Hi Tim,

Several thoughts here.

Try uninstalling your video card software via it's own uninstaller - you should then see one video card driver in device manager on the standard windows VGA driver.  Restart and boot up.

Download, install and run Driver Sweeper set to look for Nvidia video card drivers.  Restart and boot up.

Download, install and run CCleaner to further clean up your registry.  Restart and boot up.

At this point you should see 2 video cards in device manager but only one with VGA driver installed.  Reinstall your Nvidia drivers.  Restart and boot up.  Hopefully you will see good things.

You might also want to see if you can switch your graphics processing to the integrated Intel HD3000 by keystrokes "Fn" + F7, should see a prompt telling you a restart is neccessary to switch graphics processing.  Acknowlege and let it do so.  This restart takes a little bit longer than the usual restart so just wait for it.  Maybe at the very least that will tell you something more.

Hope this helps, let me know.

Thanks for the advice,

I followed your steps but the cards are still unrecognised, even the Nvidia driver install program missed the cards.

I don't know if this is relevant, but the last time the cards were working I changed the laptop power settings from high to balanced after having already hit shut-down, could that have changed something?

Hi Tim,

Are you using the Dell/Alienware driver software?

Evidently with mobility drivers the manufacturers of the cards pass all responsibility to the vendor and their downloaded driver packages inhibit proper install of drivers.  Use the Dell/Alienware drivers if you are not already.

I have heard in some cases that altering the power management scheme can have unexpected results like that.  I personally bought two ATI HD6970M's so I am not as detailed with the Nvidia cards.

Were you able to switch your graphics to th Intel chipset?

I am not using the dell drivers but this failure was after having the Nvidia drivers for a month, while also changing the power settings.

As to the Intel chipset, the computer switched to it automatically. I only noticed because the computer booted in low resolution.

I will try the dell drivers though.

Thank you for your help.

I know that Nvidia has technology/software that can switch automatically - Optimus?  So that is good.  Sometimes the system loses track of things and then you see funny things like this.

Did you try switching back to non-intel hardaware with Fn + F7 to see if the nvidia cards show up as there but on VGA Drivers?

Once the failure happened and it switched to the integrated graphics I don't know that the Nvidia cards would show up.  With AMD/ATI they don't - you have to switch back to even see them in device manager.

With non-Dell drivers some of the installation packages won't install even if you see the cards in device manager.  So, what I am talking about is on re-installatiion - that even if you think it is installing it might not.  With Dell drivers you know that if they are there (assuming you are in a mode to see them as I mentioned above) the drivers will install.

I think video card manufacturers are doing this to minimize the support required from them for their product.  They want to force you to complain to Dell and then they can charge extra for any extra support requested.  I am in a running discussion with a technical support manager at AMD/ATI over matters such as this and they have a completely different perspective then end-users.

Well I feel foolish, I tried Fn + F7 and it worked. I was so sure I had already tried.

And again, thank you for all your help.

I'm glad you are back up and running.  There are many nuances to the hardware.