So I’ve been trying to install the proprietary Nvidia drivers on my homelab so I can get my fine ass art generated using Automatic1111 & Stable diffusion. I installed the Nvidia 510 server drivers, everything seems fine, then when I reboot, nothing. WTF Nvidia, why you gotta break X? Why is x even needed on a server driver. What’s your problem Nvidia!
I’m gonna be that person… I rarely, if ever have issues with nvidia on Linux. Used several 30xx series cards for gaming over the last couple of years and it’s been a great experience.
Is it my distro (Void)?. is it because I’m happy staying on X11? Is it just luck? Interested to hear people’s gripes
Well, you are not alone. While I too would prefer not to use proprietary drivers, I have had no problems on any of my Nvidia machines as well. Ironically, despite the open source drivers, getting a 7900XTX card up and running was an issue for me for months till distros caught up (with newer kernels and mesa libs), while my 4090 installation was a breeze even on the day it was released.
A lot of problems people have with Nvidia GPUs seem to be installation related. I think that is because the installation tends to be distro-specific and people do not necessarily follow the correct procedure for their distro or try installing the drivers directly from the Nvidia site as they would on Windows. For example, Fedora requires you to add RPMFusion, Debian needs non-free to be added to sources, Linux Mint lets you install the proprietary drivers but only after the first boot, and so on. Pop OS! probably makes the process the easiest with their Nvidia-specific ISO.
There is definitely some substance behind the complaints, but I think they are overblown or just the typical linux-user-parroting something they heard other people say.
On PopOS my 3070ti was always stable. I ran into occasional stuttering in the DE, but the biggest thing was I had to manual compile shaders using some guys github repo to play Apex Legends without it being a stuttery mess. But like you said, Pop is on X11 so maybe that makes a difference?
I bought into the “if you are going to use linux, especially for gaming, you need an amd gpu.” So I bought a 6900xt. I’ve had as many issues with my 6900xt; they are just different types of issues. Nothing insurmountable but its not like its some panacea.
Minimal issues here. Set up Arch, install nVidia, add build hooks before next kernel update, carry on.
I think this is a big part of it. I have no issues with Nvidia + X11, however if I try to use Wayland with my 2080 I get numerous issues that has me running back to Xorg very quickly.
I use Ubuntu and Nvidia 3080 and the only issue I have had was when Steam updated their Big Picture Mode. I was using Wayland and it broke with the new Big Picture Mode. I had to switch back to x11 and it works well with that. I do hope Nvidia and Steam fix the Wayland issue. I’d rather use Wayland.
I have been using my Linux Gaming PC for for a couple of years now. I jumped ship with the ad riddled Windows 11. And I have been very happy with Steam/Proton gaming.