Official Clevo X170SM-G Thread

[electrosoft]

37 minutes ago, Clamibot said:

 

Check to see that you haven't tightened the CPU screws down too much. There's a weird issue where overtightening the screws makes the laptop not boot. The screws should at most be hand tight plus an extra quarter to half turn.

 

Did you try swapping your RAM to different slots? Sometimes that helps.

 

I still have the original RAM that came with my laptop, which runs at a different speed than my current RAM, so if you have extra RAM lying around, you can perform a hardware change to give your laptop that swift kick in the butt it needs to start working again.

 

True, I found this out early on. Basically eating your own chow. The blessing and the curse of using your own screws is you don't need shims or taller IHS's. The curse is of course dialing in the optimal amount of torque.

 

Get a manual (or powered) screw driver with torque settings. Dial in the optimal settings for your unit for maximum pairing pressure:

 

https://www.amazon.com/CDI-61NSM-Torque-Micro-Adjustable-centinewton/dp/B000JXPF12/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

@Clamibot are you running standard TIM or LM on your CPU?

 

 

[1610ftw]

@electrosoft: In another thread you mention aftermarket heatsinks for the X170 - are there any that have been tested and shown to be a significant improvement to the stock version?

 

[Clamibot]

22 minutes ago, electrosoft said:

 

True, I found this out early on. Basically eating your own chow. The blessing and the curse of using your own screws is you don't need shims or taller IHS's. The curse is of course dialing in the optimal amount of torque.

 

Get a manual (or powered) screw driver with torque settings. Dial in the optimal settings for your unit for maximum pairing pressure:

 

https://www.amazon.com/CDI-61NSM-Torque-Micro-Adjustable-centinewton/dp/B000JXPF12/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

@Clamibot are you running standard TIM or LM on your CPU?

 

 

 

I'm using standard TIM. Specifically, I'm using Phobya Nanogrease Extreme.

[electrosoft]

5 minutes ago, 1610ftw said:

@electrosoft: In another thread you mention aftermarket heatsinks for the X170 - are there any that have been tested and shown to be a significant improvement to the stock version?

 

 

I haven't found someone who tested it in both standard and water cooled version yet. They are priced cheaply on Aliexpress now though so I've been mulling over ordering one to see.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802893647618.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis!USD!US %2436.00!US %2428.80!!!!!%4021031a5516542938709864495efa22!12000025851981212!sh&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.productList_2002555959075.pic_0

 

 

2 minutes ago, Clamibot said:

 

I'm using standard TIM. Specifically, I'm using Phobya Nanogrease Extreme.

 

Ah, ok. I use Phobya too but I think I'm going to pop the LTX back in since it is already delidded with the Nickel plated BartX IHS and run it a few days with Phobya again and then a few days with LM and a foam perimeter to note the differences. My heatsink was already previously used in a LM mount from Ztec so it is well soaked as is.

 

I just ordered a more precise, lower range torque screw driver too recommended by a few fellow Pi robots buddies I collab with who use it for all their precision assemblies for a better price (rebrand of many other models): https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B09YXYHVFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1#customerReviews to really dial it in.

 

I might just stick with the LTX depending on results and sell the SL since the SL is in pristine condition (never delidded) with original box, SL paperwork, etc. I only want to hold onto one of them and the LTX was close enough. Basically, whichever one sells I'll keep the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1610ftw]

I guess that the alternative heat sink being priced cheaply is relative - I would agree if you really manage to sustain previous air cooling temperatures with it while being able to add functioning water cooling on top in stationary use.

 

If water cooling brings improvements but without water cooling it gets hotter than it depends on the use case if this one gets defined as a success or not.

 

It would have been cool if somebody had offered a vapor chamber design, too like in the P870.

[Bidelloman]

By the way I just discovered my heatsink, gpu vram side, had 2 stacks of thermal pads on one series, apparently last time pcspecialist mounted 2 of them..

 

Edit: I may have found out the problem, both sticks do not boot if mounted on the same side for some reason, barely works if 1 is mounted in the other side but fails any stress test..

