kernel 3.12 and optimus

Gatz · 2013-11-14 20:53:58

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

clfarron4 · 2013-11-14 22:06:29

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.

sano · 2013-11-14 22:29:59

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.

donniezazen · 2013-11-15 01:40:30

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

sano · 2013-11-15 07:59:50

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.

Cyphex · 2013-11-15 09:47:56

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NVIDIA GPU cannot be put offline which means it drains power even if it is not in use.", but maybe this information is obsolete already.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.

mrunion · 2013-11-16 01:21:26

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.

sano · 2013-11-16 10:13:47

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.

donniezazen · 2013-12-06 02:27:08

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.

anonymous_user · 2013-12-06 02:32:33

donniezazen wrote:

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

So which driver are you using then?

donniezazen · 2013-12-06 03:30:16

@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.

clfarron4 · 2013-12-06 14:29:25

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.

donniezazen · 2013-12-08 01:54:44

@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.

Arup · 2014-02-20 10:25:24

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.

Arch Linux

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

kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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

Re: kernel 3.12 and optimus

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