[SOLVED] Use only Intel HD Graphics across both monitors

[LX86]

(Sorry for bad English/Grammar)
I am a relatively new Linux users that has a Dual GPU and Dual Monitor setup.
I've recently setup an dual boot of Windows 10 and Linux Mint on my desktop.
My first (main) monitor are connected to Intel HD 630
My second monitor are connected to NVIDIA GTX 650 Ti BOOST

On Windows, it automatically uses the Intel HD 630 by default on both monitor.
The NVIDIA card is only used if I specify an app in the Windows graphics settings to use the high performance card.

Linux on the other hand seems to use the NVIDIA GPU by default across everything.
In an attempt to switch to the Intel HD 630, I've installed the latest proprietary NVIDIA driver along with nvidia-prime.
However after I chose to only use Intel and restarted, my second monitor that's connected to the NVIDIA card displays nothing.
That's expected, but is there a way to use Intel HD on both monitor and just not use the NVIDIA card (I have reasons to use it on Windows, but not Linux.)

Thanks!

System Information:
Version: Linux Mint 20.1
Architecture: x64
Desktop Environment: Cinnamon


inxi -Fxxxrz:

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.6 wm: muffin 4.8.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.1 Ulyssa base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: MSI model: B250M PRO-VDH (MS-7A70) v: 2.0 
  serial: <filter> UEFI: American Megatrends v: A.10 date: 12/05/2016 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-7500 bits: 64 type: MCP 
  arch: Kaby Lake rev: 9 L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 27199 
  Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 800/3800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 800 2: 800 
  3: 800 4: 800 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 630 vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: i915 
  v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:5912 
  Device-2: NVIDIA GK106 [GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost] vendor: Micro-Star MSI 
  driver: N/A bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:11c2 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 630 (KBL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.2.6 
  direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 200 Series PCH HD Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:a2f0 
  Device-2: NVIDIA GK106 HDMI Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 01:00.1 chip ID: 10de:0e0b 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-74-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: e000 
  bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 8086:2723 
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
  IF-ID-1: virbr0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  IF-ID-2: virbr0-nic state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.96 TiB used: 19.15 GiB (0.6%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD10EZEX-00BN5A0 
  size: 931.51 GiB speed: 6.0 Gb/s rotation: 7200 rpm serial: <filter> 
  rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Plextor model: PX-256M6S size: 238.47 GiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 1.01 scheme: GPT 
  ID-3: /dev/sdc vendor: Seagate model: ST2000DM001-1CH164 size: 1.82 TiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s rotation: 7200 rpm serial: <filter> rev: CC26 scheme: MBR 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 95.03 GiB used: 19.11 GiB (20.1%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdc2 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 38.0 C mobo: 29.8 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mono-official-stable.list 
  1: deb https://download.mono-project.com/repo/ubuntu stable-focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mono-official-vs.list 
  1: deb https://download.mono-project.com/repo/ubuntu vs-bionic main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb https://mirror-hk.koddos.net/linuxmint/packages ulyssa main upstream import backport
  2: deb http://mirror.xtom.com.hk/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://mirror.xtom.com.hk/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://mirror.xtom.com.hk/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:
  Processes: 233 Uptime: 36m Memory: 15.56 GiB used: 2.08 GiB (13.3%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash 
  v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[roblm]

Switch to On-Demand mode.

[LX86]

Thanks for your reply! However I am now encountering 2 extra issues:
1. It seems that my general performance is now very sluggish and dragging a window around is quite choppy. (It's similar to a VM)
2. My second monitor are now stuck on around ~30-ish fps. You can feel it even by just moving the cursor.

I've tried tweaking around with the VSync settings, but none of them seems to help. Is this an Intel GPU Limitation?
(Both monitor are running at 1920x1080 @ 60Hz)

Thanks!

[roblm]

Is this happening in both Intel Power Saving mode and Nvidia On-Demand mode?

[LX86]

Correct, only on-demand mode
I have no issues with Performance mode nor Power saving mode.

[roblm]

Open the nvidia-kms.conf file: xed admin:///lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf

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

Update the initial ramdisk and reboot: sudo update-initramfs -u

If the file doesn’t exit, then use this command to create one:
sudo touch /lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf

Open the file for editing: xed admin:///lib/modprobe.d/nvidia-kms.conf

Add the line: options nvidia-drm modeset=1

Update the initial ramdisk and reboot: sudo update-initramfs -u

[LX86]

Weird, it's already 1 for me (I haven't touched anything with this file either)
Should I try making it 0 and see if anything changes, or leave it as it is?

[roblm]

Should I try making it 0....?

Yes. Most users find the setting at 0, and in one recent topic, the file was absent.

[roblm]

I’m not thinking clearly. You have a desktop system, not an Optimus-based laptop, so changing the value in that file probably won’t have any effect.

Can you connect both monitors to the video ports on the motherboard (an adapter may be needed), and enable only the Intel graphics in the BIOS/UEFI?

[LX86]

iGPU works perfectly fine, just not with dual GPU.

It also seems that my second monitor won't always lag. (I can't find the condition for it to lag or not lag, but what I know is it won't lag on the first minute or so after the system booted up)

[roblm]

Switching to Intel, Performance and On-Demand modes should only be used with an Optimus-based laptop. However, on a desktop system, if you use nvidia-prime to switch to Intel mode , then the Nvidia GPU will be disabled.

Going back to what you said in your first post:

Linux on the other hand seems to use the NVIDIA GPU by default across everything.

After installing the Nvidia driver, the inxi output will probably list the Nvidia GPU as doing the graphics rendering but I think the Intel GPU is still doing the rendering on the monitor connected to the motherboard. The inxi output always only lists the primary renderer. If that setup is working without any performance problems, then I suggest to continue using it. Linux can’t duplicate how Windows works.

[LX86]

Thanks for your explanation!
I guess I'll stick with NVIDIA then.