Trouble setting up NVIDIA Optimus

[dchoi2464]

I come once again, a humble student of the Gentoo, to seek guidance from the repository of knowledge known as the Gentoo Forums. (I am a little sleep deprived from fixing my install)

As the title reads, I have been having a lot of trouble trying to get NVIDIA Optimus to work on my MSI GS65 laptop. I have pretty much followed the wiki page NVIDIA/Optimus to the letter, including the section on using the EDID of the monitor. I have also looked at the documentation provided by NVIDIA, but to be frank their documentation hasn't been too uesful.

Currently, when I run startx the screen briefly flashes to a black screen before the X server terminates itself. There was an error message of sorts that just read

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pixmap sharing

For clarity, I have twm and xterm installed, so the X server does have something to do when booted. Furthermore, I have added the necessary xrandr commands to ~/.xinitrc.

Here, is the log file from running the X server:
https://dpaste.com/F97B4JE3H

From reading through the log file, I am fairly certain both the NVIDIA GPU and Intel integrated GPU connected to the laptop monitor from the lines:

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[  2925.870] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (DFP-0): connected
[  2925.870] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (DFP-0): Internal TMDS
[  2925.870] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (DFP-0): 165.0 MHz maximum pixel clock

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[  2925.928] (II) modeset(G0): glamor X acceleration enabled on Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630 (CFL GT2)
[  2925.928] (II) modeset(G0): glamor initialized
.
.
.
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): Monitor name: LQ156M1JW03
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): EDID (in hex):
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	00ffffffffffff004d10c51400000000
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	091d0104a522137807de50a3544c9926
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	0f505400000001010101010101010101
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	01010101010150d0805070381f401828
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	350058c2100000181434805070381f40
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	1828350058c210000018000000100000
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	000000000000000000000000000000fc
[  2925.937] (II) modeset(G0): 	004c513135364d314a5730330a2000e4

The one interesting I did notice is that it seems like the NVIDIA GPU connects to the monitor or at least brings up the monitor twice:

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[  2925.870] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (DFP-0): connected

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[  2926.522] (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): Sharp LQ156M1JW03 (DFP-0): connected

The error that seems to kill the X server is:

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[  2926.525] randr: falling back to unsynchronized pixmap sharing

but I have no idea what that means, and a quick Google search yielded no fruitful results.

Just in case, below are the links to my kernel config file and 10-nvidia.conf file:
Kernel Config: https://dpaste.com/A2R5M5W32
Xorg Config (10-nvidia.conf): https://dpaste.com/2WLJK8DGK

I would appreciate any guidance on this issue. Thank you in advance.

[Moderator edit: changed [quote] tags to [code] tags to preserve output layout. -Hu]

[pd1986]

Are you working to run the X server with Nvidia GPU only? if yes, why not disable the intel GPU in BIOS? It should make the Nvidia work properly even without the manual configuration.

[dchoi2464]

Thank you for the reply. I would prefer to switch between my iGPU and NVIDIA card for battery reasons. Just out of curiosity, do you have suggestions regarding the pixmap thing? I'm not even too sure if that is the issue.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Not sure I can be of much help, but are you sure you need to specify the EDID explicitly? I just did the following in Gentoo amd64 on my Clevo W230SS laptop:

1. Deleted the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf

2. Created the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/01-nvidia-offload.conf containing the following:

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Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout"
    Option "AllowNVIDIAGPUScreens"
EndSection

3. Performed the usual ‘emerge -uvDN @world‘ to update and upgrade any packages.

4. Removed all references to the libglvnd USE flag from /etc/portage/make.conf. The only place libglvnd is declared explicitly is in the file /etc/portage/package.use/world because I have a multilib installation:

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# grep libglvnd /etc/portage/package.*/*
/etc/portage/package.use/world:>=media-libs/libglvnd-1.3.1 abi_x86_32

5. I use LightDM and KDE so I deleted the line 'display-setup-script=/etc/X11/Sessions/plasma' in the file /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf, and I deleted the script /etc/X11/Sessions/plasma because the xrandr commands in it are no longer necessary.

