Y510P Ultrabay Graphics Adapter Configuration Thread

[Bos Maior 10]

Hey guys,

 

This is a thread for sharing what you have learned about configuring a graphics card using Gerald's Y510p Ultrabay Graphics Adapter. It was created to make it easier for new users to find the information they need to successfully configure and use the adapter on their computer. I consulted Gerald before creating this thread.

 

Please feel free to post information, insights and tips below.

 

The Y510P Graphics Adapter

 

What is it?

 

The Y510P Graphics Adapter is a card which will allow you to use a full-length PCIe desktop graphics card with a Lenovo Y410p or Y510p laptop. It plugs into the device's Ultrabay. This is the swappable device bay which is, for instance, used for the second NVIDIA card in Y510P SLI configurations.

Please be aware that the Y510P Graphics Adapter is currently only compatible with the Y410p and Y510p. It is not compatible, then, with the Y500 and other Lenovo or IBM laptops that feature an Ultrabay. The Y510P Graphics Adapter was developed by Gerald, a member of this forum.

 

 

What it needs to run - hardware

 

In addition to the Y410p/Y510p laptop itself, the Y510P Graphics Adapter requires a separate power supply unit (known also as a PSU) to provide the graphics card with electricity. An actual PCIe graphics card is, of course, also required.

 

If you are going to use the power supply unit to power the Graphics Adapter and the graphics card plugged into it only, a 450-watt unit will likely suffice, at least for current graphics cards. While graphics cards manufacturers may advise you to obtain a more powerful PSU, this is because the PSU would normally also be used to power other components, such as the hard drive and CPU. Note that the Radeon RX Vega 64 and R9 Fury X are exceptions to this rule, as they have been shown to draw close to 500 watts of power when they are under a lot of strain.

 

Please note that without further modifications only AMD graphics cards will work, due to checks that are carried out by the computer on startup. High_Voltage has made two mods which should allow you to use an NVDIA card with the Graphics Adapter: a BIOS mod and a hardware mod:

 

* Thread on the BIOS mod: https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/12014-lenovo-y410py510p-bios-mod-to-enable-nvidia-egpu-support/

* Post on the hardware mod: https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/9686-y510p-ultrabay-graphics-card/&do=findComment&comment=163854

 

Please be aware that flashing your BIOS is potentially dangerous, even if the BIOS you are installing is an official version. To minimise the risks, always back up your data first and make sure that your laptop is fully charged and connected to the electrical grid before you start the flashing process.

 

What it needs to run - software

 

Three versions of the Y510P Graphics Adapter exist:

 

* Version 1: this is the experimental version which Gerald originally posted about.

* Version 2: this is the version that Gerald sold in 2016 and part of 2017. It requires BIOS version 2.07 and Windows 10 to function. Earlier BIOS versions may also work.

* Version 3: this is the version Gerald is selling at the moment of writing. Thanks to a discovery first posted to the forums by user David 'Soap' Washington, it should work with any BIOS version, as long as one uses an AMD graphics card rather than an NVIDIA one. It may also work Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, in addition to Windows 10. I am currently using this version of the adapter with Windows 10, using BIOS version 3.08.

 

Videos on installing and using the Y510P Graphics Adapter

 

Note that these videos only illustrate the installation process and performance with AMD cards.

 

* Installing the adapter:

 

- By Tesla: a general introduction on Version 2 of the adapter and how to install it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL7muHXsAmI

- By ManyStrongWords/Go'Vic Gaming: a video on installing Version 2 of the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pviqwFRDn4

 

* Gameplay/performance:

 

- By Tesla: using an AMD RX 470 with the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqdDeZ0UCgc

- By me: using an AMD Vega 56 with the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVbsib8eHRg&t=25s

 

Other useful videos

 

* Removing the Y510P Ultrabay, by Someone7089: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYcVlaMV0Ig

 

 

Example of a configuration using the adapter

 

My own configuration consists of the following:

 

* Lenovo Y510P with an Intel Core i7-4700MQ CPU, 16 GB RAM and an Intel SSD hard drive;

* iiyama G-Master GB2888UHSU 4K monitor;

* Gerald's Ultrabay Graphics Adapter, version 3;

* AMD RX Vega 56 graphics card;

* Corsair 450W PSU;

* OS: Windows 10 Creators' Update.

