Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

[SOLVED] Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
Message
Author
elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

[SOLVED] Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#1 Post by elbraca »

Hello guys. I'm having some issues to get recognized a GeForce GPU after a fresh Debian installation on an ASUS laptop with dual GPU. I've been reading a lot of threads and tried most of the solutions of similar issues but without success.

Some useful information:
- Laptop: ASUS GL553VD
- Dual GPU: Intel HD Graphics 630 / GeForce GTX 1050
- OS: Debian Stretch
- The BIOS seems to have the GPU's control but don't let me set on/off each GPU or config something about that.

After a fresh installation I've setuped the non-free repositories and installed firmware-linux and intel-microcode.
Then, I've got the following

Code: Select all

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Device 591b (rev 04)
I've tried the following solutions:
1. Installing nvidia-detect. Then

Code: Select all

$ nvidia-detect
No NVIDIA GPU detected.
2. Installing non-free Nvidia drivers following minutely the Wiki (https://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers) for Debian Stretch and v375.66 drivers.
In this case, after a system reboot I've never get the login screen again, just a white screen with a face like this :( and a red error saying "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules". In this case I had the same answer when I used lspci | grep VGA and nvidia-detect. After that I've tried to do a re-install by terminal "Alt + F2" at login-screen but was the same thing.

3. Installing Bumblebee for Nvidia non-free drivers following minutely the Wiki (https://wiki.debian.org/Bumblebee#Installation). After that, I've got the following:
- When I've tried to login with my user, the fan started working at 100% speed and Debian got freezed (I saw only the mouse pointer freezed and couldn't do anything else). I had to make a "hard poweroff" to the laptop.
- When I've stayed at login screen and used the Alt+F2 terminal, the cooler started working at 100% speed again. I this case, if I call lspci | grep VGA and nvidia-detect I still getting the same messages of the begining.

These are the most important ways I've tried to solve the problem. I really don't know how can I get the Nvidia GPU recognized to use the non-free drivers without issues. I really want to make this thing work, because other distros based on Debian solved it. So, it's possible and I want to do it, but I don't know how.

Thanks for your time and help.

Regards.

Solution: Here's the step-by-step guide to installing Nvidia drivers on Optimus systems Guide: how to install Nvidia drivers on Optimus system and using only the discrete GPU
Last edited by elbraca on 2017-08-14 14:31, edited 1 time in total.

ruffwoof
Posts: 298
Joined: 2016-08-20 21:00

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#2 Post by ruffwoof »

What I usually do is use a combination of running cvt and using xrandr to identify the desired monitor/port and preferred resolution Modeline ... and then add a (additional) Monitor code section into /etc/X11/xorg.conf

For instance I use a 720p TV as a monitor and have a PC with its own graphics unit, but I also have plugged in a Nvidia GT8600 card that I like to use, and where the TV is plugged into the second DVI port of that card. cvt 1280 720 reveals the port name to use and modeline and I coded that into xorg.conf as

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "DVI-I-2"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
Modeline "1280x720_60.00" 74.50 1280 1344 1472 1664 720 723 728 748 -hsync +vsync
Option "PreferredMode" "1280x720_60.00"
EndSection

In the Screen section of xorg.conf I then use that monitor identifier (DVI-I-2 in my case) instead of just the "monitor" Monitor.

I'm using Jessie Main repositories only and its nouveau 'stuff' fulfils my needs i.e. I haven't installed nvidia's own drivers.

Another thing I sometimes do is include a command such as

xrandr --output DVI-I-2 --mode 1280x768 --output DVI-I-1 --off

in my startup. Again that is specific to my particular hardware/resolution but shouldn't be too difficult to figure out your own values to use.

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#3 Post by elbraca »

Thanks for answering. Maybe I wasn't clear, but I'm not trying to use dual monitor. I have one GPU integrated (Intel HD Graphics) and another dedicated GPU (GTX 1050) in the laptop, but the last one isn't recognized and I can't install the non-free Nvidia drivers to make it work.

It's really frustrating look how the system is broken when I just install one driver by repositories or following step by step the wiki guides. A few years ago I had the same issue with a "dual GPU" laptop and I had to go to another distro. I really don't want to stop using Debian, but I don't know what more to do.

Regards.

ruffwoof
Posts: 298
Joined: 2016-08-20 21:00

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#4 Post by ruffwoof »

Don't know about nonfree, I have the MAIN repository's nouveau installed

apt-get update
apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-nouveau

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#5 Post by stevepusser »

You do not create an xorg.conf file on a Optimus system with Bumblebee. That may be left over from your first doomed attempt to install and use the Nvida drivers (won't work that way on Optimus). The system uses the Intel GPU, except when you tell it to hand off the 3D rendering to the Nvidia card, which does that and passes it back to the Intel for display.

Another very common problem is that the user does not set up the system correctly to build the Nvidia drivers, and doesn't see the failure message in the terminal output. The system takes some time to build the driver, so if the nvidia-driver install part of the Bumblebee install just zips right by, it failed--and it says so, too. Install "module-assistant" and run as sysadmin:

Code: Select all

m-a prepare
to make sure you have the prerequisites to build the driver.

You can then install inxi, reboot, and run

Code: Select all

inxi -G

optirun inxi -G
to see how Bumbebee is working.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#6 Post by elbraca »

Thanks for answering.
stevepusser wrote:You do not create an xorg.conf file on a Optimus system with Bumblebee. That may be left over from your first doomed attempt to install and use the Nvida drivers (won't work that way on Optimus). The system uses the Intel GPU, except when you tell it to hand off the 3D rendering to the Nvidia card, which does that and passes it back to the Intel for display.
I've created the xorg.conf file two times doing the NvidiaDrivers tutorial: the first was by the "automatic" mode using nvidia-xconfig. The second was manually. Both times I've been stucked at black loading screen (before the login-screen) with the cursor intermitent. No chance to use terminals at that point and I had to reinstall that two times to start from zero.

On the other side, in the Bumblebee tutorial it says you don't have to create a xorg.conf file if you have "Optimus", that's only for single GPU users, wich is not this case. So, it's necesary or not to create the xorg.config file if you install the Bumblebee and Nvidia drivers together when you have "dual GPU"?

PS: I've never configured Optimus because it's necesary have the propietary Nvidia drivers preinstalled and that is what I can't do.

Edit: when the system was starting up I saw the message: "Nouveau Unknown Chipset". Should be related with the issue?

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#7 Post by stevepusser »

Remove any xorg.conf type file that you have created. That's what is keeping the system from using using the Intel chipset for display as it should. Do not use one of those files.

You have an Optimus system, whether or not you install Bumblebee. It's the hardware. Your Intel GPU will always be used to drive the display, unless you have some setting in your computer's setup to disable it and use the Nvida as the primary one. Barring that, the Nvidia GPU is only used behind the scenes for 3D rendering when asked to do so using Bumblebee.

I would guess that nouveau does not support your Nvidia chipset, and you must use the proprietary driver if you want to use it with Bumblebee.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#8 Post by elbraca »

Well, I've tried to install Bumblebee from zero using:

Code: Select all

m-a prepare
The installation got freezed at "processing dissipators for bumblebee (3.2.1-14) ...". The system is not responding and the fan is working at 100% speed but the temperature is cold.

Update 1: After 20 minutes with the installation freezed I had to turn off the laptop to avoid damage. The system didn't respond in any way.
Now every time I want to log-in the screen get freeze. The fan is operating at 100% speed without temperature. The installation has been finished by resuming by terminal.

Update 2: On "Alt + F2" terminal at login screen I've get the following:

Code: Select all

$ inxi -G
Graphics: Card-1: Intel Device 591b
          Card-2: NVIDIA Device 1c8d
          Display Server: X.org 1.19.2 driver: N/A tty size: 240x67 Advanced Data: N/A out of X

$ optirun inxi -G
[ 149.291695] [ERROR]Cannot access secondary GPU - error: [XORG] (EE) Failed to load module "mouse" (mouse does not exist, 0)
[ 149.292148] [ERROR]Aborting because fallback start is disabled.
Update 3: I've tried uncommenting the BusID line in /etc/bumblebee/xorg.conf.nvidia and got the following:

Code: Select all

$ optirun inxi -G
[ 43.798497] vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device
[ 43.348719] vgaarb: this pci device is not a vga device
Graphics: Card-1: Intel Device 591b
          Card-2: NVIDIA Device 1c8d
          Display Server: X.org 1.19.2 driver: N/A tty size: 240x67 Advanced Data: N/A out of X
Still freezing if I try to log-in on the graphical desktop. Some idea? I don't want to give up, yet.

