Regarding VirtuMVP

[nikhilmitta]

Can someone please explain be the setting to use VirtuMVP for

1) Optimum performance
2) Optimum power consumption.

I thought the GC would switch off during basic tasks even when the video cable is connected to the GC and the display would come through the IGP.

The only option for me to play games with decent FPS is by changing the 'default Init' in BIOS from IGFX to Auto and the connecting the video cable to the GC. Wouldn't this lead to higher power consumption when not playing games?

I am using a Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H mobo.

 

[10hellfire01]

I only have a basic understanding of Lucid myself. I've been researching on it since I'm moving to a GA-Z77X-UD5H very soon.

Trying to get optimum performance and optimum power consumption...its contradictory. With Lucid you should have two available modes: i- and d-. I'll answer your question first then explain if you want to read it. Yes, using the GPU header and setting the iGPU to auto, using Lucid, will require more power. You are using the GPU for all tasks.

--■--i-mode, literally what it's called iirc, will use the iGPU for all operations, including desktop usage, and will get assistance from the dedicated GPU when it calls for it (so usually 3D applications, etc.). You will use the motherboard VGA/DVI/HDMI header.
■--d-mode, uses the dedicated GPU for all tasks, as if you never had the iGPU. Using this, its best to set the iGPU to auto. (This is where the output is plugged into the GPU, rather than the motherboard header). For 3D heavy applications and the such, the iGPU will kick in and lend a bit of help where it can.

i-mode is technically the best with regards to power consumption, while d-mode should be the best with performance. However, that too is tricky. While technically you should get better performance with d-mode, or even i-mode, rather than not using anything, sometimes it may hinder performance and you're better off not using Lucid at all. I saw this article posted by someone else around here.

With the article, it was concerning Z68 and Sandy Bridge. There have since been updates for Lucid since, as well as the whole new Z77 chip. If this matter still holds true, I'm unsure. Ultimately, you have to test each mode and see which you're happiest with. Depending on the GPU you have, the increase in power consumption really won't be all that much more while in idle. Or you just go about it the long way, and when you want to play a game, got to BIOS, toggle it to auto, move your output (whatever cord you use) to the GPU. When you're not playing games, do it the other way.

 

[nikhilmitta]

First of all, thanks for replying. I had lost faith in the forums for a bit .

The i and d modes seem to be irrelevant when I have 'IGFX' selected in BIOS for the Init thing under peripherals. The signal doesnt seem to 'come through' when I have IGFX in BIOS and run the game in d mode through the VirtuMVP software.

What I would really like, and the reason I bought a VirtuMVP enabled board is :

I want to connect the monitor through the iGPU. Disable dGPU when not playing games. Enable it when playing games and the performance of the dGPU should come through the iGPU.

I need the BIOS settings for this scenario to be possible.

Good luck with your UD5H.
Do post back if you find the ideal configuration on it.

P.S. What is the difference between Rev 1.0 boards and Rev 1.1 boards.

 

[10hellfire01]

No problem, I normally don't hang out in the motherboard section much is all

The iGPU is IGFX, not sure if you know that or not. Two names for the same thing.

The i and d modes seem to be irrelevant when I have 'IGFX' selected in BIOS for the Init thing under peripherals. The signal doesnt seem to 'come through' when I have IGFX in BIOS and run the game in d mode through the VirtuMVP software

If I understand what you mean, you are correct. The signal will not come through for d-mode if the output is hooked up to the motherboard. IF the output is hooked up to the dedicated, i-mode will not be possible. I'm assuming they quite literally mean integrated-mode and dedicated-mode.


To use the iGPU/IGFX primarily aka i-mode: <--What you asked for

Make sure VGA/HDMI/DVI is hooked up to motherboard output
Boot to BIOS
IGFX (aka iGPU) to "On" or "Enabled", whatever term it uses. Not "Auto"/"Off".
Somewhere should be an option for the Dedicated GPU. Set this to "Auto". If there is no "Auto", set it to "On"/"Enabled". Not "Off"/"Disabled".

