Games Auto Detecting Intel HD instead of Nvidia dedicated memory...

[fahadhum]

I am using a program called Nvidia Inspector to fix this issue with games such as Tomb Raider. But GTA 4 is giving me a hard time.I have tried everything, even Nvidia Inspector does not help in detecting Nvidia Graphics Card.I have an Acer Laptop with Optimus technology which seems to be the cause of this.I welcome any fix or solution.I can even try overclocking. I just want to run GTA 4 on my laptop.

 

[brreaker]

For future reference, please fill in all the details in your system specs using the User CP
From what I understand, whenever you enter the game, it switches to your integrated video card instead of the added one? If that is the case, make sure that you have the priorities right in BIOS. I'm not an expert in laptops, just a shot in the dark.

 

[fahadhum]

thank you for the CP tip

Yes that is also one solution but I don't have adequate knowledge of editing bios and I fear I will cause a system crash by doing so.I am using a software(Nvidia inspector) that tricks the optimus technology & detects the Nvidia card but it is not working particularly for this game GTA 4..

 

[brreaker]

Try booting up, hitting F2/Del and go into BIOS, then head for the Advanced tab, and look up the order of the video cards. At this moment, it might be Onboard->PCI->PCI-E, change that to PCI-E->PCI->Onboard
Then press F10 to save and exit, you don't have to change anything else, this will force the signal on the external card rather than the internal.

 

[maxie]

Hi there ... IMO Its not a very good idea to Overclock a Laptop in any form .. They generate enough heat as it is with out that .. Does your System meet the required specs for the Game ?

Nvidia Optimus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[fahadhum]

You are right @ Maxie .I agree,overclocking is potentially dangerous and i wouldn't do it unless i is a last resort.The thing is i am trying to solve this issue for months now.And i just wanna play it ...I have reads thousands and thousands of forums...

My Graphics Card Specifications are running all the latest games of 2013 and older..e.g Tomb Raider,Assassins Creed 3,Alan Wake...And Grand Theft Auto 4 came in 2009..So you can imagine..Actually the problems lies in my Laptop Technology i.e Optimus...At the time that i bought the laptop,i didn't knew anything about such technologies but in time i learned...

 

[fahadhum]

@ brreaker Thank you man.I will try it and let you know about the outcome.You have given me a unique solution which i didn't got by reading many forum posts.I am keeping my fingers crossed.Let's see how this goes...

 

[TVeblen]

By design, Optimus is supposed to start out in (low power) standard graphics chip mode, then switch to the higher power dedicated graphics when called for. But there have been many reports of this system not actually working in reality - people running test programs have shown that even at the highest game settings the graphics never switch.

This could be a problem with the technology, but more likely it is a problem with the game's programming. Without a call from the game and/or OS the system does not know to switch.

The workaround is to bypass the automatic switching and run on dedicated graphics exclusively. But the method to do so involves running a hacked BIOS. This is a procedure that I would never recommend to anyone other than an advanced user. (This assumes that you cannot switch over easily in BIOS as brreaker posted above.)

This epic thread:
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...-switchable-graphics-using-i7-amd-radeon.html
details the procedure. These guys worked out the solution long ago and it remains one of the only solutions I have seen on any forum that actually works.

 

[fahadhum]

@ brreaker This is how my BIOS Advanced Options look like.What shall i do..

 

[TVeblen]

No, that is the BOOT menu. You won't find it there.

Unfortunately it looks like you have one of those "toy" BIOS - no real settings you can change.

Look under the MAIN tab - see if there is anything about graphics there.

 

[fahadhum]

I am sending you pics of the MAIN Tab and SECURITY Bios Options...

 

[TVeblen]

Yes, as I was saying, that is a very limited BIOS. You do not have a setting available where you can set which graphics are used.

 

[TVeblen]

Have you tried going through ALL of the settings in the nVidia Control Panel to see if there is one there that will instruct the system to always use the advanced graphics?

One other note: my wife has a Gateway (same as Acer) laptop with i5 processor and dedicated graphics. She also has the limited BIOS settings. But on her machine the manufacturer disabled the i5 graphics and it only runs on the ATI dedicated chip.
Are you sure you can see 2 graphics devices? Check in Device Manager to be sure.

 

[Boozad]

Have you tried going through ALL of the settings in the nVidia Control Panel to see if there is one there that will instruct the system to always use the advanced graphics?

I'm pretty sure there is, I 'know' someone who had issues with his Optimus (IV I think it was) and he said he checked that option in the nVidia Control Panel.

It may also be worth trying to update the driver to an nVidia one as opposed to the supplied Optimus driver.

 

[fahadhum]

This is the MAIN tab picture & the SECURITY tab picture ...Their is one other tab i.e INFORMATION..If you want to see that one too..Let me know...

 

[fahadhum]

@TVeblen I have gone through all of the Nvidia Control Panel Options and i even have a software installed Called , Nvidia Inspector which forced Nvidia to use Dedicated Memory instead of Integrated Memory.So,my problem is somewhat fixed until i tried GTA 4.I like this game and really wanna play it but it won't get detected by Nvidia Card,even with Nvidia Inspector.That's why i am trying other ways to fix this...

And yes,i can see both cards Under Device Manager Tabs i.e Intel HD & Nvidia gt 540 m...

 

[fahadhum]

@ Boozad You are rite..Updating might be the best solution but i don't want to risk that as i don't know how to do it and updating requires step by step uninstalling,re-installing and some other technicalities which i can't risk trying and eventually having Graphics Errors such as BSOD's and Nvidia Cards not working.As i have read several stories of people reporting about their Nvidia Card not wrong and similar issues...So far all games work on my laptop..The ones which weren't , Nvidia Inspector fixed that..Only GTA 4 is having hiccups ..

 

[TVeblen]

See if GTA4 has a forum. If this is a problem with the software then I am sure it has come up before, and someone there has found a workaround or a fix.

You might also want to ask a question in the Gaming forum here.

 

[fahadhum]

Going to do that rite away man.Thanx...May be they have a solution. ..

 

[fahadhum]

@ TVeblen I have just stumbled upon a video while looking for a way to disable or stop this Optimus Technology..It seems i may have a ray of light left in here...I really want you to have a look and suggest me a green or red signal on this... Can you do that for me...The software name is Riva Tuner & the Video Link is as follow..

Disable nVidia Power Management / Power Saving - YouTube