The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    how to turn off main gpu and enable 2nd gpu

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by a_beast33, Mar 24, 2011.

  1. a_beast33

    a_beast33 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    8
    Messages:
    160
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    hi all

    my screen all of a sudden just started to flicker,
    so i contacted alienware and after tests they are going to send a tech out to replace both gpu's this Monday.

    but if its just my main gpu is there a way to only switch on the 2nd gpu only as that one is OK according to alienware tech support ?
    i never asked and my specs are in the signature.

    cheers
     
    a_beast33, Mar 24, 2011
    #1
  2. NuckChorris

    NuckChorris Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    198
    Messages:
    278
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I think you would have to move the card to the primary slot. But that would involve removing the heatsinks from both cards and swapping them around.

    I dont think you can just enable it from the second port to run by itself.
     
    NuckChorris, Mar 24, 2011
    #2
  3. katalin_2003

    katalin_2003 NBR Spectre Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    14,963
    Messages:
    5,671
    Likes Received:
    1,521
    Trophy Points:
    331
    Yes physically switching them is the only way.
    When you'll switch the heatsinks(they may come off a little hard) don't forget to replace the old thermal paste and properly reseat the thermal pads.
    Also no need for any slave/master vBIOS for nVIDIA cards.

    cheers
     
    katalin_2003, Mar 24, 2011
    #3