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Asked: 2024-09-27T08:13:18+05:30 In:

How can I resolve the issue of my graphics card being unrecognized as an unknown chipset by the Nouveau driver in Ubuntu?

I’ve been having a frustrating time with my graphics card lately, and I’m hoping some of you out there can help me figure this out. So here’s the situation: I’m running Ubuntu, and for some reason, my system doesn’t seem to recognize my graphics card properly. It’s showing up as an “unknown chipset” under the Nouveau driver, and it’s driving me nuts!

I did some digging online but didn’t find a solid solution that worked for me. My graphics card is from NVIDIA, and I thought Nouveau drivers should usually handle them. However, it seems like this card isn’t being picked up as it should be. I tried updating my system and that didn’t help. I even attempted to manually install the drivers following various guides I found, but it feels like I’m just making things worse.

I should mention that this is a newer model card – I think it’s from the latest line of NVIDIA GPUs – and I guess that might be part of the issue? I was hoping the open-source drivers would work fine, but now I’m starting to wonder if using them wasn’t the best idea. Games and other graphic-intensive applications are running way below what I expect, and I’m just fed up.

Has anyone else faced a similar issue? What did you do to get your graphics card recognized properly by the system? I’ve seen some folks talk about switching to proprietary drivers, but I’m a little hesitant about that. Are they usually better? I’ve heard mixed opinions.

Any advice on commands I should run in terminal, or files I should look into? I’m kind of at my wit’s end here and could really use some expert help. Also, if you could explain things like I’m a total newbie, that would be awesome. I just want to enjoy my gaming without these annoying hiccups! Thanks in advance for any tips or tricks you can throw my way!

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    2 Answers

    1. It sounds like you’re dealing with quite a frustrating situation regarding your NVIDIA graphics card on Ubuntu. Since your card is a newer model, it’s possible that the open-source Nouveau drivers may not have full support for it yet, which could explain the “unknown chipset” issue. In many cases, proprietary NVIDIA drivers provide better performance and compatibility for their GPUs, particularly with newer models that leverage advanced features. If you haven’t already, I recommend trying to install the NVIDIA proprietary drivers, as they are typically much more reliable than Nouveau when it comes to gaming and other graphics-intensive applications. You can do this by adding the official NVIDIA PPA and then installing the drivers using the command: sudo apt install nvidia-driver-, replacing <version> with the latest version available.

      To get started, you may first want to purge existing NVIDIA or Nouveau drivers to avoid conflicts. Use the following commands in the terminal: sudo apt-get remove --purge '^nvidia-.*' and sudo apt-get remove --purge '^xserver-xorg-video-nouveau'. After purging, update your package list with sudo apt update, and then proceed with the installation of the proprietary drivers as mentioned earlier. After installing the drivers, remember to run sudo reboot so that the changes can take effect. Once you’re back up, check if your graphics card is recognized correctly by running nvidia-smi. This should help you determine if the proprietary drivers are working as expected. Don’t hesitate to reach out for further assistance if you encounter more issues.



    2. Graphics Card Troubleshooting

      Graphics Card Not Recognized on Ubuntu

      It sounds like you’re having a tough time with your NVIDIA graphics card on Ubuntu! Here’s a few things you can try to hopefully get it working properly.

      1. Check for Driver Availability

      First, even though you’re using the Nouveau drivers, they might not fully support your new GPU. It’s worth checking if there are any proprietary drivers available:

      sudo ubuntu-drivers devices

      This command will list the available drivers for your system. Look for your NVIDIA card, and see if it suggests a proprietary driver.

      2. Installing the Proprietary Driver

      If it does suggest a proprietary driver, you can install it using:

      sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

      Reboot your system afterward to see if that helps.

      3. Disable Nouveau Driver

      If you go ahead with the proprietary driver, you might need to blacklist the Nouveau driver. You can do that by editing the blacklist file:

      sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

      Add this line at the end of the file:

      blacklist nouveau

      Save the file and reboot your computer.

      4. Check Your GPU

      Create a backup and ensure your GPU is properly seated in its slot. Sometimes it’s a simple connection issue.

      5. Graphics Configuration Utility

      After installing the driver, check if you have the NVIDIA X Server Settings tool:

      nvidia-settings

      This utility lets you tweak settings for your GPU and might help recognize it better.

      6. Keep Your System Updated

      Make sure your system is up to date. Sometimes a pending update can fix issues:

      sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

      Then reboot.

      Are Proprietary Drivers Better?

      Generally, proprietary drivers have better support and performance for gaming and graphic-intensive tasks compared to Nouveau, especially for newer cards. Many users switch to proprietary drivers for a good reason.

      Final Note

      Don’t worry too much about breaking things; it’s all part of the learning curve. Just keep backups and document your steps! If things go haywire, you can always switch back. Good luck, and hopefully you’ll be gaming without glitches soon!


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