Zbook g3 MXM Thread

[Emilie]

Hi, so I've obtained a working p2000 but i am having an issue with my zbook 15 g3. The USBC display port links just do not work anymore. Though the hdmi port does and us detected by the MXM card. not really too sure what to do. I was thinking its a vbios thing so was thinking of cross flashing it with a GTX 1050ti or if anyone has some vbioses i could try. In the Nvidia control panel it is showing 4 display ports and one hdmi where the m2000 in it before only showed 3 display ports. I'm thinking i need a vbios without that issue. potentially a 4 Display port vbios without that additional hdmi. i also have a schematic of the zbook 15 if that helps. that's what im using lol. 

 

It's this card, 4GB gp106

[JadeRover]

Hi,

 

I have a Zbook 17 g3. Not exactly the same motherboard as the Zbook 15. I have a similar issue where I would like to run a GTX1060 MXM off the eDP internal lcd directly (without switchables graphics). When I enable dedicated graphics mode I get a black screen but connecting HDMi to a secondary monitor does make it work.

 

I have a boardview of the Zbook 15 g3 and I assume the display configuration is the same with the 17 g3. I have retraced the signals and this is what I found :

 

Zbook 15 g3
===============
DP_C --> eDP mux (4 lanes) --> eDP conn
DP_D --> VGA mux (2 lanes) --> VGA conn
DP_B = DP2 (4 lanes) --> TBT_DP_1 mux --> Alpine Ridge (TBT controller) --> HDMI or USB_C_1 or USB_C_2 
DP_A = DP1 (4 lanes) --> TBT_DP_1 mux --> Alpine Ridge (TBT controller) --> HDMI or USB_C_1 or USB_C_2 

 

The problem that I think is happening is that the MXM G3 zbooks (maybe G4 too but not sure) use a non standard display arrangement. Normally you would have (basing my self off a dell m6700 schematic here)

DP_D --> eDP

DP_C --> HDMi or DP

DP_B --> HDMi or DP

DP_A --> HDMi or DP

 

having DP_A, DP_B or DP_C being fed into the Alpine ridge thunderbolt controller to achieve the thunderbolt port outputs.

 

The HDMi/DP switching is done inside the alpine ridge so if you have HDMi output it should mean that you also have at least one display port being fed into the alpine ridge (if HDMi is fed into the alpine ridge it won't work, alpine ridge only accepts display port input)

 

What we need to do is vbios moding to redifine these display outputs on our MXM gpus ! Still haven't found a way to do this unfortunately