No hardware acceleration, Thinkpad W550s, Nvidia K620M, Mint 19

[unsafeact]

Hi,

I'm a newbie on Linux and this forum. My Lenovo Thinkpad W550s with Nvidia Quadro K620M GPU running Mint 19 gives me headaches, and I ran out of ideas. Something seems to be wrong with my graphic card(s) and/or the respective settings: (1) Video acceleration does not work. (2) The integrated GPU seems to have higher performance than the NVIDIA GPU. I have installed the latest version of nvidia-driver-390 via Synaptic Package Manager.

Some symptoms:

Upon starting video playback, VLC says:

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egl_x11 gl error: cannot select OpenGL API
GPU at BusId 0x8 doesn't have a supported video decoder

When trying to record screencast, OBS says:

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[h264_nvenc @ 0x5619dba08540] OpenEncodeSessionEx failed: unsupported device (2)
[h264_nvenc @ 0x5619dba08540] No NVENC capable devices found
warning: [NVENC encoder: 'simple_h264_recording'] Failed to open NVENC codec: Generic error in an external library

vdpauinfo:

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display: :0   screen: 0
GPU at BusId 0x8 doesn't have a supported video decoder
Error creating VDPAU device: 1

Switching GPUs (via Nvidia X server settings) I found that glxgears (vblank_mode=0) gave me 6500 fps for the integrated GPU and 4700 fps for the dedicated NVIDIA.

Also strange, the Driver Manager says "No proprietary drivers in use."

I have no idea whether these things are related.

Some infos about my system:

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System:    Host: xyz Kernel: 4.15.0-38-generic x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.3.0
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.9 (Gtk 3.22.30-1ubuntu1) Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine:   Device: laptop System: LENOVO product: 20E2000TUS v: ThinkPad W550s serial: N/A
           Mobo: LENOVO model: 20E2000TUS v: SDK0E50510 WIN serial: N/A
           UEFI [Legacy]: LENOVO v: N11ET47W (1.23 ) date: 09/26/2018
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i7-5500U (-MT-MCP-) arch: Broadwell rev.4 cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9576
           clock speeds: max: 3000 MHz 1: 1183 MHz 2: 1220 MHz 3: 1547 MHz 4: 1627 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel HD Graphics 5500 bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA GM108GLM [Quadro K620M / Quadro M500M] bus-ID: 08:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 ) drivers: modesetting,nvidia (unloaded: fbdev,vesa,nouveau)
           Resolution: 2880x1620@59.96hz
           OpenGL: renderer: Quadro K620M/PCIe/SSE2 version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.77 Direct Render: Yes

Nvidia stuff installed (dpkg -l |grep -i nvidia):

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ii  libnvidia-cfg1-390:amd64                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA binary OpenGL/GLX configuration library
ii  libnvidia-common-390                          390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            all          Shared files used by the NVIDIA libraries
ii  libnvidia-compute-390:amd64                   390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA libcompute package
ii  libnvidia-decode-390:amd64                    390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA Video Decoding runtime libraries
ii  libnvidia-encode-390:amd64                    390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVENC Video Encoding runtime library
ii  libnvidia-fbc1-390:amd64                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA OpenGL-based Framebuffer Capture runtime library
ii  libnvidia-gl-390:amd64                        390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA OpenGL/GLX/EGL/GLES GLVND libraries and Vulkan ICD
ii  libnvidia-ifr1-390:amd64                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA OpenGL-based Inband Frame Readback runtime library
rc  nvidia-367                                    375.82-0ubuntu3                                    amd64        Transitional package for nvidia-375
rc  nvidia-375                                    384.130-0ubuntu0.16.04.1                           amd64        Transitional package for nvidia-384
ii  nvidia-384                                    390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        Transitional package for nvidia-driver-390
ii  nvidia-compute-utils-390                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA compute utilities
ii  nvidia-dkms-390                               390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA DKMS package
ii  nvidia-driver-390                             390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA driver metapackage
ii  nvidia-headless-no-dkms-390                   390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA headless metapackage - no DKMS
ii  nvidia-kernel-common-390                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        Shared files used with the kernel module
ii  nvidia-kernel-source-390                      390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA kernel source package
ii  nvidia-prime                                  0.8.8.1                                            all          Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime
ii  nvidia-settings                               390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
ii  nvidia-utils-390                              390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA driver support binaries
ii  xserver-xorg-video-nvidia-390                 390.77-0ubuntu0.18.04.1                            amd64        NVIDIA binary Xorg driver

I would be very grateful for any hints!

