Hybrid GPU Laptop

DudeG

Hi, I don't know how to switch graphic chip.
I have a dell xps 15 9550 with a dedicated nvidia gtx 960m GPU and the integrated intel iGpu.
Many forums say to tweak with the 'PRIME Profiles' tab in Nvidia x server settings app, but in my case it's missing. The result is an always on nvidia gpu; this is very bad for battery saving.
I've installed nvidia driver by DoFlicky and all run as intended exept this. Before installing it, solus detected the integrated gpu as 'main'.
Am I missing anything?
I'd like to stick whith solus cause I'm really loving it 😀 , please help me 😅

Solus-Fan

That could help you.
https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1010153-solus-and-reducing-power-usage-of-dual-gpu-laptops/

DudeG

Yeah I've read something about 'blacklisting' the drivers but is there anything more 'genuine'?
Everybody arond forums always talk about how to do it on ubuntu and derivatives. Usually all works as intended after driver installation on ubuntu.
Why does the 'PRIME Profiles' tab missing, in the first place?

kyrios

Optimus is currently only supported in always on mode (Nvidia proprietary drivers installed) or in always off mode (proprietary drivers not installed). Dynamic switch between the dGPU and the iGPU hasn't been implemented yet.

DudeG

By far my solution is to install/unistall proprietary drivers via DoFlicky whenever I need or not the dedicated GPU.
It's a little barbaric, I know...

eljondy

DudeG Hi, the guy who wrote this article here said he could disable dGPU with bbswitch

kyrios

DudeG This is the way it is currently supported on Solus

SOLUSfiddler

kyrios
If I uninstall the proprietary driver for my Nvidia/Intel Optimus Thinkpad W530 via DoFlicky, will the laptop automatically detect the Intel driver needed?
Do I have to check the BIOS settings before uninstalling?
I'm asking because my laptop is my main machine and I cannot risk blank screens and stuff.

Flo

You could try this application : https://github.com/xulongwu4/nvidia-optimus-manager
In the webpage they say that it's compatible with Solus.
I couldn't try it anyway, cause i'm using a desktop computer with amd GPU :S.
The info comes from this thread : https://discuss.getsol.us/d/946-nvidia-optimus/5

DudeG

Thank you very much 😀
This worked for me:
https://github.com/xulongwu4/nvidia-optimus-manager
A little thing i want to report: I didn't find the /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d directory specified in the installation instuctions, i created it manually.
I think this could be tagged as solved.

kyrios

SOLUSfiddler if you have a black screen with a blinking cursor, you probably already know it (otherwise how would you have installed Solus?).
The solution has been explained many times : press CTRL-ALT-F2 to switch to a TTY console then fix the problem.

The way to to solve the problem is to blacklist nouveau or to append nouveau.modeset=0 to the kernel parameters as explained on the help center.