Ubuntu – How to disable intel graphics in a hybrid graphics setup

intel graphicsnvidiaxorg

I have a Dell Vostro 3700 version A10.

The relevant bits from lspci -v | grep VGA are:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 18)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GT216 [GeForce GT 330M] (rev a2)

So as you can see this is one of those hybrid graphics laptops. Now, I have no interest in any kind of switching. I would like to completely disable the Intel Graphics thats on the processor.

I checked in the xorg.log file and it shows that the intel card is in use.

From lsmod I see it uses the i915 module. I tried blacklisting that module in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf but that didn't really work because i still couldn't use the nvidia card for display.

I wish there was a BIOS option to disable, but there isn't. Some people have also suggested changing the SATA mode to compatibility, but that does not work either in this case as the intel vga controller still shows up in lspci

I tried setting the busid manually in the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file but it still didn't work. It gave me an error that said something along the lines of screen not detected. any bits of xorg.log that you'd like me to attach?

So what I am looking for is some solution that allows me to completely disable the use of the intel vga controller. if it was blocked somehow it'd be nice. as if it were not present. Any suggestions? I am desperate here actually. Because I cannot use the HDMI port right now on my laptop for that reason.

My guess is this applies to desktops that also have Core i5 processors with onchip graphics as well as dedicated graphics cards. How would they go about solving the problem?

Best Answer

You can try vga_switcheroo. 

cd /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo
cat switch #to see which card is active. Pwr - powered on, Off-powered off, "+" - active card.
echo OFF>switch #to power off inactive card
echo ON>switch #to power on inactive card
echo DIS>switch #to switch to discrete card immediatly(not work with X started)
echo DDIS>switch #to switch to discrete card after X restart
echo IGD>switch #to switch to integrated card immediatly(not work with X started)
echo DIGD>switch #to switch to integrated card after X restart

Works only with open-source i915 and nouveau drivers. I have the same notebook, and it is only power ON and OFF works for me.

P.S. As I remember(not sure) A08 BIOS has "Hybrid Graphic" option. But i cant rollback to older BIOS version to check it.

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