DX10 and Nvidia GPU?

[retrovertigo]

I've done a search here and on google and can only find one real post pertaining to this issue. That is, that when I enable DX10 preview - and restart FSX - my Nvidia GPU vanishes from the settings and only the Intel HD4000 graphics driver is available to me.

I'm using an Alienware laptop which obviously has the switchable graphics between the Intel HD4000 onboard GPU and a GTX660M GPU. FSX works perfectly with DX10 disabled, but with it enabled, it is like FSX just can't see the graphics card.

It is a brand new machine and all drivers are as up to date as they can be, as is Windows 7, which I'm running. I did think there would be some posts here about this? But doing a search throws up 4 posts mentioning DX10, none relevant to this. Thanks for any help.

[FoMoCo63]

Is that also with FSX enabled in the "Manage 3D Settings" on the "Program Tab" in your control panel for your video card.

I have read about so many problems that are encountered with people trying to run FSX in the DX10 renduring technology mode, only to have certain areas that will actually display, and other areas are just a total blotch. A lot of ADD-ONS won't work at all in FSX no matter what you do to them. If you have any Add-Ons now in your FSX that very well could be causing your problem. Most users can't run FSX in a DX10 mode at all with out learning a whole new set of tweaks just for DX10, and then having to do it all over again a different way when they switch back to DX9 side of the house, which was the technology FSX was designed with in the 1st place (DX9). The attempted users of DX10 were disappointed as all of FSX was not available to them in the richness that DX10 offered them, they were stuck just flying in certain areas only in FSX. When the area was left they expirenced flickering and missing terrain. Then theres the ADE program you'll need just to redo airports that aren't concrete yet to deal with all the flickering of the Tar, and Gravel, and dirt runways. Oh yes you'll have to make them concrete as well unless you like flickering runways. To me you would be better off forgetting about using the DX10 side of the house on your PC when it comes to FSX.

It has proven to be more trouble than it is worth while trying to attempt, and as always this is just my opinion. Your going to need to find a DX10 forum somewhere with people that attempt, and are giving it their all, flying with DX10 renduring using a DX9 program.

[retrovertigo]

Really appreciate that nice detailed reply. I did some more googling and saw a fair few videos where actually, DX10 doesn't seem to add that many improvements. So seeing as it is running so well at the minute, I'm probably best just to leave well alone until I'm more familiar with how to tweak the Nvidia side of things. Thanks!

[mjrhealth]

Have you tried going into teh Nvidia control panel and setting it so that FSX always uses teh Nvidia card. I know it can be done on my asus.