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#1 2013-11-14 20:53:58

Gatz
Member
Registered: 2010-09-17
Posts: 16

kernel 3.12 and optimus

Hello,

With the release of kernel 3.12 I saw that there is optimus support for nvidia.
That support is only for nouveau driver or for nvidia proprietary drivers too?

Thank you

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#2 2013-11-14 22:06:29

clfarron4
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From: London, UK
Registered: 2013-06-28
Posts: 2,163
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

As far as I am aware, the "Optimus Support" you speak works with nVidia drivers (not sure about nouveau) and only extends as far as actually turning the cards on and off, so you'll still need BumbleBee.


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#3 2013-11-14 22:29:59

sano
Member
Registered: 2012-02-11
Posts: 114

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

1) nouveau

2) nvidia

I only tried 1) so far. Some applications work (e.g. glx{spheres,gears}), some produce only a black screen / window (naev)... but at least power management seems to work: the discrete GPU stays off when not in use, and my temperature is as low as it was with bbswitch. I barely ever use the discrete GPU, so that's good enough for me.

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#4 2013-11-15 01:40:30

donniezazen
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From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2011-06-24
Posts: 671
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Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

My understanding was that nouveau drivers are supported but not nvidia. To manage nvidia drivers you need bumblebee.

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#5 2013-11-15 07:59:50

sano
Member
Registered: 2012-02-11
Posts: 114

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

donniezazen wrote:

My understanding was that nouveau drivers are supported but not nvidia. To manage nvidia drivers you need bumblebee.

Your understanding is right. Reading it again it seems the nvidia link is about enabling and using the proprietary driver for everything.

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#6 2013-11-15 09:47:56

Cyphex
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2011-08-26
Posts: 18

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

sano wrote:

but at least power management seems to work: the discrete GPU stays off when not in use, and my temperature is as low as it was with bbswitch. I barely ever use the discrete GPU, so that's good enough for me.

Are you sure about that? According to the nouveau wiki, "the NVIDIA GPU cannot be put offline which means it drains power even if it is not in use.", but maybe this information is obsolete already.
If switching off the device works, I think I'll try it out soon, even if the actual power management is not yet working. Otherwise, I'll have to wait a little longer, as I really can't afford the decrease in battery life.

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#7 2013-11-16 01:21:26

mrunion
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From: Jonesborough, TN
Registered: 2007-01-26
Posts: 1,938
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

So has anyone tried running their nVidia Optimus setup with using the info in the Wiki from sano in #2 above? It mentions that there will probably be tearing, but I am wondering how much tearing anyone that's doing this is experiencing. I would be happy running with the nVidia card powering everything, so that's why I'm asking. If no one has done it, I might give it a whirl this weekend.


Matt

"It is very difficult to educate the educated."

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#8 2013-11-16 10:13:47

sano
Member
Registered: 2012-02-11
Posts: 114

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

Cyphex wrote:
sano wrote:

but at least power management seems to work: the discrete GPU stays off when not in use, and my temperature is as low as it was with bbswitch. I barely ever use the discrete GPU, so that's good enough for me.

Are you sure about that? According to the nouveau wiki, "the NVIDIA GPU cannot be put offline which means it drains power even if it is not in use.", but maybe this information is obsolete already.
If switching off the device works, I think I'll try it out soon, even if the actual power management is not yet working. Otherwise, I'll have to wait a little longer, as I really can't afford the decrease in battery life.

I didn't investigate it to any depth, but I've been watching the temperature, and I don't see any difference there between bbswitch and nouveau.
I do see a difference when running a pre-3.12 kernel: the temperature starts out ~10°C higher directly after boot and keeps rising.

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#9 2013-12-06 02:27:08

donniezazen
Member
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2011-06-24
Posts: 671
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

Wow just did a new install with December ISO. I literally cried when I saw Optimus not heating my system by 20C. GPU is controlled automatically without any installation. I don't even have Nouveau installed at the moment.

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#10 2013-12-06 02:32:33

anonymous_user
Member
Registered: 2009-08-28
Posts: 3,059

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

donniezazen wrote:

I don't even have Nouveau installed at the moment.

So which driver are you using then?

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#11 2013-12-06 03:30:16

donniezazen
Member
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2011-06-24
Posts: 671
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

@anonymous_user xf86-video-intel and lib32-intel-dri. I will eventually install Nvidia to play games but it's nice to boot into a system and not have to install packages or mess with power tools to make it usable.

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#12 2013-12-06 14:29:25

clfarron4
Member
From: London, UK
Registered: 2013-06-28
Posts: 2,163
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

donniezazen wrote:

Wow just did a new install with December ISO. I literally cried when I saw Optimus not heating my system by 20C. GPU is controlled automatically without any installation. I don't even have Nouveau installed at the moment.

I see you are enjoying the new support for powering down the discrete nVidia GPU that is provided in the kernel modules.


Claire is fine.
Problems? I have dysgraphia, so clear and concise please.
My public GPG key for package signing
My x86_64 package repository

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#13 2013-12-08 01:54:44

donniezazen
Member
From: Salt Lake City
Registered: 2011-06-24
Posts: 671
Website

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

@clfarron4 It should have been done a long time ago IMHO. At least the power management stuff deserved a better attention. Sandy bridge is an old piece of hardware.

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#14 2014-02-20 10:25:24

Arup
Member
From: Earth
Registered: 2014-02-20
Posts: 95

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

PRIME still runs the system hot as compared to Bumblebee even with nouveau but all that should change with kernel 3.13 which has proper optimus support so waiting with baited breath.

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