Thank you for your reply,
Settings are already on High Performance (That was the first thing I changed before I even started the mining)
I'm not using the CPU for mining.

Today, I tried MinerGate v7.2 (Windows) and tried GPU mining Bytecoin, and I get the same GPU usage (Using 4 cores - The max it offers)
GPU stays steady at 16%

I'm trying to find online resources, but only find people who would like to lower their GPU usage from 100% down to a lower value.
But even with my difficulty set to the max, I still can't get past 16%

You can use the HDMi dummy as mentioned above.

But your problem, is that you should have never plugged your monitor into your graphic card in the first place, since you don't know how to switch between the integrated GPU and External.

Leave the Graphic cards alone, and only plug your monitor to the VGA or HDMi of your Motherboard.
Try to do it, and reboot your computer (rig)
if it doesn't work, start your rig into Safe Mode.
Then reboot.
Your OS should enable your Intergrated GPU instead of your graphic card.

Also, if you connect your monitor to your VGA/HDMi of your motherboard, and go to your BiOS settings, you should be able to change to Integrated GPU.

Another way, is that if your monitor is plugged to an external graphic card, open your Graphic's control panel, and you can choose which GPU engine to be used by default. Chose your Integrated GPU. Apply, monitor could turn black, then plug it to Motherboard. Or you will need to reboot your rig while having your monitor plugged to your motherboard.

Well, I don't plan on keeping the laptop mining for ever, but it's more as an experiment.

GPU temperature is stable between 62 and 64 degrees Celcius

Warm, but not hot.

Hi,
I wanted to give a try to XVG mining today using an nVidia GTX1050
After leaving it running for about all day long today (Probably around 7 or 9 hours) I got 1 Verge.

The intensity is set to -i 19
I get 2.8 GH/s on average.

However, my GPU is running at 8 to 10%
I would expect it to be blasting a good 90 or 100% (unless I'm wrong)

If I higher or lower the intensity, my Hash rate goes down either way. It seems at 19, it's the highest Hashrate I can get.

So, is my Hashrate at the maximum right now for my GPU? Or am I missing something and can increase it?

Any help would be great. Thank you!

Windows 10 64x
nVidia GTX1050 4GB
Intel i5-7300HQ
8GB RAM
CCMiner x64 2.2.3 cuda 9
yiimp pool

Why 2 rigs?
What are your thoughts?

Good point.
I had this thought in the back of my mind, and I think I will do that.

So better start mining with Ether then

I've read it already.
I posted it in general mining, instead of another, because I planned on posting updates on the general mining process. Not only one aspect of it.
Also, I'm starting with Bitcoin. Not Ether.
Unless, you wanted to point my attention on something else?

Thanks for the reply!

I chose the Saphire RX580 to keep my options opened. Many people told me to mine Ether, and that's why I chose these cards.
But I thought, I'll start with Bitcoin, and see.

Also, for the future, in about a year or two, I can always add more newer GPUs, and keep these ones to mine other easier cryptocurrencies.

And for Electricity, yeah. I never started because it was a big cost factor here in the US. But thankfully I found a great way around.

Hi!

   I'm going to start mining, and I thought maybe I should post about it before I start to see if I missed anything, or to get any advice.

Back in 2013 when I heard about Bitcoin (Before the $1,000 surge) it was worth under $150. I heard about this IT employee in a University, using all their computers to mine bitcoins. So, I thought I should get into it too. But, I never did.
Then Bitcoin surged to $1,000 and I decided it was time. But then, I never did, because it dropped to $200 in 2014.
Then, I thought I was going to mine and just keep my Bitcoins because it will certainly go higher again. But never started.
Now, I see the price of the Bitcoin and remember the days when $1,000 a BTC seemed outrageously high. Now, everyone wish to buy a BTC at $5,000.

Also, one reason that I never started was the cost involved. Mainly Electricity. I would have been forced to sell every month some BTC earned to pay for that cost. However, I found a very good way to get cheap electricity.
So, this time, it's decided. I'm prepared, and after all the research, even though I never posted anything, I've read a lot. It's time to start mining.
I started by buying $200 worth of Bitcoins a few weeks ago, and decided that I was going to just invest as much as possible in Mining.

My goal is to mine and keep the earned BTC for the long term.
This is not to make me a living as of right now. I already have a living, so this is more like a side cryptocurrency generator.
The stored BTC price will either soar or crash in the future. Either way, I'm prepared.

So, my initial configuration is as follow:

Asrock H110 Pro BTC+ Intel H110 LGA 1151 (Socket H4) ATX - (DDR4-SDRAM, DIMM, 2133,2400 MHz, Dual, 32 GB, Intel)  [ $153 ]
CPU Celeron G3100 [ $39 ]
SSD SanDisk 120Go [ $53 ]
12x Saphire RX580 [ $289 x 12 = $3,468 ]
1x Ram 8 Go DDR4 HyperX Savage [ $55 ]
13x Risers Ver 006C and 007S [ $8.35 x 13 = $108.55 ]
3 x PSU THERMALTAKE SMART-SE 730W [ $66 x 3 = $198 ]

I plan to add more GPUs. And after 2 or 3 months of usage, overclock them.

Electricity will cost at $0.025 / kWh (Yes, that's right) - Highly profitable.

I will post updates as I go with the project.
If you have any suggestions, or questions, please don't hesitate.

I'm very excited about this!!!
Have a good day!
Yome