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17 R1, need advice for GPU and screen?
i have an October 2013 alienware 17 R1 with an i7 4700MQ, GTX 765m and the display is 1600x900. here is the service tag if it will help .
Question 1. I have seen videos on youtube of people upgrading there 900p screen to 1080p is this possable for my laptop? mine has a 40 pin connector, is there any options i can upgrade to?
2. i want to upgrade my gpu and have read that its possable for a GTX 1070m, 1060m, 970m etc is possable to get working. i want to choose a gpu that has 2 heatpipes for the heatsink im not looking to dump to much money and spend more and have to upgrade my 180 watt power supply.
3. what are the steps needed to successfully use a gtx 960,970, or 1070? do i need to unlock the bios? if so how is that done? am i still able to use device encryption on my harddrives without blues with these modified graphics drivers?
mattyb3
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May 16th, 2021 14:00
Hello. If you're not planning on upgrading your power supply then you'll be a little limited. There is no point in going for a 1060 or 1070 as you 180W one may not be strong enough.
Yes you can easily upgrade your display to the 1080p. You have two options, the standard 60Hz or the 120Hz. If you go for the 120Hz display then you lose Intel Optimus as this display only runs off the Nvidia GPU and the Intel graphics are disabled. You will also need a different set of display cables as it uses a different connector on the motherboard. You won't have this problem with the 60Hz so you can use the original cables.
The 970M is your best bet with the 180W adapter. You will need a modded driver to run it. As these cards are usually pulled from non-Alienware laptops, you may find that you will have to flash a different vBIOS to make it run properly. Not all the time though.
You don't need an unlocked BIOS but the system has to be running in UEFI mode. If the BIOS is set to Legacy then you will need to change this to UEFI, set the Load Legacy ROM and Secure Boot to Disabled and reinstall Windows.
mattyb3
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September 12th, 2022 23:00
Here is the display
https://www.ebay.com/itm/353226084866
cable
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254871539908
yojimbojones
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May 16th, 2021 13:00
bump
yojimbojones
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May 16th, 2021 15:00
Okay i should take that back than if i need a more powerful power supply than ill deffinitley get one if i can get a newer card to run well than i cant argue.
so with the 120 HZ are you basically saying that you cant run the integrated graphics?
im pretty sure i have to take the whole laptop apart in order to change the lcd cable? thats no problem.
can you please link me the 2 panels or more that will work for a decent price? can you also link me the proper video cable needed for 120 hz?
is there a pls or ips panel i can buy? if i can get one i dont mind going the 60 hz route because with the TN panels and how the colours are washed out its a pain for me atleast anyway
and say if i did upgrade the psu can you give me the instructions to use a 1070? i think i saw a video where they said its important to disable HD audio in the bios?
where do i download these modified drivers?
mattyb3
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May 16th, 2021 16:00
Yes, you cannot run the integrated graphics with the 120hz. It uses the eDP connector on the board which does not connect to the onboard graphics, only an Nvidia card.
Yes, you have to pretty much disassemble the entire laptop. There are a lot of screws that hold the palmrest in but it isn't difficult (They are labelled with a P). This also means removing the Optical drive and both storage drives. You have to take note of what screws go where because you can do some damage if you put one in the wrong spot. The screw holes are labelled so you shouldn't go wrong (ie M2.5x8 is the 8mm screw) but I have seen many people you messed it up.
The two 60Hz displays are the anti-glare matte displays. I find the colours on these aren't nearly as sharp and crisp as the glossy 120Hz display. I use the Parts-People to find most of the correct part numbers. They don't always have stock but they have a good database for part numbers. I don't see any of the glossy panels on their website right now though, nothing on ebay either so they must be getting hard to find. You cannot use an eDP cable on the LVDS connector or vice-versa so if you get the 120Hz panel then you need the 3D eDP cable. Some links below.
