KDE plasma freezes all the time

Unfortunately, Manjaro doesn’t provide a compatible Nvidia video driver. I suspect your constant freezes and bad performance is because you are using the open source driver called Nouveau.

The compatible driver for your video card would be version 340 and Manjaro doesn’t provide this one since long time now. There is an alternative, installing it from the AUR, but that is at your own risk and is not supported.

If you want to try, you could enable AUR support in Pamac preferences (the Add/Remove Applications program you can find in the Application menu). When AUR support is enabled, you can then search for nvidia-340xx-dkms and install it. It should install and configure the basics to have a working Nvidia version 340 driver, and it should automatically install the Nvidia modules every time there is a kernel update.

If you get a black screen on reboot, you should still be able to revert the changes by accessing a TTY (with CTRL+ALT+F3 keyboard shortcut), login, and remove the installed drivers with command pamac remove nvidia-340xx-dkms

It is possible that you would also first need to install the base-devel tools, and also the kernel header, in order to be bale to install properly the Nvidia driver. To do so, run the following commands (//EDIT: added the driver install command if you want to do it all by terminal):

pamac install base-devel
pamac install linux510-headers
pamac build nvidia-340xx-dkms
1 Like

Thank you for the tips!

I tried to install that driver but an error occured:

Preparing...
Checking nvidia-340xx-dkms dependencies...
Resolving dependencies...
Checking inter-conflicts...

To build (1):
  nvidia-340xx-dkms  340.108-28    AUR


Edit build files : [e] 
Apply transaction ? [e/y/N] y


Building nvidia-340xx...
/var/tmp/pamac-build-pietari/nvidia-340xx/PKGBUILD: line 43: /usr/src/linux/version: No such file or directory
==> Making package: nvidia-340xx 340.108-28 (pe 28. tammikuuta 2022 18.09.50)
==> Checking runtime dependencies...
==> Checking buildtime dependencies...
==> Retrieving sources...
  -> Found NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-340.108-no-compat32.run
  -> Found 20-nvidia.conf
  -> Found 0001-kernel-5.7.patch
  -> Found 0002-kernel-5.8.patch
  -> Found 0003-kernel-5.9.patch
  -> Found 0004-kernel-5.10.patch
  -> Found 0005-kernel-5.11.patch
  -> Found 0006-kernel-5.14.patch
  -> Found 0007-kernel-5.15.patch
  -> Found 0008-kernel-5.16.patch
==> Validating source files with b2sums...
    NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-340.108-no-compat32.run ... Passed
    20-nvidia.conf ... Passed
    0001-kernel-5.7.patch ... Passed
    0002-kernel-5.8.patch ... Passed
    0003-kernel-5.9.patch ... Passed
    0004-kernel-5.10.patch ... Passed
    0005-kernel-5.11.patch ... Passed
    0006-kernel-5.14.patch ... Passed
    0007-kernel-5.15.patch ... Passed
    0008-kernel-5.16.patch ... Passed
==> Removing existing $srcdir/ directory...
==> Extracting sources...
==> Starting prepare()...
Creating directory NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-340.108-no-compat32
Verifying archive integrity... OK
Uncompressing NVIDIA Accelerated Graphics Driver for Linux-x86_64 340.108...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Applying patch 0001-kernel-5.7.patch...
patching file kernel/Makefile
patching file kernel/conftest.sh
patching file kernel/dkms.conf
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
patching file kernel/nv-linux.h
patching file kernel/nv-procfs.c
patching file kernel/nv-time.h
patching file kernel/nv.c
patching file kernel/os-interface.c
patching file kernel/uvm/Makefile
patching file kernel/uvm/conftest.sh
patching file kernel/uvm/nvidia_uvm_lite.c
Applying patch 0002-kernel-5.8.patch...
patching file kernel/nv-linux.h
patching file kernel/nvidia-modules-common.mk
patching file kernel/os-mlock.c
patching file kernel/uvm/nvidia_uvm_lite_api.c
Applying patch 0003-kernel-5.9.patch...
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
patching file kernel/nv-linux.h
patching file kernel/nv.c
patching file kernel/uvm/nvidia_uvm_linux.h
Applying patch 0004-kernel-5.10.patch...
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
Hunk #1 succeeded at 364 (offset 42 lines).
Applying patch 0005-kernel-5.11.patch...
patching file kernel/conftest.sh
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
Hunk #1 succeeded at 59 (offset -1 lines).
Hunk #2 succeeded at 211 (offset -1 lines).
Hunk #3 succeeded at 242 (offset -1 lines).
Hunk #4 succeeded at 278 (offset -1 lines).
Hunk #5 succeeded at 408 (offset -2 lines).
Hunk #6 succeeded at 459 (offset -2 lines).
patching file kernel/nv-linux.h
patching file kernel/uvm/nvidia_uvm_linux.h
Applying patch 0006-kernel-5.14.patch...
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
patching file kernel/os-interface.c
Applying patch 0007-kernel-5.15.patch...
patching file kernel/nv-drm.c
Hunk #1 succeeded at 606 (offset 77 lines).
Applying patch 0008-kernel-5.16.patch...
patching file kernel/os-interface.h
patching file kernel/nv.h
==> Removing existing $pkgdir/ directory...
==> Starting build()...
NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make[1]: *** /usr/src/linux: No such file or directory.  Stop.
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make: *** [Makefile:202: nvidia.ko] Error 1
==> ERROR: A failure occurred in build().
    Aborting...


