DIY eGPU experiences

[beq_bb]

Lol i removed the 1 RAM and it recognizing ATI HD 5750 with no error 12. but ATI control panel not detecting, and my integrated HD graphic using most of the ram and now i got 25% free memory slot... And i don't think HD5750 working either... If i disable the intel HD it's not using HD5750. and no graphic adapter is detected... This is getting too complicated. Now i'm finally regreting buy this thing.

[User Retired 2]

Can you please confirm if the shopping list below should work?

XPS M1530 can do a p3+p4 x2 link

DELL XPS M1530 Intel Discrete - WISTRON Hawke - REV -1.pdf - 4shared.com - document sharing - download XPS M1530 schematic, snippet below shows the port layout as being:

port1=lan
port2=wifi
port3=wwan
port4=turbo memory
port5=expresscard slot



If you can readily access port3+4, then could do a x2 setup using 2xPM3N products. The wifi card would need to be removed as port1 would run x2 as well. The expresscard slot is port5 so could also apply the x1E tweak if went an ATI card.

[beq_bb]

OMG i didn't see the freakin cons... Now i have to buy monitor rofl...

[drew_heard]

Thanks Nando - hadn't realised it could do a x2 link.

Although don't like the idea of no wi-fi, and having a look at the x1 vs x1e ati vs nvidia 4xx comparison, the x1 should be effective for me

[ajscorpio]

Win7 usually requires the primary video card, the X1600 in your case, to be active. I'm assuming then that by booting with the HD6850 powered on that it becomes the primary as set by the Apple bios (kext?) ?

Can use 'devcon remove VEN_1002&DEV_71C5' and 'devcon install VEN_1002&DEV_71C5' and 'devcon rescan' to automate this process with shortcuts.

Your system also has expresscard=port3 and wifi=port2. If removed the wifi then could also do a x1E link, gaining you 15-30% more performance.

(1) I don't believe that the Apple EFI firmware is setting the HD6850 as the primary video card. In fact, I'm not sure that the Apple EFI even recognises the HD6850. For example:
(a) When I boot into Windows, nothing appears on my external monitor until the boot up process reaches the stage where I am prompted to input my Windows password, at which point the computer display switches from low resolution on the laptop to high resolution on the external display; and
(b) If I attempt to boot into OSX while the HD6850 is connected to the laptop, the laptop crashes almost immediately.


(2) Thanks for the suggestion to use Devcon. Much appreciated.


(3) Based on the information in FAQ #5 ("Can my system do a PE4H x2 or x4 link as shown in PCI-E Scaling Analysis?") at the start of this discussion thread, I believe that I cannot achieve a x2 setup because I don't have the correct combination of ports to do it. As I understand it, x2 requires a port 1+2, port 3+4 or port 5+6 link to my PE4H.

I can successfully connect the HD6850 to my laptop using a x1 connection via either port 2 (using an mPCIe) or port 3 (using a PM3N) but when I connect both the mPCIe and the PM3N to the computer simultaneously, the computer only recognises the mPCIe in port 2. With both connected, Everest Ultimate says that there is nothing connected to port 3.

[allister]

Although don't like the idea of no wi-fi, ...

A USB wifi adapter is cheap and easily available, worth the hassle for the performance boost IMHO. I'd say the question here is whether you want to open up your lappie and void the warranty.

[drew_heard]

Thanks, I should have figured a USB wi/fi adapter would exist.

Am out of warranty anyway, so this is very tempting...

port1=lan
port2=wifi
port3=wwan
port4=turbo memory
port5=expresscard slot

So I need to remove port3 (wwan) + port4 (turbo memory) and connect each with an PM3N to a PE4H? And doing so need to remove the lan from port 1 (or the wifi from port 2 - what is the difference?

I presume based on port numbering I can't do an expresscard, and P3MN combination?

[User Retired 2]

Thanks, I should have figured a USB wi/fi adapter would exist.

Am out of warranty anyway, so this is very tempting...

port1=lan
port2=wifi
port3=wwan
port4=turbo memory
port5=expresscard slot

So I need to remove port3 (wwan) + port4 (turbo memory) and connect each with an PM3N to a PE4H? And doing so need to remove the lan from port 1 (or the wifi from port 2 - what is the difference?

I presume based on port numbering I can't do an expresscard, and P3MN combination?

The m1530 would do a x2 setup using port3+4 with two PM3Ns. There are a few pitfalls of such a setup:

1. Intel sets port1 into x2 when setting port3 into x2, so would need to remove the wifi as otherwise it would be seen as lane2 of your lan and freeze the system. So you'll need a USB wifi adapter to run concurrent wifi.

2. hwtool's PM3N 1.0/1.1 doesn't start/stop the PCI CLKRUN when you pull the HDMI cable. That's a real problem as then the only way I got a successful x2 link on the DV4 was to hotplug the PM3N into the wifi slot when the GTX470 was powered up. Not only did this cause wear of the mPCIe slot but it was dangerous as could short something. It was annoying to the point that I modified my PM3N's PERST# jumper to be used as a CLKRUN instead.

If interested in doing this I'd suggest ask hwtools for a "CLKRUN" modified PM3N 1.2 based on this feedback I provided to hwtools. I know they are developing one.

3. you'd have two mini HDMI cables running from under your system to your PE4H

Is it worth doing?

Based on the DV4-2000 x1, x1.Opt and x2 GTX470 results where x2 gives 30-60% faster performance than x1 the answer is yes. The other way to gain such a performance increase is upgrade to a a x1.Opt capable system (4500MHD/Intel HD primary GFX). Benefit there being a simpler single-cable setup.

If going ahead with a x2 GTX460 setup then consider a CPU overclock using either or both:

- running dualIDA to gain another 200Mhz of performance. See How to Enable Intel Dynamic Acceleration (IDA) on Both Cores of a Core 2 Duo

- a FSLx 200->266 PLL pinmod to gain 33% more performance : PLL Pinmod Overclocking Methods and Examples

[drew_heard]

Thanks Nando - seems my old laptop has a bit of life left in it yet!

I have emailed HWTools to see about the v1.2 PM3N, as I don't really feel like hotplugging!

Will keep this thread updated with whatever build I end up with, along with performance results

[mbarry]

I'm still a bit shaky on this whole x1, x2, x8, x16 thing. So even if you have, say, 2 open mPCIe slots, and you plug 2 PM3Ns into those slots and hook it up to a PE4H, you are not guaranteed a fully functional x2 link? Is that correct? Sorry if this has been asked before (which is undoubtedly the case), but having a clearer explaination in the OP would help. And kudos to nando for sticking around all this time.