M15x & 6970M / 6990M - What you need to know - upgrading, problems, solutions

I'm using Dell card.
I'll try the screws trick. But why would screws cause heat temp? I'm using the original screws that came with m15x.

 

So I guess you're using the Dell backplate as well, see here for the possible problems, pointed out by razor: http://forum.notebookreview.com/7725631-post900.html

Alternatively you could use the backplate of your old GPU, this may improve the pressure of the heatsink.

 

I'm using the back plate from 5850.

 

Hmm, weird, me too. Make sure the heatsink makes proper contact and check whether the clips holding the screws get bent (indicates that there's pressure). And repaste... again. While repasting you'll see whether the paste is spread well on the die. Then also check whether there aren't any scratches on the die or the heatsink.

 

Just to make sure, you are suppose to put the back/x-plate on back of the gpu, not on front. Right?

 

Of course, on the back where it belongs, anything else wouldn't make any sense and only kill your card.
Make sure the heatsink applies enough pressure, as I said... check razors post for pics.

 

I'm seriously considering this upgrade, i have a few questions though first.
If i buy this ATI Mobility Radeon? HD 6970m GPU MXM 3.0 Type B | eBay would i have to specify that i don't want the holes to be soldered on and also can i use my bracket from my 260m?? Thanks guys ;-)

 

Yes, exactly. You need to contact the dealer to make sure you don't get a card as shown in the picture... then it will work with your 260m bracket, see the first post for details.

 

That one is the most likely one to have the holes soldered. My advise, ask pkhetan as he is a Clevo spare part dealer. His prices are always the best.

 

Thanks for the quick replies and clearing that up
I'll get in touch with pkhetan when i finish work tonight. Thanks again lads.
Let the saving commence!!!

 

About the screws on heatsink, how the heck do you take out those screws? They have circular rings on bottom that prevents you from taking out those screws from heatsink.

 

Remove these C-clips, but carefully or they will fly away. You can push them from the screw with using a pair of pliers for example. Just put the each tip of the plier on one end of the clip and push. Kinda hard to explain... but I'm sure you'll figure it out.
If done correctly you won't loose any of them

 

Do you actually need those C-clips? What's the point of keeping them?

 

They keep the screws in place, makes mounting the heatsink much easier. Otherwise you'd have to put the heatsink on the die, press it on a put each screw separately in it's place, that's pretty annoying since you always have to hold the heatsink in its place to make sure you don't screw up the paste job.

 

About using pliers to take out the c-clips, it won't break the edge of the heat sink where you put screws, will it?

 

Just be careful. I didn't have any problems removing them.

 

Well, it seems I can't find any additional screws that can fit the back plate. All my screws' end of the screw threads are big so they doesn't fit. Tried looking at Home Depot and Radio shack and they don't have any small screws that can fit.

Can anyone tell me where I can get the screws similar size to the heat sink ones?

 

Hi guys, im back and in need of insight.

As i previously said i had some problems with my 6970m where it would shutdown my computer after about 10mins of gaming.

My temps are great, mid 40´s in idle and about 81c max.

I tried padding the card everywhere and still didnt help.

Finaly the card died and didnt post. So now i got it back to life all of a sudden and took some photos of a few issues that concerns me.

1. As you can see on the heatsink, the pads wont get proper contact on all the vRams. Could this be the issue for my shutdowns? I tried adding another layer of pad but then my die wont get contact with heatsink and temps get all crazy.

2. There is a huge scratch on my heatsink as you can see where the die makes contact. The scratch location is not where the die makes contact with the heatsink but could this be something that ruins my temps?

3. Can you see my heatpipe its all discolored. It wasnt like this in the beginning. its like its all burned out or something. Could this be affecting my cooling?

Im currently looking for a new heatsink, anybody know where it would be easiest to find one?

Thanks all.

 

The part nr. for the heatsink is F41CJ if I remember correctly, can be found on ebay, but when your max temps are about 80°C you don't need a new heatsink, there must be a different problem.
The color of your heatpipes is nothing to worry about, they seem to work fine. If they were defective, your temps would be much higher.

What kind of card are you using? VBIOS version?

 

I have the eurocom one i believe. And vBios is dell undervolted to 1v. I have tried different vbioses and the problem still persists. Might it be the vRams that overheats and shuts the system down. Since only half of the vRams get contact?

 

No, the VRAM modules don't run that hot as most people believe, the 470m for example, which I had in my M15x for a while, had VRAM modules on the back and they weren't cooled at all... worked fine.

Does the problem persist if you're using the standard VBIOS with stock voltage?

 

Yes problem still persists with standard vbios stock, only it shuts down faster. There is some part that overheats i think and shuts computer down. I have tried padding most of the card but to no success. I have no idea how to resolve this issue.

 

Hmm, if it shuts down faster with the standard voltage it could indeed be that something overheats... but it's definitely not the VRAM.

Did you try to put a thermal pad on the voltage regulator? This is a black chip on the back of the card, it's just about below the four big capacitors on the front side, can't post a picture atm.

 

Im curious about this. If possible could you give me a picture of the chip?

Update/

I just got my first "a clock interrupt was not received by a secondary processor on time".

