M15x & 6970M / 6990M - What you need to know - upgrading, problems, solutions

[KurtH]

Double post!

[Subtle Process]

I created an account on here just to get info on this card and in my m15x , right now I have Ati radeon hd mobility 5730m I forgot what the exact number is for the card but Im pretty sure thats correct. I was asking if that series heat sink and brackets will work for the 6970m . Thank you please reply

[steveruss]

Hey guys, I bought this card.

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picture hosting

I got this 6970m card super-cheap from an auction, however, I think the screw holes are soldered on? Sounds quite messy! Can anyone confirm from the pics? I don't mind so much because it was so cheap but want to know in advance.

[Mexic00ls]

not enough info to tell, but judging by the stands it doesnt look like it.... check the back of the card if it has a backplate connecting all 4 screw holes than its not soldered on.

[King of Interns]

Can't see the pic. Can you upload a pic of the back and front of the card using imageshack? Cheers

[steveruss]

Hi guys. The card is soldered. I think the best way forward is to either drill through the soldering or to modify the heatsink slightly by cutting off the old screws and replacing it with the appropriate one. I have bigger problems though, I connected the card in just to see if it would work anyway, and I just got a black screen, no bios or anything. I think the guy might have killed the card with poor handling before sending it.

[steveruss]

Hey guys got an update the drilling was a success. It fits perfectly, however, I'm still getting the black screen, nothing else happens apart from the CAPS lights flashing.

[King of Interns]

I am really baffled with your approach to your supposed problem! Judging by the picture there is (was) nothing wrong with the card. Although even after asked you didn't upload a pic of the back of the card so we could have a look.

Why didn't you just find suitably fitting screws for the backplate already fitted to the card? You should have found correctly fitting screws first; an easy task at the local hardware store before even attempting the first installation as an improper heatsink to card connection would mean heat would instantly stop the card functioning to protect it.

Drilling it is a sure way to kill the card! I have read before that mxm upgrade once drilled a mxm 4670M card to make the screw holes slightly larger to fit a different backplate = dead card...

Sorry for my rant but it seems you rushed into this without allowing us to give proper advice first. Mexic00ls already told you the backplate was unlikely soldered on, drilling it could have been avoided Perhaps I am wrong here but it seems you also have mishandled this card.

[svl7]

Okay, no comment on the drilling... your backplate isn't/wasn't soldered on.

Anyway, blinking CAPS actually indicate a problem with the RAM (if only the CAPS is blinking), not the GPU. Try reseating the RAM modules, changing them, or only booting with one of them.
If it doesn't help it might be a system board problem.

[vrracing]

As noted on page 237 we got the 6970 card running but have been experiencing the black out shut downs. Running MSI Afterburner, GPUZ and MSI Kombuster we were seeing 90c for the GPU and 130c for GPU2. That's with clocking it down to 600 and 800 with Afterburner. We also changed the fan curve so that it is 80% at 60c and 100% at 70c.



We used Artic Silver on the GPU and the 2mm thick Berquist pads on the memory. GPUZ doesnt know what GPU Temp2 is.

Any suggestions?

Thx