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Install drivers for multiple NVIDIA GPUs and monitors on CentOS 7

Install drivers for multiple NVIDIA GPUs and monitors on CentOS 7

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sharlene1125
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07-02-2021, 03:53 PM
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Hello. I’m a VFX artist looking to explore Linux for professional work with tools like Maya, Fusion, Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, Syntheyes, Mari, Substance, etc. Previously, I used Ubuntu and Fedora just for personal use, but never seriously tried Linux. I haven’t found many performance or stability reports comparing VFX software on Linux versus Windows under similar conditions. That’s why I’m eager to test it myself and share my findings with others. I’m interested in a RPM-based Linux distribution—CentOS seems like a good fit, or Fedora might work too.

I managed to get things running with NVIDIA drivers and some applications on a simple PC (one GPU, one monitor) in just a few hours. However, when I expanded to multiple GPUs, a Threadripper, 10G LAN, several monitors, and devices like the Wacom Cintiq, the process became much more complex. After dedicating two days to testing, I encountered issues with NVIDIA drivers not launching properly on my main workstations—often requiring me to disconnect GPUs and monitors to just one per PC.

My main challenges stem from limited Linux experience. I spent a lot of time trying to get things working but struggled with driver management and display settings. For example, using Fedora 29 with two GPUs and three displays worked fine, but adding more GPUs or displays caused problems—sometimes the GUI would freeze or disappear entirely. CentOS 7 with two GPUs and three displays also had issues; it would pick one display per GPU on DVI, leaving others as command-line interfaces. When I tried to install a newer NVIDIA driver, I ended up with a black screen.

I’ve read many guides, but they often focus on older versions or include setup steps I didn’t understand. I’m looking for clear instructions on installing NVIDIA drivers for multiple GPUs and several monitors, ideally using multiple graphics cards on CentOS. Fedora could be a solid alternative, but I need more guidance on handling advanced tools like Blackmagick Design, DaVinci Resolve Studio, etc.

Do you have any recommendations or resources that can help me set this up properly?
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S
sharlene1125
07-02-2021, 03:53 PM #1

Hello. I’m a VFX artist looking to explore Linux for professional work with tools like Maya, Fusion, Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, Syntheyes, Mari, Substance, etc. Previously, I used Ubuntu and Fedora just for personal use, but never seriously tried Linux. I haven’t found many performance or stability reports comparing VFX software on Linux versus Windows under similar conditions. That’s why I’m eager to test it myself and share my findings with others. I’m interested in a RPM-based Linux distribution—CentOS seems like a good fit, or Fedora might work too.

I managed to get things running with NVIDIA drivers and some applications on a simple PC (one GPU, one monitor) in just a few hours. However, when I expanded to multiple GPUs, a Threadripper, 10G LAN, several monitors, and devices like the Wacom Cintiq, the process became much more complex. After dedicating two days to testing, I encountered issues with NVIDIA drivers not launching properly on my main workstations—often requiring me to disconnect GPUs and monitors to just one per PC.

My main challenges stem from limited Linux experience. I spent a lot of time trying to get things working but struggled with driver management and display settings. For example, using Fedora 29 with two GPUs and three displays worked fine, but adding more GPUs or displays caused problems—sometimes the GUI would freeze or disappear entirely. CentOS 7 with two GPUs and three displays also had issues; it would pick one display per GPU on DVI, leaving others as command-line interfaces. When I tried to install a newer NVIDIA driver, I ended up with a black screen.

I’ve read many guides, but they often focus on older versions or include setup steps I didn’t understand. I’m looking for clear instructions on installing NVIDIA drivers for multiple GPUs and several monitors, ideally using multiple graphics cards on CentOS. Fedora could be a solid alternative, but I need more guidance on handling advanced tools like Blackmagick Design, DaVinci Resolve Studio, etc.

Do you have any recommendations or resources that can help me set this up properly?

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