Hello everyone,
This Spring I bought Akitio Thunder and EVGA GTX980Ti. I managed to get it working on MacBook Pro, with Windows 8.1, with the built-in monitor. Several weeks ago, I needed to load with iGPU, so I plugged off the eGPU and loaded. Since that time I can't get that eGPU work with my built-in display again.
My machine
MacBook Pro 13'' Late 2013
Windows 8.1 via Bootcamp
EVGA GTX980 Ti
Software setup procedure
Disconnect the eGPU from the computer. Or connect it to the computer. Tried both ways with the same negative result.
Load into MacOS X
Using Bootcamp, install Windows 8.1 and the Bootcamp software on top of it
Install CCleaner and Driver Fusion. Using that software, wipe out any mentioning of the Intel graphics driver from the system. Remove Bootcamp from autostart.
Prevent the iGPU from being automatically installed by the system using the Group policy editor, as described here
From the Device Manager, disable and remove the iGPU (the screen blinks, the iGPU disappears, but the resolution and other image quality remain the same...)
Reboot
Install the nVidia graphic driver
Reboot
In past, could play games at this stage, and access the nvidia control panel. Now, can't play both...
The problem
The eGPU is visible in the device manager, is correctly recognized after installing the latest nvidia drivers. However, when I try to access the Nvidia control panel, it says "NVIDIA Settings are not available. You are not currently using a display attached to an NVIDIA GPU." - apparently the monitor can't see the GPU... When I run this benchmark test, it uses the GTX980 eGPU, so it works, but when I try to run any game, it uses the iGPU and the FPS drops below 10. Skyrim, for example, reports that it can see GTX980, but when I enter the game, the FPS is low and the eGPU's power supply is silent (my power supply produces a special noise when the eGPU is used).
Venting out
This is really so strange. I've been struggling for two or three days already. In past, I re-installed this entire setup 2 or 3 times successfuly, now I can't reproduce the successful setup. I have no idea what I am doing wrong this time. I even tried to use the old nvidia driver, with no success... Also inability to order Windows explicitly to use a certain GPU for a certain display is just infuriating. Whatever I do in the device manager seems to be just ignored by the system. I even consider taking a disassembler and trying to attack the Nvidia control panel executable, so that I see where the GPU for the display is set and manually setting it to GTX980... Seriously, is there any way to tell this remarkable operating system which GPU you want to use with your monitor? It just drives me mad how this system seems not to listen to your commands at all. Maybe something on the kernel level? Anything?..