I'm new to using Linux, and I'm looking to make a permanent switch since Windows 10 is losing support soon. I've experimented with multiple distros like Kubuntu, Nobara, Fedora, and Arch, but after I install the NVIDIA drivers and reboot, I get no video output on any of them. I've tried reinstalling different driver versions (like 570, 550, and some older ones), making sure to disable secure boot, turning off Nouveau drivers, and testing on various distros. Right now, I'm using Kubuntu and I'm still trying to troubleshoot this issue. Here are my specs:
- Motherboard: B550 Gaming X V2
- CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X
- GPU: RTX 3060
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
4 Answers
It sounds like you're running into some setup issues. Make sure you're downloading the drivers through your distro's package manager instead of from the NVIDIA website. There are packages tailored for specific distros which will handle everything for you. Good luck!
I had the best experience with the NVIDIA driver metapackage for version 535—it's proprietary but well-tested. It might be worth trying to install that if you haven't already!
I’ve been through similar struggles while trying to get Linux running on my Legion 5 Pro laptop with an Nvidia 4060. The only distro that worked well for me was Pop OS, especially with their NVIDIA-specific ISO. You might want to give that a shot if you're looking for something that connects to external displays without issues!
It's strange because distros like Arch and Fedora usually have the latest stable drivers out of the box (like 575 series). You could check your kernel log from a failed boot with a command like 'journalctl --boot -1 -t kernel' to see if there are any hints on what's going wrong. Also, consider that Kubuntu can be a bit outdated for desktop use—maybe try a more current distro?
I've actually tried both methods—using the built-in driver manager and running commands like 'sudo apt install nvidia-driver-570'. Still no luck!