intel+nvidia hybrid problem dgpu wont turn off even when doing nothing

joseph · 2025-06-07 17:52:21

Hello everyone
About six months ago, I switched from Linux Mint to Arch. I followed the Arch Wiki step by step for installation and configuration. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to the GPU activity LED always being red (red = NVIDIA, blue = Intel), thinking it was a minor bug—and the winter chill kept my temperatures below 30°C when idle.
Problem Description
Now that it’s warmer, I’ve noticed:
Idle temperatures: 55°C to 70°C
Under load / gaming: 80°C to 93°C
Power draw at desktop login: ~6–9W on the NVIDIA GPU (expected near 0W when idle)
The LED stays red, indicating the NVIDIA card is always active.
nvidia-smi says that /usr/lib/Xorg is running when I log in with sddm but not when I log in with gdm and even with gdm the nvidia card is still on.
System Specifications
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7 11th Gen (i915)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX3050 Laptop (GA107M, 4GiB)
RAM: 16GiB
Kernel: 6.14.9-zen1-1-zen
Desktop Environment: KDE Plasma on Wayland
Driver: NVIDIA 570.153.02 with nvidia-drm.modeset=1
Modprobe Configuration:
/etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-power.conf:
options nvidia NVreg_DynamicPowerManagement=0x05

Steps Already Taken

Set Dynamic Power Management (DPM)
echo "options nvidia NVreg_DynamicPowerManagement=0x05" \
| sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-power.conf
sudo reboot

Checked power status:
cat /proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0000:01:00.0/power

Sampled Power Consumption
nvidia-smi dmon -s pucm -c 5

Verified Kernel Modules & Runtime PM
lsmod | grep nvidia
cat /sys/class/drm/card1/device/power/runtime_status

Removed KMS Modeset

Removed nvidia-drm.modeset=1 from /etc/default/grub

Updated GRUB and rebooted

NVIDIA modules still load under Wayland

Collected Full Debug Outputs

uname -r
6.14.9-zen1-1-zen

lsmod | grep -E 'nvidia|nvd|nouveau'
nvidia_drm 139264 2
nvidia_uvm 4030464 4
nvidia_modeset 2158592 2 nvidia_drm
nvidia 13127680 39 nvidia_uvm,nvidia_modeset
drm_ttm_helper 16384 2 nvidia_drm,xe
video 81920 4 msi_wmi,xe,i915,nvidia_modeset

lspci -k | grep -EA3 'VGA|3D'
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation TigerLake-H GT1 [UHD Graphics] (rev 01)
DeviceName: Onboard - Video
Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 12ec
Kernel driver in use: i915
--
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GA107M [GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile] (rev a1)
Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 12ec
Kernel driver in use: nvidia
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidia_drm, nvidia

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Processes: |
| GPU GI CI PID Type Process name GPU Memory |
| ID ID Usage |
|=========================================================================================|
| 0 N/A N/A 950 G /usr/lib/Xorg 4MiB |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
nvidia-smi -q

==============NVSMI LOG==============

Timestamp : Sat Jun 7 21:12:45 2025
Driver Version : 570.153.02
CUDA Version : 12.8

Attached GPUs : 1
GPU 00000000:01:00.0
Product Name : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU
Product Brand : GeForce
Product Architecture : Ampere
Display Mode : Disabled
Display Active : Disabled
Persistence Mode : Disabled
Addressing Mode : HMM
MIG Mode
Current : N/A
Pending : N/A
Accounting Mode : Disabled
Accounting Mode Buffer Size : 4000
Driver Model
Current : N/A
Pending : N/A
Serial Number : N/A
GPU UUID : GPU-6184651c-31ff-1664-9349-ef435ef891c0
Minor Number : 0
VBIOS Version : 94.07.3B.00.93
MultiGPU Board : No
Board ID : 0x100
Board Part Number : N/A
GPU Part Number : 25A5-726-A1
FRU Part Number : N/A
Platform Info
Chassis Serial Number : N/A
Slot Number : N/A
Tray Index : N/A
Host ID : N/A
Peer Type : N/A
Module Id : 1
GPU Fabric GUID : N/A
Inforom Version
Image Version : G001.0000.03.03
OEM Object : 2.0
ECC Object : N/A
Power Management Object : N/A
Inforom BBX Object Flush
Latest Timestamp : N/A
Latest Duration : N/A
GPU Operation Mode
Current : N/A
Pending : N/A
GPU C2C Mode : N/A
GPU Virtualization Mode
Virtualization Mode : None
Host VGPU Mode : N/A
vGPU Heterogeneous Mode : N/A
GPU Reset Status
Reset Required : Requested functionality has been deprecated
Drain and Reset Recommended : Requested functionality has been deprecated
GPU Recovery Action : None
GSP Firmware Version : 570.153.02
IBMNPU
Relaxed Ordering Mode : N/A
PCI
Bus : 0x01
Device : 0x00
Domain : 0x0000
Base Classcode : 0x3
Sub Classcode : 0x2
Device Id : 0x25A510DE
Bus Id : 00000000:01:00.0
Sub System Id : 0x12EC1462
GPU Link Info
PCIe Generation
Max : 4
Current : 1
Device Current : 1
Device Max : 4
Host Max : 4
Link Width
Max : 16x
Current : 8x
Bridge Chip
Type : N/A
Firmware : N/A
Replays Since Reset : 0
Replay Number Rollovers : 0
Tx Throughput : 550 KB/s
Rx Throughput : 500 KB/s
Atomic Caps Outbound : N/A
Atomic Caps Inbound : N/A
Fan Speed : N/A
Performance State : P8
Clocks Event Reasons
Idle : Active
Applications Clocks Setting : Not Active
SW Power Cap : Not Active
HW Slowdown : Not Active
HW Thermal Slowdown : Not Active
HW Power Brake Slowdown : Not Active
Sync Boost : Not Active
SW Thermal Slowdown : Not Active
Display Clock Setting : Not Active
Sparse Operation Mode : N/A
FB Memory Usage
Total : 4096 MiB
Reserved : 317 MiB
Used : 17 MiB
Free : 3763 MiB
BAR1 Memory Usage
Total : 4096 MiB
Used : 2 MiB
Free : 4094 MiB
Conf Compute Protected Memory Usage
Total : 0 MiB
Used : 0 MiB
Free : 0 MiB
Compute Mode : Default
Utilization
GPU : 0 %
Memory : 0 %
Encoder : 0 %
Decoder : 0 %
JPEG : 0 %
OFA : 0 %
Encoder Stats
Active Sessions : 0
Average FPS : 0
Average Latency : 0
FBC Stats
Active Sessions : 0
Average FPS : 0
Average Latency : 0
DRAM Encryption Mode
Current : N/A
Pending : N/A
ECC Mode
Current : N/A
Pending : N/A
ECC Errors
Volatile
SRAM Correctable : N/A
SRAM Uncorrectable Parity : N/A
SRAM Uncorrectable SEC-DED : N/A
DRAM Correctable : N/A
DRAM Uncorrectable : N/A
Aggregate
SRAM Correctable : N/A
SRAM Uncorrectable Parity : N/A
SRAM Uncorrectable SEC-DED : N/A
DRAM Correctable : N/A
DRAM Uncorrectable : N/A
SRAM Threshold Exceeded : N/A
Aggregate Uncorrectable SRAM Sources
SRAM L2 : N/A
SRAM SM : N/A
SRAM Microcontroller : N/A
SRAM PCIE : N/A
SRAM Other : N/A
Retired Pages
Single Bit ECC : N/A
Double Bit ECC : N/A
Pending Page Blacklist : N/A
Remapped Rows : N/A
Temperature
GPU Current Temp : 48 C
GPU T.Limit Temp : N/A
GPU Shutdown Temp : 100 C
GPU Slowdown Temp : 97 C
GPU Max Operating Temp : 105 C
GPU Target Temperature : 87 C
Memory Current Temp : N/A
Memory Max Operating Temp : N/A
GPU Power Readings
Average Power Draw : 9.27 W
Instantaneous Power Draw : 9.23 W
Current Power Limit : 30.00 W
Requested Power Limit : 30.00 W
Default Power Limit : 60.00 W
Min Power Limit : 1.00 W
Max Power Limit : 60.00 W
GPU Memory Power Readings
Average Power Draw : N/A
Instantaneous Power Draw : N/A
Module Power Readings
Average Power Draw : N/A
Instantaneous Power Draw : N/A
Current Power Limit : N/A
Requested Power Limit : N/A
Default Power Limit : N/A
Min Power Limit : N/A
Max Power Limit : N/A
Power Smoothing : N/A
Workload Power Profiles
Requested Profiles : N/A
Enforced Profiles : N/A
Clocks
Graphics : 210 MHz
SM : 210 MHz
Memory : 405 MHz
Video : 555 MHz
Applications Clocks
Graphics : N/A
Memory : N/A
Default Applications Clocks
Graphics : N/A
Memory : N/A
Deferred Clocks
Memory : N/A
Max Clocks
Graphics : 2100 MHz
SM : 2100 MHz
Memory : 6001 MHz
Video : 1950 MHz
Max Customer Boost Clocks
Graphics : N/A
Clock Policy
Auto Boost : N/A
Auto Boost Default : N/A
Voltage
Graphics : N/A
Fabric
State : N/A
Status : N/A
CliqueId : N/A
ClusterUUID : N/A
Health
Bandwidth : N/A
Route Recovery in progress : N/A
Route Unhealthy : N/A
Access Timeout Recovery : N/A
Processes
GPU instance ID : N/A
Compute instance ID : N/A
Process ID : 950
Type : G
Name : /usr/lib/Xorg
Used GPU Memory : 4 MiB
Capabilities
EGM : disabled

