Problem Graphics card not recognized

[Axertan]

Hello, I have a problem with my graphics card not being recognized in Orbiter 2010 (100830)

I have a notebook, with an integrated Intel graphics card, and an additional Nvidia one which is set to turn on when an application needs more graphical processing power.

Problem is, in Orbiter launchpad video tab, only the integrated Intel GPU shows up.

I have tried running orbiter.exe as an admin, "running it with graphical processor Nvidia GeForce", even opening the Nvida manager and setting the orbiter.exe to use the Nvidia graphics, all to no avail.
I have also tried both .zip and .msi installers, with no luck as well.

My theory is that on installation / launchpad start the Nvidia card is not running yet, so it is not detected and thus cannot be selected.

Is there a way to make Orbiter recognize the card?

"Incriminated" hardware:
Intel graphics HD family (integrated)
Nvdia GeForce GT540M (the one that is not detected)
My direcX and GPU drivers are up to date.

Thanks in advance!
:tiphat:

Hope i did not miss a thread with search :O

 

[TSPenguin]

This situation is a first as far as I am aware.
Can you turn on the geforce permanently? If so, that might be a workaround. Even if not, it will help debug the situation.

The next thing that comes to mind, is that it might not even be necessary (or possible) to select the geforce. This kind of dual GPU deals are supposed to be automatic in nature and more or less on the fly. Might be it is just transparent?
It should be noted, that I find that incredibly unlikely though.

 

[Axertan]

As far as I'm aware, I cannot make the GeForce run permanently.
Maybe if I was to disable the Intel one in the hardware manager, but I smell a possibly broken notebook from that.

Nvidia provides a manager in which you can override the automatic selection of which GPU will be used. That yielded no result.
I forgot to mention I'm running Win7. Does not change that much tho.

Might be it is just transparent?.

I'm not sure I understand. Transparent as in the video card selection box? No. All I see is the integrated one (Direct3D HAL) and RGB emulation.

 

[orb]

I seem to remember somebody having such problem, but I can't find it on the forums, so it's either a deja vu or it was not on Orbiter-Forum. I remember the options to check by that somebody included BIOS settings. Maybe try there?

 

[TSPenguin]

I'm not sure I understand. Transparent as in the video card selection box? No. All I see is the integrated one (Direct3D HAL) and RGB emulation.

By transparent I meant the actual hardware side. Whereas whenever the integrated graphic can't deal with the situation, the work gets shifted to the dedicated GPU without any user interaction necessary whatsoever.
I don't suppose there is any way to check which chip is actually used while orbiter is running?!

 

[Axertan]

I seem to remember somebody having such problem, but I can't find it on the forums, so it's either a deja vu or it was not on Orbiter-Forum. I remember the options to check by that somebody included BIOS settings. Maybe try there?

BIOS was a good bet, however I cannot disable/enable graphics cards there.

By transparent I meant the actual hardware side. Whereas whenever the integrated graphic can't deal with the situation, the work gets shifted to the dedicated GPU without any user interaction necessary whatsoever.
I don't suppose there is any way to check which chip is actually used while orbiter is running?!

I have "GPU meter" as a desktop widget which shows my Nvidia GPU clock and memory usage. When running Orbiter it always showed zero in all combination of settings I tried so far.
Interesting is that the GPU meter correctly recognizes the Nvidia graphics.

I am thinking, is there any config file in the orbiter installation that I could edit to make Orbiter recognize the GPU, or maybe some batch file?

 

[TSPenguin]

I am thinking, is there any config file in the orbiter installation that I could edit to make Orbiter recognize the GPU, or maybe some batch file?

The Orbiter.cfg contains your selection from the list, I doubt there is any way to use this to get around your problem.


Just to make sure, have you tried enabling "Always enumerate devices"? It should be enabled in your situation.

Given that Orbiter just pulls a list of available rendering devices from DirectX(7) and your geforce being off when not in use, it might work if you run a little windowed program that actually uses the geforce when starting orbiter (with always enumerate devices enabled). It might trigger it being reported to orbiter. Could also lead to some quite unexpected behaviour though.

I have no clue how the OpenGL and D3D9 graphic clients choose which device to use, but this is something worth checking out.
As it is quite likely that the forced selection in your driver fails to work simply because Orbiter uses DX7 by default. There are a number of tools that fail to properly work with orbiter because of this fact.

Happy Orbiting

 

[Axertan]

Just to make sure, have you tried enabling "Always enumerate devices"? It should be enabled in your situation.

Yes, I have "Always enumerate devices" option on.

Given that Orbiter just pulls a list of available rendering devices from DirectX(7) and your geforce being off when not in use, it might work if you run a little windowed program that actually uses the geforce when starting orbiter (with always enumerate devices enabled). It might trigger it being reported to orbiter. Could also lead to some quite unexpected behaviour though.

