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    Possible to enable integrated graphics on Core i3, i5, i7 CPUs?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by tuffCookie, Mar 23, 2010.

  1. tuffCookie

    tuffCookie Notebook Geek

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    i was wondering for laptops with a Core i3, i5 or i7 series cpu and discrete GPU, is it possible to re-enable the Intel integrated graphics?

    it would be nice to enable it for battery life and then turn it off when you want to plays games, encode media, etc. i'm particularly interested in Nvidia GPU's mixed with modified Optimus drivers. something along the lines of what Zoink did to enable Optimus on the new Sony Z.


    or is this impossible... :(
     
  2. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Nope, it's not a hardware feature that the chipset can take advantage of. The Graphics are integrated on die, but the chipset on some PC's can't use them. I believe the one that can't take advantage of the IGP is the PM55.
     
  3. lackofcheese

    lackofcheese Notebook Virtuoso

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    If the chipset is HM55 it should be possible, though you would need to change the connections around to output from the IGP.
     
  4. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    but unless ur laptop supports switchable graphics , it is quite impossible with all the limitations built in by Intel and OEM... since some OEM's just complete disable the IGP and don't support it in BIOS etc... and yes for PM55 , its quite impossible now.
     
  5. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    It is possible to enable/disable IGP graphics on the 0/0/0 PCI device (Eg: IGP_DISB.BAT) using DIY ViDock bootdisk, but there is no point in doing so if the LVDS wires from the IGP are not physically connected to the LCD. Perhaps consider a switchable graphics system OR an IGP system with a DIY ViDock if require the best battery life??
     
  6. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If you enable the integrated GPU, can you tell it to power an external monitor?

    Or maybe tell it to do some calculations, without making it output any video?
     
  7. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

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    I wonder... would it be possible to use the integrated GPU for a video acceleration processor or something, but display on the main GPU? It's just a shame that I have a nice IGP co-processor sitting on die in my machine with nothing it can do since it's the PM55 chipset.
     
  8. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    That sure would be a nifty little hack if possible. I wonder if the pm55 even has the pins in the socket to connect the physical hardware??