What triggers the use of discrete graphic board?

[jonathan7007]

I have my BIOS set for Optimized graphics, and will use the w520 for its first tethered shoot on Saturday. That means that Adobe Lightroom (part of the Photoshop family) will monitor and manipulate images while a Canon utility will operate the camera over a USB connection. Photoshop itself may also be open. I have the 1000-level graphics board.

How does the board know it should kick in if set this way? How would I know it did so?

Should I set the option to force use of discrete graphics in the BIOS for the hours of the shoot for such a dedicated use as this? I expect to have access to 110 volt power so have no issues with battery life.

I have read a lot of threads that discuss the graphics board but still felt I should ask these questions.

Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts.

jonathan7007

[kmonchamp]

Its all handled by nvidia and it is based on the process that is opened. Nvidia has a large list of processes so that for the most time it is completly automatic. If you want you should also be able to right click on the icon and select which graphcics card you want to run it on. You can also set the changes perminatly by going into the nvidia control panel and adding it to the list.

[ColonelONeill]

Pretty sure Lightroom is part of the list of triggers for the discrete video adapter. If it's not, you can just add it as a rule.

[JDay]

If you need to force a program to use the Nvidia graphics you can set that in the Nvidia control panel.

[ThorsHammer]

You can monitor this using the NVIDIA control panel monitor.

1. Right mouse click your desktop.
2. Select the NVIDIA control panel menu item
3. On the menu at the top of the utility, you should see a Desktop menu item. Click it.
4. Select "Display GPU activity icon in notification area"

You can right click the monitor and get additional information on what apps and processes are using the NVIDIA 1000M

[jonathan7007]

When I right-click my desktop I don't have any nVidia item on the menu that appears. There *is* an Intel option which leads to a many-optioned dialog and control interface.

Earlier this evening I confirmed the foloowing settings in the BIOS (1.34, I believe) in the Display area:

Graphics Device=Optimus

OS Detection = Disabled

The explanation for OS detect was somewaht garbled: that is I ead it several times and could not be sure that it was the correct setting. (This was as I found it)

As you can tell, there are plenty of times I do not need the discrete graphics and don't want the hit on battery. But if necessary for tomorrow's shoot, I will go back in the BIOS and specify "discrete only" to force the issue. We'll be plugged in the whole time (If the strobe power-packs pull the circuits out, it will mean no shoot -- so I don't have to worry about a battery session! <grin>

jonathan7007

[jonathan7007]

Thor's Hammer,

I forgot to say thanks for describing the exact steps. I had been banging around in other directions trying to find the key control steps.

jonathan7007

[Chatbox]

Here's the next question then.

If the app being executed in not within the nVidia application list.  Then how does the system decide to use Intel HD or the Quadro?  It would likely default to use the Intel HD chipset, but say mid way through the runtime of the program, it then require to do some graphics processing...how does the system justify which display chipset to use?

[jonathan7007]

Chatbox,

Earlier in the thread someone told us there are user-generated rules which you can set.

I just have to figure out why I am not seeing any nVidia menu.

There is a "3D Enable" option in All Programs->nVidia. 3D? Goofy. Not likely to invoke the card.

jonathan7007

[Chatbox]

And I'm interested in a scenario where the user created rule does not exist for the app in question.

How is this "auto" being processed?