Alienware M18x R2 GPU upgrade to 970m

Hi all,



I have an Alienware 18r2 currently with a 3GB GTX770m which works perfectly. I have a GTX 970m 6GB card that I am trying to install.

When I boot up with the 970m installed, I get the 8 beeps on POST.

Bios Version: A08

How do I get past this, is there a step by step guide I could follow ?

Thanks

 

Welcome to the forums! Just to know, what steps did you do before you installed the GPU? 8 Beeps means GPU or LCD Error.

Have you...
Installed the latest BIOS?
UNINSTALL existing Nvidia GPU Driver?

 

Hi Jasper,

> Welcome to the forums!
Thanks!


I initially took the machine and GPU into a local laptop repair shop but they could not install it for me due to the 8 beeps.

I have now upgraded the BIOS to A11.
I have not uninstalled the current nVidia driver 359.06 as the 970m is supported by this driver. I will install the latest driver once I have successfully set up the BIOS, this is what I need guidance with.

So far all I have done is physically installed the 970m which gives 8 beeps when the machine is powered on. Since then, I have updated the BIOS to A11.
I am running Windows7 pro 64. I have BIOS flash update A12, but as far as I can tell that is for Win8.1 not Win7. So I have not installed it.

 

I think it needs UEFI
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/aw-m18x-r2-dual-980m-sli-upgrade.765169/

 

You need to flash swicks modified bios to get legacy to work on the m18xr2. Otherwise u need to enable Uefi before installing and switching to the new cards. The modified bios does work ive been using it for months now and my own machine works perfectly. If you get it its definately worth using as swick not only made maxwell compatable by porting firmware from the newer A18 but made it default to the intel gpu rather than 8 beep. The official bios dont reconise the maxwell gpu since alienware stopped supporting the m18x and are set to Peg (the nvidia gpu) by default thats why it 8 beeps.

 

Hi Infinaris,

Just to confirm, this is the correct file? https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/files/file/93-a11-unlocked-bios-m18xr2-by-swick1981-svl7/

Thanks

 

Thats the one. Fixes compatability with 9xx series gpus and a few updates to the microcode. Practically a must need bios now.

 

Great thanks, I've registered there and will pay the Elite membership fee and get that BIOS installed. I'll let you know how it goes.
On a side note, I have let Windows Update install the recommended updates, which has failed. It has attempted to revert the changes but is now going in circles between "Failure configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes" and rebooting itself. Lel.

I use Debian as a main desktop OS and Doze for a few games. I may need to fire up the Alienware restore tool if this continues.

Edit: after several cycles Windows is now back to the log in screen
I'll do these updates one by one I think...

 

Quick question, can I update to swicks BIOS from the official Dell A11 BIOS right?

 

You can now flash modified vBIOS to get card working even without UEFI mode.

 

Sorry if it's too late to ask but, why not go with a single 980M?

 

Possibly out of his budget. 970M can be had for about 450 new, 980Ms are about 600+ new

 

Mostly due to budget, however the 970M I had didn't fit correctly. The attached heat sink on the back prevented the card from being seated parallel with the motherboard. The X bracket on the 770M was not compatible with the 970M.
So it was returned. I will consider the 980M now actually. If I go for that I will order it from Eurocom.com probably

Pics for those interested.

Left 770M, Right 970M

770m and 970 side by side by Alien18R2 posted Aug 23, 2016 at 11:06 PM

770M fitted, you can see that it sits correctly, flush with the motherboard. The barrel that the screw threads into fits into the cut out in the card.

770M correctly fitted by Alien18R2 posted Aug 23, 2016 at 11:09 PM

970M incorrectly fitted, you can see that it does not sit correctly, flush with the motherboard. The barrel that the screw threads into does not fit into the cut out in the heat sink. In the top image, you can see how small that gap is in the heat sink.

970M incorrectly fitted by Alien18R2 posted Aug 23, 2016 at 11:10 PM

 

N

Why not look here in the marketplace, you can find 980M for around $500!

 

I didn't know about it, thanks, I'll do that!

 

So... I am new here and basically the same topic lead me to this forum. I have AW18 R2, with 770M SLI cards. And I believe it starts to show its age now (especially I felt it with new xcom, doom and dx:md :/ ). "I" (aka my wife) don't want to buy a new laptop and the only logical solution would be to fit one 980M instead.

I started to read something about it around year ago, but overall pricing of 980s and difficulties (apparently only win 8.x could support it) kinda made me rethink the idea.

But from what I can see here - the difficulties are fixed now? "Only" thing I need now is to flash custom BIOS and after fitting new 980M I will be able to run it on my win7 with latests nvidia drivers? No more complications or list of special actions/restrictions to consider? It is an expensive idea so I want to be sure that this will work

 

edited.

 

I will guide you, as needed when needed if you need help when the time comes, one on one. There is really an easy way of understanding whats going on, when you go through it A-Z.

Your getting the 8 beeps there because that means no valid video hardware is being able to boot, could be the cable, the UEFI settings, or eve damaged VGA - but most times it's the legacy hardware being unable to boot the videostuff anymore, because of the digitial - newage - non-legacy friendly UEFI boot modes needed for windows 8/windows 10.

 

Hi!

That's the thing. These cards are not going cheap. I'd rather learn what might be the problems before I spend 1000 USD

I read so far that without win8.x there's no chance to run it on Alienware R2. And even if you manage to do it there are things like throttling issues. And since I'm a win7 user I am not sure if there's any way to use GF 980M. This is the only topic that gave me some hope, but nobody confirmed that :/

 

Hehu, once I have installed the 980m I will feed back here.

 

Thanks!

I'll wait patiently

 

Read my post about throttling fix. Most of the problems seem to be long gone. I have a single 980m and I am buying a second one soon.

I have also a list of files and tricks to get everything working.

 

Thanks @jerryzago! Very informative, now I'll just wait for @Alien18R2 and his switch I am still not quite sure if this works with windows 7. Meanwhile I'll just prepare my what-to-do list based on info from this forum