The command 'xrandr --listproviders --verbose' lists both the NVIDIA and Intel video devices:

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$ xrandr --listproviders
Providers: number : 2
Provider 0: id: 0x47 cap: 0xb, Source Output, Sink Output, Sink Offload crtcs: 4 outputs: 4 associated providers: 0 name:Intel
Provider 1: id: 0x203 cap: 0x0 crtcs: 0 outputs: 0 associated providers: 0 name:NVIDIA-G0

The default is to use the Intel IGP:

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$ glxinfo | grep -E 'OpenGL (vendor|renderer)'
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
user $ __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD_PROVIDER=Intel __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=mesa glxinfo  | grep -E 'OpenGL (vendor|renderer)'
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)

unless I use environment variables explicitly to specify that the NVIDIA GPU be used for a specific application:

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$ __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD_PROVIDER=NVIDIA-G0 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia glxinfo  | grep -E 'OpenGL (vendor|renderer)'
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce GTX 860M/PCIe/SSE2

Performance is reasonable:

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$ __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD_PROVIDER=NVIDIA-G0 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia __GL_SYNC_TO_VBLANK=0 glxgears
27197 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5439.292 FPS
27332 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5466.274 FPS
27857 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5571.184 FPS
27553 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5510.447 FPS
27128 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5425.556 FPS
^C

To run a program such as LibreCAD using the NVIDIA GPU I do the following:

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$ __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD_PROVIDER=NVIDIA-G0 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia librecad

I can connect an external monitor to the laptop via either VGA cable or HDMI cable and both methods work, and I can switch between the laptop monitor and the external monitor using KDE Plasma’s ‘System Settings’ > ‘Display Configuration’.

[dchoi2464]

Thanks for you reply Fitz! Just for clarification, is the following code:

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Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout"
    Option "AllowNVIDIAGPUScreens"
EndSection

all you have in your 01-nvidia-offload.conf file?

I will definitely try what you have done to see if that works.

[pd1986]

Unless you want to use multiple monitor, you could simply run X with intel GPU and run program with "prime-run xxx" for better performance. Per my understanding, prime-run work the same way as Prime offload command as mentioned previously

[Fitzcarraldo]

Thanks for you reply Fitz! Just for clarification, is the following code:

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Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout"
    Option "AllowNVIDIAGPUScreens"
EndSection

all you have in your 01-nvidia-offload.conf file?

Yes, that is all the file contains.

[dchoi2464]

I would preferably use multiple monitors as I normally use an external monitor with my laptop at home. Does this set-up require the NVIDIA card handling the graphics?

[Fitzcarraldo]

I would preferably use multiple monitors as I normally use an external monitor with my laptop at home. Does this set-up require the NVIDIA card handling the graphics?

No, it does not require the NVIDIA GPU handling the graphics. See my first post for how to launch specific applications to use the NVIDIA GPU.

I also use an external monitor with my laptop at home and in the office. I normally have the display on the external monitor mirroring the display on the laptop's monitor and the laptop monitor disabled (i.e. turned off), but I can use both monitors simultaneously if I want, either with identical content displayed or with separate content displayed (i.e. a dual-monitor setup).

[pd1986]

I would preferably use multiple monitors as I normally use an external monitor with my laptop at home. Does this set-up require the NVIDIA card handling the graphics?

No, it does not require the NVIDIA GPU handling the graphics. See my first post for how to launch specific applications to use the NVIDIA GPU.

I also use an external monitor with my laptop at home and in the office. I normally have the display on the external monitor mirroring the display on the laptop's monitor and the laptop monitor disabled (i.e. turned off), but I can use both monitors simultaneously if I want, either with identical content displayed or with separate content displayed (i.e. a dual-monitor setup).

Is your laptop's HDMI wired to Nvidia card? The HDMI in my laptop is wired only to Nvidia card and connected monitor cann't be found by xrandr. Is it the same in your case? How did you fix it? Thanks

[Fitzcarraldo]

Are you sure? My understanding is that the point of the NVIDIA Optimus design is that the NVIDIA GPU outputs via the Intel IGP display memory. Anyway, the following command outputs are from my NVIDIA Optimus laptop (Clevo W230SS, with both VGA and HDMI ports):

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$ lspci | grep -i 'nvidia\|graphics'
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM107M [GeForce GTX 860M] (rev a2)

