Windows 7: Switching between Nvidia GPU and onboard intel HD graphics in desktop PC

I have a desktop computer with an Asus P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 motherboard (Z68 chipset) and an EVGA GTX 770 GPU.

The GTX 770 is great for gaming, but it runs quite hot, the dual fans are noisy, draws a lot of power and is essentially sitting idle and wasting electricity when doing desktop work.

Is it possible to make Windows turn it off and switch to the onboard video, and turn the GTX on manually if I'm going to run games? I know the GPU is automatically throttled when not rendering 3D and etc, but the noise is still annoying.

Note that is NOT a laptop, it's a desktop PC, so I don't have Nvidia Optimus or similar hot-switching technology.

Solution 1:

I did a little google search and found this guid from AsRock http://download.asrock.com/manual/virtu/Z68%20Pro3/English.pdf (carefull direct download link). It looks pretty generic. I stumbled across it on this ThomsHardware Thread

Hope this is useful.

Solution 2:

Lucid Virtu MVP does not "switch" between integrated and discrete graphics, but it does utilize both by using hardware virtualization, giving you a similar effect.

After installing the software (they have a free 30-day trial), you would connect your monitor to the video output on your motherboard. When you're not playing games, it uses the resources from your integrated graphics, and you should see a reduction in power and heat from your video card compared to your traditional configuration. When you are playing games, it uses the resources from your video card, and you should see similar or better performance than before.