DIY eGPU experiences

[willn58]

Ok after researching everything about creating my own DIY ViDock, I've decided to order the PE4H 1.0 + PM3N + PM3N for x2 link with a GTX 470 and a Corsair Memory VX550W PSU for the 12v rail running 41amps as i heard the 470 needs 38 amps+ to run smoothly. I shall post benchmarks and pics when complete

I run a dell D830 T7300 @ 2.2ghz 10% OC at the moment with a nvs 140m (8400 gs equivalent) with express ports 1+2 free if I remove the wifi card.

Just wondering if I should buy more DDR2 ram as I have only 2GB @ 333mhz at the moment.

[jamesbond007]

@willn58 Most game requires at least 3 gigs in their recommended settings so you should get atleast 4gig for optimal performance

@lowboy if you are asking how much performance you will lose if you don't use the optimus then it will really depend. As mention by nando and based on the results of the optimus vs non optimus the gains from using optimus can be from 20% to 100% percent depending on the games you play it on so it would be better if you could use optimus.

@wiktor96 are you asking on how to connect the diy vidock to the tv that only has a SCART connect and 2 phono inputs for video and audio?

[lowboy]

Balls. Well, as the optimus update post said, hopefully there will be a way to unlock the Nvidia cards for optimus.

Ultimately gaming is a secondary priority for me, and I need the FHD screen.

[rknelson]

My First Forum Post Ever!

Wow fantastic write up on how to over come the >3GB ram issues by nando4

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gami...ml#post6295529

I can get everything working if I pull out the memory to get down below 2GB. Despite several attempts to use the cool DIY ViDock Setup v1.x utility I get stuck on step 1 sub step 5. I am unable to mount the .img file. I could not find a way to mount it natively in explorer ( i could un-mount my v drive but never get the img in its place.)

I downloaded magicISO in an attempt to mount it that way but it is unsuccessful and posts an unable to mount error. OK then I thought that I might not be defraging it correctly. I started over from scratch and used wincontig again as recommended in NANDO4's write up and noticed that after navigating and defraging that file that winconfig says that the operation was successful however the file was not fragmented to begin with.

I went and tried to use the other recommended "contig" program however I am afraid that I do not know enough to use it. When I go to run it it opens CMD and then closes. Clearly a ID10T error on my part i dont know.

Next I tried to burn that .img to a physical CD and use that but then i got the error " disk image is not valid". So I am stuck. I can not proceed until i can get that file mounted. Can this mounting issue be a limitation imposed by my domain admins? (this is my work computer)

Can any of you veterans help me out? Thanks in advance.

I am running a dell E6500 win 7 x64 + nvidia 9500GT successful with 2GB ram and want to be successful with 4 GB ram.

[User Retired 2]

My First Forum Post Ever!

Wow fantastic write up on how to over come the >3GB ram issues by nando4

I get stuck on step 1 sub step 5. I am unable to mount the .img file. I could not find a way to mount it natively in explorer ( i could un-mount my v drive but never get the img in its place.)

Welcome to NBR I've updated the instructions on how to mount the image from the CMD prompt as v: after you've installed imdisk. This should get you going so long as there are no UAC issues.

imdisk -a -f c:\DIYViDock-Setup-10e2.img -m v:

If your E6500 has 4500MHD then suggest load the Optimus driver, modify the INF to add the 9500GT and see if you get it's performance boost.

[rknelson]

Wow nando4 thanks for the speed, fix, and the driver recommendation.

I will let you know what I find with the performance boost.

[kizwan]

Troubleshooting FAQ

Quick Links: Main page | SB eGPU notebooks | modded drivers | enclosures | Setup 1.x

13 July 2011: Troubleshooting FAQ moved to new page which will ideally document reoccurring issues. Contributions/edits are most welcome.

eGPU=external desktop GPU, iGPU=integrated GPU, dGPU=dedicated GPU

1. I have problems when running eGPU Setup 1.x
   
   
2. My system just boots to a black screen / my system hangs or BSODs while booting up to Win7
   
   
3. My eGPU is detected and drivers loaded but has an error 12: cannot allocate resources against it in Device Manager
   
   
4. My eGPU worked, then stopped working all of a sudden
   
   
5. My eGPU hangs, particularly when doing a lot of graphics processing
   
   
6. I can't play any game or run any benchmark for more than a minute or two before a complete system lock up - "black screen" of death
   
   
7. I get an error 42: cannot start device in Win7
   
   
8. [ATI] Device Manager lists my eGPU without any errors but has have no resources against it nor is any external LCD detected
   
   
9. I have a PE4L + DC adapter. The eGPU isn't detected/fan spins up fast.
   
   
10. (Update 26 July 2011) I get an error 43 against my eGPU in Win7.
    
