T500 switchable graphics ... missing? Help

Hi Everyone,

I just got a new / refurbished T500 a few days ago. All seems great with it. I can honestly say it looks brand new and is perfect in every way. However, when I placed the order the specs read that it had switchable graphics. I have looked every where for this option and can't find it.

Device Manager shows only intel chip set
Bios shows option for switchable graphics and shows enabled
If I right click on the desktop, click ATI Catalyst it says it isn't supported.

Now, here is where I get really confused. When I first got the laptop it crashed every few minutes randomly for no apparent reason. Error message read that a continious loop was occuring and doing a mini dump. Solution said update graphic drivers. I did just that, I updated the drivers.

Now....I am almost positive when I first looked at the Device Manager before updating driver that I had both ATI and Intel listed. I could be incorrect, but I have a mental vision of seeing them both listed. I say this because I wondered which driver needed updating.

Anyway, is there a way that if I installed the incorrect driver that I could have somehow lost the ATI graphics?

Tech support told me to install *7vd541ww* drivers.

Could it be that I just don't have switchable graphics? Any suggestions or thoughts appreciated.

Sorry this got so long, I just wanted to include all of the information I could to be accurate.

Lenovo offered me a $50.00 refund or to return machine and get something else. Not as easy as it sounds, refurb has nothing close to the deal I got on this, sort of hoping I can find the missing discrete graphics...if they are here.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or confirming that I don't have switchable as an option. I thought all T500's had it.

Happy Saturday,
Lisa

 

either left click or right click the power manager (depending on what version you have) and switchable graphics should be inside that menu.

 

All T500's have switchable graphics. I think the problem you are experiencing has something to do with the driver. I never had crashes on my computer, but I could never get both graphics cards to be recognized without issue. Every time I had switchable graphics on it would default to the Intel chip and the ATI chip would not be usable because Windows could not recognize the driver. I even went into discrete mode and ran the driver and the same thing happened. I've just been running on discrete mode in my BIOS for some time until I find a solution.

 

You are in what's called energy savings mode (in switchable graphics menu when you have either right or leftclicked on the power manager battery icon -- not to be confused with the smaller windows battery icon located in the same place)

In this mode you are using the intel integrated graphics and only that is visible in device manager. Once you have switched to high performance mode (in switchable grpahics menu in power manager) both cards become visible in device manager, catalyst center becomes available when you rightclick the desktop and you are then using the discrete graphics adapter.

 

^yup. Plus you have to be sure to install the new drivers while you are in the "high performance" mode, ie when your discrete graphics is enabled, otherwise they will not install properly.

 

That statement is not neccessarily true. There are models with only Intel graphics since not everyone needs the more powerful ATI card.

 

Okay...to update, I do have the switchable graphics and appreciate all of the suggestions.

**Now I have the most unstable machine ever. I tried everything, running just discrete graphics with the options in the BIOS. Running just integrated....it just crashes randomly. I am getting error code 31 which doesn't seem to relate to my issues.

BSOD reads the same as previous issue...it states that it is looping, and does a 'mini dump' reboots and when I click to find fix I get update graphics drivers. I am confused

It seems if I only use the integrated graphic and disable the ATI it works and is stable (or was). What in the world is going on...I am bumfuzzled.

Presently I am in safe mode with networking or I can't get anything done. It crashes on the desktop, while I am reading troubleshooting, getting email... just completely random. Really seems odd to me.

Thanks again everyone...found the missing graphics now I just have to get them to work. HELP

Happy Sunday,
Lisa

 

Go here and download the switchable graphics driver -- then while staying with switchable graphics in bios uninstall the drivers first (as described in the read me file) and then install the new drivers. A two step process -- executing the download extracts the drivers to c:\drivers\WIN\VIDEO, you then run the install from the setup file there.

If you already installed at least once using this process be sure to delete the VIDEO folder before running the extract.

 

I am getting closer, but more symptoms.

I uninstalled and installed the drivers as instructed and wow, big difference but it is shutting down the hard drive. It is still a random shut down, but runs for the most maybe 4 minutes. It isn't crashing the pc just the little light with the hard drive goes out and it is dead. Black screen can't do anything but turn off and re-boot. Every light stays on except the hard drive. I haven't a clue...still need help

Any suggestions appreciated,
Lisa

 

Call support. That's why they're there.

 

^^I would call Lenovo tech support. I've been on the phone with them a few times and they are extremely helpful. IMO one of the better support groups.

Remember that you did in fact buy a refurbished unit and it still can be defective. I've sent a T43 in for repairs in the past and gotten it back only to have different problems.

 

Are there any devices with exclamation or question marks in the device manager? If yes go here and download the driver for that device. The install process can be different for different drivers, just follow the instructions, but they all use the two step process first extracting to the C:\DRIVERS directory.

ps wild shot but as the hard disk may now be the problem I would install the latest Intel Matrix Storage Manager (IMSM) driver from here (Vista 32) or here (Vista 64). The IMSM drivers have been buggy causing some strange problems.