The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Catalyst 11.8 Preview Driver

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011.

  1. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #1
  2. svl7

    svl7 T|I

    Reputations:
    4,719
    Messages:
    3,758
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    131
    You're the men!! So now I have to decide between 11.8 and 11.7 for my benching session in progress, hmmm.

    Thanks a lot for the news, +rep!
     
    svl7, Jul 27, 2011
    #2
  3. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Newer is better -- or at least more fun. :D :D
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #3
  4. svl7

    svl7 T|I

    Reputations:
    4,719
    Messages:
    3,758
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    131
    True! Downloading now!
     
    svl7, Jul 27, 2011
    #4
  5. FallenDawn

    FallenDawn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I'm downloading too
     
    FallenDawn, Jul 27, 2011
    #5
  6. usmc362

    usmc362 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    161
    Messages:
    162
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I'm getting that bad boy (6970) on Fri. I'm wiping the HDD before installing it then do a clean install of Windows. Can I use these drivers for the 6970M? Cause I just installed them with the 5850.
     
    usmc362, Jul 27, 2011
    #6
  7. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    They work very nicely with the 6970M.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #7
  8. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Hey Rev have you flashed the 6990m vbios? There are reports that it doesn't do much on Dell 6970m's apart from raise the clocks. No effect on the shaders but on mine it did enable vari-bright and overdrive.
     
    widezu69, Jul 27, 2011
    #8
  9. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Nope, I'm still using the original Dell vbios (modified to enable OD) that came on the card. What's vari-bright?
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #9
  10. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    To be honest I have no idea :p
     
    widezu69, Jul 27, 2011
    #10
  11. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    LOL. I've got a couple of features like that.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #11
  12. juliant

    juliant Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,015
    Messages:
    1,409
    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    66
    You guys are so funny... I will also try the 11.8 driver. Thanks
     
    juliant, Jul 27, 2011
    #12
  13. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    I have a few problems with this. On battery this thing ramps up to 400/900 a lot losing me battery. And the 11.7 WHQL won't detect a GPU at all so I'm back to 11.7b hotfix.
     
    widezu69, Jul 27, 2011
    #13
  14. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    487
    Messages:
    1,390
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    56
    thanks, downloading now.
     
    xeroxide, Jul 27, 2011
    #14
  15. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    There's something weird about The World's Most Powerful Laptop worrying about battery life.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #15
  16. IrateMike

    IrateMike Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    59
    Messages:
    97
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hey Rev,

    Are you seeing any improvements with the 11.8 drivers? I'm still using the 11.7 hotfix.

    By the way, pulled the plug and upgraded to 8gb ram.. :)


    Cheers
     
    IrateMike, Jul 27, 2011
    #16
  17. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Not really. From a performance standpoint, they seem about the same as the 11.6-11.7b drivers (both of which were somewhat flaky for me). The 11.8 Preview seems more stable so far, but don't have enough experience with them yet to be sure. Right now, I think the 11.5b drivers are still the best, at least for the 6970M, and will probably return to them in a few days, but I have to try the new ones.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 27, 2011
    #17
  18. FallenDawn

    FallenDawn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hi Rev you,said you have modified Dell vbios,could you please share it to me
    cause I need it also
     
    FallenDawn, Jul 28, 2011
    #18
  19. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    @FallenDawn -- the modified Dell vbios(s) I have is for the 6970M and is the one shipped with the 6970M's in the M17x-R3. It is modified to enable Overdrive in CCC, with otherwise stock settings (680/900/1.1v). I have other versions of the same vbios with different default clocks and voltages (OD enabled). BUT -- I don't know whether these can be safely utilized with the 6990M. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

    View attachment 68196 -- Original R3 6970M vbios @ 680/900/1.1v + OverDrive enabled

    View attachment 68197 -- Same with 6990M clocks at 715/900/1.1v + OverDrive enabled

    Change extension from .txt to .rom, and they are ready to flash.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 28, 2011
    #19
  20. FallenDawn

    FallenDawn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    so...could you just tell me how to enable OD by modifying vbios
     
    FallenDawn, Jul 28, 2011
    #20
  21. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Sure. Extract a copy of your card's vbios and load into Radeon Bios Editor ( Download TechPowerUp Radeon Bios Editor v1.28 | techPowerUp). Click on the Additional Features tab. In the lower left quadrant, you'll see this:

    [​IMG]​

    Slide both sliders to the extreme right. You will be rewarded with an increase of the Upper Limits to 1 MHz each. Save the modified vbios to the Desktop as vbios-x.rom. Now load that file - vbios-x.rom -- into RBE (no need to exit first) and repeat (both sliders to the right). This raises the Upper Limits to 2 MHz. Save the file back over itself, i.e., save as vbios-x.rom. Keep doing that. The Upper Limits double each time, so it's a PITA, but not as tedious as it might first appear. Increase to taste and save using an identifiable name (680_OD.rom or something). My vbios looks like this:

    [​IMG]​

    After flashing the modified vbios, OverDrive will appear in CCC (under a new Performance tab). It will probably require reinstallation of the drivers. Then, enable and go. If this is not clear, let me know. Modifying your own vbios is the safest course.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 28, 2011
    #21
  22. FallenDawn

    FallenDawn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    41
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    thx a lot
    your vbios is already running on my 6990m
     
    FallenDawn, Jul 28, 2011
    #22
  23. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    5,395
    Messages:
    4,571
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    105
    Glad to hear it's working.
     
    The Revelator, Jul 28, 2011
    #23
  24. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

    Reputations:
    3,079
    Messages:
    4,207
    Likes Received:
    168
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Not done much benching with the new drivers but this gives me a bit of a boost in Crysis 2. Actually becomes playable for me at 1080p DX11 and High Res Textures.
     
    widezu69, Jul 30, 2011
    #24
  25. hteng

    hteng Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    239
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    can i just install this on top of my dell stock drivers on m17x r3?
     
    hteng, Aug 1, 2011
    #25