Can I disable Nvidia card and use onboard video?

My laptop is Vostro 1500 with 8600M GT

I'm experiencing some weird flashes, driver stops working and recovered, random distorting dots etc recently. I'm 99% sure its the video card's problem. Luckily the display card can be exchanged. But before going ahead to change it I wanna ensure its video's fault. So I wonder theres any way I can turn off the NVIDIA 8600M GT ,use the intel graphic instead, and see if I still get any of those problems.
I don't seem to find any option in BIOS letting me to do so.

 

the vostro 1500 dosent have "intel graphic". it just has the 8600GT. if the graphics card is fried, you're gona have to replace it

 

There is no onboard video. If you turn it off (delete the driver), the CPU will render your video.

 

ok, thank you
heading on ebay

 

you can try to bake it .. http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=437683

nothing to lose and profit to gain Good luck!

 

Hi,

Mee too

If at all, then you need to remove the VGA card.

That's not 100% true. The vostro 1500 was also sold with integrated Intel graphics. If I remember correctly, then these were advertised as havin Intel GM965 chipset, whereas the versions with Nvidia graphics should have Intel PM965. And there is no different Bios for the Intel VGA variants.
My own vostro 1500 has a GM965 - and I have the 8600M GT also. Admitted, my motherboard isn't original since it had to be replaced under warranty due to a bad card reader.

So, since the laptop needs to be disassembled anyway, it couldn't hurt to check if there is a PM965 or a GM965 (with integrated VGA) onboard. And then trying if the laptop works after having removed the Nvidia VGA unit (not sure about the cooler).

Michael

 

Unless the 8600M GT in that laptop is a MXM card, it cannot be removed. Its probably soldered to the motherboard in place of the Intel Integrated Graphics chip. Its unlikely that it has both since that would take up a lot of space.

 

thats not really true... the video card for the xps m1730 is not mxm, is it?

dell uses many forms of proprietary graphics card interfaces. it could be removable. but its unlikely.

 

Dell's high end notebooks use a proprietary removable GPU (such as the XPS M1730 and Precision M6500), but their mainstream ones are all soldered.

 

not to be nitpicky or anything... just thinking..

i think its more like all of their 15" and under laptops. many older 17" inspirons have removable graphics, dont know about the newer ones though.