How to start m18xr2 with one GP106 card with empty second mxm slot?

[Lex_Amorph]

Guys, I'm already a little shocked with the laptop and all this. Tell me, please, how to run ONE discrete video card + integrated video card on the M18x r2? Everywhere on the Internet it is written as if this is a self-evident matter and it cannot be otherwise. I inserted an ATI Radeon 7970 + GP106 cards into the laptop, the integrated video card was disabled in the BIOS, ATI GFX + Nvidia GFX are seen, in Windows  "standard Microsoft video adapter" and "3d video accelerator" in the unidentified devides. I installed modded drivers through NVCleanstal, assigned the GeForce GTX 1060 card, Windows agreed with this, installed drivers for the Radeon, they also started good. But the Radeon is first on the list, and when I try to run the Nvidia control panel, it writes an error that "this monitor is not connected to the GPU". That is, all control was pulled by weak Radeon and it was not possible to assign GP106 as a video card for data processing. Plus, for some reason, it worked a couple of times, and then it started to turn off when loading Windows. The laptop starts normally, but turns off after 10 seconds. I took out the Radeon card, left only GP106, it is definitely working, checked, before that I had it in M17x r3, where it was immediately recognized in the BIOS and worked perfectly in conjunction with the Intel 3000 integrated graphics. Tell me, how can I do something similar on this laptop? So that the integrated graphics work, and the discrete graphics card runs for programs and games? At this stage, when there is only one card, and nothing in the second slot, it is not displayed in the BIOS, only the integrated graphics card and two empty discrete graphics card slots. BIOS A11 unlocked from swick, there are a lot of settings there. Maybe somewhere in the video settings or something else you can somehow force it to see? I just saw a bunch of ads, selling different M18x with ONE video card, and it works. So, somehow they did it. Help, please? For the second week I've been crack ny brain with this notebook, that's worse than a tank, whose turret fell off. It seems that I've achieved relative stability. But I can't overcome this joke with the card. In Windows, when you press fn + F7, it displays a GFX window and offers to reboot, I do it, but nothing happens, the card is still not detected in the BIOS, only integrated. What I do wrong?

[Jerryzago]

Since you already have the unlocked BIOS, you could set from advanced options, video settings the mode SG.

 

That will enable intergated graphics and the GP106 to show up both in BIOS.

 

Make sure you are in full UEFI mode, because legacy is only supported from the 980m and backwards. Can't confirm that it works for later GPUs.

 

Also a member here had issues with the GP106 in his setup.

 

Try not to use the Fn + F7 switch because it can really mess things up now with the unlocked BIOS.

 

Don't change anything you are not familiar with, as it can result into a paper weight if you don't have an external programmer.

[Lex_Amorph]

Thank you so much, friend. Looks like I'm in legacy mode in bios. So I need to select UEFI, disable legacy load, enable secure boot, and reinstall windows 10?

[Lex_Amorph]

Wow, so, I make uefi, reinstall win10 ) atm, bios anyway don't want to see discrete card, I choose SG mode in advanced settings, it's won't help. And more interesting, windows now don't want to install integrated intel 4000 video driver, I try to install intel hd graphic driver from dell site - installer tell me, don't found compatible devices. driver booster also agree about "base windows videodriver" it's correct )

[Jerryzago]

Second post, settings seem ok, though you could disable secure boot.

 

Switching to UEFI requires a full windows install sadly.

 

Intel HD drivers should install via windows update. Though I did installed the intel drivers for the dell site my own system.

 

That is a 1060 variant I presume. It is in slot no1? Or do you still have both GPUs inside (7970 in slot 1 and GP106 in slot 2)?

 

If you do have both, try to set PEG mode and install ati drivers first and Nvidia second.

[Lex_Amorph]

About slots. This last notebook (m18x r2) I buy with 2 ati cards, so have ati100w heatsinks, from my previous m18x r1 I have right (longer one) nv100w heatsink. And I dont remember, where's left nv heatsink. If I understand correct, difference only in open copper space for videochip. So previously I must insert radeon 7970 to left slot and gp106 to right slot. They both was visible in bios and work even in legacy mode, BUT main card was this significantly weaker and older 7970 and nvidia control panel even don't start, show message "this monitor don't connect to gpu". So idea use gp106 card as 3d accelerator don't work. And even worse, notebook begin to shut down after 10-15 sec from start. I don't know, why. So I remove 7970 card from first slot and left only gp106 in right slot. I can't move to left, cause not sure, if ati heatsink normally and effective work with nvidia card. And with this one card begin problems, which start this thread. I know, this card is working, and don't understand, why bios don't want to see. Maybe, it's necessary to put strictly to left mxm slot, if you have one card?  

[Jerryzago]

My Alienware had also two 7970 so I use those heatsinks for my Nvidia GPUs. I removed the black insulation tape from the heatsink copper core.

 

Leaving a GPU to the secondary slot, doesn't detect it from the system. Transfer it to the primary slot (left).

 

Before doing the teardown, set the system to SG, then disassemble, install the GPU and check if it detects it in the BIOS.

 

If it detects it, go from there to install drivers.