Switching GRAPHICS MODE

Hey,

Ok so I did a clean intallation of Windows and everything seemed to be working fine until......... I can't switch between the SAVE POWER and BOOT PERFORMANCE by just hitting fn+ f7( GFX).

Though its a relatively small I'd like my laptop to be fully functioning.

Any ideas how to resolve this?

Thanks,

Darthmaniac

 

Well,...if you are really hitting fn + f7, that's your problem.

fn + f6 switches the graphics

 

Which computer? I'm assuming it's an M17x?

 

On my M17x it is fn + F7

fn + F6 switches between laptop and external display.

 

My bad, I was assuming M11x.

Pay no attention to the man behind the Cylon avatar

 

It is an M17X R1.... before re installing windows I would just be able to switch between the Graphics Mode ( save power or boost performance) by just pressing fn+ F7( GFX) now I have to manually go to the taskbar and switch the mode. WHICH IS
KIND OF IRRITATING!

 

hehehe the M11x is the talk of the town...

 

I don't know if it's like this on the M17x R1, but on my M11x, in the BIOS there's an option to strictly keep the graphics discrete, in turn turning off the integrated. Maybe that's what happened to yours? But like I said I'm not too sure.

 

Also in the M17x. In fact, I have that option set.

 

No I've put the laptop strictly on discrete graphics.

But don't the M17X users have any idea about switching the Graphics mode with fn+ F7 ???

 

well in theory, if you have it set to just discrete graphics, when you try to switch graphics modes in windows the integrated (fn+f7) it shouldn't work because you turned the integrated graphics off... Correct? Or maybe I'm just not understanding what you meant.

 

Have you installed All the drivers?

 

When you are running on discrete graphics shouldn't you be able to switch between Power and Boost performance by hitting fn+ F7 ???

 

actually you just switch between integrated and discrete graphics with fn+f7

 

Depends on the driver's version, there are versions that enable that key combination (or the brightness ) and some that don't. If you click with your mouse on the icon can you switch between modes?

 

Not if you did not install all of the drivers. If you did not install the alienware software, it might not work.

 

The rest of the drivers shouldn't affect the display drivers and the ability to switch between modes or change the brightness using FN + key

 

I realize that, but if he does not install the alienware drives(by that i mean the OSD and alienware command center), some functions might not work, as i have had that problem.

 

If your on "discreet" in the bios, you can't switch. Only the discrete cards can function. The integgrated card will not work in "discreet mode"

 

When I had the NVIDIAs I didn't have the OSD or CC installed and I could switch just fine...
The same now with the ATIs
I don't know maybe in the R2 is different...

 

That's what I said! lol

 

Ok so which drivers should I install???

 

If you can switch from the chevron icon in the taskbar means you have everything installed and enabled as they should be. If you plan on gaming (aka stutter free) stick to the beta drivers provided by dell (and lose the fn+f7 capability) if not, I recommend 186.82 drivers with the sli updates from BatBoy.

 

There must be something wrong all my Fn key combinations work except
Fn+ F7 ( GFX).

In the BIOS under the graphics options everything is set to ENABLED...

THANKS,
Darthmaniac

 

You ought to disable ASPM mode. And as probably mentioned before, while using latest beta drivers P05, the fn+f7 doesnt work (for most people at least, including me), but you can use the taskbar ico to switch graphics mode.

 

Hey,

I seem to have to settled the fn+F7 issue for now...

Just wanted to ask some other questions:-

1) Does doing a clean re-installation of Windows in anyway harm the M17x?

2) I installed all the drivers from the M17X resource disk but on the dell website there were some other driver not on the disc:-

a) Dell KG900 Alienware TactX™ Keyboard driver

b) AVerMedia AVerTV Hybrid NanoExpress DVB-T driver

c) AVerMedia AVerTV Hybrid NanoExpress ATSC driver

d) ITE IT8512 CIR Receiver driver

e) There are even some CD/DVD drivers on the dell site do I need to download them( I have a BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)

DO I NEED TO INSTALL THESE?

THANKS,
Darthmaniac

 

1) Doing a clean windows installation won't harm you as long as you know how to do it properly

2)My advice is to install the drivers from the website because those at the CD may be outdated

Install only the drivers and the firmware updates that apply to your hardware. If you don't have them then no don't install them

 

Hey,

I wanted to get Windows 7 Ultimate on the M17x, just wanted to know if I could buy any retail verson of Windows 7 or do they have an 'alienware version' of Windows 7, like the one that came with my laptop?

Thanks,
Darthmaniac

 

Mine doesn't work either or is this just for the R1's

they have a alienware version of windows 7

 

Hey Mkelliny,

Any idea where i could get the alienware version of Windows 7 Ultimate?

Thanks,

Darthmaniac

 

There is no version of Windows 7 for Alienware... You don't need it anyway. You can install a retail copy fine. If you want to be able to use face recognition for login - I don't - and change the key colour, and/or have the OSD, then install CC and the OSD software from the Dell website.


Slight problem here gents, related to this thread, which is why I didn't create a new one. I can't switch modes either. Hotkeys and taskbar button won't work, what's more, when I unplug my laptop (M17x-R1), it'll act like it's switched to onboard graphics, but after about a minute the display will display black (note the distiction; it doesn't turn off). Everything still works. I can hear sounds, and still launch programs through voice recognition and the keyboard, but I can't get the display to work.

It's an extremely annoying problem, as if the cable becomes unplugged by accident, even for a second, I need a restart.

Thanks lads.

 

The "R2" version doesn't have any "built-in" graphics... it just uses the discrete graphics card(s). So, there's nothing to switch between. So, the Fn-F7 key sequence is for:

"Press <Fn><F7> to switch between clone mode and extended desktop mode, when an external display is connected."​