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    m9700i-r3 Master/Slave G Card Question

    Discussion in 'Alienware Area-51/Aurora and Legacy Systems' started by stephends, Apr 15, 2012.

  1. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hey guys,

    IM replacing two burnt out nvidia 9700 gt graphics cards. Is it possible to have an ATI HD 3870 512MB Video Card - Master card on its own in the machine and it work? Or do I have to have the master and slave? Or am I only limited to nvidia video cards?

    Thanks!
     
    stephends, Apr 15, 2012
    #1
  2. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    Anyone please? Just need to know if a master card will work on its own without the slave?

    Okay, Spoke to a seller on ebay who confirmed you can use a Master GCard on its own without a slave. You cannot just use a slave on its own.
     
    stephends, Apr 16, 2012
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  3. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    That's correct.
    But if you flash the slave card with a master vBIOS (in case the master fails), you'll be able to use it as well.
     
    katalin_2003, Apr 16, 2012
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  4. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    Just for clarity, the master g card slot if the one in the middle of the board and the slave is the slot on the right.
     
    stephends, Apr 17, 2012
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  5. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    That's correct :)
     
    katalin_2003, Apr 17, 2012
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  6. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is it possible to run the master gcard in the slave slot?
     
    stephends, Apr 18, 2012
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  7. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

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    Alone? No
    Two cards flashed with master vBIOS will work too.
     
    katalin_2003, Apr 18, 2012
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  8. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    OKay thanks...so what is the expected behaviour if you put a slave card in the master card slot on its own and boot the laptop?
     
    stephends, Apr 18, 2012
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  9. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I would expect 3 beeps and then no image on the screen.

    The notebook may still get into dos or windows (just nothing on the screen). So it's possible you could still flash a master bios onto it.
    But there is a chance that it just wont POST.
     
    moral hazard, Apr 18, 2012
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  10. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    and what is the expected behaviour with no gcards inserted?
     
    stephends, Apr 18, 2012
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  11. simonmpoulton

    simonmpoulton Notebook Deity

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    The screen should light up but wont post.
     
    simonmpoulton, Apr 18, 2012
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  12. stephends

    stephends Notebook Enthusiast

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    The behaviour of a slave card on its own in the slave slot?
    The behaviour of a master card in the slave slot on its own?

    This will be a good post for future reference for people :)
     
    stephends, Apr 18, 2012
    #12