Friend's Alienware

[Aitloian 11]

Google the model number and see if it actually HAS another GPU in it. That'll solve alot of your problems if it doesn't even exist.

[grizzle 21]

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/634586-turn-off-intel-igp-m17x-r3-bios-mod.html - Beware the bios version but this should point you in the right direction.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?&docid=439266 - This is probably helpful too.

[BoomBoom (DayZ) 4]

ever since dell bought alien ware their quality has gone down

alienware use to be good BUT crazy expansive in 2005 but after dell bought them out, well they are just like any other prebuilt

and intergrated gpu is bad really really bad. its literally trash in the eyes of gamer and no self respecting gamer will run an integrated card for gaming ever

The AMD APUs are actually pretty good price/performance. For $400 you can get an entry level gaming laptop.

[Furbz (DayZ) 9]

LOL

[bad_mojo (DayZ) 1204]

Looking at their website(Canadian version) the base graphics card for that model is the GTX 660m.

I suggest you put that high cost to good use and call tech support. I wouldn't stand for that bullshit, you buy an alienware, you want it to play games out of the box.

[mcslaughter 14]

Running the game on low will only put more stress on your friend's CPU rather than his graphics card. There's a great thread over on the Rock, Paper, Shotgun forums that has some information on how to improve performance in ArmA2 here. (It's very extensive and should be very useful in helping your friend calibrate his system so that it doesn't put too much stress on either his CPU or graphics card.)

I'm not a fan of Alienwares, as I believe they are very gimmicky and really serve no purpose but to dissuade people that might want to become PC gamers but are too worried that PCs are far too expensive (Which as we all know is not the case, but everyone believes due to the overpricing of brand name companies such as Alienware or Apple, who don't even put out very good hardware to begin with!), but I hope your friend figures out a way to get his game running a bit more smoothly.

Edited July 13, 2012 by McSlaughter

[Chellger 0]

Just check the fucking bill of that Alienware-Laptop. Normally the specifications of the laptop should be on there. If nothing is on there then you're stuck with the HD 3000. If that is the case, he should just go and kill himself, because, really, then i see no other option. Having an Alienware-Laptop with only much onboard (onchip)-grafic.... I would not want to life anymore.

[Shini (DayZ) 0]

Surely this is just a simple measure of pressing a FN key and pressing one of the F keys to switch between dedicated and discreet, I have an old alienware laptop that had this function. If you still can't find work it out it should be a simple matter for alienware tech support so just ring them.

Edit:

Google says FN+F7 :facepalm:

if that doesn't work just call tech support, I doubt dayZ forums are the best place

Edited July 13, 2012 by Shini

[KField86 237]

I giggle at every person that specifically posts their computer specs in their signatures. OP: Keep looking for a dedicated GPU. Most alienware laptops have one, and like others have said before me, it can be toggled.

[rifter 17]

Slap his shit for wasting his money on over priced crap.

[osirish 165]

Your friend is using discreet graphics (the onboard)

1. There should be an option in BIOS to disable onboard (forcing it to use the main video card)

2. Pressing FN + F7 on desktop should allow your friend to switch between graphics cards.

3. Your friend is using the power save option in power management settings. (check settings and change to high performance)

From what I remember from my previous Alienware, Device Manager did not show both video cards, only the one enabled.

Edited July 13, 2012 by osirish