Arch Linux

u666sa

Member

Registered: 2020-08-01

Posts: 69

optimus-switch NVIDIA sometimes black screen [SOLUTION]

What's up boys. This is for all of you who is having problems with your optimus laptop and optimus-switch: sometimes, when NVIDIA is on (via set-nvidia.sh) and you reboot, screen is either off with no backlight, or screen is black, there is backlight and no cursor. This is the definitive fix, it works for me, it's tested! Let me know how it works for you.

First of all, about my laptop, I have Aspire 5742G-374G50Mikk, i3 M 370 (4) @ 2.399GHz, NVIDIA GeForce GT 420M

OS is Arch, installed via official arch wiki

This is the fix -

In file /etc/switch/intel/no-optimus.sh

You have to add this line after xrandr --auto, add xrandr --output <OUTPUT> --primary.
Type xrandr --current and whatever is the connected display, add that, in my case, it is LVDS1

Secondly, in this same file, scroll down to where we turn off GPU

As per optimus-switch instruction we have to run /etc/switch/gpu_switch_check.sh and insert command that "works!" from this script. Well, instructions say nothing about which one, first one that says it works, or 2nd one, or 3rd one.. I have 3 commands that work. Just add all 3 as per screenshot above. (you have first set-intel.sh and reboot prior to running gpu_switch_check.sh script)

Third, go to /etc/switch/nvidia/optimus.sh

And add this 3rd line, xrandr --output <OUTPUT>  --primary

NOTE: WARNING WARNING, output of your xrandr --current command may be different when you are in intel only mode VS. when you are in nvidia only mode. Make sure, you are in intel only mode (set-intel.sh and rebooted) when running xrandr --current and adding the line to /etc/switch/nvidia/optimus.sh and vice versa, make sure you are in nvidia only mode (set-nvidia.sh and reboot) when running xrandr --current and adding the line to /etc/switch/intel/no-optimus.sh...

This should take care of all your black screen problems.. It did it for me. I had to mess around about two weeks before getting this fixed. Enjoy!

Trouble shooting: If it goes blank, no backlight or black with backlight no cursor, check that xrandr --ouput.... Make sure output device have not changed. Sometimes it messes around with you, could be LVDS-1-2 instead of LVDS1, etc.. Maybe it is because of BIOS, maybe it is because of kernel, I'm not qualified to pin point the exact problem. Fingers crossed, this fix right here worked for me for two weeks straight, I hope it works for you as well.