Public bug reported: I have a Dell Insprion 14z (Inspiron 5423) and I'm running 13.04. The machine has an Intel 4000 HD and Radeon 7550M/7570M/7650M
By default, both graphics cards are powered up, even though only the integrated Intel is used: $ sudo cat /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch 0:DIS: :Pwr:0000:02:00.0 1:IGD:+:Pwr:0000:00:02.0 The same was the case in 12.10. By default, the machine heats up terribly and the fan blasts full-tilt, with battery life affected. Each time that I reinstall Ubuntu, I have to manually edit /etc/rc.local to add the following above the "exit 0": echo IGD > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch As far as I can tell, this makes no difference to performance, as by default the ATi/AMD card isn't doing anything anyway. I appreciate that, long term, the problem will hopefully be solved by powering up the discrete card as-needed and switching to that, but until we reach hybrid graphics Nirvana, perhaps the sensible option is to just turn off the discrete cards by default. I assume that it takes some jiggery-pokery to make the discrete card do anything, so adding another step to that seems less important than making sure that machines in the default setup don't overheat and have poor battery life. With the new Intel chips/drivers, they are actually a pretty good option anyway - I'm driving a 1900x1200 external monitor off mine, along with the 720p laptop monitor. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04 Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu4 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-19.29-generic 3.8.8 Uname: Linux 3.8.0-19-generic x86_64 .tmp.unity.support.test.0: ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8 Architecture: amd64 CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins' CompositorRunning: compiz CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0' CompositorUnredirectFSW: true Date: Fri Apr 26 22:34:26 2013 DistUpgraded: Fresh install DistroCodename: raring DistroVariant: ubuntu EcryptfsInUse: Yes ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes GraphicsCard: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller [8086:0166] (rev 09) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:057f] Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI Thames [Radeon 7550M/7570M/7650M] [1002:6841] (rev ff) (prog-if ff) InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-04-26 (0 days ago) InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424) MachineType: Dell Inc. Inspiron 5423 MarkForUpload: True ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-3.8.0-19-generic root=UUID=e429a76e-75c0-44b9-90d4-a75ee21d98a2 ro quiet splash SourcePackage: xorg UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install) dmi.bios.date: 08/03/2012 dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.bios.version: A03 dmi.board.name: 0RMVR3 dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.board.version: A03 dmi.chassis.type: 8 dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.chassis.version: Not Specified dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA03:bd08/03/2012:svnDellInc.:pnInspiron5423:pvrNotSpecified:rvnDellInc.:rn0RMVR3:rvrA03:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvrNotSpecified: dmi.product.name: Inspiron 5423 dmi.product.version: Not Specified dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc. version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.9~daily13.04.18.1~13.04-0ubuntu1 version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.43-0ubuntu1 version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 9.1.1-0ubuntu3 version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 9.1.1-0ubuntu3 version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.13.3-0ubuntu6 version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.7.3-0ubuntu2b2 version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.1.0-0ubuntu2 version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.21.6-0ubuntu4 version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.7-0ubuntu1 ** Affects: xorg (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: amd64 apport-bug compiz-0.9 raring ubuntu -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu-X, which is subscribed to xorg in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1173393 Title: Both my IGD Intel 4000HD and discrete ATi Radeon are powered on by default To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/1173393/+subscriptions _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat Post to : ubuntu-x-swat@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp