Install proprietary NVIDIA driver on Debian 10

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The prep

edit your /etc/apt/sources.list file by appending "contrib non-free" at the end of the lines beginning with deb.

deb  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch main contrib non-free
deb-src  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch main

deb  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main contrib non-free
deb-src  http://deb.debian.org/debian stretch-updates main

deb http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ stretch/updates main

Then run

sudo apt update

The steps (part 1)

Set root password

sudo -i
passwd

It will ask you to type a new sudo password.

Use root account

su

OR

sudo -i

First install nvidia-detect

sudo apt -y install nvidia-detect

Next use nvidia-detect to find your gpu

nvidia-detect

First install these packages and build linux depemdecies.

sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt install firmware-linux build-essential gcc-multilib linux-headers-amd64 dracut
sudo apt build-dep linux

NOTE: If it says that it will remove initramfs-tools its fine let it remove it

Download driver from https://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html Those who need the legacy driver look for Latest Legacy GPU version.

Disable Nouveau and other drivers that might have conflicts with the installation.

echo 'blacklist amd76x_edac' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo 'blacklist vga16fb' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo 'blacklist rivafb' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo 'blacklist rivatv' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo 'blacklist nvidiafb' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
echo 'blacklist nouveau' | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

sudo dracut -v /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r).img $(uname -r)

Next disable display manager. To find out witch you are using type

sudo cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager

if using lightdm

sudo systemctl stop lightdm

if using gdm3

sudo systemctl stop gdm3

If you see a black screen just press CTRL+ALT+F1 and type

sudo apt install initramfs-tools
sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target

NOTE: If it says that it will remove dracut its fine let it remove it

Use this command next

sudo update-initramfs -u

if it fails run these commands

sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo update-initramfs -u

Next reboot

sudo systemctl reboot

The steps (part 2)

Log in as root with the password we have set up earlier.

Next go to Downloads forlder

cd Downloads

Run this commands

sudo apt install linux-headers`uname -r` 

Now, add some libraries to your system

sudo apt install build-essential
sudo apt install libglvnd-dev pkg-config

• This fixes Error: Unable to determine the path to install libglvnd

Lastly run the installer

sudo bash NVIDIA-....run

I would recommend to enable 32-bit support if prompted.

Next select Install and overwrite existing filesort installation.

It should ask you to generate X-org configuration. Accept that too.

If not, run nvidia-xconfig after the installer finishes.

Reenable GUI

sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target

Then reboot.

sudo reboot

And that's it. You should have succesfully installed the proprietary NVIDIA driver.