White screen when running SL or Firestorm viewer

[Ouizardia]

I'm new, and when I try running SL with its own viewer or the Firestorm viewer, it simply displays a white screen and has to be closed with Task Manager. Here are some information that may be helpful:

1) Sony Viao

2) Windows 8.1

3) An Intel HD Graphics 4000 and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M LE. I've never figured out how to tell which video card is displaying stuff...I just hope the NVIDIA is doing games and the Intel is doing the boring Windows stuff.

4) Cable internet from Comcast (unfortunately).

Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks!

 

EDIT: Since I can't find a way to reply to Rolig Loon's suggestion, I'm putting it here: Rolig Loon's suggestion didn't work. I tried re-installing the drivers according to the instructions, and the PhysX Configuration was already set to AutoSelect, but there's still no change. I've tried clean re-installs of the viewers, and that hasn't worked either. Anyone else have a similar problems and find a solution?

 

EDIT2: KarenMichelle Lane's suggestion led me closer. NVIDIA Control Panel, Manage 3D Settings, I could specifically tell the computer which card to use for the Viewer. Strangely, although it would say Auto-select: Integrated, and would show the white screen on this setting, when I selected the NVIDIA card, it still wouldn't work, but when I selected the Integrated Graphics (non-auto select), then it was actually displayed things! It seems ridiculous that I can't use my better graphics card for what it's meant to be used for though. :-( If anyone has any suggestions on making that work, I would really appreciate it. Any ideas?

However, even with the Integrated Graphics, there is now a new problem: Nothing I do on the screen has any effect, and I only see changes when I re-size the window. For example, if I click on the Username box and type some stuff, nothing happens. But if I then re-size the window, then whatever I typed appears in the Username box.

Any suggestions on solving either of these problems?

By the way, thank you both for your help so far! :-)

[Rolig Loon]

It sounds like you may be running SL with the Intel 4000 chip instead of the NVidia card.  There are two things to do.

First, update the drivers for the Intel chip.  That's not a very good chip for displaying game graphics, but it should do better than a white screen.  You can download current drivers and install them by following instructions here >>>http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Graphics-cards/ta-p/700073#Section_.1.5

Second, force your computer to use the NVidia card when you are in SL.  Open the NVidia Control Panel by clicking on its icon (probably in the lower right corner of your screen).  Select 3D Settings >>> Set PhysX Configuration and use the dropdown menu to select AutoSelect.  That should let your SL viewer use the NVidia card instead of the Intel chip. 

[KarenMichelle Lane]

You have a Sony Vaio SA/SB/SC/SE Series laptop with dual graphics capability offered from 2010 - 2013. You need to use the included software utility. Here is a link to the instructions on how to do this on a particular model but it should be similar to any S series laptop from Sony..

http://docs.esupport.sony.com/pc/SVS1311_13A1_1511_series/EN/contents/03/05/01/01.html

GFood luck.