Nvidia Optimus- GPU switching problem

I'm an owner of an N61Jv Asus notebook, with Nvidia optimus technology, which is supposed to change GPU from integrated intel card to Geforce 325m dedicated card, depending on what application are you trying to run. The thing is, it doesn't work as it's supposed to: when starting games with launcher, like Dragon Age II or Crysis 2 it won't switch itself to Geforce. What is peculiar about my case is that it worked flawlessly about an week ago. I've tried reinstalling drivers, using the newest Nvidia drivers as well as versions from Asus support, nothing worked. The last time it happened i had to reinstall Windows, but it didn't solve the problem right away- a few days after the reinstall it started to cooperate. I can't find a link between what I did, and why it stopped to work. I know my problem is popular, but I haven't found a solution that worked for me yet. Can anyone give me a piece of advice for what to do?

Wouldn't happen to have Windows Update set to automatically download and install updates, with it also set to download and install any offered driver updates would you?

Firstly, yes, I've set e.g. Dragon Age II to be forced to start with Nvidia GPU, but it doesn't work, as well as Crysis 2 mentioned before. When I run Bulletstorm game everything works fine automatically.. No idea why it is happening. I may misunderstood the Optimus Toolkit.. I'm describing Nvidia Control Panel, as I couldn't find that specific tool.

Secondly, yes, I have Windows Update enabled, but as far as I know it didn't installed any drivers. The most likely to create problems is the .Net framework update, as I checked in the update history.

Only thing I can think of is when you installed the driver from Nvidia, which should have failed to install at all as it hasn't been modified to work with the switchable graphics. Also says as much on the download page,

NVIDIA DRIVERS 270.61 WHQL

Notes:

1. Notebooks supporting Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release.
2. The following Sony VAIO notebooks are supported: Sony VAIO F Series with NVIDIA GeForce 310M, NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M and NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M. Other Sony VAIO notebooks are not supported at this time (please contact Sony for driver support).
3. Fujitsu notebooks are not supported by this release (Fujitsu Siemens notebooks are supported).

and it takes both the Intel and Nvidia drivers being installed for both to work properly. Not sure if Asus is one that includes the Intel driver in the Nvidia installer like some of the others do; have checked Toshiba and Acer drivers for some of their laptops with switchable graphics, and they include both in a single download.

Unfortunately it also leaves you unable to update to the latest Nvidia driver for it unless Asus decides to put it out. Now with that said I would start with uninstalling whatever you have installed for both the Intel and Nvidia drivers and re-install both from here,

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Notebooks- ASUS N61Jv

Hopefully that should get it back working. If it does as a just in case (if you haven't already), might want to make sure that Windows Update is set to not install drivers; #4 here,

Drivers - Turn Off Automatic Driver Installation

I didn't know about that setting to be honest, but nevertheless, I still had the 266.58 driver when the problem showed up. I tried to roll back to the Asus dedicated driver, still the same. No effect. But I'll keep disabling windows driver update in mind in case I'll have to reinstall windows later.

I have the same problem with optimus. If anyone knows of a solution to this problem and if so, would care to outline it, that would be greatly apreciated. Ps. Automatic driver updates, were not, but have now been disabled. Ds.

stormy13 said:

Only thing I can think of is when you installed the driver from Nvidia, which should have failed to install at all as it hasn't been modified to work with the switchable graphics. Also says as much on the download page,

NVIDIA DRIVERS 270.61 WHQL

Notes:

1. Notebooks supporting Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release.
2. The following Sony VAIO notebooks are supported: Sony VAIO F Series with NVIDIA GeForce 310M, NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M and NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M. Other Sony VAIO notebooks are not supported at this time (please contact Sony for driver support).
3. Fujitsu notebooks are not supported by this release (Fujitsu Siemens notebooks are supported).

and it takes both the Intel and Nvidia drivers being installed for both to work properly. Not sure if Asus is one that includes the Intel driver in the Nvidia installer like some of the others do; have checked Toshiba and Acer drivers for some of their laptops with switchable graphics, and they include both in a single download.

Unfortunately it also leaves you unable to update to the latest Nvidia driver for it unless Asus decides to put it out. Now with that said I would start with uninstalling whatever you have installed for both the Intel and Nvidia drivers and re-install both from here,

ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Notebooks- ASUS N61Jv

Hopefully that should get it back working. If it does as a just in case (if you haven't already), might want to make sure that Windows Update is set to not install drivers; #4 here,

Drivers - Turn Off Automatic Driver Installation

Hybrid power is not same as optimus. so your info is wrong.
i use latest drivers from nvidia and optimus works..
but optimus is buggy technology it does not work 100%.. had many problems with IE9 hardware acceleration. (latest version solved some problems but not all)
problem is that nvidia and game creators does not cooperate much creating games to support optimus. maybe intel drivers is at fault too.
i think optimus does not get the laucher thing and dont change GPU.

Sorry for digging out the topic, but i think it's the Windows Update, that's causing the problems. One day I installed some optional updates, and the next I was left with only integrated gpu working. Some of the security updates for x64 can't get along with Optimus. Now I hesitate to turn off whole updates, or leave only important ones, hoping, that they leave Optimus 'technology' ready and working.. Pros and cons anyone?

The fun part is that if it is a Windows update that is causing the problem, is determining which one it is. Only way to do that is while everything is working start adding the updates one at a time until Optimus breaks, then remove that one and keep going until all the updates are installed.