MSI GX740 with 6970m (it can be done)

I would like to post my success of installing a 6970m in my GX740 laptop. After spending much time trying to find some info on this combination with little or no results, I decided to give it a try.
I would like to recommend an extensive upgrade to the cooling, or you will have 95+ C on your Load temps. Thermal issues are the main reason MSI will not support this card in there laptop, possible there other laptops.

I did have to flash the Vbios to the dell version of the 6970m in order to get video from the main laptop monitor. Fan responds to temp changes and so far there have been no issues.

3dMark 11 score went from 2155 (hd 5870m) to 3353 (hd 6970m)
So far gaming seems to work, although I want to finish improving the cooling before I spend too much time under load temps.

This unit is stock (other than video card upgrade). intel i7 720, 4GB DDR3 1333, 500Gb 7200rpm 16 cache

My current problem is bypassing the AMD mobility drivers. For if I download and start the install, the process will be canceled for the program does not detect a proper video card. I am currently running version 11.8, for these were the drivers installed on the laptop when the 5870m was installed.

-configuration is no longer stock, read further for thermal upgrades.

 

Awesome! I'm sure those temps are a big problem for that laptop. Where did you get the card? Any trouble installing or modification needed to heatsink? Can you post us a few picture runs of 3dmark with temps included?

 

I did have to flash the Vbios to the dell version of the 6970m in order to get video from the main laptop monitor. Fan responds to temp changes and so far there have been no issues.

Can you clarify what exactly do you mean.

Is it possible that vbios has to flashed in order to get the video card detected.
The reason I am asking this is that I plan to make GPU upgrade in the future on my msi gx640 from 5000 to 7000 series and would like to know if cooling system is the only thing that has to be modified.

 

This depends on where you get your video card from, and if MSI will support the upgrade (probably not, as they would rather you buy an entire new laptop).

You may have to flash the vbios, but it all depends on how they produce the video cards. For the 6970m cards, they had slightly different bio's to match up with the different brand laptops. The 6970m I recieved came out of an EUROCOM laptop, and thus had an Eurocom bios. Unfortunately the card would not allow video from my main laptop screen (everything else ran like it should, but from an external monitor). So I tried a few different bios versions until I came across one that worked best for my machine.

Rumors have it that the 7000 series will still be MXM 3.0 B and will most likely have equal to or lower power requirements than the 6000 and 5000 series due to its smaller die size. This is all speculation until they actually come out, who knows what monkey wrench that AMD or MSI will try to prevent upgrades for older laptops.

 

Congrats! You can try this download link for catalyst 11.10 WHQL, it should work
http://www2.ati.com/DriVeRs/mobile/11-10_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc_ocl.exe

 

Pictures or it never happened!

 

Job well done! Rep given. Now we want some pictures!

 

This was not the results that I ended up with the first time, but that was with a different vbios and with different clocks. But at least this will show my results with the dell vbios and 11.10 AMD drivers (by the way, thank you for the update )



ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

my apologizes, I am new to forum posting.

 

[/URL] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]
(hey, I got the URL to work this time )

This is the simple and cheap modification I did with the stock cooler heat sink for the GPU. Copper ram sinks with Arctic silver thermal adhesive. This lowered idle temps substantially (17 C) and lowered load temps by about 4 to 5 C. No modifications were necessary to the bottom which fitted on easy. Temps of course should lower further when I receive my notebook cooler.

 

interesting! maybe i will try these copper sinks out. Whats their height? I'm still waiting for my cooler pad to arrive same as you

Rep'd

 

Hey dragon, can I get a copy of your 6990m vbios? The original bios was an XTX blackcomb on my 6900 series, and I would rather run another XTX, instead of all the XT I am finding.

 

um the one i use right now is overclocked a bit, which one do you need stock or OC?

hold on you have a 6970M. I'd advise against flashing to a 6990M as they are very different, your card will be bricked.

 

Temperokyle what are the idle temps if ur getting max temp of 94c

 

I am not sure if, but I have been led to be-leave my 6900 series is an 6990m.
Its old bios was an blackcomb xtx, not an xt, is that any different? Is a XTX a 6990m and a XT a 6970m?

The old bios had a stock speed of 715mhz and 1000 ram, although i still have 1120 shaders.

