Installing NVidia drivers on Ubuntu

Getting started

This guide is written in specific reference to installation of NVidia drivers for the GeForce GTX1080 on Ubuntu 16.04, which is the standard configuration used in the SCNI.

• Download Ubuntu 16.04 DVD ISO from http://ubuntu.com and burn a copy, or borrow a burned DVD from NIF.
• Power on ADEK PC, open drive, insert Ubuntu 16.04 DVD.
• Boot Ubuntu Installer. If you don't see the Ubuntu Installer on PC boot:

Install aptitude and update all packages

Aptitude is a friendlier apt-get, use either based on your preference.

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sudo apt-get install aptitude
sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude upgrade -y
sudo aptitude install build-essential
sudo reboot

Install NVIDIA drivers for GTX 1080

• Logged in as nif-admin, download the appropriate NVidia drivers from the NVidia website here: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx, and save to the nif-admin downloads directory.

• Restart the PC and at the GRUB screen, select 'Ubuntu Advanced'

• From the log in screen, hit 'Ctrl + Alt + F2' to get to a command line

• Log in as Root ('Root' plus nif-admin apssword)

  service lightdm stop cd /nif-admin/downloads ./NVIDIA-XXX...

• Accept the various terms and conditions of the NVidia driver installation process

• When the installer is finished type

  service lightdm start

• Login as lab, use the Ubuntu search function to open the NVidia X Server Settings (and pin to dock)

• The following instructions are adapted from this blog post: http://abhay.harpale.net/blog/linux/nvidia-gtx-1080-installation-on-ubuntu-16-04-lts/

• With graphics card model number in hand, head over to http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx and download & install the appropriate driver.

• The NIF's primary DATAPixx PC was setup by VPixx to run dual boot Ubuntu 16.04 and Windows 7 and has the NVIDIA drivers correctly installed for the NVIDIA GTX 1060 card. The specific drivers installed on that machine are shown in the screenshot below.

.. image:: ../images/image001-2.png

Install NeuroDebian

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wget -O- http://neuro.debian.net/lists/xenial.us-nh.full | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/neurodebian.sources.list
sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver hkp://pool.sks-keyservers.net:80 0xA5D32F012649A5A9
sudo apt-get update

Install Blender

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 sudo add-apt-repository ppa:thomas-schiex/blender
 sudo apt-get update
 sudo apt-get install blender

Install GNU Octave & PsychToolbox

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:octave/stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install octave
sudo apt-get install octave-psychtoolbox-3

Install Matlab & PsychToolbox

• Login to the Mathworks account linked to your NIH e-mail address: https://www.mathworks.com/login
• Download, install and activate MATLAB using your account.

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sudo apt-get install matlab-psychtoolbox-3

Install DataPixx Tools

• Copy the Datapixx mex file for 64-bit Linux, (e.g. /projects/SCNI/Software/VPixx_Software_Tools/DatapixxToolbox_trunk/mexdev/build/matlab/linux64/Datapixx.mexa64) to the PsychBasic folder of your matlab installation (e.g.: /usr/share/psychtoolbox-3/PsychBasic)

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sudo mv /home/lab/Documents/Datapixx.mexa64 /usr/share/psychtoolbox-3/PsychBasic

• In order to run Datapixx functions without running Matlab or Octave as root user (i.e., without need for root login or the sudo command):

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sudo cp Psychtoolbox/PsychHardware/DatapixxToolbox/60-vpixx-permissions.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

• Connect to NIF storage again and copy /Volumes/LIBRARY/software/VPixx_Software_Tools.zip to ~lab/Downloads.
• Unzip VPixx_Software_Tools.zip
• Add /home/lab/Downloads/VPixx_Software_Tools/DatapixxToolbox_trunk/ to MATLAB's path.

Setup NVIDIA X-Screens

• Connect displays (or matrix switch inputs) to 3 of the display port outputs on the NVIDIA GTX 1080 card
• In Ubuntu, open the NVIDIA XServer Settings manager and select XServer display configuration

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.. image:: ../images/Screenshot\ from\ 2017-08-24\ 11-03-09.png

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.. image:: ../images/NVIDIA_XServer_Config.png

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• Click and drag to arrange your displays from left to right: 1) Matlab command line 2) Experimenter display 3) Monkey display
• Select display 2, click the drop down menu next to Configuration and select Add new Xscreen
• Set display 1 to use Xscreen 0 and displays 2 and 3 to use Xscreen 1
• Click the Save to X Configuration File button
• You will be propted to overwrite the existing file. Accept.
• After reboot, the new settings will take effect. The experimenter display and monkey display will now remain black after logon. Content will only appear on these screens when we tell Matlab to open a PsychToolbox window on Xscreen 1. Both the experimenter and monkey displays are treated as a single extended window (7680 x 2160 pixels)