Virtu MVP doesn't work in i-mode! Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH

[MacWinUser]

Hello everyone!

i'm in a bit of a trouble here, been struggling for 15 hours to fix it and i think my head's going to explode, googled myself to dust

the setup:
Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH
EVGA 660Ti
Apple Thunderbolt Display connected to mobo

latest nvidia drivers
latest intel drivers (inf and video)
latest virtu
windows 8 x64 clean install

BIOS:
display init first is set to IGFX
intel graphics enabled

the problem:
Virtu says that everything's fine, all green and enabled

but when i open the game, it just opens with intel graphics only (no virtu logo and poor performance)

the research:
hooked up an old VGA monitor to discrete graphic card, booted to windows, launched "the game" and virtu works! so it's a problem with i-mode, not with d-mode

next, i hooked up the same monitor to mobo's VGA out, Virtu still doesn't work. So it's not a thunderbolt issue

maybe that's the Steam issue, but unfortunately i don't have any non-steam games right now. i added steam.exe and GameOverlayUI.exe to virtu and checked the i-mode for all of them (by the way, what's the "H" checkbox?) but it didn't help

so again: MVP enabled, all green. but games run with internal graphics only. no errors, no glitches, no blackouts or freezes. dGPU just doesn't join the party.

Please help!

P.S.: i have a pretty slow internet right now, can you advice some 100% virtu supported free game that doesn't weight much?

Hi, i registered just to share with you my experience. 3 days ago, i assembled my built with the following:

Silverstone TJ-08e
Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H TH (MX version with thunderbolt display)
Sapphire HD 7970 3GB Dual-X OC ready version
Plextor M5 Pro 128 SSD
Toshiba SATA 750GB (from my recently purchased Mac)
Corsair Vengence 1600 MHz DDR3 8 GB x 2
Corsair H80i
Apple Thunderbolt display ( my one and only display that i already have)

My setup is:

thunderbolt port on motherboard to thunderbolt port at the back of the display via a purchased thunderbolt cable from apple. (The non- removable thunderbolt cable is still attached to my macbook and as long as its not powered on, it will not cause problems.


Short Story: Lucid MVP worked for me while gaming eventually. I have played the following 3 steam games (Borderlands 2, Far Cry 3, Sleeping Dogs) so far and none of them are optimised in Lucid MVP and i have to add them manually.

Long Story:

1st round:
Lucid wasn't my problem initially, it was my SSD giving me BSOD after i clean install windows 7 and install Gigabyte Drivers (from the CD) including Intel 4000 graphic drivers and such, ultilities. After which, i reboot and try to install the drivers from the CD for the sapphire card. I couldn't finish installing cos my screen hangs and BSOD appears. After which, BIOs can't detect my SSD unless i power off and on. I managed to install Lucid as the last step before BSOD strikes. However, it couldn't start and give a error message .

...after many rounds of clean install again and again and troubleshooting, this is what worked for me for both SSD problem and Lucid problem.

1. Install Windows
2. Install discrete drivers
3. Install SELECTIVE drivers from Gigabyte website. (i can't remember exactly, but i know i skipped the
Intel Intel® Rapid Storage Technology
Intel SATA Preinstall driver
USB 3.0 Drivers
Intel Management Engine Interface 8.1.0.1263
Intel INF installation

I didn't install any single utility from gigabyte.
4. Install Lucid and it opened.

I went on to transfer my steamapp folder to my new computer and test out.
First was borderlands 2. On first run, not knowing it wasn't in Lucid MVP's list it lagged badly. After some googling, i realise i I have to manually add the application location to Lucid, not the shortcut location as its not "certified by them. I have it on 'D' mode. ( I don't suppose you added the shortcut of your game right? )
The 'H' is Hybrid, 'D' is Discrete, 'I' is Integrated Card
I fired up the game again and max out all settings and it runs great. I have the lucid MVP logo display on the top left so i know i am running on Lucid
The 'H' is Hybrid, 'D' is Discrete, 'I' is Integrated Card.

After that, i tested both Far cry 3 and sleeping dogs with max settings. Far Cry 3 multi player mode on max setting is perfect to the eye. Sleeping dog is not that good. I think around 15-20 fps on max. I have to dial down 1 level to play at at least 30fps.

Honestly, i don't dare to update any other drivers fearing SSD problems again.

My only problems are:

Corsair H80i - Cannot control the 2nd fan speed from the Corsairlink 2.2
Cannot see GPU-Z, Sapphire Trixx sensors on my graphic card. Temperature stated is 0 degrees.
3Dmark11 crashes before it starts
Furmark cannot be run.

I guess its because i am connecting to the motherboard's thunderbolt port and relying on Lucid.

If you have further questions, please let me know how i can help.