> On 06.04.2011 16:30, Albert Vilella wrote: >> This may be just saying the same with different words, but there are >> some optimus laptops that have >> a BIOS "compatible" setting (I've got one), and under such setting, >> only the nvidia card shows up in Linux and Windows. >> >> So there must be an option in these laptops to present the graphics >> configuration as "only nvidia" to the OS, so that >> pre-windows7 OSes can see the nvidia card. >
Yes I also assumed this, and went ahead with my Asus U31J purchase. I then discovered my assumptions were wrong, and on my particular laptop there is no such BIOS switch. There is apparently no physical connection between the Nvidia chip and the display output. You're right though, in the sense that some Optimus laptops do still have a so-called "hardware mux", that is enabled/disabled through the BIOS. It does seem however that some (newer ones especially) have entirely removed this piece of hardware and the ability to use the discrete GPU is 100% dependent on appropriate drivers. For now I'm running on the assumption that if it's not exposed in the BIOS, then it doesn't have said hardware mux. I did some digging through my history, this is more or less what I referenced to come to these conclusions: Nvidia Whitepaper(s) - http://www.nvidia.com/object/LO_optimus_whitepapers.html http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?s=a9ef29ce7505df6a727f5a92b9ccf7d1&showtopic=188184&view=findpost&p=1164718 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus Referenced by Wikipedia: http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?s=804c18be75c445d7539dd3525d49a237&p=2291824&postcount=3 /mike. > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~hybrid-graphics-linux > Post to : [email protected] > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~hybrid-graphics-linux > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~hybrid-graphics-linux Post to : [email protected] Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~hybrid-graphics-linux More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
