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30679
January 30th, 2014 15:00
Alienware m18xr2 windows not recognizing graphics card BUT... there's a little twist..
So.. I'm obviously new to posting in these threads.. and any.. but.. I'm kinda at my wits end here.. have talked to customer support multiple times, even had someone use remote access to try and see what the issue is... here's the background info first..
I can SEE the Nvidia icon in my control panel BUT when I click it, a message comes up saying the graphics card can't be recognized.
Bios and everything else is fully updated.
The keyboard is also not working but I have an external keyboard hooked up.
Also, the HDMI IN isn't working.
A computer programmer friend did repair an issue for me a few weeks back and when he returned it, though the problem was fixed-- now my keyboard wasn't working. ALSO, my father dropped it.
... so after doing the remote assistance.. I was told that the card was working properly.. SO.. before I call back again and end up on the phone forever.. can someone maybe shed a little light and give me any other options of what could be causing this if the card isn't bad?
AndrewSi
4 Apprentice
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901 Posts
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January 31st, 2014 06:00
Hi, I suspect the keyboard ribbon cable has not been inserted correctly, it can sometime be a pain and needs to be inserted DEAD STRAIGHT.
It also may be your on integrated graphics right now, try pressing the function (FN) and I/D GFX (F7) key together and see if the laptop will reboot using the Nvidia GPU
Integrated Graphics = Intel HD4000
Discrete Graphics = Nvidia.
Have you checked the system BIOS (F2 on startup) to see if the Nvidia or Intel GPU is detected?
Dropping a laptop as your well aware is not really healthy for it, but it does not mean these problems are related to that, if it stopped after you father dropped it then that's different, but the keyboard issue was there before that.
ChaunxingGuo
2 Posts
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January 31st, 2014 07:00
Thank you!! No.. I haven't tried fn+f7 because my keyboards not working.. I DID try hooking up an external keyboard but that didn't work. Alienware tried installing some things remotely.. Even they couldn't get it.. : / kind of beyond frustrated.
AndrewSi
4 Apprentice
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901 Posts
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January 31st, 2014 10:00
When you boot up hit the F2 key, you can use an external keyboard to do this.
Have a look in the system BIOS and see what GPU has been detected - Nvidia or Intel HD4000.
Post what you find here.
With a bit of luck you will find HD4000 detected in the BIOS, then when you get the keyboard working you will be able to swap in back using the FN + F7 key.
I'm not aware of any other way to change the integrated graphics on your laptop besides the FN + F7 key, anyone else who does please post!!!
BJFox
2 Intern
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763 Posts
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January 31st, 2014 15:00
Within Windows this can be done with mouse-only access using the "SwitchGPU.exe" file. This executable file is located inside of the C:\Program Files (x86)\Alienware On-Screen Display folder.
In the BIOS it is possible also, but I cannot remember if it is available in the unmodified BIOS from Dell. I know for certain it is with an "unlocked BIOS" firmware, but Dell may have hidden that option. You would look for a menu to change the primary display adapter from PEG to IGFX. (These are the only valid options. Selecting other items in the menu with an M18xR2 can cause the machine to not POST.)
Edit: found an image I was looking for... "IGFX" is integrated graphics and "PEG" is PCI-e (discrete AMD or NVIDIA) graphics. DO NOT select one of the other options.