[SOLVED] Nvidia driver - Can't switch between Nvidia and Intel chip

[Zugglux]

Hello,

I have installed LM 18.3 Cinnamon. Then I installed the prioritary Nvidia driver (nvidia-384) using the driver manager. I am obliged to do so, otherwise the laptop doesn't turn off (but that is another problem I guess) ...
But now, it seems to only use the graphic card, and not the integrated Intel GPU. Therefore, my battery doesn't last very long ! Hopefully, there is a setting for that. I used the Nvidia Prime settings, and choosed to use the integrated Intel chip instead of my Nvidia graphic card.
Now the problem is : it simply doesn't start. Well, the laptop turns on, I choose LM in the Grub (as usual), the LM logo shows up and then : black screen. I can't do anything but turning it off brutally ...

I have read several post about Cinnamon and Nvidia issues but, I haven't found anyone with the same kind of problem ...
I thought maybe the problem come from Cinnamon or Lightdm. So I tried to install LM KDE to see if there is a similar issue. And there is one.
I did the exactly same changes. After choosing the Intel chip in the Nvidia Prime parameters, I loged out (or reboot) BUT I get a message (that didn't appear with Cinnamon) : ksmserver-logout-greeter crashed. I can't log out or turn off the laptop, except if I tell to use the Nvidia graphic card again.

I guess the problem is pretty much the same with Cinnamon except I have no error message and once it is turned on, it can't run the "login software" anymore.

Any idea how to solve the problem ?

Best regards

[ClixTrix]

I'm guessing your laptop operates with Optimus, which uses proprietary sofware and drivers for Windows. The equivalent open source package for Linux is Bumblebee. Bumblebee is available in the Software Manager for install.

For more help and for I and others to better assist, please run the following command from terminal and post back the results.

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inxi -Fxz

[Zugglux]

Thank you for your response. I have installed Bumblebee but it doesn't seems to change anything ... Here is the output :

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System:    Host: LCRTS-XPS15 Kernel: 4.10.0-42-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
           Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine:   System: Dell (portable) product: XPS 15 9560
           Mobo: Dell model: 05FFDN v: A00
           Bios: Dell v: 1.6.2 date: 11/12/2017
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-7700HQ (-HT-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 22464
           clock speeds: max: 3800 MHz 1: 3475 MHz 2: 3800 MHz 3: 3487 MHz
           4: 3420 MHz 5: 3502 MHz 6: 3478 MHz 7: 3799 MHz 8: 3781 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel Device 591b bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA Device 1c8d bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 driver: nvidia
           Resolution: 1920x1080@59.93hz
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GTX 1050/PCIe/SSE2
           GLX Version: 4.5.0 NVIDIA 384.90 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel Device a171 driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1f.3
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-42-generic
Network:   Card-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter
           driver: ath10k_pci bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Atheros usb-ID: 001-002
           IF: null-if-id state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 15.8GB (Used Error!)
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 model: N/A size: 512.1GB
           ID-2: USB /dev/sda model: Patriot_Memory size: 15.8GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 164G used: 6.8G (5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p7
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 16.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/nvme0n1p6
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 61.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 0.0:49C
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 265 Uptime: 0 min Memory: 968.8/15897.0MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

[ClixTrix]

You might trying reverting back to the nouveau open source driver from the proprietary nVidia driver for a test.

[Zugglux]

Well, I set the nouveau open source driver and when I reboot, it is stuck on the LM logo...

[ClixTrix]

Well, I set the nouveau open source driver and when I reboot, it is stuck on the LM logo...

Not good. If you hit the [ESC] key at that point, are there any messages.....or is the system frozen?

I was hoping nouveau might be an option. Did Driver Manager present any options for nVidia drivers other than the recommended?

It's possible you'll have better luck with the older Mint 17.3. Older kernel and drivers are potentially more suited to the Optimus era (2010-13).

[Zugglux]

No, it is frozen ... No, Driver Manager only recommend the nvidia-384 driver by default. I will try to install an older version then. I will tell you if it works.

[ClixTrix]

There is some discussion at Ubuntu on getting Bumblebee working with either nvidia or nouveau on ubuntu 16.04 (base for Mint 18.3). nVidia-367 got my attention.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/749557/ ... -for-16-04

Edit: Did primus install with bumblebee. If not install primus.

