Asus N43J Graphics

[usmcstitch]

I just received an ASUS N43J notebook for Christmas. It has the dreaded Nvidia Optimus configuration: Intel integrated (using i915 it seems) and a Nvidia GT425M discrete graphics.

Everything seems to work fine on it except for the usage of the 425m graphics card. I do a fresh install, then all the updates. Afterward, I setup and use the PPA repository for the latest Nvidia Graphics Drivers


sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install nvidia-current nvidia-current-modaliases nvidia-settings

When that's complete, I go to Additional Drivers and enable the Nvidia drivers, then restart.

Now 1 of 2 things (or sometimes both) will happen:
1. I will either sit on the always pleasant "checking battery state" or
2. I will be brought to a terminal w/ login prompt. Pressing Ctrl+Alt+f7 will bring me to the "checking battery state".

Booting into Recovery Mode brings me to a working desktop. If i remove the Nvidia Drivers, or rather not use them by deactivating them under additional drivers, I can boot normally, using what i can only assume is the Intel Drivers.

I understand that that this time, Linux/Ubuntu can't work with the Optimus configuration. In my extensive reading of this issue, I also understand that the Nvidia driver is not being picked up by Xorg or something.

Is there a way to disable the Intel graphics and force the use of the Nvidia graphics? My BIOS does not have an option to turn off or toggle Integrated/Dedicated graphics. Is there a way to do this inside the OS? I'm pretty well versed in Ubuntu and have solved almost all my past problems, but this one seems above me for now.

What are my options here?

Thanks for any help.


SPECS:
ASUS N43J 14"
dual boot Win7 & Ubuntu 10.10 x64 2.6.35-23-generic
Intel Core i5
4GB RAM
Intel integrated graphics (using i915)
Nvidia GT425m Dedicated Graphics (latest 260.19.29 Certified)
Latest BIOS for motherboard 260 (still no option for graphics toggle)

[OskarV]

I have the same problem on my Asus N43JF

Already tried Nvidia 256.53.run - 260.19.21.run - 260.19.29.run

None of them work

[opengis]

I have the same problem, too.

My Xorg.0.log file shows:

