Upgrading GPU on MD7712 (Akoya P5704D)

[johninstalbans]

Hi

I have the above 2011 very well-specc'ed desktop which is working perfectly. However, I have just upgraded my monitor to a 32" QHD which needs a resolution of 2560 x 1440 - which sadly the GPU in my PC (AMD Radeon HD6750) cannot offer.

So I want to upgrade it with one which can, but I'd like advice on which of the many options I should choose (I am NOT a gamer, but do watch streamed HDTV alongside regular computing activity.

It has been suggested that a Palit NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 2GB card would fit the bill (at around £75), but I'm worried about switching from Radeon to NVIDIA. Also, although HDMI is available, would it be preferable to look for DisplayPort connections (which the monitor supports)? Any views on the suitability of this? One review seems to suggest that it performs LESS well than the one I have (and that 2560 x 1440 is unplayable)!

Thanks for your help.

[TPFLegionaire]

Hi

Following on from the excelent insight by @Bodgekin there are a range of threads on various technical forums 

That give some insights as to the issue.

As for the solution? it seem to be centre on how old (as when it whas manufactured) the graphic card is and wether or not it works with a legacy BIOS . Some other issues have been mentioned as well as possibilities such as the PCI express slot not necessarly drawing 75w ....

I hope this steers you in the correct direction for your search. Let me know if there is anything else we can do to help.

[johninstalbans]

Well, that's very interesting - I hadn't expected a problem of that nature! Thanks @Bodgekin.

My Windows version WAS originally 7 (64-bit) - now 10 Home (64-bit - fully updated) - and System Information DOES say "BIOS Mode: Legacy".

So, it would seem that I have to find an old GPU card which DOES work with Legacy BIOS, yet can still produce 2560 x 1440 on a 32" screen. Does anyone know of one?

I'll follow up on the technical discussions (thank you @TPFLegionaire) later - they may suggest something.

I can't believe how difficult this has been!

[Phantom]

Hello john, if you could provide me a working link to the original BIOS I can update the microcode to make it work with newer GPUs. I already made dozens of BIOS modifications based on the original BIOS for various motherboards and I had a similar problem with a X79 board that wouldn't recognize modern GPUs but work with legacy ones. 

The link to the BIOS for the H61 posted here isn't working for me, would you be able to upload it elsewhere? Then I could help.

[johninstalbans]

Hi @Phantom

Thank you for your interest - and you offer a great solution, if it is guaranteed to work!!

The link to the latest BIOS (which comes from another thread on this forum) is:

http://cdn.medion.com/downloads/treiber/bioh67h2dos.exe

However, I'd like someone to check whether this REALLY is the right one for:  ECS H67H2-EMv1.0 (an earlier post linked to the wrong one!).

Good luck, and I look forward to hearing from you.

[Phantom]

So here's the link to the updated custom BIOS, install would be same as the regular one:

H67H2-EM Custom BIOS

Here's also two comparison shots to show you that the microcode has been updated indeed, as a nice side effect it also includes Intel's latest security code patches for this platform.

Old Microcode

New Microcode

I've modified a few BIOS files for my older 4th gen and X79 Medion motherboards and they worked flawlessly, keep in mind though that if you're willing to test this, you're doing it at your own risk.

[johninstalbans]

Well done @Phantom - that was certainly quick!

Were you able to confirm that the update I sent WAS the correct one for my board?

The two photos you included didn't work, I'm afraid - could you try again somehow?

Was your use of MEGA (which I haven't come across)  to send the file relevant - or do I just download it as normal?

Do you have any tips about the best way of installing the BIOS update for my board - I've never done it and have read of many variations in doing so; I'm also VERY nervous about the risks!

[Phantom]

Yes, I confirmed with the editing tools that the BIOS is indeed for the H67H2-EM, I also did research on wether different revisions of that particular board exist, which is not the case.

If you are interested, I will send you the photos in a private message and explain what can be seen.

The MEGA link is for the file to download from there, I host all my work there for the public to download if needed.

The install process itself is quite simple, unpack the .zip archive somewhere on your computer, run the AFU.BAT file and after it's finished reboot the system. Make sure to have a stable power connection and make sure no other programs are running meanwhile that may crash your computer. Other than that it's a pretty safe process, I personally never bricked any mainboard of various manufacturers through an update. Just note that the BIOS settings will be reset to default configuration once it's updated, so make sure to note down and re-apply any changes that you may have made over time.

[johninstalbans]

Thanks a lot. Yes, please send me the pictures and explanations privately; do you need my email address?.

So the simpe install process you describe does NOT require a bootable thumbdrive, as seems to be recommended elsewhere? Why is that?

Does the result of this update mean that my BIOS will be UEFI?

I'll sleep on this before attempting it!!

[Phantom]

I will sent them via private message here on the forum in a few hours, I need to get some sleep now, it's midnight here already.

It does not require a bootable thumb drive, as Medion has opted to write the Bios in a way that it is updateable through the desktop only. Different manufacturers opt for different methods, nowadays for modern boards the standard is that you can just put the bios file on any thumb drive and update right from the bios menu, though some OEMs still opt for less user-friendly methods.

UEFI support won't be added though, this would require writing a completely new bios from scratch, for which I don't have the required tools. 

[johninstalbans]

@Phantom

The pictures have now appeared in your original message - but I have no idea what they show!

Presumably your private message will appear when I check this forum - and I'll get an email motification???