How to add Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti video card

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23 Sep 2019 02:41 - 23 Sep 2019 02:44 #145903 by pmconsulting
I have a dual-boot Debian Stretch / Windows 10 system that uses the Unix boot loader. There are 2 separate drives connected for each OS. I added an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti Video card in order to improve the performance of Fusion 360 on the Windows 10 partition. Installing drivers for the Windows 10 OS was a single click and the card performs great.

I would like to know how to enable this same video card while I am running on the Linux partition. Although one would think this would be fairly simple, countless contradictory and protracted online explanations, videos, diatribes, prayers, etc., have failed to produce a single success or even flicker of hope.

Rather than a script, it seems unix enthusiasts prefer pages and pages of obscure commands, steps & lengthy procedures - none of which work. Nvidia provides some resources which all ultimately link back to those same, long, confusing guides.

Why is there no standard procedure for this? Why doesn't Debian Stretch have some sort of computerized, database system for managing this situation that would eliminate having to bumble through approaches more complex that a night course in Fortran syntax? I would suggest using a computer to keep track of the requirements and providing an automated means of doing this kinda like Windows and Mac seem to have figured out. What do you say?

Pardon my frustration, but I am offended at the number of man-years wasted just among us machinists because we give computer programmers so much slack. Any OS that doesn't provide these rudimentary functions should be promptly replaced with an OS more up to the task so we all don't keep wasting all of our machining time re-inventing this nonsense.

I also read that some of the proprietary Nvidia code interferes with the PREMPT-RT kernel. I would have thought that the PREMPT-RT kernel would have been smart enough to use the additional graphic cores available in any video card to its advantage like every single other piece of even crappy game software. Why are machinists so behind the curve?
Last edit: 23 Sep 2019 02:44 by pmconsulting.

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23 Sep 2019 03:56 #145908 by copyleft
The problem isn’t with the Linux community but with Nvidia.
They started last moth (August 2019) publishing GPU hardware documentation to help to improve Open Source drivers.
Next time before you buy something ask for advice instead blame the community.
Buy a fanless PC and use it dedicated for your CNC, will do just one job (NC) but will to it very well.
Isn’t expensive fanless PC, many users here use it, many recommendations too.
Read the tread:
forum.linuxcnc.org/show-your-stuff/32029...-cutter-build/unread

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23 Sep 2019 06:43 #145914 by tommylight
There is a driver manager for Linux that makes installing Nvidia drivers a single click romance.
Even installing drivers downloaded from Nvidia website requires a single line in the terminal.
What have you been reading ?
You should check the dates of whatever you are reading, as reading 10 year old posts is a waste of time.

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23 Sep 2019 06:56 #145920 by pl7i92
if you do not use ETH CNC dont use Nvida it will interfear the TR kernal and make you a bad part
the Hardware inside the Graphiccard will detect a RT and try to grap it to get its own best access

there are Nvidia drivers that prohibit that issue but there are hard to install
see Nvidia on RT on google

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23 Sep 2019 07:16 - 23 Sep 2019 07:21 #145928 by pmconsulting
Sorry, copyleft, not the community's fault & didn't mean to imply.

I found a fast, i7 machine for $180 with large drive & 8gb RAM. Originally intended as dedicated CNC but realized that if I added a second drive and figured out the boot loader, I could run Fusion 360 at the CNC machine, if needed.

Pl7i92, I'm using 2 Mesa cards via ethernet for controlling a lathe and a mill, each with their own configs and unique IPs. I think it should still work fine with Nvidia drivers installed.

Linux runs fine & will display output both on the motherboard VGA, and the HDMI of the video card. It would just be nice if I could use the higher screen resolutions in Linux, too.
Last edit: 23 Sep 2019 07:21 by pmconsulting.

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23 Sep 2019 07:21 #145930 by pl7i92
so you are fine with the CNC
did you check the Debian
wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers

there is a new driver for the stretch
www.nvidia.de/download/driverResults.aspx/134289/de

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26 Sep 2019 20:24 #146299 by pmconsulting
Great horny toads, I've tried all of those resources, followed a bunch of instructions & even tried complete removal of everything I tried and all I get is a system that no longer can run lightdm.

