Recently, Nvidia had an updated driver available shown by zypper. Of course I allowed it to be installed. After a reboot, the screen background flickers each time a window is opened. I have to click on the desktop of each monitor to stop it each time a window or menu box opens. I waited a few days to see if there was another upgrade for the drivers but nothing seems to have appeared. I also looked here to see if others were having this problem but it doesn’t look like it.
I am using Leap 15.1 with a GeForce 980 card with two monitors connected.
Until now, I have not had any problems with this system although it seems to be a lot of trouble for the computer any time there is an upgrade.
I’m wondering, should I just remove the nvidia drivers and go the the nouveau (sp) driver? I remember there used to be some problems with this driver and that’s why I went with the nvidia driver. I don’t do any gaming with this setup although I do have a lot of eye candy set up in my kde desktop. Does any of that stuff actually use the nvidia capabilities? To my knowledge, I’ve never done any numeric computing using the video processor either.
I looked at the SDB page and it says there should be a /etc/X11/xorg.conf file but there isn’t any on my machine. I also see that the nouveau driver is shown by zypper as being locked. Can I even change drivers? I’m a little afraid to just try it and end up not being able to start this machine.
Hi
You can create one if you want, else it will use /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d files, which can also be tweaked. I don’t have any on my systems, but just use the manual install instead (keeps current with running kernel) for my GT710 cards.
Which SDB page? It may need clarification or correction. Most installations do not need such file, but proprietary NVidia driver installations historically include either it, or counterparts in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/.
I also see that the nouveau driver is shown by zypper as being locked.
This might be a consequence or recommendation of installing a proprietary NVidia driver. As the primer link malcolmlewis provided explains, “the” nouveau driver is a misnomer. Likely what is locked is the xf86-video-nouveau DDX package, but there are other nouveau packages in the repos, most or all of which are probably installed on your 15.1.
Can I even change drivers? I’m a little afraid to just try it and end up not being able to start this machine.
Uninstalling a proprietary NVidia driver can be vexing. By following the uninstallation instructions that are a part of the installation instructions, it should not be a problem, but locating such instruction weeks, months or a year after installation might not be so easy. I’ve never installed a proprietary driver of any kind. All my NVidia GPUs are running purely on FOSS. Proprietary drivers for individual NVidia GPU models are only provided as long as NVidia chooses to provide them. As any particular model ages, eventually support for it gets dropped, forcing anyone continuing to use it to switch to a FOSS driver.
This might be a consequence or recommendation of installing a proprietary NVidia driver. As the primer link malcolmlewis provided explains, “the” nouveau driver is a misnomer. Likely what is locked is the xf86-video-nouveau DDX package, but there are other nouveau packages in the repos, most or all of which are probably installed on your 15.1.
zypper says:
The following item is locked and will not be changed by any action:
Available:
Mesa-dri-nouveau
Uninstalling a proprietary NVidia driver can be vexing. By following the uninstallation instructions that are a part of the installation instructions, it should not be a problem, but locating such instruction weeks, months or a year after installation might not be so easy. I’ve never installed a proprietary driver of any kind. All my NVidia GPUs are running purely on FOSS. Proprietary drivers for individual NVidia GPU models are only provided as long as NVidia chooses to provide them. As any particular model ages, eventually support for it gets dropped, forcing anyone continuing to use it to switch to a FOSS driver.
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s really the video drivers. I can use any of the buttons in the panel and all is well. I see there is a kernel update. I’m going to try that now.