Laptop video card not appearing in device manager

[jardinc]

Basic info:
Computer - VPCZ122GX (Sony Vaio Z laptop)
OS - Windows 7 Professional x64
Video card - NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M

The problem is that the computer doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that it contains the NVIDIA video card. It simply runs on the secondary "Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD", which doesn't let me run any games . I tried re-installing the drivers from the Sony website (

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-download.pl?mdl=VPCZ122GX&upd_id=5831&os_id=47),

my screen blacks out and then starts flashing white for about 1/10th of a second every 2 seconds :s I know right... I tried doing that in safe mode; it seems to work, but does a registry clean on restart because of some corrupt files. I tried downloading the drivers from the NVIDIA website (

http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebook-win7-winvista-64bit-270.61-whql-driver.html),

and those don't even find the video card.

I have basically run out of options here, so I'm sending a bottle into the ocean before I am tempted to do a system reboot.

 

[cdogg]

You should have two items listed under Display Adapters. One is the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD and the other "should" be the Nvidia GeForce GT 330M. Are you saying that the Nvidia entry is not listed there in Device Manager?

The following may help explain the Hybrid graphics solution you're dealing with in more detail (which might give you some ideas on what areas to look at):

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/342947-my-discoveries-vaio-z-s-hybrid-graphics.html

Carl

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test
a man's character, give him power." - Abraham Lincoln
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[jardinc]

No, the NVIDIA card is not listed anywhere

 

[kjv1611]

Have you checked in the BIOS settings to see whether there is an option to totally disable the dedicated graphics from there?

Also, is this a new laptop? If so, you'd be best contacting the store or manufacturer. If it's not a simple fix, for sure, take it back for a refund/replacement.

 

[rclarke250]

Since this is a "Hybrid Graphics" solution, look for the "speed/stamina" switch, If it is in stamina, the Nvidia chip is turned off, and therefor won't show up in device manager. In speed mode, the Nvidia chip takes over, and "turns off" the intel video card.

http://vaio-online.sony.com/prod_info/series1/z/interview_Z/index_05.html