Nvidia Drivers + Optimus =something stinks here... [W520]

[eladbari]

Does it matter How\When you install the Nvidia Drivers?
If im under Optimus mode- and I install the drivers

vs.

if Im under Descrete mode-and then i install the drivers.

Any difference?

I just have a bad feeling. Because Optimus is *effed up* , then it doesnt install the drivers right[ when its on- it never knows to actually switch to the Descrete card..so its always on the integrated one- which also the driver-install only sees that, ignoring the descrete one].

When Ive installed the Nvidia drivers first= my Bios was set on Optimus.

Later on, I wanted to restart and launch the Descrete one only via the Bios - and, heres the weird thing...when Windows booted - it started downloading drivers again [for the Descrete]. meaning..maybe something was missing by then?

Maybe it was the first time the W520 had recognized the Descrete card-and wanted to install drivers for it?

Any ideas?

[ExJamJus]

@eladbari,

That's a good question, I did not thought about that and I too wonder when do we know that the discrete is working or is it the integrated that is working. Do try the following step to enable the GPU activity indicator for Nvidia.

1. Right click on the Desktop
2. Select Nvidia Control Panel
3. Select Desktop
4. Select "Display GPU Activity Icon in Notification Area".
5. You will now see a small icon which is litted in grey if there is no activity from the Nvidia GPU.

 

Note that you should set Optimus in BIOS then install the driver as both Nvidia and Intel drivers are packaged as One.

Hope this helps. 

[ThorsHammer]

---

eladbari wrote:

Does it matter How\When you install the Nvidia Drivers?
If im under Optimus mode- and I install the drivers

vs.

if Im under Descrete mode-and then i install the drivers.

Any difference?

I just have a bad feeling. Because Optimus is *effed up* , then it doesnt install the drivers right[ when its on- it never knows to actually switch to the Descrete card..so its always on the integrated one- which also the driver-install only sees that, ignoring the descrete one].

When Ive installed the Nvidia drivers first= my Bios was set on Optimus.

Later on, I wanted to restart and launch the Descrete one only via the Bios - and, heres the weird thing...when Windows booted - it started downloading drivers again [for the Descrete]. meaning..maybe something was missing by then?

Maybe it was the first time the W520 had recognized the Descrete card-and wanted to install drivers for it?

Any ideas?

---

You have to run the install twice. 

Run it first when the BIOS is set to Optimus.  The Lenovo Optimus video driver package will run two setup programs.  First for Intel, then for NVIDIA.  After that is done, reboot and let things settle for a few minutes.

Shut the machine down.

Power up the machine but go into the BIOS and set to Discrete.  Be sure to turn off OS detection just below that setting or it will flip everything back to Optimus.

Once booted and up in Windows 7, run the setup program in the NVIDIA driver area under c:\drivers.  This should properly register the drivers again.

After this is done, you can control everything but you have to get the drivers properly installed and registered twice.

[harrisb · Accepted solution]

---

ThorsHammer wrote:

You have to run the install twice. 

Run it first when the BIOS is set to Optimus.  The Lenovo Optimus video driver package will run two setup programs.  First for Intel, then for NVIDIA.  After that is done, reboot and let things settle for a few minutes.

Shut the machine down.

Power up the machine but go into the BIOS and set to Discrete.  Be sure to turn off OS detection just below that setting or it will flip everything back to Optimus.

Once booted and up in Windows 7, run the setup program in the NVIDIA driver area under c:\drivers.  This should properly register the drivers again.

After this is done, you can control everything but you have to get the drivers properly installed and registered twice.

---

Wow! I've never seen this procedure documented in this manner. I had always thought that once the NVIDIA drivers were installed with Optimus then all of the drivers would be updated. Imagine my surprise when I booted in discrete mode and found that I was running with drivers from the original W520 installation regardless of the fact that I'm currently using 296.88 WHQL in Optimus. This explains many of the oddities at times that I've been seeing with the discrete graphics operations.

Thanks for again for the information.

[ColonelONeill]

Windows recognizes the "discrete" NVIDIA GPU as being distinct from the "Optimus" NVIDIA GPU, and hence will require two sets of drivers for it.

[harrisb]

True, but the System Update scripts do not update both Optimus and Discrete, only Optimus. It remains an exercise for the user to discover the requirement. This should be addressed via a KB article.

[huberth]

@ThorsHammer and @ColonelONeill:

If I always run my system in Optimus mode, do I still have to run the install twice?

[SSDee]

@ThorsHammer

Thanks for a terrific tip! Very helpful!

[eladbari]

Thank you to All the repliers!

@ExJamJs
@ThorsHammer
-------------------------

Hey guys!

1. First off, I gotta say, that the Main reason I was asking this drivers questions is that I have a feeling I dont have my own drivers of Optimus\Nvidia installed right => Therefore, I'm getting a lousy battery time of 3hours instead of around 5 hours, which I got back then. Maybe fixing the drivers will help battery life? who know?!

2.Updating the Optimus\Nvidia drivers is ANNOYINGLY Difficult!
   Why?
   >> Because Lenovo Update doesnt work lately! It downloads the correct driver, and just before it finishes downloading - 
     it says it failed in the install process...for ..no reason!
   >> Also, Lenovo calls their Nvidia drivers with weird names\numbers, which do not match what Nvidia writes on its
    "About" option [lenovo calls Their drivers "8.17.12.7658"
    while Nvidia calls it "3.7.780" .
    These numbers Dont match so you dont know exactly which driver version youre installing. You cannot know what driver you have- and therefore-which driver you need to install and update.. [especially problematic when Lenovo's update doesnt work- so you have to manually update but dont know what].

3. Optimus Doesnt work! Period!
  My W520 is set on Optimus. I have enabled indication of it [Descrete indicator lights up if its in use] like our buddy here- @ExJamJs- had suggesed. And Still!
 When i try to launch a software who uses Descrete graphics- then Optimus just DOES NOT Switch to it!
 So the software just fails launching [such as After Effects and Premiere] saying its missing something with the gfx card.

 Optimus just doesnt work!!! For me, its just a mode to switch to in Bios, When I need battery life, not working on heave stuff...such a shame...
"

[webo]

Those instructions actually fubar'ed my installation up. I had run the installer only in Optimus mode before, after booting into discrete and running the Nvidia drivers over again, my Adobe apps stopped opening properly.