eGPU attempting - Dell Xps l502X nVidia 540M; trying to use GTX 970as eGPU

[zvasconcelos]

Hi, I am trying to run a GTX 970 as eGPU in my Dell XPS L502 and I ampassing through an specific problem.

I'll sum up here what I did until now. For those who don't want to know this and go direct to the issue, my problem is with the PCI Compatcion, and yes, I'd already did the DSDT override.

Well, back to what I already done (any difficulty to understand my text, it's because of my lack of practice in these kind of topics in english).

I bought an EXP GDC Laptop External Independent Video Card Dock w/ PCI-E at DX.com; I am running the DYI eGPU 1.30, everything is installed correctly, etc.

Specs/setup: Gigabyte GTX970 Gaming

1 x EXP GDC PCI-E adapter
1 x Mini PCI-E cable (80cm Length)
1 x ATX PSU power cable (11cm Length)

Dell XPS L502x i7-2670 QM

16 Gb Ram 1333MHz

SSD 480Gb + 750Gb Sata

NVidia 540M 2Gb

Considerations: If I restart/start my laptop with the eGPU On, I'll get black screen. But it works if I turn on the eGPU when it gives the option to select between the DYU and OS to start.

At the DYI eGPU setup screen, I did these steps:

call iport dGPU off
call iport g1 1  
call vidwait 60 10de:11c6
call vidinit -d 10de:11c6
call chainload mbr

But when I am going to do the PCI compaction, it is not working, and I have tried a lot of different configurations. I searched what could I do, and I found the comment from andhie133128 in the page techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/5874-guide-dsdt-override-to-fix-error-12/&page=3 talking about the DSDT override and then loading the DSDT.aml updated file at the DOS in the DYI's setup screen with the command "PT MEM writefromfile 1 0xBAFF2000 DSDT.aml". Why 0xBAFF2000? Its what I have found with the RW-Everything software as my DSDT memory.

 

As told in that post, I'd compacted the .aml with a smaller size than the original (from 36kb to 35kb - it's something =p) and then loaded it at the DOS. Everything worked fine, the " large memory showed up, no error at DOS, everything went well.

 

The eGPU is recognized, I am able to stop my dGPU at the DYI setup screen, initialize the eGPU, the large memory is showing in my device manager, I am able to do the DSDT override (note: its easier to compact the file with an older version of the iasl), I'd imported and loaded it at DOS, but the PCI Compaction insists in not work.

 

What I didn't and that may be the problem. I had not installed yet the gtx 970 driver before the PCI Compation and don't know if this have something related to the PCI compaction problem. Why didn't I tried it yet? I am with a huge amount of work now and I am using my laptop everyday and need some GPU to work, then I am keeping my 540M driver and was thinking in uninstall it when the PCI Compation works; or when I get done with my extra work and don't need so much the laptop everyday.

 

One day, in the past (it's not my first time trying to do it), I went able to do the PCI compaction (only one time), and I think I did it when I used a different memory at the "PT MEM writefromfile" command. I think I confused something and used this memory instead: "ACPI -> RSDP -> 0x000F00E0;

 

 

But few days later I had to format windows OS and lost the configuration.
I had done the same steps that I told to be able to do that. But even with the PCI compaction done that time, I had formated the laptop before setting the eGPU to work 100%...

Why didn't I have tried it again? Same problem, I am using the laptop everyday and in doubt about what can happen if I use this other memory. I don't even know for what this RSDP is used for.

I found this topic from rossysaurus (https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/6413-17-dell-xps-l702x-gtx9704gbpsc-mpcie2-pe4c-21-win7-rossysaurus/) and I will try the same steps. But in case someone already had the same issues that I'm having, please help me solve this.

 

[Tech Inferno Fan]

1. Your black bootup screen is due to the BIOS seeing the eGPU. To correct this, hide the eGPU from the bios using the eGPU adapter switches as discussed at https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/8947-mpcieec-egpu-troubleshooting-steps/

 

2. Your PCI compaction with endpoint=56.25GB is fail probably because you have a non-English v:\config\devcon.txt file (run c:\eGPU\eGPU-setup-mount as admin to view) where the "PCI BUS" entry cannot be identified and skipped, but acts to exclude allocation. Pls remove the non-English PCI Bus section or PM me the file contents so I can identify what needs to be removed.

[zvasconcelos]

There are some "names" in portuguese. Is just to remove then? Or will need to replace the text in portuguese for something else?

Another doubt: It will need to be done every time that I want to use the egpu?

 

The devcon.txt file is attached.

Thanks for the help.

 

devcon.rar

[Tech Inferno Fan]

2 hours ago, zvasconcelos said:

There are some "names" in portuguese. Is just to remove then? Or will need to replace the text in portuguese for something else?

Another doubt: It will need to be done every time that I want to use the egpu?

 

The devcon.txt file is attached.

Thanks for the help.

 

devcon.rar

 

Pls remove the following section, then save and re-try PCI compaction:

ACPI\PNP0A08\0
    Name: Complexo da Raiz de PCI Express
    Device is currently using the following resources:
        MEM : 000a0000-000bffff
        MEM : bfa00000-feafffff
        MEM : fed40000-fed44fff
        IO  : 0000-0cf7
        IO  : 0d00-ffff

[zvasconcelos]

The call PCI worked like a charm!

 

The chainload worked, the laptop started, but then I had an error 43, and I did the steps from this link  that you sent

I had used ddu to uninstall my 540M nvidia driver, then I've downloaded the last GTX970 driver (372.70) and restarted the laptop.

At the start, I am executing the .bat (second option, I guess). The laptop starts with the gtx970 at normal speed, but I got error 43.

 

At the device manager: "Windows stopped this device because found an error (Cod.43).

 

 

OBs: I am connecting the eGPU adapter at the WWAN port of my Dell, not in the place of the wifi card.

 

The compaction that I used was with endpoint=56.25GB. compacted dGpu to 36 bits  and forced no e to 32.

 

Soon i'll try other compactions.

 

Edited September 20, 2016 by zvasconcelos

[zvasconcelos]

Noticed something when I get error 43. If I put in sleep mode and wake back my laptop, go to device manager and " scan for hadware", my dGPU comes back to life and with the (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM v1.2 recognizing it).

 

I tried some different PCI compactions, some got me back to error 12, others to error 43. Still stuck in error 43.

Now the PCI compaction works also without usind the " endpoint=56.25GB ", giving even more compaction options. (But I think I saw somewhere that if you have more than some amount of memory, 4GB or 8Gb, you will need the endpoint 56.25. Am I right?)

 

Someone has any advice? Considering I use a Dell XPS l502x, 16gb, 540M.

What PCI compaction may work better? Iport g1 or g2?

Tried a lot of difference combinations and no one appeared to do something different.

 

The error 43 maybe is happening because of having the mobile NVidia and desktop NVidia drivers loaded simultaneously. Where can I start to look to fix it?

 

I made the "save Dump file" thing, exported via the Rw everything, and then loaded the Dump file. Yet returned to error 43. (I have the images if necessary. I didn't attached them here to try not to make this post even bigger)

 

Note: Using windows 8.1

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2016 by zvasconcelos