hansmuster

nando: How do dynamic tolud laptops like t420 with latest bios do with dual gpu cards like gtx 590 or radeon 5970? Do such cards work with tolud or are they still problematic / is tolud not able to generate those 2x256mb space?

Hi, can someone please help me out with my eGPU setup??

I have a T420, Intel 3000HD + Nvidia NVS 4200m setup. I'm running Windows 8, i7, and 8gb ram. I have the PE4L 2.1 and a GTX 560Ti, Corsair CX430 power supply. For some reason my PE4L didn't come shipped with an ATX power supply so I'm using the paper clip trick to turn on the PSU. I have my SW1 set at 2-3 and SW2 set at 2-3 (although I've read that SW1 should be set to 1, my computer can't detect the eGPU when it's set at 1; I do get both LED's on the PE4L though in either case). I've been desperately trying to setup a x1.2Opt setup, but I've been getting blue screens all over the place...

The most common error I've been getting is that when I plug in my eGPU, my USB ports and Wi-Fi card become disabled. These issues become fixed when I hard reboot the computer, so afterward I tried installing the latest Nvidia driver (the Verde version with nvram file modified), yet when I try to open the Nvidia Control Panel, I get an error message saying "Nvidia Display Settings Not Available: you are not currently using a display attached to an Nvidia GPU." Also on my Device Manager, my NVS 4200m is still listed, although it shouldn't be...What is the easiest way to setup the eGPU on a T420? Do you think I need to purchase the Setup 1.1x in order to correctly set the computer up, or do a DSDT override (how do you do this for windows 8??) Thank you so much!

Hi,

T420 here too but without nvidia.

Update to the latest bios. Don't do DSDT override on t420. It will bluescreen your windows! Latest bios got dynamic tolud. Maybe problem is along with your internal card it can't reserve enough.

Power on the egpu before pluging it in _and_ before you start the t420. Then power on t420 and let it boot. You might have to wait for a few seconds after windows has bootet. Sometimes windows disables both HD3000 and Radeon for me because of error 22 (probably both fighting for memory blocks) to enable them 20secs later just fine.

You might also need to / be able to disable your nvidia card in the bios.

Damn then it probably won't be fixed anytime soon. Well doesnt matter so much for me since all im interested in is OpenCL which works flawlessly. Just the bandwith is a very limiting factor. nando: With your lucid virtu overlay patch is the trial mode disabled overall with it so that i can specify custom apps in the management panel that should be handled via virtu or is this still greyed out? Thanks

I've installed the latest official amd drivers Catalist 12.10. Never tried to boot without external monitor, I think it doesn't work at all if you don't have an nvidia card and optimus technology implemented......

Hi Guys! Just want to thank every member of this forum, a special thank to Nando. Finally i get my egpu project working. This is my configuration: Dell studio xps 1340 p9600 dual core 2.66 8 gb ram 500 gb hd (7200 Rpm) i- gpu hybrid power technology nvidia 9400m working with g210m. e- gpu sapphire hd 7770 connected via pe4h 2.4. Everything works just plugging in the express card before start up. My previous 3d mark 06 score with i-gpu was about p4839. Here my current benchmarks 3d mark 06 p12235 AMD Radeon HD 7770 video card benchmark result - Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P9600,Dell Inc. 0Y525R score: 12235 3DMarks 3d mark vantage p8679 AMD Radeon HD 7770 video card benchmark result - Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P9600,Dell Inc. 0Y525R score: P8679 3DMarks 3d mark 11 p2811 AMD Radeon HD 7770 video card benchmark result - Intel Core 2 Duo Processor P9600,Dell Inc. 0Y525R score: P2811 3DMarks Now i can play fluently Mass Effect 2 and the Witcher 2 Thank you again!!!!!!

Hello everybody,

first thanks to everyone for the wonderful project and work that went into this. nando you are the man!

I have the following setup and problem:

Hardware:

Lenovo T420 with i7 2640M / HD3000 / 8 GB

AMD Radeon HD7870 XT (Tahiti LE chip from 79 series not 78 pitcarn - basically a 7930)

PE4L 2.1b via Expresscard PCIe 2.0 x1

Software:

Thinkpad latest bios with dynamic tolud

Windows 7 Ultimate 64

Latest Radeon 12.11 Beta 11

Latest Intel

Problem:

The card works without issues. If there is an external monitor connected 3dmark, OpenCL scores are as high as they got unless its a bandwith limiting benchmark. The exernal monitor also has to be primary display.

