Switching from integrated graphics to discrete VGA.
 

Hey!

I'm using Intel 3570K APU atm with no dedicated VGA, although planning to buy one.
How should i avoid driver conflicts?
Should i delete anything other than the xserver-xorg-video-intel package before installing the new VGA's proprietary driver?

Thanks in advance!

You need to be a lot more specific. I recentbly asked for advice on replacing my laptop and was advised to avoid dual graphics. Apparently the APU uses one interface when talking to the internal GPU and another talking to the external one. Presuming you have a distro 'one size fits all' kernel, and you find some way of disabling one gpu, and your new GPU is well supported by linux (Which not all are) all might work.

If it goes pear shaped, you have been warned. That statement is even more true of nvidia GPUs which don't support the technology you want them to. I believe you may be able to power off the internal gpu in /sys/.

Hey, thanks for your reply.
As far as i know only AMD's APUs are capable of dual graphics, so it's out of the question.
I just want to use a discrete VGA (a Radeon HD 7770 specifically) instead of the Ivy Bridge's integrated graphics.

I know too little about your particular issue, but cannot you blacklist the kernel driver for the undesirable graphics card? This is the approach AMD radeon fglrx driver does to avoid conflicts with the open-source radeon driver.

Myself, I have an intel i5 system with build-in graphics and two additional radeon HD6450 graphics cards. I don't do anything with intel graphics module, but have and xorg.conf where I specify I want radeon drivers for my screens.

Edit: OK, I see 3570K is and i5 as well. So I don't think you will have a conflict, you should be even able to have both cards running with separate displays (may have issues with 3D though).

When you get the card, go into your BIOS and change 'onboard video' to 'PCIe video' (various different naming convetions for that, depends on your motherboard manufacturer/BIOS). Then follow your distros guide to installing the closed source drivers. Removing xserver-xorg-video-intel shouldnt be neded.

Your appling advice for laptops to a desktop system. Desktops are a quite different situation to laptops....

business_kid using 'dual graphics' to mean 'switchable graphics' and 'optimus' as well as the odd hybrid crossfire setups that AMD has branded 'dual graphics'.

Thank you guys, solved.