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Installing NVIDIA Drivers on AnduinOS

This guide provides a comprehensive approach to installing proprietary NVIDIA drivers on AnduinOS. By using NVIDIA's proprietary drivers, you can achieve better performance and gain access to features not available through the open-source Nouveau driver.

Prerequisites

  • AnduinOS (or any Ubuntu-based distribution).
  • A compatible NVIDIA GPU.
  • Basic knowledge of using the terminal.
  • Internet connection to download drivers and dependencies.
  • Backup your system or important data before proceeding with driver installations.

(Recommended) Using AnduinOS Welcome Center

For most users, the easiest way to install the recommended NVIDIA drivers is via the built-in AnduinOS Welcome Center:

  1. Open Welcome Center (AnduinOS OOBE) from your application menu.
  2. Navigate to the Unleash Your Graphics Hardware (NVIDIA) page.
  3. Click the One-Click NVIDIA Driver Install button.
  4. The system will automatically detect your NVIDIA GPU, download, and install the recommended proprietary driver.
  5. Reboot your system to apply the changes.

One-Click NVIDIA Driver Install via Welcome Center

(Alternative) Automatic CLI Installation

If you prefer using the terminal, you can let the system automatically detect and install the recommended driver using the command line:

sudo apt update
sudo ubuntu-drivers install
  1. Update repositories: This ensures you have the latest package lists.
  2. Install drivers: The ubuntu-drivers install command automatically detects your NVIDIA GPU and installs the recommended driver.
  3. Reboot your system to apply the changes.

!!! note "Not Always the Latest Driver"

The automatically installed driver might **not** be the latest available from NVIDIA. If you require newer drivers—for example, to support newer GPU models or software features—you should proceed with the **Manual Installation** instructions.

!!! warning "Known Issues and Stability"

NVIDIA proprietary drivers can sometimes introduce regressions or stability issues, especially with Wayland or very recent kernels. If you encounter issues, please check the [NVIDIA driver release notes](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/unix/) or report them to the [NVIDIA Developer Forum](https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/c/linux/).

If you experience visual glitches or crashes, you can try:
- Falling back to an older, more stable driver version.
- Switching your display server from Wayland to Xorg on the login screen.

To list all available NVIDIA driver versions for your hardware, use:

```bash title="List available NVIDIA driver versions"
ubuntu-drivers list --gpgpu
```

PPA Installation (Recommended if you need latest drivers)

If you don't want to use the automatic installation method or need a specific version of the NVIDIA driver, you can use a PPA (Personal Package Archive) to install the drivers. This method is useful for getting newer drivers that may not yet be available in the default repositories.

To add the graphics-drivers PPA, run the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa
sudo apt update

This PPA contains the latest NVIDIA drivers. After adding the PPA, you can install the driver using:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-550 # Replace '550' with the desired driver version

Then reboot your system:

sudo reboot

This method is generally safe and recommended for users who want to ensure they have the latest stable drivers without manually downloading and installing them.

Manual Installation (For advanced Users)

The manual installation method allows you to install specific (often newer) NVIDIA drivers, especially if you need features not yet packaged in the default AnduinOS/Ubuntu repositories.

Step 1: Clean the System of Existing Drivers

Before proceeding, remove any existing or partially installed NVIDIA drivers to avoid conflicts:

sudo apt remove --purge nvidia-*
sudo apt remove --purge libnvidia-*
sudo apt remove --purge xserver-xorg-video-nvidia-*
sudo apt remove --purge nvidia-settings
sudo apt remove --purge nvidia-prime
sudo apt autoremove --purge
sudo apt autoclean

This ensures no leftover packages interfere with the new installation.

Step 2: Download the NVIDIA Driver

  1. Visit the NVIDIA Drivers Website.

  2. Locate the correct driver:

    • Select your GPU model (e.g., GeForce RTX 4090, GTX 1080, etc.).
    • Select the appropriate operating system (Linux 64-bit).
    • Click "Search" and download the appropriate .run file.

  3. Make the file executable. Suppose your file is named NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-565.77.run:

    chmod +x NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-565.77.run

!!! note "How to Choose the Correct Driver"

- **Long Lived Branch (Production Branch)**: Often more stable and tested.
- **Short Lived Branch**: Provides the latest features and improvements but may be less tested.
- **Legacy Drivers**: Required for older GPUs that no longer receive current driver support.

Step 3: (Optional) Prepare Keys for Secure Boot

Secure Boot ensures your system only loads drivers or kernel modules signed by a trusted key. If Secure Boot is enabled in your BIOS/UEFI, you must sign the NVIDIA driver module. If Secure Boot is disabled, you can skip this step—but it is strongly recommended to keep Secure Boot enabled.

Good news for AnduinOS users: AnduinOS automatically generates a Machine Owner Key (MOK) for you during system installation, located at /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/. You DO NOT need to generate a new one!

  1. Verify if your key is already enrolled:

    If you already completed the First Boot setup (Welcome Center) and enrolled the Secure Boot certificate, you are good to go. You can verify it by running:

    sudo mokutil --test-key /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der

    If it says is already enrolled, you can skip to Step 4.

