Anyone ever successfully drive a Dell L702x (GeForce 555m, Optimus) with openSUSE 11.4 ?

titanjap · November 17, 2011, 10:32am

Hi all. I am inexperienced with Linux, and first time to this forum.

I know 12.1 is out. My experience with 11.1 tells me that it’s better not touch 12.1 until 12.3/12.4 or else is out.

I bought a new Dell L702x. OpenSUSE 11.4 doesn’t work with it well. I install Linux from DVD and run the online update.

There are two major problems:

The N-trig multi-touch screen is not working (I don’t even know how to configure a touch screen in Linux).
The graphic card (nvidia 555m 3Gb w/ tv) is not working.

I can work without a touch screen (although it is a waste of money), but the second problem is critical. The computer comes with two graphic units (Intel and nvidia). I think it is supposed to, through Optimus and the handy but expensive Microsoft, run 2D with Intel and 3D with nvidia. Certainly this won’t work in Linux.

So I hope I can at least move one step back: run nvidia on everything, and shutdown intel. One more step back is: run nvidia on everything, and leave intel untouched (it consumes power but nevermind). The BIOS can’t do this (I suppose this is a Sandy Bridge setting to force intel GPU always on).

Does anyone know if any of the above two is possible?

I installed the nvidia driver through nvidia repository and YaST. The system can’t even find a valid 3D device. In “System Information”, it says “Model” is 555m (so it can recognize the card). “2D driver” is still intel. “3D driver” does not show up (not even “unknown” or else).

I browse a lot the internet and can’t find any solution. Or I may have found some but can’t understand the Linux jargons.

Any help is welcome.

titanjap · November 17, 2011, 12:12pm

More information:

after installing the nvidia driver, I run glxgears and the result is

> glxgears
Xlib: extension “GLX” missing on display “:0”.
glxgears: Error: couldn’t get an RGB, Double-buffered visual.

martin_helm · November 17, 2011, 1:50pm

Am 17.11.2011 12:16, schrieb titanjap:
>
> More information:
>
> after installing the nvidia driver, I run glxgears and the result is
>
>> glxgears
> Xlib: extension “GLX” missing on display “:0”.
> glxgears: Error: couldn’t get an RGB, Double-buffered visual.
>
>
For the optimus the simple way to install nvidia drivers does not help
at all. It is a different technology without any support from the
hardware vendor for linux. I am not familiar with it and hope someone
who is will help you.
The only keywords to search for I know are “switcheroo” and “bumblebee”
projects for the hybrid graphics on linux. You might want to read about
them, these are still very experimental.