Precision 7530 & Precision 7730 owner's thread

I see.
It would be useful to check your hwinfo traces, if you have them or you can record a new one with that low power usage.

It might shed some light on optimization opportunities

 

Interesting. Are compatible GPUs tough to find? From that thread it sounds like they are specific to Dell? Can you suggest any sources other than eBay or Dell (if I'm luck like that poster)?

 

Yes, they are hard to find and indeed Dell-specific. You are limited to cards that shipped in the 7730 and 7740.

 

So here's one: negating adding all sorts of back story, I'm ending up with a basically fully loaded 7530, but "fully loaded" appears to not include any discrete GPU, just the Intel HD one with the Xeon E-2186M (which still hurts my brain on who orders it that way).

Anyway, is upgrading one that never had the discrete graphics possible? Likely it would need a new heatsink/fan combo, but Parts People has that (sometimes). My question's more in-line with the new DGFF deal and the switch from MXM, and the differences or missing parts that may accompany such a change. MXM was easy. This looks like quite a .... show.

Feedback from anyone who's had these apart and seen the integrated-video only ones?

 

Absolutely possible. You'll need to purchase the heatsink, four extra screws, two more cables and the card itself, but the upgrade is equally as easy/difficult (choose one, heh) as MXM. I've upgraded the Quadro P3200 in my 7530 to the Quadro RTX 3000.

MXM uses a slot like DDR RAM, PCIe and M.2, whereas DGFF uses between one to four ribbon connectors.

 

What about parts suppliers in the United States? I just stumbled across your other thread and noticed that bit, but can't seem to find anywhere around here that supplies that stuff (at least not online).

I've swapped a BIOS modded M2200 out twice; once into my 7510, and just recently into a 7520, but now comes the 7530, so the M2200 is going to be sold and hopefully this upgrade done.

 

Basically, contact Dell spare parts (800-372-3355). I don't think you'll be able to get an actual GPU from them, but cables and other parts you need might be possible if you know the actual part numbers. I've successfully purchased a laptop heatsink assembly from them before. You'll need at least two more DGFF "screw/data" connector things, the power cable, and the dGPU version of the heatsink. The only other source that I have is eBay... These machines are still a bit new for people to be disassembling them for parts though.

 

Sounds like it would be a challenge.

 

Can anyone share a BIOS dump from 7730 version 1.0.0 and higher? I will be very grateful. I need a dump from a eeprom flash.

 

Which Arch version did you use and with which kernel? Any other package/configs that could be useful?

I have only managed to get it down to 9.xW with powertop/tlp after disabling dgpu and removing all the devices under the 1st USB root hub, i.e. Bt/webcam/smartcard.

I also tried with the -oem ubuntu kernel which is supposed to be the one used on Dells which come preconfigured with Linux, but that didn't help (actually couldn't get it lower that 12W with that)