6990M Crossfire Guide

Introduction

This may be common knowledge for most people here, but i figured a new thread should be created for those who just recently recevied their M18x with dual 6990M's. I personally never had a xfire setup before until i got the m18x and was confused/disapointed/frustrated by the results until i asked around in this forum plus a little researching helped me improve my FPS tremendously. It's really sad when you pay $2000+ more for a machine and come to find out it's not 100% out of the box, but such is life and with a little bit of tweaking we all can maximize the power!

Most, if not all of the information you'll find here are just collections of links & wisdom/knowledge from our beloved Mods/forums veterans - I take no credit other than copy/paste skills

I recommend uninstalling the Dell's 6990M stock driver. *EDIT* As of 12/08/11 It appears the drivers on Dell's DL page is the most optimized drivers for our cards.

The right way to do uninstall the AMD Driver is to go to control pannel - Programs/Uninstall - Click AMD Catalyst install manager and click CHANGE. On the next screen select: Express Unistall ALL AMD Softwares and on the following screen: Remove - This will unistall all AMD drivers/softwares. See below for instructions of clean driver install if needed

1. Improvement Steps

As of 12/13/11 current/latest versions:

1. Click here M18x BIOS A05 "Improve AMD graphics fan algorithm to fix system shutdown issue." - Batboy

2. Click here AMD HD6970M & HD6990M 8.902 DELL DRIVER (Release Date: 12/8/2011)

3. Click here and download the new CAP (Xfire profiles and fixes)

4. Click here and download Radeonpro and enable xfire bar (in settings to see if both cards are running at same rate)
Some games runs a lot better than not having Radeon Pro. For ex even with the new drivers/cap without Radeon Pro i get 90fps on black ops (max settigns) and 180fps with Radeon Pro

5. Click here to download Sapphire Trixx (Optional)

2. Tips & Tricks

Credit goes to member: Flashpoint for this Radeon PRO advise (+rep given):

Spoiler

Basically to use the program hit the green + at the top to "add profile" then select the .exe path for the game you want. Some games like Witcher 2 uses a Launcher (steam) so you also have to specify the path for the Launcher (on the right tab by: Visual-Advance-Tweaks-Scripts- Launcher). Make sure you select " Custom" on the Launcher then it will allow you to select the path


Credit goes to Mr. Fox on this workaround to enable xfire 24/7:

Spoiler

To further elaborate...

Spoiler

Another Kudo's to Mr. Fox on his step to do a clean driver install:

Spoiler

3. Overclocking

Next option would be OC, which i highly advise you try at your own discretion. Keep in mind over clocking can shorten the life span of your GPU and may cause unstable performance/flickers/bsods. Also keep in mind that everyone's GPU response differently when overclocking. Some can OC higher than others (still a mystery). For me i found out that i can keep at 820/1020 without having bsod issues or high gpu temps (max was 78C under full load). Refer to this thread by Shaden to get a good glimsp of 6990's oc comparison

4. Useful Resources

1. HWinfo GPU info/temp monitor
2. *OFFICIAL* Alienware M18x Benchmark Thread
3. *Official Alienware M18x AMD CrossFire Discussion Thread (re: Dell/AW Conference Call)*
4. [GUIDE] Fix for Jittery display AMD cards!
5. Brightness control App: DimScreen (thanks to Mr.Fox)

5. Final Notes

Im still learning the process myself if anyone has any better suggestions/ideas please do share
Also HUUUUUUGE Props & Thanks to Mr. Fox for all of his wisdom and contributions to this thread - you sir are a HERO!

Lastly, i will do my best to keep this thread updated with newer info/links as they pop. If you have any questions please do not PM me as i will not have the answer for you LOL... rather post a reply on this thread and i am sure that Mr. Fox will come to save the day!

