashing this on my Clevo 970M vBIOS version 84.04.22.00.11 right? I'm currently in Optimus mode so if I disable the 970M and follow the steps you said, I will be able to flash it right? Sorry if noob question, I have never flashed a NVIDIA GPU before

That's pretty normal... Nothing to be worried about... Mine idles at those temps too and this is with a 3940XM...

It's because of Dell's Secure Boot or something which prevents this.. You need to physically replace the BIOS chip to have an unlocked BIOS.

There is no unlocked bios for the 17x R5 or the AW 17 as it is called.

Return it and get them to send a replacement as a new laptop shouldn't have this issue.

Did u try flashing the vBIOS? Fixed your problems?