running monitors off the Igpu

[bazookapanda]

So here's the situation

 

Now aparently I cannot change what GPU renders Wall-Paper Engine can only run on the GPU that "renders" the desktop (https://steamcommunity.com/app/431960/discussions/2/1653297026036887970/)

But I want to run it on my IGPU so would it be possible to run these monitors off my IGPU and than use my primary GPU to run my games. 

 

I have enabled some Igpu setting in bios so i don't know entirely what thats about

 

1. monitor plugged into my GPU with DVI (native 1080p)

1. TV plugged into GPU using hdmi (native 1080p)

1. monitor plugged into my mobo running on my CPU's IGPU with a vga to hdmi adapter (720p running at 1080p)

I have an 8700K with an asus z370-a which has the same ports im currently using (I would use an hdmi to DP connector for the tv which i already have)

[Bombastinator]

So you are attempting to run the desktop and OS off the iGPU while using the discrete GPU to only run games.  My memory is this is frequently not possible.  It might sometimes be.  I don’t know.  Might be app dependent and require some deep knowledge of how win10 works.  I know it’s generally not bothered with because the additional overhead of desktop stuff just isn’t that high.

[WkdPaul]

Yes, make sure to change your BIOS settings to enable the iGPU, usually, when the mobo detects a dGPU, it will disable the iGPU.

 

I have a 8700 and I have 1 monitor driven by the iGPU, and I game on the monitor driven by my 1060.

 

EDIT ;

 

Edited May 27, 2020 by wkdpaul

[Kisai]

5 minutes ago, bazookapanda said:

So here's the situation

 

Now aparently I cannot change what GPU renders Wall-Paper Engine can only run on the GPU that "renders" the desktop (https://steamcommunity.com/app/431960/discussions/2/1653297026036887970/)

But I want to run it on my IGPU so would it be possible to run these monitors off my IGPU and than use my primary GPU to run my games. 

 

I have enabled some Igpu setting in bios so i don't know entirely what thats about

 

1. monitor plugged into my GPU with DVI (native 1080p)

1. TV plugged into GPU using hdmi (native 1080p)

1. monitor plugged into my mobo running on my CPU's IGPU with a vga to hdmi adapter (720p running at 1080p)

I have an 8700K with an asus z370-a which has the same ports im currently using (I would use an hdmi to DP connector for the tv which i already have)

Most of the time, software that is not multi-monitor aware will only run on the GPU that the Primary monitor is attached to. So if you want everything to use the iGPU, the monitor on the iGPU has to be primary. Otherwise use the dGPU for everything.

 

Most software is not multi-GPU aware, and treats additional monitors as though they are running off the GPU that the primary monitor is running from. You can drag windows and stuff to secondary monitors on other GPU's, but they are still being rendered by the primary GPU.

 

In a sense, there is no point having the iGPU enabled unless you have run out of HDMI/DP connectors, or need to use the iGPU's video encoder in tandem with the dGPU's.

[bazookapanda]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

So you are attempting to run the desktop and OS off the iGPU while using the discrete GPU to only run games.  My memory is this is frequently not possible.  It might sometimes be.  I don’t know.  Might be app dependent and require some deep knowledge of how win10 works.  I know it’s generally not bothered with because the additional overhead of desktop stuff just isn’t that high.

Yes I see, my main reason for this is the app for running live wallpapers and the like (wall paper engine) adds like 20% so I just set it to disable when something that operates in full screen (games) it closes but like I also sometimes have a vid like youtube ot twitch running on the tv so if im playing casually I can glance over for a bit and i figure as I just have 1060 6gb with a very miled oc, I could give myself some head room especially for VR stuff 

 

Not the most valid use case but hey, ill probably just try run the tv off the Igpu aswell and see what happens I mean I already have one monitor working like that.

[WkdPaul]

1 minute ago, Kisai said:

In a sense, there is no point having the iGPU enabled unless you have run out of HDMI/DP connectors, or need to use the iGPU's video encoder in tandem with the dGPU's.

or when you're using a vertical GPU bracket on a case that doesn't support it ... I could use the GPU for both monitors, but that would require buying a new adapter ;

[Kisai]

7 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

So you are attempting to run the desktop and OS off the iGPU while using the discrete GPU to only run games.  My memory is this is frequently not possible.  It might sometimes be.  I don’t know.  Might be app dependent and require some deep knowledge of how win10 works.  I know it’s generally not bothered with because the additional overhead of desktop stuff just isn’t that high.

It's possible, it's just not worth the effort.

 

Basically you set the iGPU to be the primary monitor, then everything, including games will default to it. Then in the game, assuming it's configurable at all, you tell it to use the dGPU.

 

The way Windows works is that whatever monitor a game or application is launched on is what runs it. You can override this behavior somewhat with Task Manager, but that's difficult to do when launched from Steam or Epic's launchers since the gamer launcher ALSO needs to be on that monitor.

[bazookapanda]

1 minute ago, Kisai said:

It's possible, it's just not worth the effort.

 

Basically you set the iGPU to be the primary monitor, then everything, including games will default to it. Then in the game, assuming it's configurable at all, you tell it to use the dGPU.

 

The way Windows works is that whatever monitor a game or application is launched on is what runs it. You can override this behavior somewhat with Task Manager, but that's difficult to do when launched from Steam or Epic's launchers since the gamer launcher ALSO needs to be on that monitor.

This was my primary concern as well 

 

also just plugged my tv into the diplay port...port on my mobo and the classic "display isn't active" has one again returned to haunt me

[Kisai]

3 minutes ago, bazookapanda said:

Yes I see, my main reason for this is the app for running live wallpapers and the like (wall paper engine) adds like 20% so I just set it to disable when something that operates in full screen (games) it closes but like I also sometimes have a vid like youtube ot twitch running on the tv so if im playing casually I can glance over for a bit and i figure as I just have 1060 6gb with a very miled oc, I could give myself some head room especially for VR stuff 

 

Not the most valid use case but hey, ill probably just try run the tv off the Igpu aswell and see what happens I mean I already have one monitor working like that.

Yeah, this is not really a good application of it. You can in theory make this work, but only if you're not full-screen. Full-screen will usually flake out if you try to do anything with the other screen, and usually the mouse behavior will not work correctly, especially if the secondary monitor isn't the same resolution, refresh rate and HiDPI setting.

 

What you really want, and is much cheaper, is put a chromecast on that other screen, and then control it via a smartphone if you're just passively watching/listening to it. Plug the audio (line out) from that screen/tv into the line-in of your PC if you want to listen to it with one headset.

 

[bazookapanda]

Well since it is sandwiched by my two displays it is a very use full display for productivity.

 

A good idea though but id have to figure out away to run the chromecast as a ghost monitor so id be able to move applications easily but unfortunatly this still wouldnt really solve the problem of Wallpaper engine keeping my gpu at 20% idle

 

plus id probably loose windows virtual desktop functionality  

[Kisai]

4 hours ago, bazookapanda said:

Well since it is sandwiched by my two displays it is a very use full display for productivity.

 

A good idea though but id have to figure out away to run the chromecast as a ghost monitor so id be able to move applications easily but unfortunatly this still wouldnt really solve the problem of Wallpaper engine keeping my gpu at 20% idle

 

plus id probably loose windows virtual desktop functionality  

You're going to have to make a decision. There's two solutions:

A) Use only the dGPU alone

or

B) Use only the iGPU, the BIOS will have to be told to have "multi-monitor" support or something, at least that's what it is called in ASRock's bios. Then manually set every game to use dGPU like you would on a laptop. Desktops are not really designed to do this, which is why it's such a hassle.

 

[bazookapanda]

I guess ill just run the single monitor off the igpu and everything else off the dedicated card

 

thanks for the input 

[Bombastinator]

42 minutes ago, bazookapanda said:

I guess ill just run the single monitor off the igpu and everything else off the dedicated card

 

thanks for the input 

If you can do even that.  The problem again is most apps are not multi gpu aware

[bazookapanda]

21 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

If you can do even that.  The problem again is most apps are not multi gpu aware

Yes but my main displays are on the dedicated cad so any all and most apps should run off my dedicated gpu and not the igpu on my cpu 

 

At least as i understand it (which is minimally but still) 

[Bombastinator]

8 minutes ago, bazookapanda said:

Yes but my main displays are on the dedicated cad so any all and most apps should run off my dedicated gpu and not the igpu on my cpu 

 

At least as i understand it (which is minimally but still) 

Unless they decide not to because they don’t know any better.  My suspicion is this may be random.  I don’t know what will happen but I suspect there will be at least a few problems.  Maybe a lot.  Myself I haven’t used my iGPU for anything but debugging.

[bazookapanda]

I'm not sure but it seems for the games iv'e ran since moving that display over they pick the dedicated card but yea it remains to be seen whether or not that is a consistent theme 

 

All being said in this post i'm still ware of reverting to running all displays off my Egpu as enough ports to run these displays without adapting my TV HDMI to a DVI and my VGA to an HDMI specifically because sometimes I get this "display isn't active" nonsense 

 

Feel free to leave more comments on this post

i'd be interested to see what experience people have had with this weird useless endeavor. 

 

Thanks