 

Is it possible that xmp with this modded bios killed or rather damaged the ram sticks?

Edited June 13, 2022 by joe4kyo

[electrosoft]

10 hours ago, 1610ftw said:

I guess that the alternative heat sink being priced cheaply is relative - I would agree if you really manage to sustain previous air cooling temperatures with it while being able to add functioning water cooling on top in stationary use.

 

If water cooling brings improvements but without water cooling it gets hotter than it depends on the use case if this one gets defined as a success or not.

 

It would have been cool if somebody had offered a vapor chamber design, too like in the P870.

 

Looking at the design it is a solid, massive copper heatsink that happens to have a water cooling flow system imbedded in it so it looks like it provides solid cooling (especially the CPU) and when you add water cooling at your discretion through the connects it just enhances it more.

 

My P870TM was a monster and I loved it. That VC for the GPU(s) was nice but the CPU heatsink was still a standard one that was decently beefy.

 

7 hours ago, joe4kyo said:

By the way I just discovered my heatsink, gpu vram side, had 2 stacks of thermal pads on one series, apparently last time pcspecialist mounted 2 of them..

 

Edit: I may have found out the problem, both sticks do not boot if mounted on the same side for some reason, barely works if 1 is mounted in the other side but fails any stress test..

 

Is it possible that xmp with this modded bios killed or rather damaged the ram sticks?

 

Yikes on the thermal pads. That can definitely compromise pairing pressure.

 

As for the ram, unless the modded bios sent sky high voltage through your ram, it wasn't the xmp timings.

 

 

[Bidelloman]

3 hours ago, electrosoft said:

 

Looking at the design it is a solid, massive copper heatsink that happens to have a water cooling flow system imbedded in it so it looks like it provides solid cooling (especially the CPU) and when you add water cooling at your discretion through the connects it just enhances it more.

 

My P870TM was a monster and I loved it. That VC for the GPU(s) was nice but the CPU heatsink was still a standard one that was decently beefy.

 

 

Yikes on the thermal pads. That can definitely compromise pairing pressure.

 

As for the ram, unless the modded bios sent sky high voltage through your ram, it wasn't the xmp timings.

 

 

1.35, I literally only activated xmp which worked for a year on this ram.

Opened up for regular cleaning/ changing liquid metal, without touching anything, bam, this problem starts.

Ram sticks still work without xmp but only if I mount 1 under keyboard, one beside the cpu.

It doesn't look like to the defective slots but not sure.

[Bidelloman]

So I tested again, with .04 clevo bios and dsanke's unlocker. Xmp does not work using the sub keyboard slots which was I think stated in the old forums too.

Xmp works with 1 stick under keyboard and 1 on the other side of the mobo.

 

Xmp, or not, both bottom slots do not seem to make this ram kit to work, I found no evidence of damage, corrosion or anything that could justify a broken ram slot.

So I think that my ram is temperamental and likely not working proper.

 

EDIT n2: well, now it works on the slots beside cpu, with xmp...I am confused, maybe it really was the bios, for whatever reason

 

Edited June 14, 2022 by joe4kyo

[Clamibot]

I just bought an excellent sample 10900K from brother @Mr. Fox. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can start tuning it to see how well I can make it perform in my X170SM-G!

 

@electrosoft If you're still doing testing with your Silicon Lottery 10900K and LTX Golden Sample, we can compare results and see what chip was able to deliver the best results in the X170SM-G.

[electrosoft]

2 minutes ago, Clamibot said:

I just bought an excellent sample 10900K from brother @Mr. Fox. I can't wait for it to arrive so I can start tuning it to see how well I can make it perform in my X170SM-G!

 

@electrosoft If you're still doing testing with your Silicon Lottery 10900K and LTX Golden Sample, we can compare results and see what chip was able to deliver the best results in the X170SM-G.

