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lars_the_bear
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Joined: 05 Jun 2024
Posts: 520
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 Posted: Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:20 am Post subject: Hybrid/dual graphics issues |
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Hi folks
One of the laptop computers I'm considering moving to Gentoo has dual (Intel+NVidia) graphics adapters. I understand that this kind of thing is quite common although, to be honest, I didn't even know about it until I started checking the installed hardware.
What I'm wondering is whether there's anything I need to watch out for, when installing Gentoo. I did nothing in particular when I installed Fedora. I believe that the NVidia adapter will allow for better graphics performance, but I'm more interested in battery life. So I guess I'd want to be sure that the NVidia part isn't doing anything unless I specifically ask it to (which I probably never will).
Or maybe this is all taken care of inside Xorg these days?
BR, Lars. |
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RIA77
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Joined: 24 Feb 2016
Posts: 391
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Just add for example
VIDEO_CARDS="intel nouveau"
https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Nouveau
Install switcheroo-control and power-profiles-daemon. |
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lars_the_bear
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Joined: 05 Jun 2024
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Easy as that, eh? Thanks 
BR, Lars. |
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RIA77
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Joined: 24 Feb 2016
Posts: 391
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 9:46 am Post subject: |
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Just try and post if you have any problems.
Best way is to load another linux and copy settings.
For example, my use conf is VIDEO_CARDS="intel i915 nouveau"
It means that you have to go lsmod from another live linux and check if you have i915 or similar modules loaded or not. |
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lars_the_bear
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Joined: 05 Jun 2024
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 10:27 am Post subject: |
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| RIA77 wrote: | Best way is to load another linux and copy settings.
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Thanks. Problem is, I don't really have any settings -- none I applied myself, anyway. I just ran the Fedora installer. I'm not sure which of the graphics adapters is actually being used at any given time -- I didn't even know it had dual graphics until yesterday.
I have i915 and nouveau kernel modules loaded. X seems to be using the 'modeset' driver, although I see references to nouveau in the logs:
| Code: |
[ 24.381] (II) modeset(G0): [DRI2] Setup complete
[ 24.381] (II) modeset(G0): [DRI2] DRI driver: nouveau
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Also:
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$ switcherooctl
Device: 0
Name: Intel® HD Graphics 530
Default: yes
Environment: DRI_PRIME=pci-0000_00_02_0
Device: 1
Name: NVIDIA Corporation GM107GLM [Quadro M1000M]
Default: no
Environment: DRI_PRIME=pci-0000_01_00_0
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I do not know whether running the NVidia adapter would help with an application like FreeCAD, although I can see why it might. I don't know whether I need to enable this adapter specifically, or whether it just happens. I'd like to be able to _disable_ it in all circumstances except running FreeCAD, to save power.
Frankly, I'm not sure what benefit this extra video adapter gives me, or how much extra power it uses. I don't really know how to find out. I'm sure the laptop will work fine with Gentoo -- I'm just keen to know that it won't be burning extra battery power running a video adapter that mostly I don't need.
To be honest, my knowledge of graphics on Linux is pretty thin. I don't play video games, so FreeCAD is the only thing that might potentially benefit from extra GPU heft. Maybe. Maybe it's already being used, in some transparent way, when I run FreeCAD? Sorry to be so dim.
BR, Lars. |
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Helmering
n00b
Joined: 13 Dec 2011
Posts: 68
Location: Italy
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 10:48 am Post subject: |
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Try simply
| Code: | | larry@cow ~ $ DRI_PRIME=1 yourapp |
cheers, Ralf |
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lars_the_bear
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Joined: 05 Jun 2024
Posts: 520
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2024 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| Helmering wrote: | Try simply
| Code: | | larry@cow ~ $ DRI_PRIME=1 yourapp |
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Thanks. This didn't make any obvious difference to FreeCAD, but maybe it just doesn't need any special graphics treatments? Rotating a 3D drawing is, I guess, less GPU-intensive than playing Call of Duty at 200fps.
Is there some way to measure how much power is being consumed by the various GPUs at a given time?
BR, Lars. |
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Installing Gentoo
