You are currently not using a display attached to a NVIDIA GPU (Desktop)

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NicoleW_

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I've already cleaned my PC, factory reset and all. Cleared drivers, reinstalled, etc. To no avail. I'm using an alienware x51 r2 that was gifted to me for christmas last year - and I've been using it for a while without even noticing that it wasn't even working until I recently decided to play more modern games.

I tried to go into the BIOS menu and search to set it to specifically use the NVIDIA, but I'm not great with computers and after hours of searching I can't find anything that works. PLEASE help.
 
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That is the wrong port. you need the one down on the silver plate.

Have a look at the picture below:

x51-connect1080.jpg


The port that you have it plugged into is the one covered by the little black cover in the picture. That is the integrated Intel GPU. You need to find the HDMI port on the silver plate on the right hand side of this picture. Your graphics card may not be identical to this one, so you'll either need to find it. or provide a picture of the connectors further down on your computer so I can better direct you.

We are getting there now though.
Ideally, I would have moved your thread to a PC graphics sub-Forum but Tom's Guide doesn't have one. You'll get better help on this one in the Tom's Hardware Forum if you don't get any here. Copy and paste the text of your post into a new thread there if you need more help.

At least it's better off here than in the Android sub-Forum.
 
Do you have a monitor connected to the add-on graphics card? That will be the one which is parallet to the bottom of the case while the onboard car is alongside all the other connections higher up the case.

If that isn't enough to solve the problem, go back into the BIOS and see if there's a setting for onboard graphics and change the setting to the only alternative.
 

techgeek

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Well it looks as if this computer can be custom configured. Do you know what discrete graphics adapter you are supposed to have? As Saga has asked, is your monitor plugged into an adapter card and not to a connector on the IO shield (where all the other connectors are)?

In Device Manager, what do you have under Display Adapters?
 

NicoleW_

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Hi, sorry for my slow reply - once again I'm not great with tech.

Under display adapters I have, Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600, and NVIDIA Geforce GTX 760 Ti OEM.

Also, as my my monitor it is not connected into the IO shield I believe, I have it connected to a Belkin F2CD058? I believe so, if not it is something along those lines.


 

techgeek

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When I say the IO shield I mean is the connector on the motherboard the one you have connected to your monitor.

However from what you've said, you are using a HDMI to VGA adapter. Is there a reason you aren't using HDMI right to the monitor, or DVI? What monitor do you have?

Here is an image of the back of the computer just so I am clear:

computer-back-with-titles.jpg


See that long silver plate (vertical) that has all the connectors on it. That is the IO shield. The video outputs on that IO shield are powered by onboard graphics. The small silver vertical plate labelled Graphics card video out ports is the graphics card. The back of your computer should look similar (but obviously not the same), you need your monitor plugged into the graphics card and not the IO shield.

If you are still not sure, can you post a picture of the back of your PC here?

From you last post, it's obvious the OS is aware of your graphics card (760), but it has both the on die and discrete GPU's enabled. There might be a way to force it to use just the discrete graphics card. I'll look into that.
 

NicoleW_

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5gBW2ux


> http://imgur.com/5gBW2ux

Monitor is Dell D2015H(Analog), for whatever reason it came with the pc when I received it - and it didn't fit into anything so I had to get an adapter.

I was planning on getting a new monitor soon so that I wouldn't have to use that, I just haven't gotten the chance to.
 

NicoleW_

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The port has HDMI above it, which is where the adapter is connected. Also I'd like to apologize if I'm making this harder than it should be, I've just never been into tech much.
 

techgeek

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I've had a look at the owners manual and there is an option in the BIOS for selecting the primary video adapter, but I'd like to be sure we have the monitor plugged into the correct place before I discuss that.
 

NicoleW_

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Sorry this picture is rather blurry, but this is the upper half of the ports as shown in the picture above, as stated it's in the HDMI port.

http://imgur.com/9f35sDk
 

techgeek

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That is the wrong port. you need the one down on the silver plate.

Have a look at the picture below:

x51-connect1080.jpg


The port that you have it plugged into is the one covered by the little black cover in the picture. That is the integrated Intel GPU. You need to find the HDMI port on the silver plate on the right hand side of this picture. Your graphics card may not be identical to this one, so you'll either need to find it. or provide a picture of the connectors further down on your computer so I can better direct you.

We are getting there now though.
 
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NicoleW_

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Well, I found it and plugged it in, now my control panel works. I can't believe it was that simple..is there anything else I need to do? Also, THANK YOU! So much, I didn't realize it could be something so simple!
 

techgeek

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There shouldn't be. However if you think you still aren't getting the performance in games that you think you should be, have a look at page 13 of you manual. This is the link that I have for it:

Alienware Manual

Under Advanced - Integrated Devices, there is Primary Display. There should be a few options, you should be able to force your discrete (dedicated, name may be different) graphics card as your primary display adapter.

That said, I think this has sorted it out for you.
 

LaGHard

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Hey, I have the same problem, and I think you are tight, as I have my VGA cable connected to the port which is vertical. In the bottom there are more ports, and thats probably where I should be using my VGA cable. The problem is, the ports at the bottom dont have a VGA entrance, only DVI and HDMI.

Any tips as to what I can do? Cant use my gtx 660 :/
 
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