Configure NVIDIA (non-free) settings and load them on Startup

Introduction

Note

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This tutorial is meant for users who are using the NVIDIA Proprietary (non-free) drivers.

You can check what drivers you have installed by entering the following command into your terminal:

inxi -G

Install NVIDIA Drivers

If you have the Nouveau driver you can install the proprietary NVIDIA driver by using the Manjaro Hardware Detection (MHWD) utility. To do so, enter the following command into your terminal:

sudo mhwd -a pci nonfree 0300

Once Complete, reboot your system to complete the process. You can then confirm that the driver has been installed and is working by entering the following command into your terminal:

mhwd -li

Configure The Resolution/Refresh Rate

Warning

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The method provided does not currently work for the Cinnamon Edition. As soon as a solution is found, then this article will be updated.

1. Open your terminal and enter the following command:

sudo nvidia-settings

2. Change resolution and refresh rate in 'X Server Display Configuration' tab.

3. Hit the 'Save to X Configuration File' button and save to /etc/X11/mhwd.d/nvidia.conf

4. Now enter the following command into the terminal to complete the process:

sudo mhwd-gpu --setmod nvidia --setxorg /etc/X11/mhwd.d/nvidia.conf

Configure X Screen settings (OpenGL Settings, Antialiasing, X Server XVideo)

1. Open your terminal and enter the following command:

nvidia-settings

2. Change settings in X Server XVideo Settings, OpenGL and Antialiasing, in the 'X Screen' tab.

3. Click on 'nvidia-settings configuration' tab and click on the 'Save Current Configuration' button.

4. Save the .nvidia-settings-rc to the default location specified (/home/[your account name])

5. Edit the .xinitrc file with your preferred text editor. For example, run this in your terminal:

gedit ~/.xinitrc

6. Once opened, add the following line into the configuration file, before the last line that starts with 'exec' :

nvidia-settings --load-config-only
exec $(get_session)

7. Save and exit.

Troubleshooting: X-Server Failed to Start and Install

Where there has been an error during the installation process, upon rebooting you may see the following error message: modprobe: ERROR: could not insert nvidia : No such a device

If this happens:

1. Remove the NVIDIA driver by entering the following command into your terminal:

sudo mhwd -r pci video-nvidia    

2. Reboot your computer

3. Enter the following into your terminal:

sudo gedit /etc/mkinitcpio.conf 

4. delete the word nouveau from the following line:

MODULES=" nouveau" 

It should now look like this (i.e. keep the speech marks ("")):

MODULES="" 

5. Save and close the file.

6. It is now necessary to reconfigure your existing kernel to take into account this change. The syntax of the necessary command to enter into your terminal is:

sudo mkinitcpio -p [linux kernel version]

For example, if you are currently using Kernel 3.10, you would enter the following:

sudo mkinitcpio -p linux310

For kernel 3.11, you would enter the following:

sudo mkinitcpio -p linux311

And so on.

7. Now re-install the NVIDIA driver by entering the following command into your terminal:

sudo mhwd -a pci nonfree 0300

8. Reboot your system. Now it should work ;)

Bumblebee and Steam

Warning

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These instructions are outdated. Until they are reviewed for validity, please do not follow them blindly. Especially consider that there are also legacy nvidia drivers for older cards, like nvidia390xx and nvidia340xx. If you are not sure, please look for a tutorial or ask for assistance at the forum.

Properly using and configuring Bumblebee with Steam is much easier than it seems at first.

1. Install bumblebee for nonfree nvidia. Please run in terminal command in proper order:

sudo pacman -S virtualgl lib32-virtualgl lib32-primus primus

sudo mhwd -f -i pci video-hybrid-intel-nvidia-bumblebee

sudo systemctl enable bumblebeed

2. Reboot system:

sudo reboot

3. Next run:

optirun -b none nvidia-settings -c :8

4. Verify it is working

primusrun glxspheres64

and

glxspheres64

so you can see the difference.

5a. To have all games with Steam run using the NVidia card. Run Steam with command:

primusrun steam

5b. Alternatively, you can run specific games by:

Select a game - that you want to run using your discrete Nvidia card - from the Library page of the Steam client, right-click, and select Properties. Click the SET LAUNCH OPTIONS... button and specify primusrun %command% for the command line. Save your changes.This method allows you to pick when the discrete NVidia GPU should be used on a per-game basis.

Feedback and Support

If you have any problems, improvements or see any errors in this tutorial, please post in this Manjaro forum thread: [1]