  2. Enroll your key (if not already enrolled):

    If the key is not enrolled, you can easily enroll it via the Welcome Center's Security tab, or manually using:

    sudo mokutil --import /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der

    You will be prompted to create a password. Remember this password, as you will use it after the reboot.

  3. Reboot and enroll your key:

    sudo reboot
    • During the boot, MokManager appears (a blue screen).
    • Select "Enroll MOK", then "Continue".
    • Enter the password you set previously.
    • Confirm to enroll the key and reboot again.

    The output should list your certificate. If it is listed, Secure Boot should now trust modules signed with your private key.

!!! note "Keep Your Keys Safe"

- **Never share your private key (`.key`)** with others.
- Always keep these files in a secure place. If you lose them, you’ll need to re-sign or re-enroll future kernel modules.

Step 4: Blacklist the Nouveau Driver

The open-source Nouveau driver can conflict with NVIDIA’s proprietary driver. To ensure it doesn’t load:

  1. Blacklist Nouveau:

    sudo vim /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-nouveau.conf

    Insert the following lines:

    blacklist amd76x_edac
blacklist vga16fb
blacklist nouveau
blacklist rivafb
blacklist nvidiafb
blacklist rivatv

    (Note: The line blacklist amd76x_edac is sometimes recommended on certain systems. If you do not have AMD hardware, it might be unnecessary. However, it’s often included in sample blacklist files.)

  2. Regenerate initramfs:

    sudo update-initramfs -u -k all

Step 5: Prepare to Install the NVIDIA Driver

  1. Install necessary build dependencies:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install gcc make build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)

    This ensures that you can compile the NVIDIA kernel module correctly.

  2. Switch to a multi-user (text) target:
    Before installing the driver, you must stop the display server (Xorg or Wayland). You can do this by changing the system’s runlevel/target:

    sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target
sudo systemctl isolate multi-user.target

    Your screen will switch to a TTY console. Log in with your username and password. (Nothing appears as you type the password—this is normal.)

!!! warning "Remember your username and password before switching to multi-user.target"

You will need to log in again after switching to the multi-user target. Make sure you remember your username and password, or you will be locked out of your system!

To query the current target, you can use:

```bash
systemctl get-default
```

To query the current user name, you can use:

```bash
whoami
```

If you need to return to the graphical interface later, you can switch back to the graphical target with:

sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target

!!! warning "Be Prepared for a Terminal-Only Environment"

Once you move to `multi-user.target`, you lose the graphical interface. If something goes wrong, you will need to troubleshoot via the command line.

Step 6: Install the NVIDIA Driver

  1. Navigate to the directory containing the downloaded driver:

    cd ~/Downloads

  2. Run the installer (example filename below):

    sudo ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-565.77.run

  3. Follow the on-screen prompts:

    • License Agreement: Accept the license.
    • Installation Path: The default path is usually fine.
    • 32-bit Compatibility Libraries:
      • Recommended to install if you run software such as Steam, Wine, or certain games requiring 32-bit libraries.
      • Not necessary if you only run 64-bit applications.
    • Signing the module (if Secure Boot is enabled):
      • The installer will ask if you want to sign the kernel module. Select Yes.
      • Provide the absolute path to your private key: /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.priv
      • Provide the absolute path to your public certificate: /var/lib/shim-signed/mok/MOK.der

!!! warning "Provide the Correct Key"

Installing the driver will automatically sign the kernel module with your private key if configured correctly.

Step 7: Reboot and Validate Installation

  1. Reboot your system:

    sudo reboot

  2. Check driver status:

    nvidia-smi

    If the driver is installed correctly, you should see a table showing your GPU, driver version, and other details.

  3. Secure Boot Verification (if applicable):

    sudo mokutil --sb-state
    • If it shows SecureBoot enabled, your driver should be signed and recognized by the system.

!!! note "Kernel Updates"

**When your kernel updates**, you may need to recompile or re-sign the NVIDIA driver module. If you installed via a .run file, you may have to rerun the installer or rely on DKMS (if configured properly).

Step 8: Adjust Display Server and Resolution

Depending on your system, you may be running Xorg or Wayland. In many cases, Xorg provides better compatibility with NVIDIA’s proprietary drivers.

  1. Check your current session type:

    echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
    • Returns x11 (Xorg) or wayland.

  2. Switching display servers:

    • You can select between Xorg and Wayland at the login screen (Gear icon or session dropdown).
    • Some distributions default to Wayland; if you experience issues, try switching to Xorg.

  3. Adjust your resolution (For Xorg users):

    If you are on Xorg, you can use xrandr to list available modes:

    xrandr

    To set a specific resolution and refresh rate:

    xrandr --output HDMI-0 --mode 3840x2160 --rate 144

    Replace HDMI-0 with the correct output device name (it can be DP-0, DVI-D-0, etc.).

    (Note: If you are using Wayland, xrandr cannot change your resolution. Please use the system's Display Settings GUI instead).