 

Thanks for this info. I read your post in the thread titled "Performance disappointment" regarding the low fps in The Witcher 2. I too was getting similar low fps in The Witcher 2. After I installed the 11.8 AMD preview drivers, my fps improved also, I have yet to try step 2(CAP profiles) and step 3. But I'm happy with the results with just using the AMD drivers instead of the stock Dell drivers.

 

Great guide, mine are actually rocking on Dell drivers, but I am not really playing games atm and I wanted to see what they crank on stock. I can't wait to run new drivers and bench. Unfortunately I am at the cottage so the ambient temps are about 80 F ... don't know how well it will work but I will try tomorrow.

 

Yea i was really excited to play Witcher 2 on my new m18x and when it couldnt even pull 25+ FPS i was freaking out (without ubersampling). Im getting solid 40-80 fps now with same settings

I've also tested some oc'ing and seems like the sweet spot for me is 840/1040 temp at max load seems to be around 75-77C which isn't all too different from stock speeds

I've attached a pic of another heaven 2.5 result with oc 840/1040

 

I was at 15-30 FPS in the witcher 2 with all settings on low or disabled until I did what you just posted in your original post. Now it's 40-70. Everything on except ubersampling.

 

Welcome to the xfire club

 

Does this work for crysis 2 with dx11 ultra settings and high res textute pack?

 

Great guide, thank you. My M18x arrives here in Kuwait in a week or so I am excited.

 

Look at your Rep power grow Canious !

 

Hey guys. Not too long ago got my M18x.
I followed this guide and saw a nice improvement overall.

One problem though is that my FN+Brightness keys aren't working at all now.
My screen is stuck at full brightness.
Any solution to this?

Thanks.

Edit - Downloaded 11.8WHQL that I found on another thread.
Solved the brightness issue.

 

ummmm get the 11.8 official drivers ... shoudl fix brightness controll

 

Nice guide, Canious. +1 Rep.

RadeonPro is a great tool. I works amazingly well for me, too.

Here's another new tweak I am playing with that may be of interest...

Using Radeon BIOS Editor (RBE) I changed all my GPU step speeds and voltage to stock maximums on each video card. So, this essentially defeats AMD PowerPlay and there is no ability to throttle down on clocks or voltage. You'll basically be running wide open throttle at max stock clocks and voltage... BTTW 24/7. This also stabilized my system and all but eliminated the dreadful "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered" error message I have been experiencing with my defective 6970M video cards. If any of you guys have 6970M CFX and are getting this error message and/or BSOD frequently, this may stop that nonsense for you also. (I have a system exchange in production with 6990M CFX because of this and my cards not synching properly in CFX, but this tweak is making my system behave normally while I am waiting.)

This improved benchmark scores and in game performance for my system to a noticeable degree. I am eager to see if it helps on a system without defective cards. If you try this, be sure to keep an eye on temps. My system runs a bit warmer at idle, but under load no difference at all. Battery life is a little shorter, too. Also, be sure to back up your stock vBIOS using RBE or Trixx so you can restore later if need be. I saved a separate stock vBIOS ROM file from each card, but the same tweaked vBIOS ROM flashed to each card is working great.

 

Nice guide! +rep for you, and even though I don't have crossfire in my M18x I was able to apply it to my M17x R2. Every little bit helps lol

 

Thanks guys! Updated/edited with newer links for the drivers incase anyone still needed help

 

Hey guys... you need to check this out, too. Just implemented it on 6970M CFX and it works great. It's even easier on 6990M CFX. No longer any need for Trixx utility.

Guide: How to Enable AMD Overdrive [Google Doc]



Thread: Enable AMD Overdrive on Mobility CFX

 

Whoa so we can manually controll the fan speed now?

 

I'm still testing. Not sure if fan speed works on 6990M CFX, but the controls are there. It seems like I still have to use HWiNFO64 for manual fan control on the 6970M CFX. But, the nice thing is being able to adjust clocks in CCC without Trixx.

 

Ok, guys. Here's a comparison of stock 6970M CFX clock speeds with 820/1100 and variations to CCC settings for anyone interested.