    
11. My eGPU recognises the external monitor but when I make it the primary it doesn't "turn on" and I'm simply reverted back to my internal LCD
    
    
12. Upon powering my eGPU, the fan on the eGPU just spins faster and the card isn't detected.
    
    
13. I have problems running an NVidia eGPU with a internal Nvidia dGPU.
    
    
14. Lenovo Thinkpad/Dell Latitude: I boot with the expresscard in my system. The internal LCD doesn't appear/work. Neither do I see x1.Opt performance (NVidia)
    
    
15. Installing Nvidia drivers with AMD/Intel switchable graphics gives an error
    
    
16. My mHDMI cable does not fit in my half-height PM3N.
    
    
17. (NEW 24 JULY 2011) Why does my USB/network/sound not working when enable my eGPU in Win7?
    
    
18. (NEW 24 JULY 2011) Optimus-related: I can't get internal LCD mode to work.
    

---

1. I have problems when running eGPU Setup 1.x. See eGPU Setup 1.x troubleshooting.
   
   ^top
2. My system just boots to a black screen / my system hangs or BSODs while booting up to Win7
   
   Poweroff your eGPU. Boot Win7. Standby (not hibernate) your system, poweron your eGPU, resume your system.
   
   ^top
3. My eGPU is detected and drivers loaded but has an error 12: cannot allocate resources against it in Device Manager
   
   Many notebook vendors' bios were never designed to accomodate a desktop eGPU so do not setup PCI configuration space correctly to accomodate it resulting in the symptoms below. This will affect the DIY, Villagetronic ViDock and MSI Graphics Upgrade Solution (GUS) external graphics solutions.
   
   

   Symptom	Requirement	Details with solution1
   Device Manager error 12: cannot allocate resources	Fix error	Problem explanation: Windows XP/Server 2003 do not reconfigure the bridge windows based on the requirements of a device behind the bridge. This leads to a classic problem where a PCI device cannot be started due to lack of resources on the bridge, even though enough device resources are available to the system. For reasons such as this, a platform configuration that configures PCI devices at boot time works best. Some systems with more than 2.5GB RAM have no bios allocated free 256MB PCI window to host the desktop eGPU. Need to configure this correctly using one of the methods below: Solution#1 (ATI) : Use DNA-AMD drivers as described. Solution#2 : Use Win7 to do a PCI relocation as described. Solution#3 : Use eGPU Setup 1.x PCI Compaction. Solution#4 : [XP or Win7_with_XP_drivers] - disable onboard graphics using eGPU Setup 1.x Solution#5 : install only 2.5GB/3GB of RAM, freeing 256MB of PCI Resource space. Solution#6 : Use Magma ExpressBox Full Driver described here.
   	Greater than 2.5/3GB RAM installed

   
   Examples Neither the DV2000 or the 2510P had an appropriate PCI bridge memory window defined by the bios. The DV2000 too didn't have a free 256MB window when equipped with 3GB of RAM, the 2510P didn't have it's bridge correctly configured. In both cases eGPU Setup 1.x was used to configure the PCI space correctly.
   
   ^top
4. My eGPU worked, then stopped working all of a sudden
   
   First thing is check your mini HDMI cable. 2 users requiring a replacement US$6-shipped cable to restore functionality.
   
   ^top
5. My eGPU hangs, particularly when doing a lot of graphics processing
   
   Check your PSU is delivering the required power OR swap with another more powerful PSU and test again. We've found cheap double-rail PSUs might not deliver enough power. Eg: a Shaw 680W PSU has a 12V/16A and 12V/15A rail. The latter rail was insufficient to power a GTX470 requiring 225W of power.
   
   Also refer to Panzer's fuse bypass on PE4H < 2.4 for GTX465+ eGPUs. PE4H 2.4+ can set a jumper at J4 to do the same bypass.
   
   ^top
6. I can't play any game or run any benchmark for more than a minute or two before a complete system lock up - "black screen" of death.
   
   Pretty much the same issue as for Q5. Likely the PE4H's fuse is kicking in upon detecting a very high load and shuts down the power to your eGPU. This will occur with any of the heavy duty gpus like a GTX465+ or GTX560+.
   
   The solution is to set the PE4H 2.4 fuse bypass jumper (near the floppy molex connector). Older PE4H can do Panzer's fuse bypass to accomplish the same thing.
   
   ^top
7. I get an error 42: cannot start device in Win7
   
   Standby (not hibernate) your system, poweroff your eGPU, poweron, resume your system.
   
