From 79083f5f7b69f6c0f1b986a649b527edd23e3c97 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Cody Schrank Date: Fri, 10 May 2019 20:36:42 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] readme faq --- README.md | 8 +++++++- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 786111c..7105a7d 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ # gSwitch -gSwitch lets you set which graphics card your computer can use, mainly to prevent it from using the discrete graphics card when it is simply unnecessary. Why would you want to do that you ask? Well the discrete graphics card uses significantly more power than the integrated one, which can ruin your battery life. There are also problems on some macbooks with glitchy and buggy graphics card drivers that apple still hasn't fixed! +gSwitch lets you set which graphics card your macbook pro can use, mainly to prevent it from using the discrete graphics card when it is simply unnecessary. Why would you want to do that you ask? Well the discrete graphics card uses significantly more power than the integrated one, which can ruin your battery life. There are also problems on some macbooks with glitchy and buggy graphics card drivers that apple still hasn't fixed! ## Install @@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ Unfortunately your mac is designed such that in order to use an external display A dependent process is one that is currently using your discrete gpu. A hungry process is one that wants to use the discrete gpu but is not allowed because you have set _integrated only_. If you change to _dynamic switching_ or _discrete only_ any process that was hungry will become dependent. +**How do I disable my discrete GPU?** + +The short answer: You can't, your macbook was designed to use both, but gSwitch can trick it into using the integrated one most of the time. However gSwitch cannot prevent your discrete gpu from being accessed by the operating system, and it will be accessed for a short period of time when a process requests the use of it. gSwitch just switches back to the integrated one as fast as it can. + +The long answer: Ok I lied you technically can but I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT. I know there were alot of problems with the 2012/2013 macbook pro models with GPU's that would start to artifact or even fail entirely and cause the computer to crash when used. The only time I would recommend disabling the discrete gpu is if you are affected by this. However, this procedure is not for the faint of heart and you can brick your computer if you do it wrong! There are also some downsides, like you will never be able to connect an external monitor and you will probably be stuck on an older operating system. Still want to do it? ok.. but, I STILL DONT RECOMMEND THIS AND DONT BLAME ME IF YOU BREAK YOUR COMPUTER [https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/166876/macbook-pro-how-to-disable-discrete-gpu-permanently-from-efi/285896#285896](https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/166876/macbook-pro-how-to-disable-discrete-gpu-permanently-from-efi/285896#285896) + ## Legacy At this time it seems like gSwitch will not work on macbooks older than 2011. It appears that apple has removed the necessary API's from these macbooks on the modern macOS. However there could be other API's that could work, I just can't find any. GPU control with apple is mostly guess work since there isn't any documentation, so, [If anyone finds anything let me know here!](https://github.com/CodySchrank/gSwitch/issues/12)