W500 Switchable Graphics not working-can't select ATI adaptr

[bighank]

System is a 4058CTO 2.53GHz dual core with Win Vista Business 64 bit OS at SP2. Display is 1920X1200 and graphics adapters are ATI Mobility Radeon HD3650 and Mobile Intel 4 series express chipset family.

Was getting message that ATI adapter was disabled due to driver conflict. Installed latest ATI driver (8.563.2.1000 listed on Lenovo site). The ATI Catalyst Control Center lists the driver as 8.563.2.1-090401a-079160C Lenovo. Date found in Device Manager is 4/1/2009. Installed following the README instructions also on the Lenovo driver site. Install completed successfully. Can access the Catalyst Control Center from the desktop and get into Basic or Advanced mode. Readme says to switch graphics I should mouse over the Battery Icon and select Switchable Graphics. When I try that do not see switchable graphics on the popup menu only Select a Power Plan, Learn how to conserve power, more power options, and Windows Mobility Center.

Power plan is set to HIGH PERFORMANCE and in BIOS the setting for the video adapter is set to SWITCHABLE GRAPHICS.

Device Manager says both adapters (ATI and Intel) are operating correctly.

What do I have to do to enable and use the switchable graphics?

[bighank]

Can someone who has a W500 with Switchable Graphics explain how to use this feature?
Can you do this from the Catalyst control canter?
Could any other Lenovo specific software or the BIOS level be causing this problem?

[mgo]

Based on some threads I've seen, the W500 switchable graphics feature is rather flaky and hard to manage. I've switched mine off, because the graphics card would crash on a lot of videos. With switchable graphics turned off, the crashes went away.

I do not use high level video or photo editing software, so I guess I don't miss the switchable graphics feature.

For your information, I have posted a couple of links about what sounds like your problem. Might help you...might not...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo- ... -w500.html

http://www.upgrades-and-options.com/200 ... nkpad.html

[QWERTY Andreas]

Try to install the driver with lenovo system update

Good luck

[bighank]

After many attempts to get this to work finally got Switchable Graphics to function.
Must download the latest Power Manger software from the Lenovo download site.
Must ALSO download the Power Manager DRIVER from the same site.
When you download the Power Manager it does NOT include the driver.
Before downloading and installing the Switchable Graphics driver from the Lenovo site must set the existing Intel integrated graphics to Maximum Performance. If you do not do this and go thru the steps to download and install the Switchable Graphics driver it does now install or work.
Downloaded new Power Manager and Power Manager Driver and installed. Requires a reboot to install.
Then downloaded the Switchable Graphics Driver and installed it.
System will now switch graphics by right clicking the battery icon and the left clicking Switchable Graphics and choosing the other not operating but installed driver.

Quite a challenge to do the steps in the right order. The READMEs do not give a clear description of the steps required.

[uthanil]

Here is a simple solution that will save you a lot of angst.

Buy this adapter for $60 follow the Win 8 installation steps and you can bypass this switchable graphics nonsense.

Plugable UGA-2K-A USB 2.0 to VGA/DVI/HDMI Adapter for Multiple Monitors

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0038P ... 02_s00_i00

I wasted weeks installing and un-installing until I found this solution.

Works with W500 CTO4058 Thinkpad Integrated graphics. No switchable graphics required.



This also means your Win 8 upgrade cost is $40 + $60 = $100

[emeraldgirl08]

uh lame^^^

Part of the fun in owning a ThinkPad is learning what makes it tick and saving $60

[uthanil]

take the solution for what its worth. Switchable graphics and Win 8 don't work with the current versions of drivers and in my opinion this will never work with older versions of the graphics card except for my solution.

If you don't want a quick solution spend the next many years playing with your thinkpad if that is all you do.

[emeraldgirl08]

W8 and switchable graphics are a pain!!!

I am not promising anything but here is a thread that might help OP or anyone else who needs their switchable graphics for W8.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=106918

I apologize for my snarkiness uthanil. Saw your 1 post count and my thoughts were SPAM! We've had a couple of attacks of flagrant spam postings here on the forum.

Have a great upcoming New Years

[bighank]

Thanks for the posts. I got the Switchable Graphics running under Win Vista and Win 7 using the drivers and Power Management software from the Lenovo support site.
From what I am hearing I will stay away from Win 8 for a while. At least till they come up with decent drivers.

[emeraldgirl08]

Glad to hear you found a happy medium

I do not foresee certified drivers for our T/R/W/400/500 generation ThinkPads with switchable graphics. It seems that Lenovo, Microsoft, Intel, and AMD have moved on and are concentrating on the more recent chipsets and their accompanying hardware. Not sure if this still applies also but according to Wiki the WDDM for Vista and W7 is version 1.1 while the recent chipsets have WDDM 1.2 to work with their hardware. I do not think Lenovo will spend too much time and money making the T/R/W/400/500 a priority in their future development plans. I peeked at some of the sources that the Wiki entry has cited and they seem solid IMO.

However..... being the crafty, improvisational, and persistent folk we ThinkPadders are ...there are ways to get these things working.

Supported or not supported does not mean it will not work

[mgo]

[quote="emeraldgirl08"]Glad to hear you found a happy medium

I do not foresee certified drivers for our T/R/W/400/500 generation ThinkPads with switchable graphics. It seems that Lenovo, Microsoft, Intel, and AMD have moved on and are concentrating on the more recent chipsets and their accompanying hardware.

Very much agree with you on this....Windows 7 is obviously the last operating system that is supported on the older ThinkPad units. Not having all the support for Windows 8 is not any real loss; it isn't that compelling a product, and the alleged speed improvement is smoke and mirrors anyway. (hybrid Hibernate)