🆕 Notebooks FAQs, Guides and Video Tutorials (Updated on May 23th 2023)

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msiTechNB

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Here are the useful tutorials for your reference in this thread, and you can also find the video in the following channels.
👉 MSI HOW-TO Channel (MSI Youtube Channel, Product Information, App & Feature Instruction, Troubleshooting Guide)
👉 M.F. LAB (Laptop Upgrade Tutorial, including disassembly and assembly instruction for SSD and RAM upgrade)
👉 Notebook FAQ (HOW TO, Troubleshooting, Product Information)

MSI Software (MSI Center, MSI Center Pro, Dragon Center & Creator Center)
Each MSI laptop has its own compatible software, visit the product support page and find the compatible software list under the Utility tab.
And the supported features in MSI software may also vary from different models.
(e.g. only the laptops with 11th gen CPU or later support MSI Center & MSI Center Pro; only specific models like GE66 or GS66 support GPU Switch option)
*Note: If an incompatible center is installed, some functions may be missing or not able to work properly.

Refer to the FAQ and video tutorial below to reinstall the compatible program to troubleshoot any problems with the MSI software.

MSI Center, MSI Center Pro
FAQ:
- [How To] Clean Install MSI Center (UWP)
- [How To] Clean Install MSI Center Pro (UWP)
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO clean install MSI Center on MSI notebook

UWP Dragon Center, Creator Center
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO clean install MSI Dragon Center & Creator Center (UWP) on MSI notebook
FAQ:
- HOW-TO clean Install MSI Dragon Center/Creator Center (UWP)

Win32 Dragon Center (Dragon Center 2.6 or earlier versions)
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO clean install Dragon Center Win32
FAQ:
- HOW-TO Dragon Center Clean Install & Update

Performance Optimization & System Stability
Performance or system stability issues are usually caused by incorrect drivers or incorrect installation processes.
MSI provides a useful tool “System Info” in MSI Software(MSI Center/ MSI Center Pro/ MSI Dragon Center/ MSI Creator Center) to check the current system configuration.
Then follow the FAQ or video tutorial below to reinstall the graphics drivers released on MSI website with DDU tool.

FAQ:
- [How To] Intel graphics driver Clean Install & Update
- [How To] NVIDIA graphics driver Clean Install & Update
- [How To] Clean Install AMD Graphic Driver and Radeon Software

Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO clean install Intel and NVIDIA VGA drivers
- MSI®HOW TO clean Install AMD Graphic Driver and Radeon Software
amd note.jpg


Meanwhile, updating the latest BIOS and EC firmware might patch some issues and improve the system stability.
Refer to the guide below to perform the firmware update.
- [How To] BIOS, EC update and EC reset

To optimize the performance,
1. It’s important to make sure the discrete graphics card is used while running the GPU-intensive programs like rendering software or a video game.
Most of the MSI laptops are based on Nvidia Optimus architecture, which means that the integrated and discrete graphics will be switched automatically according to the running process.
Refer to the FAQ/Video Tutorial below to apply the correct graphics settings.

FAQ:
- [Game Master] Gaming Performance Optimization & Troubleshooting for NVIDIA Graphics Notebooks
- [Game Master] Game Performance Optimization & Troubleshooting for AMD Graphics Notebooks
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO set AMD Switchable Graphics Mode for application on MSI notebook (Windows Settings)
  • For the models that support MUX switch such as GE66, GE76, GS66, GS76, refer to the video guide below to apply “Discrete graphics mode” in MSI Center and MSI Dragon Center.
  • *Note: The Mux switch feature may vary between models.
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO switch the graphics mode on MSI notebook
  • 2. If the system would run very slow due to the abnormally high loading of Memory or Disks, it is usually caused by multiple reasons, such as the background program, Windows Services, the improper virtual memory settings, or the low configuration.
  • Especially for the laptops that only have only 4GB/8GB single-channel RAM and traditional hard disk without SSD, it will be a bottleneck to performance.
  • For such cases, refer to the guide to upgrade the SSD and Memory.
  • - [Troubleshooting] Task Manager shows High CPU, Memory and Disk Usage