   ^top
8. [ATI] Device Manager lists my eGPU without any errors but has have no resources against it nor is any external LCD detected
   
   This is a problem seen with onboard HD3450+HD6850 setups. The solution being a unified driver for both cards as provided by the DNA modded ATI drivers.
   
   ^top
9. I have a PE4L + DC adapter. The eGPU isn't detected/fan spins up fast.
   
   Set JP4 on the PE4L as described so it draws 3.3V from the expresscard or mPCIe slot. Can connect a USB cable b/w your notebook and the PE4L to provide additional 5V->3.3V (regulated) if you find it's still flakey.
   
   ^top
10. I get an error 43 against my eGPU in Win7.
    
    UPDATE: Use NVidia Verde 270.61 driver as described.
    
    First thing to replace is the mini HDMI cable. Could also be a faulty eGPU. Or if using a NVidia eGPU try:
    
    1. Ensure your PE4L 1.5+ or PE4H 2.4+ has the PCI Reset Delay slider set to 0s rather than 7 or 15. If it's the latter then upon doing a resume-from-standby the card will be delayed leading to an 'unconfigured' state, hence the error 43.
       
    2. Use Setup 1.x to load a PCI dump AND use the 258.96 Optimus drivers (becak)
       
    3. Downgrade to 258.96 Optimus drivers (apollo-fox)
    
    
    (Update 26 July 2011)
    There is the Video cards->Initialize and Video cards->Save/Load dump features to eradicate error43. Ensure you are running the latest 275.33 Verde drivers + modded nvam.inf and the PCI reset delay slider on the PE4L 1.5/PE4H 2.4 is set to the 0 seconds position (not 7 or 15 seconds). Then proceed as follows:
    
    1. Boot eGPU Setup 1.x with 2GB installed, run Setup 1.x, select to Video Cards->Save. If you are hotplugging after bios boot then need to select Video Cards->Save(Win) and follow instructions generated from within Windows.
       
    2. Install 4GB of RAM. Boot Windows. Create a devcon with 4GB of system RAM installed:
       

       \eGPU\eGPU-setup-mount
       v:\devcon\mkdevcon

    3. Boot eGPU Setup 1.x,
       - select Video cards->Load to load the PCI space dump created when it was working with no error 43.
       - perform 32-bit PCI compaction on the iGPU+eGPU.
       - select startup.bat->edit, remove the 'call vidinit' since it might interfere with your load dump.
       - select Apply config.Run startup.bat
       - select Chainload mbr
    
    If still get an error 43, then repeat steps in (3) above but use 32-bitA PCI compaction method instead.
    
    ^top
11. My eGPU recognises the external monitor but when I make it the primary it doesn't "turn on" and I'm simply reverted back to my internal LCD
    
    If you see a brief flash on the external LCD then it could either be a faulty HDMI cable connected to the LCD or the PSU is insufficient to drive the eGPU to actually display something. I did encounter a intermittently faulty HDMI cause this problem.
    
    Also, Optimus drivers newer than 258.96 will cause this if using a DVI-to-VGA adapter.
    
    ^top
12. Upon powering my eGPU, the fan on the eGPU just spins faster and the card isn't detected.
    
    This indicates the eGPU is either not on the PCI bus or isn't getting 3.3V. Try unplugging, replugging the mini HDMI cable (expresscard solution) or hotplugging the PM3N (mPCIe solution). If the card is still not detected then connect the setup to another system's expresscard slot. It may be either a faulty expresscard slot or mini HDMI cable. Worth testing the eGPU in a desktop system as well.
    
    ^top
13. I have problems running an Nvidia eGPU with an internal NVidia dGPU (supplied by nlooije/Khenglish)
    
    The trick is to get both an NVIDIA dGPU and eGPU working work under the same driver.
    
    This method assumes that the eGPU is detected in the device manager. If any errors such as code 12 or 43 are present check the corresponding items in the Troubleshooting section. If using the PM3N and it is not detected then maybe the mPCIe port is whitelisted, use the Setup 1.x to unwhitelist.
    
    1. Download the latest drivers from the NVidia website or from this post by nando4.
    2. Once the eGPU is detected, windows will automatically search for drivers through windows update.
       Cancel the search, and let windows install the standard vga drivers.
    3. In the device manager, right-click uninstall the dGPU and eGPU NVidia drivers. Use CCleaner to search for any residual Nvidia driversoftware and delete further.
    4. Install the latest Nvidia drivers. If everything went correctly then the installation software should ask permission to install the drivers twice, once for every card.
    5. Reboot and cross fingers.
    
    
    ^top
14. Lenovo Thinkpad/Dell Latitude: I boot with the expresscard in my system. The internal LCD doesn't appear/work. Neither do I see x1.Opt performance (NVidia)
    
    These system's bios will use the eGPU as the primary video if it detects it on bios startup. That means the iGPU will be disengaged. Problem then is the internal LCD won't work and neither will x1.Opt since they are both reliant on a iGPU to be the primary video card.
    