----------------------------------------------------
Stock 6970M CFX
AMD Catalyst 11.8
Default CCC Settings
(Tessellation: AMD Optimized)

AMD Radeon HD 6970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor,Alienware M18xR1 score: P5836 3DMarks

3DMark Score: P5836
Graphics Score: 5814
Physics Score: 6855
Combined Score: 4891
GraphicsTest1: 26.85 FPS
GraphicsTest2: 27.88 FPS
GraphicsTest3: 36.1 FPS
GraphicsTest4: 17.42 FPS
PhysicsTest: 21.76 FPS
CombinedTest: 22.75 FPS

GPU Thermal Diode: 62.0 °C
GPU Fan Speed: 100.00%
GPU Utilization: 100.00%
GPU Clock: 680.0 MHz
GPU Memory Clock: 900.0 MHz​

----------------------------------------------------
Stock 6970M CFX
AMD Catalyst 11.8
Default CCC Settings
(Tessellation: Use application settings)

AMD Radeon HD 6970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor,Alienware M18xR1 score: P5827 3DMarks

3DMark Score: P5827
Graphics Score: 5798
Physics Score: 6846
Combined Score: 4918
GraphicsTest1: 26.84 FPS
GraphicsTest2: 27.63 FPS
GraphicsTest3: 35.87 FPS
GraphicsTest4: 17.44 FPS
PhysicsTest: 21.74 FPS
CombinedTest: 22.88 FPS

GPU Thermal Diode: 63.0 °C
GPU Fan Speed: 100.00%
GPU Utilization: 100.00%
GPU Clock: 680.0 MHz
GPU Memory Clock: 900.0 MHz​

----------------------------------------------------
Overclocked 6970M CFX
AMD Catalyst 11.8
Optimized CCC Settings
(All AMD "features" off, no tessellation, all sliders left)

AMD Radeon HD 6970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor,Alienware M18xR1 score: P7191 3DMarks

3DMark Score: P7191
Graphics Score: 7622
Physics Score: 6576
Combined Score: 5604
GraphicsTest1: 31.77 FPS
GraphicsTest2: 35.78 FPS
GraphicsTest3: 46.06 FPS
GraphicsTest4: 25.28 FPS
PhysicsTest: 20.88 FPS
CombinedTest: 26.07 FPS

GPU Thermal Diode: 70.5 °C
GPU Fan Speed: 100.00%
GPU Utilization: 100.00%
GPU Clock: 820.0 MHz
GPU Memory Clock: 1100.0 MHz​

----------------------------------------------------
Image Link: Optimized
----------------------------------------------------
Personal best for 3DMark11: P7479 on 08/09/2011
(When equipped with original 6970M CFX modules)

 

This may be of interest to some of you that want to feel more comfortable with the process before diving in...

Enabling AMD Overdrive: Step-by-Step Guide (PDF Version)

This guide includes instructions and images for the uninitiated.

 

Thanks Canious - want to try and use drivers other then Dell which so far has been impossible for me

 

You maybe trying the 1.2MB auto downloader from AMD which won't recognize the cards.

Take this link and get the full driver package from AMD direct, then you will be able to install the reference drivers.

Link

 

Thanks mharidas - will try them, but will test them separately on a different win7 located on external disk connected to the eSata port.

 

Just wondering what fps you guys with 6990s are getting in crysis 2
I'm trying to figure out if my fps will benefit from a radeon pro profile
I get about 30-50fps @ 1920x1200 with every thing maxed (except motion blur) (thats also with a 740qm not a 920xm like my sig says)

Edit: I found my answer, my fps is good no need for a profile

 

Help! What went wrong? I followed steps 1,2, and 3 and upon reboot my resolution will not go above 1400x900. How do I get it back to max resolution?!?

 

Sounds like you did not do a clean driver installation. Now your system is using VGA drivers. The simple steps below should fix you up.

