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    MSI GX620 MXM upgrade issues

    Discussion in 'MSI' started by TheScorpio, Dec 23, 2012.

  1. TheScorpio

    TheScorpio Newbie

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    Alright, so I've been reading a few older threads how 2 guys got a Radeon 3870 to work in their MSI GX620, and I wanted to give it a go. The laptop originally came with the type II Nvidia Geforce 9600m GT, which is a great card but I wanted more power.

    I picked up a gx620 (MS-1651) for cheap and made a modified heatsink using copper sheets to fit the Type III mxm cards. It fits perfectly on an alienware Radeon 3870 (Master) that I managed to snag on ebay.

    CPU-Z shows that i am using this bios version:

    A1651IMS.10V

    It also states I am using a model MS-1651 version 1.0 motherboard.

    Now the issue I've run into, no matter how I try to boot the laptop with the 3870, the screen just remains black. I can't even get to the bios screen because there is nothing visible on the screen. I've tried all of the following:

    -Hooking up an external monitor (and used the FN key to try monitor switching)
    -replugging in the CMOS battery
    -replugging in the heatsink fan
    -Using both 90w and 120w power adapter.
    -resetting bios to default values

    Now I'm wondering if this is a bios issue, or if it's a problem with the gfx card itself (Proprietary? Only works on alienware? idk). I can still see the HD light active with the 3870 in, just can't get it to display anything. Switching back to the 9600m works instantly.


    I am open to ideas and suggestions and will try anything to get the card to work.
     
    TheScorpio, Dec 23, 2012
    #1
  2. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    You could try blind flashing the 3870 master vbios onto the card again, it might have been a slave card.

    Or the 3870 could be a dud.
     
    moral hazard, Dec 23, 2012
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  3. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

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    Yes all 3870s at this point are going to be older and used before.

    Do you get sound from the notebook booting?
     
    Meaker@Sager, Dec 23, 2012
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  4. TheScorpio

    TheScorpio Newbie

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    Yes, It seems to go through booting normally, just without a display. I hear the windows 7 logon tune when i let it go through the entire boot process.

    Also: This was bought on ebay, the guy had both a slave and a master for sale, I bid only on the master, and it does have the M-Master sticker still on it. Physically it looks okay, when i boot the computer with it, it doesn't smell burnt and it doesn't get the ozone smell from what you'd expect of something that might have been fried electrically.

    The card seems to be working in some manner physically, as when i touch it when the computer is off, I can feel that it is warm.

    I don't know, I want this to work, but if it's fried I guess all I can really do is try buying another card.
     
    TheScorpio, Dec 23, 2012
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  5. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Can you blindly dump the vbios from the card using ati flash from a bootable USB drive using an autoexec file?

    If the vbios can't be dumped from the card then it really is broken.

    The gx620 will boot into windows even without a gpu installed. Try it if you want, it will also boot Ito windows with a dead gpu. I know because I bought a dead 3870 and put it in my gt627.
     
    moral hazard, Dec 24, 2012
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  6. TheScorpio

    TheScorpio Newbie

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    Tried doing a blind dump via a 1gb mem stick, no response. It's dead to me =P

    Question though, in a much earlier post from you, you mentioned all of the following cards are potentially compatible witth t
     
    TheScorpio, Dec 24, 2012
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  7. TheScorpio

    TheScorpio Newbie

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    Tried a blind dump via 1gb USB stick after copying vbios from my buddies 3870, no luck. It'd dead to me =P

    I then put my buddies card in my laptop, and it posted immediately with no hitch, i was able to make it into windows with everything visible. I'll just toss the other one.

    In a much earlier post by you Moral, you mentioned all the following cards are potentially compatible with the gx620

    ATI mobility 3870
    ATI mobility 4850
    9800m GTX
    9800m GT
    9800m GTS
    8800m GTX
    FX 2800M
    FX 3600M
    FX 3700M
    GTX 260m
    GTX 280m

    were any others ever discovered to work with this laptop? I'm in the market for one now, looking for an effective balance between performance and heat. Also do these type's of cards work in the gx620 slots? (see link)

    NVIDIA G94 975 A1 Quadro FX 2700M 512MB MXM He Laptop Card for 8730P 8730w | eBay

    I think that's a type III/HE card? or maybe im mistaken and it's a type IV. Either way I'm not sure if that final tab is vital to the cards operation.
     
    TheScorpio, Dec 24, 2012
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  8. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    moral hazard, Dec 24, 2012
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