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- Computer & Software Technical Support (Closed) >
- Guide: Two Graphics Cards? How to make Sims stop using the integrated one.
Test Subject
#26
19th Jun 2013 at 10:53 PM
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Posts: 8
Quote: Originally posted by abel1980
Are you sure, that your new motherboards really have onboard graphics? I mean they are part of the motherboard, aren´t they? So you took the old onboard graphics out of the system when you got rid of the old motherboard. Or I completely misunderstood what onboard grahpics means. |
I thought all motherboards came with onboard graphics these days; I hadn't been able to get one without it for years. It's possible they don't, as I don't actually *look* for such things when shopping.
In which case, we're totally set and fine. I'll double-check the manuals and such.
Thank you, and I'll post again if I find that I do have onboard graphics on either mobo.
--MiriCats
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Test Subject
#27
7th Aug 2013 at 9:50 AM
Last edited by zaffo1989 : 7th Aug 2013 at 9:54 AM.
Reason: Add informations
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Posts: 10
Hi! I have a problem with my notevook samsung that use Optimus technology. I have nvidia GeForce gt640m card plus intel 4000 integrated. I can play only with this one, because if I set to run sims3 with nvidia, I have same artifacts in game. I have this problem with all games I try to run wi nvidia card. Intel card works fine but sometimes it crashes and I don't understand why if I have a good graphic card as nvidia I'm obliged to use intel integrated card. I notice that the device configuration in documents/ea/thesims3 locates only one graphic card, the intel one (I can see found one, matched one and there are the intel informations). Can anybody help me? ![Cry](//static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/mecry.gif)
Obviously I have driver updats, I have tried without cc and to reinstall game, all without results.
![Cry](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/mecry.gif)
Obviously I have driver updats, I have tried without cc and to reinstall game, all without results.
Scholar
#28
7th Aug 2013 at 11:51 AM
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Posts: 1,118
zaffo1989 did you follow the instructions at the start of this thread?
Test Subject
#29
7th Aug 2013 at 1:17 PM
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Posts: 10
Yes, I do all the steps...
Test Subject
#30
11th Aug 2013 at 3:57 PM
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Posts: 10
Please help me :-(
Test Subject
#31
25th Aug 2013 at 8:43 PM
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Posts: 1
I have two Graphics cards- an Intel HG Graphics 4000 card and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, that I run on my Mid 2012 15 inch Macbook Pro. Is there any way to get my macbook to use my NVIDIA card instead of the Intel card during gameplay? At the moment I am completely unable to even play my game on this laptop (despite the graphics cards+ and 8GB memory system), but I wonder if forcing the game to recognize the better card (i assume) during gameplay would help it be actually playable
Test Subject
#32
2nd Sep 2013 at 3:01 AM
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Posts: 1
![Default](/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Quote: Originally posted by Ingefaer
I have used about 30 hours these last weeks, on trying to get my Sims 3 game to run. It has been crashing within the first half an hour of gameplay I've been trying to analyse the crashlogs, and finally i came down to one problem. "Insuficcient graphics capability: Upgrade your graphicscard or get it checked out for instablity". . . |
Thank you SO MUCH Ingefaer for posting this. I have literally spent a week and a half tearing my hair out to find out why my new Alienware computer won't play the Sims 3 without crashing, freezing and giving me Error 12 messages. This was a total fix and my game runs like a dream now.
#33
5th Oct 2013 at 4:26 PM
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Thanks: 100 in 1 Posts
I have a laptop with both Intel and an AMD Radeon hd 7650m graphics card and I tried making my M&G High Preformance using Configure Switchable Graphics, I even tried the tutorial for making the game recognize my graphics card since it's apparently "unsupported" due to being relatively new and I also tried the above tutorial for changing the terrain in Graphics Rules and none of this seems to work. I hope I'm not too dumb or that my Sims game is beyond salvation. Also I deeply apologize if this is considered necromancy because I don't know where else to look
![Sad](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/icon9.gif)
"Over the Mountains of the Moon, down the Valley of the Shadow, ride, boldly ride," the shade replied - "if you seek for Eldorado"
#34
6th Oct 2013 at 1:50 AM
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Thanks: 1753 in 9 Posts
Quote: Originally posted by blackivy
I have a laptop with both Intel and an AMD Radeon hd 7650m graphics card and I tried making my M&G High Preformance using Configure Switchable Graphics, I even tried the tutorial for making the game recognize my graphics card since it's apparently "unsupported" due to being relatively new and I also tried the above tutorial for changing the terrain in Graphics Rules and none of this seems to work. I hope I'm not too dumb or that my Sims game is beyond salvation. Also I deeply apologize if this is considered necromancy because I don't know where else to look ![]() |
This is happening to me too (for Sims 2). I've managed (or at least I think I've managed) to add my 'unsupported because it's so new' graphics card to the Video Cards files and I've set my NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M as the default graphics card for the game but every time I look at my config log it tells me it's using Intel. It's like something happens in that split second between me clicking on the shortcut and the game actually starting.