PS: Got this message during Bumblebee instalation:
Configuration of server-xorg-video-nvidia
The nouveau module loaded in the nucleus generates conflict.

The nouveau free kernel module is loaded and generates conflicts with the nvidia non-free kernel module.

The easiest way to fix this is to restart the machine once the installation is complete.


Regards.
Last edited by elbraca on 2017-07-28 15:55, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#9 Post by stevepusser »

What files are in /etc/X11 and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d?

You can use the "ls" command in the terminal to list the contents of those directories.

Did you have working Intel graphics before you began to mess with the Nvidia drivers? Your Skylake GPU benefits from having firmware-misc-nonfree installed, also.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#10 Post by elbraca »

stevepusser wrote:What files are in /etc/X11 and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d?
/etc/X11
files: default-display-manager, rgb.txt, Xreset, Xsession, Xsession.options, XvMCConfig, Xwrapper.config
folders: app-defaults, fonts, xinit, xkb, xreset.d, Xresources, Xsessions.d, xsm

There is no folder xorg.conf.d at /etc/X11.
stevepusser wrote:Did you have working Intel graphics before you began to mess with the Nvidia drivers? Your Skylake GPU benefits from having firmware-misc-nonfree installed, also.
Not in this laptop. This is a fresh Debian installation. I've installed the firmware-misc-nonfree drivers before than Nvidia drivers.

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#11 Post by elbraca »

Well, I'm going for the 5th reinstallation. Is really annoying, I'm just trying to install one GPU non-free driver, I'm not trying to setup a Datacenter. Why is too (innecesary) difficult to make it work if I'm following all the Wikis step by step?

I really want to use Debian, but I don't want to have a dedicated GPU as ornament because it isn't recognized.

PS: this is not the first time I use Debian. In fact, I have another laptops with Debian (no dedicated GPU) and I have no problems. However, every time I have wanted to install private GPU drivers on laptops with dual GPUs (one integrated and one dedicated) on Debian has been impossible and a real headache. At least witch laptops manufactured by ASUS.

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#12 Post by elbraca »

Well guys, I'm done. After 6 trials, each one with fresh installations, I'm giving up.

On my last try I used "common sence" instead what Wiki guides says. I've removed nouveau driver by adding a it on a blacklist and dissabling on the kernel. This time, the Bumblebee installation was without any error window. After a reboot I've tried to log-in by graphical enviroment, but the system got freezed again.

Debian is an amazing OS, but is inadmisible if one user needs more than 36 hours just to install one propietary GPU driver. Following or not following the wiki guides, not worked for me and is crazy let a GPU as ornament because the OS not recognize it. If I need to work with CUDA what should I do? Well, for the moment, I'll have to go to another distro and solve this with some few steps, like other times.

Thanks anyways for helping. Maybe in a while this will be solved for all user, specially ASUS laptops with dual GPU.

Regards.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#13 Post by stevepusser »

If the Nvidia driver builds correctly, you'll see a message about the nouveau driver getting blacklisted automatically and the need for a reboot. Did you see this?

Can you try the 64-bit MX Linux 16.1 release in a Live session to see if it has the same issue with the Intel graphics? It's based on Jessie, but with backports to enable Intel Sky and Kaby Lake support. If it doesn't work, we'd like to figure out if there's a way to fix it, and any fix would probably also apply to Debian Squeeze.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#14 Post by elbraca »

Thanks for answering
If the Nvidia driver builds correctly, you'll see a message about the nouveau driver getting blacklisted automatically and the need for a reboot. Did you see this?
Is there any other way to check if drivers were builded correctly? I wasn't looking the terminal after the reboot. The first times I've tried I had a blue window talking about conflict between nouveau and nvidia kernels. The last time, dissabling nouveau previously, that window doesn't appeared and the installation finished by his own.
Can you try the 64-bit MX Linux 16.1 release in a Live session to see if it has the same issue with the Intel graphics?
Sure, I'm downloading it know.

