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KaOS

Switching between free and non-free Nvidia

Switching from free to non-free

As always, before installing or changing packages, make sure your system is fully updated:

Terminal window
sudo pacman -Syu

Remove the nouveau package (if installed):

Terminal window
sudo pacman -R xf86-video-nouveau

Time to install the non-free packages:

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia

If you use the linux-next kernel:

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-next

If you have an older card (GeForce 600 - 900 series cards NVSx and Tesla):

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia-470xx

If you use the linux-next kernel add:

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia-470xx-next

If you have an even older card (GeForce 400/500 series cards NVCx and NVDx from around 2010-2011):

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia-390xx-next

If you use the linux-next kernel add:

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S nvidia-390xx

This will automatically install the needed nvidia-utils version too. If you want to use the GUI for nvidia, add nvidia-settings to what you install, this pulls in GTK, so it is packaged separately.

After all is installed, reboot to load the new driver.

Switch from non-free to free

With the changes in the kernel over the past ten, it is strongly recommended to at least try the free drivers.

Remove the nvidia packages. Check what nvidia packages you have installed with pacman -Qs nvidia.

Terminal window
sudo pacman -R nvidia nvidia-utils

Add nvidia-next, nvidia-settings or any other nvidia version to the above line if the pacman -Qs nvidia command showed those too.

To install the Nouveau driver (not well maintained since at least 2018):

Terminal window
sudo pacman -S xf86-video-nouveau

Reboot to load the new drivers.