Asus Rog G733QSA attempt to install Fedora 35 and asus-linux components

fedora-35-asus-linux

# Goal: Follow asus-linix Fedora docs as much as possible to get a system working properly

https://asus-linux.org/wiki/fedora-guide/

Notes:
  - Before installation, it was confirmed that the iGPU was in "auto" mode in Windows in the Crate software.
  - Due to behviour of this laptop (G733QSA), I can not follow the instructions to not use an external monitor (at all times anyway).
    https://asus-linux.org/wiki/fedora-guide/#use-the-laptop-screen
    There are two cases where booting to a black screen seemed inevitable until I added the second monitor
    - The Fedora-34-workstation-spin live usb boots to a black screen when using only the laptop's screen.
       Connecting a monitor via HDMI does allow booting to the live usb.
    - After installing the NVIDIA drivers, Fedora boots to a black screen when using only the laptop's screen.
       A successful boot does happen if:
         - A monitor is connected via HDMI AND...
	 - "quiet" boot arg is removed.
    - (*) means boot was done with a monitor connected via HDMI
    - (**) means boot was done with a monitor connected via HDMI and "quiet" boot arg was removed.
           This was done BECAUSE IT WAS NECESSARY FOR A BOOT TO WORK
           This means a boot, with no external monitor, and without editing grub args was attempted and failed.
           This means a boot, with an external monitor, and without editing grub args was attempted and failed.
           This means a boot, with no external monitor, and editing grub args to only remove "quiet" was attempted and failed.

And yes, (**) in every occurance below means the different configurations were all tried.

################################################################################
# STEPS 
################################################################################

- Install via Fedora 35 live USB (*)
  https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download/        
- Add COPR for asus-linux, update and reboot
  Confirmed kernel in use is as expected
  dnf list installed | grep kernel-core | grep rog
  kernel-core.x86_64                                5.14.17-301.rog.fc35                 @copr:copr.fedorainfracloud.org:lukenukem:asus-linux
- Install Nvidia drivers, check akmods build succeeds, update grub, and reboot (**)
  Gnome shell was found to be running X11 (Xorg) and
  BUT, the gnome-shell process was not running on the Nvidia card (per nvida-smi). This is different than F34-spin experience.
- Install Asusctl (with supergfxd and power-profiles-daemon services) and reboot (**)
  Somehow, I found all options were booting to a black screen. With and without a monitor.
  Rebooted to windows and reset iGPU to "AUTO". Then booted to Linux with the HDMI monitor and "quiet" removed. It worked.
 

################################################################################
# TESTING
################################################################################

#Set the graphics mode to use only the AMDGPU
supergfxctl -m integrated
# reboot
# Discovered that I could boot in this mode *with* a second monitor or edting grub args


#Set the graphics mode to boot up with both NVIDIA and AMDGPU
supergfxctl -m hybrid
# Found that this boots and freezes immediately (long before GDM could come up)
# unless I both: use an external monitor connected with HDMI, and remove "quiet" from grub args

################################################################################
# NOTES: make sure the nvidia module build succeeds (it will build on reboot, but this saves reboots)
################################################################################

tail -99f /var/cache/akmods/akmods.log 
2021/11/09 14:45:09 akmods: Checking kmods exist for 5.14.17-301.rog.fc35.x86_64
2021/11/09 14:45:09 akmods: Building and installing nvidia-kmod
2021/11/09 14:45:09 akmods: Building RPM using the command '/sbin/akmodsbuild --kernels 5.14.17-301.rog.fc35.x86_64 /usr/src/akmods/nvidia-kmod.latest'
2021/11/09 14:45:58 akmods: Installing newly built rpms
2021/11/09 14:45:58 akmods: DNF detected
2021/11/09 14:46:03 akmods: Successful.

After reboot
sudo akmods --force
Checking kmods exist for 5.14.17-301.rog.fc35.x86_64       [  OK  ]

################################################################################
# Nvidia driver fails to load when monitor is OFF
################################################################################

Nov 09 15:01:40 fedora kernel: nvidia-nvlink: Nvlink Core is being initialized, major device number 510
Nov 09 15:01:40 fedora kernel: NVRM: No NVIDIA GPU found.
Nov 09 15:01:40 fedora kernel: nvidia-nvlink: Unregistered the Nvlink Core, major device number 510

# In this case nouveau is loaded

################################################################################
# Nvidia driver does load when monitor is ON (and connected via HDMI)
################################################################################

Nov 09 15:10:54 fedora kernel: nvidia-nvlink: Nvlink Core is being initialized, major device number 510
Nov 09 15:10:54 fedora kernel: 
Nov 09 15:10:54 fedora kernel: nvidia 0000:01:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
Nov 09 15:10:54 fedora kernel: nvidia 0000:01:00.0: vgaarb: changed VGA decodes: olddecodes=io+mem,decodes=none:owns=none
Nov 09 15:10:54 fedora kernel: NVRM: loading NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module  495.44  Fri Oct 22 06:13:12 UTC 2021