1. Download and install DriverSweeper at Phyxion.net
2. Download and install CCleaner at Piriform.com
3. Uninstall your AMD Catalyst package (choose Express uninstall all AMD software)
4. Boot into Safe Mode, start DriverSweeper and put a check mark in the top box (AMD - Display) and click the "Clean" button ~ don't check any other drivers/software boxes or you'll delete drivers for things you don't want to
5. Answer "no" to reboot
6. Run the registry cleaning tool in CCleaner
7. Reboot into normal Windows mode and reinstall your Catalyst Package
8. Reboot, set up CCC options and enjoy a properly functioning system

​

This should solve the problem for you. If it does not, or if you did a clean install already, then please check to be sure your Catalyst package actually has drivers. As stupid as it may sound, I've seen cases where they do not... just a few days ago, in fact. Your installation folder should contain "\Packages\Drivers\Display\W76A_INF" for folders paths with MSI, CAT, INF and INI files inside of the W76A_INF folder. If it does not, there are no drivers available to be installed with the package you downloaded. Grab another Catalyst package elsewhere.

 

Did the Crossfire tweak I only found 2 instances of CrossFireAutoLink though, that sound right?

 

No, it's doesn't sound like you found them all. I have 15 instances of that in my registry. Be sure to click on "Computer" (top of tree) before using Find so you don't miss any.

 

OK, Canious, here is a suggestion for this guide. You may want to include this in your opening post with the full list of suggestions.

Test your cards independently to see which one will overclock the highest with good temps and stability. Once you identify the better performing video module, if it's GPU1 instead of GPU0, swap them into opposite PCIe slots. Below are my test results.

CPU: i7 2760QM / GPU: HD 6990M CFX
CPU BCLK: 106MHz (3.7GHz TB peak)
GPU0 Core: 850 / Memory: 1100
GPU1 Core: 810 / Memory: 1100
Driver: AMD Catalyst 11.9 (8.851.2.0)

3DMark11 Score: P8001
Graphics Score: 8417
Physics Score: 7587
Combined Score: 6210
Graphics Test 1: 35.24 FPS
Graphics Test 2: 39.41 FPS
Graphics Test 3: 50.97 FPS
Graphics Test 4: 27.84 FPS
Physics Test: 24.09 FPS
Combined Test: 28.88 FPS

3DMark Vantage Score: 25238
Graphics Score: 26625
CPU Score: 21826
Jane Nash: 80.02 FPS
New Calico: 75.89 FPS
AI Test: 2988 operations/s
Physics Test: 29 operations/s

GPU temps stayed under control. See screen shots for details.

Spoiler

What I learned from this exercise is that both GPUs don't need to run at the same speed in CrossFireX to be screaming fast.

 

REALLY good thread, and I like the details provided.

My question is will the M18x with the 6990M support two external LCD monitors? I am considering a pair of Dell Ultra Sharp U2711's.

Thanks.

R,
-Joe

 

Mr. Wulf... Mr. Fox here...

I think you may need to obtain an adapter. You might want to check out the information on this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/575323-multiple-monitors.html

 

Thank you, Mr. Fox. Greatly appreciated!

 

Actually the m18x will support 3 external LCD monitors, that's how I am running everyday

It should work if you get the right adapters and cables. I do feel compelled to add that at least one other user has had problems getting all three to work, so your mileage may vary.

 

I can only find 2...and it will only find 1 at a time.. :/

 

Hmmm. I keep hearing this and wonder what am I doing differently than others? Am I the only one with 3 working externals lol? Considering I am using my old LCDs and old cables except for the mini DP adapter that I just bought.

I know chances are slim that someone else just happens to use 3 external LCDs and also reading this thread, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I should probably add to my eyefinity thread and update with model numbers, driver settings and other specifics and try to figure this out. It would drive me nuts to be the one not able to get it to work when hearing someone else does have it working.