-Pietari

Did you see what I added at the end of my post?

Alternatively there is another way to install this driver, but it requires manual intervention so let try to automatic method first.

OK I think I have an idea why it doesn’t work, you probably need to edit the PKGBUILD when Pamac asks you, type E key, and then edit the line 43 to:

_kernelname=linux510

//EDIT: it would be easier to do that from the graphical interface, open Pamac, then search for nvidia-340xx-dkms, then click on it once, on the right side panel click on the button Build Files, and then modify the line 43 of the PKGBUILD to change the kernel name, to the currently used one, in your case edit _kernelname=linux to _kernelname=linux510 then you can click on BUILD button and Aplly on bottom right corner, you can see the terminal output by clicking on the icon in bottom right corner while it is building the driver package.

//EDIT2: this driver package is not meant for Manjaro but for Arch Linux, so this is probably why some tinkering is needed.

Thank you again, but still something wrong. I tried that in the graphic editor, but still getting some kind of error:

==> Starting build()...
NVIDIA: calling KBUILD...
make[1]: *** /usr/src/linux510: No such file or directory.  Stop.
NVIDIA: left KBUILD.
nvidia.ko failed to build!
make: *** [Makefile:202: nvidia.ko] Error 1
==> ERROR: A failure occurred in build().
    Aborting...

-Pietari

I’m not sure then why it fails, I’m no expert so I can’t help more to install this specific package. However, there is an alternative, it is to install the same kind of package manually, following this guide here

But you will also need to manually add a configuration file to bypass incompatibility with the current xorg in Manjaro, following these instruction, before rebooting:

Create the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/30-nvidia-ignoreabi.conf from terminal

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/30-nvidia-ignoreabi.conf

Copy and paste the following to this file

Section "Files"
  ModulePath   "/usr/lib64/nvidia/xorg"
  ModulePath   "/usr/lib64/xorg/modules"
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier "Nvidia Card"
  Driver "nvidia"
  VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option "IgnoreABI" "1"
EndSection

Save the file and exit nano text editor by pressing CTRL+X then Y (you can follow at the bottom what it does). It should bring you back to the terminal.

Reboot and see if it works. it may not work in which case we could revert changes from terminal, but I’ll add info if needed in that case (tell us if you can access the forum in case your computer can not properly boot then, or make sure you can access forum from another device before trying these instructions).

//EDIT: It may also be required to make sure the Nouveau driver is blacklisted so it doesn’t load, to do that first create a config file for modprobe:

sudo nano /usr/lib/modprobe.d/blacklist-nouveau.conf

then copy and paste the following in it

blacklist nouveau

then save and exit nano editor with CTRL+X then Y

But first try without blacklisting Nouveau, if it all works verify in inxi that the Nvidia driver is properly loaded and working for your video card, and then you could blacklist it to make sure it never loads.

//EDIT: also another needed step is to add the Nvidia packages to the ignore list to avoid the similar AUR packages to try to install/update and replace these ones just installed manually (which they can’t install install/update/replace because of the difference in kernel between Arch and Manjaro, example above for failure), easy to do directly from Pamac preferences → Advanced → Ignore List (searching for Nvidia and selecting the packages)

Hope you’re not having too much trouble.
:pleading_face:
I’m off for the night, I’ll be back tomorrow if you need help.

