broli Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) Hello all, The laptop specs are: Amilo PI 1536 2x 512mb ram former gc: ati mobility X1400 bios: v1.25 kbc: 1.18 I bought a new graphics card because the former was acting up. I can operate the laptop with the X1400 card but only on an external monitor and even there it's showing horizontal streaks and a yellowish tint. I went and bought this card: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140423998726 However before I started reading about updating BIOS, I installed the card in the laptop. The card came with plenty of heat pads too so there was a good thermal connection. When I finally installed it and switched the laptop on. The screen backlight (no picture) went on and was kind of flickering. Then the laptop beeped and the screen switched off and the front leds of the laptop started flashing in a specific pattern. Here's a real low res video (sorry only have a camera phone) of this pattern. It keeps going like this indefinitely. http://www.mediafire.com/?nbss7ir0pkd81e7 What also should be noted is that the screen no more flickers like it did the first time I switched it on after installation. It directly goes in to that led pattern mode. Even if I remove the card and put it back. I hope I didn't damage this card. However I put the old card back and it still allows me to operate the laptop through an external monitor. Can someone please help me with some advice. Like which BIOS should I flash the laptop with, and where I can download it? And VBIOS?? I'm kind of in a pinch as it's my friend's laptop. Thanks for your time. Edited January 16, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broli Posted January 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) An update: I made some negative discoveries. First of all I discovered that the flashing led pattern is exactly the same when there's no card in the laptop. So basically the 1.25 bios is ignoring the card. Next I managed to successfully flash bios to the m5750 alienware 1.19W bios. With the old X1400 card the laptop boots and works, but still needs external monitor etc. However when I insert the new HD3470 card, the laptop won't boot. When I hit the switch some leds flash and the laptop immediately switches off, it doesn't even take 1 sec. I have a gut feeling that tells me I fried the new card the first time I put it in. Any suggestions? Edited January 14, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispii Posted January 14, 2011 Report Share Posted January 14, 2011 Did you made modifications so that the large coil don't touch the heatsink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broli Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) Did you made modifications so that the large coil don't touch the heatsink? No I did not. But I thought if it worked I would make sure of these modifications. The laptop and card are barely at room temperature. I tried with no heatsink to just quickly see if it works, but it doesn't switch on. I doubt it overheats in a few milliseconds time. In comparison the older card does boot with no heatsink. However today there are some other developments. In the morning I tried the new card again, and now it's not instantly switching off. Now it goes in that led pattern mode indicating there's no graphics card I presume just like it did before the bios flash. I put the old card again to confirm it's still alienware bios, and it is. Meanwhile I modded the heatsink making an indent at the place where the coil is, attached a picture of it. Needless to say when I install everything the led pattern still shows up. I don't know what's left to do. I hope I didn't blow my money just like that. I'm now considering trying the GPU baking on the older X1400 card. Edited January 15, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispii Posted January 15, 2011 Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 you also have to use high grade thermal paste like artic silver 5 or Innovation Cooling Diamond 7 Carat with an copper shim in between the gpu and heatsink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broli Posted January 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) you also have to use high grade thermal paste like artic silver 5 or Innovation Cooling Diamond 7 Carat with an copper shim in between the gpu and heatsink I'm currently using a new piece of the thermal sticker that came with it. The old card also had only a thermal sticker. It gives good contact as it leaves an imprint when I place and remove the heatsink. But how does this address the issue of the led pattern. If it worked but switches off after a few second we could blame bad thermal contact but it does nothing at all. The older card works fine with and without heatsink, but I quickly turn it off to prevent heating. The new card does nothing with or without anything really. What I found odd was the very first time I installed the card. The screen flickered a bit and then laptop rebooted and went into led signaling mode. All attempts afterwards show no flickering screen, it goes directly in the led signaling mode. Currently I'm searching the forum for people who had the same led pattern flickering after installing new gpu. But I'm having a hard time finding them. Appreciate the suggestions but I'm running out of options :) . Edited January 15, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACP0WER Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) i have a feeling you burnt out the card. Edit : Note : I ordered a HD3650 256MB GDDR3 from the same seller and it works perfectly. i only need a mounting bracket for the heatsink. Edited January 21, 2011 by SCARFACE69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broli Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) i have a feeling you burnt out the card. Edit : Note : I ordered a HD3650 256MB GDDR3 from the same seller and it works perfectly. i only need a mounting bracket for the heat sink. Hey wow, you're form belgium too, what are the odds. Did you first flash the bios before inserting the card, or did you use the old bios? Can you please help me out. If I can send or personally deliver the card could you test it out for me. If it's dead then I can at least rest my senses and forget about it, if not I could sell it and give my friend at least something of his money back. Would hugely appreciate it :) . Edited January 24, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACP0WER Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) Hey wow, you're form belgium too, what are the odds. Did you first flash the bios before inserting the card, or did you use the old bios? Can you please help me out. If I can send or personally deliver the card could you test it out for me. If it's dead then I can at least rest my senses and forget about it, if not I could sell it and give my friend at least something of his money back. Would hugely appreciate it :) . no problem but from the syptomps you describe i can surely say that the card is burnt out. ps i live in Gent , and you?:) Edit : forgot to add : i didnt modify the BIOS at all. i just plugged it in and it worked. but there are no screw anchors on the card so i sent it back to get a refund. im going to search for another card. Edited January 24, 2011 by SCARFACE69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broli Posted January 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) no problem but from the syptomps you describe i can surely say that the card is burnt out. ps i live in Gent , and you?:) Edit : forgot to add : i didnt modify the BIOS at all. i just plugged it in and it worked. but there are no screw anchors on the card so i sent it back to get a refund. im going to search for another card. That's strange, because mine does have screw holes. Imagine I send this to you and you pop it in and it works, would you buy it from me :). Btw I sent you a PM. Edited January 25, 2011 by broli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanasi Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Hi, did you have any news with your card? have the same issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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