Getting Ubuntu working properly on MSI GE62 6QF

Question

I recently bought na laptop MSI GE62 6QF (http://www.msi.com/product/notebook/GE62-6QF-Apache-Pro.html) with i7 6700 processor and NVIDIA GTX970M \ Intel 530 graphics.

I have Windows 10 installed but it's just for games, I am generally Linux user, so wanted to install Ubuntu MATE 15.10 on second ssd hard drive. And here the story begins: first I could not even launch the live CD to install it, after some research I added "nomodeset" kernel option in GRUB and was able to sucessfuly install it. After installation I had to use "nomodeset" option to launch it, otherwise it just hangs. But with that option system is very laggy, windows are rendered forever (because nouveau driver id kind of disabled).

So I wanted to install nvidia drivers, first i installed 352 NVIDIA drivers from Additional Drivers menu. After installation and reboot system is very fast but drivers does not work properly:

1. I could not get Compiz to work, I checked "glxinfo" command and here is the output:

name of display: :0.0 Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual or fbconfig Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".

Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".

2. The other thing is when I try to launch Nvidia Settings from command line I get:

Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0". ** Message: PRIME: No offloading required. Abort ** Message: PRIME: is it supported? no

ERROR: nvidia-settings could not find the registry key file. This file should have been installed along with this driver at /usr/share/nvidia/nvidia-application-profiles-key-documentation. The application profiles will continue to work, but values cannot be prepopulated or validated, and will not be listed in the help text. Please see the README for possible values and descriptions. And there are just 2 options in window that is showed "Application profiles" and "nvidia-settings configuration"

I tried everything:

• Installing newer 355 drivers using

apt-get install nvidia-355 nvidia-prime

• Installing newer 4.3 RC7 kernel
• Installing bumblebee
• Trying nvidia-xconfig
• Modifing xorg configuration manually.
• Install other distrubution like Antergos - with similar issues.
• Adding i915.preliminary_hw_support=1 kernel option.

I have no idea to to proceed with that, My /var/log/Xorg.0.log file: http://pastebin.com/e4wLaefT

Please let me know if you have any suggestions what should I check or do.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

OK, I managed to get 15.10 to work flawlessly on the same Skylake Ge62 (i6700HQ + GTX970m).

It took two clean installs and a ton of hard resets... and in the end I'm not exactly sure which step made it work, but here's what I did:

• disable FastBoot (both in UEFI and Windows 10), SecureBoot and SpeedStep (the latter two shouldn't matter but it won't hurt to disable them anyway)
• install with nomodeset boot option
• reboot and got an instant hangup
• reboot again with nomodeset
• update everything to get the latest stable kernel (by now 4.2.19, stock 4.2.12 works as well)
• install latest Intel graphics stack (https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads)
• install NVidia properietary driver. Beware - after this nomodeset may not work again so be prepared for a clean install if something goes wrong.
• reboot. It will either hang up instantly or it will boot normally. It hung up in my case.

The thing now is to get it to boot once so the drivers can be configured by X server

-do NOT add i915.preliminary_hw_support as it's not needed anymore

-from now on delete quiet and splash from boot options every time you add something there to see what errors you get.

-firstly try intel_idle.max_cstate=1 as a boot option

-if that hangs up try acpi=noirq or acpi=hd or acpi=off

The last one gave me a first proper boot. After a restart it didn't boot again giving bumblebee errors.

• this time boot with intel_idle.max_cstate=1

If it works add this line to grub permanently. This way you will get a stable system using i915. For now I didn't try to force it to use nvidia.

Hope it helps.

regards

Answer 2

I also encountered CPU lockup errors. Try to boot with only

intel_idle.max_cstateate=1

Do not disable ACPI anymore. Also try to re-enable SpeedStep in UEFI.

In my case it booted normally and is working ever since. it seems you're almost there so keep trying :)