It's driving me mad.
#35
23rd Dec 2013 at 5:05 PM
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Woo!, I have managed to get my card working again. I found it completely on accident...
In BIOS settings of your computer (while booting, press ESC, F8 or F12), if you have switchable graphics, somewhere there should be an option of Fixed Mode and Dynamic Mode.
So far I've had my laptop set on Dynamic Mode - resulting in laptop never switching graphics cards, and leaving me stuck with the craptastic Intel one. The description for Dynamic says the system automatically determines which application will need which graphics card.
Fixed mode, on the other hand, says that it leaves it to the system environment on which card to use. (Example, if on battery, always run Intel etc.) By switching to this mode, when I booted up my Windows, under Screen Resolution > Advanced there was AMD card listed as in use, and not Intel anymore.
However, it's important to know that fixed mode is called fixed for a reason. In order to switch your graphics cards properly (while your computer is still in use), you should always close all programs before switching your graphics cards (whether using device manager, whether using card's driver) - and especially make sure that no graphics-demanding games/apps are running (examples are Sims games).
TL;DR - If OP's tutorial doesn't work, boot BIOS and switch to fixed mode. If in fixed mode, do not plug/unplug your laptop and do not change cards if running any apps.
In BIOS settings of your computer (while booting, press ESC, F8 or F12), if you have switchable graphics, somewhere there should be an option of Fixed Mode and Dynamic Mode.
So far I've had my laptop set on Dynamic Mode - resulting in laptop never switching graphics cards, and leaving me stuck with the craptastic Intel one. The description for Dynamic says the system automatically determines which application will need which graphics card.
Fixed mode, on the other hand, says that it leaves it to the system environment on which card to use. (Example, if on battery, always run Intel etc.) By switching to this mode, when I booted up my Windows, under Screen Resolution > Advanced there was AMD card listed as in use, and not Intel anymore.
However, it's important to know that fixed mode is called fixed for a reason. In order to switch your graphics cards properly (while your computer is still in use), you should always close all programs before switching your graphics cards (whether using device manager, whether using card's driver) - and especially make sure that no graphics-demanding games/apps are running (examples are Sims games).
TL;DR - If OP's tutorial doesn't work, boot BIOS and switch to fixed mode. If in fixed mode, do not plug/unplug your laptop and do not change cards if running any apps.
DJ. who?
Jään sitä selvittämään, c'mooon!
Test Subject
#36
5th Apr 2014 at 11:32 AM
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Posts: 14
do you have a laptop or a desktop? can you do this with a laptop?
Test Subject
#37
29th Apr 2014 at 8:26 PM
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Posts: 3
Quote: Originally posted by DJ.
Woo!, I have managed to get my card working again. I found it completely on accident... In BIOS settings of your computer (while booting, press ESC, F8 or F12), if you have switchable graphics, somewhere there should be an option of Fixed Mode and Dynamic Mode. So far I've had my laptop set on Dynamic Mode - resulting in laptop never switching graphics cards, and leaving me stuck with the craptastic Intel one. The description for Dynamic says the system automatically determines which application will need which graphics card. Fixed mode, on the other hand, says that it leaves it to the system environment on which card to use. (Example, if on battery, always run Intel etc.) By switching to this mode, when I booted up my Windows, under Screen Resolution > Advanced there was AMD card listed as in use, and not Intel anymore. However, it's important to know that fixed mode is called fixed for a reason. In order to switch your graphics cards properly (while your computer is still in use), you should always close all programs before switching your graphics cards (whether using device manager, whether using card's driver) - and especially make sure that no graphics-demanding games/apps are running (examples are Sims games). TL;DR - If OP's tutorial doesn't work, boot BIOS and switch to fixed mode. If in fixed mode, do not plug/unplug your laptop and do not change cards if running any apps. |
Thank you so much....finally have sims working again!
#38
21st Jun 2014 at 12:11 AM
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Posts: 18
OK, so here's an interesting conundrum:
I was looking around for a solution to a smaller glitch I'm having in my Sims 2 after getting a new Windows 8 computer.
I saw this and thought, hey this might help, and followed the steps. However, it seems simply "adding" my "Sims2EP9" to the Nvidia Control Planet threw the graphics completely in the trash :/
- Previously, I was able to set the games to the highest resolution (So I'm assuming my Laptop is using the proper graphics card already, though I don't know how to be sure..?)
But after adding the game to the 3D settings, the only option I had in the game was 800x600 - no matter which card I set it to use! o.O
The only way to solve it was to remove the game from the panel, and now I'm back to 1600x900, though still struggling with my original problem.
- Does anyone know what the issue is there though?? It makes no sense to me, but I'm not SUPER skilled with computers...
(This is my first laptop with a nice graphics card, and I just naively assumed that the computer would automatically use the better card ^^; )
Why do humans always look to the sky? Why do you try so hard to fly when you don't have wings?
I was looking around for a solution to a smaller glitch I'm having in my Sims 2 after getting a new Windows 8 computer.