The 10 series cards will work with the 60Hz display but they don't really like Optimus so it usually suggested to get the 120Hz as you will get better performance during games. You really just need to install the card and the modded driver. The HD Audio disabling was for the older M17x R3, not required on the 17. There are different version of the 1070 with the MSI version being the better one but it requires modifications to the chassis to make it fit and they are pretty hard to find. There are many threads on NotebookReview but here is one if you want a long read. Tenoroon went through a few trials and tribulations with his upgrade so he may be a good one to ask.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/upgrading-my-ranger.834497/
There is no real database for modded drivers so the best thing to do is learn how to do it yourself but I can help if you need. You can go to www.laptopvideo2go.com and get the modded inf that needs to go into the modded driver but learning how to mod your own inf is better, in my opinion. Link below on how to mod one.
The 10 series cards will need the triple heatsink if you want to keep temps where they need to be. Same with the 980M. There are 4 and 5pipe custom heatsinks also available on eBay.
https://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=category&id=151&subid=446&refine=lcd+screen
https://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=category&id=151&subid=446&refine=lcd+cable
https://null-src.com/posts/nvidia-notebook-driver-inf-mod/post.php
At the end of the day you need to decide if all these upgrades are worth it. It can get very expensive. Many of us just like keeping the older laptops alive and it's a lot of fun tinkering with them, unlike the rigidly un-upgradeable laptops of today.
EDIT: I have a few 120Hz panels at home that have vertical lines through them. I can check the manufacturer part numbers on them as it will help finding them online rather than using the Dell Part#. Dell do not make the panels themselves and they are usually from Samsung.
yojimbojones
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May 16th, 2021 19:00
thanks a ton for all the info. a 120 hz panel would be nice but that and the 3d lvds cables are out of stock. ive got a bit of more thinking to do but im probably leaning toward a 60 hz screen but glossy. i saw on amazon theres a company that makes screens called "screenarama" but i couldnt find a 40 pin connector version. do you know any other vendors selling a 60 hz glossy displays for this? i figure that may be the next best option. when it comes to picking a gpu would you lean toward the 10 series or rather a 970m or 980m? are 9 series easier and more compatable with less trouble shooting? when picking a 9 card besides possably flashing its bios and getting the correct heatsink are there any brands to favour? im seeing them for a fair price on ebay. even tho the 60hz glossy panel is still TN are the colours better than the older TN panel that these laptops had back in 2014? or is the contrast and colour ratios still the same?
yojimbojones
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May 16th, 2021 19:00
Forgot to ask another question from you. would you say any AMD gpus are worth while? wasnt the 290xm a decent card? going to have to say tho looking at how well the 1060m performs it blows the 970m out of the water in the benchmarks ive seen..... that would be a nice upgrade picking a good 1060
mattyb3
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May 16th, 2021 20:00
Happy to help if I can.
I don't really know much about the contrasts and colours on the panels sorry. I haven't heard of a glossy options for the 60Hz but it's possible that there is one. They only came in matte from Dell. I'll ask around with some of the guys I know.
I notice that you spell colour properly with a u, does this mean you're in Australia or the UK? If you're in Australia then I can help a little more as I have some eDP cables, unfortunately I'm out of perfect 120hz displays though.
I would definitely lean towards a 10 series as they are stronger than the 900 but you're also paying more so you need to balance cost/performance. The 970M will not be great with modern titles at high res while the 980M and above is still decent at 1080p.
The R9 M290x (rebadged 8970M) came with the 17 so there is no need to do anything fancy. The performance isn't up to the 900 series but you can usually get them relatively cheaper. The 1060 is a good one if you can find it.