Step 9: (Optional) Install NVIDIA Docker Toolkit

If you use Docker and want to take advantage of your NVIDIA GPU inside containers (for machine learning, AI workloads, or GPU-accelerated applications), install the NVIDIA Container Toolkit. Please refer to the Docker NVIDIA Container Toolkit documentation for detailed steps.

Troubleshooting

0. First Diagnostic: Check Driver Status

Before troubleshooting, open a terminal and run nvidia-smi.

If you see a table with your GPU name and driver version, your driver is working. If your problem is system lag or choppy animations on a laptop, skip to point 5.

If you see an error like NVIDIA-SMI has failed because it couldn't communicate with the NVIDIA driver, it means the driver module is not loaded. Start troubleshooting from point 1 or 2.

1. Black screen or system freeze after reboot

This is the most common failure, usually happening right after installing a driver. It means the nvidia kernel module failed to load, often because it conflicts with the open-source nouveau driver, or it wasn't correctly registered with the kernel.

To fix this, you must boot into recovery mode. From the recovery menu, drop to a root shell. In the shell, run mount -o remount,rw / to make the system writable.

Then, completely remove the broken driver by running sudo apt-get purge '*nvidia*' and sudo apt autoremove. After this, type reboot. Your system should now boot normally using the nouveau driver, and you can attempt to reinstall the NVIDIA driver again.

2. Driver mismatch (nvidia-smi fails)

This error means the system is running, but the NVIDIA driver isn't loaded. The most common cause is a kernel update. The NVIDIA driver is a kernel module that must be compiled for the exact kernel version you are running. When your kernel updates, the driver module (if not set up with DKMS) is left behind, causing a mismatch.

Another common cause is Secure Boot, which blocks unsigned modules from loading. See point 3 for this.

To fix a kernel mismatch, first ensure you have the headers for your current kernel: sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r). If you installed via apt, try sudo dpkg-reconfigure nvidia-dkms-[version] (e.g., nvidia-dkms-550) to force a recompile. If you used a .run file, you must re-run the installer.

3. Secure Boot issues

Secure Boot is a UEFI feature that prevents untrusted (unsigned) code from running at boot. Since the NVIDIA driver is a third-party kernel module, Secure Boot will block it by default, leading to a "driver not loaded" error.

The simplest solution is to reboot, enter your PC's BIOS/UEFI setup, and set Secure Boot to "Disabled". This is the easiest fix and has minimal security impact for most users.

The "correct" solution is to enroll the AnduinOS system MOK. Simply open the AnduinOS Welcome Center, navigate to the Security tab, and click to enroll the Secure Boot certificate. You will set a password, reboot, and enter it in the blue "MOK management" screen (MokManager). This securely authorizes the NVIDIA driver to load under Secure Boot.

4. Updates break the driver

This is related to point 2. If you installed your driver using the official .run file from NVIDIA's website, that driver is compiled only for your current kernel. You must re-run the installer file every time AnduinOS updates its kernel.

To avoid this, we strongly recommend installing drivers via the Welcome Center or using the APT repositories (e.g., sudo apt install nvidia-driver-550). These methods use DKMS (Dynamic Kernel Module Support).

DKMS automatically rebuilds the NVIDIA module every time your kernel is updated, which prevents this problem from happening. It's the "set it and forget it" solution.

5. Laptop animations are laggy (PRIME Profiles)

This is a configuration issue, not a driver failure. It's common on NVIDIA Optimus laptops (like HP OMEN) that have both Intel (integrated) and NVIDIA (dedicated) graphics. Your nvidia-smi will show the driver is working, but your desktop feels slow.

This happens because the system is in "On-Demand" mode to save power. The Intel GPU runs your desktop (menus, animations), while the powerful NVIDIA GPU sleeps until you manually run a game on it. If your Intel GPU isn't powerful enough, the desktop will feel laggy.

To fix this, force the NVIDIA GPU to run everything. Open nvidia-settings from your terminal. Go to the "PRIME Profiles" tab on the left. Change the setting from "NVIDIA On-Demand" to "NVIDIA (Performance Mode)". Apply, and then reboot your laptop. Your desktop will now be rendered by the fast NVIDIA GPU and all animations will be smooth. (Note: this uses much more battery).

Or you can do that via:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nvidia-prime
sudo prime-select query # Query current mode (will likely show 'on-demand')
sudo prime-select nvidia # Switch to NVIDIA (Performance Mode)

You must reboot your laptop after running this command for the change to take effect. This does the exact same thing as the nvidia-settings GUI method.

To switch back to power-saving mode later (e.g., when on battery), you can run sudo prime-select on-demand and reboot again.

Conclusion

You have now installed the NVIDIA driver on AnduinOS (Ubuntu-based) either by using the automatic method (recommended for most users) or via the manual method (for more specific or newer versions of the driver). Properly installed and configured drivers can significantly improve graphics performance and unlock advanced GPU features. Always remember to keep your drivers and system updated, and ensure that you have a backup or snapshot strategy when making significant changes to the system (like updating drivers or switching kernels).

Enjoy your enhanced GPU performance!