.. _nvidia: Install NVIDIA Drivers ###################### NVIDIA is a manufacture of graphics processing units (GPU), also known as graphics cards. NVIDIA devices on Linux have two popular device driver options: the opensource drivers from the `nouveau project`_ or the proprietary drivers published by NVIDIA. The nouveau drivers are built into the |CL-ATTR| kernel and are loaded automatically at system boot if a compatible card is detected. These instructions show how to use the proprietary NVIDIA drivers which require a manual installation. .. note:: Software installed outside of :ref:`swupd ` is not updated with |CL| updates and must be updated and maintained manually. .. contents:: :local: :depth: 2 Prerequisites ************* * A |CL| system with a desktop installed * A NVIDIA device installed Install DKMS ************ The :ref:`Dynamic Kernel Module System (DKMS) ` allows the NVIDIA kernel modules to be automatically integrated when kernel updates occur in |CL|. Install the appropriate DKMS bundle using the instructions below: .. note:: The Long Term Support (LTS) kernel variant is more likely to remain compatible between updates with NVIDIA drivers. .. include:: ../guides/maintenance/kernel-modules-dkms.rst :start-after: kernel-modules-dkms-install-begin: :end-before: kernel-modules-dkms-install-end: Download and install the NVIDIA Drivers *************************************** Download the NVIDIA Drivers for Linux ===================================== #. Identify the model of NVIDIA GPU that is installed. .. code-block:: bash sudo lshw -C display #. Go to the `NVIDIA Driver Downloads website`_ . Search for and download the appropriate driver based on the model of NVIDIA GPU you have with *Linux 64-bit* selected as the Operating System . #. Open a terminal and navigate to where the :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run` file was saved. In this example, it was saved in the Downloads folder. .. code-block:: bash cd ~/Downloads/ #. Make the :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run` file executable. .. code-block:: bash chmod +x :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run` Disable the nouveau Driver ========================== The proprietary NVIDIA driver is incompatible with the nouveau driver and needs to be disabled before installation can continue. #. Disable the nouveau driver by creating a blacklist file under :file:`/etc/modprobe.d` and reboot. .. code-block:: bash sudo mkdir /etc/modprobe.d printf "blacklist nouveau \noptions nouveau modeset=0 \n" | sudo tee --append /etc/modprobe.d/disable-nouveau.conf #. Reboot the system and log back in. It is normal for the graphical environment to not start with no NVIDIA driver loaded. Configure the Dynamic Linker ============================ The NVIDIA installer will be directed to install files under :file:`/opt/nvidia` as much as possible to keep its contents isolated from the rest of the |CL| system files under :file:`/usr`. The dynamic linker will need to be configured to use the NVIDIA-provided libraries. #. Configure the dynamic linker to look for and cache shared libraries under :file:`/opt/nvidia/lib` and :file:`/opt/nvidia/lib32`. .. code-block:: bash echo "include /etc/ld.so.conf.d/*.conf" | sudo tee --append /etc/ld.so.conf sudo mkdir /etc/ld.so.conf.d printf "/opt/nvidia/lib \n/opt/nvidia/lib32 \n" | sudo tee --append /etc/ld.so.conf.d/nvidia.conf Install the NVIDIA Drivers ========================== #. A terminal not running on */dev/tty1* is useful to view uninterrupted installation progress. Switch to a secondary virtual terminal by pushing :command:`CTRL + ALT + F2` or remotely login over SSH. #. Navigate into the directory where the NVIDIA installer was downloaded. .. code-block:: bash cd ~/Downloads/ #. Run the installer with the advanced options below. .. code-block:: bash sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run \ --utility-prefix=/opt/nvidia \ --opengl-prefix=/opt/nvidia \ --compat32-prefix=/opt/nvidia \ --compat32-libdir=lib32 \ --x-prefix=/opt/nvidia \ --documentation-prefix=/opt/nvidia \ --no-precompiled-interface \ --no-nvidia-modprobe \ --no-distro-scripts \ --force-libglx-indirect \ --dkms \ --silent #. The graphical interface may automatically start after the NVIDIA driver is loaded. Return to the working terminal and log back in if necessary. #. Validate the nvidia kernel modules are loaded. .. code-block:: bash lsmod | grep ^nvidia #. Run a |CL| system verification to restore files that the NVIDIA installer likely deleted. .. code-block:: bash sudo swupd verify --quick --fix --bundles=lib-opengl .. note:: The NVIDIA software places some files under the :file:`/usr` subdirectory which are not managed by |CL| and conflict with the |CL| stateless design. Although a limited version of :command:`swupd verify --fix` is ran above, other uses of the :command:`swupd verify --fix` command should be avoided with the proprietary NVIDIA drivers installed. Updating the NVIDIA Drivers *************************** The proprietary NVIDIA drivers are installed manually outside of :ref:`swupd ` and must be updated manually when needed. Updating the NVIDIA drivers follows the same steps as initial installation, however the desktop environment must first be stopped so that the drivers are not in use. #. Follow the steps in `Download the NVIDIA Drivers for Linux`_ section to get the latest NVIDIA drivers. #. Temporarily set the default boot target to the *multi-user* which is a non-graphical runtime. .. code-block:: bash sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target #. Reboot the system and log back in. It is normal for the graphical environment to not start. #. Follow the steps in `Install the NVIDIA Drivers`_ section to update the NVIDIA drivers. This installation will overwrite the previous NVIDIA drivers and files. #. Set the default boot target back to the *graphical* target. .. code-block:: bash sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target #. Reboot the system and log back in. #. Trigger a flatpak update which will download the runtime corresponding with the new NVIDIA drivers for flatpak apps requiring it. .. code-block:: bash flatpak update Uninstalling the NVIDIA Drivers ******************************* The NVIDIA drivers and associated software can be uninstalled and nouveau driver restored by: #. Remove the previously created file :file:`/etc/modprobe.d` that prevents nouveau from loading. .. code-block:: bash sudo rm /etc/modprobe.d/disable-nouveau.conf #. Run the :command:`sudo /opt/nvidia/bin/nvidia-uninstall` #. Follow the prompts on the screen and reboot the system. Debugging Installation of NVIDIA Drivers **************************************** * The NVIDIA driver places installer and uninstaller logs under :file:`/var/log/nvidia-install` and :file:`/var/log/nvidia-uninstall`. * :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run --advanced-options` shows many parameters to control installation behavior. * :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-.run --extract-only` extracts installation files into a directory named :file:`NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-`. Additional resources ******************** * `Why aren't the NVIDIA Linux drivers open source? `_ * `Where can I get support for NVIDIA Linux drivers? `_ * `NVIDIA Accelerated Linux Graphics Driver Installation Guides `_ .. _`nouveau project`: https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/ .. _`NVIDIA Driver Downloads website`: https://www.nvidia.com/download/index.aspx