Dell Precision M6600 graphics driver issues after K3100M

I have a M6600 that the original FirePro graphics card had issues, so I scavenged a K3100M from a ZBook 17 that was about to be recycled and installed it. I got video back but after reloading the OS, both of my video cards have error symbols in device manager. The Intel HD3000 has an "This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. (Code 12)" and the K3100M has "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)". I've tried deleting and reinstalling the drivers, as well as trying another K3100M. I know my K3100M's were good before they were pulled, and I've tried in both Windows 7 and 10. Any suggestions?

 

If the original Quadro K3100M came from a ZBook, it may need a different vBIOS. Code 43 usually means either the card is dead/dying, or in the most common case with MXM cards, that the card needs a different vBIOS to work properly in a Laptop that the card wasn't meant for. NVFlash is a great tool for doing this. If you flash a different vBIOS onto the card and it still doesn't work, the card is most likely broken.

As for the Code 12 for the I-GPU, I have no clue what that is.

 

If I try to use GPU-Z to check the bios version, it says it can’t read the card. If windows has stopped the cars would that be normal?

 

Yeah, If GPU-Z cant read the vBIOS on the card, then that means windows has stopped the card from working. You will most likely need to flash a Dell K3100M vBIOS on the card to see if that fixes the issue.

 

If windows is stopping the card, is it safe to flash it?

 

Yes, you should be able to flash it. I think its either working at a basic level, or its using Optimus (routing the display through your CPU graphics.) If the flash fails, you should be able to fall back and boot with the I-GPU to flash a different vBIOS.

This vBIOS SHOULD work, take it with a grain of salt, but again, if the flash fails, you should be able to to use the I-GPU to boot and then re-flash a different vBIOS. Do a bit of research on how to use NVFlash so that you don't mess anything up.

Link: https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/161464/161464

 

Also, this is from Maxware79, someone on the forums who helped me flash one of my cards' vBIOS. Do everything that is said, here's the quote:

"You won't if you don't try a flash command. You may actually have to go through most of the process to check it though but I haven't done it in a little while. Do this at your own risk
Make a folder in your C: drive called nvflash and then download the program from TechPowerUp.
Extract the files and put the unzipped files into the nvflash folder. It used to have two files nvflash and nvflash64
Go back to TechPowerUp and find a suitable Dell/Alienware vBIOS for your card. Download it and place it in the nvflash folder with the other files. Write down the ROM name for later.
Usually you'd now go to Device Manager and disable the GPU and save your current vBIOS using GPU-Z but you can't do that since it's not there. I'd also disable your internet connection at this stage
Open CMD and run as administrator
Type -
cd C:\nvflash
Then type -
nvflash -6 ROM_NAME.rom

The ROM_NAME being whatever your vBIOS ROM is called. Usually a 6 or 7 digit number
If you had the nvflash and nvflash64 files then you may have to add the 64 to the command. for example.... nvflash64 -6 ROM_NAME.rom

It should now tell you which display adapter you have in your system. If you press y twice at this stage it will begin the flash so don't press y if you don't want to flash it.
Type exit and it should take you out of the command prompt."

 

Just a note.
The established knowledge is that M6600 is not happy to work with NVIDIA cards newer than Fermi. (Some strange BIOS conflict.) I'd say that it's likely that the card will still not be able to engage even if you manage to flash the vBIOS. This is why everyone who is looking to upgrade their M6600 is using AMD cards.
(M6700 and M6800 are much more lenient about which NVIDIA cards can be used.)

 

I should of probably done some research before helping this guy out. Thanks for the response though, I hate wasting peoples time.

 

I could have sworn I've seen several posts in different places with successful claims?