How to use NVIDIA GTX 970 GPU? [duplicate]

Nvidia 343.22 added support for GeForce GTX 970 and GTX 980. It's not available in the official repositories.

This repository is meant to be used only for testing, not on daily basis, please make sure to read the following link to understand the risk.

https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ubuntu/ppa

and follow the instruction on the above link as this PPA clearly states that no installation instructions shall be given for this PPA outside of their website!

_Source

I had the same problem as you and, I found out the only way to fix this problem was to install the third-party driver and then config blacklist option. Then you can remove the third-party driver and install the official driver from Nvidia. I recommend the beta since it has better support, but if you want you can use, the 343 instead of 346 beta. Both worked fine for me.

This worked fine for my MSI Gaming GTX 970 4G. The NVIDIA .run file can be found in at:

• for 343.36 -- http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/80145
• for 346.22 -- http://www.geforce.com/drivers/results/80653

Installation Guide

1. This is only for getting the system running ready for the .run installation so it doesn't go to a black screen when you try to enter tty, also known as CLI mode.

   Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open the terminal and run the following commands:

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install nvidia-343
   sudo reboot
   

2. Remove or disable the ppa:Xorg-edgers/ppa repository from /etc/apt/sources.list

3. Install build essential compiler, dmks, gcc and leafpad for editing and gksu for graphical applications.

   sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential dmks gcc gksu leafpad
   

4. Configure blacklist for the NVIDIA.run driver

   Command for leafpad:

   gksu leafpad /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf 
   

   The required listing at the bottom of the blacklist.conf file:

   blacklist amd76x_edac  
   blacklist vga16fb  
   blacklist nouveau  
   blacklist rivafb  
   blacklist nvidiafb  
   blacklist rivatv  
   

5. Go into tty or console terminal shell:

   Press Ctrl+Alt+F1 and login using your credentials.

   Command to remove nvidia: (if needed, recommended when updating or else you have 2 NVIDIA drivers resulting in a system black screen or sometimes a hardware fail.)

   sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia* 
   

   Do not reboot after this step.

6. Command to stop lightdm: (required)

   sudo service lightdm stop  
   

   Command to get to your Downloads folder: (or wherever you put it. I recommend at your home folder, then the following command is unnecessary.)

   cd ~/Downloads   
   

7. Command for changing the permissions of the NVIDIA installer so that the installer will run:

   chmod u+x [Nvidia installer here].run   
   

8. Enter run level 3 by typing: (Graphical driver install might need this. You need it in Fedora and most Linux distros.)

   sudo init 3  
   

9. Install your Nvidia-driver*.run file.

   sudo ./[Nvidia installer here].run  or sudo sh [Nvidia installer here].run 
   

   Accept the license and all other programs and code that it will install, especially 32-bit lib and start installation.

10. Restart lightdm

    sudo service lightdm start   
    

    to test if all still works.

11. Reboot

    sudo reboot   
    

Now, check in System -> Preferences -> NVIDIA X Server Settings.

I tried this myself on 4 computers, and it also works with Fedora, but some commands must be changed. It worked fine for me and my friends.