[*Unresolved* Issue] Alienware M18x: GTX 580M SLI DPC Latency Problems

[steviejones133]

Thank you Fox, for taking the time to combat this problem at the source outside of NBR. We'll probably have to continue relying on Dell to resolve this problem. Nvidia probably wants to sweep this under the rug and continue business as normal. For what it's worth I will also create a user name and post there. I want to know that I did everything possible to help get this resolved.

Ditto. Registered and posted. Also sent a PM to ManuelG asking for some input as to what resolution may be offered

[DELLChrisM]

We tested three M18x with Nvidia GTX580m SLI in our lab. Below are the results -
Dell driver 269.30: DPC latency NOT present
Dell driver 285.62: DPC latency present
NVIDIA Beta driver 290.53: DPC latency present

We are going to push Nvidia on this one. For now, our recommendation is to use our 269.30.

[Mr. Fox]

Outstanding! Your lab confirmed exactly what we reported in this thread. Thank you for taking up the cause for us. +1 Rep

We agree that it is NVIDIA that needs to be pressured to correct it.

Do you know if Dell tweaked something with the 269.30 driver to fix the DPC latency? If so, it would be nice to know (if Dell will allow disclosure) if it is something we end users could do to fix any of the current NVIDIA reference drivers.

[steviejones133]

We tested three M18x with Nvidia GTX580m SLI in our lab. Below are the results -
Dell driver 269.30: DPC latency NOT present
Dell driver 285.62: DPC latency present
NVIDIA Beta driver 290.53: DPC latency present

We are going to push Nvidia on this one. For now, our recommendation is to use our 269.30.

Outstanding! Your lab confirmed exactly what we reported in this thread. Thank you for taking up the cause for us. +1 Rep

We agree that it is NVIDIA that needs to be pressured to correct it.

Do you know if Dell tweaked something with the 269.30 driver to fix the DPC latency? If so, it would be nice to know (if Dell will allow disclosure) if it is something we end users could do to fix any of the current NVIDIA reference drivers.

That is great news that you managed to replicate the latency problem - thanks for your efforts again Chris ! +1rep from me too! - lets just hope that Dell will be able to "lean" on Nvidia to address this problem fairly quickly.

Side note: I still have had no reply from ManuelG after the PM I sent to him asking for his input & still no public acknowledgement from him after ANY of our posts over on the Nvidia Forums Thread.

[bumbo2]

We tested three M18x with Nvidia GTX580m SLI in our lab. Below are the results -
Dell driver 269.30: DPC latency NOT present
Dell driver 285.62: DPC latency present
NVIDIA Beta driver 290.53: DPC latency present

We are going to push Nvidia on this one. For now, our recommendation is to use our 269.30.

That is a great, news brother DellchrisM. Ecellent excellent...

[skygunner27]

We tested three M18x with Nvidia GTX580m SLI in our lab. Below are the results -
Dell driver 269.30: DPC latency NOT present
Dell driver 285.62: DPC latency present
NVIDIA Beta driver 290.53: DPC latency present

We are going to push Nvidia on this one. For now, our recommendation is to use our 269.30.

Thank you, Chris. You guys are dead on with your results. We appreciate the update.

Has anyone had a chance to look at the "Prototype Test Only. NVIDIA Confidential." Error Message?

[mobiousblack]

Yay progress

[DELLChrisM]

Do you know if Dell tweaked something with the 269.30 driver to fix the DPC latency? If so, it would be nice to know (if Dell will allow disclosure) if it is something we end users could do to fix any of the current NVIDIA reference drivers.
* Email sent asking.

Has anyone had a chance to look at the "Prototype Test Only. NVIDIA Confidential." Error Message?
* Engineering is convinced that the culprit is the Nvidia beta drivers. They told me, "You must remove all Nvidia beta drivers using Driver Cleaner or Driver Sweeper. Load our Dell WHQL driver, then run the vbios .06 again. Then, the "Prototype Test Only. NVIDIA Confidential" error should no longer appear.". If you have done this, let me know so I can tell them that it is not working as they thought.

[skygunner27]

Do you know if Dell tweaked something with the 269.30 driver to fix the DPC latency? If so, it would be nice to know (if Dell will allow disclosure) if it is something we end users could do to fix any of the current NVIDIA reference drivers.
* Email sent asking.


Has anyone had a chance to look at the "Prototype Test Only. NVIDIA Confidential." Error Message?
* Engineering is convinced that the culprit is the Nvidia beta drivers. They told me, "You must remove all Nvidia beta drivers using Driver Cleaner or Driver Sweeper. Load our Dell WHQL driver, then run the vbios .06 again. Then, the "Prototype Test Only. NVIDIA Confidential" error should no longer appear.". If you have done this, let me know so I can tell them that it is not working as they thought.

That's a very good question.

In regards to the prototype error, I'm pretty sure I had this problem on 269.03. For the team I will give it another shot on 269.03. Hopefully I won't have to swap SSD's to fix the problem again
Good thing it's the weekend. I remember 269.03 being worse than the beta drivers. On the beta drivers it's a gamble when the message will rear it's ugly head. On 269.03 it happens everytime.

Sorry to troll on this thread.

I installed the A01269.03 R308308.exe driver. As soon as I loaded up Sonic Generations in 3D, the "Prototype Error" showed up. After that I tried Crysis 2. Same "Prototype Error" showed up. I restarted and tried Crysis 2. Same error. Luckily, I didn't get stuck in a permanent loop of the error message after disabling 3D this time. Please let engineering know that both Dell video drivers along with the latest Dell VBIOS still produce the problem.

[bumbo2]

Thi is a good experience, about drivers from NV that I thought was the best.