Windows 8 doesn't recognize my graphics card

[OmertaJohn]

I have a sony vaio e14p with windows 8 and and AMD radeon 7670M graphics card. I'm finding that when I run games such as fallout 3, or even minecraft, I am only using my intel 4000 graphics, and cannot choose to use my graphics card. Any ideas how to fix this? Even when I run ccleaner, it only recognizes the intel 4000 chip. I need to get my AMD card working.

Thanks for any help!

P.S I can get get the catalyst contral center working, so I at least know I do have the chip!

[Blencogo]

Hi OmertaJohn.

Can you give the full Vaio Model please?  Then someone may be able to help.

Did you buy it with Windows 8 or have you upgraded from Windows 7.

Is your Vaio fully up to date with any software updates?  What version of the ATi Driver do you have installed?

[OmertaJohn]

Yeah I bought it a few weeks ago, it came with windows 8.

Its full number is SVE14A2C5E.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure everything is up to date. I've checked windows update and Catalyst and there are no available updates.

Could you tell me how to find my version of ATI driver?

[OmertaJohn]

From device manager, I found the version of the drive - 8.982.6.0

[soundman13]

We also have the same model with the same graphics card - I get an error message when I try to view a film on Netflix saying that the drivers are out of date....I haven't actually tried any other perfomance heavy tasks on this laptop so it might well be doing the same thing.

Is there an easy way to check if the 7670 is actually working?....I know its being recognised as I can access the settings in catalyst as well.

[OmertaJohn]

This is the message I get when I try to update

[Blencogo]

Your model has a Hybrid AMD/Intel driver and this must be supplied by Sony. The drivers you are trying to install are single AMD drivers and they will not install on a Vaio.

You can find your current Hybrid Driver on the Support Website for your model. Sadly there is something wrong with this forum - I cannot post a link. So I will describe how to get to it: -

Hover your pointer over SUPPORT at the top of this page

Choose ONLINE SUPPORT

Type your model into the GET STARTED box

Click on DOWNLOADS

Click on the 'Windows 8' under the 'Preinstalled Drivers and Utilities' section

The Hybrid AMD/Intel Driver is at the bottom of the list

This is a new driver for Windows 8 which arrived late for the launch - so make sure you have this version installed.

If the AMD Version still shows 8.9 then you need to contact Vaio Support and report your problems. The latest Sony version for Vaios with non-switchable graphics is Version 9.1

[OmertaJohn]

Okay, I called Sony and they told me it's to do with the swtichable graphics. You right click on the desktop and select configure switchable graphics. Here you need to manually put in programs and decide whether to use the discreet or intel graphics. I've done this and I am pretty sure I'm using the intel 4000 graphics chip.

So I scoured some other forums and found this beta update to the AMD graphics driver. I haven't tried it yet, was just wondering if anyone else has and what results they got?

AMD Catalyst™ 12.11 Beta Driver (google that, for some reason I cannot post links)

[soundman13]

The update history on that page makes for some interesting reading.

Will it work though as the driver isn't from Sony?

[OmertaJohn]

Well I found it on a forum where someone had a similar problem to us and was also using a fairy new sony vaio e series.