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.

    Is my graphics card running?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by jdiddleymspot, Jul 26, 2011.

  1. jdiddleymspot

    jdiddleymspot Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I have two graphics cards installed on my PC. I have an intergrated one, and an Nvidia Geforce GT420M with 1gb ram.

    I'm running sims 3 and my PC is well over the recommended requirements, but still it runs choppy and slow on the lowest settings.

    How do I know for sure if my PC is running this game with the integrated card or the more powerful Nvidia? How can I turn it on? I'm sure I'm running the latest update for the card.
     
    jdiddleymspot, Jul 26, 2011
    #1
  2. indigo_dc

    indigo_dc Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    If you go to System > Device Manager is your card listed without a little black/yellow X beside it?

    Are you running anything else besides sims?

    What's the spec of your machine?

    Also, check the nvidia control panel and make sure everything is enabled.
     
    indigo_dc, Jul 26, 2011
    #2
  3. jdiddleymspot

    jdiddleymspot Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    My specs are:

    4GB RAM (soon 8)
    GeForce GT 420m 1gB
    Intel Core i5 2.53 Dual Core (turbo to 2.8)
    Windows 7

    A quick scan at Systems Requirements Lab, creator of Instant Expert Analysis says my machine meets all requirements apart from 3D. Which I thought my card was capable of.

    No black x beside the graphics card and reports that it is running fine.

    I'm not running anything besides Safari.
     
    jdiddleymspot, Jul 26, 2011
    #3
  4. jdiddleymspot

    jdiddleymspot Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    The game isn't even running in my graphics card according to the Nvidia control panel.
    Untitled.png

    This says "Activity on Graphics card"
     
    jdiddleymspot, Jul 26, 2011
    #4
  5. DEagleson

    DEagleson Gamer extraordinaire

    Reputations:
    2,529
    Messages:
    3,107
    Likes Received:
    30
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Damn you Optimus. :(
    I guess you gotta set up a profile forcing the game to render on the Nvidia GPU.
    Never used Optimus tech so cant tell you how to do it.
     
    DEagleson, Jul 26, 2011
    #5
  6. jdiddleymspot

    jdiddleymspot Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Anyone know how to do this?
     
    jdiddleymspot, Jul 26, 2011
    #6