DIY eGPU experiences

[questioning]

If you're thinking about building a DIY ViDock, you may like to buy mine:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1406276947...84.m1555.l2649
[ http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1406276947...84.m1555.l2649 ]

It works perfectly, I just don't use it anymore.

[User Retired 2]

ok here are the screenshots with lspci commands... im sorry but i couldn't make out what you were asking from it..don wanna report some wrong numbers.. please have a look..thanks

OK - you have 10de:1201 (GTX560Ti) on port2 (0:1c.1). Now 'grub4dos mbr' freezes the machine. Does 'grub4dos win7' work? If it partially works, or starts a recovery partition, then just need to 'edit %DRV%:\config\menu.win', and a specific partition that contains Win7 for it to boot, 'copyr menu.win'. After which then you just need to type the following to set G1 link speed on port2 and chainload to Win7:

call vidinit -d 10de:1201
setpci -s 0:1c.1 d9.b=40:40 70.w=1:3 50.w=10:10
setpci -s 0:1c.1 50.w=0:10
call grub4dos win7

If that works, then add those exact same lines to your \config\startup.bat to allow the "Setup 1.x (automated startup via startup.bat)" bootitem to do everything for you.

[Fardavid]

OK, that is what I'm looking for.

According to the HWiNFO32, it is ExpressCard 2.0 (PCIe 2.0 5Gb/s). Do BIOS have menu for setting ExpressCard to work on Generation 1/Generation 2? It's weird, setting to G1 make eGPU unstable on your notebook. It completely opposite than everyone usually got.

I guess you're going to install desktop driver tonight right? Use one driver for both dGPU & eGPU. To accomplished this you'll need to add dGPU PCI ID in nvam.inf file.

I will check the Bios tonight if there is something. It is possible that my card was unstable due to the lot of drivers installed, I guess. I tried like 4 versions and I don't think I could uninstall all components before install the new one. Somehow I was only able to uninstall driver itself, but nothing else (like 3DVision etc.)

Right now I have the original Nvidia notebook driver on, as it was on the Fujitsu install disk what I used. Should I uninstall it before install the desktop one?

D

[Fardavid]

You no longer need to use a modded driver anymore. You can just install the desktop driver and you get full functionality, even the internal LCD option.

OK, that is what I'm looking for.

According to the HWiNFO32, it is ExpressCard 2.0 (PCIe 2.0 5Gb/s). Do BIOS have menu for setting ExpressCard to work on Generation 1/Generation 2? It's weird, setting to G1 make eGPU unstable on your notebook. It completely opposite than everyone usually got.

I guess you're going to install desktop driver tonight right? Use one driver for both dGPU & eGPU. To accomplished this you'll need to add dGPU PCI ID in nvam.inf file.

According to Kenglish above, there is no need for modifing the inf anymore... So I should just install the latest desktop driver, right?

[kizwan]

I will check the Bios tonight if there is something. It is possible that my card was unstable due to the lot of drivers installed, I guess. I tried like 4 versions and I don't think I could uninstall all components before install the new one. Somehow I was only able to uninstall driver itself, but nothing else (like 3DVision etc.)

Right now I have the original Nvidia notebook driver on, as it was on the Fujitsu install disk what I used. Should I uninstall it before install the desktop one?

D

Installing more than one driver can cause stability issue. You should install only one. This means you'll need to uninstall the original mobile driver.

According to Kenglish above, there is no need for modifing the inf anymore... So I should just install the latest desktop driver, right?

Actually what Khenglish meant was if you're using desktop driver, you don't need modified INF. If you're using mobile driver, you still need modified INF because the INF only contain PCI ID for mobile graphic card.

In your case, dGPU also Nvidia. So, you'll need to add the dGPU PCI ID in INF file.

Alternative solution
For dGPU, install the mobile driver in Device Manager. While for eGPU, install the driver as usual using desktop driver package (.EXE).

[User Retired 2]

According to Kenglish above, there is no need for modifing the inf anymore... So I should just install the latest desktop driver, right?

I tested a recent desktop NVidia driver (285.27) finding it did engage the x1.Opt pci-e compression but the accelerated internal LCD mode didn't work. Since I require both functions I simply installed the modded Verde driver instead. In your case, you also have a GT525M so the modded Verde driver makes more sense given it provides both dGPU and eGPU functionality.

[Fardavid]

Alternative solution
For dGPU, install the mobile driver in Device Manager. While for eGPU, install the driver as usual using desktop driver package (.EXE).

What's the difference?

[Fardavid]

I tested a recent desktop NVidia driver (285.27) finding it did engage the x1.Opt pci-e compression but the accelerated internal LCD mode didn't work. Since I require both functions I simply installed the modded Verde driver instead. In your case, you also have a GT525M so the modded Verde driver makes more sense given provides both dGPU and eGPU functionality.

Thanks Nando4! I will use the modded verde 275.33 then. Actually that was the last driver it worked properly with. After I changed to the latest one from Nvidia.com, everything just messed up....

[kizwan]

Latest driver provide performance improvement on several games including BF3. Too bad you can't use newer driver.

If someone can test desktop driver on SB notebook to confirm whether the optimus is activated on internal LCD or not, it would be great.

[Fardavid]

Latest driver provide performance improvement on several games including BF3. Too bad you can't use newer driver.

If someone can test desktop driver on SB notebook to confirm whether the optimus is activated on internal LCD or not, it would be great.

I already printed Nautis's discription on how to mod a driver, so perhaps I will try to mod the latest one (285.68), but I'm not sure if I can do it...