m17xr3 upgrade to 680m video card

[tosscobobble]

Greetings all!

 

  I hope this is ok to post here. The notebook topic was greyed out and not selectable

 

OK, right to it:

 

Last year I was gifted an old laptop, an Alienware m17xr3. I upgraded the processor to its highest compatible processor with success (simple install)

  I discovered there was a way to upgrade the 560m video card to a 680m. Or rather, I learned it was possible with the right modded BIOS.

 

Unfortunately, I have not found out how to do it. All the old links are dead.

 

  The 680m card was found cheap, so I figured I'd try. So far, without any luck.

 

 

Is there anyone who knows how to finish this? Or, where to look?  Notebookreview was shut down and that's where most people are directing me to go...

 

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for your time

[Reciever]

@ssj92 @Maxware79 

 

Also be sure to check out the NBRchive, all the old threads from NBR have been preserved :) 

[ssj92]

On 9/27/2022 at 5:16 PM, tosscobobble said:

Greetings all!

 

  I hope this is ok to post here. The notebook topic was greyed out and not selectable

 

OK, right to it:

 

Last year I was gifted an old laptop, an Alienware m17xr3. I upgraded the processor to its highest compatible processor with success (simple install)

  I discovered there was a way to upgrade the 560m video card to a 680m. Or rather, I learned it was possible with the right modded BIOS.

 

Unfortunately, I have not found out how to do it. All the old links are dead.

 

  The 680m card was found cheap, so I figured I'd try. So far, without any luck.

 

 

Is there anyone who knows how to finish this? Or, where to look?  Notebookreview was shut down and that's where most people are directing me to go...

 

 

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for your time

First I recommend installing the A12 unlocked bios for your laptop here: 

 

 

If you have a SATA3 SSD installed, make sure it's in the middle slot not the one in the corner. Next, do you know which display you have? 3D 120Hz or 60Hz panel? If you do not, send me a PM with your service tag and I will check for you. 

 

680m should be plug n play with a unlocked bios. I have 880M in my Alienware M17xR3 right now without any issues and that one apparently is the worse to get running. 

[tosscobobble]

GPU-Z can see the card correctly, but my computer does not.

 

I have tried this A12 with no success

 

 

I'm beginning to think I have a bad card......

 

 

Is there a specific order of actions to do it correctly? The card is in, I've tried several to flash several 'fixes'. Nothing is working. 

Edited October 2, 2022 by tosscobobble
Added info

[Maxware79]

If GPU-Z can see the card then then the laptop is also detecting it.

 

When you go to Device Manager what does it show you under Display Adapters? If you see a Microsoft Basic Display Adapter or VGA Adapter then that will be the 680M without a driver installed. 

[tosscobobble]

It shows Microsoft Basic Display Adapter, but upon trying to install the driver, it states its incompatible with my system.

 

I thought I had the proper driver. But there is no driver for the 680m for the m17xr3. At least, none I can find...

[Maxware79]

Then the card is being detected. You need to modify the driver. Written guide and video below. Video thanks to @ssj92

 

https://null-src.com/posts/nvidia-notebook-driver-inf-mod/post.php

 

 

 

Just let us know if you need any help. A few of us have done this sort of thing many times

[tosscobobble]

Oh! Thank you!

 

  It's amazing how difficult it is to get a 'how to' on this stuff

[Maxware79]

A lot of information has been lost due to NotebookReview being shut down and now recently Alienowners. That's why a few guys got this site running a little while ago. 

There is a NBR archive here though that has all the old threads to search through. 

 

Walk your way through the guides and let me know if anything stumps you. 

 

If you want to get me your hardware ID then I can help you write the line that needs to go into the .inf

 

Go back into device manager and find the basic display adapter, right click on it - Properties - Details - select Hardware ID from the dropdown. I just need the first or second line

 

 

[aldarxt]

1 hour ago, Maxware79 said:

A lot of information has been lost due to NotebookReview being shut down and now recently Alienowners. That's why a few guys got this site running a little while ago. 

