How to use Intel HD graphics?

[VanessaDeagan]

I have been using Ubuntu for several years now. When I install Ubuntu on my Dell M3800 (which has an nVidia K1100 Quadro GPU, and the Intel HD 4400 graphics) it automatically installs the Intel HD Graphics drivers, and completely ignores the nVidia GPU. This is exactly what I want, as I find the Intel HD graphics trouble and hassle free (Wobbly Windows works perfectly ).

I installed Kubuntu 15.04 last night (first time I have ever tried Kubuntu/KDE). While the installation on my Dell M3800 worked, I have noticed that the default install uses the "Nouveau" graphics driver (I think, although I'm not 100 percent certain - my guess is based on opening the "Extra Drivers" window and seeing "Nouveau" ticked). With the Nouveau drivers, Kunbuntu 15.04 exhibits the same screen tearing and "waves" (hard to explain - looks like refresh rate of monitor doesn't match the compositor) that I have experienced when using Nouveau on Ubuntu. I have found that using the Intel HD Graphics drivers on such systems results in the desktop (and animations/scrolling/window movements) working flawlessly.

What I would like to do is solely use the Intel HD Graphics drivers on Kubuntu 15.04. How can I achieve this? Please keep in mind I'm very new to Kubuntu and don't really know where most things are (although I'm not afraid of the terminal and would say my Linux skills are "intermediate").

[vinnywright]

I have never had one of these "hybrid" graphics boxes my self .

most of the posts one sees are for trying to get the Nvidia chip to work .

Question ,,,,dose your BIOS offer an option to disable the Nvidia chip ?

VINNY

[sithlord48]

if you can disable in the bios that would be the best option. otherwise you can try to blacklist nouveau driver and see how it goes.. (this might give you no video out in X so be careful). the third option is to create an xorg.conf file that only uses the intel card.

edit: + "third way"

[VanessaDeagan]

Unfortunately there is no setting within the M3800 BIOS to turn off the nVidia. I'll try blacklisting the nouveau one I reinstall (I tried installing the proprietary nVidia driver, ended up with a blank screen on boot).

[dibl]

You can't use the proprietary Nvidia driver directly, you have to use something called "Bumblebee" (I've never done it ...). Probably blacklisting nouveau is the correct approach to forcing the intel driver, and of course the xserver-xorg-video-intel package must be installed to provide the driver.