This page: wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers#Identification is what I followed. My computer has Intel graphics on the motherboard and an nVidia GTX 1050 Ti card.

I thought I ran into problems because the nvidia-detect command returns more than one line for my system. That page says that I have an Optimus (hybrid) graphics chipset and to check the Bumblebee page (wiki.debian.org/Bumblebee).

But that page seems to be focused on Laptops and using the nVidia card for calculations, then sending the video out the motherboard VGA port or some such cornfusing blather. I want to connect 2 monitors to the nVidia card and leave the onboard VGA disconnected. I doubt that going down the Bumblebee toilet is the answer.

What I would settle for at this point is getting a working system back. I was running both displays connected to the nVidia card and without the nvidia driver, so both displays were lower resolution Before I attempted to install any nVidia drivers. That was working.

The uninstall process at the bottom of the first page doesn't work either. The system just boots to a console now. I tried X -configure and that, like most things, didn't work either.

Any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

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29 Sep 2019 22:14 #146632 by pmconsulting
I have reinstalled X11 and that returns the installation to usability.

I then installed the latest Linux driver for this card from Nvidia and the system is again unable to launch any X windows. I get errors when I try xinit or startx.

I have been scouring forums, etc., but haven't found a solution. Executing lspci and lshw shows that the hardware is connected and properly identified.

The computer is an HP 6300 small form factor with onboard Intel video chipset. My video card is, as explained earlier, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. All works flawlessly with Windows, but booting from Debian 9 Stretch, I am unable to find a working driver.

I have seen many posts talking about "Bumblebee". Reading those, it sounds like it is intended for Laptops, rather than for desktops. I have not tired installing Bumblebee as I am not sure if that will fix my issue. Does anyone have any advice?

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03 Oct 2019 00:58 #146929 by andypugh
It sounds like the NVidia drivers for Linux are the problem. Are you absolutely determined that the Nvidia card is the only way to go? I think in your position I would be using the onboard video on the machine and putting the Nvidia card in the back of the forgotten equipment drawer.

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03 Oct 2019 15:59 #146989 by pmconsulting
I have 2 monitors in the shop - one is 4k. I use the smaller monitor with Linux for machining when booted to that drive. But, I do want to be able to transfer to the Windows 10 drive and use Fusion 360 on the larger monitor for small changes so I don't have to run to my office where I do most of the design.

I've already had everything functioning this way using Debian 9 Stretch, but that setup would not allow anything anywhere near a reasonable resolution for the larger monitor. It doesn't need to be 4k, but HD would be a lot better than the Debian default.

Mint, on the other hand, fills both displays at their native resolutions upon booting from the installer ISO. Not sure if Mint needed proprietary drivers to get there, but even if it does, my setup uses 2 Mesa 7i96 cards so latency shouldn't be an issue.

I know most of the CNCers here want reliability and, as such, seem to forgo hot rod machines for their motion control in favor of pared down, dedicated hardware. And I get that.

But, in my case, the latency I had on the i7 machine was so many times better than the smaller Atom system I started with that I felt compelled to use it for CNC. Then, because of it's capacity & video capability, though it would also serve as a Fusion workstation right there in the shop when I needed to make changes.

So yes, I've upgraded myself into this corner, but I think the take away theme is that there should be a reasonably modern version of Linux that can deal with more modern systems, video cards, UEFI, etc., while still being able to run linuxcnc. It sure seems like I should be able to do that with Mint, at least judging from the installer's appearance on this system.

John's instructions here: gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/uspace/linuxmint19-rt.html should take care of getting LinuxCNC running on Mint and these 2 guides: www.forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linu...h-rip-or-build-a-deb
and
itsfoss.com/guide-install-linux-mint-16-dual-boot-windows/
should get me to a dual boot system where I can reliably run LinuxCNC using both monitors, and be able to boot to Windows 10 to run Fusion360.
Certainly, if Autodesk would make a Linux version of Fusion360, this would be a whole bunch easier, but I have no idea how the PREEMPT kernal affects other running software.

I'll certainly post back the results and do look forward to all of your advice. Thanks!

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