Going to test clevo 980m in alienware m17x R4, m18x R2, AW17

[mikecacho]

I will have my 980M next weeks for my R4, which i purchased from HIDevolution. They are providing a complete upgrade kit to include the modified driver. But if anyone here has a better modded driver for their R4 that will result in overall higher bench scores ensure you link it.

[Quark]

Ummm, mine is an aw17 and didn't work... (tested with the nv 344.75 installer)

[godfafa]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13275[/ATTACH]

Finally got the cards, time for some testing.

Thank god, finally "SOMEONE" got the card!

Very happy to hear that.

One question for you svl7, how did you manage to post 970m in m15x?

Does m15x support UEFI without legacy rom or 970m works differently?

[Player2]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13275[/ATTACH]

Finally got the cards, time for some testing.

Do you mind sharing were you got the cards from and are they for clevo alienware. I'm interested in buying a 980m but am scared giving that much money to someone who I have never del with before. Being as you got yours they must be reputable right .

Thanks.

I have a 17 also but it only has the 60hz screen Wich I'm ok with .I just want to upgrade my gpu. Been waiting so long it seams like .

[Guest]

This might work. I got rid of the installation already. Aghrrr.

Tried it already. Same end result as using discrete graphics. W7 won't load without Legacy Option ROM enabled. 980M won't work with Legacy Option ROM enabled. ...Windows 8 sucks...

[godfafa]

@svl7

One thing I have to tell you.

Gtx 980m's clock fluctuate on AW17 alot, but not in m18x R2 or clevo.

This causes alot of graphic score deduction in AW17.

And if you want me to test anything for you in m18x R2, please let me know.

[Guest]

I tried this twice, first one was successful and the other one required boot files. Backup/Image of current MBR installation then follow this, don't skip anything

UEFI with legacy support. Beeping or at least you can enter the BIOS?

Still going to try this. Have been out of town for Thanksgiving. Hopefully, this will work. I'm trying to get W7 to work on the R2 in a pure UEFI boot scenario before I decide whether or not to spend money on 980M SLI. If I am going to be forced to use Windows 8 I may not upgrade. I'm not sure that I am actually interested in giving up any CPU performance as a trade off for gains in GPU performance. That's a sucky trade. I want it all, not two steps forward and one step backward. I don't use W8 for much of anything except Fire Strike benchmarks. W7 does everything better than W8 except for Fire Strike benchmarks. If I can't do this on the R2, it may be time to retire it and move on to a P570WM3 instead. Settling for W8 just isn't an attractive solution, but doing so would be about $3,000 less money, so I have a lot to think about.

[XPSSD]

In our case - we can't run win7 on pure UEFI. Only for AW17 3D with Legacy Mode enabled in Bios and connect external display 60Hz. Boot sequence in Legacy Mode - first Legacy GPU built in CPU, second - BIOS. Boot sequence in Pure UEFI - first UEFI discrete VBIOS, second UEFI BIOS. In AW17 3D and AW18 GPU built in CPU is off.

[godfafa]

In our case - we can't run win7 on pure UEFI. Only for AW17 3D with Legacy Mode enabled in Bios and connect external display 60Hz. Boot sequence in Legacy Mode - first Legacy GPU built in CPU, second - BIOS. Boot sequence in Pure UEFI - first UEFI discrete VBIOS, second UEFI BIOS. In AW17 3D and AW18 GPU built in CPU is off.

Great.

I must add this. AW17 non-3D can't run win7 in UEFI too.

[XPSSD]

On AW17 without 3D not need UEFI . Because it can run win7 on legacy

[godfafa]

On AW17 without 3D not need UEFI . Because it can run win7 on legacy

It can only run 980m in legacy with optimus. (iGPU)

Without optimus function, AW17 without 3D needs UEFI too.

[XPSSD]

I think If someone find the way how to spoof 120Hz display ID to 60 Hz display ID on the boot moment - it will be possible to install and run Win7. But iGPU will be on in this scenario.

Now the choice is - optimus with win7 or -- 120Hz 3D or SLI with win8

[godfafa]

I think If someone find the way how to spoof 120Hz display ID to 60 Hz display ID on the boot moment - it will be possible to install and run Win7. But iGPU will be on in this scenario.

Now the choice is - optimus with win7 or -- 120Hz 3D or SLI with win8

For alienware, 3D doens't work in UEFI in win8 with 980m. --> Oops I am sorry. I think it works. Someone has posted 3D in NBR.

[XPSSD]

When Dell will official provide gtx980m in their laptops, they will be certified for the 3D Vision - and 3D after driver update will work. You can check it rigth now - you will see: This laptop's panel is not qualified for 3D Vision. So waiting for official release from Dell (for 3D Vision)

[TBoneSan]

For those still hell bent on getting a W7 UEFI I installation to work. I'm going to try this when I'm home from work tonight.