My idle temps are about 52 C

 

Temperokyle are you saying, that you think your 6970 is really a 6990?
Is there not any information on the card it's self?

 

6970M has 960 shaders/48TMU and works at 680/900; 6990M has 1120 shaders/56TMU and works at 715/900(or 1000). According to notebookcheck, 6970M is codenamed Blackcomb XT, while 6990M is codenamed Blackcomb XTX.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6970M.43077.0.html

http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-HD-6990M.57308.0.html

I think You have 6990M. Can You post a GPU-Z screenshot?
Have You tried undervolting the GPU to lower Your temps?

 

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
This only proves that the card has 1120 shaders. The card may be a 6970 ES, although when i flashed the bios, I found the old bios had blackcomb XTX as part of its identifier.

I have not found a GPU clock/volt tool that will let me change the stock settings of the dell vbios that my card has been flashed to. I have tried MSI afterburner, and of course catalyst, but neither allows to increase mhz, or change volts.

 

4mm is the height of the copper square heat sinks, and 5mm for the rectangle model.

I found them on ebay.
Heat Sink SD RAM For DDR DDR2 DDR3 Memory MC-200 Copper | eBay

Copper Heat Sink For DDR DDR2 DDR3 RAM Memory Cooler | eBay

PS- I pulled off the thermal tape with a fine knife, for that stuff will not hold well.

 

The stock will do fine. Did you use RBGeditor for the overclocked vbios?

 

yeah i did and ati winflash to flash the bios straight from windows.

I dont have much knowledge about the 6970M ES although I've heard it mentioned quite a few but cant really recommend you do anything.

you can find the stock and modified bios here but again I take no responsiblity for any risk that may occur. And personally I'd advise against it.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/600465-6990m-undervolt-achieved.html

 

Flashing the 6990m VBIOS on my Sapphire 6970m resulted in no picture. Was easy to revert with a blind flash. But apparently the Dell 6990m VBIOS works on the Dell 6970m.

 

The dell 6990m vbios works fine so far. 715mhz instead of 680mhz for core clock, not to mention I can finally change these settings.

 

I dunno man that voltage looks pretty out of control!!! Kidding.

+rep. I said once it could be done and will work on the gx640 as well... but I'd be very worried about the laptops internal voltage circuitry. I'm hoping to get a gx640 soon. If I end up getting a 100w card I'm going to try and find a motherboard schematic or check the tolerances of individual voltage control chips on the board.

 

Here is my results 3dmark11 with core clock at 740mhz and 1000mhz memory. I also show thermal temps, as I also added my Cooler master Storm SF-19.

 

Looking good temperokyle

 

The stock AC wouldn't be enough I think. Maybe a 150-180W should do the job. I think sometimes the 120W isn't enough for my machine as well.

 

Does anyone know the stock power supply capabilities for the GX740? I am almost certain I have tanked it twice running unigen 2.5 and futuremark. Where would I get a replacement?

 

The stock adapter is 120w, as kirr says here. Definitely not enough. You might fry it or fry your motherboard, if it doesn't have a safety shutoff function, because then it will still draw 150w or so but with more dangerous voltage fluctuations.

Yea yea yea, I think we've had this discussion before. I know about the actual adapter. Point is, the laptops internal power circuitry is also meant for only 120w.
Frankly these laptops have the worst build quality of any that was released with a 75w card MXM 3.0 card, compared to alienware and Clevo systems, and upgrades have been relatively very sparse. Its totally possible that something could burn out and kill the motherboard at any point, or the 1 time the CPU and GPU are stressed enough at the same time. I don't want to be pessimistic but its really a distinct possibility.

 

120 watt, ouch, and I do think my laptop has an internal shut off, which is what I think has happened twice now (Laptop will shut off during stress testing). Maybe a 150 watt or more Laptop PSU would be a nice upgrade, hope I dont fry my motherboard . (oh well, I would not have started this upgrade without knowing the possible consequences)

Still need some kind of idea where to go and get a better PSU for my GX740, anyone got ideas?

 

If its plug is 5.5x2.5mm as the more recent GT780 and GT683 then you could try look for a 180w from those on ebay or reseller sites (rkcomputer).

 

It is 5.5x2.5mm. Just type in "APA05" in ebay search.

 

nice! if only I can find something similar but with higher wattage rate

 

There seems to be higher wattage adapters than 180watt. The alien-ware I think is 240watt, but does not share the same plug in. Maybe a switch of the plug in with some good old fashion electric tape might do the trick.

 

What? More than 180w?

Thats crazy. There is no way you could need that much.

If you want it that bad then just find a 65w adapter and wire it in parallel with your 180w.

 

from what i've seen on tom's hardware you could reach as high as 180W under full load just with the 6970M. It maybe not necessary but just to be on the safe side

 

Um, maybe thats because those are all desktop CPUs? I don't think your notebook is drawing 70w at idle. The idle is added to the full GPU load.

 

Values in this chart are all measured with a desktop CPU, whose TDP is rated at 130W.

 

I just can't believe you'd be willing to lug around an adapter heavier than a netbook or ultraportable.

 

i buy !!

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-19V-180W-ADP-180EB-Adapter/dp/B005BFMLZQ

Core i7 990X Max TDP 130 W vs core i7 740 is 45w ...

 

Sorry Niffcreature, I could not help but push your buttons there a little bit. The 180watt will do me fine, who knows, who might want a little more juice....

 

Yes, heres the same on Ebay:
eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices
HP 5189-2784 HSTNN-HA03
I hate using adapter adapter [?] tips like the targus ones.

I feel like you'd really have to be overclocking a 940xm and 6990m a LOT to exceed 180w. And at that point I don't know if you want that much juice going into your laptop and its heatsink at all.

 

i tried to modify the 240W dell psu with the cable from my stock 180W and it turn out perfectly fine. Although yeah im aware that the i7-990X is a desktop CPU, its just for reference . I just think that there should be a reason that a M17x R3 with 6990M/580M would come stock with a 240W AC adapter

And well since we already got ourselves a large, bulky gaming laptop, why would we mind carrying around a big adapter

 

So now that we are talking about overclocking.... my gx740 has a very simple locked bios. Is there any mods for this so I can change ram and cpu, ext..

 

No.
10char.

 

What!?
10char.

 

You can overclock the cpu by ThrottleStop. But you can't adjust the ram.

 

So a software overclock? Does this have voltage options? Why not the ram? I would love to shove 1600mhz ram in it in the future as this will boost speed quite a bit.

 

Yes it has Voltage control.

 

hi temperokyle,
I like your try too much.
I also have MSI GX740, after I read your subject I decide to open my laptop just to check the parts and clean it in same time.
I returned everything in it's place but the problem my laptop didn't work again !!! I don't know what happend
nothing happen after push power switch !!!!
I am sure that i return all parts as were before.
what you think that happen ?
are there anyway to make the laptop start without using the switch power ? i mean direct from the mainboard ?
can you help please ?
i am waiting your answer
thank you

 

I like your try too much.
I also have MSI GX740, after I read your subject I decide to open my laptop just to check the parts and clean it in same time.
I returned everything in it's place but the problem my laptop didn't work again !!! I don't know what happend
nothing happen after push power switch !!!!
I am sure that i return all parts as were before.
what you think that happen ?
are there anyway to make the laptop start without using the switch power ? i mean direct from the mainboard ?
can you help please ?
i am waiting your answer
thank you


Try taking it apart again, this time make sure you take your time. Any time you take something apart, you should at least be aware of where everything was exactly, and take note to anything that might be overlooked or easily broken. Make sure you are grounded, a good grounding strip on your forearm is nice, but not always accessible. I usually will touch a large chunk of metal before I touch anything in the laptop so I do not send an static shock and possibly fry something (desktops are nice, as they often have large metal cases you can use to discharge on).

I doubt you fried something, I hope at least. Check that you put the grounding wires back in place (like the one on the video card and the fan that are connected to the mounting screws). Also check the video card and that you connected it in the mxm slot well enough. The first time I took apart a laptop, I put it back together to find out I only got a black screen (you will hear the computer turn on, lights turn on, HDD will be in use, and windows booted, but no video). I took it apart and reset the video card in the mxm slot, and presto, it worked (this taught me to take my time, even if I am in a hurry).

Any help? yes? no? what did you touch, play with, "check"?