 

Below is an overview of the steps I had to take to get this configuration to run well on an existing Windows 10 Creators Update install. Note that when I installed a fresh copy of the Fall Creators Update, Windows automatically recognised my hardware, monitor included, and I did not have to disable the other graphics adapters. I do find I sometimes have to reinstall the graphics drivers, as updates in AMD' s driver package sometimes result in The Witcher 3 crashing when a cutscene is played.

*****
 

In order to get my configuration to run well on an existing Windows 10 Creators Update install, I had to do the following:

 

* Run the monitor at its native resolution.

* Install the appropriate driver for the monitor, instead of the generic one provided by Microsoft.

* Disable both the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M and the Intel HD Graphics 4600 display adapters in the device manager.

Note 1: removing the drivers for your Intel and NVIDIA display adapters is unnecessary. It is also likely to be futile as, ultimately, Windows may reinstall the driver even if you disable automatic driver updates.

 

Note 2: an HDMI connection with your monitor should work just fine without you disabling the Intel HD Graphics 4600. A Displayport connection, however, will probably only work as intended if you do disable the Intel display adapter. If you do not do this, Windows will completely duplicate the video output displayed on the internal monitor on the external monitor, including the internal monitor's resolution. Note that this is not the ordinary 'duplicate screens' feature as there is no way to disable it until the Intal graphics adapter is disabled.

 

A Displayport connection is generally preferable since most Freesync-capable monitors do not support Freesync over HDMI. Also, AMD cards usually do not output colour depths over 8bpc over HDMI connections.

 

Note 3: should you find that the backlighting of the internal monitor remains on even though only the external monitor is active, all you have to do is press the FN and F2 keys at the same time. This will switch off the internal monitor.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2018 by Bos Maior

[thebubbs 0]

On 10/27/2017 at 7:50 PM, Bos Maior said:

Hey guys,

 

This is a thread for sharing what you have learned about configuring a graphics card using Gerald's Y510p Ultrabay Graphics Adapter. It was created to make it easier for new users to find the information they need to successfully configure and use the adapter on their computer. I consulted Gerald before creating this thread.

 

Please feel free to post information, insights and tips below.

 

The Y510P Graphics Adapter

 

What is it?

 

The Y510P Graphics Adapter is a card which will allow you to use a full-length PCIe desktop graphics card with a Lenovo Y410p or Y510p laptop. It plugs into the device's Ultrabay. This is the swappable device bay which is, for instance, used for the second NVIDIA card in Y510P SLI configurations.

Please be aware that the Y510P Graphics Card is only compatible with the Y410p and Y510p. It is not compatible, then, with the Y500 and other Lenovo or IBM laptops that feature an Ultrabay. The Y510P Graphics Card was developed by Gerald, a member of this forum.

 

What it needs to run - hardware

 

In addition to the Y410p/Y510p laptop itself, the Y510P Graphics Adapter requires a separate power supply unit (known also as a PSU) to provide the graphics card with electricity. An actual PCIe graphics card is, of course, also required. Please note that only AMD graphics cards will work, seemingly because features of the Y510P embedded controller prevent NVIDIA cards from working as intended.

 

If you are going to use the power supply unit to power the Graphics Adapter and the graphics card plugged into it only, a 450-watt unit should suffice, at least for current graphics cards. While graphics cards manufacturers may advise you to obtain a more powerful PSU, this is because the PSU would normally also be used to power other components, such as the hard drive and CPU. Note that the Radeon RX Vega 64 and R9 Fury X are exceptions to this rule, as they have been shown to draw close to 500 watts of power when they are under a lot of strain.