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$ hwinfo --gfxcard                 
13: PCI 100.0: 0302 3D controller                               
  [Created at pci.386]
  Unique ID: VCu0.c2RzB8M11m3
  Parent ID: vSkL.NFcUR5JtbJ0
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0
  SysFS BusID: 0000:01:00.0
  Hardware Class: graphics card
  Model: "nVidia GM107M [GeForce GTX 860M]"
  Vendor: pci 0x10de "nVidia Corporation"
  Device: pci 0x1392 "GM107M [GeForce GTX 860M]"
  SubVendor: pci 0x1558 "CLEVO/KAPOK Computer"
  SubDevice: pci 0x2300 
  Revision: 0xa2
  Driver: "nvidia"
  Driver Modules: "nvidia"
  Memory Range: 0xf6000000-0xf6ffffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  Memory Range: 0xe0000000-0xefffffff (ro,non-prefetchable)
  Memory Range: 0xf0000000-0xf1ffffff (ro,non-prefetchable)
  I/O Ports: 0xe000-0xe07f (rw)
  Memory Range: 0xf7000000-0xf707ffff (ro,non-prefetchable,disabled)
  IRQ: 16 (70724 events)
  Module Alias: "pci:v000010DEd00001392sv00001558sd00002300bc03sc02i00"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: nvidia_drm is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe nvidia_drm"
  Driver Info #1:
    Driver Status: nvidia is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe nvidia"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #10 (PCI bridge)

22: PCI 02.0: 0300 VGA compatible controller (VGA)
  [Created at pci.386]
  Unique ID: _Znp.zZiZv4pay43
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0
  SysFS BusID: 0000:00:02.0
  Hardware Class: graphics card
  Model: "Intel 4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller"
  Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
  Device: pci 0x0416 "4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller"
  SubVendor: pci 0x1558 "CLEVO/KAPOK Computer"
  SubDevice: pci 0x2300 
  Revision: 0x06
  Driver: "i915"
  Driver Modules: "i915"
  Memory Range: 0xf7400000-0xf77fffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  Memory Range: 0xd0000000-0xdfffffff (ro,non-prefetchable)
  I/O Ports: 0xf000-0xf03f (rw)
  Memory Range: 0x000c0000-0x000dffff (rw,non-prefetchable,disabled)
  IRQ: 16 (70724 events)
  I/O Port: 0x00 (rw)
  Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d00000416sv00001558sd00002300bc03sc00i00"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