[ 454.311]
X.Org X Server 1.9.0
Release Date: 2010-08-20
[ 454.312] X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
[ 454.312] Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.24-27-server x86_64 Ubuntu
[ 454.313] Current Operating System: Linux lee-N43JF 2.6.35-22-generic #33-Ubuntu SMP Sun Sep 19 20:32:27 UTC 2010 x86_64
[ 454.313] Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=6146931c-d59b-46b9-b361-2374b315a6cb ro quiet splash
[ 454.314] Build Date: 16 September 2010 06:18:41PM
[ 454.314] xorg-server 2:1.9.0-0ubuntu7 (For technical support please see http://www.ubuntu.com/support)
[ 454.315] Current version of pixman: 0.18.4
[ 454.316] Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
[ 454.317] Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 454.320] (==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Wed Mar 2 15:32:39 2011
[ 454.321] (==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
[ 454.322] (==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
[ 454.323] (==) ServerLayout "Layout0"
[ 454.323] (**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
[ 454.323] (**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
[ 454.323] (**) | |-->Device "Device0"
[ 454.323] (**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
[ 454.323] (**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
[ 454.323] (==) Automatically adding devices
[ 454.323] (==) Automatically enabling devices
[ 454.323] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic" does not exist.
[ 454.323] Entry deleted from font path.
[ 454.323] (==) FontPath set to:
/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc,
/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled,
/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled,
/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1,
/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi,
/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi,
/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType,
built-ins
[ 454.323] (==) ModulePath set to "/usr/lib/xorg/extra-modules,/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
[ 454.323] (WW) AllowEmptyInput is on, devices using drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disabled.
[ 454.323] (WW) Disabling Keyboard0
[ 454.323] (WW) Disabling Mouse0
[ 454.323] (II) Loader magic: 0x7d0200
[ 454.323] (II) Module ABI versions:
[ 454.323] X.Org ANSI C Emulation: 0.4
[ 454.323] X.Org Video Driver: 8.0
[ 454.323] X.Org XInput driver : 11.0
[ 454.323] X.Org Server Extension : 4.0
[ 454.324] (--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:0046:1043:1482 rev 24, Mem @ 0xd3400000/4194304, 0xb0000000/268435456, I/O @ 0x0000e080/8
[ 454.324] (--) PCI: (0:1:0:0) 10de:0df0:1043:1482 rev 161, Mem @ 0xd2000000/16777216, 0xc0000000/268435456, 0xd0000000/33554432, I/O @ 0x0000d000/128, BIOS @ 0x????????/524288
[ 454.324] (II) Open ACPI successful (/var/run/acpid.socket)
[ 454.324] (II) LoadModule: "extmod"
[ 454.324] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libextmod.so
[ 454.324] (II) Module extmod: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 454.324] compiled for 1.9.0, module version = 1.0.0
[ 454.324] Module class: X.Org Server Extension
[ 454.324] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension XFree86-VidModeExtension
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension XFree86-DGA
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension DPMS
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension XVideo
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension XVideo-MotionCompensation
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension X-Resource
[ 454.324] (II) LoadModule: "dbe"
[ 454.324] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdbe.so
[ 454.324] (II) Module dbe: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 454.324] compiled for 1.9.0, module version = 1.0.0
[ 454.324] Module class: X.Org Server Extension
[ 454.324] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
[ 454.324] (II) Loading extension DOUBLE-BUFFER
[ 454.324] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
[ 454.325] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libglx.so
[ 454.331] (II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[ 454.331] compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
[ 454.331] Module class: X.Org Server Extension
[ 454.331] (II) NVIDIA GLX Module 260.19.36 Tue Jan 18 17:12:12 PST 2011
[ 454.331] (II) Loading extension GLX
[ 454.331] (II) LoadModule: "record"
[ 454.331] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/librecord.so
[ 454.332] (II) Module record: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 454.332] compiled for 1.9.0, module version = 1.13.0
[ 454.332] Module class: X.Org Server Extension
[ 454.332] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
[ 454.332] (II) Loading extension RECORD
[ 454.332] (II) LoadModule: "dri"
[ 454.332] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdri.so
[ 454.332] (II) Module dri: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 454.332] compiled for 1.9.0, module version = 1.0.0
[ 454.332] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
[ 454.332] (II) Loading extension XFree86-DRI
[ 454.332] (II) LoadModule: "dri2"
[ 454.332] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdri2.so
[ 454.332] (II) Module dri2: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
[ 454.332] compiled for 1.9.0, module version = 1.2.0
[ 454.332] ABI class: X.Org Server Extension, version 4.0
[ 454.332] (II) Loading extension DRI2
[ 454.332] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[ 454.332] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/nvidia_drv.so
[ 454.333] (II) Module nvidia: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
[ 454.333] compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
[ 454.333] Module class: X.Org Video Driver
[ 454.669] (II) NVIDIA dlloader X Driver 260.19.36 Tue Jan 18 16:57:32 PST 2011
[ 454.669] (II) NVIDIA Unified Driver for all Supported NVIDIA GPUs
[ 454.669] (--) using VT number 8

[ 454.672] (EE) No devices detected.
[ 454.672]
Fatal server error:
[ 454.672] no screens found
[ 454.672]
Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
at http://wiki.x.org
for help.
[ 454.672] Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional information.
[ 454.672]


Would anyone help us, please?:confused:

[aalhamer]

Got the same issue did a lot of reading with nothing to show for, the system runs great with all the processing speed and expandable power i can ask for, but WTF Nvidia with this OPTIMUS driver BS?!?!?! i thought these guys were on our side,.. its been almost 2yrs, and none of the manufacturers presented a solution, or at least a work around..

ill be happy with low battery life if i can get Blender to work.. toname some of the buggy issues due to the optimus system. Sad part is that this is a great system, makes sense for those who want the power and get it when they need it [SOUNDS LIKE A LINUX USER], but they choose to lock it up for dear old WINDOWS!?!?!?! selling it on longer battery life for laptops.. shameful i say, thats like using diamonds for window glass, a bit too much for browsing and word...

I am willing to start a standard Linux approved hardware page or at least a hardware recommendation page that is relevant to current times, something that is easy to read, categorized and cataloged by simple categories something like WineHQ but hardware... anyone with me or even better if you know such site please let me know... sorry for the rant its been 2 yrs..

[Mark Phelps]

For those of you with Optimus graphics, the link below is interesting reading:

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTAwOTA