5 ms·

looks like a good notebook. but I have lots of issues with nvidia gpu under linux. everytime the kernel gets updated, I get a black screen.

jewel 12y ago
I have three Desktops with an nvidia card that haven't had a problem. On Ubuntu DKMS recompiles the nvidia blob loader whenever the kernel is updated. What operating system are you on? Did you install the proprietary drivers by hand? Given what you've said, my guess is that you're on the proprietary driver but it isn't being recompiled properly.
- billconan 12y ago
  desktop is a different story. the issue happens when you have both intel and nvidia gpus. see for example: https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/790089/linux/nvidia-on-ubuntu-14-04-1-64bit-black-blank-login-screen-not-freeze-/ https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/790089/linux/nvidia... http://askubuntu.com/questions/372686/after-installing-nvidia-drivers-i-boot-into-a-black-screen-13-10 http://askubuntu.com/questions/372686/after-installing-nvidi...
  - cpbotha 12y ago
    On Ubuntu this problem is caused by the gpu-manager that keeps on rewriting xorg.conf incorrectly for the Optimus NVIDIA / Intel setup. I analyse the problem and present a hacky work-around in this post: http://vxlabs.com/2015/02/05/solving-the-ubuntu-14-04-nvidia-346-nvidia-prime-black-screen-issue/ http://vxlabs.com/2015/02/05/solving-the-ubuntu-14-04-nvidia...
    - billconan 12y ago
      Thank you so much! has this issue been filed to ubuntu? I will do it if it hasn't.
- mod 12y ago
  I previously had this issue, however it has since gone away. But it's possible I just switched back the the (shitty for games) nouveau driver, it's been a while and I can't remember now. I'm pretty content to just play 100% of games in windows, given that it's about 15 second reboot time with an SSD & windows 8--but I'll be very happy if we ever get full linux support on all games.
ossreality 12y ago
because you don't have DKMS?
binarycrusader 12y ago
Unfortunately, that's really the result of the API/ABI choices that the Linux kernel developers have made. There are no stable interfaces for kernel modules, and they frequently break existing interfaces. This means that any third-party driver that is not included in the mainline kernel source is effectively broken either via API or ABI almost every kernel update. So it's not specifically a proprietary driver issue since even third-party open source drivers that are not in the mainline kernel break too. Yes, nVidia could choose to open up their driver and contribute it in a way that it was included in the mainline kernel and therefore breakages would happen far less often. But ultimately, the real problem is the API/ABI instability on Linux. With the above said, as others have mentioned, it shouldn't generally break every update if you have dkms, etc. setup properly.
- JoshTriplett 12y ago
  ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have to keep legacy interfaces around. This isn't just about keeping old function entry points around; the kernel regularly redesigns and rearchitects core subsystems in ways that cannot support the previous function entry points, and that's completely OK because the developers making those changes go fix all the drivers. So no, the kernel will never have a stale^Wstable ABI for drivers (as opposed to userspace). Out of tree modules are a bug; pick hardware that doesn't need them. Graphics are one of the last areas where some of the widely used hardware still doesn't have FOSS drivers; just about everything else works with in-tree drivers. And the stability issues aren't just with keeping the drivers up to date. Users who run the nVidia proprietary driver regularly report crashes and stability issues.
  - binarycrusader 12y ago
    ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have to keep legacy interfaces around. Sorry, but I strongly disagree and that's a factually, anecdotally, and objectively incorrect statement. OS X, Windows, AIX, and Solaris all manage to provide stable interfaces for drivers while still evolving the underlying implementation significantly. So clearly, it can be done. A properly designed API/ABI allows evolution of the implementation while retaining compatibility through interface. Out of tree modules are a bug; pick hardware that doesn't need them. The idea that the Linux kernel should or can contain all support for all hardware ever is an ideological pursuit at best. And the stability issues aren't just with keeping the drivers up to date. Users who run the nVidia proprietary driver regularly report crashes and stability issues. And people still report stability and crash issues with mainline kernel drivers too, just perhaps less frequently, so that's really an orthogonal concern. Quality of implementation is not an argument I would want to use against good architectural software practices such as having a stable API/ABI. I'm also quite familiar with the argument that "if the source is open, people can fix it and make it better!" -- I think the recent OpenSSL problems have proven that just because the source is open doesn't mean anyone is fixing problems there. Regardless, the real losers here are the users; I don't frankly care about the proprietary vs. not arguments and holding up some ideological standard as the ultimate goal seems like it's missing the point -- computers are just tools, and we should spending more time on improving the usability of them for users not fighting ideological wars.

