FX 2500M not usable on M6300 ?

I have installed a FX 2500M (rev A02) on a M6300 system board A10 Bios, the card is working but its clock is fixed to 100MHz (100MHz core + 100MHz mem).

FX 2500m doesn't switch to 3D Low mode (200/300) or 3D Performance mode (500/600).
It always remains on 2D Mode (100/100)

Off Course the same card works correctly on M90 System Board.

I have tried many drivers, DELL version and generic version by laptopvideo2go, but same results (always fixed to 100MHz).
I have tried Rivatuner to force clock switch. Same results No Switch

I have even installed a new OS (Vista 64) and with it, I have a strange situation.
With Vista64 (no SP1) original driver supplied by MS (and based, I suppose, on forceware 96.xx) the card seems to works at high clock.
No information tools can be used (with MS Driver) so I can't see which clock are active but 3D performance (games and benchmark) are near the performance achieved with M90.

But once I update the driver by installing a recent version supplied by Nvidia (Dell version or generic is the same), the card blocks to 100MHz even under Vista64.


Unfortunately with MS Driver there are many graphics error and it isn't so usable with 3D application (i.e. games) and furthermore I want to use the card with XP32 (Vista64 has been installed only for tests).

Any ideas ?

System Board Bios or VGA Bios ?

I have already updated system board bios.
When I have installed FX2500M the system board bios was A08 (but unfortunately I haven't tested VGA with it) and immediately after installation, I upgraded to A10 (latest bios for M6300).
I can try to reflash it (if Dell utility allows it).

On XP32:

• I have reflashed Bios A10 over A10: No results, problem still present (only 100MHz)
• I have flashed Bios A08 over A10: No results, problem still present (only 100MHz)

So I have reverted to Bios A10, and tried some drivers:

• I have installed old Dell Driver v94.22: It works
• I have installed Dell Driver v156.83 (latest for FX 2500M): It works
• I have installed Dell Driver v175.75 (FX1600M but it supports FX2500M also): Problem still present (only 100MHz)

Conclusion:

• Driver version 16x.xx or above (which enable software overclock) are working on M90 + FX 2500M, but they seem to NOT work with M6300 + FX 2500M
• If driver version is less than 160 (i.e. Dell 156.83) M6300 + FX 2500M combo are working at max speed (but no overclock option without changing VGA Bios)
• With driver version 16x.xx or above clocks is always in 2D mode (100/100), but with driver version below 16x.xx clock seem to be always in 3D High mode (500/600) even when you are only using windows desktop.
  I haven't tried yet on battery to see if VGA switch or not switch to low power mode (3D Low or 2D).
  So it seems that M6300 + FX 2500M is a combo not perfectly working

Errata corrige:

• Driver version 156.83 on battery mode switchs clock. 3D High->3D Low -> 2D
  Only on AC Power it is always 3D High
• Driver version 156.83 is not completely working.
  With it all tools (GPU-Z, ATI Tool, ..ecc) report 500/600 MHz as clock, but if you run a 3D Application you obtain performance like 100 MHz mode (i.e. 5 Fps on 3D Marks 06 instead of 30 Fps)
• So the previous conclusions are not correct.

I don't understand why, but the only working driver is 94.22 (500/600 Mhz showed and real performance)

Yes it is a Dell Driver version.

94.22 (on XP32) is an official Dell Driver for FX2500M and it works
156.83 (on XP32) is an official Dell Driver also for FX2500M but it not works
175.75 (on XP32) is an official Dell Driver for FX1600M but it not works (but on M90 it works perfectly with FX2500M)
178.13 (on XP32) installed via modified inf not works

96.86 (on Vista64) is not a Dell Driver (default MS Driver) but it works (with many problems on graphics)
97.46 (on Vista64) is an official Dell Driver for FX2500M and it works (perfectly)
175.75 (on Vista64) is an official Dell Driver for FX1600M but it not works

It seems that only driver with version less then 100.xx are working.
The others are fixed to 2D Clocks (100/100MHz)

I have tried the new A12 Bios (previous tests were with A10 Bios).

Same results, FX 2500M works at full speed only with older driver (below ForceWare 100.x).

A12 Bios doesn't fix the problems

Unfortunately I remounted my M90 in its original configuration (previously it was a M6210 aka M90 converted into a M6300), then I can not do further tests.
I have only done the test with the A12 Bios (and Dell drivers 175.75) before removing the parts of M6300.

However since the earlier tests said that the 156.83 drivers did not work, I doubt that 169.04 would have worked.
I tried 3 or 4 versions later than the release 100.xx and none worked, then I tried 2 versions under 100.xx and all worked.
This on 2 different operating systems (Vista64 + XP32).

So it would seem that NVidia versions 100.xx or higher have changed something that requires a better (in my opinion) support by the laptop BIOS.
The M6300 BIOS recognizes FX 2500M but probably not set correctly something and without that recent NVidia drivers (100.xx or higher) do not go beyond the clock 2D (100/100MHz)