I previously created another thread describing a problem starting a virtual machine. But it turns out the problem is much deeper. Zorin OS refuses to launch this graphics card at all. The 550 and 570 drivers don't help, editing "/etc/default/grub" doesn't help, and forcing the drivers to load doesn't help.
Furthermore, I assumed I'd crashed the system. So, I tried initializing the installation and trying to run a clean Zorin OS from a flash drive. Result:
*In switchable graphics mode, everything works.
*In discrete graphics mode without loading additional Nvidia drivers, it works.
*In discrete graphics mode with Nvidia drivers loaded, it doesn't work.
Basically, whenever I try to boot with the discrete graphics card, the boot ends with a black screen with a blinking dotted line in the upper left corner. And if I enter "nvidia-smi," I get "device not detected."
Hi, just did a Brave A.I. search basing criteria on Ubuntu 24.04 it appears to be a newish card which might be the issue:
" Based on the provided search context, there is no specific information regarding the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile graphics card, as it had not been released or documented in the available sources as of April 2026. The search results primarily address issues with previous generations (such as the RTX 4070, GTX 1050, and RTX 5060 desktop variants in Linux Mint) and general Ubuntu 24.04 NVIDIA driver configurations.
However, for hybrid graphics (Optimus) laptops on Ubuntu 24.04 with NVIDIA GPUs, the following general troubleshooting steps are supported by the context:
1. BIOS/UEFI Graphics Mode
Discrete vs. Dynamic: In many Lenovo Legion and similar laptops, the BIOS setting "Discrete" disables the integrated GPU entirely, which can sometimes cause detection issues in Linux if the kernel drivers for the iGPU (e.g., Intel i915) are not properly loaded or if the system expects a hybrid setup.
Recommendation: Try switching the BIOS graphics option from "Discrete" to "Dynamic" or "Hybrid" to allow the OS to manage power switching between the integrated and discrete GPUs.
2. Driver Selection in Ubuntu
Additional Drivers: Open Software & Updates > Additional Drivers .
Select Proprietary Driver: Choose the proprietary, tested NVIDIA driver (e.g., nvidia-driver-550 or later, depending on availability). Avoid the open-source nouveau driver for full functionality.
NVIDIA X Server Settings: After installing, open NVIDIA X Server Settings > PRIME Profiles and select "NVIDIA (Performance Mode)" to force the discrete GPU.
3. Known Ubuntu 24.04 Issues
Wayland vs. Xorg: Some users report visual bugs or GPU detection issues on Wayland. Try logging out and selecting "Ubuntu on Xorg" from the login screen to see if the discrete GPU is recognized.
Driver Conflicts: If the GPU is not detected in nvidia-settings (showing only "Application Profiles"), ensure no conflicting open-source drivers are active. You can check the current driver with:
inxi -G
Look for driver: nvidia under the NVIDIA device. If it shows driver: nouveau or none , the proprietary driver is not loading correctly.
4. Kernel Updates
If using a newer GPU generation, ensure you are on a recent Linux kernel (6.8+ for Ubuntu 24.04). Older kernels may lack support for newer NVIDIA hardware.
Consider using the Liquorix PPA or HWE (Hardware Enablement) kernel for improved hardware support.
Summary of Steps
BIOS: Set graphics mode to Dynamic or Hybrid .
Drivers: Install the proprietary, tested NVIDIA driver via Additional Drivers .
Session: Test on Xorg if Wayland causes bugs.
Verification: Use inxi -G to confirm the nvidia driver is loaded.
If the RTX 5060 Mobile is a newly released device, it may require a newer kernel version than what is default in Ubuntu 24.04.0 LTS. Consider upgrading to the latest HWE kernel or waiting for an official NVIDIA driver update that includes support for the 50-series mobile GPUs.
On a further search to see if there is a GNU/Linux that supports your graphics came back with:
" Based on the provided search context, Zorin OS 18.1 is explicitly reported to not support discrete mode for the mobile RTX 5060, resulting in a black screen when drivers are loaded.
While no specific Linux distribution is confirmed to work flawlessly in discrete mode for this specific mobile card in the text, the following general insights apply:
Driver Support : The RTX 5060 is supported by NVIDIA driver version 575.57.08 and later (as of May 2025).
Recommended Setup : For systems that do function, users on Arch Linux and Ubuntu recommend using the proprietary NVIDIA drivers (specifically the nvidia-open variant for newer Blackwell cards) rather than the open-source Nouveau driver.
Configuration : Success often requires enabling early KMS (Kernel Mode Setting) and ensuring the system uses UEFI mode rather than Legacy BIOS, as improper configuration can lead to boot failures or black screens.
Yes, I heard the same thing from the AI. The 5060 graphics card doesn't exist, Linux kernel 6.17 doesn't exist, Zorin OS 18 doesn't exist, Firefox 150 doesn't exist. After I pointed the AI to Wikipedia links, the official Zorin website, Firefox, and so on, it admitted its error. After that, it started claiming my graphics card was too new, but at the same time claimed my laptop was 24-25 years old. When I pointed out its logical error again, it admitted it. Its advice changed.
But in the end, I had to reinstall Zorin, as its advice killed the system.