"manual" vs auto nVidia driver updates?

[AberSteve]

Having had several issues with nVidia drivers (I've got an RTX3060), and now struggling to get a game working OK I'm wondering about manually installing the latest (570 I think) drivers. I'm currently on 550. (I'm also on eBay for an AMD card, because Jeez nvidia, what the actual?)

If I go ahead with manual install as per below, what does that mean going forward:
Must I from then on manually install updates?
If so, where does one find the latest updates?

I'm also slightly unclear on the manual process: I've tried following Michel's guide but that threw several "do you really want to do this" type warnings which scared me off

I see aravisian suggests the following (for 550 in this case, obvs) simpler process

@Aravisian

sudo apt remove --purge '^nvidia-.*'

This will remove any Nvidia driver or configuration remnants to give you a clean and fresh start.
Now let's clear our packages and update the sources:

sudo apt --fix-broken install && sudo apt clean && sudo apt update

I see 550 recommended on your screenshot for latest Nvidia for your 1060 so let's go with that:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-550 nvidia-dkms-550

[Aravisian]

For the 570, you can run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa

sudo apt update && sudo apt install nvidia-driver-570 nvidia-dkms-570

@AberSteve

I've got an RTX3060

I am using this same model card.

[Ponce-De-Leon]

@AberSteve

Must I from then on manually install updates?

When You do it over the Terminal like described, You don't have to do Updates manually. That comes with the System Updates. But You have to do it manually when You would go to the Nvidia Website, download the Driver and then install it by Yourself.

[AberSteve]

Thanks Aravisian,
successfully updated to 570. Now, however, Steam doesn't detect the GPU - deep joy.
I've seen it suggested that I might need lib32-nvidia-utils. However on attempting
sudo apt install lib32-nvidia-utils
I get
E: Unable to locate package lib32-nvidia-utils
Can you suggest anything to try?

[Aravisian]

Are you using Flatpak Steam?

If not, you can try:

prime-run steam

Or

prime-select nvidia

I use

prime-select on-demand

Just so that I am not using Nvidia for everything...

Are you logged in on Wayland or Xorg? Wayland may have issues with Nvidia and Steam.

If you are using Flatpak Steam, try:

flatpak update --appstream

flatpak install org.freedesktop.Platform.GL.nvidia-570

[AberSteve]

Thanks again, much appreciated. I'm on Flatpak steam, but because of my gnome-software issue it hadn't updated for ages I realised. A quick manual update and everything seems to work now.

[Aravisian]

Are all mentioned issues now solved?

[AberSteve]

Yes, all good now.