Jerryzago

Now that I have my SLI back again, here is my benchmark https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/79898071 That is with the throttle off method and the dual PSU mod. Power draw was 550Watts, reading it from my mod display. And a second one,with the CPU overclocked to 3,9GHz, using the overclock settings from here https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/79924811

Same here. I have 980m (980m sli now) and couldn't get past 65Hz, so I gave up. I run them in PEG mode, but it didn't help that. Also tried out from nvidia control panel, still a no go!

It can work though. But in SG mode, through advanced settings, after flashing an unlocked BIOS. No SLI though!

I found a clevo one through ebay. Luckily it was inside EU. Now I have a very expensive obsolete technology on my M18x R2

An effort was taking place back in NBR forums to remove 'functions' from R1 bios to incorporate the UEFI portions to make R1 work with 900 series. But i can't remember who was involved or to which level this job was extened. It would have been a miracle to get a 900 series work on a AW m18x R1.

This is the process for the M18x R1 and R2. I suppose it could work for the 18. Just download the correct bios for your laptop Download the original Alienware unmodded A03 bios from Dell at Drivers and Downloads | Dell [united States] The file is named "M18R2A03WIN" Extract the contents of M18R2A03WIN to a new folder named "Alienware recovery" anywhere on your useable computer. In there you should have a bunch of files. (9 in total) Look for the one called QBR10EC.fd Rename this file to M18R2.hdr Place the file M18R2.hdr on a formatted fat32 usb stick on its own. Thats it. Blind created Recovery process: To do the recovery process you need to remove your m18x r2 battery. Unplug the back power cord as well Plug the usb stick with the file M18R2.hdr in the M18X's e-sata port Now hold down the END key (located above the numbers key pad) at the same time while your holding the END key plug in the power cord only, you will hear the fans turn on full bolt. Release the end key and wait After a few seconds once the file is read from the USB stick you will hear 20 or 30 beeps (sounds like a garbage truck reversing) After the beeps stop the m18x will shut down and reboot itself. ( 1 or 2 times depending) Once reboot all will be back to normal A03 bios. Connect the battery back if you wish after successful boot.. That's all folks, things should work now unless you bricked the EC controller, which is hard to do Found this on Techinferno. Credits go to the user Scott Matusow and his post from 2012. Take note that if you have a 980m or later gpu, flash A11 before installing your GPU, or you will have to disassemble again.

I can wait till then😄

That is exacty what went downhill. Though there is a setting, maybe hardware-wise it isn't possible, and the laptop just doesn't know what to do. Either forward this information to the guy you sent it, to try it by himself, or maybe replace your bios chip with a working one. I see no other solution to it. Blindflash our bios was a 'thing' back in the day, when swick first gave us his unlocked bios to finaly use 980m on our machines. I belive that time was a braking point were this old dinosaur of laptops, would be futureproof. Hope you fix it. It is by far, a simple procedure to fix it, if you get it right.

I am sorry it hasn't worked for you. Try again with patience. I know I failed to do this process when I needed to, because I was frustrated from all the teardown. I had the laptop in pieces in front of me. Only essential parts are needed, if I can remember. No hard drive, no dvd drive, a stick of ram, no gpus, the screen was just simply connected to the board. It took me a couple of tries to do it. I don't believe you risk a brick because if you succeed you will have a board with tha A03 bios, or with the original bios. Also I remeber it is tricky to connect the usb to the esata port. If 'feels' wrong to do it!

Here is what I got. Download the original Alienware unmodded A03 bios from Dell at Drivers and Downloads | Dell [united States] The file is named "M18R2A03WIN" Extract the contents of M18R2A03WIN to a new folder named "Alienware recovery" anywhere on your useable computer. In there you should have a bunch of files. (9 in total) Look for the one called QBR10EC.fd Rename this file to M18R2.hdr Place the file M18R2.hdr on a formatted fat32 usb stick on its own. Thats it. Blind created Recovery process: To do the recovery process you need to remove your m18x r2 battery. Unplug the back power cord as well Plug the usb stick with the file M18R2.hdr in the M18X's e-sata port Now hold down the END key (located above the numbers key pad) at the same time while your holding the END key plug in the power cord only, you will hear the fans turn on full bolt. Release the end key and wait After a few seconds once the file is read from the USB stick you will hear 20 or 30 beeps (sounds like a garbage truck reversing) After the beeps stop the m18x will shut down and reboot itself. ( 1 or 2 times depending) Once reboot all will be back to normal A03 bios. Connect the battery back if you wish after successful boot.. That's all folks, things should work now unless you bricked the EC controller, which is hard to do Found this on Techinferno. Credits go to the user Scott Matusow and his post from 2012. Take note that if you have a 980m or later gpu, flash A11 before installing your GPU, or you will have to disassemble again.

