Possible to turn off video card?

[DeltaForce]

Is it possible on the Sandy Bridge supported motherboards (z68, etc) to turn off an attached video card completely in the bios while the display is connected to the integrated graphics port that some of these boards have? In theory it would be more power efficient and quieter to be able to shut down a dedicated graphics card completely while using the 2d port directly from the motherboard, but yet when gaming the card could be turned on. Obviously removing and installing the card would work, but that is not as practical as changing a setting.

[capoeira]

you do that in your Bios. check Bios-manual.

[Abula]

Is it possible on the Sandy Bridge supported motherboards (z68, etc) to turn off an attached video card completely in the bios while the display is connected to the integrated graphics port that some of these boards have? In theory it would be more power efficient and quieter to be able to shut down a dedicated graphics card completely while using the 2d port directly from the motherboard, but yet when gaming the card could be turned on. Obviously removing and installing the card would work, but that is not as practical as changing a setting.

What you wish is exactly how Nvidia Optimus works in laptops, i think the Z68 do offer some similar tech with the lucid (if you wish to read more, check Lucid Virtu Graphics Virtualization Technology), but im not sure it works like optimus fully, i read somewhere that it depends on the mobo, and that you need to have one cable to the hdmi/dvi mobo output and also one from the videcard output so its more incovienent, but monitors today can switch the input at the push of button, some even automatic with detection of activity on any of their inputs, still to much hazle for me to bother with saving a few watts on my gaming PC, today nvidia cards idle low, probably not as low as intels HD2000/3000, but good enough for me.

[Tephras]

There's no need to have more than one cable connected in order to use Lucid Virtu.
Though this technology is a nice idea I was hoping for more. Unfortunately, when the IGP are in use the video card is still active, albeit in idle, so the power draw won't be as low as in a system with only an IGP and no discrete video card.

[DeltaForce]

Thanks for the responses. Lucid Virtu is a nice idea, but the card goes to idle, not off, is my research. Off would be better for my purposes -spend a lot of time in 2d, but also play games. One z68 board has manual switches on the MB that could turn off pci slots, but that is not practical on a regular basis.

I'm building up steam for a new build in an ft02 case, so there is also the vertical card challenge which reduces the number of aftermarket heatsinks that will work well in that orientation.