17" Clevo P170HM + GTX970@4Gbps-mPCIe2 (EXP GDC Beast) + Win7/64 [Leviathan56]

[Leviathan56]

This is my laptop configuration :

PC : Clevo P170HM

OS : Windows 7 x64 Pro

CPU : Intel Core i7 2820QM 2.30 GHz

GPU : NVidia GTX 580M

RAM : 16Go DDR3

And now, here is my eGPU hardware setup :

PCI-E adaptor : EXP GDC Beast mini PCI-E version

Power : 550W external power supply

eGPU : Gainward NVidia GTX 970

My problem is that I've got a code 12 error when i'm on windows. I cannot disable my internal GPU and choose another one with my BIOS configuration neither.

EDIT : I finally got Setup 1.30 worked with the folowing :

* endpoint = 3.87GB

* scope = dGPU

* closeunusedbridges = on

* ignore = NONE

I had the idea to try this one in priority when you said that I had enough pcie space. Then I thought that compressing just the dGpu would release the missing resources for the eGPU. My other failed attempts in the spoiler.

So I bought eGPU setup 1.30 in order to solve this but all my attempts are not really conclusive for now.

Here is the setup that gives the best result for now :

I did all the steps befor the compactons and I still have the code 12.

Then I tryed the two combinations :

*endpoint = 4G

*scope = All except SATA+USB+...

*closeunusedbridges = on

*ignore = none

Result : windows boot freezes (the boot animation starts and then it freeses (no response)

*endpoint = 4G

*scope = dGpu + eGPU

*closeunusedbridges = on

*ignore = none

Result : windows boot but still got the code 12.

Thank you again

[Tech Inferno Fan]

@Leviathan56, great news it all works. Now we don't have an existing Clevo P170HM eGPU implementation at http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/6578-implementations-hub-tb-ec-mpcie.html so I've moved the bits into a new thread that can act as an implementaiton guide. Did you want to take a few photos to bring it all to live, add 3dmark13-FS, 3dmark11 and 3dmark06 results and tidy up the instructions a bit? Then others with the same notebook could leverage your pioneering work to add an eGPU to theirs too

[Leviathan56]

Hi @Tech Inferno Fan,

First of all, thank you for creating this thread.

I was running benches before giving further details. And I'm quite disapointed with the results. It seems like the eGPU is not taken into account. I did not bench my dGPU and I cannot stress it anymore so I'm not able to compare with and without the eGPU, but I'm pretty sure that without the eGPU it would give the same result.

This is the ling to the 3DMark11 result. Coul you tell me if you agree with me seeing it please ?

Do you know how I could see if the eGPU is used for the internal display ? I tryed CAM and NVidia System monitor and both tell me that the eGPU has no activity

Am I missing something or do I have to use an external screen to use the eGPU ?

If it is the case, if I use windows 8+, I should be able to boot without the dGPU and use only the eGPU for internal use, right ?

Thank you for your help.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Hi @Tech Inferno Fan,

First of all, thank you for creating this thread.

I was running benches before giving further details. And I'm quite disapointed with the results. It seems like the eGPU is not taken into account. I did not bench my dGPU and I cannot stress it anymore so I'm not able to compare with and without the eGPU, but I'm pretty sure that without the eGPU it would give the same result.

This is the ling to the 3DMark11 result. Coul you tell me if you agree with me seeing it please ?

Do you know how I could see if the eGPU is used for the internal display ? I tryed CAM and NVidia System monitor and both tell me that the eGPU has no activity

Am I missing something or do I have to use an external screen to use the eGPU ?

If it is the case, if I use windows 8+, I should be able to boot without the dGPU and use only the eGPU for internal use, right ?

Thank you for your help.

Your system has no iGPU active so NVidia Optimus does not function to give an accelerated internal LCD mode. That means you must have an external LCD connected to your GTX970 to run apps on. You can drag *windowed* apps from that external LCD to run on the internal LCD.

[Leviathan56]

Thank you for your answer. That's what I feared actually.

And does that mean that even if i use win8, and disable the dGPU, it would be the same (i would not be able tu use the internal monitor) ?

I'm asking that because I've a tiny desk and it would be hard to put an extra monitor on it ^^

Thank you

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Thank you for your answer. That's what I feared actually.

And does that mean that even if i use win8, and disable the dGPU, it would be the same (i would not be able tu use the internal monitor) ?

I'm asking that because I've a tiny desk and it would be hard to put an extra monitor on it ^^

Thank you

With no iGPU, you will not have NVidia Optimus accelerated internal LCD mode. So then consider a replacement notebook with an iGPU from http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/4109-egpu-candidate-system-list.html

[Leviathan56]

Hi @Tech Inferno Fan,

So I come up with some news. I plugged an external screen to my eGPU to do some tests.

I used it as the only output (I was not using my laptop screen).

It works fine when I use 2D games or for "normal" use.

But when I try to use something more demending as the 3DMark softwares or a game, it is not the same.

In game (or with 3DMark) the eGPU makes some weird noises (cracklings with a high pitch) and some "scanlines" appears sometime on the screen (it looks like noise but making "waves" on the screen).

After a while, the cracklings gat a lower pitch (it really sounds a bit like a thin paper stuck in a fan (but there is not ^^) ) and short after, the computer crashes.

I don't know if you ever faced that kind of problem. I don"t think it comes from myexternal power supply, it can provide up to 550W which is more than enought.

I tried other configurations with your software and the one I gave in the first post is the only one working.

I ran out of ideas, so any help would be appreciated

Thanks a lot.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Hi @Tech Inferno Fan,

So I come up with some news. I plugged an external screen to my eGPU to do some tests.

I used it as the only output (I was not using my laptop screen).

It works fine when I use 2D games or for "normal" use.

But when I try to use something more demending as the 3DMark softwares or a game, it is not the same.

In game (or with 3DMark) the eGPU makes some weird noises (cracklings with a high pitch) and some "scanlines" appears sometime on the screen (it looks like noise but making "waves" on the screen).

After a while, the cracklings gat a lower pitch (it really sounds a bit like a thin paper stuck in a fan (but there is not ^^) ) and short after, the computer crashes.

I don't know if you ever faced that kind of problem. I don"t think it comes from myexternal power supply, it can provide up to 550W which is more than enought.

I tried other configurations with your software and the one I gave in the first post is the only one working.

I ran out of ideas, so any help would be appreciated

Thanks a lot.

Beware the 550W"ATX PSU rating. Test a quality PSU instead.

In addition, switch your mPCIe port from Gen2 to Gen1 (Setup 1.30: PCIe Ports->Gen1). We have had numerous accounts of instability due to the EXP GDC seemingly incapable of maintaining a reliable Gen2 link with some configurations.

[Saruman]

 @Leviathan56  Did you ever find a solution for hooking up your Clevo P170HM with an eGPU?  I have the same laptop and I'd like to upgrade it using the GTX 980, but there isn't much information about how to do it.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I hope you're recovering well! @Tech Inferno Fan

[hharcore]

I bought GDC Beast 8.4 and this month Ill try to test it on p170hm with external monitor and few cards.