Laptop won't use NVIDIA GPU

Windows has stopped this device(Code 43) NVIDIA

(Laptop won't use NVIDIA GPU)
I'm using a Lenovo Y580 and I did some digging and found a couple of threads about Y580 users complaining of the same problem. Seems they fixed it by going into the NVIDIA controller or something which I assume is the NVIDIA control panel? Problem is I can't access the control panel which I think is because of the new GeForce experience update. This is what I get
On the right side I get informed about not using a display attached to a GPU which I don't really understand, and on the left side it says I'm missing the part with the "prohibited" sign which I also dont know what it is as it doesn't define what part that is I'm missing. If anyone could shed some light and help solve my GPU problem, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi blacksun23 and welcome. You should not have to open Experience to get to Control Panel. There should be an icon in your tray that is a square grid looking thing, it is for the Nvidia Control Panel. Right click on it and you will see an option to open it. If it isn't there, select customize and find it in list then choose to show both icon and notifications.

If that doesn't work, try uninstalling GeForce Experience entirely, then see if you can open Nvidia Control Panel.

Sorry but I'm not really familiar with PC terms but where do I access the tray? When I access it though and cant find the Control Panel and have to customize, is the customize option also within this tray? Also is GeForce Experience separate from NVIDIA in Add/Remove programs? Sorry for all the questions not really used to Windows 8 and fixing tech stuff, and thanks for taking the time to respond.

The bottom right of the screen you posted is the tray area. Those little icons are tray icons. The little up arrow will take you to more icon shortcuts. If there is no NVidia Control Panel icon showing when you click on the up arrow then select the customize option and do as I said above. It is all the same as Windows 7 really when in Desktop.

And yes, Geforce Experience shows up in Windows Control Panel/Programs and Features. You can uninstall it there. And there is actually a Nvidia Control Panel shortcut in Windows Control Panel. I don't use it much as I use the tray.

I'd suggest you also try downloading the Lenovo drivers from their site and try installing those to see if it fixes things.

UPDATE: Are you familiar Device Manager? Does the Nvidia graphics card show up there?

Yep tried customizing and showing NVIDIA control panel and uninstalling NVIDIA GeForce experience, still didn't let me access the NVIDIA control panel.

Here are my device managers, I always never got to figure out why my GTX 660m shows with the cautionary exclamation mark

I couldn't update my drivers yet as the current Lenovo display drivers are for 8.1, and the 8.1 patch doesn't show on my store, this is because I wasn't the one who updated to Windows 8 and I need to know how my Windows 8 was installed(according to the Microsoft guide) to know what is my alternative route to updating to 8.1. And so far I am having a very hard time contacting the person who installed Windows 8(dont worry I wasn't duped, dude who installed was my cousin).

I found drivers here: Lenovo IdeaPad Y480/Y580 drivers for Windows 8 32/64 bit | laptop drivers, driver updates

Notice there are separate ones for the Intel and the Nvidia graphics.

Wow cool thanks, didn't think there would be drivers for Lenovo other than from the official site. Hope I'll be able to open NVIDIA control panel after installing this update.

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Unfortunately after updating to the Windows 8 Lenovo NVIDIA driver, I am still unable to open my NVIDIA control panel. Though I think I just found out the reason why



I'm getting "Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. (Code 43)". Did some googling and they're saying uninstalling then doing a scan for hardware change to auto reinstall it should do the trick, but it didn't say if it'll apply to GPU's
Anyone know any other solution or if this solution will work? I'm fearful of what may become of my NVIDIA GPU if uninstalling it loses it forever

This is what I would do, up to you if you want to try it. Boot safe mode, uninstall both display drivers, run CCleaner then reboot normal an see if it pick ups working drivers on its own, If not, try the drivers I already linked to. Be sure to install Intel driver first, then the Nvidia.

PS: You shouldn't lose the Nvidia GPU in any situation that I know of unless you have a hardware problem. It should always appear in Device Manager with the yellow exclamation at the very least.