[SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

almandin · 2016-10-11 19:44:49

Hello all,

I'm not new to archlinux, though I experience some trouble installing a new archlinux in my recently bought laptop. It's an MSI embedding a GTX960M gpu.
I would like to install the nvidia drivers to have better performance. I tried several times, but I can't figure out what I'm missing with the installation.

I actually installed again a fresh archlinux, without touching anything related to the video drivers.
I basically followed the wiki installation's guide, and I would like now to install gnome with nvidia drivers.

When I ask for gst-plugins-* (base, good, bad, ugly and libav), I have the choice between mesa-libgl, nvidia-304xx-libgl, nvidia-340xx-libgl and nvidia-libgl to provide me the packages,
I suppose that nvidia-libgl is the right provider for these packages ?

I then install the following packages :
xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-xmessage xorg-utils xorg-server-utils xorg-apps xf86-input-mouse xf86-input-keyboard xdg-user-dirs

And finally, I install the nvidia drivers (nvidia packet)
I add a non root user and reboot.

When I boot again, I install the 'gnome' packet.
Is a it a good way to install gnome/X/nvidia drivers ? Do I have something else to do/check before starting GDM and trying to have a gnome desktop (like nvidia-xconfig )?

I add that my computer won't shutdown correctly if I don't set the 'nomodeset' boot option first (I would have to shut it down by pressing the power button).

After installing gnome, I do "systemctl start gdm" to start the graphical environment. After a few seconds, I have a fullscreen, graphical error message "something has gone wrong" (with a sad smiley)...

My question is just basically to know if what I described above is a good and complete way to install X/gnome on a fresh install of archlinux. Do I miss something ?
Thank you by advance,

Last edited by almandin (2016-10-12 18:18:33)

jasonwryan · 2016-10-11 20:00:15

Not an Installation issue, moving to NC...

mx_joao · 2016-10-11 20:07:44

I have an Alienware with GTX 980m and the instructions on the wiki were pretty clear.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA_Optimus

EDIT: Don't use GDM.

Last edited by mx_joao (2016-10-11 20:08:39)

Lone_Wolf · 2016-10-12 13:37:11

almandin, first thing you should do is verify what videocards linux sees.

please post full lspci -k output .

Note: there is a big chance we'll conclude you do have an nvidia optimus system, but we lack the info to be sure of that.

almandin · 2016-10-12 15:52:28

Here is my lspci -k :

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Skylake Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 07)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Skylake PCIe Controller (x16) (rev 07)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 530 (rev 06)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_pci
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H Thermal subsystem (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H CSME HECI #1 (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
	Kernel modules: ahci
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev f1)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev f1)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev f1)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
	Kernel modules: shpchp
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H LPC Controller (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H PMC (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H HD Audio (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-H SMBus (rev 31)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c_i801
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM107M [GeForce GTX 960M] (rev a2)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidia_drm, nvidia
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 3165 (rev 81)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dual Band Wireless AC 3165
	Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
	Kernel modules: iwlwifi
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2400 Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 10)
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: alx
	Kernel modules: alx
04:00.0 USB controller: ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1142 USB 3.1 Host Controller
	Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] Device 115b
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_pci

It looks like I have an Intel HD Graphics and an Nvidia gpu, so it's an optimus system am I right ?

I managed to install nvidia drivers for the graphic card, I can now run 'startx' without any issue, and start gdm correctly.
When gdm starts, it asks for credentials and keep asking for it, even if the credentials are correct (it seems not to succeed starting gnome).

My /etc/X11/xorg.conf is like in the wiki :

Section "Module"
    Load "modesetting"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "nvidia"
    Driver "nvidia"
    BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
    Option "AllowEmptyInitialConfiguration"
EndSection

Thank you for your help

V1del · 2016-10-12 15:55:34

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA_Optimus#GDM

Also read the link in that section, you can't use wayland so you will have to tell GDM to not try to load it

almandin · 2016-10-12 16:03:14

@V1del I'm already doing it

I have a /usr/share/gdm/greeter/autostart/optimus.desktop file with

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Optimus
Exec=sh -c "xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0; xrandr --auto"
NoDisplay=true
X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=DisplayServer

My gdm custom.conf is disabling wayland for gdm (WaylandEnable=false set)

When login in GDM I now have a black screen, and if I move to another tty and come back to gdm, gdm has lock the session and I can log in again, but still having a black screen.

EDIT : I don't have installed the intel drivers (xf86-video-intel) can it be the source of the problem ?

Last edited by almandin (2016-10-12 16:53:48)

mx_joao · 2016-10-12 18:03:02

almandin wrote:

@V1del I'm already doing it
I have a /usr/share/gdm/greeter/autostart/optimus.desktop file with
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Optimus
Exec=sh -c "xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0; xrandr --auto"
NoDisplay=true
X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=DisplayServer
My gdm custom.conf is disabling wayland for gdm (WaylandEnable=false set)
When login in GDM I now have a black screen, and if I move to another tty and come back to gdm, gdm has lock the session and I can log in again, but still having a black screen.
EDIT : I don't have installed the intel drivers (xf86-video-intel) can it be the source of the problem ?

I have the exact same hardware and GDM wont work at all, even with the Wiki's instructions. Try sddm!

almandin · 2016-10-12 18:18:14

installed sddm, everything is working fine ...
I'll uninstall gdm, topic solved, thanks @mx_joao

Arch Linux

#1 2016-10-11 19:44:49

[SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#2 2016-10-11 20:00:15

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#3 2016-10-11 20:07:44

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#4 2016-10-12 13:37:11

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#5 2016-10-12 15:52:28

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#6 2016-10-12 15:55:34

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#7 2016-10-12 16:03:14

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#8 2016-10-12 18:03:02

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

#9 2016-10-12 18:18:14

Re: [SOLVED] Fresh install with nvidia drivers (X/gnome/nvidia)

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