DOLPHIN and NVIDIA OPTIMUS (Resolved)

[Diathorus]

nVidia Optimus is what my notebook's using. You can select from the driver to make an application or game run on either integrated graphics or nVidia mobile GeForce. Well, PCSX2 uses the nVidia driver correctly and runs my games smoothly. Whereas Dolphin will stick with Intel Integrated Graphics and this makes all my games unplayable. I think the developers should make it compatible with Optimus. If there is some more information there's needed, please feel free to reply.
   
NVIDIA GPU Activity: none (in the tray icon)

[DefenderX]

http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-impossible-to-switch-from-internal-gpu-to-geforce-650m?highlight=optimus

[Diathorus]

(12-25-2012, 09:31 PM)DefenderX Wrote: http://forums.dolphin-emu.org/Thread-impossible-to-switch-from-internal-gpu-to-geforce-650m?highlight=optimus

Already looked in that direction, and already completed all the steps. I am definitely not a computer newbie. It is still not working accordingly.

[delroth]

Try the latest master build (3.5-79).

[Diathorus]

(12-25-2012, 11:11 PM)delroth Wrote: Try the latest master build (3.5-79).

Define NvOptimusEnablement to tell the Nvidia driver we need high performance

There is still no change, GPU is not being used (idling)

   

[nintendo_nerd]

I have Optimus on my machine as well and it can be a real pain in the butt. Under the nVidia Control Panel, go to Manage 3D Settings, and then under the Global Settings tabs. Is the GPU set as the Intel, nVidia, or Auto-select? There should be a way to globally force-enable the laptop to use the dedicated GPU all the time (let's be honest, no one's crazy enough to run a dedicated GPU on battery power) by setting it to the "High-performance nVidia processor". While the temperatures may get a little warmer, this way you don't have to worry about the Intel IGP kicking in. Also, try the most recent 310.70 drivers.

[Diathorus]

I do have the 310.70 drivers, also tried older drivers. Moreover, the global settings have no effect in regard to this matter. Do you have this problem as well? I updated my BIOS from v.1.20 to v.1.21, cleaning registry and removing nVidia drivers and installing them again. I wonder where this issue comes from, since other emulators don't have this problem. I noticed, though, that Dolphin is recognized as a program without a directory (removed registry entry, not working).

[nintendo_nerd]

(12-26-2012, 09:57 PM)Diathorus Wrote: I do have the 310.70 drivers, also tried older drivers. Moreover, the global settings have no effect in regard to this matter. Do you have this problem as well? I updated my BIOS from v.1.20 to v.1.21, cleaning registry and removing nVidia drivers and installing them again. I wonder where this issue comes from, since other emulators don't have this problem. I noticed, though, that Dolphin is recognized as a program without a directory (removed registry entry, not working)

Is there a physical switch on the laptop itself? Some machines have one of those (which I do for some reason) so try to see if there is one. There might be an option in the BIOS settings that controls the IGP and where it can be disabled, but as to why Dolphin doesn't allow you to switch is mind-boggling, even the most stubborn programs should allow you to force-enable the dedicated GPU with Optimus. Dolphin shouldn't be in the registry anyway, as it doesn't need to be. Is it an HD 3000 or HD 4000 that kicks in? Have you updated the IGP at all? Is the video back-end in the Dolphin GPU settings set to Direct3D 9 or Direct3D 11? If it's the latter, don't use it, as that won't use the nVidia GPU at all and is slower/unreliable; use DirectX 9 instead.

[admin89]

Doesn't matter anyway
Intel HD 3000 / 4000 , Nvidia GT 520M = 1 - 1.5xIR
I have no idea why laptop manufacture pair both weak GPU together
Only Nvidia GT 525M or faster GPUs (high memory bandwidth) are capable of running most games at 2xIR

[Diathorus]

I have a GT520M. All programs I tried enabling Optimus work, except for Dolphin. I have tried everything, there is no physical switch, the BIOS settings are already set-up properly (either Integrated or Switchable, I chose for Switchable). The activity monitor shows my GPU idling, as well as nVidia Inspector. Neither directX9 nor directX11 plugins recognize the GPU. PCSX2, for example, you see activity and the information window shows the GT520M being recognized. This could be a mistake in Dolphin, a compatibility issue. Then second question is, why does it work for admin89, for example.