When you boot to Windows:
[cpp]Set each profile for each game (should be on of the tabs in the Lucid program) to i-mode, by use of check boxes. You shouldn't have to uncheck d-mode, but you may try if you wish. It's not possible for d-mode to work in this case anyways.
Make sure Lucid is on, play your game.[/cpp]
***If you want to make sure the GPU isn't used at all while say on Desktop, turn Lucid, itself, off in its program menu, and vice versa to play games.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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To use the dedicated GPU primarily aka d-mode:
[cpp]Hook up your HDMI/VGA/DVI to the dedicated GPU output
In BIOS, set the IGFX to Auto. Not "Off"/"Enabled".
Enable the Dedicated GPU, "Enabled" or "On", not "Auto"/"Off".[/cpp]
When you boot to Windows:
[cpp]Put a check mark under d-mode for each game you want.
Disable Lucid in its program menu to disable the use of the iGPU while in games.[/cpp]


However, if a game refuses to load or work properly with Lucid on, you can try d-mode instead or i-mode. A game may work fine under one mode, and refuses to work under the other. If that still doesn't work, you'll have to only use the low-end iGPU, or the dedicated GPU in your case. Whenever you are using Lucid in a game, regardless of its mode, make sure its not lowering your performance. There's that chance, so then its best not to use it, disable IGFX in the BIOS, enable the GPU, and play with the dedicated GPU only. You can use FRAPS, RivaTuner, or MSI Afterburner (my favorite) to monitor frames per second.

Good luck with your UD5H.
Do post back if you find the ideal configuration on it.

Thanks! I'll try...but what may work for me may not work for you. Like some people experience bugs in games, and others don't I'm primarily going to test mostly d-mode. I can care less about my power usage I may give i-mode a quick go at, but won't be expecting much from it. In i-mode, I won't be able to use my 3D Vision, part of me not caring much for it due to that.

P.S. What is the difference between Rev 1.0 boards and Rev 1.1 boards.

Usually its updates to the BIOS, and generally big stability improvements and such. Sometimes things are added or removed, such as 2 more USBs are added while 1 SATA is removed. Most of the time its only improvements to software/firmware though. Board by board basis though as you see

 

[nikhilmitta]

Thanks for replying.

I feel a bit disappointed with the board now.
Had I known earlier that I would need to keep changing BIOS options and switching cables, I would have gone for a normal motherboard where I could have done the same thing.

I still think there is something wrong that I am doing though. Surely VirtuMVP has some benefits.

 

[10hellfire01]

You can try and set IGFX and the dedicated to auto and see for it may function properly. Won't have to bother with the BIOS each time.

And I know what you mean. It's made out to be this awesome technology, and it is, but it's functions are still very limited and stability is wonky. But it is a Hybrid Crossfire/SLI like tech, which also had its share of problems. What I love so much about Lucid is the ability to combine different GPUs, AMD and Nvidia. That's what it was originally made to do. Not sure if the programming still allows that today for these boards.

I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt since it's relatively new still. It has improved since it released a few years ago, but still has a long way to go. It's not like the Intel 4000 iGPU's in these CPUs are all that powerful, so you're not really missing a whole lot.

 

[nikhilmitta]

I don't see a separate option for the 'Init' thing.
The options are

1) Auto
2) IGFX
3) PCI

There are two options that I can't remember. The description in the right side mentions another option that doesn't exist.

And by the way, I couldnt flash my BIOS to the latest version downloaded from their site. It said I couldn't do it from 64 bit windows.

I don't have separate settings for the onboard and discrete cards.

 

[10hellfire01]

Try leaving it on Auto, and see if both kick in when in a game under i-mode. It'll have to one way or another since the board is capable.

If you wanna flash your BIOS to the latest (F18, not F19e), just make sure you get it from the right revision page. Make sure your flash drive is FAT32 format (it has to so you can flash aka bootable). If it isn't, backup what may be on it, place it somewhere else temporarily, and format to FAT32.

If it is already FAT32, backup what is on it and put it elsewhere.

Now, run that .exe you downloaded, what is your BIOS download. Launch it and it should self-extract. If it doesn't, get 7-zip and install it. It will allow you to self-extract it. Three new files will appear:
autoexec.bat
Efiflash.exe
z77xud3h.f18

^^^^ Put ONLY z77xud3h.f18 in your FAT32 flash drive, alone. You won't need the .exe you downloaded, only the newly created .f18 file.

We will use Q-Flash. You tried using @BIOS I believe which is done through windows, and has bricked many motherboards.
You can refer to this instruction PDF or this blog post by Gigabyte associates (this one is better imo).

Connect your flash drive, and reboot. Choose one of the following to enter Q-Flash:
- Press the END key during POST
or
- Enter BIOS and hit F8

Select "Update BIOS from Drive", select the drive you want to update from, in this case it will be your Flash Drive. It may appear as HDD or so. Select the .f18 file and press Enter on it to run. When finished, if it prompts you, reboot. Boot into BIOS again and select Load Optimized Defaults. Save and boot again, and finished. You can redo your BIOS settings as you wish after.