Switching GPU driver

General system Kernel, boot, graphics & hardware
1

The PC sometimes feels too slow and some programs freezes black&white. I think it’s the issue with GPU driver

inxi -Ga

Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 4th Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics
    vendor: Gigabyte driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm
    built: 2013 ports: active: none empty: HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2,VGA-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:041e class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA GK208B [GeForce GT 710] vendor: ZOTAC driver: nouveau
    v: kernel non-free: series: 470.xx+ status: legacy-active (EOL~2024-09-xx)
    arch: Fermi-2 code: GF119/GK208 process: TSMC 28nm built: 2010-2016 pcie:
    gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 8 ports: active: HDMI-A-3 empty: DVI-D-1,VGA-2
    bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:128b class-ID: 0300 temp: 45.0 C
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.14 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.4
    compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,intel,nouveau,nv,vesa dri: nouveau,crocus
    gpu: i915,nouveau display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-3 res: 1920x1080 size: N/A modes: N/A
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel crocus drv: nvidia nouveau platforms:
    device: 0 drv: crocus device: 1 drv: nouveau device: 2 drv: swrast gbm:
    drv: crocus surfaceless: drv: crocus wayland: drv: nouveau x11:
    drv: nouveau
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.3 vendor: mesa v: 24.3.1-arch1.1 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: NV106 device-ID: 10de:128b memory: 1.94 GiB
    unified: no display-ID: :1.0
  API: Vulkan Message: No Vulkan data available.
  1. How to check which driver is currently used? I think it’s Intel one fastfetch shows this and I don’t see any activity from Mission Center (also shows Intel one is used)
GPU 1: NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 [Discrete]
GPU 2: Intel 4th Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics C]
  1. During the EOS installation I choose nouveau i.e. opensource driver as previously I experienced some issues with nvidia proprietary driver. But still the intel one is used :person_shrugging:, how do I change to nouveau driver? And how to update the nouveau driver in future?
2

Your nvidia card is end of life so the only option is to use the nouveau opensource drivers or you can install the nvidia drivers from the AUR. They will be the 470.xx version. You can install them with yay.

yay -S nvidia-470xx-dkms

This will bring in the dependency nvidia-470xx-utils

Optionally you can also install nvidia-470xx-settings

3

I’d not prefer to use nvidia drivers as it caused lots of problems in the past. Nouveau opensource drivers are already installed during EOS installation but somehow Intel one is currently used which causing some lags. I still have the same questions, how to switch to Nouveau driver from Intel, how to update it (which packages exactly? I don’t see any arch packages for this) and how to make sure the Nouveau driver is used.

4

Is this a hybrid laptop?

5

It’s a PC

6

If it’s a pc then you should be able to change settings in the bios to use the dedicated nvidia card.

Edit: Also do you have the monitor hooked up to the dedicated card and not the motherboard output that would be for the integrated Intel gpu.

1 Like
7

If the BIOS setting does not exist, you might try to blacklist Intel’s i915 driver with kernel parameters.
The Arch wiki has good info about that.

Not sure if your card works with Nvidia’s 470 series driver (it should).
If it does, it likely has much better performance than the nouveau driver.

8

I disabled Intel but I don’t see any option to enable nouveau for nvidia from bios. Now Mission Center doesn’t even show the GPU tab. How to know if it’s enabled and working?

Edit: Also do you have the monitor hooked up to the dedicated card and not the motherboard output that would be for the integrated Intel gpu.

I think it’s hooked to motherboard, not sure.

Yes it’s 470 series. Nah the benefits are not worth for me as it causes minor-troubles time to time.

9

Is there any GUI program which show nvidia GPU usage for nouveau driver?