  • At last, if the performance or system stability problem is not able to be fixed after trying the methods above, share the system information exported from MSI Software (MSI Centers or Help Desk) in the post.
  • Or trying to restore the system to factory defaults to check if the problem comes with hardware.
  • Refer to the guide below to restore the system to default factory settings or contact a local service center directly for a further check.
FAQ:
- F3 Recovery How to use F3 Recovery on MSI Windows 10 preloaded system?
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO use Backup and System Restore on MSI notebook with MSI Center Pro

Display/ Graphics
Power & Battery
The battery performance will vary depending on the laptop’s configuration which includes battery capacity, Windows power plan, processor speed, storage devices, display resolution, display brightness, and keyboard backlit.
If the battery life becomes shorter over a period of use, It’s recommended to follow the FAQ or video tutorial below to perform a battery calibration and check battery health status.

FAQ:
- [How To] Confirm if the battery charging behavior is normal
- [How To] Perform Battery Calibration
- [How To] Check the battery health status

Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO use Battery Calibration Tool

Next, refer to the FAQ, video tutorial below to apply power saving settings to improve battery life.
FAQ:
- [How To] Optimize battery run time on MSI laptops
- [Troubleshooting] Why the battery level drops quickly in sleep mode
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO optimize battery life

For other charging/ battery related questions, refer to the FAQ below.
FAQ:
- [How To] Confirm if the battery charging behavior is normal
- [Product Information] Laptop Battery
-When I plug in the AC charger and start charging battery, why does the system show "(plug in, not charging)" even if the battery capacity is not full?


Keyboard, Keyboard Backlight & SSE/SS GG
A.Keyboard Backlight & SSE/SS GG
To confirm if your laptop supports RGB keyboard backlight, visit the specification sheet on the product page to see if “RGB keyboard” is supported.
Next, check if “SteelSeries Engine/ SteelSeries GG” can be found under “Support” > “Utility” page, then follow the clean installation guide below to reinstall SteelSeries Engine/ SteelSeries GG.
If SteelSeries Engine/ SteelSeries GG cannot be found, reinstall MSI Center/ MSI Dragon Center to troubleshoot the keyboard backlight related problems.

When the keyboard backlight is off, following the steps below to turn on keyboard backlight,
1. Refer to the product manual to use the hotkey to enable keyboard backlight
2. For RGB keyboard supported model, apply desired color profile in SteelSeries Engine/ SteelSeries GG/ Mystic Light.

FAQ:
- [Troubleshooting] RGB Lighting Devices
Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO use SteelSeries Engine 3
- MSI® HOW-TO use Mystic Light to set keyboard backlight on MSI notebook
  • B. Abnormal Keyboard Function
    When some keys are not functioning properly, go to the BIOS setup menu, and check if the problem also appears when using the BIOS password function.
    If the problem exists in the BIOS, please contact the local service center for further help, or select the Category of the Web ticket as "Repair & Warranty" to report your problem.
    Service Center Location: https://www.msi.com/support/notebook/service-location/
Overheating and Fan Noise
When the laptop’s fans or air vents are clogged with dust, or the thermal grease drying out, it might cause the processors to overheat and affect the performance and system stability.
The problem is usually caused by the fans that are clogged with dust or the thermal grease drying out over a period of time,
  1. 1. To confirm if your laptop is overheating or not, refer to the guide below to export the HWiNFO log and share the log file in the thread.
A. Install and open HWinfo, then tick “Sensors-only” and then click on the “Run”.
B. Start a game or benchmark, then click the “Start logging” button (with green "+") and save the .CSV file.
C. Click on the same button again (with red "x") to stop logging.
D. Share the .csv file in the thread.
  • 2. To clean up the fans or re-apply the thermal grease/pad, it’s recommended to visit a local service center if the laptop is still under warranty.
  • For the user who would like to clean up the fans or apply the thermal grease by themselves, refer to the disassembling guide in M.F. LAB.

