I just got hold of an AMD RX7800 XT to replace my current Nvidia RTX3080.
I’m likely overthinking this but from what I understand I should just be able to swap the cards then uninstall the Nvidia drivers correct?
I’m running EndeavourOS which I installed with the option to include the Nvidia drivers by default so dunno if that changes anything? I’ve been daily driving Linux for exactly a year as of this month but I still kinda feel like a newbie sometimes lmao. Thanks in advance!
I think the only thing to keep in mind is that Nvidias proprietary drivers work better for Linux whereas for AMD it is the open-source ones.
I have an Nvidia card and the prop. drivers have worked flawlessly for me for years.
I know the open source drivers are closing the gap for Nvidia, and they also seem to be playing ball on that front. But for AMD the open source drivers are definitely the way to go from what I understand.
Short answer is that you don’t have to do anything.
Slightly longer answer is that you can remove all existing nvidia packages, with any boot parameters they may have required, call it a day.
Yep. When I switched out my Nvidia for AMD it was as plug-and-play as it gets.
Linux is a monolithic kernel. This means it includes all kernel modules. You can configure the kernel to only compile with a limited set of modules, but it is not necessary unless you have specific security requirements for hardening security and redundant surface area vulnerabilities. Pretty much all distros ship a kernel with a large number of modules enabled in order to make the kernel just work for the vast majority of user hardware.
This is not some optimisations thing like you might initially think. Kernel modules are nothing like a micro kernel (Windows) with drivers. A micro kernel makes a static API spec for drivers and then documents and does nothing further. A monolithic kernel creates support for all existing hardware that is practically possible. Almost all hardware is supported within a general module that encompasses more like a standard, i.e. keyboards work like this so all keyboards are supported in a module like that. There are extra modules when some hillbilly backwards inbred hardware manufacturer makes something stupid that does not conform to industry standards, but these are not too common. The biggest issue is always completely undocumented garbage hardware that the community reverse engineers.
Anyways, you likely already have a bunch of modules you are not actually using. It probably won’t hurt to just leave it in and do nothing.
Is there a particular reason for ditching the 3080? I have the laptop 16 GB Ti version and have thought about getting the desktop version to do split AI loads.
I’ve never done the process myself, but I would probably uninstall the nvidia drivers while the system is still running, install whatever amd packages you need I know there are some vulkan packages that people need that aren’t installed by default, and then power off and swap the cards.
You just got me to remember something about a Vulkan package when I first installed Steam so gonna find the AMD package for that. Thanks!
You shouldn’t need to install anything for the amd gpu
I’m not familiar with these vulkan packages, what should I look for?
I don’t have an AMD card, so I don’t know, but I recall reading on the endeavourOS forums of people solving their AMD gaming issues by installing the proper vulkan packages. That is to say. You should head to the endeavourOS forums and peruse around there. You will probably find that information very quickly there.
Thanks! I’ve not been having many problems, but if it’s causing a performance loss it would be good to take care of it, I’ll check that out
Even if you install the drivers while the system is running, it is not recommended to remove the card while the system is running.
I never suggested that they remove the card while the system is running. You must have skipped the part in my comment that says
power off and swap the cardsDon’t worry I wasn’t planning on sticking my hands into a powered up PC anyway haha.
If no one minds my hyjacking part of this thread.
Id also like some similar advice.
I use blender. Not heavily but have been playing on it for 20plus years.
My GPU is pretty old. 1050ti at the time nvidia was pretty much it for blender.
Im looking for a sub £300 card in the next 3 to 6 months.
Is AMD well supported by blender now. And what cards would folks recomend these days.
PS not a gamer. 0ad is about as close as i get.