[Zugglux]

Yes, I have tried with Primus installed, but the problem was the same ...
I have tried with LM 17.3 but I had several problem ... Impossible to install wireless driver. Anyway, after installing the nvidia recommended driver, it was frozen. So I gave up. But I I have tried with LM 18.1. Now it seems to be good. I have no problem. I can choose the open-source or nvidia driver, both seems to be working fine. If the nvidia-384 driver is installed, I can easily switch between Intel or Nvidia card without having a black screen or any issue. Honestly I don't know why ... If somebody knows where this come from, I would be interested
Thank's for your help

[ClixTrix]

But I I have tried with LM 18.1. Now it seems to be good. I have no problem. I can choose the open-source or nvidia driver, both seems to be working fine. If the nvidia-384 driver is installed, I can easily switch between Intel or Nvidia card without having a black screen or any issue. Honestly I don't know why ... If somebody knows where this come from, I would be interested
Thank's for your help

That's great. So, 18.1 with Kernel 4.4 works. Hmmmm....if you do decide to upgrade to Mint 18.3, you might need to use/retain that old Kernel. Mint 18.3 uses the 4.10 Kernel on install, but you can boot to the older Kernel from the Grub menu and uninstall 4.10 from Update Manager.

[2nal2]

Hello, i have the same problem in this version (LM 18.3) when i'm trying to swith to intel graphics, i did get the same problem with linux mint 17.3 , after that i intalled LM 18.1 and works perfectly, it's a shame that the problem come back in 18.3

[lpsandaruwan]

I am using MSI GS63VR 7RF and I have the same problem with Graphic drivers in Linux Mint 18.3. Currently using 18.3 with nouveau, OS only works when I add modeprobe.blacklist=nouveau to the grub entry. I am not sure that older kernels will suit since I'm on a Kaby Lake CPU. I tried installing LM 18.1, 18.2 and updating the kernel to a newer version but the graphics switching issue won't go away. Once I installed Nvidia proprietary from driver manager and switched back to Intel profile using prime applet system hangs on bootup. Even the keys are not working. Have anyone figured out a way to fix this?

[lpsandaruwan]

Got it solved and working thanks to ArchLinux page https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MS ... .2FOptimus
Just added

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acpi_osi=! acpi_osi="Windows 2009"

to the line

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT

in file

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/etc/default/grub

and updated the grub config.

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sudo update-grub

After rebooting switching to Intel VGA worked like a charm. Hope this will help.

[ChaSeq]

Thanks heaps Ipsandaruwan! That works really well when I enter it manually in the grub at startup, but (excuse my almost certainly noob mistake) when I enter it in the file you indicated and run:

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 sudo update-grub 

I get the following error:

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 /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig: 11: /etc/default/grub: 2009: not found 

Here's what I entered:

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 GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_osi=! acpi_osi="windows 2009"" 

Thanks to anyone who can help!

[Moem]

Thanks to anyone who can help!

I recommend that you start a new topic. Many people do not open old topics that are marked as solved.

[karlchen]

Hello, ChaSeq.

The whole expression right of the = character should be enclosed in a single pair of double quotes.
But there is a pair of inner double-quotes inside the double quoted string.
This very likely confuses the parser of the command grub-mkconfig.

You might try masking the inner doulbe quotes with backslahes and try it this way:

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_osi=! acpi_osi=\"Windows 2009\"" 

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sudo update-grub

Not sure that what would work on the commandline will work for update-grub as well.

Regards,
Karl

[ChaSeq]

Hi Karl,

Thanks for the speedy response!

I actually tried the obvious thing first and used single quotes around windows 2009, which worked.

So for anyone else with the same issue the following should work:

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 GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_osi=! acpi_osi='windows 2009'" 

[karlchen]

Hi, ChaSeq.
Perfect! And thank you very much for posting your solution here as well. So it it is a pair of inner single quotes inside the pair of outer double quotes.
Cheers,
Karl

[derco0n]

just replying:

the solution of "Ipsabdaruwab" with the corrected line posted by "ChaSeq" worked for me on a Dell AW 17R4 (Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700HQ/ nVIDIA GTX 1060 with Kernel 4.13.0-45-generic and nVIDIA-Driver 384.130).

Can anyone please explain what exactly the parameters
acpi_osi=! acpi_osi='windows 2009'
are doing....

thank you in advance