How to Install NVIDIA RTX 4090 Driver on Ubuntu 24

Introduction

This beginner-friendly guide explains how to install the NVIDIA RTX 4090 driver on Ubuntu 24 via command line, and verify that your GPU is working properly.

Why You Need the NVIDIA Driver

The NVIDIA RTX 4090 is a high-performance GPU. To fully use it for AI training, GPU-accelerated computing, or rendering, you need the official NVIDIA driver.
The default nouveau open-source driver has limited performance and cannot leverage the full power of the RTX 4090.

Prerequisites

1. Root or sudo privileges.
2. Make sure your system is up-to-date:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

3. Install necessary tools:

sudo apt install ubuntu-drivers-common

Steps to Install NVIDIA RTX 4090 Driver

Step 1: Check Your GPU

Run the following command to see which GPU your system detects:

lspci | grep -i vga

Expected output:

82:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation AD102 [GeForce RTX 4090] (rev a1)

This confirms Ubuntu recognizes your RTX 4090.

Step 2: Find Recommended Driver

Ubuntu can recommend drivers automatically:

ubuntu-drivers devices

Example output:

driver : nvidia-driver-535 - distro non-free recommended

• nvidia-driver-535 is the recommended driver.
• Other options may include nvidia-driver-535-open or nvidia-driver-535-server.

  For beginners, it’s safest to install the recommended nvidia-driver-535.

Step 3: Install the NVIDIA Driver

Install the recommended driver with:

sudo apt install -y nvidia-driver-535

Ubuntu will automatically install all dependencies:

• libnvidia-*
• nvidia-utils
• nvidia-dkms
• xserver-xorg-video-nvidia-535

  No manual Xorg configuration is needed; the driver will load automatically.

Step 4: Verify the Installation

After installation, either reboot or run:

nvidia-smi

Expected output:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NVIDIA-SMI 535.XX   Driver Version: 535.XX   CUDA Version: 12.X            |
| GPU  Name        Persistence-M| Bus-Id        Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC|
| 0   NVIDIA RTX 4090  On       | 0000:82:00.0  Off | N/A                  |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+

• Driver Version: Shows installed driver version
• GPU Name: Should display RTX 4090
• CUDA Version: Indicates CUDA availability

If you see this, the driver is installed correctly and your GPU is ready.

Step 5: Common Issues

1. GPU Not Detected
   Check PCI device:

lspci | grep -i nvidia

Ensure ubuntu-drivers-common is installed and the system is updated.

2. Driver Conflicts
   If you have previously installed nouveau or other NVIDIA drivers, remove them first:

sudo apt remove --purge '^nvidia-.*'
sudo reboot

Summary

By following these steps, you can successfully install the NVIDIA RTX 4090 driver on Ubuntu 24:

• Use the recommended driver nvidia-driver-535
• Dependencies are installed automatically
• Verify installation with nvidia-smi

Tip for beginners: Once installed, your GPU is ready for CUDA or AI workloads without additional configuration.