Alienware M17-R3 stuck on integrated graphics card in Windows 8

Hi Tim,

I would try to uninstall video drivers through /My Computer>Properties>Device Manager. After that, Win will ask to reboot the laptop and you will be able to do a 'clean' video driver install.

Then the usual installation: Intel's GPU, then descreet GPU.

What options are in the Bios- Advanced- Primary Display?

Howdy!

Thank you for your response.

I just tried that, but it still only sees the integrated GPU. It's not really disabled in the software, by the way, but rather, it's as if the GPU is disconnected. Don't know a better way to explain it.

The FN+F7 command should be able to change something in the BIOS(if the names of the DLLs with the OSD are any indication) to make my machine see the discrete GPU again, but it does not seem to work.

Maybe something else would help, too, but I really don't know at this stage.

-Tim

Howdy!

That's just the thing. There are no options in advanced for my GPUs or displays. I see a lot of Intel SuperSpeed(or whatever), and processor and memory bank overclocking, and an option for my RAID setup. But no options for GPUs anywhere. Which is unfortunate, because it would make things a lot easier, and I probably wouldn't have to bother anyone else.

I've flashed my BIOS to the latest version that was retrievable from the driver page of this machine, but that did not seem to add any options regarding my GPUs.

-Tim

Just to be sure, I went into the BIOS again, but Charger Behavior is the last thing on the list for me. Pressing Page Down didn't reveal any additional options, either. Very strange.

Alright, I removed the battery cell after having turned off the notebook, and booted  the machine with power from the AC adapter only, and unfortunately, it displays the same as before under the Display Adapters in Device Manager:

Intel(R) HD Graphics Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.2)

And that's it. It should be noted that it didn't show (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.2) until a bit ago, when I replaced the driver as a test.

There's a device without a driver which appears to be a digital accelerometer, but I should think that's not a problem now. I will install a driver for it later.

-Tim

Ok. If your up to it, removing the back cover and reseating the video card would be the next troubleshooting step. Download and review the Service Manual. Pretty good video here.

I would be up for that, however, I don't have any screwdrivers at the moment. I'll purchase them soon, and respond back with the results.

Right, I don't know what just happened. I don't have my screwdriver kit yet, but I did some other things.

I reinstalled Windows 7 on the machine, but that hasn't helped at all in hindsight. Then I downloaded some drivers for my chipsets, network card, etc. Then I left my notebook on for a night, and when I woke up and checked on the notebook, had a BSoD, and when I got into Windows yet again, the machine suddenly detected my discrete GPU again.

I've seen Ren and Stimpy cartoons that made more sense than this :P

It's unfortunate that this answer probably won't help anyone else with the problem, but I just hope this is permanent.

-Tim

Try to flash some unlocked bios from http://www.bios-mods.com/ you will find there all possible version unlocked. They allow you to do much more operations in bios against the standard one. Of course disabling integrated GPU at all is possible, etc.