NVIDIA GT 450M not recognised

Can you give the output of:

sudo lshw -C display; dpkg -l | grep nvidia; lsb_release -a; uname -a

Thanks

Output fron Command as requested.

 *-display
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: GF106 [GeForce GT 555M]
       vendor: nVidia Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
       version: a1
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master cap_list
       configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
       resources: irq:16 memory:f0000000-f0ffffff memory:c0000000-cfffffff memory:d0000000-d1ffffff ioport:4000(size=128)
  *-display
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
       vendor: Intel Corporation
       physical id: 2
       bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
       version: 09
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
       resources: irq:51 memory:f1000000-f13fffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:5000(size=64)
ii nvidia-common 1:0.2.35 Find obsolete NVIDIA drivers
ii nvidia-current 280.13-0ubuntu6 NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library
ii nvidia-current-updates 280.13-0ubuntu5 NVIDIA binary Xorg driver, kernel module and VDPAU library
ii nvidia-settings 280.13-0ubuntu2 Tool of configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
ii nvidia-settings-updates 280.13-0ubuntu1 Tool of configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 11.10
Release: 11.10
Codename: oneiric
Linux Laptop 3.0.0-14-generic-pae #23-Ubuntu SMP Mon Nov 21 22:07:10 UTC 2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Note that despite the reference in the output to a GT 555M, according to my Laptop's Order, it should be a GT 540M!

is it one of those laptops with dual graphics chips? the chip is a 555M as that is how it has identified itself

I accept that the Graphics Adapter is a 555M, although as I say what I ordered was a 540M.

As to your question regarding dual graphics chips, I assume you are asking whether the Laptop has a Graphics Adapter built into the Motherboard as well as the separate NVIDIA 555M ? The answer to that is I don't know; I ordered the Laptop with an NVIDIA Graphics Adapter, and as far as I know, that is what I got!

what is the make and model of the system? The GPU switching technology is called Optimus and Nvidia have said they will not be supporting it on anything but windows.

As I stated in my original question, I have PC Specialist Optimus II Laptop fitted with a CLEVO CO. W150HNM/W170HN Motherboard, with an Intel Core i7-2720QM Processor and 8GB of RAM, plus (apparently). an NVIDIA GT555M Graphics Adapter.

I am assuming that from the output of your requested Command, plus your subsequent questions, that this PC has TWO Graphics Adapters:-

(a) An Intel Graphics Adapter, built in to either the CPU or the Motherboard
(b) An NVIDIA GT555M Graphics Adapter

I ASSUME that the problem that I have is that the Linux is actually using the Intel Graphics Adapter, and that this is not powerful enough to run anything other than Unity 2D.

I also ASSUME from what you are saying/asking that the name Optimus implies a certain type of GPU switching technology, which NVIDIA ONLY support under Windows, so I ASSUME that I am NOT going to be able to use the NVIDIA Graphics Adapter under Linux? Is there no way I can alter a setting in the BIOS to disable the Intel Graphics Adapter, or tell Linux to only use the NVIDIA Graphics Adapter? If not, I guess I have (inadvertently) bought the wrong Laptop to run Linux on!

Will Have to buy another Laptop

Use Bumblebee!

https://launchpad.net/~hybrid-graphics-linux