NVIDIA Installation (again)

General system EndeavourOS installation
1

Hi guys,
I am about to get a new laptop.
I am thinking of getting one with Ultra processor and NVIDIA graphic card (which I was always avoiding for Linux).

Reading the forum and searching I found this thread How to correctly install my NVIDIA drivers with nvidia-inst? suggesting to (as far as I understand) install EndeavourOS normally then do:

nvidia-inst

Another thread Nvidia-installer no longer in AUR - #3 by ricklinux suggested:

nvidia-installer-dkms

as @manuel said that nvidia-installer became outdated.

So, I understand from what I read here that there are several ways/commands to install NVIDIA, and some might be in AUR which I do not want to use or enable.

In the same thread it was said that

"You install ‘nvidia-lts’ if you’re only using the LTS kernel (the ‘linux-lts’ package).

I am not sure I full understand the whole thing about NVIDIA and how to install it.

My system will be always KDE, BTRFS, Grub, Snapper, BTRFS Assistant, LTS Kernel, only main repos no AUR.

I want to be sure and know, what should I do once I get this laptop, during installation, after installation, upon updates. I want to be sure updates wont break NVIDIA installation and it will just keep updating and working normally with updates.

I care about just installing and updating and it just keeps working.
(Sorry, I do not know why NVIDIA has a bad reputation of not being Linux friendly, but I think it shouldn;t be that if done correctly)
I will highly appreciate hearing from the experts especially @s4ndm4n and @manuel whom I read their posts.

I will appreciate hearing expereiences of users with NVIDIA, KDE (and Grub if possible) how is it with them and if they have any issues.

I will highly appreciate feedback from all.

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If you choose the nvidia version when booting the live iso, it will install the nvidia drivers for you. If you want to install later then nvidia-inst is the way to go.

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I absolutely avoid Nvidia, because about half of all issues appear to be Nvidia.

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it is not in AUR it was a package from EndeavourOS repo now its nvidia-inst:
https://discovery.endeavouros.com/nvidia/new-nvidia-driver-installer-nvidia-inst/2022/03/

As @MyNameIsRichard already said:
Use Nvidia boot option on the ISO installer and installer will install Nvidia Drivers for you, but it will not setup optimus (hybrid GPU)

nvidia-inst is our tool to manage nvidia driver installation on a running system.

In case it is an hybrid GPU like on a lot of Notebooks equipped with Nvidia, you will need to switch the Nvidia GPU on in case for an application you want to run over the Nvidia or set systemwide to use the Nvidia GPU.

https://discovery.endeavouros.com/category/nvidia/

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Wow, thanks guys for the propmt feed back.

SO I understand it is as simple as boot the iso while installing and it will automatically handle everything and I will be having the drivers installed and I can use it “normally”. (as if it is just an intel card), I do not have to worry about anything or about updates after that.

Same here, I always avoided NVIDIA cards, as I said it has bad reputation, though I do not really know why. Our friend @MyNameIsRichard just said what seems to be a very simple thing.

Thank you @joekamprad
You just confirmed it is not really problematic or something to avoid.
But what is

I am not sure I understand this perfectly.

To make it simpler, I am looking for tha new laptop to have Ultra processor PLUS the NVIDIA graphics mainly for some Python AI which I believe Ultra processors are designed for AI, and NVIDIA will give more power and speed for such tasks.

I will still appreciate further feed back and experiences.
Learning never stops especially with EndeavourOS.

Thank you all for your feed back

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$sudo pacman -S nvidia-dkms

then reboot

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Thanks @chroot
But why if I understand that it can be done automagically during installation?
Why would I need any commands even.

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nvidia-dkms (Dynamic Kernel Module Support) builds the module/driver for any kernel you have installed or may install. Be it LTS, latest, zen…

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Thanks @cactux
So anyway I should run sudo pacman -S nvidia-dkms even after I boot with NVIDIA and do the installation. Right? What does it add to the default installation and configuration the default installation does?

By the way, @joekamprad I queried https://www.phind.com/search/cm8kewnl400003x646yzp9bfp about this and it said it will handle everything.

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If you are going to install additional kernels than the one you install with EndeavourOS installer and its Nvidia package as has been described, you will have an easier time when these kernels are installed and updated.

When you install a new kernel, nvidia-dkms automatically rebuilds the Nvidia kernel modules to match the new kernel version. You don’t need to manually reinstall the drivers after kernel updates.

And yes, I think, you can install nvidia-dkms after the installation is done and you have booted to your system.

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Thanks @cactux
I see, it is needed for newly installed kernels.
I normally only add LTS during installation. So I will be OK with the defaults and what the installer does and won’t need to do anything more after installation.

I assume things will go smooth after having LTS during installation and everything will be fine and nothing to worry about. Right?

I still hope to hear experiences from users with NVIDIA.

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@joekamprad So to get things clear for me, i also have a notebook with a Intel Arc iGPU and a RTX 3070 Ti dGPU

If i select the nvidia option will the intel drivers also be installed (mesa ?)

Or should i do a normal install and install nvidia later ?

This is for my gaming notebook that still runs Pop! OS and i really want to switch that one to Endeavour OS. Pop! OS has a nvidia iso and a intel/amd iso.

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The default behavior of the Nvidia Driver is to boot on the igpu and leave the NVIDIA inactive (off). That’s all. But you can use it per application (render offloading) or add a switcher tool to enable in other ways. Also, possible to have the Nvidia used by default.

Intel drivers are in, Nvidia is added, not replacing intel driver in any way.

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In pop os it auto switch to the nvidia card when i run for sample steam. I can see this on my power key because it jumps from white (iGPU) to orange (dGPU). My notebook does not have a mux switch.

So to clear things up (yes i am new to arch based distro) i have to set each application my self which gpu should be in use ?

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it can .. nvidia-inst has options to setup switching now too. simply read the manual man nvidia-inst or use the EndeavourOs info Tool:

2025-03-22_21-48
2025-03-22_21-481881×1050 399 KB

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you can have the same you had on POP on EndeavourOS only that we do not set one possible way up everyone have to use you have to choose one option yourself and set it up, community will help in case, and after this you learned something new, and you will be able to handle it well.

https://discovery.endeavouros.com/nvidia/nvidia-optimus-notebooks-hybrid-graphics/2021/03/

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This is wonderful news for me. So as phind.com said, it can be done automatically during installation.
So all I need is to just boot with NVIDIA options and just go on with installation, add LTS during installation and I am done. I don’t need to do anything else and don;t need to bother with anything. I can normally update and use normally without issues.

It will be the first time in my Linux life to buy any machine with NVIDIA. Thanks to all of you.

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It can be done, but not automatically on installation… Yes, it could implement, but we do not do that by reason… it’s on the user to freely decide how to handle, and the best way to make sure you know how to handle is to let you get the knowledge to set it up.

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This is why though there are AI models, and despite it said it can be done automatically I prefer to ask the experts.

So anyway, at least I can have NVIDIA just working upon installation, and I can then look at this “hybrid” thing. But in the final analysis I will have NVIDIA working just after installation.

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Thanks, will install endeavour in a few days on my gaming notebook.