Now this was worth a shot, however it yielded no result. While running another application (Kerbal Space Program in this case) I ran the "testinstall.exe" in /install folder, but the add-on graphics card is not recognised, even when it is apparently active. Nor it is listed in the launchpad's video tab. Just for a test, after I run Orbiter simulation and then close the Kerbal Space Program, the GPU immidiately stops being used.

I have no clue how the OpenGL and D3D9 graphic clients choose which device to use, but this is something worth checking out.
As it is quite likely that the forced selection in your driver fails to work simply because Orbiter uses DX7 by default. There are a number of tools that fail to properly work with orbiter because of this fact.

Yes, I thought about trying the D3D9 client, to see if it will recognize the GPU. So far my common sense tells me that the vanilla Orbiter client simply uses too old version of DirectX.

The only thing I have not tried is to disable the Intel graphics in the Windows Device Manager, because one possibility of what could happen is that the screen could just go black. :S

Thanks for the ideas!
I'll continue to tinker with it and If I'll manage to make it work, I'll post the solution here.

 

[Saturn V]

Recently had a problem with my desktop PC, so I'm not sure it translates or applies to a notebook, but about 2 weeks ago, my PC stopped recognizing or running my GeForce card. I could still hear Windows, but nothing showed on the monitor.

I assumed the card had blown since it was 4 years old & original equipment. I installed another one, but same thing...not recognized & no display.

So I switched to the onboard Intel graphics & I was back up & running. Of course, the problem there is that the graphics are garbage for simming or anything that's graphic intensive.

So, after 3 days of diagnotics to rule out the PCI-E slot or motherboard failing, I got out the compressor and blew all the dust & crud out of the tower. I then upgraded from a 350w PSU to a 600, installed a GeForce GT520 card with onboard cooling and installed a liquid cooling unit for the CPU. Also installed the latest drivers for the chipset.

It was more than a little improvement. I'm stunned by the graphics and I don't know the last time the whole system had this kind of performance.

The solution isn't always obvious since going by the specs my machine already exceeded requirements, but cleaning, cooling & power supply might be other avenues for you to pursue.

Good luck...

 

[Axertan]

Recently had a problem with my desktop PC, so I'm not sure it translates or applies to a notebook, but about 2 weeks ago, my PC stopped recognizing or running my GeForce card. I could still hear Windows, but nothing showed on the monitor.

I assumed the card had blown since it was 4 years old & original equipment. I installed another one, but same thing...not recognized & no display.

So I switched to the onboard Intel graphics & I was back up & running. Of course, the problem there is that the graphics are garbage for simming or anything that's graphic intensive.

So, after 3 days of diagnotics to rule out the PCI-E slot or motherboard failing, I got out the compressor and blew all the dust & crud out of the tower. I then upgraded from a 350w PSU to a 600, installed a GeForce GT520 card with onboard cooling and installed a liquid cooling unit for the CPU. Also installed the latest drivers for the chipset.

It was more than a little improvement. I'm stunned by the graphics and I don't know the last time the whole system had this kind of performance.

The solution isn't always obvious since going by the specs my machine already exceeded requirements, but cleaning, cooling & power supply might be other avenues for you to pursue.

Good luck...

I had a simmilar problem as you on my old PC, with very similar solution.

However, the notebook I have in front of me is about a month old, and the "addon" GPU works fine with all applications, except only for Orbiter.
All my knowledge, intelect and common sense tells me that the problem is only software side. I will try the DX9 Orbiter client later and see what happens. Until then...

 

[Saturn V]

BIOS was a good bet, however I cannot disable/enable graphics cards there.

Strange. Not familiar with Windows 7 (still running XP Pro), but I went through my BIOS as part of the diagnotic as well and I'm able to access/specify the GeForce card and/or enable/disable the onboard display from there.

I'd at least want to know where Windows 7 allows this control if not via BIOS.

 

[jangofett287]

Could it be to do with the fact that in win7, DX7 is no longer GPU-accelerated?

 

[Ripley]

I always heard that integrated audiochips can be disabled in such mobos, in case of upgrading to a better audiocard...isn't it the same with integrated videochips?
I must add I never had a notebook, though.

 

[TSPenguin]

Laptop BIOSes are usually feature void. And by void I mean completely. Which for the most part is rather OK as you have a set bunch of components working together, often with very unique manufacturer and model specific stuff added in.

This tends to be annoying if you wish to work around software issues like this one or have other desires for your kit that would simply be more optimal suited as a BIOS setting. In example: I really wish I could undervolt my laptop in the BIOS as opposed to run a tool on startup. (Undervolting is awesome and highly recommended btw)

I guess what I am saying is: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[Axertan]

Orbiter with D3D9 client (this one) recognizes the add-on card. Although it is not visible in launchpad, it kicks in right after simulation start.
So, my guess is that DirectX 7 is old for the card, or not accelerated in Win7.

Thanks for help/pointers/ideas!

Oh hey, post #100