m17x r3 won't switch between hd6990m and integrated gpu

SOLVED
Hi guys,

I just received the laptop today, but I'm having this weird issue with it. Often times when I click on the option to switch between the integrated gpu and the hd6990m nothing happens. I can click as much as I like to but nothing.

This usually hapens after I switch the GPU one or two times (one way or the other). The system somehow locks on the GPU and untill restart doesnt allow the change of GPU. Even when I try that FN+E7 combination the little screen pops up but when I confirm, nothing happens. As I said, only restart helps.

Any ideas what to do? Should I try to update the drivers? I already did that with the hd6990m, though I installed the ones from dell only (I heard the ones from AMD might be better) and when I tried to install the ones for integrated GPU I received an error..

Thanks in advance!

QUESTION
I'm so sorry I just found out that I have to turn off all apps in order to switch, and now it worked, but its very irritating having to do that :/ isnt there any way around that?

 

If I well remember you need to restart to apply change of GPU...

 

nono but you have to close all your apps.. I mean when I try to do that without clossing them it sometimes goes well (with mozilla) other times it messes up the programs that were open (like right now with mozilla) and other time it doesnt work at all...

Guess Im being to picky

 

That only applies to the M18x, but occasionally people have troubles switching so a simple reboot does the trick.

 

i cant seem to get mine to switch either although so far i havnt realy had a reason to switch to the intel gpu, never realy used the laptop off power for more then half an hour and i can do about an hour with youtube on the battery with the 6990.

prolly same thing about the apps tho.
wish they would just fix that shizzle.

 

My laptop arrived today, I also could not switch to amd 6990m, I already rebooted and tried, still failed. Stucked at intel gpu.

The manual switch is fn+f7 right? is there any other way to switch?

My laptop is still with my sister in Australia, so I do not really understand what is going on, I only can teach my sister to test through skype.

My laptop is plug into power outlet. Is anyone know the solution, please let me know.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

right click on the desktop will show an option to configure switchable graphics

i just tried closing all programs and still no result.
i dont think it ever worked as i tried it when i just recieved it with the dellienware base install and i reinstalled the laptop the same night n hasnt worked then either.

supose it be nice if it works as off power for browsin it saves a fair bit of power but its mostly on power anyways for me.

 

@bbs1234 - When you right click on the desktop and then select Configure Switchable Graphics, the following CCC app is launched:

​

In this case, the 6990M is active. To switch to the Intel IGP, just click on the Intel Power Saving GPU box and wait a few seconds for the switch to be implemented. Switch back the same way.

This of course assumes that switchable graphics works on your R3. There are apparently some configurations where it does not, although the cause has not been specifically identified.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, particularly if the R3 is not in front of you.

 

As has been stated, you must close most/all running apps to swtich. Even a running browser window can prevent you from switching.

 

So this is another way to switch apart from FN+F7, I will call up my sister and ask her to set up ipad facetime tomorrow night and test it out, will report back whether it work or not.

Thanks a lot.

 

I do not mind if I stuck with amd 6990m, but now I am stuck with intel gpu.
Tomorrow at this time will test out amd ccc and report back. Thanks.

 

I know about the browser, what about anti virus come with it, I did not activate it.

So I just need to use Task manager to close all applications on application tab.

Other tabs like process and services, leave them alone right?

 

i had the same problem with the gpu aswell actualy when i tried a 11.8 install

i sorted it out installing the dell 6990 drivers not sure if this helps u tho

 

I don't know, it should not be, because my sister in Australia just received the laptop today, and open box 5 hour ago. She did not install anything. Just listened to my instruction through skype and ipad face time to check on laptop. Checking on the external defects, all are well.

Until I want to check whether it is AMD 6990m, and its sharers. Then in gpu-z, it only displayed the integrated gpu only. And not working with Fn+F7.
Strange.

The laptop comes with original driver, should not have problem. I do not dare to ask my sister to reinstall driver, because she is not very good in computer.

 

Sorry. One more thing, is there any software or program that can detect the spec of the laptop and show a list of them. Easy to read. So I know dell is gave me the correct parts I ordered.

Asking my sister to click here and there... not so easy... hard to give detail and exact instruction where to look for info.

My laptop come with hat, mouse pad, paper manual and a small black stick about one and half inch long with transparent head. Any idea what is that? Did I miss anything?

I also asked my sister to check the sticker on the external box., It only stated delivery on 6th September, but my sister actual receive date is today 7th of September and no leaving factory date. Is it normal ?

Thanks.

 

i think dxdiag u can get it to export a information on your whole system

type dxdiag in run and hit save all information

 

GPU-Z will only show the Intel IGP when it is active. When the 6990M is active, GPU-Z will still show the Intel IGP initially, but you can click on the dropdown selection box in the lower left hand corner and select the 6990M, after which it will provide the stats for that card. The most recent version (v0.5.5) remembers the card last used and opens with it, a nice change.

Check the BIOS (F2 at the boot screen). It will list on the Main menu the integrated card and the discrete card installed. The 6990M will be described simply as ATI GFX. This may be the only certain method.

HWiNFO64 provides a detailed listing of the computer's components, but only provides a description of the active display adapter, ignoring the inactive GPU completely. HWiNFO64 Download. Aida64 Extreme is the same. Even Device Manager will identify only the Intel IGP when it is the active card.

 

Everybody,thank you for helping.

After giving detail instruction to my sister and click the lower left tab, I finally see the 1120 unified shaders.

And I checked through the laptop spec, they should be the correct spec.


The hard disk spec on dell order form is 2x750gb (raid 0), when i checked, it say 1.34gb free space, all under c drive, is it consider raid 0?

Actually, I do not want raid, I want first drive for system and second for storage. Is there anything I need to do or just reinstall windows to get what I want?

Is there any other test/step I need to do in order to ensure the laptop is problem free?