Ubuntu Linux Install Nvidia Driver (Latest Proprietary Driver)

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Ubuntu Linux Install Nvidia Driver

I am a new Ubuntu Linux user. My laptop has Nvidia GPU. How do I install Nvidia drivers on Ubuntu Linux 16.04, 18.04, 18.10?: Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) used for gaming and professional use in offices. Nvidia GPUs used in data centers, visualization, automobile industry, and artificial intelligence. By default X.org X server use nouveau free/libre software drivers for nVidia cards. The nouveau driver generally provides the inferior performance to Nvidia’s proprietary graphics device drivers for gaming and other professional use.

The procedure to install proprietary Nvidia GPU Drivers on Ubuntu 16.04 / 17.10, 18.04 / 18.10 is as follows:

Update your system running apt-get command You can install Nvidia drivers either using GUI or CLI method Open “Software and Updates” app to install install Nvidia driver using GUI OR type “ sudo apt install nvidia-driver-390 ” at the CLI Reboot the computer/laptop to load the drivers Verify drivers are working

Let us see all commands in details.

Find out information about your GPU

Naturally, you can only install Nvidia driver if you have Nvidia GPU in your system. Type the hwinfo command/lshw command to find out info about your GPU:

$ hwinfo --gfxcard --short

OR

$ sudo lshw -C display



Install Nvidia driver using GUI method on Ubuntu Linux

See “ Linux Find Out Graphics Card Installed In My System ” for more info.

Press the Super key (Windows key) and type the following in search box:

update manager



$ sudo shutdown -r now

$ sudo reboot

Ubuntu Install Nvidia driver using the CLI method

Click on thebutton:Click on thetab:Chooseand click on thebutton. You must authenticate yourself to install Nvidia driver on Ubuntu Linux. You must wait for some time as Nvidia driver downloaded and installed from the internet:Click on the Close button when done. You must reboot Ubuntu Linux computer to use the driver by typing the following shutdown command:ORNow skip to the driver verification step.

Open the termial application and search for nvidia drivers using the apt command or apt-get command:

$ apt search nvidia-driver

OR use the apt-cache command to search package:

$ apt-cache search nvidia-driver



$ sudo apt install nvidia-driver-390

$ sudo reboot

Verification

Let us install the nvidia-driver-390 package: Reboot the Linux with help of either reboot or shutdown command:Now go to the driver verification step.

Open the terminal application and type nvidia-smi to see GPU info and process that are using Nvidia GPU:

$ nvidia-smi



How do I configure the NVIDIA graphics driver?

The nvidia-smi command line utility provides monitoring and management capabilities for each of NVIDIA’s Tesla, Quadro, GRID and GeForce devices from Fermi and higher architecture families. You can see running apps on your GPU and GPU temperature.

The nvidia-settings command start a GUI tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver. This is useful to see all GPU info or configure multiple external screen/monitors connected to your system. Open the terminal and type the following commands:

$ nvidia-settings

If you wish to save settings start it as follows:

$ sudo nvidia-settings



Conclusion

You learned two different ways to install Nvidia Driver on Ubuntu 18.04 Linux. Obviously, the GUI method is simple and easy to use. The CLI method is useful for server installation. For more info see official Nvidia Unix/Linux driver page here.



1 of 2 in the Nvidia Linux and Unix Tutorial series. Keep reading the rest of the series: Ubuntu Linux Install Nvidia Driver (Latest Proprietary Driver) How to install Nvidia driver on CentOS 7 Linux This entry isofin theseries. Keep reading the rest of the series: