Eco mode / brightness controls on NVidia GPUs

[seerge]

Notice for users who sometimes(!) can't turn on Eco mode or adjust screen brightness

There is a known issue with the Nvidia Drivers / Windows that occurs if you shutdown or restart a system with dGPU disabled (Eco mode or Optimized mode on battery).

This situation can happen for BOTH Armoury Crate and G-Helper

as it doesn't depend on them in a first place

Scenario to reproduce (for both AC / GH):

1. Set Eco mode and shutdown / start or reboot your computer
2. After booting in Eco set Standard -> brightness controls may not work
3. Try to set Eco mode -> it won't work
4. G-Helper would offer you to restart GPU in Device Manager, after that you will be able to set Eco, AC won't be able to do anything

To prevent this from happening

• For G14 2023 G-Helper by default would try to enable dGPU before each shutdown / restart
• For other devices go to Extra -> Enable GPU on shutdown

Change is live in latest release

P.S. Looks like using this "workaround" also fixes not working GPU fan on some old models (like old G14, G15 or TUFs) who suffer from that!

[joe-700]

Can you implement the feature to re-select the last mode, i.e. if shutdown from eco/optimised it will go back to eco/optimised on reboot?

[seerge]

Optimized will be remembered and act as it always acts on boot - i.e. enable gpu on power / disable on battery.

As for the eco - I have intentionally turned that off, as it may be a bit too invasive given this workaround is enabled by default

[XyKER1]

I'm also having a similar issue on my TUF F15 2022, so I would love to see this workaround enabled for this model too. It's slightly different in that I can't set Eco mode without restarting dGPU, which causes the dGPU to be disabled until I restart Windows (even if I put it back in standard mode, the dGPU doesn't appear in task manager).

[seerge]

Hello, thanks for the video. I think the problem is not in a powershell command to restart GPU, but in generally bugged (BIOS?) behavior with not being able to disable ot or enable.

Can you try following

1. Reach same stage when you click Eco and it tries to disable it, fails and offers to "restart in device manager".
2. Click NO
3. Run powershell command manually instead

I bet outcome will be exactly the same as if you would let app run it.

P.S. Do I understand correctly, that if you restart gpu in device manager preventively (in advance) - then switching to Eco goes well after that ?

[ColdPopeye]

Just as an FYI on the X13 the dGPU also disappears from the device manager when you set Eco but then it reappears when you switch back to Standard or Optimized. It doesn't get disabled. But now with the latest fix it works without issue.

[seerge]

@ColdPopeye disappearing from device manager when Eco is on is absolutely normal behavior :)) BIOS powers dGPU off completely, so it's not detectable by windows anymore :) this is how it should be.

[XyKER1]

@seerge So it turns out I had Armoury Crate Control Interface in the BIOS disabled from when I was trying to fix the EDP throttling issue, and re-enabling this fixed the Eco mode issue. I completely forgot this was disabled, and since fan control was still working, didn't know it was the issue.

[seerge]

@XyKER1 that's a good find :) Glad you don't have the issue anymore then

[ColdPopeye]

The same issue seems to be present also on the new rog flow (2023).
Edit:
Tried to reproduce the steps. Set on Eco - reboot.
Once rebooted the change to standard puts the display to 100% brightness and no brightness control possible.
If i change back to Eco in GHelper it works and the brightness goes back to normal and is controllable. (not the same as for G14)

[ColdPopeye]

Yes if I switch to standard before the shutdown/restart is fine. I assume is bios/driver too. If you make the switch available for the Rog Flow X13 I can give it a try. If you need help testing things let me know.

[ColdPopeye]

I think is a different series, I don't see the option with the new version. Or maybe is because of region name.

[seerge]

Sorry, my bad, try this build
GHelper.zip

[ColdPopeye]

Beautiful, thank you. I checked the box and will see how it goes. First reboot seems to work.

[seerge]

Let me know if enabling gpu every time is too invasive or not. As it's possible to consider making this option selected ON by default for all GV302 serie

[cheskyx]

Could you, please, add power profiles which can be set up for selected apps, for example : BLENDER - Turbo, Win desktop - silent etc.

[CodeRunner42]

Any possibility for this option to be brought to other G series devices? I have a 2023 G16 and it has the same problems. It also seems if your device goes to sleep with the iGPU it allows you to switch modes and still change brightness on the iGPU.

Edit: I've tried to reproduce the error while plugged in, it still allows you to change GPU modes back to eco, however brightness controls are still broken on standard.

[CodeRunner42]

Can you replicate scenario explained in main post? If so - is it constant and happens each time?

The scenario can be replicated, only difference is that I can still switch between eco and standard when rebooted with brightness controls working on eco, but not carrying over to standard.

Does shutting down laptop in Standard mode "solve" it?

Yes, full brightness controls are regained once rebooting using standard mode.

Not sure if this would happen with AC as well as I'm dumped it in exchange for a much better experience with GHelper.

[seerge]

That's quite strange, cause I had G16 (both Zephyrus and Strix) and didn't encounter that. What exact model do you have ? I can add it to the list of ones with the "fix" available

[CodeRunner42]

It's a Zephyrus G16 GU603VV-BS91-CB running Win 11 22H2. May be a driver issue between intel UHD and GeForce but I'm none the wiser as they're all up to date and functioning properly. Thanks for the hard work.

[seerge]

I have added your model to the list of supported models, but honestly (given that you don't have problems with disabling enabling Eco) i think it's not your case ...

Check this build

GHelper.zip

[CodeRunner42]

Build works perfectly with first restart. Thanks for your work.

[narker]

I'm encountering a similar issue with my x13 2022 which when I power up the device after letting it sleep in eco mode I find the AMD igpu disabled in device manager (error 22). Then when I enable it I encounter error 31 followed by error 43.

[narker]

would that mean switching to standard mode before shutdown?

[seerge]

Yes, if you do that - and after you don't experience any issues, I can add your model to the list where g-helper can do that for you automatically )

[narker]

That seems to have fixed the problem.

[narker]

The driver issue only happens when the laptop is put to sleep from eco mode. Please add the 2022 x13 to the list with the fix.

[seerge]

GHelper.zip

I have added your model to the list, but please keep in mind, that when laptop turns off in sleep - all apps are suspended by windows, so most probably even g-helper won't turn dGPU on :)

[ChrisG661]

I am also having this issue when my 2023 X13 shuts down while in Eco mode, but instead of using the Enable GPU on shutdown workaround, I only restarted the NVIDIA Display Container LS Service after switching back to Standard mode to gain brightness control as mentioned by AudreyAP in this issue. Maybe this can be another workaround instead of enabling the GPU on shutdown? I do not know if other models would work this way or if any other servies also requires restarting though.

[seerge]

@ChrisG661 I was trying that, but it didn't solve "main" issue, inability to turn on Eco mode again for me (on G14 2023 and G16 2023 where I've tested this)

[MrxSiN]

Would this fix gpu fan not spinning after shutdown with fast startup enable in eco/optimized mode?

[seerge]

@MrxSiN you can try :) if the reason for that thing was rebooting in Eco mode (i.e. with GPU disabled) - then it may help you

[MrxSiN]

Unfortunately, it still not spinning. Still need a restart.

[seerge]

Hello everyone in this thread,

I'm now testing G14 2024, and it seems like it doesn't suffer from this "Shutdown in Eco mode" issue at all.

I'm able to shutdown device in Eco, start over and switch Standard <-->Eco any number of times w/o any issues.

I run latest official Nvidia drivers tho. Can you confirm it's "fixed" now ? or is it only 2024 models

[joe-700]

Hi Seerge, I've tested this today and the issue is still there on my 2023 G14 4080. I'm running the latest BIOS and drivers:
BIOS - GA402XZ.316
NVIDIA - 31.0.15.5176
AMD - 31.0.24019.1006

[seerge]

Then it could be I'm lucky