There is a NBR archive here though that has all the old threads to search through. 

 

Walk your way through the guides and let me know if anything stumps you. 

 

If you want to get me your hardware ID then I can help you write the line that needs to go into the .inf

 

Go back into device manager and find the basic display adapter, right click on it - Properties - Details - select Hardware ID from the dropdown. I just need the first or second line

 

 

Hey searching thru NBR archives can be pretty exciting and best of all essential info to boot!

[tosscobobble]

My searches for anything with both m17xr3 and 680m hint at what needs to be done, but nothing explaining How. Granted, there were a couple links, but they were dead.

 

I'll be diving back in to this this weekend. I'll post my results....   Hopefully as a success. This has been an UNexpectantly grueling ordeal, lol

[ssj92]

The INF mod should get it up and running. Any GPU that is not originally shipped with the system requires INF mod. 

[Maxware79]

Any 'NVidia' GPU 😉

 

@tosscobobble the inf mod may seem tricky but it's actually easier than you think and we're all here to help. I remember buying a 560M for an M15x back in 2012/13 and I couldn't find any good guides on how to do it and I couldn't find anyone to help. 

[tosscobobble]

On 10/4/2022 at 1:11 PM, Maxware79 said:

Then the card is being detected. You need to modify the driver. Written guide and video below. Video thanks to @ssj92

 

https://null-src.com/posts/nvidia-notebook-driver-inf-mod/post.php

 

 

 

Just let us know if you need any help. A few of us have done this sort of thing many times

Sooooo...... how do I do this in Win7???  I don't have Start - Settings....

[tosscobobble]

Ok, figured out how to get to that setting.

 

 

I went through several different attempts. Tried NVCleaninstall. Tried modifying the inf. Flashed different BIOS...

 

I'm done.  This is far to bothersome for what is claimed to be an easy process.  

 

Maybe if I was in IT, I could figure it out, but as it is I have reached my limit.

 

Unless there is a simple "run this" or something premade, I'm giving up.

 

 

Anyone want a GTX 680M video card?

[ssj92]

5 hours ago, tosscobobble said:

Ok, figured out how to get to that setting.

 

 

I went through several different attempts. Tried NVCleaninstall. Tried modifying the inf. Flashed different BIOS...

 

I'm done.  This is far to bothersome for what is claimed to be an easy process.  

 

Maybe if I was in IT, I could figure it out, but as it is I have reached my limit.

 

Unless there is a simple "run this" or something premade, I'm giving up.

 

 

Anyone want a GTX 680M video card?

Windows 7 is even easier since you do not have to do the settings part. It's only needed in Windows 8 and newer. 

 

Right-click My Computer>Click properties>Click device manager>expand display adapters>double click the microsoft basic display adapter>click details tab>change the "device description" option to "device instance path" and send us a screenshot of that page. We will make you a pre-built installer with the modded inf file. 

 

You can follow the video from 2:40 above to see how to check the part you need to send us a screenshot of 

[Maxware79]

On 10/9/2022 at 7:12 AM, tosscobobble said:

Ok, figured out how to get to that setting.

 

 

I went through several different attempts. Tried NVCleaninstall. Tried modifying the inf. Flashed different BIOS...

 

I'm done.  This is far to bothersome for what is claimed to be an easy process.  

 

Maybe if I was in IT, I could figure it out, but as it is I have reached my limit.

 

Unless there is a simple "run this" or something premade, I'm giving up.

 

 

Anyone want a GTX 680M video card?

 

It may seem a bit tricky but it really isn't too hard. I can walk you through step by step if you like and it will only take 10-15 mins.

[tosscobobble]

I might be able to sit down and try again this evening. Tuesday for certain..

 

It's not a daily use computer, so my desk gets cluttered easily. Need to plan to do anything with it, lol

[tosscobobble]

For those who may be interested...

 

   I've tried every suggestion with no luck. No idea why, and I'm giving up, lol

 

Thank you all for your help!