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    M15x Can't Switch to Onboard Graphics

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by dfritch, Jul 19, 2008.

  1. dfritch

    dfritch Newbie

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    I'm pushing Fn7 and it tells me to restart to switch to the onboard graphics (to save power for example when watching movies on airplane).

    I click okay to restart and at start up I still see the "external VGA" message indicating that the system is still on the 8700 card.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks!!!!
     
    dfritch, Jul 19, 2008
    #1
  2. Pandadeist

    Pandadeist Notebook Consultant

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    Are you sure it's not just indicating that the 8700 card exists in the computer?
     
    Pandadeist, Jul 19, 2008
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  3. exiled

    exiled -_-

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    if you switch it wont indicate you have a 8700. it loads completely different drivers when you use the x3100. you should call AW about this. it might be an error with the mobo.
     
    exiled, Jul 19, 2008
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  4. zengshengliu

    zengshengliu Notebook Enthusiast

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    are you sure you are not already at onboard graphic?
    Maybe you are using onboard graphic, and when you press the FN + F7, it changed it to external graphic
     
    zengshengliu, Jul 19, 2008
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  5. exiled

    exiled -_-

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    you can easily check on the bottom right hand corner. there will be a blue icon saying you are using the x3100. it is near the touch pad driver icon. the one that has a green dot on it when you move the mouse and a blue dot when you use the scroll bar.
     
    exiled, Jul 19, 2008
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  6. Mystik

    Mystik Notebook Deity

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    another easy way to figure out which graphics card you're using is to right click on the desktop... the intel utility is just a Display Adapter thinger in the list, but with the nVidia cards, there's the nVidia display utility in the list.
     
    Mystik, Jul 19, 2008
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  7. dfritch

    dfritch Newbie

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    Thanks, guys (and gals if so). I got it. Apparently if you're plugged in you're always on the 8700. I just tried it unplugged and it worked fine (the switch).

    Do any of you (or anyone) know if there is any sort of manual that details the functions rather than learning by chance and reading boards? The .pdf manual I got is only 39 pages and doesn't talk about the F7, for example, at all.
     
    dfritch, Jul 19, 2008
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  8. Mystik

    Mystik Notebook Deity

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    yeah, the manual is pretty much crap. the binder is cool though... I paged through the manual once and now I just flip past it to get to what I need.

    also, the switch should be able to happen on AC too, now that the system's been "broken in" by switching, you might not have as much difficulty, even on AC :)
     
    Mystik, Jul 19, 2008
    #8