Two graphics card together (eGPU)

hansi · 2013-12-06 21:43:57

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to use two video cards together. I don't want to switch between / use only one of them... both should be ON at the same time. The first one is an Intel integrated GPU and the second one is a Nvidia Quadro NVS 450. The integrated should display only laptop LCD screen and the eGPU Nvidia should display 2 DisplayPort external monitors.

xf86-video-nouveau is installed with everything related to Intel GPU and i'm running default kernel 3.12.0-1. i915 and nouveau are added to MODULES inside /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and vmalloc=512MB added to Grub command line.

Firstly I followed instructions from here : http://superuser.com/questions/117239/h … k-on-linux

Now here I am, both of them are detected with lspci :

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
08:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [Quadro NVS 450] (rev a1)

And that should work ! But not at all :-( The computer starts but external monitors (plugged on Nvidia card) stay black/off.
And xrandr doesn't show the second screen :

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 2720, maximum 32767 x 32767
LVDS1 connected 1280x800+0+1920 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 261mm x 163mm
   1280x800       60.2*+   50.0  
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

Here is my X11 config files :
20-graphics.conf

Section "Device"
   Identifier  "IntelCard"
   Driver      "intel"
   BusID   "PCI:0:2:0"
   Option      "AccelMethod"  "sna"
   Option "DRI" "true"
   Option "SwapbuffersWait" "false"
   #Option "Shadow" "True"
   #Option "TearFree" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier   "NvidiaCard"
    Driver   "nouveau"
    BusID   "PCI:8:0:0"
    Option   "GLXVBlank" "true"
EndSection

30-monitor.conf

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"
    Device        "IntelCard"
    #Monitor       "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth  24
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth     24
        Virtual   3840 2720
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen1"
    Device        "NvidiaCard"
    #Monitor       "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth  24
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth     24
        Virtual   3840 2720
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    Option         "Enable" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    Option         "Enable" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor2"
    Option         "Enable" "true"
EndSection

What's wrong please? Is anobody can help?

Thanks

Edit : Nvidia card is connected trough this PCI > ExpressCard adapter.

Last edited by hansi (2013-12-06 21:45:28)

clfarron4 · 2013-12-06 21:46:28

Intel + nVidia Graphics are more commonly known as nVidia Optimus. Have a look at setting up BumbleBee.

hansi · 2013-12-06 22:00:11

But with Bumblebee is it possible to use both cards active together ?

Bumblebee is a software implementation comprising of two parts:
Render programs off-screen on the dedicated video card and display it on the screen using the integrated video card. This bridge is provided by VirtualGL or primus (read further) and connects to a X server started for the discrete video card.
Disable the dedicated video card when it is not in use

Seems that's not I want... I want render programs on dedicated video card and display it on the screen using dedicated video card PLUS display it on the screen using the integrated video card
OR
I want render programs on integrated video card and display it on the screen using dedicated video card PLUS display it on the screen using the integrated video card

Last edited by hansi (2013-12-06 22:04:04)

ANOKNUSA · 2013-12-06 22:51:08

Near as I can tell, this is close to what you're looking for. As clfarron4 suggested, you'll need Bumblebee if you want to utilize both GPUs simultaneously; multi-GPU laptops are still fairly new, and not natively supported under Linux yet.

Last edited by ANOKNUSA (2013-12-06 22:51:22)

hansi · 2013-12-06 23:30:56

Thanks for the link, I already tried Bumblebee, but not work at all ! I think this is because my Nvidia card is not inside the laptop whereas it is on the laptop of the link :-/ So my BIOS doesn't have proper Optimus support...

clfarron4 · 2013-12-07 22:09:33

hansi wrote:

Thanks for the link, I already tried Bumblebee, but not work at all ! I think this is because my Nvidia card is not inside the laptop whereas it is on the laptop of the link :-/ So my BIOS doesn't have proper Optimus support...

So... How is your set-up working if the card isn't inside the laptop?

ANOKNUSA · 2013-12-07 22:36:37

Sorry, hansi, I misread your original post; I've been dealing with hardware issues the last couple days, my mind was elsewhere . I've never tried using an eGPU under Linux, but you may be able to use a xorg.conf file that directs the integrated graphics to the laptop display, and an external display straight from the external card; I have my doubts, though. I seem to recall reading that without Optimus (or possibly even with it) one can't use an eGPU + integrated GPU simultaneously and separately without a specialized bootloader, and then only under Windows. I only use mine for gaming, so I've never tried anything other than using the eGPU on its own under Windows.

@ clfarron4: The OP has something like this going.

hansi · 2013-12-08 14:42:31

clfarron4 wrote:

So... How is your set-up working if the card isn't inside the laptop?

I use a PCI Express adapter connected through the ExpressCard slot : http://www.mfactors.com/pe4h-ec060a-v2- … d-adapter/

ANOKNUSA wrote:

but you may be able to use a xorg.conf file that directs the integrated graphics to the laptop display, and an external display straight from the external card

Also tried, without success :-/ I think is dead, or almost dead because I can still try to launch one X server on each graphics card then enable dragging between them via Xinerama, but it causes very poor performance (no 3D acceleration & co...)

Maybe I'll try with a ATI card, you never know...

Arch Linux

#1 2013-12-06 21:43:57

Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#2 2013-12-06 21:46:28

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#3 2013-12-06 22:00:11

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#4 2013-12-06 22:51:08

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#5 2013-12-06 23:30:56

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#6 2013-12-07 22:09:33

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#7 2013-12-07 22:36:37

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

#8 2013-12-08 14:42:31

Re: Two graphics card together (eGPU)

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