Source games/Optimus problem

Technology and Gaming
#1

Sry I posted this in the wrong section :FFFUUU: pls move it

Hi all,

it’s my first post here, but first of all I wanna congrat with the devs for their good job on the mod, can’t wait to play it :slight_smile:

Btw, I’m writing because of a problem related to Nvidia Optimus that affects Source games. However, I don’t know if I own it, since I use the native ASUS hybrid power solution Power 4 Gear.

Almost every game I play starts with the Nvidia GT 540M adapter instead of Intel HD 3000 card. If not, I manually add the .exe file from the game directory in the Nvidia control panel. It seems however that Source games start with the Nvidia graphic (right-clicking in “run with graphic processor” shows Nvidia as default), but in-game the Intel card is used.

Typing mat_info in the console results in this:

[code]ShaderAPI: shaderapidx9.dll
Shader API Driver Info:

Driver : [COLOR=‘red’]nvumdshim.dll Version : 2251872828923738
Driver Description : [COLOR=‘red’]Intel® HD Graphics Family
Chipset version 32902 278 368185411 9

Display mode : 1366 x 768 @60Hz (BGRX8888)
Vertex Shader Version : 3.0 Pixel Shader Version : 3.0[/code]

As you can see, the “nvumdshim.dll” is the Nvidia driver, but the description says Intel, which is odd.

Again:

SHADERAPI CAPS: m_NumSamplers: 16 m_NumVertexSamplers: 4 m_HasSetDeviceGammaRamp: no [COLOR='red']m_SupportsPixelShaders_2_b: yes m_SupportsShaderModel_3_0: no

The code reports support for Pixel Shader 2.0b, but not for Shader Model 3.0, which is more odd, since I know that the Intel HD 3000 supports the 4.1 version.

All this causes some effects to be unavailable, for example in the “shadow detail” box only “low” and “medium” are shown, “high” is not.

Actually the Nvidia graphic is used for rendering (I discovered this because playing Portal 2 with the Intel card and triple buffered v-sync is smooth, but playing it with Nvidia card and the same level of v-sync lags horribly), but the games recognize the optimal settings from the Intel graphic. At this point it looks like an hardware detection failure, but I’m not sure about. It’s not just a settings problem; I often experience some bugs and strange textures, which Intel cards are best known to cause. My only question is if there’s a way to fully use the Nvidia adapter instead of Intel one.

I posted my problem in the Nvidia forum and Steam forum, but I didn’t receive a reply, or simply my posts were ignored. I’m sure that many of you are aware of how much these hybrids techs are bugged, but I would really appreciate if someone knows a good fix. Thanks in advance :smiley:

#2

One of our technical advisors will be with you shortly. For now, please be patient as there is bashing going on in other threads. :smiley:

#3

Can you disable the Intel graphics in the Bios? Also, there should be a setting in the Bios to change the startup display to the PCIE x16 board. Are you using a 2.0 Intel Core I series CPU (I3, I5 or I7)? If so, and the above don’t work, you might look at some of the other Bios settings for CPU graphics. Other than that, I can’t help you because I have first generation I7, and it doesn’t have the built in rendering module.

#4

I can’t disable the Intel card because it’s connected to the display, doing this would result in black screen. Yes, I’ve a Sandy Bridge i7, but the bios contains just basic options such as main, advanced, boot, so I can’t even change graphic adapter.

#5

I’m pretty sure you can disable the optimus stuff completely.
My notebook has a button just for doing that.

#6

Actually I can’t, there’s no option to do it.

#7

your only option seems to be to set the intel card to disabled in the task manager and re-enable it after you’re done playing

#8

Done and my screen went black because, as I said, it’s the only card connected to it.

Any other suggestion??

#9

ever had a look in the energy settings of W7?

#10

does the nvidia card show up in device manager? does it show up in “Control Panel > Display > Screen Resolution” window?

unfortunately without a similar device to test on I doubt I can solve this problem, your best bet would be to find your laptop manufacturer’s forums and see if this issue has been addressed before

#11

btw, just found out you can change the global setting for the gpu usage in the nv control panel.

#12

In device manager both cards are shown up, in screen resolution only the Intel card. Actually in the ASUS forum there’s no post about this problem, the only place where I can read tons about this is just the Nvidia forum.

Changing global settings was the first thing I did, if that had worked from beginning, I wouldn’t be here :stuck_out_tongue:

#13

well, as I said before, have a look into the energy saving settings of w7

#14

Yes, they’re set at “High Performance”, as default.

#15

this issue really has me stumped, I played portal 2 on a sony vaio with the same technology and it ran on the nvidia card, it was the non-steam version but that shouldn’t make any difference… try to enable/disable aero, try running the game in windowed mode.

#16

can’t help you.
works fine on my NB, I just switch from UMA mode to normal and it works.
good luck finding a solution!

#17

Same thing, they don’t work. I asked Nvidia in a survey to fix this bug in the next driver, although I seriously doubt they will :meh:

#18

well, because there is probably nothing to fix, must be an issue on your side.
you better ask your notebook vendor about that stuff.

#19

It’s not only my issue, there are plenty of people complaining this and all have different laptops with the same tech. The best hope now is to wait Nvidia response.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.