jewel 12y ago

I have three Desktops with an nvidia card that haven't had a problem. On Ubuntu DKMS recompiles the nvidia blob loader whenever the kernel is updated. What operating system are you on? Did you install the proprietary drivers by hand? Given what you've said, my guess is that you're on the proprietary driver but it isn't being recompiled properly.

billconan 12y ago
desktop is a different story. the issue happens when you have both intel and nvidia gpus. see for example: https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/790089/linux/nvidia-on-ubuntu-14-04-1-64bit-black-blank-login-screen-not-freeze-/ https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/790089/linux/nvidia... http://askubuntu.com/questions/372686/after-installing-nvidia-drivers-i-boot-into-a-black-screen-13-10 http://askubuntu.com/questions/372686/after-installing-nvidi...
- cpbotha 12y ago
  On Ubuntu this problem is caused by the gpu-manager that keeps on rewriting xorg.conf incorrectly for the Optimus NVIDIA / Intel setup. I analyse the problem and present a hacky work-around in this post: http://vxlabs.com/2015/02/05/solving-the-ubuntu-14-04-nvidia-346-nvidia-prime-black-screen-issue/ http://vxlabs.com/2015/02/05/solving-the-ubuntu-14-04-nvidia...
  - billconan 12y ago
    Thank you so much! has this issue been filed to ubuntu? I will do it if it hasn't.
mod 12y ago
I previously had this issue, however it has since gone away. But it's possible I just switched back the the (shitty for games) nouveau driver, it's been a while and I can't remember now. I'm pretty content to just play 100% of games in windows, given that it's about 15 second reboot time with an SSD & windows 8--but I'll be very happy if we ever get full linux support on all games.

ossreality 12y ago

because you don't have DKMS?

binarycrusader 12y ago

Unfortunately, that's really the result of the API/ABI choices that the Linux kernel developers have made. There are no stable interfaces for kernel modules, and they frequently break existing interfaces. This means that any third-party driver that is not included in the mainline kernel source is effectively broken either via API or ABI almost every kernel update. So it's not specifically a proprietary driver issue since even third-party open source drivers that are not in the mainline kernel break too. Yes, nVidia could choose to open up their driver and contribute it in a way that it was included in the mainline kernel and therefore breakages would happen far less often. But ultimately, the real problem is the API/ABI instability on Linux. With the above said, as others have mentioned, it shouldn't generally break every update if you have dkms, etc. setup properly.

JoshTriplett 12y ago
ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have to keep legacy interfaces around. This isn't just about keeping old function entry points around; the kernel regularly redesigns and rearchitects core subsystems in ways that cannot support the previous function entry points, and that's completely OK because the developers making those changes go fix all the drivers. So no, the kernel will never have a stale^Wstable ABI for drivers (as opposed to userspace). Out of tree modules are a bug; pick hardware that doesn't need them. Graphics are one of the last areas where some of the widely used hardware still doesn't have FOSS drivers; just about everything else works with in-tree drivers. And the stability issues aren't just with keeping the drivers up to date. Users who run the nVidia proprietary driver regularly report crashes and stability issues.
- binarycrusader 12y ago
  ABI stability is not a feature, it's a bug. It means you can't fix the kernel and every driver in it, and you have to keep legacy interfaces around. Sorry, but I strongly disagree and that's a factually, anecdotally, and objectively incorrect statement. OS X, Windows, AIX, and Solaris all manage to provide stable interfaces for drivers while still evolving the underlying implementation significantly. So clearly, it can be done. A properly designed API/ABI allows evolution of the implementation while retaining compatibility through interface. Out of tree modules are a bug; pick hardware that doesn't need them. The idea that the Linux kernel should or can contain all support for all hardware ever is an ideological pursuit at best. And the stability issues aren't just with keeping the drivers up to date. Users who run the nVidia proprietary driver regularly report crashes and stability issues. And people still report stability and crash issues with mainline kernel drivers too, just perhaps less frequently, so that's really an orthogonal concern. Quality of implementation is not an argument I would want to use against good architectural software practices such as having a stable API/ABI. I'm also quite familiar with the argument that "if the source is open, people can fix it and make it better!" -- I think the recent OpenSSL problems have proven that just because the source is open doesn't mean anyone is fixing problems there. Regardless, the real losers here are the users; I don't frankly care about the proprietary vs. not arguments and holding up some ideological standard as the ultimate goal seems like it's missing the point -- computers are just tools, and we should spending more time on improving the usability of them for users not fighting ideological wars.