Alienware M17x r3 Nvidia 560M bad performance Flash BIOS?

[kiicki]

My graphics is really bad, and I'm getting 10 FPS on low setting when I play Battlefield 3. This game worked perfectly before.

I have done a Clean winstall 7 install and updated all the drivers. That is from Alienware site and from Windows update.

The only thing that is left is my GPU BIOS. I have version A01 currently, but the newest is A02. I hope this maybe will fix the issue.

it's possible that the BIOS will not help at all, but I don't know what's left.
My temperature can rice to 70C but for the first minute it stays low, but it will lag even then. So the heat is not the issue. I could put the laptop in a freezer and it would still lag when playing games.

So the problem is that my GPU BIOS won't flash. I burned the ISO file on a CD and a DVD but when I press F12 on the BOOT and select CD to boot with. It only starts Windows 7 normally. the instruction says: burned Image (ISO) to CD and boot, but it doesn't work. I have also selected CD as my 1st boot device but that also doesn't work.

The power to my laptop is not an issue as people maybe would suggest. I just got a brand new 240W adapter, and my battery works perfect.

I get good score from my RAM, processor and my SSD.
Processor is 7,4 (out of 7,9)
RAM is 7,6
SSD is 7,9
But both my graphics shows 6,3.
I have read that my graphics should have 7,2 and not 6,3 as it shows.

Please, help me. I don't want to turn it the computer. It will take months before I get it back!

 

[monkeydelmagico]

. This game worked perfectly before.

It worked perfectly before what exactly? Before you re-installed win 7?

 

[kiicki]

Yes, before I reinstalled Windows, but is a long time ago. My adapter broke also a long time ago, so i didn't get full power. I thought that was the reason my games did bad. I have a new adapter and haven't really played any games for a year or so.

I just now got into it that I want to play some games but the graphics is bad.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Try unistalling the current video driver. Then go to Nvidia and use the drivers from that site

 

[ocre]

you shouldnt have to all of a sudden have to flash the GPU bios.

Is your CPU throttling?

 

[kiicki]

I did never used the Nvidia driver from Alienware site. the one that I'm on is from Alienware site. the one on Alienware site is like 2 year old driver. So unistalling and installing will not help.

I have not flashed my GPU BIOS since for some reason it will not boot.
Yes, I think it's throttling, but it's throttling right in the beginning also. before the temperature gets high : (

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I have not flashed my GPU BIOS since for some reason it will not boot.
Yes, I think it's throttling, but it's throttling right in the beginning also. before the temperature gets high : (

You can tell it it's throttling using a utility like afterburner. If the GPU cooler has failed it can get hot and throttle fast.

 

[Stuka87]

Typical of older laptops to have poor CPU and GPU performance due to dust build up in the heat sink. It may be time to open it up and clean it out.

GPUz can tell you what the GPU temp is at and what speed it is running at., and CPUz can tell you the same info for your CPU.

 

[SamMaster]

I fix those, and yes dust definately will build up with this system's age. If you are adventurous, you could try applying thermal paste on gpu and cpu heatsinks (careful though). It can make a difference of a few degrees. Make sure latest drivers from nvidia and intel sites are installed as was mentioned. And do update the mb and gpu bioses as well. If everything fails, then, if you still have a warranty, reserve an afternoon to call support. If not, you might need to take a chance on a replacement card. If that fails, well motherboard/cpu?

Also, did you try with intel gfx disabled?
How does it run in 3d mark?
Do you know if games are set for performance in switchable graphics?
Are you certain that the AC adaptor is recognised properly (shows 240w in bios)?

 

[kiicki]

I actually cleaned the dust from my computer earlier today. yes, my BIOS for motherboard is the newest but I don't have the newest for my GPU. For some reason the ISO file won't boot from CD.

I have games on low performance, and I open the games using Nvidia, and not the CPU. So the GPU is actually running the games, but it's still bad.

I'm sure that it gives me 240W power.
I will soon replace my thermal pace, but that is not the problem.
As I said, I could had have this laptop in a freezer and games would still lag.
It's not a hot problem, but a hardware problem.

 

[Ketchup]

How did you do the clean install? Was it from the restore discs?

 

[kiicki]

I got a Alienware Windows home premium (64 bit) CD when I bought the computer. I used that, and needed to install all drivers on it, since it didn't have any drivers after I installed it.

 

[Ketchup]

I have a few suggestions based one what you have said:

I would recommend you install your drivers from here:
http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/alienware-m17x-r3/drivers

Laptops can be very specific on what drivers work with their parts, so installing from the manufacturer is always the best way to go.

You may want to contact Dell and get the recovery media for your laptop. There could be some additional software you need to get your video out of low power mode.

And lastly, the charger you bought may power your laptop, but may not be exactly what your laptop needs. Thus giving enough to power your laptop on, but in low-power mode only.

 

[iiiankiii]

Install the drivers from the Dell website first. Most notebooks have a gpu switcher. It would use the onboard gpu (intel) for basic usage and switch to the 560m for gaming. Dell will have the proper software/driver from their website that will able this feature. You were probably stuck on the onboard gpu for gaming.

 

[kiicki]

Install the drivers from the Dell website first. Most notebooks have a gpu switcher. It would use the onboard gpu (intel) for basic usage and switch to the 560m for gaming. Dell will have the proper software/driver from their website that will able this feature. You were probably stuck on the onboard gpu for gaming.

I did install from Alienware site first, but when I press the switch key, it says it will automatically switch for me.

 

[SamMaster]

There is a specific order to install the drivers found here:

http://www.dell.com/support/Article/us/en/19/266457/EN#Install-Dell-drivers

the first one is not necessary.

Though if you install the chipset first you should be OK for the rest as I am sure you know and did. As for nVidia drivers, the ones on the website are supported since the 2nd generation of XPS gaming lapops, so using drivers from nVidia should not do this.

Looks like you are left with hardware; Most likely the GPU, might be the motherboard. Can't tell until one is changed.

Check these threads if you want to actually upgrade:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ding-nvidia-gtx-770m-alienware-m17x-r3-2.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-17-m17x/741179-alienware-m17x-r3-gpu-upgrade.html

Summary is greatest supported card is the 580m, anything more and you will need custom drivers and bios (listed in 1st link), make sure you get the heatsink that goes with the cards, and you might need the more powerful 330w psu.

edit: BTW, did you install the intel drivers before the nvidia's?