Direct X problem

Like most people posting here, I'm having problems with Direct X. I'll be playing for a little while (sometimes I never even get out of the now loading). I'll get the "Unable to detect DirectX device. The program has shut down. Please restart FINAL FANTASY XIV."

I have the newish Alienware M14X with an Nvidia GeForce GT 555M, but the graphics device for FF14 shows as "Intel(R) HD Graphics Family".

I've tried disabling the Intel chip but it simply ends up crippling the Nvidia one.

I've also been unable to update my Nvidia video card to the newest drivers (says it's not able to find it/not compatible).

Hm...I have an Alienware M11x (not revision 2), and I can tell you FFXIV will let me log in, but crashes with the DirectX device error after the client itself starts up if the Intel GPU is the active video card. It doesn't have features FFXIV needs to render the game. So that's why that is happening.

As to how to actually fix your problem, on my system there is a function key (F6 for me) that says 'BINARY GFX' on it which one must press while holding the 'fn' key to switch graphics cards. It may be a different key for you. It may not even have a manual switch since it has NVIDIA Optimus. I'm not sure if that does automatic switching or just lets you switch without closing all GPU-accelerated applications (I have to close my web browser and/or game to switch, for example, you may not have to do that).

I wouldn't recommend updating your drivers for that unless your system tells you to. The dual-GPU setup on some Alienware laptops is very custom stuff as far as I know. I messed up my system once by installing the regular drivers for the NVIDIA GPU that the M11x uses.

tl;dr : Hit the 'BINARY GFX' key while holding 'fn'.

If you only disabled the Intel HD chip from your device manager, you may also look in the Bios to see if you can toggle your graphic device.

You say you haven't been able to update your drivers.. where are you getting the driver package from? Directly off the Nvidia site, with the proper OS selected?

I've tried nvidia's site since I know they're good about providing drivers for laptops. The latest one for the 555M didn't work. I'm stuck on Nvidia 267.21 drivers. I've tried alienware and they don't have newer drivers either.

I couldn't find the binary GFX key :/ I think they took it out when they created this new machine. I guess it's so new that no one in my LS knows anything about this laptop :/

Uninstall your current drivers, run driversweeper, then try again.

Also see what is available in your bios as far as toggling on/off the onboard graphics goes.

I tried unistalling, running driversweeper and then tried to install the latest nvidia drivers (270.51 and 270.61). Both gave me: Nvidia installer cannot continue. This Graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware.

(found nothing gfx wise in the bios as well)

I also tried reinstalling the nvidia drivers that came with the laptop. It says that I have to install an Intel (R) driver first. (still can't install 270.51 or 270.61 with the intel (R) driver reinstalled either)

Apparently 270 doesn't support intel chips.
"Notebooks supporting the Hybrid Power technology with Intel chipsets are not supported by this release"

Found this relevant information for you:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alie...s-drivers.html

It's a problem that is somewhat specific to the m14x

Hacking the .inf file appears to have allowed me to install 270.61. Will have to see if it runs more stable.

More than likely the problem lies with having two video devices, rather than the actual drivers. But I guess we'll have to see.

Looks like it is a problem with 2 gpus :/ but I can't disable the Intel one without crippling the nvidia :/

What's interesting is the FFXIV benchmark runs perfectly fine.