A date of releasing nvidia optimus drivers for linux & slow intel HD graphic card
 

Anyone knows when Nvidia is going to release theese drivers? I'm quite annoyed with lack of support from them and I don't want to use bumblebee as I don't play games, but my desktop effects on kde are buggy, so having bumblebee enabled with kde would make nvidia graphics card work all the time, so I'm just curious when it's gonna be released. Thanks in advance ;)

No date have been given so far, but they are working on it according to this article from Michael Larabel. I couldn't find a more recent information but I suggest that you stay tuned on Phoronix as they closely follow that.

Member Response
 

Hi,

I do not play games but do use Bumblebee to utilize my Nvidia card with optimus. Don't experience any issues with KDE once things were setup properly. Intel GPU does work but major differences when the Nvidia is switched on for application(s). Only thing with constant use of optimus is that the battery time is cut in half on this laptop. Unit is AC'd most of the time any way. Look at: Bumblebee - ArchWiki for some helpful information.

Curious, what effects with KDE are you referring too?

I don't know exactly how it's named in English but it would be something like magic lamp. It has lags when I have got a lot of windows opened and it's quite irritating. This effect is something like effects in mac osx I think. Windows appear and disappear as if they were thrown away from magic lamp with Jin :). I used to use bumblebee but I remember that the only way to make apps run was typing optirun before command, so I don't find it comfortable enough for everyday use.

Member Response
 

Hi,
Sounds like a system issue not a KDE specific problem. Possibly memory or HD. How much memory and other system specs. I do use optirun to launch specific applications, for example 'Firefox'. Leave it running and no issue(s) for a Dell XPS core i7 with SSD, 8GB memory with Optimus; Intel & Nvidia. Once bumblebee is installed & configured there are no problems for me.

By using 'optirun' you are starting control of the Nvidia Optimus system for that particular application with bumbelbeed. Once issued there is nothing more to do but use the application. I do not see an issue with invoking 'optirun' for an application to fully use the hardware.

How would one be uncomfortable with using the hardware to the fullest capabilities?

Well, I have 8G RAM, and HDD probably 5400 rpm (haven't checked it really, but it's a laptop so it's probably sth like that) core i7 also, 4 cores with 2.2 Ghz, so it isn't a problem I guess. I think that I misunderstand something. So invoking app with optirun enables control of Optimus thechnology and if I don't? Then which graphic card is used? Integrated or dedicated? And I mean that it's uncomfortable to launch applications by typing everytime optirun * in console.

Member Response
 

Hi,
My Dell XPS is i7 8 core Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz along with a 'SSD', 8GB memory, SATA HD & external USB 3.0 HDD. HDDs' are just auxiliary support.

Your HDD at 5400rpm can be and most likely is the bottleneck when you have multiple windows & applications running. Right now, XPS with 11 Applications open & running, just two 'optirun apps' running & using 'Nvidia' other apps use 'Intel' graphics.

If you have Bumblebeed running & configured properly then when you use 'optirun application' then Nvidia is being used for that application. Why use the 'console'? Just use 'Run command' from menu. Just be aware that Optimus usage will cut your battery time. No problem when you are plugged in AC.

Intel graphics is used for other normal applications unless I would need to run more than a few with 'optirun' to use Nvidia. My CPU loads are around 3-4 per cent typical and as high as 10 per cent when doing some heavy work.

I do use a Laptop cooler along with a Lap desk to keep things cool and quiet.

So I installed optimus and problems disappeared it is very smooth now, but i had to launch every application with optirun. I didn't know that my Intel graphic card is so weak. Co the problem wasn't HDD and AFAIK launched apps are stored in ram not on HDD, so why sould HDD have any meaning in this? What kind of information about launched apps are stored on HDD?

Member Response
 

Hi,

Depending on your memory footprint & activity then 'swappiness' could be issue for 'swap'. Application memory allocations can cause interactivity or load issues. Still dependent on Kernel control but some apps can cause some leak or memory issues. Add that your HDD system is slow then information/data exchanges will reflect that activity.

My Intel graphics is still used generally, just that 'Optimus' is used for necessary apps or the ones that I feel need better graphics.

Swappiness cannot be a problem. It's hard to admit but I don't use swap and I have swap disabled from kernel at all. I know that I should have it but in fact my linux never uses more than 4G of RAM so I decided not to have swap partition at all and even when I had swap partition it's never been used.
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EDIT: I found a problem. There were 2 problems actually first I compiled intel driver without acceleration for sandy bridges and second i forgot to add my user to video group during installation. Quite stupid mistake but maybe someone will benefit oneday from my mistake