Optimus Support - Bumblebee Project

tedr56
  13 years ago
  1

How to use the discrete Nvidia GT325M with the Optimus Technology

 

1. Install the Bumblebee Git Project

Install Git to download the last sources of the project.

sudo apt-get install git

Download the Git sources

git clone git://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee.git

Go inside

cd bumblebee

Launch the installeion

sudo install.sh


2. Configure the Bumblebee Server

During the installation, question are ask.

The system is using a second X server to compute images with the Nvidia card and returned to the Intel X server.

Several hardware are already set up by the community. May yours will be recognize and choose a configuration and follow the (b) point.

(a) - The first choice is to pass a fake screen to the fake X server. Here, you have to test. Try CRT-0 at first. Further, you will can watch in the log file if the screen is right.

Log file : /var/log/Xorg.1.log

(b) - Then, you have to choose the format of crompression of the images returned. Xv is the lightest and more effective parameter.

If your hardware is not recognise in the bumblebee database, you will have to find the disable and enable commands by yourself. You can at first see in the hybrid-graphic-linux website or mailing list if someone already makes it.

However, you may can find the acpi command with the acpi-call project.

4.Set the Disable and Enable ACPI commands

To guess the acpi command you need a test file in the acpi-call project. In the directory you want to install:

git clone git://github.com/mkottman/acpi_call.git

Inside: the test_off.sh file

The acpi_call module have been integrated in the bumblebee project. So you should be able to start the test file with

sh test_off.sh 

If you see "Works!", here is your disable acpi command. If you are lucky, the enable command should be the same, but with ON instead OFF.

Now you have the need commands, you have to place it in the bumblebee config files. By default, these files are empty. So you need to start with the exemples in the bumblebee project. With your favorite terminal, go in the bumblebee project and type:

cp install-files/ubuntu/bumblebee-enablecard.asus.N61Jv.N73Sv ./bumblebee-enablecard
cp install-files/ubuntu/bumblebee-disablecard.asus.N61Jv.N73Sv ./bumblebee-disablecard
gedit bumblebee-enablecard bumblebee-disablecard &

Now, in this two files you will replace the right commands founds with acpi_call test at the end of the files just after the call to acpi_call. Then, save and exit both files and place then in the installes bumblebee project with:

sudo cp ./bumblebee-enablecard /usr/local/bin
sudo cp ./bumblebee-disablecard /usr/local/bin

 

3.Using the Nvidia Card

To launch a application with the Nvidia graphic card, open a terminal and launch :

optirun your_application

To launch with a special bit system you have optirun32 and optirun64 commands.

Comments
kazztan0325 12 years ago

@pirategeorges:

Unfortunately the author has not logged in for a long time.
@tedr56: - Last login: 2012-01-04 02:13:49

I think it would be nice if you would write and post a latest version of tutorial about Bumblebee Project.


pirategeorges 12 years ago

This tutorial seems to be updated...
Look at
www.bumblebee-project.org

I did tests more or less with Ironhide and Bumblebee, finaly the latest one (V.3) works the best.


blueXrider 13 years ago

From a newbie point of view.

1. No explanation as to what Optimus is.
2. No stated advantages as to using this application.
3. No stated reasons as to compatibility issues ie: ATI cards
4. What enhancements are expected.
5. Screen-shots included in a tutorial make it easier to understand.
6. HTML links to support are also nice.

I would caution anyone following these instructions without further explanation.