EDIT: I also have triple heatsinks for the Nvidia and AMD cards. I'm out of 240W adapters but I do have some 330W ones that are usually for the 18" laptops. Some guys go for the 330W when they pair a 10 series card with an overclocked 4930MX. Probably cheaper to find an aftermarket 240W one though as genuine OEM Dell 330W adapters aren't very cheap.
yojimbojones
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May 17th, 2021 10:00
im from Canada actually. otherwise i appreciate the help with the cables and screens do you work on these type of systems? looks like its either the 980m or 1060m than. im leaning toward the 1060 if i can get it for a decent price plus they run cooler and only draw around 80 ish watts? so i could probably keep the 180 power supply i have than. which heatsink is on my 765m now do you know? would it work with the 1060 or would i need to buy a different one? for screens im really disliking TN panels do you know of any IPS or PLS panels for my unit? so instructions to get the 1060m working would be to physically install it and is there a display connector from my screen that connects to the actual card? im use to desktop pcs. after that should it boot and get me into windows? or do i download the custom made drivers install them in first than install the card physically? im not sure of the exact steps i imagine just installing the card itself will yeild in no post or no boot at all?
yojimbojones
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May 17th, 2021 11:00
another question? is there a connection for an m.2 ssd on this system? or only SSD?
mattyb3
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May 17th, 2021 14:00
There are only the two 2.5" Sata bays and also a mSata port. It's possible that you can use a sata to m.2 adapter in one of the 2.5" bays but I've never tried one myself so it may not work.
mattyb3
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May 17th, 2021 14:00
Ahh Canada was my third guess. Yes, I've done a lot of work on the 17 but I've only installed a 10 series in my M18x, never tried it in the 17. I'm not sure what heatsink you have but if you remove the back panel then you should be able to check it out and it will have a Dell part# sticker on it.
Don't know about the IPS or PSN panels sorry. There is no display connector to the card, the card slots into the MXM port and then there are two display connector ports on the motherboard. The one that has screw mounting holes either side is for the 120Hz display only. You install the card first and then install the driver as the driver will not install without a card inserted. You can download the driver first though so it's ready to go. Once you have a correctly modded Nvidia driver then you have to Disable Driver Signature Enforcement directly before attempting to install the driver or it will fail. It's also best to use DDU to completely remove any old display drivers first.
crimsom
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May 17th, 2021 18:00
Dual-Slot M.2 Drive to SATA Adapter for 2.5inch Drive Bay
yojimbojones
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May 18th, 2021 09:00
Looks like ill have to wait for stock for the proper panel. thinking more on the side of a 60 hz glossy 1080p. i checking out the 1060s and is $400 Canadian about right for the cost of them? if so ill have to probably go the 970m route. sorry did the 970m use the heatsink i have? or the 3 pipe version? when picking a 970 is there any specific card that works better of them? i see a ton of them from china on ebay. can you help me with the nvidia modded driver? is there one off github i can get? how do i disable Driver Signature Enforcement?
mattyb3
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May 18th, 2021 14:00
If you can find a glossy 60hz that will work then that's a good option. Then you get to keep Optimus which can be helpful in the event of a failed GPU. That sounds about right for the 1060 price, especially in today's crazy GPU market. 1070's go for $400-500USD these days.
The 970M should be ok with the two pipe heatsink but a 3 pipe is always better. Not sure what they cost on ebay but they shouldn't be much. There is a 3gb or 6gb version of the 970M so try to get the 6gb one. There is also one called the Aetina 970M which I have heard can have some issues with the ePD 120Hz panel so it's probably best to stay away from it. You can also get a g-sync and non g-sync version. I'm not 100% sure how well the g-sync cards work in these laptops.
970M's can also still cost a decent amount and the one I got for my 17 cost me $250AUD. I had no GPU fan support with the card that I got as it had an MSI vBIOS on it but after a lot of testing, I found one that worked for me.
I can help with the driver. I need to update my 970M and 1070 driver so I'll just post a dropbox link for you. To disable signature enforcement on Windows 10 you just need to (from memory);
- hold SHIFT and click restart
- Troubleshoot - Advanced Options - Startup Settings - Click Restart
- Select Option 7 and reboot
Disabling this only works until you restart the laptop and then it defaults back to being enabled again so you have to install the driver straight after disabling it.