DIY eGPU experiences

[User Retired 2]

Unfortunately, I bought it from a person named redtrontech from ebay who has wholesale of PE4Hs, I am now negotiating with him, he said that I should go to notebookforum blog, do you know that website?

He's presumably referring to this thread.

[stuuz]

Hello all,

I am looking in to adding an external GPU to my 13" laptop to create a portable gaming laptop rather than carting my whole desktop with me backwards and forwards during the week (I move around for work).

I currently own a Dell XPS m1330 13" with a 2.1GHz T8100 Core2Duo, 3GB ram, nVidia 8400M GS + 32 Win7 Pro. I realise I will need to upgrade to 64 bit which is no problem.

I originally found the ViDock all in one enclosure, however to buy from the USA and ship to where I live in the UK, it is fairly expensive! However it does seem the most simple option for me.

Alternatively, could anyone please list for me a simple set of components that I would need to create my own DIY eGPU that would be compatible with my laptop, preferably with an enclosure to make it easier to move around?

I recently upgraded my desktop GPU, so I have a spare ATI HD4870 1GB which I would like to use, however I am aware that most people with the m1330 use an nvidia gtx 460, is there a particular reason for this?

I would really appreciate any advise, as there seems to be a lot of different components to make an eGPU and I am getting a little confused!

Thanks in advance,
Stu.

[SimoxTav]

Unfortunately, I bought it from a person named redtrontech from ebay who has wholesale of PE4Hs, I am now negotiating with him, he said that I should go to notebookforum blog, do you know that website?

It's the same vendor where i bought my kit. My package is actually blocked at the Italian customs due inspection, cause he declared 20-30$ value of the product and the invoice /that i had to send) reports 70$

I hope to receive the kit soon, but i think that the 2.0 will arrive before my 1.0 :-\

[SoftReaper]

I've also bought mine on redtrontechs, in france there's no probleme about customs because the package is too small...

@Stuuz:

for doing it by yourself, you need kits explained in the first post of this thread. and for the case, i'm lookin' for something for a while without any result, so do it by yourself if you can with a 1U server PSU or a Thermaltake SLI only PSU (can't remember the name, but it only deliver +12v at high rates for helping low end PSU to do the job)

[Azzzes]

I dont know if someone can help me with my question, but maybe you can try it please.
I would like to use the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 as an extern Graphiccard.
I use it with a PE4H Adapter. Posted Image
The problem is that the Graphiccard wont be detected.
Can someone tell me why please?
I guess it could be:

1. a problem with the mainboard (Graphiccard isnt compatible with it)
2. a problem with the chipset (chipset isnt compatible with it)
3. PCI-Express x16
4. a problem, because its a Dual-GPU-Card
5. it doesnt work because i have to update my BIOS.

But all the points are only inaccurate guesses.
Maybe someone can tell me something more accurate.

chipset: Intel Sandybridge
mainboard: PEGATRON CORPORATION P017
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. E16Y1IMS.209

Thanks for your help

[SoftReaper]

i know your problem, i've tried with a 9800GX2

first: the bridge used to link all gpus only split the link, so only one gpu got information when you use it at x1

second: pci express is highly recommended to dual GPU card to not bottleneck them

third: your chipset is uncompatible with x2 link, so no way to try on this laptop

hope that can help you, try any mono GPU card, it'll work better than your 590 if you make it work

[Khenglish]

I dont know if someone can help me with my question, but maybe you can try it please.
I would like to use the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 as an extern Graphiccard.
I use it with a PE4H Adapter. Posted Image
The problem is that the Graphiccard wont be detected.
Can someone tell me why please?
I guess it could be:

1. a problem with the mainboard (Graphiccard isnt compatible with it)
2. a problem with the chipset (chipset isnt compatible with it)
3. PCI-Express x16
4. a problem, because its a Dual-GPU-Card
5. it doesnt work because i have to update my BIOS.

But all the points are only inaccurate guesses.
Maybe someone can tell me something more accurate.

chipset: Intel Sandybridge
mainboard: PEGATRON CORPORATION P017
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. E16Y1IMS.209

Thanks for your help

I got to try a 590 once at a LAN party. The first problem I had was the sheer power required for a 590 (365W). What PSU are you using and are both 8 pin connectors connected? You can't just use a 6-pin and say it's good enough.

After I got power sorted out, the 590 would not be detected on hotplug, but it would be detected if I cold booted with it. However, my system at the time would not boot properly with an eGPU detected on startup. What it would do was detect the eGPU, turn off the iGPU, but then not be able to run the eGPU because of what I believe was PCI-E 2.0 incompatibility (note that the iGPU turning off is mainly a Dell only thing. most laptops don't do that), so I would get 2 black screens. This is what happened with the 590.

Note that people have tried dual GPU cards in the past, but could not get them to work properly. Even if I did not have the boot bug, I do not know if my system would have been able to properly run the 590.

I suggest booting with it like I did and seeing if it's detected. If that doesn't work, I suggest returning the card and getting a 580 instead.

[Azzzes]

@SoftReaper and @Khenglish

thank you really much, really helped me.
This has confirmed my worst fears.
Now i have to sell my expensive card.

@Khenglish
Are you sure a 580 will work?
I dont want to make a mistake again...

[Khenglish]

@SoftReaper and @Khenglish

thank you really much, really helped me.
This has confirmed my worst fears.
Now i have to sell my expensive card.

@Khenglish
Are you sure a 580 will work?
I dont want to make a mistake again...

Several people have gotten 580s to work as an eGPU. Since the 580 is a single GPU design, internal SLI and 512MB of configuration space are not needed, only the standard 256MB is needed. Have you checked your laptop's TOLUD and checked if you have a 256MB window yet? If you don't have a 256MB window by default, but have a TOLUD of 3.25GB or lower, you can create the window using compaction in nando's setup program.

[Azzzes]

How can i check my laptops TOLUD and if i have a 256 MB window?
Sorry for that dump question