Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I've downloaded and installed the new BIOS.  However, my M18xR2 alienware laptop still does not detect the Nvidia GTX 980m graphics card.  I have downloaded the proper driver from Nvidia, but I can not install the driver because the system does not detect it.  I thought once this new updated Bios was installed I would be able to install the new driver?  Please advise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried both Legacy and UEFI for boot modes.  Neither seems to make a difference.  I have disabled driver signing and that does not help.  From what I understood, though maybe incorrectly?, is that I did not have to modify the INF file for the graphics card thanks to the latest Bios update.  Is that not the case? I've tried with the most recent drivers for the GTX 980M and I've also tried with an older 362.0.0.  The graphics card was a Clevo, that is allegedly compatible with Alienware devices.  I'm at a loss.  I read through page 6 of this forum and I don't think the pins are the issue as the card is seated properly.  Any thoughts on needing to mod the INF and if so, any idea where I might look for directions to do so?  Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have still not stated whether or not you have the bios set to peg. To do this reboot to bios go to the 2nd advanced tab and then to graphics. This will open the option to set to peg igfx etc. set to peg save and reboot. It sounds like you have no issue booting to operating system. you should see GTX in the bios now, if you don't let me know.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, I've been on these crazy 16 hour days.  It happens more then I'd like since I'm in the medical field.  Let me try that when I get home next.  If that's all it takes I will literally wake up half the neighbor-hood with a victory cheer!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Negative success.  I tried changing it to PEG.  Just to cover my basis, I then tried changing it to PCI.  Is there a specific driver I should be trying?  I've tried the latest one, 390.7.7 and I've tried the old one, 360.0.0.  The GTX just does not show up in the BIOS, or in the control panel under hardware, and can not be detected by the GeForce experience software.  Any other thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Until the bios recognizes the gtx card or cards, drivers will be of no use. Are you using one or two 980's? As a preliminary step you could try clearing the cmos and boot to bios and select peg again reboot to bios and see if gtx is listed on the main page. At this point I would want to test the card on another laptop or at the least make sure of a good connection to the motherboard. Perhaps it was not fully seated or has jarred out of good connection with the socket. Until the card can be seen as gtx in the bios you can not move forward. If you tear the unit down again it would also be good to test the socket with an older card If you still have one available. If you put a card in that you have had working in the past and you are able to see it in the bios that would mean the  980 you have is probably not functioning correctly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are using a single gtx 980m, which socket did you place it in? Are you sure it was placed in the primary socket?

If placed in secondary socket the card will not register or be seen in the bios.

Please give me the specs for your M18X R2 ( what you have in it now) along with what operating system and which graphics card you were using prior to the update and If you still have it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the PCI slots is no longer working.  This prompted me to look for a single card.  The "new card" is an 8 gig GTX 980m.  Here's the old hardware configuration:

 

225-2944 : Alienware M18X R2 - Direct225-2944 : Alienware M18X R2 - Direct

Part Number
Quantity
Description
 
 
 
 
Part Number
Quantity
Description
3GRJR
1
ASSEMBLY, CARD (CIRCUIT), GRAPHICS, GTX675M, W/CBL
X0TYN
1
ASSEMBLY, CARD (CIRCUIT), GRAPHICS, GTX675M, M18XR2
Part Number
Quantity
Description
HHCWG
1
SSDR, 512G, S3, 7MM, LATIN/LATIN AMERICA, M3S-M
Part Number
Quantity
Description
23RM2
1
DVDRW/BD-ROM, 6X, 12.7, Serial ATA, HITACHI LG DATA STORAGE
496GG
1
LABEL, PART NUMBER, BLU-RAY, WORLD WIDE
Part Number
Quantity
Description
KJKGJ
1
KIT, DOCUMENTATION, AW SERI/WSI, DAO/BCC
Part Number
Quantity
Description
DYHHR
1
KIT, SOFTWARE, W7U64SP1, MUL17, ANW
T5FWH
1
LABEL, CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY, OPERATING SYSTEM, W7U3/6
Part Number
Quantity
Description
7WCGT
1
CARD (CIRCUIT), WIRELESS, KILLER, 3X3
CMYKC
1
LABEL, REGULATORY, WIRELESS, KILLER, WORLD WIDE
Part Number
Quantity
Description
93M0G
1
KEYBOARD, ANW, 6, ADDITIONAL, WORLD WIDE, AVENGER
8GWD6
1
KEYBOARD, ANW, 101, ENG-US, W8, AV MLK
Part Number
Quantity
Description
3YX8R
1
CARD (CIRCUIT), WIRELESS, 380, BLUETOOTH, HF
WXK2J
1
LABEL, WIRELESS, BLUETOOTH, 380, WORLD WIDE, CSMB
Part Number
Quantity
Description
8H68R
4
DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE, 8GB, 1600, 1024X64, 8K, 204
Part Number
Quantity
Description
5120P
1
CORD, POWER, 125V, 6FT, SJT, UNSHIELDED
Y90RR
1
ADAPTER, ALTERNATING CURRENT, 330W, DELTA - AC ADAPT, 3P, PWA INTEGRATED, WORLD WIDE
Part Number
Quantity
Description
YMT57
1
PROCESSOR, I7-3840QM, 2.8, 4C, IVY, E1, P
KT2TK
1
LABEL, INTEL, NO BIOS, CI72
X4KPF
1
ASSEMBLY, HEATSINK, CENTRAL PROCESSOR UNIT, QUAD CORE, M18X
Part Number
Quantity
Description
FX8M5
1
PLACEMAT, ANW, AVENGER, M18X, R2
Part Number
Quantity
Description
X7F3W
1
KIT, SOFTWARE, OFCHS-2013, MPI, DELL AMERICAS ORGANIZATION
Part Number
Quantity
Description
FCPW3
1
BATTERY, PRIMARY, 96WHR, 12C, SIMPLO
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sorry if that's bulky...  did you need anything else??  You think the card is just bad?  Or a proprietary issue?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have read Clevo cards work fine. Most likely a bad card If you are positive the card Is in the primary slot. It is possible your Primary socket is bad but If working when you pulled the original card I would not think this likely. I would still reinsert the original  GTX 675 to test it out and see if the older card is seen in the bios. Wish I had better advice, but if its not seen by the motherboard It should be a problem with the card not working or a problem in the motherboard. One last thing is if the 980m is a g-sync card from clevo then you would have issues. You seem to be able to boot to your operating system fine in both legacy and UEFI ,and you have not experienced 8 beeps. I would clear the cmos making sure all has reset to the original settings and manufacture date in the bios and run DDU through your OS, reboot again and hope for the best. You might pm Mr.Fox and see If he might have any further thoughts. Let me know If you have any luck or what the problem might be after you reinstall the original card.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have surrendered.  I uninstalled the GTX 980M.  I reinstalled one of the original GTX 675M cards and it works properly in the slot.  Either the card I got out of China off of Ebay was bad, or there was a proprietary issue I was unaware of.  I don't feel comfortable trying to modify any of the pins on the card, and I feel it was seated properly even though it was not detected in the Bios.  In any event, I will get a refund for now and run my laptop as is.  If I can find "new" or American sourced parts, I may try this again.  Thanks for all your help!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
On 23/02/2018 at 6:43 AM, Siplast said:

