Downgrade bios from A08 to A05: Nvidia problem.

I got my M14x about 2 weeks go. I don't remember if it came with bios A08 or A05. I install an Intel 510 250GB SSD in it to discover the speed is not that great. Read/write is around 250/240 Mb/s. I read some of the topics here and found out that A08 limit the data transfer at SATA II speed (3 Gb/s) while A05 does not.
So I downloaded A05 and do a normal flash. Everything went smoothly. The transfer speed improves a lot (not noticeably though) to around 370 Mb/s read and 310 mb/s write. The only problem is that I could not get the graphic card to work. I tried installing the drivers from Dell (269.37), the drivers from Nvidia (285.62) but I get this message every time

NVIDIA Display settings are not available

You are not currently using a display attached to an NVIDIA GPU

My machine is with : i7 2670qm, 8gb ram 1600 ghz( Dell), 3gb geforce 555m.
Is there a way to fix this? Or is there a way to enable SATA III on A08 ( an unlocked version?)
Here are the SSD speed tests with A05 and A08( both without intel rapid storage)


I know the differences in speed are not eye-noticeable but it would be nice to have. It's like going to beach to see girls with big boobs, you can't have with all of them but it's still nice to watch them bouncing.

 

'I know the differences in speed are not eye-noticeable but it would be nice to have. It's like going to beach to see girls with big boobs, you can't have with all of them but it's still nice to watch them bouncing.'

Mate you just cheered up my entire day at work LMFAO! Rep+

 

It is not just you, I think it is the problem with ALL of the 3GB GT555M users, see this thread for more info, btw Please do not post HUGE image, Read the Forum Rule to find out more about how to attach a smaller image.

 

To CGSDR: the thing is that everything works fine with bios A08 ( which i'm currently using). I'm having geforce driver 285.62 with the modded .inf from @Pete- 7r0jan (big think to him) in page #5 in the thread you posted. The problem only occurs when I downgrade to bios A05. No Nvidia control panel, there is just a green nvidia setting icon on the task bar which when clicked will show :

NVIDIA Display settings are not available

You are not currently using a display attached to an NVIDIA GPU

I tried the drivers from Nvidia ( 28x,xx) with the moded .inf, the beta drivers ( 29x,xx) with and without the modded .inf, the drivers from Dell but none works, all clean install ( thank to my SSD otherwise it would have taken forever)
I fixed the images, thank you.

 

Well, if you read the "Fix & Enhancement" on the A08 description it said "update new VBIOS for N12-GTX2 graphics card", It mean to update those who has the GF116 version of the GT555M (can be found in GPU-Z), for earlier owner such as me who bought the laptop before Dell use the GF116, we seem to unaffected by the problem, I can install any of the driver that is version 280 or higher without the need of any modded .inf. The A05 version is design mainly for the 1.5GB & 3GB (GF106) GT555M however you can also use with the GF116 but you wont be able to install NVIDIA driver without a modded .inf.

Btw, dont forget to rep+ people if you think they helping, it is found in their post it's icon between the status light and red triangle.

 

So A05 doesn't work on machines with GF116?
I'm having GF116 released on may 30th 2011.
The reason why i'm trying to downgrade from A08 to A05 is to get my SSD to work at it better speed. The problem with Nvidia driver is just what's on the way. Do you know a way to use SSD at SATA III speed on bios A08? Or another bios which allow SATA III except A05?
I thought i found one here http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m14x/1426-[tested-working]-m14x-*unlocked*-bios-a07-a08.html but it only unlocks the hidden menu in bios.
Again, my machine is with i7 2670qm, 8gb ram 1600 ghz( Dell), 3gb geforce 555m (GF116)

 

the modded bios files still have the same SATA behaviour.

its tested with a GF106.

 

I guess you can change stuff in that modded BIOS, but I'm not going to mess with it, because the last time I mess with it causing me to call Dell for a motherboard replacement, so I just dont want to have it happen again, but you can try if you know what you doing.

