Speed/Stamina Switch Problem *again* (June 2010 VPCZ1)

I complained about this issue in the past on this forum (and got no useful replies): basically the problem is that the Speed/Stamina lights on the laptop don't light up and the switch doesn't work and it gets stuck using the Intel GMA.

The switch stops working for any reason. One day it's working, I turn it off, start it up, and it doesn't work.

In the past when it happened, it was just a matter of using System Restore to go back a few days and it started working again.

But today System Restore didn't help. I've tried points made in the past few days, up to a few weeks ago, to no avail.

I'm not in a position where I can reinstall Windows (for the 4th time).

The Vaio Event Service is running fine, and there have been no major changes to Windows since. All of the Fn keys work (for volume, brightness, zoom). There is nothing in the Event Log either. The Device Manager reports the GeForce 330M GPU "is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device".

What's going on?

EDIT: in my original thread I reported that I believed my wireless mouse was responsible, but since that thread I've reinstalled Windows twice and found out that the mouse was not responsible.

 

So you have ruled out the wireless mouse, that's a good first step.

I don't know what to tell you except that, since no one else seems to have this problem, one must think in terms of isolating what makes your system different than others.

Maybe it's some program you're running, maybe you acquired some virus, maybe it's some driver you installed or updated, maybe your hardware is defective...

Have you been able to notice any pattern of events leading up to the point when it stops working (the quality of responses you get will depend on how completely you can describe the problem and its exigencies).

 

Seems like it could be a problem with the physical switch itself.

There is a way you can switch GPUs using the Hybrid Taskbar UI.
Enable - Hybrid Taskbar UI (Registry Import)
Disable - Hybrid Taskbar UI (Registry Import)
Reboot and you should see it in the taskbar. You can then click it to switch as appropriate.

 

I checked Device Manager, it reports the GeForce 330M had stopped working because it couldn't load the drivers (the same problem as before).

This time I was able to resolve the issue by Uninstalling the GeForce and rebooting.

Apparently the switch has no effect if the GeForce card is inoperable, which explains that.

My laptop does have a stuck pixel (very small, hardly noticable unless you look for it), but I'll look into getting it repaired under warranty some time in August. Ho-hum.