I have read Clevo cards work fine. Most likely a bad card If you are positive the card Is in the primary slot. It is possible your Primary socket is bad but If working when you pulled the original card I would not think this likely. I would still reinsert the original  GTX 675 to test it out and see if the older card is seen in the bios. Wish I had better advice, but if its not seen by the motherboard It should be a problem with the card not working or a problem in the motherboard. One last thing is if the 980m is a g-sync card from clevo then you would have issues. You seem to be able to boot to your operating system fine in both legacy and UEFI ,and you have not experienced 8 beeps. I would clear the cmos making sure all has reset to the original settings and manufacture date in the bios and run DDU through your OS, reboot again and hope for the best. You might pm Mr.Fox and see If he might have any further thoughts. Let me know If you have any luck or what the problem might be after you reinstall the original card.

I am having similar issues with Solace21.

The difference is my integrated card is missing but nvidia gtx is there. But when I boot to windows 10 there isn't any gtx under control panel. Could not install nvidia driver. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Hi Everyone,

 

I've recently run into an issue with my Alienware m18x R2 and I'm hoping someone might have some advice.  I think this may be due to updates of Windows 10 itself but I'm not sure, I reinstalled Windows 10 and wiped everything just to be safe.  I've noticed that the GTX 980M GPUs throttle like crazy when running any game or 3DMark, this happens when in both SLI and single mode.  Thinking this was a PSU issue I went and bought the Eurocom 780w PSU.  I noticed however, that the entire machine bottlenecks around 300w and throttles back.  I'm not sure a modded vBIOS would help or if there's something else I should try.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  I'm currently running Swick's A11 BIOS and stock vBIOS.  I've attached my GPU-Z info in case it's of any help.  Thanks in advance.

gpu.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Yes, I tried several different drivers including relatively new and very old ones.  Didn't seem to make much difference.  There were minor performance boosts but in all cases throttling still occurred.  Unfortunately, I don't know which specific update caused the issue.

Edited by godlikemouse
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@MattyB Yeah, unfortunately.  I've searched everywhere but have had absolutely zero success.

 

@Siplast I haven't been able to get any of the vbios to work with my cards due to the difference in RAM manufacturers.  If you notice, my RAM is using Elpida.  If you know of a vbios that works with Elpida please let me know.  I'll definitely give it a try.

 

Thanks guys :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Do you have a seperate drive and an earlier version of windows such as 8 or 8.1 ?

It would be a good test to see if you could get your set up to run correctly with a different OS so as to rule out the OS as the culprit. I am not a fan of what i've seen and read as to windows 10. Just to re-cap, your sli was running correctly at some point without throttling using windows 10 and at some point your throttling issue became prevalent ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I tried rolling back to Windows 7.  Same issue, just a bit slower performance.  The throttling has always been an issue, just recently it has gotten really bad.  Part of the issue could be the SLI cable, but I'm not sure.  I've had to replace that cable a few times since owning the machine, so that could be a contributor.  Every once in a while a reboot would get it so that the throttling wasn't as noticeable, but it has always been present in some form especially when running very heavily under load.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Klem changed the title to [Bios Mod] M18xR2 - Legacy Support now Available

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.