# [solved] disable ATI card (in a hybrid laptop)

## lordalbert

Hi,

in order to increase the battery time and to improve cooling, i'd like to disable ati video card, and use only the Intel integrated. Sometimes it is possible disable it in the BIOS, but i can't.

So, can i, in gentoo, power off the ati card and use only intel?

Thank youLast edited by lordalbert on Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## khayyam

 *lordalbert wrote:*   

> in order to increase the battery time and to improve cooling, i'd like to disable ati video card, and use only the Intel integrated. Sometimes it is possible disable it in the BIOS, but i can't. So, can i, in gentoo, power off the ati card and use only intel?

 

lordalbert ... you have VGA_SWITCHEROO enabled?

/etc/local.d/vgaswitcheroo.start

```
#!/bin/sh

echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
```

HTH & best ... khay

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## lordalbert

 *khayyam wrote:*   

>  *lordalbert wrote:*   in order to increase the battery time and to improve cooling, i'd like to disable ati video card, and use only the Intel integrated. Sometimes it is possible disable it in the BIOS, but i can't. So, can i, in gentoo, power off the ati card and use only intel? 
> 
> lordalbert ... you have VGA_SWITCHEROO enabled?
> 
> /etc/local.d/vgaswitcheroo.start
> ...

 

seems i haven't switcheroo on the system

```

$ locate vgaswitcheroo

$ 

```

I searched it in portage, but i can't find it (with that name, or similar)

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## khayyam

lordalbert ...

its a kernel option (hence capitalisation).

```
# grep VGA_SWITCHEROO /usr/src/linux/.config
```

best ... khay

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## lordalbert

it is enabled

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> $ grep VGA_SWITCHEROO /usr/src/linux/.config
> 
> CONFIG_VGA_SWITCHEROO=y
> ...

 

So, can i just create the missing file  /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch  or it must be created by another script?

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## khayyam

 *lordalbert wrote:*   

> So, can i just create the missing file /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch or it must be created by another script?

 

lordalbert ... I'd expect it to exist if debugfs is mounted.

```
# grep DEBUG_FS /usr/src/linux/.config

# mount -t debugfs debugfs /sys/kernel/debug
```

best ... khay

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## lordalbert

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> $ grep DEBUG_FS /usr/src/linux/.configb
> 
> CONFIG_DEBUG_FS=y
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # mount -t debugfs debugfs /sys/kernel/debug
> 
> mount: debugfs is already mounted or /sys/kernel/debug busy                                                                                                                                                                      
> ...

 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # mount | grep debugfs
> 
> debugfs on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime)
> ...

 

Debugfs is mounted. But i haven't vgaswitcheroo directory/files   :Confused: 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> # ls /sys/kernel/debug/ 
> 
> acpi  bdi  boot_params  clk  dma_buf  dri  extfrag  hid  ieee80211  kprobes  mce  mei  pinctrl  pkg_temp_thermal  sleep_time  suspend_stats  tracing  usb  wakeup_sources  x86
> ...

 

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## khayyam

 *lordalbert wrote:*   

> Debugfs is mounted. But i haven't vgaswitcheroo directory/files

 

lordalbert ... no idea then, perhaps vgaswitcheroo requires some parameter passed in order to enable (unlikely).

best ... khay

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## lordalbert

ok, i found this on askubuntu:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> If you are not using the open-source radeon driver (or the nouveau driver in case of nvidia hardware), there won't be a /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch file. (ignoring hacks like asus-switcheroo and byo-switcheroo). Disabling KMS ("modeset=0") turns off this functionality too.
> 
> 

 

Now i'm using fglrx drivers. I'll change it to opensource one and then try it.

UPDATE: In order to have /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch file, you need to use radeon (open-source) driver AND have linux-firmware insalled.

With radeon driver, kwin crash! Now i try to power-off ATI card, and use only intel...

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## Fitzcarraldo

I remembered reading about configuring Gentoo to switch between FGLRX and Intel: Fglrx-hybrid-graphics.

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## lordalbert

I discover i can use only the intel card also with fglrx driver.

Using fglrx driver, run as root /opt/bin/amdcccle  (the Catalyst Control Center gui) and you can switch video card  :Smile: 

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## Fitzcarraldo

Well, I never. Good to know!

http://digitizor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/catalyst.jpeg

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## veryfatcat

I solved the same problem by - 

1) Clear xorg.conf

2) Reset X server from the start - I followed https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Xorg/Configuration

3) Use Intel drivers initially (do not enable any radeon driver)

4) Then follow http://gentoo-en.vfose.ru/wiki/Fglrx-hybrid-graphics

5) Make sure I `emerge --ask --changed-use --deep @world` whenever needed (in above wiki articles)

So far - I can use the amdcccle, or switch between graphic cards with command line.

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