M14xR2 not detecting Nvidia GPU

So after becoming thoroughly unsatisfied with a recent FPS drop on my favorite games I decided to do some sleuthing. I tried some common remedies etc etc and ended up in DXDIAG. DXDIAG revealed my Intel 4000 was the main GPU running the computer, even when overriding this in the Nvidia control panel the games run poorly. I took matters into my own hands and disabled my Intel 4000 through device management hoping this would fix the issue. Not the case. DXDIAG now reveals i am using the Microsoft Basic Display Driver as my GPU. . I entered my favorite games with even lower performance than before. Tips tricks advice someone anyone?

Appreciated,
scubaty2

 

I had problems with the discrete graphics in the beginning. To make sure the nvidia chip actually works I suggest you grab heaven benchmark and run it, if your fps is terrible when running the benchmark and the watermark doesn't say 650m in the top corner you may need a new motherboard like I did.

Heaven Benchmark | Unigine: real-time 3D engine (game, simulation, visualization and VR)

 

Hi blindpet,
I'm afraid with the Microsoft Basic Display Driver, Heaven Benchmark starts up correctly but after the loading screen black screens for 10 minutes. Any other suggestions?


UPDATE: When i re-enable the Intel 4000, Heaven runs. It does display i am running the 650m on the top right. I get 20-35 fps in most idle scenes with detail on high, everything else off including AA, Is it really using the 650m and did i throw over a grand down the toilet on a system that runs this poorly?

 

That's good news, at least the 650m is active. I get roughly the same fps when I run heaven so that all looks normal.

Have the latest drivers and have you whitelisted your games?

 

Drivers were updates last night, but white listing games?

 

In the nvidia control panel you can choose which games use the integrated gpu or the dedicated gpu. If your game is not in the list you can add it and force it to use the nvidia gpu.

 

In that case yes I am whitelisting my games. The thing I am worried about now is my 650 not even functioning when my Intel 4000 is disabled. Are they tied together somehow? Since they are two different cards shouldn't they allowed to function alone?

 

Hi Scubaty,

It sucks, but you may actually have something wrong with the software installed on your computer.

I cannot gaurantee this will fix your computer problem. But i feel confident that there is an issue with the software, especially considering your 650M is detectable.

Try the following steps in order:

Remove Nvidia GPU driver (everything NVIDIA) in control panel.

Remove your Intel HD graphics Driver.

After the following has been done, Download Driversweeper and reboot in safe mod

Open Driver Sweeper.

Continue through until you see the selection of Nvidia Drivers, click continue until all the files are erased.

After that has been done, reboot in normal mod

reinstall your Intel HD 4000 Driver and try the latest non beta version of the mobility nvidia card from NVIDIA's website.

after all has been done. - Open up your nvidia control panel and on the manage 3D settings tab select for the preferred graphics processor "High Performance NVIDIA processor"

Hope this solves your problem.

 

Thanks for the feedback Deepdarkness,
It's cinco de Mayo and i got home late, will be trying this tomorrow afternoon and getting back to you on how this worked, once again appreciate the lengthy response!!!!

-scubaty2

 

Accurate +1

You can use the Nvidia Optimus test tool to check if your Nvidia GPU is running while playing games.

 

Download links for the test tool are broken Luis.

 

Good evening all,

Darkness- I have done as you said an unfortunately to no avail. I ran Heaven benchmarking engine again and my numbers were even lower than before 10-15 FPS in most scenes. VERY sad.

Luis- Any professional tips? Working link to the Optimus test tools? I have white listed Heaven and all of my games with no improvement. I purchased the extended warranty; 2 years. What is your companies policy on possibly malfunctioning hardware and or software?

 

have you tried doing a fresh install of Windows?

 

Negative, I have never redownloaded windows on any of my computers, would that entail losing all my data, system setting, game settings etc?

UPDATE: Another issue i have encountered after the clean install of drivers, the game reading 60 fps but still having choppy gameplay

 

I think this could be a software problem from either something that is messed up, damaged files, drivers, etc. A fresh install would require you to backup your files and reinstall them. It's also about the only way to know for certain if it's hardware or software related. In the program you are running for a benchmark your results are higher then using the integrated graphics as I ran it on mine both ways to get a benchmark. You can also download a program called HWMonitor and GPU temp. This will tell you the temps of your hardware while it's running.

 

Yeah.. about the broken links

Download it here:
- Optimus Tools Windows 7 64bit
- Optimus Tools Windows 7 32bit

If you're still having choppy gameplay temperatures should be the next thing you test, if temps are good a Clean Windows installation might be the way to go.