Multi GPU Issues
Multi GPU Issues
Overview
When Enscape is executed by the CAD, Enscape is running in the same process as the CAD. This is currently limiting your options on setting specific driver profiles, since Enscape is using the same process as the CAD, the GPU driver is unable to distinguish between the two.
Therefore, if you have two GPUs in your system you have to make sure that Enscape uses the dedicated NVIDIA or AMD graphics card and not the onboard Intel integrated GPU.
Where two dedicated GPU’s are installed using SLi, Enscape should still function, although only one of the GPU’s will be utilized by Enscape at the present time.
If you are using Intel Arc A310, download the Intel Arc Control to be able to customize performance settings.
NOTE: Where multiple display monitors are being used, it can not be stressed enough that you need to make sure that the main display unit is connected to the GPU’s display port, and not to a display port associated with the motherboard.
NVIDIA Graphics Cards
- Right Click your Desktop
- Select “NVIDIA Control Panel”
Open NVIDIA Control Panel from your Desktop
The NVIDIA Control Panel will then open. Set the ‘Preferred graphics processor’ to the ‘High-performance NVIDIA processor’ option.
NVIDIA GPU Control Panel
If you do not have the option to change the ‘Preferred graphics processor’ shown in the above screenshot, for example, where a laptop is being used in conjunction with a docking station, then scroll down in the list until you find ‘Power management mode’ where you can set that option to ‘Prefer maximum performance’.
It can also be the case that Quadro cards do not have the option, under the Global Settings, to select the ‘Preferred graphics processor’ in which case you should:
- Click on the Program Settings tab
- Select your CAD from the Select a program to customize drop down
- Set ‘Power management mode‘ from Specify the settings for this program list to NVIDIA driver-controlled.
NVIDIA Program Settings options
Once that is done you should also go to the Global Settings section and set the Global Preset option to Workstation App – Dynamic Streaming.
This should result in better all round performance where Quadro cards are being used.
NVIDIA Quadro GPU Control Panel options
AMD Graphics Cards
AMD user have the possibility to use one of two Control Centers provided by AMD.
These are the Catalyst Control Center and the newer Adrenalin Control Centers.
Please refer to the appropriate article depending on which of these Control Centers you have installed on your machine.
AMD Catalyst Control Center
If you have the AMD Catalyst Center installed , then please follow these instructions to switch from your onboard graphics to AMD:
- Right Click your Desktop
- Select “AMD Radeon Settings”
Configuring an AMD GPU
You may also be able to access the AMD Catalyst Control Center from the Windows Taskbar.
Open AMD Catalyst Center from Taskbar
The AMD Catalyst Control Center should have opened so you can take the following steps:
- Select ‘Gaming’
Select Gaming
- Select ‘Add Game’
Add Game
- In the Open dialog, navigate to the EnscapeClient.exe which should be found in C:\Program Files\Enscape\RendererHost\Renderer\Bin64
If the file is not found in the above location, Enscape may have been installed / deployed to a different location. Please refer to whoever installed Enscape on your machine (your IT department for example) to check the validity of the install location of Enscape.
Locate the EnscapeClient.exe
- You should then see Enscape listed under Installed within Gaming in the AMD Catalyst Control Center. Click on it.
Enscape is listed
- Click the drop down menu next to ‘Graphics Profile’ and select High Performance.
Select the Graphics Profile
AMD Adrenalin Control Center
The newer AMD Adrenalin Control Center no longer allows you to select the GPU. Instead, you have to make the selection via the Windows Graphics Settings dialog.
Open the Windows Graphics Settings dialog via Settings->System->Display->Graphics Settings.
Under the Choose an app to set preference, there is a drop-down menu where you will have two options to choose from. Theses two options will be either: Classic app / Universal app, or Desktop app / Microsoft Store app. Make sure to choose Classic app / Desktop app, depending on which of the two options you are provided.
Then click the Browse button, locate and add the CAD executable you are using Enscape with, which should be located somewhere on your C:/ drive. You will then be shown an Add button, click on that to which will add the CAD to the list where you will be provided two more buttons, Options and Remove.
Click Options, and then a Graphics preference dialog should appear with three options. One option being High performance, which is the one you should select. Then click Save.
You can then close the Graphics Settings window, and you should be able to use Enscape without any further issues.
NOTE: For Standalone Executable users, you will have to add the executable to the list in the Graphics Settings dialog. That executable file will be found in the %Temp folder in a folder with the name of that Standalone Executable. Once the Standalone executable has been added, you should be able to open it without issues.
General Solution for Intel HD (Desktop + Mobile + Docking Station)
If the solutions above do not work for you, or you are working on a desktop machine, or you have issues when using a docking station, then please follow these instructions to disable the Intel graphics (integrated) chip via the Windows Device Manager:
WARNING: On systems that only have an Intel chip and no NVIDIA / AMD GPU, the following steps may be harmful and can only be reverted via Windows Safe-Mode.
- Pressing Windows + S will open the native Windows search function, perform a search for ‘Device Manager’
- Expand the Display adapters from the list displayed in the Device Manager.
- If you see an ‘Intel HD Graphics’ card listed, right click on it and choose Disable from the menu.
Your system should then automatically use the second GPU available to the system. This solution works for desktop and mobile machines and can resolve issues when using a docking station. However, if you are using a notebook, you probably want to follow the instructions above, because disabling your Intel HD graphics card can increase your power consumption and therefore reduce your battery time.
Further Troubleshooting
Check that your main display is plugged into the display port of the GPU and then reboot the machine. You should then find that all the options set out above will become available in the GPU’s associated Control Panel.