 

Ah sorry, I actually meant I could only find 2 entries of Crossfire AutoLink but an Eyefinity guide would be nice

 

Hmm, that's interesting, Harry. Since I last replied (09-30-2011) I have added an SSD to my system and did a fresh installation of Windows 7 Ultimate x64. I just checked with the new installation and I still have 15 instances of "EnableCrossFireAutoLink" in my registry. I have no idea why you are finding only two in yours.

 

Might be because I am using the 11.10 Preview Driver, maybe I should downgrade to the 11.8 CAP 4 Drivers.

I am assuming veryone who has successfully done the tweak is using 11.8?

And do all the EnableCrossFireAutoLink appear in a single list or?

 

You could try the new Preview driver 11.10 version 2

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...performance-new-driver-amd-3.html#post7975191

 

No, they are scattered out in different key folders. I use the search feature in regedit to locate them. They are always the key directly above each instance of EnableUlps.

I had 11.10 preview installed, but now have 11.9 WHQL and CAP4 installed. Maybe CAP adds the extra entries.

 

CTRL + F? I am using Find Next now .Still only 2 entries :[

 

Does display brightness control work with version 2 of this driver? That's the only reason I went back to 11.9 WHQL, as 11.10 preview was decent otherwise.

 

nope no control

 

Darn. I'll just have to wait for the 11.10 WHQL version. It should be out soon.

 

I can report though better performance on BF3 with the new Preview driver version 2.

Caspian border is male cow excrement style laggy.

 

Hi, if anyone can help.

I followed the steps and it made my resolution degrade to 1600 by 900.
Then I followed the steps that Mr.Fox said for the problem. It still didnt work.
I just did a system restore to factory settings and everything turned out OK, but then I seem to recognise that my comp doesnt seem to read the fact that I have 2 6990s, it just reads one of them.

In the CCC I am able to enable CrossfireX configuration, but I dont think that its really reading it.

Im a real noob at this, really need some help, really regret doing this.

At the moment my system says Im in Dx10 does that have to be upgraded?

EDIT

Actually Lol it seems fine (hopefully). Yep a noob his pants

 

What about initial burn in and monitoring to see how the factory paste job is doing? Im still waiting on my AW to be delivered but already have some IC Diamond waiting on it but wanted to see what it did before and after. Im assuming furmark+GPUZ would be a good initial way to burn it in and look at temps of both cards.

Oh and great write up!! Thanks you, you have saved alot of us noobs alot of searching

 

Well, curiosity got the best of me. Despite the lack of brightness control, I tried 11.10P2 and found no difference in synthetic benchmarks. I was within a few points (slightly less) on 3DMark11 than I was with 11.9 WHQL. After several runs I would call it a draw. Will have to test some games to see what 11.10 has to offer. The CCC GUI is definitely nicer looking, especially the Overdrive settings page. So, I am anxious for the 11.10 WHQL Catalyst package to be released.

Results: 3DMark11 - P8042

(This is with the same CPU 106 BCLK and GPU0 850/1100 and GPU1 810/1100 as recent posts)

 

Very nice! Look forward to results once 11.10 is out in the wild.

 

Lason - congratulations on your Alienware purchase. I am looking forward to seeing you post more information about your ownership experience.

I am assuming you ordered 6990M CFX since you are on this thread. Using FurMark and GPU-Z is a great way of testing stability and temps with these cards. (FurMark not so much with NVIDIA due to throttling.) If my experience holds true for you, about a 3°C decrease in idle temps and 4-5°C decrease in load temps will be realized with your 6990M cards re-pasting with ICD24. With my CPU there was also an improvement after re-pasting with ICD24, but slightly less.

 

Yep I went with the 6990M's. Thats not a very big improvement but I guess you had a decent paste job from Dell. If my temps look decent I may just stick with the stock paste for a while. Im going to take it down far enough to put more RAM in though so who knows, I may just go all the way since I have the paste.

Oh and thanks for the warm welcome!