[Bios Mod] M18xR2 - Legacy Support now Available

[MyApocalypse]

@MattyB My H ID is PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1BA1&SUBSYS_05501028

 

@Siplast Thanks for the links it saved me some time there! trying to juggle this between fixing up a car right at the moment

 

The guides differ somewhat just a little where it might throw someone new like me off so is it the nvdmi or the dispi.inf I should edit? As for drivers an older one like 425.31 does it matter if its desktop or mobile?

Edited March 23, 2023 by MyApocalypse

[Siplast]

  This is the long answer:       If you are using windows 7 64 bit, download 474.11.Create new folder and label it. Put Driver in the folder. Use 7zip to extract driver. extract to 474.11 in the menu that will appear to the side of prompt when using 7zip ( follow the prompts and pick the one I mentioned). Once the file has completed open the new folder that will be in the folder you created, It will be above the original driver you put in the folder and will be labeled the same. click diplay driver and once this opens click on NV_dispi.info. This is the file you will modify. This is what and OS looks like in the file you are now in [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.6.3]  . this is the next one [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.6.2] and the next one [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1]. I do not know which is which a to the OS so I change the string in all that have what I need. Use control F to find what you need to modify and follow the guides that I sent you.

 The short answer is : NV_dispi.info. Hope this helps !

[MattyB]

14 hours ago, MyApocalypse said:

@MattyB My H ID is PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1BA1&SUBSYS_05501028

 

@Siplast Thanks for the links it saved me some time there! trying to juggle this between fixing up a car right at the moment

 

The guides differ somewhat just a little where it might throw someone new like me off so is it the nvdmi or the dispi.inf I should edit? 

 

As for drivers an older one like 425.31 does it matter if its desktop or mobile?

 

 

So, basically you're best to start by using DDU to remove any traces of old drivers.

Then download and run the Nvidia installer for the 474.11. Let it fail but do not close it down.

Go to your C: drive and find the NVIDIA folder. Copy and paste this in the same C: drive. It will auto-name itself NVIDIA - Copy

Close down the failed installer and the NVIDIA folder should disappear and you're left with the NVIDIA - Copy folder

The original NVIDIA folder is protected and you can't save any changes. The Copy is not.

Navigate into the Display.Driver folder. Scroll down and find and open the nvdmi.inf 

Scroll down to find the first list of hardware ID's. Note: There are multiples of these list for different operating systems

Copy and paste this line anywhere in the list. The Section# doesn't matter

 

%NVIDIA_DEV.1BA1.0550.1028% = Section001, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1BA1&SUBSYS_05501028

 

Scroll down further and there will be a small break and the list will start again. Paste the above line in this list as well. Scroll down to the end of this list and see if another list of ID's starts again and do the same.

Drivers around this era had support for Windows 7, 8 and 10 so that's why there could be 3 lists of ID's so it's best to put your modded line in each of them just to be sure. 

 

Then quick scroll almost right down to the bottom and find the list of Strings. 

Copy and Paste this line in there.

 

NVIDIA_DEV.1BA1.0550.1028 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070"

 

Save and exit the inf and folder.

Restart the laptop with Disable Driver Signature Enforcement.

For Windows 7, I believe you just hit restart and then spam F8 to get into the hidden Advanced Menu. Select the option for Driver Signature Enforcement.

Once the system starts up you just go to the NVIDIA - Copy folder and into the International folder and double click on the Setup.exe at the bottom of the list.

If you've done things right then it should pass the compatibility test and start installing. 

Then a red/white warning will pop up and you just have to accept it to complete the installation.

Edited March 24, 2023 by MattyB

[MattyB]

This is the way I've always done it. I've never used the NV_dispi way but maybe you can do it both ways. 

[Siplast]

I think I was mistaken on the NV_dispi. Thanks

[Siplast]

This guide below states nv_dispi and the other which is from J95 on this site and the first one I sent use nvdmi.inf I think I have done it both ways but I mainly remember the same as MattyB said. 

