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Asked: 2024-09-26T12:07:40+05:30 In:

What is the process for installing the NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti driver on Ubuntu 20.04?

I’ve been trying to get my new NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti up and running on my Ubuntu 20.04 setup, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit lost. 😅 I’ve done a bit of digging online, but the instructions seem a bit scattered, and I don’t want to mess up my system installing the drivers incorrectly.

So here’s the deal: I want to play some of the latest games and maybe dabble in some graphical work, but every time I boot up, it seems like the system is just defaulting to the basic graphics drivers. I mean, I know that it’s important to have the proper drivers for optimal performance, but the steps seem a bit daunting for me.

From what I’ve gathered, I should probably start off by removing any old drivers that might be conflicting, but I’m a bit unsure of how to do that without breaking anything. I’ve seen some commands that are supposed to help with that, but I don’t want to go copy-pasting random terminal commands without fully understanding what they do. Then, I think I need to add a repository, but finding the right one for my specific GPU has been confusing.

And let’s not even get started on downloading the driver! Should I go for the CUDA version, or is the standard one good enough? Plus, I’ve seen different opinions on whether to just use the built-in driver manager in Ubuntu or download it directly from the NVIDIA site. It feels like there are pros and cons to both options, and I’m stuck in analysis paralysis.

After downloading, what’s the installation process like? Do I need to reboot after? I’ve heard horror stories of getting stuck on a black screen, and I’d rather not end up reformatting my entire drive just to get my GPU to work! If anyone has a step-by-step guide or can share their own experience on how to make this work, I’d really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

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    2 Answers

    1. To get your NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti running smoothly on Ubuntu 20.04, ensure that you first remove any conflicting old graphics drivers. You can do this by opening a terminal and executing the command: sudo apt-get remove --purge '^nvidia-.*'. This command specifically removes all NVIDIA drivers installed on your system. After that, it’s advisable to update your package lists to ensure you have the latest information on available packages: sudo apt-get update. Once the old drivers are removed, you can proceed to add the necessary repository for the latest NVIDIA drivers. This can be done using the command: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa, followed by another update: sudo apt-get update. This repository provides the most recent drivers relevant to your hardware.

      Next, install the appropriate NVIDIA driver. Generally, you can find the right driver for your GPU by checking NVIDIA’s website or using the command: sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall, which automatically installs the best driver version for your system. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can explicitly install the driver with a command similar to: sudo apt-get install nvidia-driver-, replacing with the latest listed version for your GPU. After installation, you will need to reboot your system for the changes to take effect: sudo reboot. Upon rebooting, you can confirm that the driver is operating correctly by running nvidia-smi in the terminal. If troubleshooting is required, or if you encounter a black screen, ensure that Secure Boot is disabled in your BIOS settings, as this can often interfere with third-party drivers on Linux systems.



    2. NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti Setup on Ubuntu 20.04


      NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti Setup on Ubuntu 20.04

      Alright, let’s tackle this step-by-step! Don’t worry, you’re not the only one feeling lost with this. Installing NVIDIA drivers can be a bit of a maze, but I’ll try to simplify it for you.

      1. Remove Old Drivers

      Before we move on to the new drivers, it’s best to remove any old ones to avoid conflicts. Open your terminal (you can find it in your applications or press Ctrl + Alt + T). 

      sudo apt-get remove --purge '^nvidia-.*'

      This command will remove any existing NVIDIA drivers. Don’t worry, it won’t break your system, just cleans up the graphics drivers!

      2. Add the NVIDIA PPA

      Next, you’ll want to add the NVIDIA PPA (Personal Package Archive) to get the latest drivers: 

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

      This ensures your system is updated with the latest package information.

      3. Install the NVIDIA Driver

      Now for the actual installation! You can check what driver versions are available by running: 

      ubuntu-drivers devices

      This will tell you which driver is recommended for your GPU. To install it, simply run: 

      sudo apt-get install nvidia-driver-XXX

      Replace XXX with the version number you saw from the previous command (like `nvidia-driver-460`).

      4. Reboot Your System

      Yes, you do need to reboot after installation. Just type: 

      sudo reboot

      Your system should boot up using the NVIDIA driver now.

      5. Verify the Installation

      After rebooting, open your terminal again and run: 

      nvidia-smi

      This should show you information about your GPU if everything worked right. If you see some stats about your GPU, congratulations! You’ve done it!

      Cuda vs Standard Driver

      If you’re planning to do some graphical work that utilizes CUDA, go ahead and install the CUDA version. Otherwise, the standard one will work just fine for gaming.

      Things to Watch For

      If you encounter a black screen after rebooting, you can try booting into recovery mode and reverting back to the Nouveau drivers. Just keep calm; it happens sometimes.

      Hope this helps! Don’t hesitate to ask if you run into any issues or need further clarification. Good luck with your setup!


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