E1505 video card modding - Page 2

You're right. If you order it with GMA950, the mainboard comes with the i945GM chipset and no PCIe slot for expansion. If you order it with a discrete video card, the mainboard comes with the i945PM chipset (no built-in video) and a PCIe slot for the video card.

Check out this article @ laptoplogic.com: http://laptoplogic.com/resources/det...77d9ecb680041a

They use a few tools that can help with power/bios issues. Good info if anyone is going to undertake this - I'm going to once I can get my hands on a video card.

Does anyone know if the x1600 from the Asus z96J uses the same connector as the dell 1505' mobo uses?

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5602

Asus External Graphics Card

Now you can upgrade the graphics on any laptop with an express card slot.

I purchases my e1505 not even a month after it was released. The only option was the onboard intel video. I just ordered a used nvida go 7300, from a used got on ebay. Is it really possible to have different mobo with same exact bios?? i flash my bios with the same rev.'s that people with better video cards have. I dont see why it wont fit. Its only $30 if it doesnt work anyway. Doesnt anyone have pictures on how to remove the plate that sit below the keyboard. I dont really want to take out the sccreen and everything else, i must be missing something. All the old laptops was just a couple of screws.

Well I am sure this is not going to work, I sure can't find a screenshot of the actual card, but I know the ATi X1600 fits in and does boot up... Vista started up in "Safe Mode" after a buddy of mine reflashed the Bios on his laptop. The card worked. No special bios or hack, just a reflash of the A12 revision available on the Dell Site. Just got off of the Sales Department and purchased a new Geforce Go 7800 GS after inquiring about getting an x1600. Apparently the new revision to the Geforce Go 7800 GS has only a single pipe, fits inside the 15" laptop, and is SUPPORTED by Dell. I am just hoping for a miracle really and I can always return the damn card but I sure as hell hope the tech was not retarded. I asked all the standard questions, size, heat, motherboard recognition, are you sure the 7800 fits? ( I asked that one 3 times.) I can post the item number if you want to contact Dell yourself and inquire about it. As much as I know about desktop computers, this guy seemed like he knew his stuff. Hell I would of settled with a x1600 over the x1400.

um yeah if I could put a 7800 in a e1505 then I would buy one in a heartbeat

Please please please keep us posted!!!!!

Okay good news, the card arrived today, but I am a little too tipsy to pick it up. Will get it tomorrow. SO YOU ALL KNOW, I will do a complete step by step guide and photo documentation if this works to help everyone out. After I came down off my high two days ago about this is going to work, I started getting pesimistic, especially since I can't see this card anywhere on the web. If it doesn't work, don't worry I will try and get a x1600 Mobile and that for sure works as I have already seen that. Apparently my friend ordered it from ASUS support, he didn't even bother with dell. Asus kept asking which laptop he had and yeaduh yeaduh yeaduh... He just said look, sell me the damn card and I will return it if it doesn't work it good shape. An option to look into as well.

**Edit**

P.S. The item number from Dell and for the Forum Searching on more info on this card is # DG008.

**Edit 2.0**
I am an idiot this card isn't just a 7800 GS its a freaking 7900 GS. While my heart skips a beat, I totally come crashing down and wonder how the hell is this going to be possible. Will find out tomorrow though.

Okay I have demolished my laptop and have everything disassembled. I want to cry... its sooooo gutted right now. Okay now that I can see inside my laptop... I do have some doubts about its going to fit, my girlfriend sent me screen shots of the card (I had it sent to her place.) its the same width as my current ATi x1400... but its loooong. Its going to cut into the heatsink of what looks to be the chipset.... the chipset and cpu run off the same heatsink and it has its own custom copper tailpipe. This is might get my machinist friend involved to do some cutting, or making... for that point. Oh and by the way, taking apart this laptop was freaking hard! I have never taken more than two hours to figure out how to take apart any device... But luckily I did it safely and forced nothing apart... found all the hidden screws save for one towards the end which had me running in circles for about 30 minutes... tricky punk. Will post tomorrow and see if I can get this damn thing to fit.

Any Updates?

Well the card DOES NOT fit. It's real close but its just too long in the direction towards the harddrive. The heatsink on the chipset/cpu would only have to be cut on the bottom left corner for it to work but the ethernet jack itself and associated chipset was in the way. Very tempting to rip that out too but I am no idiot. The single pipe was interesting if I replaced it with the ATi X1400 pipe it would of fit in that way but the chipset is way too large due to odds and ends on the motherboard. The holes for mounting could of easily been drilled in the motherboard... it looks like it has sections/segments designated for drilling/cutting for what appears to be generic for the i945 in order to use different cards. Gamers don't give up hope. As soon as I see an actual picture of the ATI x1600 I will know if it will or won't work. That is so hard to find.

can you post pics of the x1400 and connectors? i want a better vid card so bad, it's such a waste...a c2d with a x1400

So does the redesigned 7800gs exist or did the person at dell just not know anything at all?

they were sent a 7900gs, there is no redesigned 7800

hey everyone, im new to the 15 inch Dell laptops ive built my own custom m170 then an M1710 when it came out. I have three video cards for my m1710 (one inside) i've done a lot of modding on that system. I have an extra 7900GS (modded to GTX) that runs VERY cool, it only requires one heatpipe. They dont even need that much cooling, and believe it or not the card ran cooler and more stable, after i modded it from a GS to a GTX.

Anyways i found a good deal on a e1505 and if i get it i will try my best to retro fit this 7900card to the mobo. The 17" series laptops are just too damn big for me, i go out for the whole day and i found myself never using my m1710. Its a powerhouse and it just sits there i spent a lot of time and money on this system customizing it. I have the M1710 palm rest and lid but for awhile i was using the darker M90 black palmrest and keyboard, it looked like an M170.

i will be selling my M1710, most likely on ebay soon but if anyones interested let me know! its fully loaded

Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0Ghz 4Mb L2 cache
17" True Life WUXGA 1900x Lcd
2GB PC2-5200 Ram
80GB 7200Rpm Sata drive
7900 GTX GO
Bluetooth built in w/ Logitech mouse
1490 WiFi
8x DVD-RW

I've reformatted the system, reinstalled XP and preloaded it with only useful utilities, nothing to slow the pc down. I've put in a customized version of XP Pro modded for speed and reliability along with Ms Office w/ startup options removed. i also have a ton of games that come with: Scarface, Faces Of war, Call Of Duty, Company Of Heros, Fear, FEAR EP, Sin and a few more im working on getting C&C 3.


i will let it go much cheaper then ebay price if i can move it quickly and easily. I usually spend forever on my ebay listings, i get top doller for the items but i spend a whole day taking pictures and writing arealy nice description so i'd rather avoid that My ebay name is the same as my name here CHEZOUFF look it up on ebay seller search. i have 335 feedback all positive, you can email me through that name.

anyways let me know! email or pm chezouff@aol.com

hey, just took a look at the service manual and the heatsink here the heatsink is for the cpu and the chipset right? the heatsink covering the chipset is way overkill, i think in.... at least %50 of computing you could go with an air cooled chipset, so all you need is small contact with the heatsink copper element i think. I might buy a few heatsinks when i put my 6400 together and try to finagle a 7900gs on.

Has anyone had the card make the physical connection? does it work in the bios?

asus i believe has a 7700go in a 14.1" laptop, the a8js i believe.... there is also one with an x1700... also the 18js runs cooler than my 6400... both with c2d t7200 and only diff really is size and vidoe card...

wait till the dx10 parts come out in May.

Just order one of those from dell to replace this crummy x1400

and have dx10 hardware as well.

you think the new card will work with our 6400s? yeah right.