 

 

 

https://forums.guru3d.com/threads/nvidia-inf-driver-modding-guide.377158/

 

 

 

 

Use  nvdmi.inf 

[MyApocalypse]

@MattyB Thanks for the write up i followed it all the way through and the 1070 now comes alive! tested under 474.11

 

Something's not right though i ran a game and this message "A D3D11-compatible GPU (Feature Level 11.0, Shader Model 5.0) is required to run the engine" came up and i have updated my DirectX runtimes

[xapachewolfx]

Hey for alienware m18x r2 what is the max storage I can install I'm trying to see if it will accept 4tb ssd

[MattyB]

14 minutes ago, xapachewolfx said:

Hey for alienware m18x r2 what is the max storage I can install I'm trying to see if it will accept 4tb ssd

 

I've seen people run 4tb SSD's in the R2 so it should work. Never tried it myself though. 

16 hours ago, MyApocalypse said:

@MattyB Thanks for the write up i followed it all the way through and the 1070 now comes alive! tested under 474.11

 

Something's not right though i ran a game and this message "A D3D11-compatible GPU (Feature Level 11.0, Shader Model 5.0) is required to run the engine" came up and i have updated my DirectX runtimes

 

Nice! I'm glad you managed to get the driver installed. I have never come across that error though so I won't be any help with that one. Maybe it has something to do with running Windows 7, no idea really though.

[MyApocalypse]

On 3/20/2023 at 7:06 PM, MattyB said:

The 17 R1 was released with the 700M and 800M cards and the Nvidia 3D display option. Support for this was removed from the 900M series. 

 

The two 980M's will usually bench well but as newer games don't support SLI then the single 1070 will tend to rise above the single 980M that gets utilised. The 1060 is only marginally better than a single 980M. The cost for two 980M's is also usually much more than finding a single 1070 and using a single card allows for the secondary MXM slot to be used with an MXM to NVMe adapter. I was running a 1070 in my R2 for about a year but decided to sell it and downgraded to a single 970M. 

 

There aren't many success stories of getting a 1080 to work properly so I'd advise against trying that. There are RTX cards that will work but they are the Quadro variants like the Quadro RTX 3000 (~RTX 2060)

 

I am to believe that the 10 series were cut short of 3D support and the 900 did have driver support at the time? correct me if I'm wrong. I'll take 980 performance over the 780 anyday lol I am looking to upgrade the m17x R4 next. Also does the r4 support both 2nd and 3rd gen intel cpu?  

 

That error on my 1070 m18 must be connected with an Unreal Engine problem

[MattyB]

2 hours ago, MyApocalypse said:

 

I am to believe that the 10 series were cut short of 3D support and the 900 did have driver support at the time? correct me if I'm wrong. I'll take 980 performance over the 780 anyday lol I am looking to upgrade the m17x R4 next. Also does the r4 support both 2nd and 3rd gen intel cpu?  

 

That error on my 1070 m18 must be connected with an Unreal Engine problem

 

I always thought that the 900M series did not have 3D support but it's possible they do and it's just the driver support that was discontinued at version 425.31. I'd have to do more research.

The 900M cards will still work fine with the 120Hz 3D screen in the M17x R4 and 17 R1 but you won't get 3D vision in any old games that had that feature. 

Yes, the R4 supports 2nd and 3rd gen processors. 

[Crystalius]

Hello, with this BIOS i can install 1060m?

 

Laptop

Alienware M18x R2

Windows 11 Home

16 GB Ram

Nvidia 680m.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Crystalius

[MattyB]

6 hours ago, Crystalius said:

Hello, with this BIOS i can install 1060m?

 

Laptop

Alienware M18x R2

Windows 11 Home

16 GB Ram

Nvidia 680m.

 

Yes, you will need an unlocked BIOS to install the 1060. You cannot run the card without it. 

