Linux Mint - 2 GPUs (GT555M + EGPU: GTX1060)+ 2 Screens (in. screen + ext. screen)

Hello, thank you for reading this!

I have tried this setup for days now with no solution:

I use a Dell XPS17 L702x (3D) Laptop. In this Laptop the Intel Graphics is disabled so i only have the GT555M. I use an external GPU on the minipcie port.

I want that the internal GT555M works with the internal display and the external GPU (GTX1060)with the external screen.

The external screen is plugged in the external graphics card. With this setup i have the best possible performance. I Windows i was able to get it to work. In Linux Mint it worked with the “nouveau” drivers BUT with terrible performance. For this i used a little egpu-switcher script.

BUT…

As soon as i install the proprietary nvidia drivers i cant see and select the second screen in the display configuration of linux - the external. Als in the X Server programm there is only one GPU - the external.

How can i get my GT555M enabled with the internal laptop screen ?

I read something about modifying the xcorg.conf file or something, but i have no clue what exactly i have to do to get this working.

HELP IS REALLY REALLY APPRECIATED!

I hate windows and i want to get this working!

I hope for other people that the proprietary drivers work in the future like the nouveau drivers “plug and play”…

BEST WISHES & GREETINGS FROM GERMANY!
MATTHIAS BRAUN

That doesn’t really work (good). The GT555M is a Fermi device so you’d have to use the v390 legacy driver. In contrast to nouveau, the nvidia driver doesn’t support the prime output sink capability so you’re limited to setting up Xinerama and use a non-compositing window manager.
You should rather enable the intel gpu and disable the 555M, that would work. Though performance is probably not really good in any case due to the 1x pcie over mini-pcie.

Thank you for this answers. That has helped. I installed the 390 legacy driver an both cards are in the x server configuration app now. I would be comortable with non-compositing window manager but my problem now is that
as soon as i activate Xinerama it stays blank at startup. The screens stay both black only the backlight blinks one after the other. What should i do ?

If i deactivate Xinerama again with a Live CD messing with the xorg.conf everything works again.
But as i said cant move windows across screens…

Adressing the performance concerns: Yes shure its a drop in performance but in Windows i get 80% of the performance which is enough for this setup!

Like said, I’d rather recommend enabling the intel gpu. Which distribution are you running?
Please run nvidia-bug-report.sh as root, preferably whith xinerama enabled, and attach the resulting .gz file to your post. Hovering the mouse over an existing post of yours will reveal a paperclip icon.
https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/1043347/announcements/attaching-files-to-forum-topics-posts/

I cant enable the intel GPU, its hardwareside disable in the L702X 3D Version.
Nobody knows why but it is :D Or is there a way ?
I would also be more comfortable. The Thing is. In Windows i cant even install the drivers
for the intel. It says “no compatible hardware found” Then in read that in the L702X
3D the motherboard is different to the normal L702x where you can enable the Intel and use Optimus.
If you know a way the reanable … would be great!

I will post the results as soon as i can!

Ok, I thought you disabled the igpu yourself. Since it’s a 3D Vision capable screen, it has to be directly connected to the nvidia gpu so the igpu is hard disabled and can’t be reenabled.

Exactly. I will let you know the
nvidia-bug-report.sh soon!

Hi generix and others…

I tried again to find a solution for several hours now.
Not yet there.

In the meantime i found this ressource:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA

There i found a xorg.conf file which i tried. Its working with “SLI” “MOSAIC” and base mosaic etc.
I found out that both of my cards support SLI, so i gave it a try.
This kind of config should give me one big workspace in the end as 1 X Server.
(See my custom *.conf in the attachement.)
What happens is that only one monitor gets recognized the other one stays black.

I not really get what some of the code mean.

For your information: My laptop is a FHD and is placed directly under my LG FHD display.
I use Linux Mint right now. But what would be the best for this setup ?

See also the bugreport after using the xorg.conf mentioned.
I cant make the bug report with Xinerama enabled, or can i ?
Because if i enable both screens blink in black… so how ?

Thanks for your help, really appreciated!!!

Here are the files:

20-nvidia.conf
nvidia-bug-report.log.gz

If you need other file maybe after enabling Xinerama with the config the nivdia-settings generated just let me know. Hope there is a good solution for this.

Greetings from Germany
Matthias

Any mosaic and sli settings only work with a pair of identical gpus, so that doesn’t work in your case. Your only chance to getting this to work is Xinerama.
You should be able to ssh into the system when running a Xinerama setup if you can’t switch to a vt to run nvidia-bug-report.sh to create the log.

Oh okay… then the was a waste of time :D

Sorry what is “ssh” into the system ?
What is a vt ?

ssh = secure shell = login over network: https://thishosting.rocks/how-to-enable-ssh-on-ubuntu/
vt = virtual terminal, ctrl+alt+{f1…f7}

Sorry i have no clue what this is and how to do it. :(
vt will not work because the screens just flashing forth and back…

Does the log not contain the necessary information if i switch back to Xinerama “0” aftwards ?
Or can i get the information if i liveboot and get the infos this way somehow ?

Would it be better to go with arch or bentoo linux ?

You could set xinerama, and immediately after reboot to recovery, run
sudo journalctl -b -1 --no-pager >journal.txt
and attach the created file.