I have to dig in to my notes. Messing with the settings for the intergrated GPU causes this. We had many cases on the old forum. I did it once for myself and saved my mobo. The process is similar to Maxware79, BUT. To blindflash you need the A03 version of the Bios, none other will work. Also have the USB stick formated to Fat32 and it has to be inserted to the esata port. Yes, that one. Plese give me time to find my notes in the old laptop. I belive it can b fixed.

Then I believe you are ready to go. Please post results here. I would like to see how it will perform!

What about the middle cable, M18x needs it to tell the bios a 330w adapter is plugged. It was my consern, so I bought dell specific cable Extensions that had it present. So when I wire my dual psu mod, I retain connection so the laptop knows a 330w brick is connected so it will work at full speed. When I had SLI, with my 3720qm, I saw maximum draw of 650watts!!!

Why not. I am not in a hurry to get one. I was also looking for a 1060 or at best 1070 but as I said, it is COOL to say I have a dual GPU 10 year old laptop Whenever you feel ready, make your offer. Until then I will be waiting for anyone which is willing to sell one. P.S. Geia sou patrida!

I am looking to buy a 980m MXM 3.0 with 8 GB Vram. with SLI Conncector and non Gsync Model with Device ID 13D7. I want it for secondary to my M18X R2 so the specs for it are specific. No stupid Prices and preferably inside the EU to avoid customs. PM me or post here. Payment via paypal Ebay profile https://www.ebay.ie/usr/gerasimosgreece Thank you in advance.

Please send me an message, if you are inside the EU. I might be interested.

So for someone who might me interested, back when 980m SLI was a thing for the M18x R2, power was not enough. So I went ahead and made my own dual power supply mod with a coulomb meter that shows wattage, Voltage, amperage and power consumption in real time. Recipe was simple. Two power bricks, a bridge rectifier to direct voltage and amperage in one direction, and a screen to show me what is happening. So I picked up: - An coulomb meter and a shunt to withstand at least 50amps Because 330w / 19,5V = 17 amps x 2 (psus) = 34 amps - 4 Diodes with the lowest voltage drop - Two Dell specific Cable Extensions (that was the name on Ebay) - Cable fasteners with adhesive tape - Insulating tape - Soldering Iron - My trusted dremel - Patience and 'Vision' So the idea was to have it modular, so both psus can be connected at the same time, or just one, or none. Also to prevent throttling - Flash swicks unlocked A11 Bios to be able to use 980m obviously - Power up the system - Enter BIOS setting - Go to Advanced Settings and Video Configutation - Select IGFX (intergrated GPU) - Save and Reboot - Enter BIOS again, no need to wait to enter windows - Switch your GPU to Dedicated one (PEG). This is effective as long as you keep your laptop to the wall charger and even when putting it to sleep. If you power it down, and plug it back in, repeat the process. Actual footage of both GPUs running at 97% Here is the screen The 'finished' product! The cable fasteners Wiring instructions Diodes My second 980m has long gone, so I am only running single, and with the family and kids, I bearly use my laptop. I am at a search for a 980m just for the 'fun' of it. It is always 'cool' to have a dual GPU laptop 😅😅😅😅

I am a returning member from NBR too. Mostly on alienware and back when I had an Acer 8930G, but didn't posted back then. Hope to see all the knowledge, diy and new ideas, thrive again!

I had no idea the QM chips were able to overclock from the BIOS. Throttle stop did the trick back in the days. I have the tripple pipe heatsink in my 3720qm and I might try these settings and report back temps. I upgraded to tripple pipe to be able to switch to an XM, but step back a bit, because our customs charges too much to have anything imported outside the EU.

Nice to see the community trying to stay on it's feet.

Hello. I am from the NBR forum, mainly posting in Alienware thread. I have a M18x R2 and still keeping it to this day