CPU/Mobo Can we disable dedicated GPU through bios ?

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ms_mahu

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Hi,

On a AMD 780g mainboard, would it be possible to enable/disable a dedicated PCIe graphics card through bios ?

The need: I guess the onboard GPU on this board is enough for normal usage and HD movies and a dedicated GPU will be required only when gaming. So can be disable/enable the addon GPU without actually removing/adding to the PCIe slot so as to reduce the power consumption under normal usage.

Also read somewhere that the 780g board supports crossfire of the onboard GPU with a dedicated GPU. What all ATI series cards are supported for this kind of setup. Also would the video out will be through the onboard port or through PCIe graphics card ?

Thanks
 
I don't think you'll be able to disable it in the bios, but once the softwares ready, then the way it will work is this- in normal desktop usage, the dedicated graphics card will be powered down and you'll be running off the igp, and once you enter 3d mode your high performance card will power up.
And yes, you should be able to run crossfire by pairing up the igp and a dedicated gpu, but it would only make sense if your 2nd gpu was low end.
I'd assume you'd have to connect the monitor through the onboard port, don't see how else it could work.
I think from the 3000series onwards, all the cards should support this setup. But the softwares not ready, so you can't use the feature as yet. But, it's a really cool feature, to be able to turn off your graphics card when you don't need it...good for your temps, bills and most importantly...the environment!
 
I am having this motherboard, onboard graphics is very good, you can set crossfire with 3400 series cards and 3600 series cards in vista only, not in xp.
 
Even if we let go the crossfire part, would we be able to disable a dedicated GPU with out actually removing it from the PCIe slot ?
 
ms_mahu said:
Even if we let go the crossfire part, would we be able to disable a dedicated GPU with out actually removing it from the PCIe slot ?
Click to expand...

I really dont think thats possible; :huh:

May I ask why would u want to disable the external graphics?? Is that for reducing the power consumption and to lower the noise from the fan??

And Hybrid X-Fire works only with Windows Vista as Srini pointed it out. :)
 
IMO you can set the display priority to onboard first and connect your monitor to the onboard connector. But you have to restart the computer to swap the connector between the graphics card and the onboard one.
 
@gannu ... it is primarily for reducing the power consumption only, also to reduce the "woosh" sound from the GPU fan. Actually I don't mind paying up for power consumption when I really need it or there is power to consume. Now that power cuts are very frequent, the rig has to use the UPS or inverter power most of the time. And the dedicated GPU really takes a toll on the backup time.

@kumar, I tried that (but not on a 780g board), but didn't see any change in power consumption when viewed from the APC powerchute.
 
I was simply saying that it was possible to disable the card w/o remooving it physically...not about power consumption.
 
Ok, so I guess this is not possible with the current technologies available.

But I, kind of liked the idea if implemented, use the dedicated GPU only for intense 3D gaming and for normal desktop usage resort to a decent IGP available.
 
ms_mahu said:
Ok, so I guess this is not possible with the current technologies available.
Click to expand...

Technologies are available, drivers not. ATi says that it's possible with Hybrid Crossfire and nVidia with Hybrid SLi. But so far ATi has the hardware ready, it's a matter of getting the software ready to do the job.
 
^^ while the possibilities of hybrid crossfire/SLI along with a software compatibility for switching on/off the dedicated GPU along with the usage needs sound great if implemented, I would be satisfied even without a software support. All I was looking for was and option to disable the add-on GPU or that particular PCIe slot. Whatever option other than to physically remove the add-on card would be fine with me.
 
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