[Crystalius]

Ok, thanks a lot

[MyApocalypse]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:22 PM, MattyB said:

 

I always thought that the 900M series did not have 3D support but it's possible they do and it's just the driver support that was discontinued at version 425.31. I'd have to do more research.

The 900M cards will still work fine with the 120Hz 3D screen in the M17x R4 and 17 R1 but you won't get 3D vision in any old games that had that feature. 

Yes, the R4 supports 2nd and 3rd gen processors. 

 

When I asked the questions about 3D it was for what I thought is the R4 and it isn't now lol the thrift shop on ebay had sent me an R3 with a typo on their part. Found out almost a month later after beating myself why the r4 drivers were not working epic fail! it does have the 120hz screen so I think I should keep it instead but what's the best I can do with it in terms of mods?

[MattyB]

7 hours ago, MyApocalypse said:

 

When I asked the questions about 3D it was for what I thought is the R4 and it isn't now lol the thrift shop on ebay had sent me an R3 with a typo on their part. Found out almost a month later after beating myself why the r4 drivers were not working epic fail! it does have the 120hz screen so I think I should keep it instead but what's the best I can do with it in terms of mods?

 

Ahh that's a shame. Despite them looking identical they are very different. The R3 can only take Nvidia cards up to the 800M series and you can lose internal sound when doing this upgrade. The R4 can take just about any MXM 3.0b card even up to Quadro RTX cards. The R3 only takes 2nd Gen processors, R4 2nd and 3rd. mSata slot in the R4 as well. 

[xapachewolfx]

i get always get the best advice here so im looking to buy a new motherboard  for my m18xr2 and it feels obvious but i just want to make sure when i get it well i have to flash the bios again

[Siplast]

Yes. You will need to Identify the bios that comes with the mobo and start from there.

[xapachewolfx]

I don't remember doing it the first time but ok dont really have much of a choice 

[MattyB]

21 hours ago, xapachewolfx said:

i get always get the best advice here so im looking to buy a new motherboard  for my m18xr2 and it feels obvious but i just want to make sure when i get it well i have to flash the bios again

 

M18x R2 motherboards are usually crazy expensive and it can often be a better option trying to find another complete system, or at least one with a working board. What happened to the old board?

Whichever way you do it you'll have to reflash the unlocked BIOS if you want to install certain GPU's, unless but some fluke the replacement board has the unlocked BIOS already on it.  I always suggest to update the OEM BIOS versions one at a time until you get to the same version as the unlocked one you want to use, then flash the unlocked one. 

[Siplast]

I picked one up for about 250.00 on ebay , but that was about 5 years ago. Works great!

All the best.

[xapachewolfx]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:27 PM, Siplast said:

@Mattyb my ssd connector latch broke so Ive been trying to hold it in place with a piece of paper but I was lucky enough to find a laptop with the modded bios

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by xapachewolfx

[xapachewolfx]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:27 PM, Siplast said:

Does anyone know what these two slots are for can I use them for mini ssds one is next to the wifi card the other is between the fans

 

[MattyB]

14 minutes ago, xapachewolfx said:

 

 

@Siplast and @xapachewolfx the HDD ribbon cable connectors are hard to find and they are incredibly fragile. The was a seller on eBay that used to sell them but he doesn't seem to be selling anymore. I do have some left, both for the M18x R1 and M18x R2. 

[MattyB]

5 minutes ago, xapachewolfx said:

 

 

The slot next to the wifi card was for the WiHD card. It was for wirelessly sending the display signal to a TV. You also needed an antenna which fed from the card up into the monitor and then you needed a receiver for the TV. The tech was scrapped after a few years as it had some lag and it only worked off the intel graphics (from what I've seen) so you couldn't wirelessly display demanding games which needed the dedicated GPU. There is a Youtube video somewhere where they are playing a game though. The other emply slot is for an mSata SSD. It doesn't look like you have the mSata connector PCB installed though, which is weird. The R1 didn't have this option as mSata started with the R2 generation. You have the R2 right?