switch between IGP and Dedicated card?

[ripken204]

I thought I read something about this a while back but I am not sure if it actually exists.

Right now I have a 6970.
It doesn't work well in linux which keeps me from using linux on my desktop.

I am planning to upgrade my computer to Ivy Bridge and it will have good onboard graphics.
So is it possible for me to disable my 6970 and use only my onboard when I boot into linux?

On the other hand, when I boot into windows, can I always use onboard unless I want to play a game, then have my 6970 kick in?

My monitor has enough inputs so that is not a problem.

It just seems like such a waste of power/heat/noise to always have an high end video card running when the onboard graphics is excellent for 99% of non-gaming tasks.... and 99% of the time I am not gaming.


EDIT:
Just found this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvoMWXPzTlg
and it's coming on some Ivy Bridge boards
I think that solved all my of my questions

 

[Red Falcon]

Yeah, just set both to be enabled, then set your Linux distro to use it's main X Window with your onboard graphics, and set Windows/Other OS to use your graphics card as it's default display.

You may have to switch display ports and/or monitors, but if you don't care about doing that, it would be the easiest method.

Also, as for the waste of heat/noise/etc, it doesn't matter what OS you're in, even if you're not using the graphics card, it will still be using power.
Another thing, using it in Linux won't tax the graphics card at all, so not using it for a display will save you little, if any electricity.

 

[Mr. K6]

You'll actually waste a ton of power until you get software that recognizes both GPUs and actively shuts down the dedicated GPU (or tells it to run in lower power 2D/Zero-power). Lucid's Virtu looks very promising though.

 

[ripken204]

You'll actually waste a ton of power until you get software that recognizes both GPUs and actively shuts down the dedicated GPU (or tells it to run in lower power 2D/Zero-power). Lucid's Virtu looks very promising though.

ya hopefully Lucid Virtu will take care of it

my plan is hook up the onboard to my monitor
in windows I should get full performance for games and then the 6970 should be nearly powered down for everything else

for linux, since I am plugged into the onboard video, it should just detect that and work fine.
the only question is, what will my 6970 try to do in linux with no video cables plugged into it...

 

[Mr. K6]

ya hopefully Lucid Virtu will take care of it

my plan is hook up the onboard to my monitor
in windows I should get full performance for games and then the 6970 should be nearly powered down for everything else

You will need to hook up your 6970 to the monitor as well. You'll also have to switch between inputs every time you game.

for linux, since I am plugged into the onboard video, it should just detect that and work fine.
the only question is, what will my 6970 try to do in linux with no video cables plugged into it...

Are you unplugging the video cables every time you boot? If so, the 6970 will sit there and waste power until it is told by some software to power down into low 2D mode.

That said, you could also use RBE to edit the boot clocks (0 power level) of the 6970 to be identical to 2D clocks (or lower) so that it will consume minimal power even when not recognized by software. This is probably the easiest solution, although you'll have to test the card to make sure it's stable (for example boot into it and run through the BIOS or memtest testing for a bit to just see if it still displays without corruption).

Food for though:
My laptop (Acer 3820TG) has both an onboard Intel Core IGP and an AMD 6550. The custom CCC from Acer includes a panel that allows me to manually switch between the IGP and the 6550 with one button. When the IGP is selected, the 6550 completely shuts down (zero power draw), and vice versa. You might try searching for a laptop graphics driver configuration that supports your IGP model and an AMD-based graphics card in this manner. You can then manually update the AMD driver to the latest Catalyst version and leave the CCC alone.

 

[ripken204]

I am referring to Lucid Virtu in my previous post and afaik you only have to plug in one card.
Lucid's control panel sounds like your Acer's control panel.
So hopefully for windows, if I use Lucid, I am fine.

For linux, if you are correct about the card just sitting there and wasting power, then hopefully I can find a command to just power it down in linux. I would rather not screw around with the card's BIOS.

EDIT:

this is interesting..but it probably only works for laptops
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1930450

 

[Red Falcon]

For linux, if you are correct about the card just sitting there and wasting power, then hopefully I can find a command to just power it down in linux. I would rather not screw around with the card's BIOS.

Why even mess with onboard if that's the case.
Just use your graphics card in Linux since most of what you will be doing is 2D anyways.

Seems like a lot of extra hassle for the purpose of saving electricity.

 

[ripken204]

Why even mess with onboard if that's the case.
Just use your graphics card in Linux since most of what you will be doing is 2D anyways.

Seems like a lot of extra hassle for the purpose of saving electricity.

from my first post:

Right now I have a 6970.
It doesn't work well in linux which keeps me from using linux on my desktop.

 

[Red Falcon]

^ Why doesn't it 'work well' in Linux.
What distro are you using and how are you applying the drivers?

It should be supported under the newest drivers.

 

[ripken204]

I haven't tried in a few months, but I tried in Mint 12 and Ubuntu 11.10
In both OSes the screen would flicker, the windows wouldn't refresh properly (windows would stay on the screen after I closed/minimized them), unreadable text and menus, and after ~30min the screen would freeze and I would have to alt+f2 and restart.
I tried using fglrx and manually installing the latest ati drivers.
I am sorry I can't provide more details, but like I said it's been a few months since I last tried.

When 12.04 comes out I might give it a try again, assuming I can stand Unity... otherwise I am going stay with Mint.