common-gfx-card-installation-woes

From d96c7cad92b025ad80a8fe64f91d1c215272e313 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: mjfernez Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:09:06 -0400 Subject: Update dead links. Add gfx card tutorial --- tutorials/pc_gaming/.description | 1 + .../common-gfx-card-installation-woes.html | 329 +++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 330 insertions(+) create mode 100644 tutorials/pc_gaming/.description create mode 100644 tutorials/pc_gaming/common-gfx-card-installation-woes.html (limited to 'tutorials/pc_gaming') diff --git a/tutorials/pc_gaming/.description b/tutorials/pc_gaming/.description new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8ab3eb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/tutorials/pc_gaming/.description @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +Tips for linux gamers diff --git a/tutorials/pc_gaming/common-gfx-card-installation-woes.html b/tutorials/pc_gaming/common-gfx-card-installation-woes.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..250f456 --- /dev/null +++ b/tutorials/pc_gaming/common-gfx-card-installation-woes.html @@ -0,0 +1,329 @@ + + + + + + + common-gfx-card-installation-woes + + + + +

I recently upgraded by PC from an Nvidia 1050 Ti card to a new 3060 +Ti card. I've been updating the drivers for this card since before there +was a Debian package, so I've been through the installation quite a few +times and run into my share of weird issues. This last upgrade was no +exception, so I figured I'd document the process in case anyone out +there is as bad at installing these as me!

Step 1: The Replacement

The best part of installing a new graphics card is getting to open up +the guts of your computer (it's also the scariest part, since this is +also the best opportunity to knock out a hard drive or a RAM stick). +Fortunately this is pretty easy, first make sure you hit the little +lever (switch?) on the PCI slot to pop out the old card. Then just slide +the new guy in. Note though to people getting a card from the RTX 30 +line (or higher) -- these cards run pretty big, so make sure you have +enough space in you case. You can see I barely made it myself!

A second note to RTX users: most if not all these cards come with an +extra power supply input (two 8-pin connectors). If your power supply is +short on outputs, you can get a splitter cable like the one you see in +the picture to match the inputs. I personally am running a 600 W supply +for everything right now, which seems to be running fine. You should +check some other power guides though if you're concerned your power +supply won't drive the card

Step 2: Re-installing the +drivers

At first I tried to just naively update and see what happened, but I +received a "broken packages" error for nvidia-driver and other related +packages after running this.

$ sudo apt update
+$ sudo apt upgrade

This turned out to be a two-part error, one was the driver itself, +two was an update in Debian sid.

Part one: Fix Broken Packages

Whenever I see broken packages, I tend to to assume that the name of +a package got updated. In this case, there was a note +on the apt list changes that mentioned a separate "non-free-firmware" +branch had been made, which had some of the components I needed. I just +added "non-free-firmware" to my /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ sid main contrib non-free non-free-firmware

Note: you may not need "non-free" here anymore, I simply had that +since that was where the package used to be.

Part two: Re-install +nvidia-driver

I tried to update again at this point, but encountered the same +error. At this point I figured the best thing to do was to just try to +reinstall all nvidia related software again:

$ sudo apt purge nvidia-*
+$ sudo apt update
+$ sudo apt upgrade

Ok no errors on the update this time, let's try again:

$ sudo apt install nvidia-driver

Part negative three: Just in +case

In the dark days before the Debian team had an Nvidia package, you +had to install drivers manually. I haven't had to do this in years, but +I like having the option. You can download the latest drivers on their +website:

https://developer.nvidia.com/vulkan-driver

The file will have a really long name like +"NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-525.89.02.run," so I suggest renaming it first to +something like "driver.run"

In order to run this file, you need to stop your graphics +environment. Press CTRL + ALT + F1 to log out and open a terminal-only +session. Login with your credentials. Then stop the X-server

$ sudo service lightdm stop

If you use a different X manager you might need to replace "lightdm" +with "gdm" or "kdm" (Gnome and KDE). Now we can run the driver +install:

$ sudo chmod +x driver.run
+$ sudo ./driver.run

Accept all the prompts and you'll have the factory made driver +software. Note, you have to manually update this way though. So try to +figure out the nvidia-driver package before resorting to this +method!

Step three: Reboot and test

Reboot and then check the Nvidia X server setting panel +(nvidia-settings) to make sure your card is detected correctly. At this +point, as long as you're still seeing your desktop, you should be good +to go! I ran Kerbal Space Program 2 (currently in early access) as my +first test.

Looking good, Jeb!

+ + -- cgit v1.2.3