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EHLO 22 Feb, 2015 @ 4:23pm
Nvidia Optimus Users, here is the solution you may have been searching for!
So to start, I'll say that getting steam to work on linux (the linux native version) was actually quite easy. In fact, with Linux Mint 17.1, I believe it comes pre-installed. So if you're having trouble even getting steam up and going, this discussion isn't going to help you.

My current setup is an MSI Laptop with Intel HD 4400 Integrated Graphics and Nvidia GTX 765M Independent Graphics. Obviously we all know this is referred to as "Optimus". Windows installations have great drivers that can seamlessly switch between both cards, depending on the need of the application. That luxury is much harder to attain in linux, but after 4 days of searching, pulling my hair out, maybe even shedding a few tears (okay, there were no tears), I have finally stumbled across a WORKING method to get linux to react the same to the Optimus setup and switch seamlessly, WITHOUT special commands and scripts!

This guide was written directly for Linux Mint 17.1 64-bit, but should also work quite the same way for any later build of Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux, and Open SUSE, with some minor changes in syntax and locations.

Okay, so I know from the 150+ some odd pages I've read that everyone and their mother believes in Bumblebee. Especially now that it has Primus integrated into it. That worked for me, on some games, but not all. Many games would not load or load properly no matter how many different commands, load options, or scripts I tried. This method does not use Bumblebee! So, I will walk you through it all as if you were in my situation, with bumblebee installed already:

1.) Install Nouveau Driver through Software Manager. (will be labeled xserver-xorg-video-nouveau)

2.) Remove Bumblebee and all prior Nvidia drivers!

$ sudo apt-get purge bumblebee*
$ sudo apt-get purge nvidia-*

3.) Reboot System

4.) Install the following through the Software Manager:

nvidia-331-updates
nvidia-settings
nvidia-prime

5.) Reboot System

6.) Run nvidia-settings (Nvidia X Server Settings from menu)

7.) Verify your Nvidia GPU is shown under GPU 0!

8.) Under "PRIME Profiles" ensure "NVIDIA Performance Mode" is selected!

9.) Quit settings, you are done!

ENSURE ALL LOAD OPTIONS FOR ALL STEAM GAMES AND ALL SCRIPTS OR COMMANDS YOU USED TO LOAD OTHER GAMES TO TRY AND FORCE THE NVIDIA CARD ARE REMOVED! That's right! Leave ALL load options blank in steam!!! Start steam the normal way! No special options there either! Want to run a wine game like World of Warcraft?

wine wow.exe (from inside wow folder, or make your own shortcut or desktop launcher)

Nothing else! No optirun, no primusrun, no optirun -b primus, nothing!

Your setup will AUTOMAGICALLY know to switch to the NVIDIA card when you run a game!

I hope all that helps, and I realize there was a lot typed at the top there, but I hope that helps you!

To give credit where credit is due: geoffrey on the AskUbuntu forums! http://askubuntu.com/questions/457446/ubuntu-14-04-nvidia-prime-is-it-supported-no
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Showing 1-8 of 8 comments
MaddDoktor [Linux] 22 Feb, 2015 @ 6:02pm 
I have an MSI GE60-2OE with Intel HD4600 graphics and Nvidia GTX 765M. And while launching Steam games using nvidia graphics in 64-bit Ubuntu 13.10 was complicated (a few missing 32-bit libs, optirun prefixed with additional parameters worked, primusrun did not work for anything not even glxgears), I recently added a physically tiny 512 GB mSATA SSD for 64-bit Ubuntu 14.04.1 and that was quite simple (I now boot grub from that).

Ubuntu always has nouveau installed by default. I simply:

1. Used Ubuntu's Software Center to install synaptic and steam.

2. Used synaptic to install nvidia-331-updates (which automatically installs nvidia-settings, and nvidia-prime, even if using apt-get instead of synaptic).

3. reboot, done.

NVIDIA X Server Settings controls switching between Nvidia (default) and Intel graphics. I have not looked into setting up profiles to switch those automatically yet, I just leave it on nvidia for now.

I downloaded a game in steam and it ran great with no launch parameters. I don't use wine for anything.

I sometimes wish I had gotten a GE70 (17") instead of GE60 (15.6") because things are small on that size 1080p screen, when used to a 32" 1080p HDTV. But it is primarily for travel, so probably the ideal size for that.
#1
EHLO 22 Feb, 2015 @ 6:46pm 
Ah. I was using the Software Manager in Linux Mint. I have Synaptic Package Manager, but doing it from the Software Manager did not automatically install nvidia-settings and nvidia-prime. So I had to install them also. Glad that worked! I also had Nouveau Drivers uninstalled from all the tinkering with Bumblebee I had done prior, so I included that step, just in the event anyone else reading this was in the same situation. Just a cover all bases sort of thing.
#2
Dusk of Oolacile 23 Feb, 2015 @ 11:04pm 
Originally posted by JoeGI:
Windows installations have great drivers that can seamlessly switch between both cards, depending on the need of the application. That luxury is much harder to attain in linux, but after 4 days of searching, pulling my hair out, maybe even shedding a few tears (okay, there were no tears), I have finally stumbled across a WORKING method to get linux to react the same to the Optimus setup and switch seamlessly, WITHOUT special commands and scripts!
As I read, you install official nvidia stuff and it works. Just like under windows. It would have been the first thing to try, not the last one, if I were you...
#3
EHLO 24 Feb, 2015 @ 6:25pm 
Funny story is with Nividia Optimus, the drivers that come from Nvidia directly do not function the way they do on windows, where they will automatically swap between the Intel and Nvidia GPU's. Linux requires the special route. Trust me. I tried the drivers direct from the Geforce website, no joy!
#4
MN 28 Feb, 2015 @ 12:35pm 
w
#5
Zefékoa 6 Dec, 2015 @ 5:30am 
So, if I use steam on wine and then launch games from steam, will automagically switch to Nvidia GPU?
#6
Suki 23 Dec, 2015 @ 5:06pm 
Thanks good infromation for Linux users.
#7
Free Like GNU 3 Feb, 2016 @ 6:43pm 
If you remove bumblebee you can only switch between intel and nvidia between desktop sessions. If you want to keep intel for most of your desktop apps and nvidia only for steam games, right click on a game in your library, select properties, launch options and put:

primusrun %command%
or
optirun -b primus %command%

in the text box. The game will then use your GPU.
#8
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Steam for Linux > NVidia Graphics Cards > Topic Details
Date Posted: 22 Feb, 2015 @ 4:23pm
Posts: 8

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