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#15 Post by elbraca »

I'm on MX 16.1 logged now. What I have to check?

Code: Select all

$ lspci | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Device 591b (rev 04)
$ lspci | grep 3D
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation Device 1c8d (rev a1)
That was same as Debian Stretch.

Code: Select all

Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Device 591b
           Card-2: NVIDIA Device 1c8d
           Display Server: X.Org 1.16.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.01hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Kabylake GT2 GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 12.0.3
But here we can see MX 16.1 has intel drivers (default config), since Debian Stretch had N/A.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#16 Post by stevepusser »

I'm pretty sure that Stretch defaults to the kernel's built-in modesetting driver for our recent Intel GPUs instead of using the xorg-xserver-video-intel DDX driver like MX is using. Perhaps that's a problem with your particular chipset.

I think you can force Stretch to use the "intel" driver by creating the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d folder if necessary and putting a "20-intel.conf" text file in it with these contents, then rebooting...at least it works fine with my Skylake Optimus system:

Code: Select all

Section "Device"
        Identifier  "Device0"
        Driver      "intel"
        BusID       "PCI:0:2:0"
        Option      "AccelMethod" "sna"
        Option      "DRI"    "true"
        Option      "TearFree"  "true"
        Option "DRI" "3"
EndSection
MX has a tool for automatically setting up Nvidia drivers and Bumblebee for Optimus systems, but your 1050 needs the 375.66 driver version, and that's still in our test repo--so actually needs an install or at least a persistent Live USB. I'm not sure if the tool would work on plain Debian, since we had to modify the nvidia-detect script that it uses a little to get it to work with the MX repositories. I think the SolydXK Linux tool, "ddm" (device driver manager) that inspired us will work on vanilla Debian, though, but am not sure if it automatically detects Optimus and sets up Bumblebee like the MX one. It did not at the time we first looked at it.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#17 Post by elbraca »

I think you can force Stretch to use the "intel" driver by creating the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d folder if necessary and putting a "20-intel.conf" text file in it with these contents, then rebooting...at least it works fine with my Skylake Optimus system:
...
I've tried this but didn't work. I don't know why, but at this point the ALT+F2 terminal get freezed if I call a lspci | grep VGA. Probably I should reinstall again Debian Stretch to have a "clean OS" to try again.
I think the SolydXK Linux tool, "ddm" (device driver manager) that inspired us will work on vanilla Debian, though, but am not sure if it automatically detects Optimus and sets up Bumblebee like the MX one.
Do you know where can I get SolydXK Linux Tool to install in Debian? Because SolydXK seems to be a distro.

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
Been thanked: 71 times

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#18 Post by stevepusser »

I remember poking around their repo and getting the deb and source files a while ago when we were first looking at it...

http://repository.solydxk.com/pool/main/d/ddm/

Actually, when I think about it, the MX tool might work on Debian, since the nvidia-detect script we modified to use with it is part of the nvidia-driver package, so Debian has the original version. It's in here: http://iso.mxrepo.com/mx/repo/pool/main/d/ddm-mx/

It's called Nvidia Driver Installer in the menu, but can also run from the command line.
MX Linux packager and developer

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#19 Post by elbraca »

When I tried to install MX tool said cli-shell-utils is missing and I haven't found it at Debian's Repositories.

The SolydXK ddm needs: gir1.2-webkit-3.0, nvidia-installer-cleanup, apt-show-versions, aptitude, kdesudo and gksu, but are presents in repositories. I'll try with this first.

Update:
Well, using the graphical installation with SolydXK said "Software instalation succed. Will be necesary restart the system". The log seems to be equal to the last tries with Bumblebee by console, but the results too.

I have the fan running at 100% speed. After a reboot and trying to login in graphical environment the screen got freezed again.
Last edited by elbraca on 2017-07-29 01:27, edited 1 time in total.

elbraca
Posts: 34
Joined: 2017-07-27 18:49

Re: Dual GPU laptop recognization issues

#20 Post by elbraca »

Is this really a bug or I'm missing something during installation? I really don't know what more to do: I've tried Debian's wikis, forum help, other threads, terminal installation, graphical installation with SolydXK DDM, etc. Nothing works.

Post Reply