How to install Windows 7 in UEFI Mode with a USB - Windows 7 Help Forums

If someone has already done this let me know so ill save a couple of hours

Otherwise I will proceed. Ill be happy as pie if we can get W7 UEFI to work. Then I'll happily upgrade to 980m without hesitation.

[godfafa]

When Dell will official provide gtx980m in their laptops, they will be certified for the 3D Vision - and 3D after driver update will work. You can check it rigth now - you will see: This laptop's panel is not qualified for 3D Vision. So waiting for official release from Dell (for 3D Vision)

Even when dell has provided 780m and 880m in their laptop, m17x R4 was not certified for 3D vision.

This is why I dont think they will do so.

[XPSSD]

@TBoneSan - I see your signature - AW m18x. Win7 in your case can't be installed on UEFI.

- - - Updated - - -

@godfafa - Dell will receive sertification for 3D Vision via NVidia drivers

[godfafa]

@TBoneSan - I see your signature - AW m18x. Win7 in your case can't be installed on UEFI.

- - - Updated - - -

@godfafa - Dell will receive sertification for 3D Vision via NVidia drivers

But m17x R3 got certification upto 580m (not 680m or newer).

m17x R4 got certification upto 680m (not older and newer)

[XPSSD]

But m17x R3 got certification upto 580m (not 680m or newer).

m17x R4 got certification upto 680m (not older and newer)

I have AW17 3D with 880m - in case 880m - it have 3d certification, when 880m installed 3D worked without problems, but when I install 980m - 3D not work

[TBoneSan]

@TBoneSan - I see your signature - AW m18x. Win7 in your case can't be installed on UEFI.

- - - Updated - - -

@godfafa - Dell will receive sertification for 3D Vision via NVidia drivers

It looks to be that way but are you certain? R2 (not R1) does support UEFI for W8.. theoretically it should do for W7.

- -

[XPSSD]

@TBoneSan - You can only install win8 (and up) with sli 980m installed. It is important to understand the principle of work UEFI. May be svl7 can find a way to bypass the launch legacy instead UEFI VBIOS,and will be possible to install win7 with 980m on AW17 3D & AW18

[J95]

Still going to try this. Have been out of town for Thanksgiving. Hopefully, this will work. I'm trying to get W7 to work on the R2 in a pure UEFI boot scenario before I decide whether or not to spend money on 980M SLI. If I am going to be forced to use Windows 8 I may not upgrade. I'm not sure that I am actually interested in giving up any CPU performance as a trade off for gains in GPU performance. That's a sucky trade. I want it all, not two steps forward and one step backward. I don't use W8 for much of anything except Fire Strike benchmarks. W7 does everything better than W8 except for Fire Strike benchmarks. If I can't do this on the R2, it may be time to retire it and move on to a P570WM3 instead. Settling for W8 just isn't an attractive solution, but doing so would be about $3,000 less money, so I have a lot to think about.

[MENTION=119]Mr. Fox[/MENTION] Don't do that for now, I'm testing something else. You will need win8.1 boot manager, so install first Win7 then Win8.1 (GPT). I'm able to login to windows/password, system sounds but still stuck with the win gui. Since the 3D model is different, you might get lucky. I remember that I had to use win8 boot manager but can't figure out which BIOS version I flashed. Try first with the integrated graphics (latest driver installed) and install v344.80 discrete. If it still fails, then flash the stock vBIOS (GOP) which means temporary defeat, also explains why it worked...

Run this command.

cmd (Admin)

bcdedit /set {current} novesa yes

novesa [ on | off ]

Indicates whether the VGA driver should avoid VESA BIOS calls. The option is ignored in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

[Robbo]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13279[/ATTACH]

... and M15x

980m and 970m, AW17 and M15x

Sure, see attached files. Will only work for AW17 and M15x though. I don't know the AW18 and other device ideas by heart...

Brilliant, it will be interesting & useful to hear how you managed to get it installed in an M15x, because so far we've only seen people installing it in Optimus Alienwares (bar UEFI enabled Win8 Alienwares). Will be interesting to hear how you got it to install in that M15x, hopefully will be the same process for all M17xR3 and older laptops that don't want to use Optimus (or can't use Optimus).

Are you looking into unlocking the overcocking & overvolting aspects of the vBIOS? So far overclocking the 980M, people have pretty much universally easily managed +135Mhz without extra voltage.

[Quark]

Ummm maybe I should had said this: before was possible to activate 3D on Nvidia panel, I had to activate 3D on Windows "Screen resolution" panel.

I have an AW17 without 3D panel (because my asus is) but with external and without activating it at windows configuration, was missing from my Nvidia panel.

Just try.

[Castiel]

The only thing users want is to launch gtx 980m in AW17 with Windows 7 with no UEFI/Legacy boot combination. Simply plug&play. Will it be even possible with modified vibos or do I have to say good bye to gtx 980m in my laptop?