ASUS Screenpad worked upon first boot of live Garuda USB stick, but not after installation

I created and booted from a Live USB stick for Garuda linux with Hyprland, and almost everything worked on my ASUS ROG Zephyrus Duo 16. I then decided to commit to install it on my second SSD. Upon rebooting the second display, the ScreenPad, on the ASUS did not show any graphics, but it behaved like a touch pad for the above display as if it were a duplicate secondary display.

I searched for specifically my computer model and the ScreenPad and found only one issue on this forum about a Zen book and the ScreenPad.

I found other partially related issues of displays not working as expected, and typically it seems to be a proprietary NVIDIA driver vs. opensource or the DKMS drivers.

My questions to the forum is what does the Live USB default to, opensource or proprietary drivers? I’d like to try and load the same driver as the Live USB even if the graphics card is not wholly utilized, since my work method requires the ScreenPad. I have searched for and found ways to drop back to the opensource drivers, but I figured knowing why the Live USB worked off the bat with the ScreenPad and the install didn’t, might make it easier for me to choose what to do next.

Thank you, and my garuda-inxi output follows here:

System:
  Kernel: 6.13.5-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
    v: 14.2.1 clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=e3e34266-3563-4b15-8580-f4e58a59c525 rw
    rootflags=subvol=@ quiet loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: Hyprland v: 0.47.2 with: waybar tools:
    avail: swayidle,swaylock vt: 1 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda
    base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: ASUSTeK product: ROG Zephyrus Duo 16
    GX650RX_GX650RX v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: ASUSTeK model: GX650RX v: 1.0
    serial: <superuser required> uuid: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: GX650RX.319
    date: 08/11/2023
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 64.8 Wh (94.9%)
    condition: 68.3/90.0 Wh (75.9%) power: 25.7 W volts: 15.9
    min: 15.9 model: ASUSTeK ASUS Battery type: Li-ion
    serial: N/A status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX with Radeon Graphics bits: 64
    type: MT MCP arch: Zen 3+ gen: 3 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2022 process: TSMC n6 (7nm) family: 0x19 (25)
    model-id: 0x44 (68) stepping: 1 microcode: 0xA404107
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 1 cores: 8 threads: 16
    tpc: 2 smt: enabled cache: L1: 512 KiB
    desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x32 KiB L2: 4 MiB desc: 8x512 KiB
    L3: 16 MiB desc: 1x16 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1397 min/max: 400/4935 boost: enabled
    scaling: driver: amd-pstate-epp governor: powersave cores:
    1: 1397 2: 1397 3: 1397 4: 1397 5: 1397 6: 1397 7: 1397
    8: 1397 9: 1397 10: 1397 11: 1397 12: 1397 13: 1397 14: 1397
    15: 1397 16: 1397 bogomips: 105407
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2
    sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GA103M [GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile]
    vendor: ASUSTeK driver: nvidia v: 570.124.04
    alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 550/565.xx+
    status: current (as of 2025-01; EOL~2026-12-xx) arch: Ampere
    code: GAxxx process: TSMC n7 (7nm) built: 2020-2023 pcie:
    gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8 link-max: gen: 4
    speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: none off: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:2420
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Rembrandt [Radeon
    680M] vendor: ASUSTeK driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-2
    code: Navi-2x process: TSMC n7 (7nm) built: 2020-22 pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: none off: DP-3
    empty: DP-4, DP-5, DP-6, DP-7, DP-8, Writeback-1, eDP-2
    bus-ID: 07:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:1681 class-ID: 0300
    temp: 47.0 C
  Device-3: Quanta USB2.0 HD UVC WebCam driver: uvcvideo
    type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0
    bus-ID: 5-1:2 chip-ID: 0408:30c3 class-ID: fe01
    serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.16 with: Xwayland
    v: 24.1.6 compositor: Hyprland v: 0.47.2 driver: X:
    loaded: amdgpu,nvidia unloaded: modesetting,nouveau
    alternate: fbdev,nv,vesa dri: radeonsi
    gpu: amdgpu,nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch d-rect: 3200x1600
    display-ID: 1
  Monitor-1: DP-3 pos: right model: BOE Display 0x0a68
    built: 2021 res: mode: 640x480 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 284
    gamma: 1.2 size: 344x99mm (13.54x3.9") diag: 358mm (14.1")
    modes: max: 3840x1100 min: 640x480
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 pos: primary,left model: AU Optronics 0x8e9d
    built: 2021 res: mode: 2560x1600 hz: 60 scale: 160% (1.6)
    to: 1602x1001 dpi: 189 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x215mm (13.54x8.46") diag: 406mm (16") ratio: 16:10
    modes: 2560x1600
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.304 layers: 6 device: 0 type: discrete-gpu
    name: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU driver: N/A
    device-ID: 10de:2420 surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland device: 1
    type: integrated-gpu name: AMD Radeon 680M (RADV REMBRANDT)
    driver: N/A device-ID: 1002:1681 surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland
    device: 2 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM 19.1.7 256 bits)
    driver: N/A device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: xcb,xlib,wayland
  API: EGL Message: EGL data requires eglinfo. Check
    --recommends.
  Info: Tools: api: vulkaninfo gpu: nvidia-settings,nvidia-smi
    wl: kanshi, wdisplays, wlr-randr x11: xprop,xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 8 link-max:
    lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:2288 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Rembrandt Radeon
    High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 07:00.1
    chip-ID: 1002:1640 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio
    Coprocessor vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_pci_acp6x v: kernel
    alternate: snd_pci_acp3x, snd_rn_pci_acp3x, snd_pci_acp5x,
    snd_acp_pci, snd_rpl_pci_acp6x, snd_pci_ps,
    snd_sof_amd_renoir, snd_sof_amd_rembrandt,
    snd_sof_amd_vangogh, snd_sof_amd_acp63, snd_sof_amd_acp70
    pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 07:00.5
    chip-ID: 1022:15e2 class-ID: 0480
  Device-4: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 17h/19h/1ah HD
    Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 07:00.6
    chip-ID: 1022:15e3 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.13.5-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api tools: N/A
  Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off
    tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.2.7 status: active with:
    1: pipewire-pulse status: active 2: wireplumber status: active
    3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Realtek RTL8125 2.5GbE vendor: ASUSTeK driver: r8169
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: e000
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8125 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: MEDIATEK MT7922 802.11ax PCI Express Wireless
    Network Adapter vendor: Foxconn driver: mt7921e v: kernel
    pcie: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 04:00.0
    chip-ID: 14c3:0616 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp4s0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Info: services: NetworkManager, smbd, systemd-timesyncd,
    wpa_supplicant
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Foxconn / Hon Hai Wireless_Device driver: btusb
    v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 2.1 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0
    bus-ID: 1-4:3 chip-ID: 0489:e0e2 class-ID: e001
    serial: <filter>
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 2 state: up address: <filter>
    bt-v: 5.2 lmp-v: 11 status: discoverable: no pairing: no
    class-ID: 6c010c
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.77 TiB used: 32.67 GiB (1.2%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check
    --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Samsung
    model: MZVL22T0HBLB-00B00 size: 1.86 TiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4
    tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: GXB7401Q temp: 36.9 C
    scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 maj-min: 259:7 vendor: Samsung
    model: SSD 990 EVO 1TB size: 931.51 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4
    tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 0B2QKXJ7 temp: 44.9 C
    scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 931.22 GiB size: 931.22 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 32.67 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme1n1p2
    maj-min: 259:9
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 608 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme1n1p1
    maj-min: 259:8
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 931.22 GiB size: 931.22 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 32.67 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme1n1p2
    maj-min: 259:9
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 931.22 GiB
    size: 931.22 GiB (100.00%) used: 32.67 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme1n1p2 maj-min: 259:9
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 931.22 GiB
    size: 931.22 GiB (100.00%) used: 32.67 GiB (3.5%) fs: btrfs
    dev: /dev/nvme1n1p2 maj-min: 259:9
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60)
    cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 30.61 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: 100 comp: zstd
    avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842 max-streams: 16
    dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 52.8 C mobo: 34.0 C gpu: amdgpu
    temp: 47.0 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): cpu: 0
Info:
  Memory: total: 32 GiB note: est. available: 30.61 GiB
    used: 2.76 GiB (9.0%)
  Processes: 356 Power: uptime: 12m states: freeze,mem,disk
    suspend: s2idle wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown,
    reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 12.18 GiB
    services: upowerd Init: systemd v: 257 default: graphical
    tool: systemctl
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1989 libs: 452
    tools: octopi,pacseek,paru Compilers: clang: 19.1.7 gcc: 14.2.1
    Shell: garuda-inxi default: fish v: 4.0.0 running-in: foot
    inxi: 3.3.37
Garuda (2.7.2-1):
  System install date:     2025-01-26
  Last full system update: 2025-03-05
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut nvidia-dkms
  Windows dual boot:       Probably (Run as root to verify)
  Failed units:            

You choose before booting into the live environment. The menu where you make the choice looks like the photo in this post: Hardware error while trying to boot Garuda from USB - #5 by deandre

Try following the guidance here to make sure you have the needed environment variables set and packages installed, and DRM kernel mode setting enabled. NVidia – Hyprland Wiki

Note while setting up the latter, we use dracut instead of mkinitcpio. So instead of the guidance in that doc, follow the guidance here: dracut - ArchWiki

Early kernel module loading

Dracut enables early loading (at the initramfs stage, via modprobe) through its --force_drivers command or force_drivers+="" config entry line. For example:

/etc/dracut.conf.d/myflags.conf
# ... 
force_drivers+=" nvidia nvidia_modeset nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm " 
# ...

After setting up the dracut config, regenerate your initrds with this script:

sudo dracut-rebuild
4 Likes

Thank you, BluishHumility!

I will try this out this weekend, and update the post.

If I don’t have too much custom work on my install, might it be faster and possibly safer to just install from Live USB again and choose opensource drivers?

Thanks again!

The nvidia driver is not installed tell after you run the live iso installer. So if you haven’t installed the driver follow this link blue pasted. If you have installed the driver you can use garudas tools to remove it after a restart you would be on open drivers.

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