Archive for September, 2012
Upgrade M17x R1 to R2 motherboard
I have an Alienware M17x that has the Core 2 Quad processor. This isn’t a bad setup, but an i7 in the R2 is much better. There is also the restriction that the R1 can only run the GTX 260m, 280m or AMD 5870m. This makes the M17x mostly obsolete for any modern games. I tried quite a few things to get an AMD 6970m running in the R1 (see here), including modifying the MXM structure in the BIOS. I wasn’t successful, mostly because I eventually figured out that the card I got off eBay to test with was bad. However, I did figure out that an R2 motherboard can replace the R1 motherboard. You will of course need a new processor and the CPU/southbridge is in a different location so you also need an R2 heatsink. Everything else is compatible, and the R2 will run the 6970m.
The only things I had to modify was the LVDS link width for the R1 LCD and the magnesium plate that covers the motherboard. Since the heatsink is in a different location you need to relieve a couple spots.
For the LVDS connection the BIOS for the R2 specifies a 24-bit width and the R1 is an 18-bit width. I modified the MXM system info in the BIOS to fix that and updated the checksum. Then I flashed it to the motherboard. I did this before I figured out the 6970m was dead, so I don’t know if the R1 LCD will work or not without running a modified BIOS since it never POSTed and I fixed the card after flashing the BIOS. › Continue reading
Other Stuff
Recent Posts
- 6CY7 dual triode valve amplifier
- Air quality sensor (TVOC and eqCO2)
- Automotive rear fill “surround sound” with Boss DD-3
- Spring tester / weight scale
- Ducati 749/999 Tail Light
- Instruments for the GSXR
- Light pipe tail light for the GSXR
- M17x 6990m / 6970m overheating
- PAR / Spectrum analyzer
- Acrylic polishing and scratch removal
Archives
- May 2019 (2)
- April 2017 (3)
- October 2015 (1)
- May 2015 (1)
- March 2014 (2)
- December 2013 (1)
- July 2013 (1)
- November 2012 (1)
- October 2012 (4)
- September 2012 (1)
- August 2012 (3)
- June 2012 (1)
- March 2012 (1)
- February 2012 (1)
- January 2012 (1)
- October 2011 (3)
- July 2011 (1)
- June 2011 (3)
- May 2011 (2)
- April 2011 (1)
- December 2010 (1)
- August 2010 (1)
- July 2010 (3)
- April 2010 (2)
- March 2010 (2)
- January 2010 (2)
- December 2009 (2)
- October 2009 (2)
- September 2009 (1)
- August 2009 (15)