I saw this and thought, hey this might help, and followed the steps. However, it seems simply "adding" my "Sims2EP9" to the Nvidia Control Planet threw the graphics completely in the trash :/
- Previously, I was able to set the games to the highest resolution (So I'm assuming my Laptop is using the proper graphics card already, though I don't know how to be sure..?)
But after adding the game to the 3D settings, the only option I had in the game was 800x600 - no matter which card I set it to use! o.O
The only way to solve it was to remove the game from the panel, and now I'm back to 1600x900, though still struggling with my original problem.
- Does anyone know what the issue is there though?? It makes no sense to me, but I'm not SUPER skilled with computers...
(This is my first laptop with a nice graphics card, and I just naively assumed that the computer would automatically use the better card ^^; )
Why do humans always look to the sky? Why do you try so hard to fly when you don't have wings?
#39
8th Jul 2014 at 8:39 AM
Last edited by LoganWorm : 14th Jul 2014 at 10:57 PM.
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Posts: 14
![Alarm](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/alarm.gif)
![Alarm](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/alarm.gif)
This is a good thread, but doesn't address users with Switchable graphics with AMD. I thought I would share something that is a bit interesting and a tip for those HP users with the darn AMD switchable graphics (such as myself).
There are two types of switchable graphics to know about.
Dynamic switching (muxless) and Fixed switching (muxed).
![](http://www.tonymacx86.com/attachments/hp-probook-4530s/14488d1342992672-radeon-6470m-6490m-project-muxed-muxless.png)
The reason why trying to set the AMD graphics card to play a game, and not experiencing different results is because (in some cases) the computer is set to use the Intel card first. In most of the HP Pavilion cases, the drivers offered by the website are outdated, but there is one solution to be able to use the AMD card all of the time.
You must go into BIOS and switch to dynamic.
Instructions can be found by HP here.
![Exclamation](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif)
![Exclamation](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/icon_exclaim.gif)
NOTE: This sets the AMD card as the default (there may be some settings to tweak in the AMD Catalyst Control Center, I don't quite remember at the moment).
There are some other fixes and methods after this one which could be risky, but also could help improve your performance if you know what you're doing.
There are modded drivers for switchable graphics, specifically made for the Intel and AMD switches, and more specifically for the HP Pavilion series.
![Alarm](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/alarm.gif)
![Alarm](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/alarm.gif)
Field Researcher
#40
24th Jul 2014 at 2:07 PM
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Posts: 374
For some reason I don't have that option in the Nvidia CP. I have a GTX 550 Ti and an i5-661.
#41
26th Aug 2014 at 12:44 AM
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Thanks: 2117 in 22 Posts
My lap top needs to be reset to run the sims with the graphics card instead of the integrated graphics every time I launch the game. If I boot from the battery or are running on battery power at any time, the graphic choice resets. I set it every time I launch the game to be sure it runs on the right setting.
#42
20th Sep 2014 at 11:53 PM
Last edited by Chammalia : 21st Sep 2014 at 12:11 AM.
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Hm, I have done this for sims 2 ultimate collection, which makes the neighbourhood graphics look good and all, however, it sets the resolution to 800x600 which annoys me - also the graphics is still bad in CAS/sims, on lots and in 'hood view at the house edges. I'm starting to give up. Damn you technology for outgrowing sims 2
EDIT: After using this guide: http://simsvip.com/2014/07/20/the-s...solution-guide/ and this guide: http://simsvip.com/2014/07/20/the-s...-black-squares/ it now works! *cheers*
Now the only problem is that it is way to small
![Sad](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/icon9.gif)
EDIT: After using this guide: http://simsvip.com/2014/07/20/the-s...solution-guide/ and this guide: http://simsvip.com/2014/07/20/the-s...-black-squares/ it now works! *cheers*
Now the only problem is that it is way to small
![Jester](http://static.modthesims2.com/images/smilies/jester.gif)
Test Subject
#43
6th Apr 2015 at 5:30 PM
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Posts: 26
Thank you for this sticky. After installing Sims 3 to my new computer, this thread verified that I was heading in the correct direction to solving some of my lag issues.
Lab Assistant
#44
21st Aug 2015 at 6:01 PM
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Posts: 102
I'm trying to get the Sims 2 to stop using the integrated gpu. It works when the game is full screen but when I try to play in windowed mode, I get the E_INVALIDARG error. Any idea what to do next?
#45
3rd Jan 2016 at 6:55 AM
Last edited by TigerAnne : 3rd Jan 2016 at 7:15 AM.
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Posts: 1,242
Quote: Originally posted by Fouksia
I'm trying to get the Sims 2 to stop using the integrated gpu. It works when the game is full screen but when I try to play in windowed mode, I get the E_INVALIDARG error. Any idea what to do next? |
I'm having this exact same problem. I run windowed mode from a shortcut on my desktop, and that shortcut doesn't seem to communicate with the NVidia.
Who Posted
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