Question My dedicated GPU on my old laptop is being recognized, and all the drivers are installed, but can't get it to be used for anything. How to fix?

Jan 2, 2022
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So for a lot more context:
I have: an HP Pavilion dv7 (not sure on the model)
It has a,
Core i7 2670QM (4 Cores, 8 Threads)
Intel HD Graphics 3000
HP HD 6770M (I imagine a branch of sorts of the AMD Radeon HD 6770M)
8gb Dual Channel 1333mhz Sodimm ddr3
Windows 10 Home
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The Issue:
So I did a fresh install of windows, as previously the laptop was owned by someone else, and I install the drivers for everything, simple enough.
I have to go into GPU-Z to figure out what dedicated gpu this laptop had, but after it told me, I installed the HD 6770M Catalyst software 15.11 which includes the drivers. (These are the latest drivers) Everything installs just fine, and I pop into Sekiro, since I know it will run at least ok on the dedicated gpu, and im getting sub 20fps at lowest settings at 800x600. So I install MSI Afterburner to see if the dedicated gpu is being used, and discovered it was only using the Intel HD Graphics 3000. So I go down I spiral of Leshcat software, old youtube videos, and forums to see what I could do to get the dedicated gpu to be used. I tried setting the switchable graphics mode to fixed, didnt work. I tried a lot of different drivers and used DDU to uninstall previous drivers, and I set all settings in windows power plan and Catalyst to maximize performance/high performance. Nothing happens still, so I get a little irritated, and continue searching online. I find stuff relating to the issue, and found this solution to switch apps from using the power saver gpu to the high performance gpu through windows. This results in me learning that the high performance GPU is the same as the power saver gpu, the Intel HD Graphics 3000. So after much irritation I reinstalled windows, downloaded firefox, reinstalled the drivers, and came here in hopes of an answer as to how to make the dedicated gpu usable.
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Questions I have:
Is the software needed for it to work properly only going to be found on the original hard drive?
Do I need windows 7 as that was what the laptop originally had?
Do old AMD drivers work on Windows 10? I got mixed answers reading other issues with the same gpu on AMD's site.
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PS: sorry if this was annoying as hell to read or seemed drawn out, I am not really used to commenting on forums, and im not sure how to go about it. I hope this gives enough info, im always free to answer questions, and thanks for any help you guys provide!
 
Jan 2, 2022
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Um... hey! pls reply in short for what you need help with and the main points only because i forget half of it while reading the other ;)
Gotcha. So I have a laptop with Switchable graphics. No matter what I do the High Performance and Power Saving gpu options, both use the Intel GPU when High power should be the AMD Card. The specs are listed above, and I dont know how to get the AMD gpu to be usable. It appears just fine in task manager tho
 
Jan 2, 2022
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Do you have 2 gpus? igpu and another one?
So you are asking how to use the dedicated gpu instead of using the integrated gpu?? Well, then the answer is simple :) just tell me if this is what you want to know and then ill post the answer :)
yes, but no conventional means to get it switched works. I cant get it to work no matter what, I just dont know lol
 
Jan 2, 2022
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yes, but no conventional means to get it switched works. I cant get it to work no matter what, I just dont know lol
by conventional I
It is simple :) head over to your PCs BIOS, and look for something related to graphics card (gpu, igpu, display etc.) Then (as in my bios, there is the order of the GPU s if it has been set to iGPU then change it to dedicated GPU.

(I know it is hard but BIOS modification is not recommended for beginners)

Be careful and do it if you know what you are doing, or you could just take it to an expert. he could change it for you using the bios :)

Good luck
Im not like a super noob lol, but thats the thing, there is nothing like that in the bios. I was told old HP Bios on laptops are just limited like that, but unless I somehow missed it while searching, I didnt find an option related to the gpu. Only the switchable graphics toggle from dynamic to fixed, which did nothing as the AMD gpu is not being picked up by anything but device manager and the amd software
 
Jan 2, 2022
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Are the driver updated? Are they the latest version?
Does you PC support that graphics card? Is the graphics card detected in bios? (there must be at least a small feature to at least check the availability of the drives in the bios...) Is there a feature like that? try toggling the graphics toggle to dynamic :)

try the above and please answer what i asked above :)

Good luck!
Im sorry but I dont really know what you want me to answer? but what I can tell you is that it is a laptop, so the gpu has to be supported, no gpu devices appear in bios, as hp bios are extremely limited, like you cant do much of anything in them, and toggling the dynamic and fixed options does nothing, as it somehow doesnt believe there is a second more powerful gpu to use for applications. The only places it appears in are Device Manager, GPU-Z, and I assume its recognized in catalyst software, although I am completely unsure as there are missing options, or I am at least not seeing options I saw on youtube. But unless GPU-Z is wrong I dunno what to do
 

natcha12

Honorable
Sep 1, 2015
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Go to advanced display settings and send us a screenshot like this;

lSTDTT5.png


It'll say if your monitor is only connected to the igpu
 
Jan 2, 2022
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Go to advanced display settings and send us a screenshot like this;

lSTDTT5.png


It'll say if your monitor is only connected to the igpu
I dont exactly have good internet so it wouldnt be convenient to send a screenshot, but it does say it is only connected to the Intel HD Graphics 3000. Im not too sure what to do here
 
Jan 2, 2022
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I did learn something new, all of my PCI Device drivers are missing, and device manager says there is not compatible drivers for the device, which I doubt. So where would I get those?
 
Jan 2, 2022
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Ok all pci drivers installed, everything updated, drivers reinstalled. Even the switchable graphics stuff appears like it should, but the gpu is never used! and it is still not connected to the display, or at least it isnt indicated by the display setting
 

natcha12

Honorable
Sep 1, 2015
368
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10,865
I had a look around, did you by any chance update the laptop from windows 7 or 8? I see in multiple places that the driver support did not go further than those for the gpu;
https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Noteb...D-3000-Driver-for-Windows-10-Pro/td-p/4275970

PS, I just saw this "Do I need windows 7 as that was what the laptop originally had?"

If you rollback to win 7 i think there will be no issue at all, but that is a last case scenario, unless you really want to go back to a dropped support OS.

If you are on windows 8 or 10, grab the official HP drivers only for the graphics here:
https://support.hp.com/ee-en/driver...ment-notebook-pc-series/5169332/model/5220256

They ARE for windows 8, but thats all there is... goodluck