I had troubles with Plasma freezing. Switching to KwinFT remedied mots of the problems.

1 Like

Actually I’m even in more trouble now :smiley:
I didn’t even try that manual installation but now the computer doesn’t boot properly. It gets stuck with a black screen with only cursor (which responds to the mouse).

Is there anything I can do?

-Pietari

I have tried to press ctrl+alt+f2 but it doesn’t do anything. Could it be because of mac keyboard?

Also I can’t boot from the usb stick where I have the manjaro iso file because when I try that booting with alt key pressed it doesn’t show the usb-stick as an option. Only hard drive is visible.

Is there anything that I could still try?

-Pietari

Yes, I did that. It helped!!! If you use the Nouveau driver you should try this tweak. Place this line in your environment folder: QSG_RENDER_LOOP=basic.

Do not use the export command here.

If you can not even access a TTY with the CTRL+ALT+F3 shortcut to work from terminal I don’t know what you should do. To me your issue are because of the open source driver, it may or may not be the case but that is my first guess and I believe it. Trying to install the 340 drivers would help greatly if this is the case.

It is possible to work from the live USB environment too, by chrooting the system, if you really can’t do anything from the normal way, in a TTY, then it is a possibility.

Yeah the TTY doesn’t work…

At this point I would like to just re install the OS but there is a problem too. When I boot with the USB stick on and holding alt key, the usb stick doesn’t show up. Only EFI boot from the hard drive is visible. :confused:

How I’m supposed to go to that live USB environment?

-Pietari

About the TTY, possible that the Fxx key are accessed by pushing another keyboard key like Fn most of the time so it might be CTRL+ALT+Fn+F3 combo.

I don’t know how to access your USB live environment, I would say the same way you did initially :smiley:

Okay! That fn button solved the tty terminal issue! Now I just have to find out what to do next! Thank u!

-Pietari

Try to install Nvidia 340 drivers from another TTY all by terminal. KDE plasma freezes all the time - #9 by omano

It will be annoying as you have to type everything without a single typo error.

Now I got my desktop view back again following these instructions!

So maybe I’ll try that Nvidia 340 driver installation when I have time.

-Pietari

Just a idea, i had many freezes/hang ups and restarts with Manjaro/KDE as i switched to Linux Manjaro/KDE 14month ago and i still use it today.
I had a overclocked CPU and it was always and still is stable under Windows7/Win10 (even in demanding VR Gaming in 5k Resolution/90FPS).

I found out that Manjaro/KDE is more reliable on a stable processor as Windows!
And i had to downclock my CPU with Process Govenor… if you don’t have a overclocked CPU it could still related to the same issue, because when a CPU gets older its required more voltage (or just can’t hold the stable MHz) after the years go on. Its all about the silicon lottery (atleast sometimes) and the Mainboard manufactures gives sometimes a bad default voltage settings.

I want to make this clear… i still could be total wrong here, the problem maybe fixed with GPU driver’s. I just want to show another view related to this freezes/hang ups.

Okay, I think I succeeded in installing Nvidia 340 driver!

Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA C79 [GeForce 9400M] vendor: Apple MacBook5 1 driver: nvidia
    v: 340.108 alternate: nouveau bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:0863
    class-ID: 0300

And yea maybe it runs a little bit smoother now! Thank you omano a lot for your help!

-Pietari

1 Like

Nice! You have some option if you run Nvidia Settings, this is where you configure the video card now.

See if it freezes now with this video driver, my guess is that it should fix this issue.

//EDIT: now what I would do is make system backups with Timeshift at least multiple time per year (disable all the automated backups in Timeshift settings, this is not really necessary, manually trigger a backup when you feel like it, for example before every big Manjaro update).
I’m telling you that because in theory, after a kernel update, it should automate some process to ‘reinstall’ the Nvidia driver so it works on next reboot, but in case there is an issue, with the Timeshift backup, you could always get to a TTY and rollback the failed update from terminal to have your system in the state it was when you made the backup.

Also, do not change your kernel, stick with the one you have, kernel 5.10, as this is the one compatible with the driver and the way you installed it. This kernel will continue to be maintained for many years.