Graphics card issues! Please help

Hey all,

I've recently used Wipedrive 6 Via System Saver to remove all files & installed programmes but keeping windows intact on my M17x R3. This was because my system was running sluggish and when I played Rome total War 2 I would get frequent freezes followed by a restart.
once completed I downloaded my HD and Nvidia graphics drivers (all up to date) followead by all the other bits (alien command centre etc.)

But now im faced with this issue, as you know with power plugged / unplugged it will switch between the integrated graphics & The Nvidia 580 however my laptop seems to be stuck running on the integrated chip, thus creating incredibly low FPS making games obviously slow and frustrating to play. I've gone into my Nvidia control panel and on 3d settings set rome to play off the High performance Nvidia but each time after applying the setting reopening the window or starting rome sets it back to Integrated.

I ran a diagnostics on the Dell site (installed Alien Autopsy during this) and this were the results for what didn't pass:

Video Card
Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000 Wireframe Line Test Cannot Run

Video Card
Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000 Fixed Transformation and Lighting Test Cannot Run

Video Card
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M Wireframe Line Test Cannot Run

Video Card
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M Fixed Transformation and Lighting Test Cannot Run


I have no clue how to fix this so I was hoping some one could advise me? Would be very much appreciated!

Regards
Jamie

 

What is the PC showing under Display Adapters on the Device Manager?

 

Don't understand the HD graphics errors but the 580m's are giving up at an alarming rate - I'm seeing around 3 a week ATM

There are things you could try but I'm not hopeful it won't just be a failing card

Go into safe mode and use DDU ( Display Driver Uninstaller 12.8.0.1) to remove all driver traces. Start with the dell published ones before updating them.

You could also just remove the 580m, start it up and shut-down, then put it back, a reseat can also help.

Good Luck

 

Thanks for the comments, I think just to be safe ill re-install windows as SystemSaver may have removed some of the properties for my graphic settings.

 

Good luck, please keep us posted if it works

 

No luck so far! I even spoke to a dell representative who me asked if my guarantee was still valid, soon as I said no they replied with there was nothing they can do to help me

Any way, thought what the hell and gave wipedrive a go, this time not leaving windows in tact, remove all; and now a new problem -.- I go to install windows but it can't find a drive to put it on! I press browse and select C but prompts me it needs formatting but the windows disc fails to do so.

Tells me i need to install windows to an external source but problem is I don't have one -.-

 

Never heard of that one - except with the win8 bios settings. What error occurs when it fails to format C:?

Try resetting the BIOS to default and try again is all I can think of...

PS can you put your specs in your sig please? Helps me keep track

 

Try each gpu in by itself.

 

There are limits to how technical I can be, so I ended up taking it to a shop who ran a hard drive diagnostics on it, said I need a new hard drive :/ tbh never had any issues with it in the past, perhaps using wipedrive corrupted it?

 

Could be I suppose, not wipedrive but just something that was waiting to happen? I think you will end up with a new drive freshly installed with windows and still have the video problems but a better place to track it down from

Did you try resetting the bios, F2 at the AW logo screen before it boots (or fails). Select Default and save and exit. Then boot up again from the win DVD (F12) and see if the drive is able to format? After that, I'd bite the bullet on a replacement drive. They should have to figure out any problems with it being seen correctly - Hopefully! Since you're buying it on their advice

Once you have a working windows again we can help further track down the original issue - if it's still there - with some simple(ish) instructions

 

I had the new hard drive put in, re-installed windows etc and it's working again! Only thing that doesn't pop up when I plug the power In is the notification which says it's switching to graphics card, but with Rome 2 on ultra i did a benchmark with all settings on ultra and got a 40 fps average, better than the 3 I had previously lol
Thanks for the help

 

Sounds good. Did you run the hardware diagnostics as you did in the first post again?