GPU only works on CUDAminer, can't play games on it anymore

[tictaktoe333]

Hi

I used my alienware M17x R4 (upgraded with a gtx 970m) to run cudaminer and mine litecoin.

Before this it would run games perfectly with the 970m.

Now the only time the 970m works is when cudaminer boots it up (and then you can hear the fans spin and the gpu load increases to 100%). But when I try to play games nvidia graphics card is the preferred graphics card in the control panel yet the games always run with the intel 4000 graphics.

I have tried updating drivers and reinstalling drivers. I have also tried taking the card out and putting it back in again.

However my M17X R4 has a setting that you can disable intel 4000 graphics and force it to use the 970m (but this requires a restart and is quite unstable) and then this allows me to play games using the 970m. However in this mode the computer hard crashes every hour or so (in the event log this is event ID 41 power kernel thing).

I have come to the conclusion that my gpu only answers to CUDAminer now


If anyone is interested this is the script I used for cudaminer:

cudaminer.exe -H 1 -i 0 -l T32x32 -C 1 -o stratum+tcp://eu.multipool.us:3334 -O tictaktoe333.970m:x

Please help me! thanks

[achow101_alt]

Have you checked that the driver it uses is the one you installed? Check in the device manager.

[tictaktoe333]

Yeah I checked it thanks, I'm going to start rolling back to older drivers and see if that makes any difference. But any input is greatly appreciated!!! The newest driver is currently 10.18.13.5906 and that's what I have installed

[tictaktoe333]

Rolling back the drivers didn't help.. I also have tried taking the card out and reseating it abd totally unistalling all drivers and reinstalling..

[xhomerx10]

Boot up the machine hit F2
go to the "advanced" tab
make sure your graphics is selected to "discrete"


 I think

[tictaktoe333]

Sorry my BIOS doesn't have that option unfortunately - but the BIOS does see the dedicated GPU (in the main part). I have BIOS version A13.

*EDIT* I've even tried reflashing my BIOS out of desperation but still doesn't work

[xhomerx10]

Sorry my BIOS doesn't have that option unfortunately - but the BIOS does see the dedicated GPU (in the main part). I have BIOS version A13.

*EDIT* I've even tried reflashing my BIOS out of desperation but still doesn't work

 What machine do you have?

[tictaktoe333]

An Alienware M17x R4 Laptop

Upgraded with
970m 6GB
16GB RAM
and a couple of extra drives

[xhomerx10]

An Alienware M17x R4 Laptop

Upgraded with
970m 6GB
16GB RAM
and a couple of extra drives

 Okay try this:

 Press [Fn]+[F7] or [Fn]+[F5] to switch from integrated graphics mode to discrete graphics mode. Restart the computer when requested.

[edit] I'm pretty sure it's a bios issue but if that doesn't work, go here for more info - http://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN85593/EN

[tictaktoe333]

The F7+Fn combo makes the 970m work because it sees the single 970m as a different card compared to the card that is used when there is intel graphics enabled as well as the 970m - even though they are the same card  physically.

Either that or it is because intel graphics is forcibly disconnected so it can't interfere?

Even though this works as a short term fix, I want to know what CUDAminer has done to break the optimus settings in my computer.

Do you think it is a bios issue or a vbios issue? Because I got the vbios from the working 970m in discreet mode and I was thinking of flashing the other 970m? But I have created a DOS bootable USB but I can't figure out how to boot from this as the BIOS makes me select the file path of the USB manually and I don't really know what I am doing with that haha

[xhomerx10]

I think there's a setting that flips out of discrete mode if your on battery.  It's a feature to conserve battery life.

[tictaktoe333]

Yeah there is but I am always plugged into the wall but I'll look into the settings and see if I can change anything there

[tictaktoe333]

Hi I think I have finally figured out that CUDAminer must have slightly damaged my card. Because it is not 100% recognised when it is running alongside intel graphics (nvflash does not see it) and that would explain why it is defaulting to intel hd graphics.. However I have managed to update everything and clear it up enough so that when I change it to the dedicated only mode (when the 970m is the only graphics processor) it forces the card to work as there is only one display adapter.

However I am unsure what has happened to the card because when it is running it runs flawlessly and the memory is still fine (so I know I haven't burnt it out).

Furthermore I don't think the heat generated was too much for the gpu because I only ran it for 2 hours at 70ish degrees and it can quite easily get up to this temp when I have a long gaming session anyways.

From what I have observed the card normally steps up from 135MHz through 428MHz and ends up at over 1000MHz but when CUDAminer activates it, it jumps to over 1000MHz straight away which could have damaged it slightly. Maybe CUDAminer needs a setting to slowly ramp up the voltage and clock speed of the card like what happens in normal conditions.

Thanks everyone for your help! If anyone knows how to get the 970m recognised in nvflash please let me know because the last thing I could try is to reflash the vbios (but it needs to see the card to flash).

If anyone has anymore suggestions please pop up or send me an email at tom.ski@hotmail.co.uk

[Lenore]

What games do you try to play? 

Guessing you intel is onboard?  Have you tried to disable the intel and ru. Solely on the 970m?  What os u using?

[tictaktoe333]

Some from steam, bf4 from origin and a couple of standalone games and none of them worked.

yeah the intel hd 4000 is onboard graphics. Yeah I have tried disabling it in system devices and I have even tried uninstalling it. But if I put my laptop onto the alienware dedicated mode where the 970m is the main gpu and intel graphics are totally removed (looks like they aren't even loaded onto the system) then the 970m works flawlessly.

Im using Windows 10 64 bit with all the latest updates.