Cheers!

[roblm]

Switching GPUs (via Nvidia X server settings) I found that glxgears (vblank_mode=0) gave me 6500 fps for the integrated GPU and 4700 fps for the dedicated NVIDIA.

glxgears is a very limited test of OpenGL function, so it should not be used to predict 3D performance. I get a similar result as you. I suggest installing the benchmark glmark2: sudo apt install glmark2
To run the program, use the command glmark2

Also strange, the Driver Manager says "No proprietary drivers in use."

Driver Manager has always been a little buggy at times but with Mint 19 it is even worse, so that message may not be true, once you have installed and removed a Nvidia driver.


Use these commands and post the output, with the Nvidia GPU selected:

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lspci -nnk | egrep -A3 -i "3D|VGA"
ls /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/char/drm/
ls /etc/modprobe.d
ls /lib/modprobe.d
cat /lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf
prime-select query
glxinfo | grep renderer
mokutil --sb-state

Also post the Xorg.0.log file. Use this command to open it: xed /var/log/Xorg.0.log

If there is a problem posting that long file, then it can be uploaded to pastebin.
First install pastebinit with this command: sudo apt install pastebinit

Then use this command to upload the file to pastebin: pastebinit /var/log/Xorg.0.log
Post the URL link that displays in the Terminal window.

[unsafeact]

@roblm Thanks for your response! I really appreciate your effort!

The glmark2 scores:

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NVIDIA = 1251
Intel = 1202

-> lspci -nnk | egrep -A3 -i "3D|VGA"

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00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 5500 [8086:1616] (rev 09)
	Subsystem: Lenovo HD Graphics 5500 [17aa:2225]
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
--
08:00.0 3D controller [0302]: NVIDIA Corporation GM108GLM [Quadro K620M / Quadro M500M] [10de:137a] (rev a2)
	Subsystem: Lenovo GM108GLM [Quadro K620M / Quadro M500M] [17aa:2225]
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia
	Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau, nvidia_drm, nvidia
	

-> ls /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/char/drm/

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nvidia-drm.ko  nvidia.ko  nvidia-modeset.ko  nvidia-uvm.ko

ls /etc/modprobe.d

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alsa-base.conf
amd64-microcode-blacklist.conf
blacklist-ath_pci.conf
blacklist.conf
blacklist-firewire.conf
blacklist-framebuffer.conf
blacklist-modem.conf
blacklist-oss.conf
blacklist-rare-network.conf
blacklist-watchdog.conf
dkms.conf
intel-microcode-blacklist.conf
iwlwifi.conf
nvidia-367_hybrid.conf
nvidia-375_hybrid.conf
nvidia-384_hybrid.conf
vmwgfx-fbdev.conf

-> ls /lib/modprobe.d

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aliases.conf
blacklist_linux_4.15.0-20-generic.conf
blacklist_linux_4.15.0-36-generic.conf
blacklist_linux_4.15.0-38-generic.conf
blacklist_linux_4.4.0-21-generic.conf
blacklist_linux-hwe-edge_4.8.0-28-generic.conf
fbdev-blacklist.conf
nvidia-graphics-drivers.conf
nvidia-kms.conf
systemd.conf

-> cat /lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf

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# This file was generated by nvidia-prime
# Set value to 0 to disable modesetting
options nvidia-drm modeset=1[~]

-> prime-select query

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nvidia

-> glxinfo | grep renderer

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OpenGL renderer string: Quadro K620M/PCIe/SSE2

-> mokutil --sb-state

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EFI variables are not supported on this system

Xorg.0.log: https://pastebin.com/bmEhU45n

[roblm]

The nvidia-390.77 driver appears to have been installed and configured correctly, but I would have expected a higher glmark2 score with the Nvidia driver selected.