cat /proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0000:01:00.0/power
Runtime D3 status: Enabled (fine-grained)
Video Memory: Active

GPU Hardware Support:
Video Memory Self Refresh: Supported
Video Memory Off: Supported

S0ix Power Management:
Platform Support: Not Supported
Status: Disabled

Notebook Dynamic Boost: Not Supported

nvidia-smi dmon -s pucm -c 5
nvidia-smi dmon -s pucm -c 5
# gpu pwr gtemp mtemp sm mem enc dec jpg ofa mclk pclk fb bar1 ccpm
# Idx W C C % % % % % % MHz MHz MB MB MB
0 9 64 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 405 210 17 2 0
0 9 64 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 405 210 17 2 0
0 9 64 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 405 210 17 2 0
0 9 64 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 405 210 17 2 0
0 9 64 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 405 210 17 2 0

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1)

grep -R "nvidia" /etc/modprobe.d/
/etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-power.conf:#options nvidia NVreg_DynamicPowerManagement=0x05

cat /sys/class/drm/card1/device/power/runtime_status
active

Questions
Is there a way to fully power down the NVIDIA GPU when idle?
Could I have misconfigured something during installation?
What would you recommend to lower temperatures and power consumption?

Thank you in advance for your time and guidance!

noyal · 2025-12-02 17:26:45

Also having the same issue laptop is at high temperature at idle, how did you know your dgpu was active, where can i see the light you are talking about, also if any solution found please leave here fully explained.

seth · 2025-12-02 21:50:13

@joseph, Please use [code][/code] tags. Edit your post in this regard.

W/ the proprietary drivers (not! nvidia-open) try to disable the https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/NVIDIA … P_firmware ("nvidia.NVreg_EnableGpuFirmware=0", https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel_parameters )
nb. that running nvidia-smi will necessarily wake the GPU for sure, so don't use that to monitor the state at all.

options nvidia NVreg_DynamicPowerManagement=0x05

idk but the wiki calls 0x02 resp. 0x03 (the latter for Ampere chips and w/ https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Lin … ement.html only makes sense if those are bit-flags in which case 0x05 would be equivalent to 0x01. So this seems wrong)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-06-07 17:52:21

intel+nvidia hybrid problem dgpu wont turn off even when doing nothing

#2 2025-12-02 17:26:45

Re: intel+nvidia hybrid problem dgpu wont turn off even when doing nothing

#3 2025-12-02 21:50:13

Re: intel+nvidia hybrid problem dgpu wont turn off even when doing nothing

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