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    Switchable Graphics In Linux (6121tx)

    Discussion in 'HP' started by cyanide911, Jun 22, 2012.

  1. cyanide911

    cyanide911 Notebook Consultant

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    I have a DV6 6121tx running Windows 7. Is there ANY linux distro that can handle switching of the dedicated AMD HD 6770M and the integrated Intel graphics?

    If not, I'm also content to entirely disable the functionality of the 6770M and run the distro solely on integrated Intel graphics. Has anyone managed to do this? Please help.
     
    cyanide911, Jun 22, 2012
    #1
  2. sailerboy

    sailerboy Notebook Guru

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    For Nvidia, there's an app called "Bumblebee." I heard they were working on a rudimentary AMD port too.

    Nvidia has always, and probably will always have better linux support. If you want to use linux, I reccomend that you return the laptop if you can and get a Nvidia discrete card.

    Now, the graphics switching isn't handled by the distro, but by the X-Server (and partly by the kernel). There are several resources to learn how to do these, which I'll get to later.

    Now, that being said, to answer your question, you'll have the best community support by going with a Debian based distro (such as Ubuntu), and the best developer support by going with a vanilla distro such as Arch.

    Now, there's no official way for graphics switching, but there are several hacks. ATM, this is the most updated hack I can find:

    [all variants] AMD/Intel Hybrid Graphics works ! - Ubuntu Forums

    You may want to go to some of the distro IRC channels on freenode, #archlinux, ##linux, #ubuntu, and maybe someone more knowledgeable than I will be able to help you.
     
    sailerboy, Jun 22, 2012
    #2
  3. cyanide911

    cyanide911 Notebook Consultant

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    Hmm not possible for me to return my laptop now. I don't really need switchable graphics as such, I'd be more than happy to entirely disable the AMD Card and run only on the Intel graphics in Linux, if I could figure a way out to do that. I'll try the steps in that link now.
     
    cyanide911, Jun 22, 2012
    #3
  4. pbmacros

    pbmacros Notebook Enthusiast

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    pbmacros, Jun 22, 2012
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  5. prebuss

    prebuss Notebook Consultant

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    prebuss, Jun 22, 2012
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  6. KCETech1

    KCETech1 Notebook Prophet

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    Agreed I remember the 17 months it took to get Optimus going in Linux. with Nvidias forums being slightly less than no help.
     
    KCETech1, Jun 22, 2012
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  7. xAcid9

    xAcid9 Notebook Deity

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    Easy man.. you can disable AMD GPU with acpi_call or vga_switcheroo.
     
    xAcid9, Jun 22, 2012
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  8. sailerboy

    sailerboy Notebook Guru

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    I never said they were good partners, I just said that they had far better driver support in Linux.
     
    sailerboy, Jun 22, 2012
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  9. cyanide911

    cyanide911 Notebook Consultant

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    Are there any downsides to that? Because I've read in a few places recommending people not to use vga_switcheroo.
     
    cyanide911, Jun 25, 2012
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  10. cyanide911

    cyanide911 Notebook Consultant

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    So you tried that in archlinux itself? How well does it work? I'm more than willing to switch to any other distro. Did you have any heating issues while on the integrated card? Because I tried the solution suggested by sailorboy, and it works, but still overheats my laptop even on integrated.
     
    cyanide911, Jun 25, 2012
    #10
  11. xAcid9

    xAcid9 Notebook Deity

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    downside like? :confused:
     
    xAcid9, Jun 27, 2012
    #11