2010 i5 MBP using nvidia gfx at boot?

[stefan1975]

hi,

i was under the impression that the optimus like gfx switching on the new mbp's only enables the nvidia 330m when it is needed.

However every time i boot my laptop and log in gfxcardstatus reports it is using the nvidia card before switching it forcibly to 'intel only' for me.

why would it boot on nvidia? does it use this at the login screen as well? i can imagine this using unneeded battery time.

thanks

 

[bamf]

What, if anything, do you have in your login items? I'm guessing that something you are starting is causing the 330m to kick in. What does gfxCardStatus have as the dependencies for the 300m?

 

[stefan1975]

well my autostart apps only contain gfxcardstatus, growl and totalfinder. none of which seem to need the 330m. i thought gfxcardstatus would cause the mbp to run less on the nvidia instead of more.

i can disable the gfx growl notifications of course, i just would like to know why it defaults to nvidia at boot/login.

 

[neondrgns]

do you really care about the maybe 10 seconds of battery time you would save

 

[stefan1975]

no i dont care about it, i just think it is odd and would like to know why. i was under the impression the 330m kicks in when needed only and at first login it doesnt seem logical that it needs the 330m yet.

 

[mulo]

do you really care about the maybe 10 seconds of battery time you would save

ignorance must be blizz

I get 8 hours using Intel HD, 4-5 hours using the 330m

 

[neondrgns]

ignorance must be blizz

I get 8 hours using Intel HD, 4-5 hours using the 330m

what your ignorance?
He said his 330m was only on for the like split second it takes for him to bootup and then it switches into the intel gpu

learn to read before making snotty comments

I am not sure but its logical that all mbps bootup with nvidia 330m much like how bootcamp boots directly into the 330m and stays there. It simply comes down to a choice by apple. Do you want to bootup at 330m and scale down or boot into intel and scale up? Do you want to start with a dim screen and brighten up or do you want to start with a bright screen and dim down? If it boots with a dim screen it'll probably save more power, but it would look like crap. The desktop uses your gpu so it is probably faster to load into it with a 330m and then scale it down when everything is set.

 

[bitninja]

hi,

i was under the impression that the optimus like gfx switching on the new mbp's only enables the nvidia 330m when it is needed.

However every time i boot my laptop and log in gfxcardstatus reports it is using the nvidia card before switching it forcibly to 'intel only' for me.

why would it boot on nvidia? does it use this at the login screen as well? i can imagine this using unneeded battery time.

thanks

Hey Stefan,

If you last used 'Intel Only' mode, you'll notice that in System Prefs, automatic graphics switching is disabled, as if the 330M card should be turned on. Since that setting persists across reboots, OS X thinks the 330M should be used when it boots, but then as soon as gfxCardStatus starts, it puts OS X in its place and forces on the Intel HD card. If you had dynamic switching enabled, you would see the behavior you're expecting.

Hope that makes sense! Enjoy gfxCardStatus.

Cody

 

[stefan1975]

Hey Stefan,

If you last used 'Intel Only' mode, you'll notice that in System Prefs, automatic graphics switching is disabled, as if the 330M card should be turned on. Since that setting persists across reboots, OS X thinks the 330M should be used when it boots, but then as soon as gfxCardStatus starts, it puts OS X in its place and forces on the Intel HD card. If you had dynamic switching enabled, you would see the behavior you're expecting.

Hope that makes sense! Enjoy gfxCardStatus.

Cody

now that actually makes a lot of sense. thanks a lot!