KDE X11 with two gfx cards

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1

Hi all!

I need some help to configure my desktop. I have two gfx cards: Intel UHD 630 (onboard) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX Ti 1050. I installed the proprietary driver for the NVIDIA board. I configured the xorg.conf file:


# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 515.65.01

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
     # generated from data in "/etc/sysconfig/mouse"
     Identifier     "Mouse0"
     Driver         "mouse"
     Option         "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
     Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
     Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"
     Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
     # generated from default
     Identifier     "Keyboard0"
     Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

#1st screen

Section "Device"
    Identifier "intel"
    Driver "modesetting"
    #Driver "i915"
    #Driver "intel"
    BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "intel"
    Device "intel"
EndSection

#2nd screen

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
     Identifier     "Layout0"
     Screen 0       "Screen0"
     Screen 1       "intel" RightOf "Screen0"
     InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
     InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
     Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

The best result that I achieved was one screen active (KDE UI) and other one “dead” (a black screen recognized without windows/graphical elements, only navigable with a cross cursor). If I enable Xinerama or, use “i915” or “intel” drivers, X11+KDE Plasma don’t boot, causing a fallback to text mode (no UI/Window Manager).

Does KDE/X11 support multiple gfx cards? In my best effort, the other screen was recognized, but without graphical elements. I accept instructions for Wayland, if that is easier than X11 to configure multiple monitors (each screen using a gfx card).

Thanks.

2

Did you follow this directions to setup the cards: https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:NVIDIA_SUSE_Prime
and
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:NVIDIA_Bumblebee

3

Hi hui.

Yes, I did. Using prime-select results to use intel card or nvidia card. That enables using one screen at time (laptop screen or external monitor), but I need use both screens by both gfx cards or, with some trick, one card to serve both screen. I think my laptop uses the NVIDIA Optimus technology, and that is causing a lot of troubles.

Have you used both screens (laptop + monitor, at same time) with NVIDIA Optimus, X11 and KDE setup?

Thanks

4

Your posts have collectively made it clear as mud whether you have an Optimus laptop, or a desktop with both Intel 630 IGP and a discrete NVidia 1050 card. Laptops typically don’t have “cards” as such. I have made a pair of NVidia cards produce output on 4 displays at once, 2 from each card, without using suse-prime or proprietary NVidia drivers, but not without some effort when first attempted: https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1193457

Two weeks ago when I temporarily put the extra card back in it just worked, like it should. When I wish 2 or 3 displays at once, I normally use a single source, whether an Intel or AMD IGP for up to three displays at once, or a single discrete AMD or NVidia card with 2 or 3 connected displays. I use Xorg exclusively, for Plasma as well as all other installed DEs.

I find configuration quite simple. If/when done in Plasma, I disable KScreen 2 in settings. I determine either manually, or via arandr, the required xrandr command string necessary to produce my desired layout. Once determined, I place a script with the required command string in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrd.d/. This starts the DM so that the desired layout is in effect when the selected DE session loads, Plasma among them. As an alternative to an xrandr script, /etc/X11/xorg.con* can be used, but it’s been more complicated to get right ever since SAX2 became impotent and automagic Xorg setup became mainstream default many moons ago.