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[M14x R2] [M17x R4] [M18x R2] - UEFI fast boot / secure boot GPU issues *SOLVED*


svl7

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Hm. According to GPUz and AMD Catalyst Control Center I already have BIOS 015.022.000.001.000000 (113-C42904A1-119) BIOS on both my 7970Ms in my Alienware M18x-R2 and it shows as UEFI compatible.

However, whenever I disable Legacy Boot with them enabled, Windows starts but while I hear the starting sound, the "Starting Windows" screen remains on and I can't see the Desktop. I can even do things with my mouse and keyboard and notice that the Windows desktop is running in the background of the "Starting Windows" screen normally. I can also do a Windows shutdown, etc..

If I boot with the integrated Ivy Bridge Intel graphics, I can get to the desktop with legacy boot disabled just fine.

Since the BIOS that is linked in the top post seems to be the same version I have, will flashing it help any?

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Hm. According to GPUz and AMD Catalyst Control Center I already have BIOS 015.022.000.001.000000 (113-C42904A1-119) BIOS on both my 7970Ms in my Alienware M18x-R2 and it shows as UEFI compatible.

However, whenever I disable Legacy Boot with them enabled, Windows starts but while I hear the starting sound, the "Starting Windows" screen remains on and I can't see the Desktop. I can even do things with my mouse and keyboard and notice that the Windows desktop is running in the background of the "Starting Windows" screen normally. I can also do a Windows shutdown, etc..

If I boot with the integrated Ivy Bridge Intel graphics, I can get to the desktop with legacy boot disabled just fine.

Since the BIOS that is linked in the top post seems to be the same version I have, will flashing it help any?

Update: Since I was now able to download the BIOS from the main post, I reflashed both cards with it (it showed as the exact same version I had, though). It didn't help. Still the same problem. Does anybody have an idea what's causing it and how to fix it?

Update 2: I've just upgraded to Windows 10 and the issue seems to be gone. The system boots up fine with Legacy mode disabled now, fast boot works as well.

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  • 4 months later...

I bought a dell 7970m off ebay to use in a MSI 1761. That one is sandybridge with no igpu. With the gpu attached, it seems the notebook is just stuck in a cycle of rebooting every 5 -10 seconds after I turn it on. And I have no display, as it is probably trying to send video signal to igpu.

The sticker on the card says 015.021.000.000.000000 for vbios version, but the card is "used". The x-bracket looks dented, as if someone pried it off and put it back on. Could it be that this card has the win8/UEFI bios? Is there a way I can get this card to work through blindflash?

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Is this why the switchable graphics key on my M17xR4 doesn't function if the system is configured to use UEFI boot instead of legacy? Or is that an unrelated effect of switching BIOS types?

I'm going to do a clean install of Windows 10 tomorrow on my M17xR4, and wanted to double check whether I can have Optimus disabled with Secureboot/UEFI now or not. When I originally set it up years ago you couldn't, so I was using BIOS mode, which works fine.

My video BIOS does indeed now say that it supports UEFI, so I guess it COULD work, but whether it does work using the normal FN + F7 or whatever key combination is another story.

Anyone know if SecureBoot/UEFI works with Optimus disabled now?

I've got a Geforce GTX 680m, if that matters.

And wow have I loved this system. Will be going in to year 4, and it's STILL fast enough for everything I do, and still runs great! One of my favorite PCs I've ever bought, and was absolutely worth the money (how often can you say that...)

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I'm going to do a clean install of Windows 10 tomorrow on my M17xR4, and wanted to double check whether I can have Optimus disabled with Secureboot/UEFI now or not. When I originally set it up years ago you couldn't, so I was using BIOS mode, which works fine.

My video BIOS does indeed now say that it supports UEFI, so I guess it COULD work, but whether it does work using the normal FN + F7 or whatever key combination is another story.

Anyone know if SecureBoot/UEFI works with Optimus disabled now?

I've got a Geforce GTX 680m, if that matters.

And wow have I loved this system. Will be going in to year 4, and it's STILL fast enough for everything I do, and still runs great! One of my favorite PCs I've ever bought, and was absolutely worth the money (how often can you say that...)

Well, good news I thought I'd share, in case anyone ever searches for this info...

With the newest BIOS, Secureboot/UEFI *DO* work with Optimus disabled, only running on the Geforce GTX 680m. I was also a little concerned that Windows activation would be screwed up through switching from BIOS to UEFI mode, but thankfully it wasn't. It was already activated by the time I got to the desktop, and it's running on only my Geforce. (Since theoretically Windows 10 can use two GPUs at once, it would be sort of nice if you could run on the Geforce, but leave the Intel GPU active for the handful of upcoming games that might support that, and for things which can use Quicksync, but not Nvidia's equivalent...but mostly who cares, I just want the Geforce as my primary GPU!)

I have NOT tried toggling that setting in Windows 10, but at least with the system already set to Geforce-only mode, it remains working just fine even in UEFU mode.

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  • Founder
29 minutes ago, Ripsaw said:

I cannot download the files either. They are not found on the and I found a vbios pack, but I can't download that either

 

On 10/12/2016 at 4:45 PM, yysnet said:

Many thanks for the post. I have same issue when upgrading m17x R4 from 675m to 970m, can't disable the option rom. 

 

Can't download the file as seems like cannot locate the files?

 

On 4/17/2016 at 9:52 AM, umbrellacorp said:
  1. found it on another page works great ! Thanks ! tried switching to my 120hz screen running full uefi wont work though must have legacy rom enabled.

 

On 4/17/2016 at 7:16 AM, umbrellacorp said:

whenever I click on the 660m vbios link it goes to a blank white page :(

 

 

The links in the first post are fine, it's just that each line has two links, one broken,  the other is good. Just hover with the mouse on the links and you'll see that there are two. use the first.

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  • Bios Modder
3 hours ago, rband said:

Would there be  a uefi enabled bios for the 780M floating around , i can`t disable legacy mode , gop driver missing from the mxm.

Post here your vbios from your 780M, I'll take a look.

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  • Bios Modder
7 hours ago, rband said:

Here is the bios , i used GPU-Z to pull it.

GK104.rom

Checked your vBIOS, it have UEFI support and already contain GOP part. Вut just in case i updated GOP part (in your vBIOS) to the latest version.

https://www.sendspace.com/file/nsjcm2

 

Also, try read this:  http://reboot.pro/topic/21108-install-windows-7-at-uefi-graphics-output-protocol-gop-hardware/?p=198935

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