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Well, I cracked open both of my power supplies and located the 1-wire EPROMs. The 330W is a DS2501, so there wasn't any room to reprogram anyway since that is a 512kb device. The 240W is an unmarked SOT-23 package on mine, but it returns the family code 0x09 so it should be a DS2502. I noticed that the PCB for the 330W had both SOT-23 and TO-92 package footprints available, so I transplanted the memory chip from the 240W to the 330W. The second ground pin is floating on the 330W PCB, I soldered it to the other ground pin on the package just in case.

My desk is a mess of circuit boards and test equipment and the power supply is completely open so I haven't plugged it into the laptop yet, but I successfully interrogated the 330W power supply and got the 240W data back. It should work now with the laptop thinking it's a 240W power supply. I'll try it tomorrow.

So I wonder what went wrong with the OP's chip transplant?

Really looking forward to see if it works. Thanks for the updates.

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I tried the modified 330W PS in my machine. The BIOS reports it's a 240W adapter. It works, but there's still a problem I have to work out.

The 330W power supply has an actively powered connection to the 1-wire memory, where the old supply was passively powered. There is a bit of a quirk with how the power supply is powering the memory device, because it is not readable immediately upon powerup. I think this might have something to do with how the power supply is handling the pull-up.

When I plug in the supply and turn on the computer, it reports an error for the power supply, even though it says 240 in the BIOS. However if I reboot instead of shutting down, the power stays on but when it reboots I don't get any errors about the supply. Intermittently though OSD reports an unsupported adapter when loading Windows.

I had the same issue when I was scanning the supply with my test equipment. It wouldn't always respond.

I think the 330W PS might be pulling the line too high for the M17x motherboard to communicate reliably. I measured it last night at something like 8 volts unloaded. I think I will try converting the memory to passively powered, I think that should do it. Hopefully.

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Exactly like had this been worked on awhile ago... You might of installed one 330w vs the dual parallel :) i like yours with the Analog meters.

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Yeah I would pick up the 330W one as well due to portability.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

We need a modder for those who want the conversion done but are not electronically inclined. Perhaps though that would not work due to cost of shipping in most cases... Then again a 330w psu for a m17x R2 is priceless since it provides so much more overclock vs a stock psu. I wonder if you wouldn't get drops on your 7970m anymore StamatisX set up like this? Would be cool if so.

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It works. You have to make a couple modifications, it doesn't work with the DS2502's third pin floating like it is on the PCB, and you have to convert it to passive power so the motherboard bus master can pull the line low. Here is a guide with pictures and stuff.

330 Watt power supply for Alienware M17x » imsolidstate

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@imsolidstate from your guide and I see the chip uses 3 pins. Two for ground and the ID signal. Is there any components on the PSU board between the ID signal and motherboard that affects the motherboard's query?

The reason I ask is I would prefer to connect the chip directly to the motherboard within the M17x's chassis, so I don't have to crack open the 330w. This would also save me the trouble of replacing the 330w if ever I need to without doing the mod again.

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@Nospheratu yes you can do that. From the series resistor it's a straight run through to the motherboard. If you wanted to put the ID chip inside the laptop, there are a few locations right by the power jack. There is an inductor that is the first thing the ID signal goes to, that would probably be the best place to do the modification. You need to pull the inductor so that the ID wire no longer goes out to the power supply. Because of the skip ROM command, there can't be any other devices on the bus. Then just solder the data pin of the chip to the EC side of where the inductor was and use two jumper wires to ground the other two pins. That should keep it nice and low out of the way of the CPU heat pipe.

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Very cool imsolidstate. Your methods are much easier to do than some of the other suggestions out there. I will let my cousin know. She's been wanting to upgrade her crossfire setup for some time now but doesn't want to go to a single card setup. I will still advise her to wait on going crossfire with two 7970ms. I have serious reservations about our m17x's using more than 240w of juice for extended periods of time without something burning out or catching fire. I'm not saying that WILL happen, but in my experience (working on industrial motors and their controls...i.e. 3P, 480V), if you have a machine that's designed for a certain amount of power, and then you give it 37% more power, you don't know if the internal components will be able to handle that much an increase since they were only designed and tested for original limits. But that's just my two cents.

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Very cool imsolidstate. Your methods are much easier to do than some of the other suggestions out there. I will let my cousin know. She's been wanting to upgrade her crossfire setup for some time now but doesn't want to go to a single card setup. I will still advise her to wait on going crossfire with two 7970ms. I have serious reservations about our m17x's using more than 240w of juice for extended periods of time without something burning out or catching fire. I'm not saying that WILL happen, but in my experience (working on industrial motors and their controls...i.e. 3P, 480V), if you have a machine that's designed for a certain amount of power, and then you give it 37% more power, you don't know if the internal components will be able to handle that much an increase since they were only designed and tested for original limits. But that's just my two cents.

That makes sense and may be true with adding a high cpu overclock with gpu overclock or modern gpus but for 5870m x2 to 7970m x2 the tdp is supposed to be right at the 100w mark. Maybe 5870m drew less I am not exactly sure. Im just going by MXM standard of 100 watt max. Can you explain to me if there is a large difference in the two types of cards?