Maybe its my 840QM that has been the culprit all this time. If i think about it i think i started getting these shutdowns after i changed the cpu. not totaly sure though.

how do i know if my cpu is running normaly? Its running in constant 3ghz (turbo mode right?). Shouldnt it be running lower clocks when im idle?

Update/

I swapped back to my i5 430 and could play a long session. But my computer still behaves weird. I can hardly boot it, it stucks in boot loop sometimes for 5mins before it boots to windows. This startup problem i have with i7,i5 and 5870m and 6970m so it must be the motherboard that is dying right?

How much does motherboards cost?

Update/

I removed my ram and left a single 4gb stick in. I tried this before with no results but now it works good even with the i7 installed. I still have 1 or 2 boot loops before system turns on though.
I just played an 2 hour session of crysis 2 with no shutdown and max temps reached to 75 on gpu. thats awesome.

Update/

My computer now runs better than ever before with the i7 and 6970m installed :O . Im so happy now. It was the ram stick that didnt play well together that was the problem all this time.

 

You can do some stability testing with wprime 1.55 at 8 threads, or prime95, this stresses the CPU pretty much.

I've found a picture of the back of my 6970m on my drive, your card should have the same layout. I quickly marked the voltage regulators. Red is the VR for the core voltage, green the one for the VRAM modules.
Maybe it helps when you put a thermal pad on them, but it's unlikely since, Nevertheless it can help in some cases, my 260m for example came with the VRs padded.

 

Guys try the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool (64-bit) to check the health and function of Core i7 processors and down. Works very well; quick and easy. http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=19792

 

Just wondering, is it possible to use m17x heatsink on m15x?

 

No, the directon of the heatpipes make this impossible.

 

Well, scratch the idea about replacing M17x heatsink for mine.

I found the site where you can buy specific screws for laptop parts, but I have no idea which one is compatible to the screws in the M15x heatsink.

Welcome to LaptopScrews

 

I can't remember the length of the M15x heatsink screws, but I do remember from measuring that they were m2 x 0.4mm (0.4mm is the thread pitch).

 

Just to update on my last post, the GPU bracket I'm using in:

Photo 1:



and Photo 2:



is not a OEM Dell 6970 bracket, and the origin of it is unknown.

I realized this after seeing logan801's photo:



Therefore, the screw mod is not recommended for users using
the M15x's original bracket. Unless you have a bracket height problem
(as seen in photo 2)

This post will be updated in post #900 as well.

 

This isn't very relevant to the thread but it is about testing out new GPUs. So I had a theory. The 460m runs fine on the M15x because it is using the GF10x core whilst the 470m runs on the GF11x core and has some problems. Now the 480m also suns on a GF10x core, does anyone have a feeling that this may work?

 

Not exactly... the 460m is a GF106, the 470m a GF104 (as well as the 485m).
The 560m is GF116, as far as I know it's exactly the same as GF106, the only difference is that it got produced with a slightly newer technique which should result in a better quality of the chip (and thus higher stock clocks).
Same goes for the GF104 -> GF114 shift (580/570m).

The 480m was a GF100, an abomination of a mobile GPU, huge power draw and enormous die. The copper plate of the M15x heatsink won't be able to cover it properly (or it would at least become very tight).

It may work, no idea... I think your general idea makes sense, I assume that the 560m will work without issues, whereas I have doubts when it comes to the 570/580m (since they're so similar to the 470m).

 

Yeah the 480m wasn't great, I just wanted to try it out as there is a massive gap in performance with nvidia's mobile offerings.

 

guys what a ur temps of yours 6970m??both idle and full load.also post room temp too.thx.mine idles at 45-46 and full load is 90-91 someties 87-88 depends of the game.room temp is 30.t

 

Idles at 52-54

Whenever playing graphically demanding games like Witcher 2, it goes at around 90-91.

 

On a good day, it will idle below 50C gaming the cores never go higher than 85, the MemIO hits that sometimes but not often. This is with a small heatsink mod.

 

what room temp u have??

 

guys also what thermal pads i can use for my 6970m??

 

I use the stock thermal pads. My room temp is around around 20C maybe more.

 

u said something about heatsink mod??what have u done??

 

Well on my card, one of the voltage regulators lies under neath the copper pipe lifting the thing up a bit and the die doesn't come into full contact. What I had to do is compress the pipe just a little bit:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/alienware-m15x/68163d1311777679-6990-img_0185.jpg
With that little dent, there is now room for the VR to fit in and it no longer lifts the contact of the die. Do this at your own risk. I am not responsible for your heatsink not working anymore.

 

Only your card has this problem? How bout a Dell card? I haven't checked it out yet, just afraid i didn't notice it before.

 

what idle and full load temps u have???also what room temp u have??thx!!

 

I don't know about othesr but I've been through 2 heatsinks and I've had to do this with both. This is only for my card though, others may have different experiences.

 

@widezu: I really have to take a look at my card/heatsink... I never noticed this, I'll check again next time I remove the card.

 

According to GPUz:

idle temps:


After 30 mins of Witcher 2
maximum temps:



Current room temp is nearly 40C

 

You have to tick "continue refreshing this screen while GPU-Z is in the background" and run a game to get the correct maximum temps.

 

yes meaker is right.run a heavy game pls if u have like witcher 2 or crysis 2!!thx!

 

It's not physically possible for 6970 card to run The Witcher 2 with temperature of below 80 degrees max.