I Will Swap My Gen2 6800 Ultra With An M170 7800GTX To See If The Gen2 Bios Will Work

If I had cash to get an M170 i'd be doing what your doing. Thanks.

I am running the M170 bios on a 9300 so it definitely works.

I would appreciate you trying it out for us. I know I'll be replacing my 6800 Ultra with a 7800 GTX when the time is right...I get reboots occasionally while I play WoW (it seems to be tied to certain areas). Hopefully it won't cost $350 to do so, but it might.

yes, yes and yes

please let us know if this is possible

the a04 listed for both models is encouraging...

Cornholio you can update your XPS2 with the M170 bios and it will work. It will say that the Ao4 you are updating to is older but in reality it is fine. Point is I bet that is the bios lock to keeping XPS2 owners from using the 7800 GTX.

Thats proof enough. We just need Dell to release the upgrade.

dont know about the bios, but to answer the q if the 7800 will work in a gen 2 - look at dells download site. under video cards in the gen 2 it has the 7800 driver. the m170 is a different download site. so apparently dell says the 7800 will work in a gen 2.

btw, the 7800 driver is not under the 9300 downloads. sorry 9300 owners.

But why replace it with a 6800 U when I can replace it with a 7800? Heh, I'm just trying to convince myself it's worth it.

Just fyi

I have a confirmed case # at Dell verifying the ability to upgrade the xps gen2 to a 7800 gtx go. They just need to get enough in stock, but it's doable, they offer sending it to them or on site service.

So I'm assuming that way would keep warranty!!!
But, thats only for XPS2 and not i9300 right??? or will they have the send it in or on-site thing available for i9300 too???

I doubt it. The 9300 will have to be the kind of thing that once you do it you better keep your old card because if something breaks they won't support it. If you put everything back then no harm done. I saw a 6800U on eBay from Dell and it had the extra heat pipe built onto the card. So this makes me think the extra heat pipe will also be attached to the 7800 if you buy it from Dell. Unless the .07'' difference in the 9300 and XPS is absolutly critical then it should almost drop right in. If you have a 9 cell then all that left is to install one of the cracked BIOS and get the power brick for the XPS.

I'm cool with invalidating the warranty, I'm cool with the BIOS hack, but I just really dread using the big ol' 130watt brick. I wish a 9300 owner coould hack in a 7800 and post benches running off a 90 and then running off the 130 so we could see the difference. Or if an M170 fellow has a 90watt brick laying around I guess that would be just as good (and much more likely). Anybody try it with the little brick?

Fryman the power brick is not that huge. It is a little bigger than the 90 watter at most. Of course I used to own a Dell Insprion 9100 with the MR9800. Now THAT was a brick of a Power supply to carry arround.

Thanks for the heads up! Maybe I'll try and look at one in real life, in pictures they look pretty big. Does it have any way to bind up the cord like the 90w? Like a little strap thing or something?

Do it! im interested

Me, too!!!

Let us see, when you put out the 6800 and put in the new 7800. I want to see, if there is any different betwin the two cards.

And where is the PART-Number for the 7800GO GTX???


Ciao

Hey cornholio...I think we spoke before on another thread..how've things been?

Anyway, to answer your question..I called Dell and went through the process of inquiring about the upgrade...the sales person was knowledgable and I called just over a week ago. I have a CONFIRMED CASE # (not shouting, just emphasizing) that I can apply pressure with should they give me any bs

in other words, a little patience and we'll soon be able to upgrade

and I would also like to add... didn't Dell, after the mistake that was the first XPS, promote the fact that the XPS Gen 2 would be upgradeable...I am 99% sure I had heard that and that it influenced my decision to buy...anyone else hear this initially?

quick summary: upgrade--->doable



PS: it was a phone convo, so no coversation log

however, I can provide u with how it may have went had I encountered one of the lesser Dell reps...

me: hello

Anthony: (from India) hi, baseball is great and I love apple pie....did you see that episode of friends last night? How may I help you today?

me: i would like to upgrade my computer

Anthony: ok, do you own a laptop or a pc?

me: laptop

Anthony: thank you sir, please hang on a minute, is that alright?

me: ...sure

Anthony:........ok, I have gotten the answer for you. Please disconnect all power and remove the harddrive

me: -click-