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I am not sure what the power draw of a single 5870m is, but here's what I've gathered. The new 7970m cards have a TDP of 100W. The mobile manual of our R2's state the total power budget for the graphics cards to be 150W. Therefore, the TDP of two 5870m cards can be no more than 75W each (assuming each card draws equal power when in crossfire mode). Now,, two 7970m cards in crossfire can have a total draw of 200W when at max load, therefore our R2s with their 240W PSUs will be short 50W . This doesn't mean the cards will not work, far from it. It just means to run at full steam ahead, two 7970m cards will need 50W more power than our R2s can provide with their standard 240W power supply. I've explained it to others that this is the reason the 7970m cards will initially work, but once you start stressing them and the 7970ms need more power, your system will shutdown because it has no more to give. Hence, the need for a 300W PSU.

PS: TDP is not the total draw of power for these cards. It should actually be a little higher.

EDIT: Here is where I am getting my information from. This is just one review that gives a crossfire specs profile of the 7970m: AMD Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire - Notebookcheck.net Tech

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I am not sure what the power draw of a single 5870m is, but here's what I've gathered. The new 7970m cards have a TDP of 100W. The mobile manual of our R2's state the total power budget for the graphics cards to be 150W. Therefore, the TDP of two 5870m cards can be no more than 75W each (assuming each card draws equal power when in crossfire mode). Now,, two 7970m cards in crossfire can have a total draw of 200W when at max load, therefore our R2s with their 240W PSUs . This doesn't mean the cards will not work, far from it. It just means to run at full steam ahead, two 7970m cards will need 50W more power than our R2s can provide with their standard 240W power supply. I've explained it to others that this is the reason the 7970m cards will initially work, but once you start stressing them and the 7970ms need more power, your system will shutdown because it has no more to give. Hence, the need for a 300W PSU.

PS: TDP is not the total draw of power for these cards. It should actually be a little higher.

EDIT: Here is where I am getting my information from. This is just one review that gives a crossfire specs profile of the 7970m: AMD Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire - Notebookcheck.net Tech

I just mean since the mxm slots must be standardized they are rated for 200 watts between the two slots. But yes the rated power for R2 is limited by the PSU. I can see where your coming from as supporting circuitry may not be up to par for full 100watts per slot. Adding the PSU helps but as you said its questionable as to if surrounding circuits were built strong enough to take such stress as full 100 watts per mxm slot. I guess time will tell. I had an R2 with 5870m and XM amd I know the 240w can be tripped just on that setup while overclocked.

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Exactly my point. We know the MXM slots have to be able to handle the 200W or else Alienware would not have put them into the m18x line. I only worry about the motherboard voltage regulators. Putting that much more wattage thru them is bound to have consequences.

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Its possible to calculate their rated amount by looking at the motherboard. Just for my M18x cpu there are 5-7 regulators there and going by what they said on top i remember together it added up well over a 130watts or the measurement thats used on them. If the M17x is as well setup to cover more than whats needed internally then its probably okay. It would be interesting to know how high the voltage regulators are rated to in the m17x r2 for the gpu section. @StamatisX may be able to tell you more on the capabilities of his add on 7970m's in his system.

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The motherboard doesnt regulate most of the power for the video cards. It comes almost straight off the line from the DC jack. It only regulates the 3.3 and 5 volt rails, where power consumption should be fairly similar for most cards. The card itself regulates the main power input to the core, which is the approximate 19.5 volts from the power supply.

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Well, at least that's one less place that can bottleneck and blow. I'm still concerned something won't be able to handle the increased wattage.

Can someone make a guide for the mod on the motherboard itself??

from what i understand from the previous explanation is, you would remove the inductor coming from the power jack and solder the data pin going from where the inductor was into the motherboard, so there is no id wire at all going into the psu. then ground the 2 other remaining pins.

is that correct????

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  • 2 months later...

There's no BIOS mod required for the R2 to draw the extra power from the 330W PSU, right? I was under the impression that once the R2 recognizes the 330W PSU as an "official adapter" it will can draw up to the 330W limit of the m18x's PSU despite the BIOS thinking it's a 240W PSU.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Bumping the thread. Hoping to get an answer regarding the 330W PSU mod.

There are multiple users who are experiencing trouble with their modded 330W PSUs. Most of them have crossfire 7970ms and i7-920XM CPU setups. As they describe it, the system will still shut off during heavy gameplay. Temp monitors show the CPU and GPU temps are within normal range and their modded PSU were being recognized as the 240W PSUs properly. I am wondering if there might be some sort of watchdog circuit that prevents the Alienware M17x systems from using over 240W of juice?

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Radji, I think you are right. I measured current draw on my system as I haven't had any problems, and I'm using around 200W. However I had a look at the R1 schematic, and there is a current sensing circuit that detects overcurrent conditions for the battery and different adapters. The system will trip at 11.69A on the 240W adapter.

Of course this is the R1 schematic, I don't have an R2 schematic. I assume that something similar is on the R2 MB. Since the trip limit is set by a few resistors it is possible that the trip limit could be raised but this isn't an easy fix as you have to change out resistors on the motherboard.

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