  • 3. By default setting, laptop fan speed will auto adjust according to the processor temperature. User Scenarios are available for users to choose in accordance with users' need.

  • Video Tutorial:
  • - MSI® HOW-TO cool down your notebook by using Fan Settings
  • MSI Center Manual:
  • - User Scenario adjustment (Refer to page. 20)
Upgrade Information
Please note that self-upgrade may void the warranty. We recommend visiting the local service center to upgrade the SSD or RAM.
Service Center Location: https://www.msi.com/page/service-location-new
For those who are familiar with PC DIY and would like to do the upgrade at their own risk, please be aware of the below information.
1. Consult with MSI local service first to clarify the warranty policy and the warranty status.
2. If the upgraded SSD/RAM hasn’t been verified by MSI, the performance and system stability are not able to be guaranteed. It’s still recommended to contact MSI service to get AVL (compatible RAM and SSD).
3. To prevent any damage during the upgrade process, please follow the video tutorial on M.F. LAB to perform the upgrade.
4. MSI laptops have the CPU and GPU mounted on the mainboard, so the processors are not available to be upgraded.

Audio
When the built-in speaker, microphone, headphones, or external audio devices are not working properly, refer to the FAQ below to reinstall the audio related drivers.
FAQ:
-[How To] Uninstall/Install Realtek audio driver, Nahimic and related software

Wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) & Bluetooth
For network/ Bluetooth connection related problems, and slow WiFi speed, follow the guide below to reinstall Intel or Killer wireless driver and Bluetooth drivers.
FAQ:
- [Troubleshooting] Wi-Fi or Bluetooth related issues
- [How To] Uninstall/Install Killer driver and Killer Control Center
- [How To] Uninstall/Install Bluetooth driver

Built-in Camera
When the camera displays a black screen, cannot be opened correctly, or the camera device is missing, refer to the FAQ or video tutorial below to troubleshoot.
FAQ:
- [Troubleshooting] Unable to Access the Microphone or the Camera
Video Tutorial:
- HOW TO enable the built-in Camera in MSI Dragon Center or Creator Center
- HOW-TO enable the privacy setting of the microphone or the camera
- HOW-TO use built-in webcam (camera)

Windows Update:
When a problem occurs right after performing Windows Update, refer to the steps below to temporarily disable Windows Update for issue diagnosis.
Method A.
1. Go to Windows Update setting page.
2. Click on “Pause updates for 7 days” 5 times to temporarily stop the automatic Windows Update.

Method B.
For the laptop that supports MSI Center/ MSI Center Pro/ MSI Dragon Center/ MSI Creator Center,
1. Go to the setting page.
2. Turn off/ Disable “Always Update” option.
*Please note that the update will still resume when manually clicking on “Check for update” in Windows Update setting page.

Restore system
MSI recommends all users create a system backup image in case of most errors.
When encountering an unexpected system crash and unable to recover or boot into the system, refer to the FAQ, video tutorial below to perform a system recovery.
System recovery will erase the personal data, please backup your file to external storage before the system recovery.

FAQ:
- [How To] Create recovery image on Windows 10 preloaded system
- [How To] Create MSI Recovery Image and Restore System with MSI Center Pro
- [How To] Move the Pre-Installed System to the New Installed SSD
- [BurnRecovery] How to use MSI BurnRecovery on Windows 10 preloaded system?
- F3 Recovery How to use F3 Recovery on MSI Windows 10 preloaded system?

Video Tutorial:
- MSI® HOW-TO create Recovery Media with Dragon Center on MSI notebook
- MSI® HOW-TO use Backup and System Restore on MSI notebook with MSI Center Pro
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the useful information, will share to my friends who are using MSI as well ;)
 
tons of QA been listed here and mostly helpful for engineer or people who encountering problems. thank you msi!
 
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