 

Nice! And most definitely. See where it lands you at -0.050 - 0.100 uv pull and temps to get an idea of draw and bleed. Also see how it compares versus your current 10900k. I haven't had a chance to really do much of anything with my X170SM-G in weeks with so many other projects on the table I've been churning through (and work).

 

If you have access to a Z490/Z590 motherboard, you can also use my desktop binning chart from five samples I posted earlier:

 

 

[jaybee83]

10900K laptop wars galore 😁👌🏼

[solidus1983]

On 6/14/2022 at 8:50 PM, joe4kyo said:

So I tested again, with .04 clevo bios and dsanke's unlocker. Xmp does not work using the sub keyboard slots which was I think stated in the old forums too.

Xmp works with 1 stick under keyboard and 1 on the other side of the mobo.

 

Xmp, or not, both bottom slots do not seem to make this ram kit to work, I found no evidence of damage, corrosion or anything that could justify a broken ram slot.

So I think that my ram is temperamental and likely not working proper.

 

EDIT n2: well, now it works on the slots beside cpu, with xmp...I am confused, maybe it really was the bios, for whatever reason

 

 

I know XMP doesn't work with the KM either so might be the same with SM. As for the thermal pads being stacked thats an ouch.

[jaybee83]

1 hour ago, solidus1983 said:

 

I know XMP doesn't work with the KM either so might be the same with SM. As for the thermal pads being stacked thats an ouch.

if xmp doesnt work right off the bat, try and switch to manual mode to dial in the best timings that particular mobo/cpu imc/ram combo can support. its not just all or nothing, but it needs tweaking.

[wilpang]

Anyone or know anyone who might be interested in my old X170SM, UK based before I put in the sales section?

 

10700 2080 Super with FHD display.

[Bidelloman]

5 hours ago, solidus1983 said:

 

I know XMP doesn't work with the KM either so might be the same with SM. As for the thermal pads being stacked thats an ouch.

It does work, with an unlocked bios

[jaybee83]

44 minutes ago, joe4kyo said:

It does work, with an unlocked bios

oh wait what? xmp aint supported on stock bios, wth?! 😲

[Clamibot]

I have the Premamod BIOS, but I thought XMP was supported even on the stock BIOS.

[Bidelloman]

14 hours ago, Clamibot said:

I have the Premamod BIOS, but I thought XMP was supported even on the stock BIOS.

there is no option for xmp on bone stock bios, either prema or the dsanke unlocker to be able to see it, I tested clevo's stock bios and xmg's, no option to toggle it. Dsanke's works great so I have been using it

[jaybee83]

4 hours ago, joe4kyo said:

there is no option for xmp on bone stock bios, either prema or the dsanke unlocker to be able to see it, I tested clevo's stock bios and xmg's, no option to toggle it. Dsanke's works great so I have been using it

might be a silly Q but have u tried intel xtu? sometimes its able to show options that are not available in the bios.

[Bidelloman]

18 hours ago, jaybee83 said:

might be a silly Q but have u tried intel xtu? sometimes its able to show options that are not available in the bios.

after failed attempts at using the ccc + xtu, i went on to clear it out of my pc, using throttlestop and this bios unlocker, find myself much more at ease

[jaybee83]

8 minutes ago, joe4kyo said:

after failed attempts at using the ccc + xtu, i went on to clear it out of my pc, using throttlestop and this bios unlocker, find myself much more at ease

kool, thats of course an even better solution 🙂 

[electrosoft]

5 hours ago, joe4kyo said:

after failed attempts at using the ccc + xtu, i went on to clear it out of my pc, using throttlestop and this bios unlocker, find myself much more at ease

 

Just wish Dsanke made a version for the KM or Prema made a basic unlocked version.

 

Having used my Prema equipped SM for awhile, when I had a KM the lockdown was harsh on all fronts from CPU to memory tuning.

 

 

[Clamibot]

I love the Premamod BIOS. There are so many options!

 

I also prefer Intel XTU over Throttlestop. To me, XTU seems easier to use.

[jaybee83]

haha yep agreed on those points guys. once u go premamod its VERY hard to go back to stock bios on a laptop....