For the BIOS, it is work on the A05 since you can revert back to in (sorry I mess up with some text), what it is doesnt work is the the GF116 GT555M, that why Dell patch the A08 to fix that problem, and I still dont understand why they disable the SATA 3 option.

Actually the modded BIOS is just a plain BIOS with some more option unlocked, so then you can change stuff that is not available to the original version. That's the only different between the non-mod and the modded.

 

dont forget the vbios modded version. has some extra bizssss for your GPU
well its actually not the options unlocked, but all menus that are inside the bios itself. some options in there work, others dont have effect, others will brick your machine.

 

Yeah, and the "Others" just brick mine back in Jan when I'm too curious to change thing around, this make me stay clear out of the unlocked BIOS to prevent it from happening again.

 

Ok thank you both, I will wait for 1 month if there is no new bios then i will start looking around again. To look for some bouncing boobs eh M11Ash?

 

Hello everybody

Does anyone found a fix for this ?
I did lot's of reasearches aswell.
I bought an M14X with a 555M 3gb (GF116).
I installed a SSD disk and to make the SATA III speed work, I downgraded my BIOS to A05.
Like nothing1607, the graphic card is no longer suported.

CGSDR said :

And one month later on the "M14x - nVIDIA 296.10 WHQL drivers released ! " thread he said :

Does this mean that using this mod .inf , I will be able to install the driver and so have both the sata III speed and the working graphic card or does this just mean that the mod .inf is only working on A08 bios to install new drivers without error ?

Hope I did not misunderstood everything...

Thank you so much in advance for your help.

 

Agree CGSDR I reverted also to stock unlocked A03, no more 0.92 V.
I have read about burned-out GPUs with the 0.92 V mod in alienware forum, but NOT with M14x.

But still, I get 750/1050 stable with default voltage stable in any game so far.

As for unlocked functions in Bioses, I know 70% of the menus (google).
SATA 3 limitation in A08 is, in my opinion coded to the Bios itself.

I would like to have A03 (nice loud fans), unlocked menus, with latest Intel OROM and latest Video Bios and SATA 6 Gbps but with stable Win7 startups.

 

Something definitely goes wrong with the A08 BIOS upgrade.

I myself have the 3GB GPU and since flashing when I plug in my 30", the screen goes blank for a few seconds (like it used to before flashing), but then when it comes back on the 30" monitor is NOT recognized anymore.

This is very frustrating because before the BIOS upgrade I could use my 2560x1600 display, making for the PERFECT desktop experience with my m14x.

To be frank I find it infuriating that some careless Dell techie can literally damage my hardware as easily as posting a bad BIOS from which there's no going back, since the A06 BIOS is just unavailable.

But that's just me...

 

It's funny that you say this, as I had the same issues and made a forum thread on the issue. A clean install was the only solution for me as well.

 

A gracious soul at Dell technical support has made BIOS A07 available at:

http://dell.to/H6QjHl

I can confirm that this BIOS DOES DRIVE the 2560x1600 30" display when used in conjunction with a mini display port to dual link DVI adapter (such as the one provided by Apple).

Thank you Adolfo Escalante! You have restored my system to operational order. It is people like you who make all the difference at giant companies like Dell.

Once again, thank you.

 

I have been reading the posts in this thread. So, I have installed my SSD(Corsair force GT), done a fresh OS install. Had my BIOS set A08. Then changed it to A05. Still, didnot get SATA 3 speeds. Might I have missed anything?? Please let me know. I have a GF106 version of the GT555 video card.

 

This is one of the main reasons I got rid of my r1. Their CSRs were also very unaware of the issue, even though you can read about it on enthusiast forums. An anonymous tech's answer was forwarded to me and they stated SATA II only for the r1. Meaning the company line is "SATA II" only. I remember reading another longer thread here where people battled with this problem. It was suggested that a later BIOS revision had downgraded max speeds to SATA II (prob because they were tired of all the varying reports from users).

 

Thanks for the post ..

Here is a fix for sata 3 with the GF116 3G GT555m...
Ive not tried it myself gut by all accounts it will cure all speed isssues on A08 .Here.