14" Dell E5420 + GTX570@4Gbps+c-EC2 (PE4C 2.1a) + Win8.1 [TheDeathEffect]

[TheDeathEffect]

Hardware

Dell Latitude E5420 i7-2670QM + Windows 8.1/10 + 16GB RAM

GTX 980

PE4C v 2.1a

Dell DA-2 PSU

Cheap camera bag I got to fit it all in

SETUP

a) While waiting for your stuff to arrive, check your BIOS version. Later BIOS versions use gen1 link speed, while earlier ones use gen2. I use A02 on mine.

Perform a DSDT override to prevent error 12.

1) Boot into Windows with the eGPU unplugged. (If the BIOS detects the eGPU, it will only output video through it, disabling the internal LCD)

2) Once into Windows, plug in the eGPU and see if it is properly detected by Windows

a) Open the device manager

If the eGPU is not under display adapters or has error 43, unplug the eGPU wait 1 second and plug it in again. If you hotplug too quickly, the fan goes to 100% and it doesn't work.

c) Repeat until the eGPU is showing up under display adapters without error 43.

3) Install the latest drivers

4) Once the drivers are done installing, turn off your laptop, unplug the eGPU and turn it on again. This is to prevent the BIOS from detecting the eGPU.

5) Once into Windows, plug in the eGPU until it is detected.

Troubleshooting

error 12

Perform a DSDT override

error 43

Unplug the eGPU and plug it in again until the error goes away. Wait 1 second after unplugging it, or the fan might go to 100%.

No internal display

Plug a display into the eGPU to see if it is outputting a signal. The BIOS disables the internal display if it detects an eGPU at boot.

Only runs at gen1 speed

Flash an earlier BIOS version, the later ones default the eGPU to gen1

Works at gen1 but not gen2

This is either a problem with the adapter or GPU. In my case, my gts 570 didn't work, but my 980 did

Results

Good news! Finally got gen 2 working with an EVGA GTX 980 reference. Pretty much the same thing as for the 570; use an early BIOS for gen 2, use the delay switch so the GPU isn't detected at startup, you need a DSDT override.

CPU: i7-2670QM

RAM: 16 GB

Adapter: PE4C expresscard

Power Supply: Dell DA-2 with Akitio Cable Adapter

GPU: EVGA GTX 980 reference with ~200 GPU core overclock

3dmark06: Can't get it to work anymore- may update if/when I get it to run

3dmark11: 10137/8754(optimus)

3dmark FS: 8686/6520(optimus)

EDIT: The score posted is the total score (physics + gpu score)

[TheDeathEffect]

Quick update on my progress. Dell Latitude e5420, i7-2670qm, PE4C v2.1a, 8GB RAM, GTX 570 running Windows 8.1

3DMark 06: 20862(can't get it to run with Optimus)

3DMark 11: 4968(4625 with Optimus)

3DMark FS: 3290 (2957 with Optimus)

Can't get the gpu to be reliably detected, not even with setup 1.30. Sometimes it takes a few sleeps to get detected, sometimes it works on boot. The good news is that 1 of my windows 8.1 partitions can output video through the gpu now- before, doing so caused a black screen.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

@TheDeathEffect , thank you posting your progress.

Would you mind outlining the pertinent details on getting this all running inc photos to bring it all to life? Eg: your DSDT override, your delay switch settings on PE4C 2.1. Information that others with the same system can leverage to get their eGPU up and promptly.

[TheDeathEffect]

I'll definitely look into that, but for now, I still need to do more testing. Taking a closer look at GPU-Z, I'm actually only running at x1 1.1 instead of 2.0. I've tried Setup 1.x and also running a gpu load and still no results yet.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Ensure you are you using Setup 1.30 to do the Gen2 switching and when prompted to do link retraining select Yes. This is what I did to get my Dell E6230 running Gen2 at http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides-pc/2747-12-dell-e6230-hd7870-gtx660%40x4gbps-c-ec2-pe4l-2-1b-win7-%5BTech Inferno Fan%5D.html

[TheDeathEffect]

Ensure you are you using Setup 1.30 to do the Gen2 switching and when prompted to do link retraining select Yes. This is what I did to get my Dell E6230 running Gen2 at http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides-pc/2747-12-dell-e6230-hd7870-gtx660%40x4gbps-c-ec2-pe4l-2-1b-win7-%5BTech Inferno Fan%5D.html

Yup, tried that. The GPU will be picked up in device manager and GPU-Z, but not in MSI afterburner and I can't open Nvidia Control Panel. That's in Windows 8.1

Windows 7 decided to stop working all of a sudden no matter what I try (reinstalling drivers with driver cleaner, etc.) and the GPU goes in and out of device manager, even without attempting 2.0. So, there's still a lot of experimenting ahead.

[TheDeathEffect]

After more testing (including on fresh installs of Windows 7 & 8.1), I still haven't made any progress in getting 2.0 to work. When attempting 2.0, (whether by using Setup 1.x or using an earlier version of the BIOS where the default speed is gen 2) the GPU is listed in device manager and GPU-Z , but MSI Afterburner, NVIDIA Control Panel and any attached monitors are inaccessible.

