# Problems switching from on-board GPU to NVIDIA GPU on Win7



## Archie_eihcrA (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi there folks!

I am having trouble with my new Fujitsu laptop. I have an onboard GPU (Intel(R) HD Graphics Family) and a non-onboard NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M GPU. I have Windows 7 Home Premium and the latest drivers for my NVIDIA video card. I also obviously have DirectX 11 installed, since I have Win7.

Now, the problem is that although Windows detects both GPUs, it uses the Intel one (this was true both before installing the latest NVIDIA driver and before that).

I know it's using the Intel one since: 1. If I go to Control Panel->Display->Change display settings->Advanced settings, the Properties window for the Intel GPU pops up; 2. If I go to Intel(R) Graphics and Media Control Panel, under Options and Support->Information Center, it says "Processor Graphics In Use: Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000"; and 3. Graphics quality/performance is way too low for the NVIDIA GPU.

I tried disabling the Intel HD thing in Device Manager, but all that happened was that the screen went blank, so I restarted my computer, booted into Safe Mode (the screen wasn't blank there), re-enabled the Intel, and then restarted Windows into normal mode (and obviously I still had the problem with Windows not using the NVIDIA GPU.

Also, if I go into NVIDIA Control Panel (click the system tray icon and click "Customize which programs use the GPU"), under "Manage 3D Settings", if I add a game to the list of "programs to customize" (in the Program Settings tab) and then click Apply, the game still behaves as if it was using the Intel on-board GPU (as in, nothing changes in terms of quality and/or performance, regardless of the graphics settings). Also, in the Program Settings tab, under "2. Select the preferred graphics processor for this program", the selected setting is "Use global setting (Auto-select: NVIDIA GPU)" and it doesn't allow me to change that (the drop-down list is greyed out).

So could you guys please help me solve this little issue? Pretty please?


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## Archie_eihcrA (Sep 10, 2011)

Also, I don't see any edit button for my first post, so I'm going to double post to specify that I have the Service Pack 1.


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## sonera (Sep 11, 2011)

I had a very similar problem on a laptop I set up recently that had Intel HD 2000 on the CPU and Nvidia 520 as the gpu. 

After installing and re-installing drivers over and over, I realised the laptop had a tiny switch (unlabelled!) that activated the GPU. Basically it was so you can have it stay "forced off", probably to save battery life if you feel like it.

Anyways, when I turned the switch on (similar to the typical wifi switch on most laptops) all of a sudden the 520gpu would be used on any 3d game I ran. Also when I right clicked on a game/any program the option to "Run using..." (intel or nvidia) was enabled.

What is your laptop model/name? (not the serial #, just the model)


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## fritzyG (Sep 11, 2011)

This problem is very common among notebooks with Intel GPU embedded and a dedicated nVidia GPU .

havin' a problem like this on my Asus notebook too,  and FYI, it does not have a switch (sad to say  )


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Different laptops handle the card differently, if you not doing anything video intensive when you check of course it will be using the Intel video to prolong battery life that's what it is designed to to. If you have the nvidia standard driver and not a OEM modified driver the Nvidia control panel will allow you to setup programs to use the Nvidia card as well as monitor it's use.
How do I customize Optimus profiles and settings?
How can I tell if an application is being rendered on the IGP or GPU with Optimus?


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## Archie_eihcrA (Sep 10, 2011)

wrench97 said:


> Different laptops handle the card differently, if you not doing anything video intensive when you check of course it will be using the Intel video to prolong battery life that's what it is designed to to. If you have the nvidia standard driver and not a OEM modified driver the Nvidia control panel will allow you to setup programs to use the Nvidia card as well as monitor it's use.
> How do I customize Optimus profiles and settings?
> How can I tell if an application is being rendered on the IGP or GPU with Optimus?


I've just tried all that, and I still have the same issue (even though NVIDIA Control Panel still insists it's using the NVIDIA graphics card).



sonera said:


> I had a very similar problem on a laptop I set up recently that had Intel HD 2000 on the CPU and Nvidia 520 as the gpu.
> 
> After installing and re-installing drivers over and over, I realised the laptop had a tiny switch (unlabelled!) that activated the GPU. Basically it was so you can have it stay "forced off", probably to save battery life if you feel like it.
> 
> ...


