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How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Could anyone please advise how I can configure my W500 to be able to switch the graphics card (Intel or ATI) in Windows 7?
I've installed all the necessary drivers (Chipset, Power Management Driver, Power Manager, ThinkPad Switchable Graphics Driver), configured the BIOS settings to "switchable", but I just CAN'T find the option to actually choose which graphics card to use! This is sooo frustrating. I've read somewhere that you need to right-click the Power Gauge and choose the GPU from the there, but all the options I see are:
- Power off display
- Activate battery stretch
- Enable InstantResume
- Remove and replace battery
- Show percentage remaining / show time remaining
- Launch Power Manager
Would much appreciate some help on this!
I've installed all the necessary drivers (Chipset, Power Management Driver, Power Manager, ThinkPad Switchable Graphics Driver), configured the BIOS settings to "switchable", but I just CAN'T find the option to actually choose which graphics card to use! This is sooo frustrating. I've read somewhere that you need to right-click the Power Gauge and choose the GPU from the there, but all the options I see are:
- Power off display
- Activate battery stretch
- Enable InstantResume
- Remove and replace battery
- Show percentage remaining / show time remaining
- Launch Power Manager
Would much appreciate some help on this!
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- Admin Emeritus
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- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
- Location: Loch Garman, Éire
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Check in BIOS/Config/Display for these settings:
- Default...: Internal
- Boot...: Thinkpad LCD
- Graphics...: Switchable
- Detection...: Enabled
Have you installed the proper latest BIOS 6Fxxxxx or 7Vxxxxx ?
See also this: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downlo ... p-thinkpad
- Default...: Internal
- Boot...: Thinkpad LCD
- Graphics...: Switchable
- Detection...: Enabled
Have you installed the proper latest BIOS 6Fxxxxx or 7Vxxxxx ?
See also this: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downlo ... p-thinkpad
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Yes, I did all of that...
Latest BIOS, clean Windows 7 installation, latest drivers (Chipset, switchable graphics, Power Management, Power Manager).
BIOS settings are exactly as you described. In fact, both GPUs are correctly installed and identified by the OS (as seen in the device manager), but there is just no option to actually switch between graphic adapters.
Latest BIOS, clean Windows 7 installation, latest drivers (Chipset, switchable graphics, Power Management, Power Manager).
BIOS settings are exactly as you described. In fact, both GPUs are correctly installed and identified by the OS (as seen in the device manager), but there is just no option to actually switch between graphic adapters.
-
- Admin Emeritus
- Posts: 23809
- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
- Location: Loch Garman, Éire
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
When set to Switchable, the BIOS should decide what GPU to use, provided that still works.
If you want Discrete, you have to set BIOS to:
- Graphics...: Discrete
- Detection...: Disabled
Maybe someone else with a W500 can assist?
If you want Discrete, you have to set BIOS to:
- Graphics...: Discrete
- Detection...: Disabled
Maybe someone else with a W500 can assist?
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Thank you, but I don't think this is the way 'switchable graphics' options is intended to be used on a W500.
As far as I know, it should be able to be hot-switched via OS, for example see this screenshot from German notebookcheck:
And I just don't have this "Switchable Graphics" submenu at all.
As far as I know, it should be able to be hot-switched via OS, for example see this screenshot from German notebookcheck:
And I just don't have this "Switchable Graphics" submenu at all.
-
- Admin Emeritus
- Posts: 23809
- Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
- Location: Loch Garman, Éire
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Maybe you need an older version of the Power manager?
If you know German, read this: https://thinkwiki.de/Windows_10_Cleanin ... e_Graphics
Sorry, can't help you any further.
If you know German, read this: https://thinkwiki.de/Windows_10_Cleanin ... e_Graphics
Sorry, can't help you any further.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2213
- Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:29 pm
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Going through this on a ATI T400 with Windows 7. Installed every vcredist (86 and 64), no change. Now installing through System Update the AMT, Ricoh, and Matrix Storage drivers to see if any change.
edit:
I got the Switchable Graphics to show up after installing various 2005 vcredists and Power Manager 3.67. IDK exactly which vcredist did the trick but the PM 3.67 executable does unpack a couple 2005 vcredists that you can manually install and give a shot.
edit:
I got the Switchable Graphics to show up after installing various 2005 vcredists and Power Manager 3.67. IDK exactly which vcredist did the trick but the PM 3.67 executable does unpack a couple 2005 vcredists that you can manually install and give a shot.
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
Thank you all, I was able to fix it following the article suggested by @RealBlackStuff: https://thinkwiki.de/Windows_10_Cleanin ... e_Graphics
I installed exact driver versions mentioned in the article and it worked.
PS. After all, I decided that I don't need the switchable function that much. I just switched to Discrete Graphics in BIOS and installed Win10 - works like a charm.
I installed exact driver versions mentioned in the article and it worked.
PS. After all, I decided that I don't need the switchable function that much. I just switched to Discrete Graphics in BIOS and installed Win10 - works like a charm.
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- ThinkPadder
- Posts: 1375
- Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:03 am
- Location: Vancouver
Re: How to switch graphics on W500 in Windows 7?
There were better generic drivers that offer (much?) better performance compared to the one Lenovo offers :
viewtopic.php?t=94162
W530, W520, X61T, X200s, W550s, E590, T430
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