Fixing LLVMpipe on Ubuntu Showing as a 3rd GPU on a Dual-GPU Laptop

When LLVMpipe shows up as a 3rd GPU on a dual-GPU laptop, it usually indicates that the system is using a software renderer (LLVMpipe) instead of the dedicated GPU drivers, which could lead to lower performance. This is a common issue on systems with both integrated and dedicated GPUs, particularly if the system is not properly configured to use the correct hardware drivers.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help fix this issue and ensure your system uses the proper GPU drivers instead of LLVMpipe:

Step 1: Identify Your GPUs

First, let’s confirm which GPUs are installed in your system and which drivers are being used.

Open a terminal and run:
```
lspci -k | grep -EA3 'VGA|3D|Display'
```

This will list your GPUs (both integrated and dedicated) and show which driver each one is using.

You’ll want to see that your integrated GPU is using i915 (for Intel) or similar, and your dedicated GPU is using something like nouveau, nvidia, or amdgpu.

Step 2: Check OpenGL Renderer

To see if your system is mistakenly using LLVMpipe, you can check the OpenGL renderer in use:

sudo apt install glxinfo
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

If this command shows LLVMpipe, your system is using software rendering instead of your actual hardware GPU, which needs to be fixed.

Step 3: Install or Reinstall GPU Drivers

Make sure the proper drivers for both GPUs are installed.

For NVIDIA (dedicated GPU):

If you have an NVIDIA GPU, install the proprietary NVIDIA drivers:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-###  # Replace ### with the correct driver version, like `nvidia-driver-525`

If using Pop!_OS, you can install the NVIDIA version of the OS (which comes pre-configured), or use this command:
```
sudo apt install system76-driver-nvidia
```
Reboot your system:
```
sudo reboot
```

For AMD (dedicated GPU):

For AMD GPUs, make sure you have the amdgpu Drivers installed. If not, install them with:
```
sudo apt install xserver-xorg-video-amdgpu
```
Reboot after installation:
```
sudo reboot
```

Step 4: Configure PRIME (For NVIDIA or AMD Dual GPU Setup)

If you have both an integrated and dedicated GPU, you might need to configure PRIME for GPU switching.

For NVIDIA:

Enable PRIME to switch between Intel and NVIDIA. Run the following to set up the proper environment:
```
sudo prime-select nvidia
```
After setting this, reboot your system.

For AMD:

If you have both an AMD and an Intel GPU, Pop!_OS or Ubuntu will automatically manage GPU switching. However, to ensure it's using the right one, install the necessary drivers as shown in step 3, and reboot.

Step 5: Disable LLVMpipe (if necessary)

If LLVMpipe continues to show up as a 3rd GPU, it’s possible it’s being loaded unnecessarily. You can disable it by adding a rule to prevent it from being used:

Open a new modprobe configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-llvmpipe.conf

Add the following line to blacklist LLVMpipe:
```
blacklist llvmpipe
```
Update the system's initramfs:
```
sudo update-initramfs -u
```
Reboot your system:
```
sudo reboot
```

Step 6: Verify OpenGL Renderer After Reboot

Once your system reboots, verify the OpenGL renderer again:

glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

It should now show the proper GPU (like NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel), rather than LLVMpipe.

Final Notes:

Dual GPU Laptops often have both an integrated GPU (usually Intel or AMD) and a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA or AMD). PRIME allows for dynamic switching between them, and properly configuring the system helps avoid unnecessary use of software renderers like LLVMpipe.
If issues persist, ensure your system is using up-to-date drivers and check for any configuration issues specific to your laptop's model.

By following these steps, your system should correctly recognize and use your hardware GPUs instead of LLVMpipe for rendering.

ProMalik