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Multiple BIOS profiles on W520
Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 5:58 pm
by MDH16
Does anyone know if there is a way to fun multiple BIOS profiles on the W520?
I basically need two levels of performance, one flat out, speed step disabled, discreet graphics only.
The other more battery friendly with speed step enabled and optimus or integrated graphics. Does anyone know if it's possible to set up and easily switch between two bios profiles?
Thanks
MDH
Re: Multiple BIOS profiles on W520
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:01 pm
by davidhbrown
I'm pretty sure you can't do this in BIOS.
Since you don't mention what OS you're planning to use or your level of experience, I will mention that Windows handles changing power management profiles quite nicely once you're booted. Presumably recent Linuxes do, too (mine runs in a VM, so I haven't looked). Using Windows' controls, I can move anywhere from getting around 8h of text editing in RAM on battery all the way to encoding HD video faster than real-time. Not entirely sure why you'd prefer to have to reboot to make changes.
Re: Multiple BIOS profiles on W520
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 5:17 pm
by MDH16
I'm running Windows 7-64. I don't know how to describe my level of experience except to say pretty high. I've been playing with the Lenovo power manager but I can't determine whether or not setting everything to high, ie: disabling CPU power management and setting the graphics to high performance actually locks out speed step and Optimus.
Thanks
Re: Multiple BIOS profiles on W520
Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2011 1:32 pm
by Colonel O'Neill
SpeedStep is best locked out with ThrottleStop.
Optimus can only really be jammed one way or another using BIOS, unless NVidia throws us a bone or something.