graphics switch (Fn+f7) not working

the FN+F7 function to automaticly switch between integrated and my GTX280's is not working. I still have the ability to switch in the bios by enabling/disabling the integrated graphics. However, I start the computer normaly and when I press the FN+F7 keys nothing happens. The only abnormal issue seems to be that the HDD seeks forever, even though there's no processor usage and no programs (besides the alienware apps and norton) are running.

 

Hmmm i wonder if you can do it manually through the software. on your system tray there should be 2 little green nvidia boomarangs. if you click that you should be able to either set it in power saver mode or boost performance. try that and let us know what happens

 

I don't have those icons in the system tray, infact I have no nvidia icons at all. I ran through the drivers options menu and didn't see any tray icon settings, nor did I see any nvidia tray processes in the msconfig startup. running 186.81 drivers. The function worked correctly last night, and it's just not 'all of a sudden' not working this morning. I think I remember what you're talking about however, so I'll try reloading the drivers and report back.

 

hmmm that is odd indeed. do you have the control panel when you right click desktop??

 

well, i dont have the icon either, its like, everytime i reboot, i have to go the bios reactive hybrid. it seems to deactivate everytime i turn the pc off....

 

for you it seems to me that there is a problem with your bios. Either that or your not saving the settings correctly. How old is the computer?

 

reloading the graphics drivers did nothing, same problems.

 

ok this may sound like a silly question, did you remove the the old drivers before installing?? if so what methos did you use to install device manager?

second you still never answered my question about having the control panel in general.

 

I did it both ways, the very first time i tried it I had not removed the 186 drivers since I was basicly just reinstalling the same drivers. Second time around I completly removed them via device manager(and checked delete source files in the window) from this point, the next time I restart vista seems to automaticly load the 176 drivers or some other version, past that when I attempt to reload the 186 drivers the installtion fails and half way through the installation the screen flickers one and off with mabye .5second intervules, the laptop dosent freeze, and I can move the cursor and execute commands but the only way to cease the flickering is to hard-shutdown.


control panel was present when the 186 drivers were in and are present with the vista-preloaded drivers.
FN+F7 function does not work with the vista preloaded drivers either.
I think I'll be calling alienware tomorrow for some assistiance, since I'm out of ideas past re-installing vista, and it's just not looking like a software problem since nothing has changed from when it was functioning and when it was not.

 

i been thinking about it all afternoon and i cant think of anything man if it truely happened just overnight it could have been a virus or something. i mean in my experience things dont just dissapear off of a computer with out some help.

either way let me know what tech support says

 

its brand new..

it's been ok today so far though. ill get back to you tomorrow

 

are you plugged in trying this ?

 

yup plugged in. I have resolved the problem however. Ironicly, by updating to the A02 BIOS the update automaticly reverted to default settings, which includes Enabling hybrid graphics, somehow, when I shutdown last night it became disabled in the BIOS settings. By updating the BIOS and it becomming enabled again, the function now works. I haven't tried updating the drivers , however I now have the 'boomerangs' in the task tray and the acutaly key-strokes now work so I suspect the installation might go more smoothly.

 

good to hear. glad updating bios fixed it for ya

 

damn was just about to suggest the bios upgrade. A01 seems to have been buggy