Primary display adapter: #22

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$ xrandr --prop
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
eDP1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
        EDID: 
                00ffffffffffff000dae431300000000
                34150104a51c10780293ada9534c9625
                114f5300000001010101010101010101
                010101010101363680a0703820402e1e
                24001aa510000018242480a070382040
                2e1e24001aa510000018000000fe0043
                4d4e0a202020202020202020000000fe
                004e3133334853452d4541310a2000cd
        BACKLIGHT: 279 
                range: (0, 976)
        Backlight: 279 
                range: (0, 976)
        scaling mode: Full aspect 
                supported: Full, Center, Full aspect
        Colorspace: Default 
                supported: Default, RGB_Wide_Gamut_Fixed_Point, RGB_Wide_Gamut_Floating_Point, opRGB, DCI-P3_RGB_D65, BT2020_RGB, BT601_YCC, BT709_YCC, XVYCC_601, XVYCC_709, SYCC_601, opYCC_601, BT2020_CYCC, BT2020_YCC
        max bpc: 12 
                range: (6, 12)
        Broadcast RGB: Automatic 
                supported: Automatic, Full, Limited 16:235
        panel orientation: Normal 
                supported: Normal, Upside Down, Left Side Up, Right Side Up
        link-status: Good 
                supported: Good, Bad
        non-desktop: 0 
                range: (0, 1)
   1920x1080     60.00 +  59.93    40.00  
   1680x1050     59.88  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      60.00    59.95    59.82  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1400x900      59.96    59.88  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1368x768      60.00    59.88    59.85  
   1280x800      59.81    59.91  
   1280x720      59.86    60.00    59.74  
   1024x768      60.00  
   1024x576      60.00    59.90    59.82  
   960x540       60.00    59.63    59.82  
   800x600       60.32    56.25  
   864x486       60.00    59.92    59.57  
   640x480       59.94  
   720x405       59.51    60.00    58.99  
   640x360       59.84    59.32    60.00  
DP1 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 510mm x 290mm
        EDID: 
                00ffffffffffff005a632f6b01010101
                1c1901030e331d782ee595a656529d27
                105054bfef80b300a940a9c095009040
                818081408100023a801871382d40582c
                4500fd1e1100001e000000ff00553044
                3135323830313831300a000000fd0032
                4b185211000a202020202020000000fc
                005658323336332053657269657300f8
        Colorspace: Default 
                supported: Default, RGB_Wide_Gamut_Fixed_Point, RGB_Wide_Gamut_Floating_Point, opRGB, DCI-P3_RGB_D65, BT2020_RGB, BT601_YCC, BT709_YCC, XVYCC_601, XVYCC_709, SYCC_601, opYCC_601, BT2020_CYCC, BT2020_YCC
        max bpc: 12 
                range: (6, 12)
        Broadcast RGB: Automatic 
                supported: Automatic, Full, Limited 16:235
        audio: auto 
                supported: force-dvi, off, auto, on
        subconnector: VGA 
                supported: Unknown, VGA, DVI-D, HDMI, DP, Wireless, Native
        link-status: Good 
                supported: Good, Bad
        non-desktop: 0 
                range: (0, 1)
   1920x1080     60.00*+
   1600x1200     60.00  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     75.02    60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1280x800      59.81  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   832x624       74.55  
   800x600       72.19    75.00    60.32    56.25  
   640x480       75.00    72.81    66.67    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
        max bpc: 12 
                range: (8, 12)
        content type: No Data 
                supported: No Data, Graphics, Photo, Cinema, Game
        Colorspace: Default 
                supported: Default, SMPTE_170M_YCC, BT709_YCC, XVYCC_601, XVYCC_709, SYCC_601, opYCC_601, opRGB, BT2020_CYCC, BT2020_RGB, BT2020_YCC, DCI-P3_RGB_D65, DCI-P3_RGB_Theater
        aspect ratio: Automatic 
                supported: Automatic, 4:3, 16:9
        Broadcast RGB: Automatic 
                supported: Automatic, Full, Limited 16:235
        audio: auto 
                supported: force-dvi, off, auto, on
        link-status: Good 
                supported: Good, Bad
        non-desktop: 0 
                range: (0, 1)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
        non-desktop: 0 
                supported: 0, 1

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$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: VT1802 Analog [VT1802 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 2: VT1802 Alt Analog [VT1802 Alt Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

If I plug both the VGA and HDMI connectors from my external ViewSonic VX2363Smhl monitor into the VGA and HDMI ports on the laptop:

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$ xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 2
 0: +*DP1 1920/510x1080/290+0+0  DP1
 1: +HDMI1 1920/510x1080/290+1920+0  HDMI1

I can then switch between the two ports:

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$ xrandr --output HDMI1 --auto # Enable the HDMI output.
$ xrandr --output DP1 --off # Disable the VGA output.
$ xrandr --output DP1 --auto # Enable the VGA output.
$ xrandr --output HDMI1 --off # Disable the HDMI output.

[pd1986]

Are you sure? My understanding is that the point of the NVIDIA Optimus design is that the NVIDIA GPU outputs via the Intel IGP display memory. Anyway, the following command outputs are from my NVIDIA Optimus laptop (Clevo W230SS, with both VGA and HDMI ports):

I agree. But my xrandr only shows integrated LCD (eDP), if I load both AMDgpu driver and Nvidia driver. No other ports can be found in the output of xrandr. However, if I choose discreted GPU only in the BIOS. Then Nvidia GPU is used for both rending the display and other calculate. When I run xrandr, I can see other ports like HDMI, DP, etc...

[Fitzcarraldo]

Looks like someone with your model of laptop would be more help. Have you tried the Arch Linux Wiki article on your laptop?:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/MSI_GS65#Video

[pd1986]

Looks like someone with your model of laptop would be more help. Have you tried the Arch Linux Wiki article on your laptop?:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/MSI_GS65#Video

Thanks. I saw this too. Unfortunately, my Laptop doesn't have thunderbolt. Both Type-C and HDMI are wired to Nvidia. I assume there is no other solution unless to use the nouveau or Nvidia can do something in their propriety driver. I am not sure if it is also the similar case for the dchoi2464