 

What it needs to run - software

 

Three versions of the Y510P Graphics Adapter exist:

 

* Version 1: this is the experimental version which Gerald originally posted about.

* Version 2: this is the version that Gerald sold in 2016 and part of 2017. It requires BIOS version 2.07 and Windows 10 to function. Earlier BIOS versions may also work.

* Version 3: this is the version Gerald is selling at the moment of writing. Thanks to a discovery first posted to the forums by user David 'Soap' Washington, it should work with any BIOS version. It may also work Windows 7, 8 and 8.1, in addition to Windows 10. I am currently using this version of the adapter with Windows 10, using BIOS version 3.07.

 

Videos on installing and using the Y510P Graphics Adapter

 

* Installing the adapter:

 

- By Tesla: a general introduction on Version 2 of the adapter and how to install it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL7muHXsAmI

- By ManyStrongWords/Go'Vic Gaming: a video on installing Version 2 of the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pviqwFRDn4

 

* Gameplay/performance:

 

- By Tesla: using an AMD RX 470 with the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqdDeZ0UCgc

- By me: using an AMD Vega 56 with the adapter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVbsib8eHRg&t=25s

 

Other useful videos

 

* Removing the Y510P Ultrabay, by Someone7089: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYcVlaMV0Ig

 

 

Example of a configuration using the adapter

 

My own configuration consists of the following:

 

* Lenovo Y510P with an Intel Core i7-4700MQ CPU, 16 GB RAM and an Intel SSD hard drive;

* iiyama G-Master GB2888UHSU 4K monitor;

* Gerald's Ultrabay Graphics Adapter, version 3;

* AMD RX Vega 56 graphics card;

* Corsair 450W PSU;

* OS: Windows 10 Creators' Update.

 

In order to get this configuration to run well on an existing Windows 10 Creators Update install, I had to do the following:

 

* Run the monitor at its native resolution. It appears that the current drivers for this card have difficulty repeatedly switching between resolutions.

* Install the appropriate driver for the monitor, instead of the generic one provided by Microsoft.

* Disable both the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M and the Intel HD Graphics 4600 display adapters in the device manager.

Note 1: removing the drivers for your Intel and NVIDIA display adapters is unnecessary. It is also likely to be futile as, ultimately, Windows may reinstall the driver even if you disable automatic driver updates.

 

Note 2: an HDMI connection with your monitor should work just fine without you disabling the Intel HD Graphics 4600. A Displayport connection, however, will probably only work as intended if you do disable the Intel display adapter. If you do not do this, Windows will completely duplicate the video output displayed on the internal monitor on the external monitor, including the internal monitor's resolution. Note that this is not the ordinary 'duplicate screens' feature as there is no way to disable it until the Intal graphics adapter is disabled.

 

A Displayport connection is generally preferable since most Freesync-capable monitors do not support Freesync over HDMI. Also, AMD cards usually do not output colour depths over 8bpc over HDMI connections.

 

Note 3: should you find that the backlighting of the internal monitor remains on even though only the external monitor is active, all you have to do is press the FN and F2 keys at the same time. This will switch off the internal monitor.

 

The above instructions may no longer apply. When I installed a fresh copy of the Fall Creators Update, Windows automatically recognised my hardware, monitor included, and I did not have to disable the other graphics adapters.

 

Great information here, @Bos Maior. Thanks for starting this separate thread, great idea!

[Bos Maior 10]

You're most welcome!

[NicolaiLarsen91 0]

Does anyone know where it is possible to buy this ultrabay slot nowadays? Bought the laptop a few years ago and even then couldt I find anything without buying from ebay (no way ill do that)

[Bos Maior 10]

I am not sure what you mean. The Y410P and Y510P simply come with this slot - it is part of the machine. Gerald's adapter plugs into the slot, and allows you to use AMD graphics cards designed for ordinary desktops, rather than laptops.

[Bos Maior 10]

First post updated to reflect the fact that solutions allowing one to use NVIDIA cards with the adapter have now been found.