You previously installed the nvidia-367, 375 and 384 drivers. The info you posted says the nvidia-384 driver is still installed and configuration files remain for the other two.

Use these commands to remove the nvidia-384 driver:
sudo apt remove --purge nvidia-384 and then apt autoremove

And these:

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sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-367_hybrid.conf
sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-375_hybrid.conf
sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia-384_hybrid.conf

Then use this command to update the initial ramdisk: sudo update-initramfs -u


Reboot. If that doesn’t help, then use this command to open the nvidia-kms.conf file:
xed admin:///lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf

Change the value in this line to 0: options nvidia-drm modeset=1

Then use this command to update the initial ramdisk: sudo update-initramfs -u


Reboot. If that doesn’t help, then remove all Nvidia packages: sudo apt purge *nvidia* and apt autoremove.

Reboot and reinstall the nvidia-driver-390 in Driver Manager. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then a reinstallation is needed, unless you created a Timeshift restore point right after the Mint installation, before any Nvidia drivers were installed.

[unsafeact]

@roblm

No success.

After modifying the nvidia-kms.conf file, glmark2 performance dropped to a score of 213. And after removing all all nvidia-stuff and reinstalling the driver, the system booted into a black screen. Hence, I removed the driver again via tty1. I will get a bottle of Whisky and bite the new installation bullet in the next days.

Thanks again!

[roblm]

I forgot to tell you to switch to the Intel GPU before removing all Nvidia packages. You can still do that by using the command
sudo prime-select intel and rebooting, since there is no PRIME applet installed.

The main purpose of all those procedures was to see if the error messages persisted when opening VLC and OBS and using the command vdpauinfo, not to try to get a better score with glmark2. You didn’t mention if you checked for that.

[unsafeact]

Sorry! I had followed your instructions step by step and always checked VLC and OBS.

I don't quite understand what you mean by saying I can still switch to the Intel GPU. Since I have removed all nvidia packages (including nvidia-prime), I am obviously using the Intel GPU?

[roblm]

I misread your post. I thought you got the black screen after using the apt purge *nvidia* command and rebooting, so switching to the Intel GPU would have prevented that, but you got it later after reinstalling the driver. The black screen is often from a misconfiguration from the sometimes buggy operation of nvidia-prime or the gpu-manager, where a certain configuration file is not created when it should be, or a file is not removed when it should be. It makes troubleshooting these hybrid graphics systems difficult.


EDITED:
That command also removed the nvidia-prime package, so I assume you installed it before installing the Nvidia driver, just like it needs to be installed on a new installation.

[unsafeact]

A somewhat sad update for the record:

I have tried a fresh installation of Mint (with erased disk) without success. On the road I also tested a couple of other distributions and ran into trouble with all of them (Ubuntu, Fedora, Parrot, Manjaro). Consequently, I will give up on Nvidia. Do I have any options?

[roblm]

I have tried a fresh installation of Mint (with erased disk) without success.

I assume you installed nvidia-prime first. Were you able to get to the desktop this time after installing the Nvidia driver?

If yes, then the output of these commands would have to be posted again, after selecting the Nvidia driver:

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dpkg -l | grep -i nvidia
lspci -nnk | egrep -A3 -i "3D|VGA"
ls /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/char/drm/
ls /etc/modprobe.d
ls /lib/modprobe.d
prime-select query
glxinfo | grep renderer

Also post the Xorg.0.log file.

Are you seeing the same error messages when opening VLC and OBS and using the command vdpauinfo?

On the road I also tested a couple of other distributions and ran into trouble with all of them (Ubuntu, Fedora, Parrot, Manjaro). Consequently, I will give up on Nvidia. Do I have any options?

That would suggest a hardware compatibility problem with Linux, but the output of those commands when previously used showed the Nvidia driver configured correctly with hardware acceleration working and only the error messages suggested a problem. Otherwise, if you don’t need the extra processing power of the Nvidia GPU, then the Nvidia driver doesn’t have to be installed.