    Solution is to boot past the bios with the eGPU switched off, then either:
    
    1. hotplug the EC2C by hitting F8 to stall the Windows boot proces
    2. power on eGPU, resume in Windows
    3. boot Setup 1.x and hotplug if need PCI compaction
    
    
    ^top
15. Installing Nvidia drivers with AMD/Intel switchable graphics gives an error (supplied by appolo-fox)
    
    Installing Nvidia drivers with AMD/Intel switchable graphics may give you an error asking you to install Intel drivers first.
    
    Solution is to uninstall the switchable driver from your manufacturer (Lenovo in this case); system should revert to pure Intel driver via WinUpdate (if not, you will need to reboot and disable AMD discrete GPU with Setup 1.x and let WinUpdate install or download newest Intel driver from their website. The Nvidia installer should be content with the pure Intel driver and install correctly. After Nvidia installation, reinstall your switchable graphics driver.
    
    
    
    -> Intel driver provided by ATI (AMD). Nvidia installer exits with error.
    
    ^top
16. My mHDMI cable does not fit in my half-height PM3N mPCIe socket
    
    Newer systems have been reported to have half-height mPCIe socket which may be limited in space for inserting a mHDMI cable due to the rigid connector.
    
    DIY solution:
    It is possible to strip the rigid connector to give the cable more flexibility and make more efficient use of the space. Use a sharp knife to cut along the ridge of the connector; be careful near the cable itself as the wires there are not protected. Inside the connector the wires are protected by a thick layer of solid glue.
    
    non-DIY solution:
    no commercial products have been found to solve this problem.
    
    (supplied by beatTheRestrictions)
    
    ^top
17. Why does my USB/network/sound not working when enable my eGPU in Win7?
    
    Likely a PCI contention issue. Recommend setting up Setup 1.x, configured with a pci.bat (resulting from PCI compaction on your primary GPU + eGPU) prior to chainloading Win7.
    
    ^top
18. Optimus-related: I can't get internal LCD mode to work.
    
    This appears to be the case if you attach your eGPU after Win7 boots. So either hotplug your eGPU at the Win7 bootloader menu (hit F8 to pause bootup). Another option is to install and configure Setup 1.x to detect and configure your PCI configuration space prior to chainloading to Win7.
    
    ^top

[jamesbond007]

@kizwan if your port 1 is your other mini pcie slot then yes you can do a x2. also if you want to do x2 on the dell you will still need to open the casing to access the mini pcie port to do the x2 so it is best to go with the asus as the optimus does provide a big performance improvement

[kizwan]

@kizwan if your port 1 is your other mini pcie slot then yes you can do a x2. also if you want to do x2 on the dell you will still need to open the casing to access the mini pcie port to do the x2 so it is best to go with the asus as the optimus does provide a big performance improvement

Thank you for the advice James. I'll report back when I have PE4H board with me.

[rknelson]

Howdy, Nando gave me a push with how to mount to the V: drive, and I have successfully progressed through steps one and two on the write up below.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/gami...ml#post6295529

created a devcon.txt file and copied it to the V drive. I can not get this drive to persist through a restart but i am not sure if it needs to I can remount it again, and copy my devcon file over.

When I go to the next step on generating the boot disk from the jump drive I am unable to use the HP USB Boot Drive utility the link on the write up is down, and searching for the utility on google I found many links to the previous download page on HP's website where there is a splash screen saying "this is no longer needed so we removed it". I was able to eventually find a copy to download however when I ran it as admin all of the options including device and file system were grayed out my only option was start which did nothing. I tried a few other programs including PE builder, and even making a bootable CD through nero but I was not able to get any results ( a bootable device).

I gave that method a break and went on to the other optional win7 boot loader menuitem. I got through all of the steps fine but when it comes to its use I get get lost. It might be a bit past my skills at this point, but I would like to learn, I have read through all of the help files and have done the initial setup method but when I compact It is done with out reference to my devcon.txt previously generated. How can I link that up? Does my afore mentioned v: mount being non persistent across boot ups being the issue?

Lastly I was a bit confused if the express card should be connected but not be powered on when doing the compaction? At what point should I connect and power it on?

Which of the two methods (jump drive or menuitem) is the best/ most strait forward for an uninitiated such as myself?

many thanks
Rob

UPDATE:

I just replicated the symptom of the the all options grayed out when attempting to use the HP USB boot Utility on my desktop windows 7x64. I do not think that this behavior is related to the laptop nor DIY VIdock.