It's a Fujitsu LifeBook AH531/GFO.

Unfortunately, I searched all over the laptop's surface, and I wasn't able to find any such switch.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Look in the documentation from the laptop some manufacturers use a key combination using the _FN_ key + ?? instead of a switch, also check the power settings on some setting them to the longest battery life will automatically disable the card.


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

Hey, I'm having the exact same issue with my laptop. I have a Toshiba Qosmio X775 with an Nvidia Geforce GTX 560m. I haven't had any gaming issues in the past month that I've had the laptop but now it won't ever seem to register the Nvidia card. The Nvidia control panel doesn't seem to affect anything either, as I've tried individually setting which programs use the Nvidia GPU as well as setting it to globally use the Nvidia. 

I've updated my card drivers to the current version, 280.26 but to no avail. I also tried the same method as the OP by disabling my intel chipset but that just led to the same black screen issue.

I'm completely stumped.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Is it still under warranty?
I sounds like the nvidia card failed.


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

Maybe I should reword that, the card does register/show up. Device manager can see it and I have no issues when I'm in the control panel, everything SEEMS in order. Once I try to launch a game or something though, it never switches over to the Nvidia card and it just stays on the intel card. So, its like the card is indeed recognized but the system just never switches over to it.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Does your system have a _FN_ key combination to manually switch over? 
Or some actually have a switch on them that turns it off sometimes labeled power save or a few other terms along those lines.


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

It does, I was combing over the manual earlier to see if there was an FN command that I may have accidentally hit but theres nothing that could affect the GPU aside from an "Eco Mode" which changes your power profile to lower energy comsumption, which I already made sure I wasn't in.

Edit: Misread the reply, it doesn't have a built in FN function to manually switch the GPU, at least nothing I found in the manual.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Play with the Eco switch, make sure there are not more then 2 modes, it may have 3 or 4 Eco modes, also check the power profile settings make sure it's set to "Performance" for testing.


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

Already fiddled with it, its pretty much either on or off. Its just a quick way to switch to a lower power battery setting with a neat indicator of how much juice you're using at the moment but that's about it.

I'm not incredibly tech savvy but is it normal for my laptop LCD to be displayed as "Generic PnP monitor" in the device manager? I was wondering if that had anything to do with it.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

That's pretty much normal, some high end monitors have drivers for color correction and/or added features but most are Generic Plug and Play.


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

So...should I just prepare for the inevitable system restore?


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

Edit: Double Post


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I still thinking it's going to be hardware related, have you viewed this clip on the using the try icon> How can I tell if an application is being rendered on the IGP or GPU with Optimus?


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

Yeah, I looked it over. I've been watching that tray icon like a Hawk every time I run a game and still nothing.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I was conferring with a buddy that has one he tells me that if he Solitaire for example open in the background the laptop won't switch from one GPU to the other, have you installed anything lately that may be running in the background?


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

I just recently went through a spat of malware issues which I cleaned up promptly with an IT friend of mine. Its possible that there are some residual issues and/or software from it I suppose. We've gone through alot of cleaning processes already, although trojan.gen and trojan.gen2 keep popping up on the norton scanner and saying its resolved even through it pops up again.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You still have a malware problem then, you can go over to the security forum and see if they can clean it up, or if you don't have a lot installed on it, it may be faster to nuke and reinstall.> NEW INSTRUCTIONS - Read This Before Posting For Malware Removal Help - Tech Support Forum


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## klausmensch (Nov 20, 2011)

Hi,
I also have the same problem with my new Fujitsu Lifebook-AH531. Odd thing is, that while the notebook is plugged in, it is possible to select the Geforce. But if it's not, theres no chance to select it. Experimenting with the poweroptions did not help. I also tried installing the new beta drivers. No success. 
Did reinstalling your OS solve the problem?


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## mrorange84 (Sep 18, 2011)

I just went with a system restore. It did the trick, as expected.


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