I'm pretty much out of ideas since it works fine at 1.1 and isn't reporting errors when attempting 2.0

[Tech Inferno Fan]

After more testing (including on fresh installs of Windows 7 & 8.1), I still haven't made any progress in getting 2.0 to work. When attempting 2.0, (whether by using Setup 1.x or using an earlier version of the BIOS where the default speed is gen 2) the GPU is listed in device manager and GPU-Z , but MSI Afterburner, NVIDIA Control Panel and any attached monitors are inaccessible.

I'm pretty much out of ideas since it works fine at 1.1 and isn't reporting errors when attempting 2.0

Sounds like your PE4C V2.1 + video card can't hold a Gen2 link reliably. I've asked BPlus to create a soldered cable version of the PE4C V2.1 which they are working on. So for the time being the eGPU adapter with the best Gen2 signalling is the soldered cable PE4L 2.1b. You may want to enquire with BPlus on swapping yours for one of those?

[TheDeathEffect]

I considered the possibility of hardware, but I always thought signal instability presented itself as a crash during a stress test

[TheDeathEffect]

Well, that's strange. I just went back to the GPU I first tested the PE4C with (Geforce 8400 GS) and it just stopped working. The fan turns on but the D4 LED is lit permanently.

[TheDeathEffect]

Just got a PE4L working with Dell DA-2 and the cable designed for use with Akitio. Same results as PE4C- gen 1 works but gen 2 either gives black screen/crash at startup/black screen at startup/detected in device manager and GPU-z but not Nvidia Control Panel.

Guess I'll work on getting a new GPU before trying again

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Just got a PE4L working with Dell DA-2 and the cable designed for use with Akitio. Same results as PE4C- gen 1 works but gen 2 either gives black screen/crash at startup/black screen at startup/detected in device manager and GPU-z but not Nvidia Control Panel.

Guess I'll work on getting a new GPU before trying again

Is that a PE4L 2.1? It has a soldered cable so is as good as a PE4C V3.0 with signal integrity. Saying that, I have seen a couple of instances where the video card itself was problematic. Replacing it with the same card from a different vendor solving the Gen2 signal problem. Suspected impedance issues causing reflections at that high speed data transmission causing the error.

[TheDeathEffect]

Yup it's the PE4L v2.1b, in fact it's this one PE4L V2 1 PCIe Adapter | eBay

While we're on the topic of PE4L, do you know which way the 2 pin connectors goes onto the PE4L? I unplugged it and don't remember which way it goes.

[TheDeathEffect]

Good news! Finally got gen 2 working with an EVGA GTX 980 reference. Pretty much the same thing as for the 570; use an early BIOS for gen 2, use the delay switch so the GPU isn't detected at startup, you need a DSDT override.

CPU: i7-2670QM

RAM: 16 GB

Adapter: PE4C expresscard

Power Supply: Dell DA-2 with Akitio Cable Adapter

GPU: EVGA GTX 980 reference with ~200 GPU core overclock

3dmark06: Can't get it to work anymore- may update if/when I get it to run

3dmark11: 10137/8754(optimus)

3dmark FS: 8686/6520(optimus)

EDIT: The score posted is the total score (physics + gpu score)

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Good news! Finally got gen 2 working with an EVGA GTX 980 reference. Pretty much the same thing as for the 570; use an early BIOS for gen 2, use the delay switch so the GPU isn't detected at startup, you need a DSDT override.

CPU: i7-2670QM

RAM: 16 GB

Adapter: PE4C expresscard

Power Supply: Dell DA-2 with Akitio Cable Adapter

GPU: EVGA GTX 980 reference with ~200 GPU core overclock

3dmark06: Can't get it to work anymore- may update if/when I get it to run

3dmark11: 10137/8754(optimus)

3dmark FS: 8686/6520(optimus)

EDIT: The score posted is the total score (physics + gpu score)

Thank you for the update. A few details more details from you could greatly enhance this thread:

1. Can you pls provide the exact eGPU adapter you are using? eg: PE4L 2.1b, PE4C 3.0.

2. Would you also like to revise the opening post to complete it as a guide? That is, include full details of what was required to get it going including some photos to bring it all to life?

[TheDeathEffect]

Wanted to update my progress. All of the following is done with a DSDT override on my Dell Latitude e5420 using PE4C v2.1a

In Windows 8.1 (on internal hard drive) I can get optimus to work by going to sleep and then hot plugging the expresscard. Inserting the adapter after post but not while asleep gives a black screen. Trying to get video out from the graphics card gives a black screen.

In Windows 8.1 (on system device bay partition) I can get optimus to work by setting the switch delay so the BIOS doesn't detect it. It does not black screen like the above unless I try to get video out from the graphics card. No need to sleep to get optimus.

In Windows 7 (on the other partition of system device bay), it works perfectly as long as the switch gives a delay. Goes straight into the OS without a black screen. Can also do video out from the graphics card without issue.

Still waiting for the GTX 970 to drop in price. To do a little more testing, I ordered a 570 for the time being and it should be coming in soon. I'll update my progress once it comes in.

Kept you waiting, huh? Finally getting around to updating it into a guide from what I remember.

[misiozol]

hi buddy Can you share your dsdt overide file ? how you manage to put 16gb in there while limit is 4gb per slot ? can you share your bios file as well ?