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W500 Switchable Graphics not working-cannot access via battery icon-latest drivers installed

post #1 of 7
7/25/12 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
System is a 4058CTO 2.53GHz dual core with Win Vista Business 64 bit OS at SP2. Display is 1920X1200 and graphics adapters are ATI Mobility Radeon HD3650 and Mobile Intel 4 series express chipset family.
Was getting message that ATI adapter was disabled due to driver conflict. Installed latest ATI driver (8.563.2.1000 listed on Lenovo site). The ATI Catalyst Control Center lists the driver as 8.563.2.1-090401a-079160C Lenovo. Date found in Device Manager is 4/1/2009. Installed following the README instructions also on the Lenovo driver site. Install completed successfully. Can access the Catalyst Control Center from the desktop and get into Basic or Advanced mode. Readme says to switch graphics I should mouse over the Battery Icon and select Switchable Graphics. When I try that do not see switchable graphics on the popup menu only Select a Power Plan, Learn how to conserve power, more power options, and Windows Mobility Center.
Power plan is set to HIGH PERFORMANCE and in BIOS the setting for the video adapter is set to SWITCHABLE GRAPHICS.
Device Manager says both adapters (ATI and Intel) are operating correctly.
What do I have to do to enable and use the switchable graphics?
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post #2 of 7
7/25/12 at 1:06pm
How about a system restore?

cheers ...
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post #3 of 7
7/25/12 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 
Received system with wrong driver installed. Suspect that if a backed up system exists the wrong driver is there. Did not get this system new. The driver now there appears to be correct.
What causes the link to appear at the battery icon?
Do I need to replace some Thinkpad Lenovo proprietary software?
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post #4 of 7
7/25/12 at 9:55pm
What do you mean by "link appearing at battery icon"?

If you feel that the system came wrong, I would personally go for a clean install, then get appropriate drivers and special apps for the model in question from Lenovo site

We have a member here that had to send his W500 system back for warranty due to un-explained issues with drivers and performance

cheers ...
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post #5 of 7
7/26/12 at 5:08am
Thread Starter 
Used system not a new one. Lenovo site says to use Switchable Graphics you put mouse cursor over the battery icon and left click. This brings up a popup menu. According to Lenovo there SHOULD be a link on the popup menu to choose which graphics adapter you want to use. Like I said I downloaded the correct driver which included the Catylst control panel and that appears to be OK.
Do not see any option on the Catalyst control panel to switch graphics, only change multiple characteristics on the ATI adapter.

Can someone who has a W500 and is using Switchable Graphics explain how I should be using this feature? Is the other Thinkpad specific software or BIOS causing me to NOT be able to use the ATI adapter?
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post #6 of 7
7/26/12 at 7:55am
let me try to get some help smile.gif

cheers ...
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post #7 of 7
7/26/12 at 7:56pm
First, you're going to have to install Lenovo Power Manager. It's a more full-featured version of the Windows Power Options and switchable graphics seems to need it. After you install Power Manager, you should be able to run the program from here and use the ThinkVantage button to switch between graphics modes.
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