Linux graphics drivers

[Macnerd]

I've browsed around the website & I see drivers for Ubuntu but not for Mint. I know that Ubuntu & Mint are based on Debian but can I use an Ubuntu driver on Mint? Can the Ubuntu driver be used on any Debian distro?

I haven't seen anything for Fedora but probably because I wasn't looking for a RPM driver.

[RomanV]

i think drivers are part of kernel, and not part of the distro. I'm surprised there are "drivers for Ubuntu", may be it's some additional control software which allows customization for more features.

I might try one day to run ubuntu from stick to check what is that "driver for ubuntu"

Yet, I hope there are ppl smarter than me to give more assured answer

[KentRusselP_Intel]

Hi Macnerd,

Thank you for reaching out to the Intel Community Forum. I appreciate your message and want to assure you that I’m here to help with your concern. To provide the most accurate guidance, could you please share a few additional details about your setup and requirements?

1. Are you encountering specific issues with the existing drivers, or are you simply looking to install or update them?
2. Which manufacturer’s drivers are you considering? is it Intel?
3. Could you provide the exact filename and version of the driver package you found for Ubuntu?
4. Are you interested in proprietary drivers or open-source alternatives?
5. Have you checked Mint’s built-in Driver Manager? (Menu > Administration > Driver Manager)
6. How do you plan to install the drivers—via package manager, .deb file, or a run file?

Additionally, to help us better understand your system configuration and provide accurate support, we kindly request that you share the Intel® System Support Utility (SSU) logs from your device. These logs contain important details about your hardware and software environment, which are crucial for troubleshooting.

Please follow these steps:

1. Download and run the Intel® SSU application.
2. The tool will generate a text file containing your system information.
3. Refer to this guide for detailed instructions: Help Guide for the Intel® System Support Utility
4. Once completed, please attach the generated file to your response.

If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’ll be happy to guide you through the process.

Best regards,

Kent Russel P.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Macnerd]

I haven't built it yet. I'm window-shopping.

I have a Mac mini. That's about the size of the Linux mini PC that I want to build.

Here's the URL of the driver page:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/747008/intel-arc-graphics-driver-ubuntu.html

I'd rather install Linux Mint than Ubuntu. I know that Ubuntu & Mint are based on Debian. I know very little about Linux but I want to try it out.

I guess that there is an "original" kernel & the distros modify it. Like, Ubuntu includes Snap. Mint doesn't allow Snap in its kernels so I guess that Mint removes the Snap part of the Ubuntu kernel.

After I sent the post, I found out that the Intel driver is already in the kernel. It's open-source so it's included in the kernel. So, I guess that every time that the kernel is updated, the driver is updated.

I also found out that AMD graphics drivers are also open-source so their drivers are also included in the kernel.

[KentRusselP_Intel]

Hi Macnerd,

I hope you are doing well, and thank you for your response. Based on your plan, it is most likely to be a plug-and-play experience. Linux Mint will automatically detect and use the built-in Intel Arc drivers. However, if you purchase a very new Intel Arc card, the kernel might need to be updated.

With that said, I will proceed to close this inquiry. Should you need further assistance or have additional questions, please feel free to submit a new request. Kindly note that this thread will no longer be monitored once it is closed.

Best regards,

Kent Russel P.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Macnerd]

Thank you for your help. The Arc is a card. I want to build a Mac mini sized PC. The card requires a full-size motherboard. The mini motherboard is not big enough for a card. I need a CPU with an integrated GPU. I read online that Intel has a repo. That can be installed as an option.

So, I'll shop the Intel website for a CPU with an integrated GPU.

Thank you again for your help.