If i boot without an external monitor / internal HD3000 drive display as primary the no so funny stuff begins:

DWM.exe instantly crashes

Description

Faulting Application Path: C:\Windows\System32\dwm.exe

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: BEX64

Application Name: Dwm.exe

Application Version: 6.1.7600.16385

Application Timestamp: 4a5bc541

Fault Module Name: atiuxp64.dll

Fault Module Version: 8.14.1.6290

Fault Module Timestamp: 50997922

Exception Offset: 000000000000ffb5

Exception Code: c0000417

Exception Data: 0000000000000000

OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1

Locale ID: 1031

Additional Information 1: 4c98

Additional Information 2: 4c986f1afca156bb44beaea3a8be6c0d

Additional Information 3: 48d9

Additional Information 4: 48d9de7e50286b1747df3c693c2b246f

The same thing happens to any directx/opengl app but most of the time with simple stackfaults like:

Description

Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Kishonti Informatics\CLBenchmark 1.1.2 Desktop Community Edition\CLBenchmarkDesktopCommunity.exe

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH

Application Name: CLBenchmarkDesktopCommunity.exe

Application Version: 0.0.0.0

Application Timestamp: 507d3dbc

Fault Module Name: StackHash_0a9e

Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0

Fault Module Timestamp: 00000000

Exception Code: c0000005

Exception Offset: 00000000

OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1

Locale ID: 1031

Additional Information 1: 0a9e

Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

Additional Information 3: 0a9e

Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

Description

Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Problem signature

Problem Event Name: BEX

Application Name: iexplore.exe

Application Version: 9.0.8112.16457

Application Timestamp: 50a2f9e3

Fault Module Name: atiuxpag.dll

Fault Module Version: 8.14.1.6290

Fault Module Timestamp: 50baff19

Exception Offset: 0000d73f

Exception Code: c0000417

Exception Data: 00000000

OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1

Locale ID: 1031

Additional Information 1: 4a2d

Additional Information 2: 4a2d6864df2f476e5b19e40b06c0bd1f

Additional Information 3: 9bf2

Additional Information 4: 9bf2352c6d4a5fbabd1481f3627f78c2

This seems connected to ATIs Powerxpress DLLs which provide switchable optimus like technology to AMD platforms. If there is no screen connected to the radeon / not set primary it seems to still try to use the card for offload calculation and then write either in that memory region or of that of the hd3000 for rendering and stackfaults.

If i uninstall (not delete the driver) the card in system settings and reboot it fixes part of the problem. The card gets detected on startup, driver installed. However since the directx/opengl etc powerxpress etc dlls will not be hooked into the system until a restart everything is fine. I just cannot use opengl/directx whatever over the card. I can however use OpenCL etc (which my primary reason for the egpu radeon but its still annoying).

If i then reboot without uninstalling the card before it i get the mentioned problems again. The amd drivers then hook into the system and everything that uses hardware accelerated graphics stackfaults either like clbenchmark or on the ati powerxpress dlls like dwm, inetexplorer etc.

I have tested numerous ati drivers, reinstalled windows, numerous intel drivers etc pp

It is possible to still use the opengl/directx acceleration of the card when on internal screen is lucid virtu. Since lucid directly interfaces the card it also works if the card was uninstalled before reboot. Only problem is the trial does not let you specify which apps the accelerate on your own. Only the preset game list will work and with the banner which of course could be cracked away.

Anybody (maybe nando the man himself with his 7870) experience(d) the same issue with AMD drivers? Can you try to boot without external screen and start up e.g. GPU Caps Viewer and run opengl/opencl tests on the AMD hardware / platform?

Any clue that i might try so that i dont need to uninstall the card before every reboot?

Also i have read about those 1xE 2xE pcie modes. Is this possible with my setup?

Thanks a lot guys & keep up the nice work

PS: Can only recommend the 7870 XTs. Got like 4x the double precision performance of the normal 7870s / GTX680s since it is a tahiti card. Absolut bang for the money especially for opencl calculation.