Only Intel graphics chip working with only one monitor working.

john7 · 25 Aug 2016

My wife has a twin graphics laptop. With Intel on the mother board and a Nvdia second one. A desktop monitor is used via a Docking Station ACP70EU After the W10 update only the Intell chip is working through the Docker when the laptop screen is off but the desk top one is being used. As far as I know both used to work as some of the graphics programs are setup to use it, They are running but using the Intel one, I expect they are also not using the graphics memory either!
If other display setups having the laptop screen running all’s OK and the Nvidia card is running.
Is there anything we can do are we stuck with it disabled with just the desk top screen working?

alphanumeric · 25 Aug 2016

When a display is connected via a USB docking station, no onboard graphics are used for that display. It's using the GPU in the docking station. The laptops onboard GPU(S) are only used if the display is connected via the laptops Video ports. Or the internal display is in use.

john7 · 25 Aug 2016

Thats odd as my setup looks to have both running as does my wife's in any other configuration than just the one monitor? I am able to run the Nvidia control panel and add and remove programs from either graphics chip on both laptops except when just the one monitor is working. When I run graphics programs using the Nvidia the fan is also working a lot more so I don't understand that. This might be due to them using the graphics chip memory?

alphanumeric · 25 Aug 2016

If the onboard display is active, dual graphics will work based on what apps or programs are running on that display. The onboard GPU does not send any graphics signal over USB. Disable the onboard display and it will default to the low power GPU. The Intel GPU. The GPU that is driving the monitor(s) connected to the docking station, is in the docking station. It's its own separate GPU, and its not managed by the laptops dual graphics. Open a program that uses the NVidia graphics on your laptops screen. Then drag it over so its running on your external display. Your laptop will likely toggle back to the Intel GPU. The GPU in the docking station likely has its own RAM. Go to device manager > Display Adapters, and see what's listed. I have 3 entries, AMD Radeon HD7600M, AMD Radeon HD7660G, and MB168B. The MB168B is my external USB 3 monitor. The 7600M and 7660G are my laptops dual graphics. They are 3 different GPU's. My external USB monitor has a GPU inside it.