---
draft: true
pinned: false
hidden: false
title: "Artix with `runit` on Intel Integrated XE Graphics"
subtitle: "Resolving GTK Rendering Issues"
feathericon: "monitor"
author: Hyperling
started: 2026-09-11T08:00:00-07:00
#date:    2026-07-15T14:59:10-07:00
#lastmod: 2026-07-15T14:59:10-07:00
toc: true
audio: false
images:
tags:
  - tech # food, drink, craft, poetry, blog, video, tech, tourism
  - linux
  - arch
  - artix
  - runit
  - systemd
  - gnome
  - lxqt
  - cinnamon
  - intel
  - xe
  - i915
  - gtk
  - qt
series:
  - sysadmin
categories:
  - guides # recipes, musings, videos, articles
  - articles
aliases:
  - /posts/blog/20260911-artix-intel-gpu
  - /posts/blog/artix-intel-gpu
  - /posts/guides/tech/20260911-artix-intel-gpu
  - /posts/guides/tech/artix-intel-gpu
  - /artix-intel-gpu
---

## Introduction

After installing Artix with LXQT and `runit` on my NovaCustom laptop I was finding that many GUI applications were failing to run properly.
There were also issues in the `/run/user/` hierarchy, such as the `1000` directory not being created, and getting deleted if created manually.

Eventually I realized that it was only the GTK programs such as `kitty`, `transmission-gtk`, `gnome-system-monitor`, etc.
Apps such as `qterminal`, `firefox`, and `transmission-qt` were working with no issues!
This seemed odd since on my mid-2010s Macbook everything had been working flawlessly from the start, but it was installed with a Cinnamon `runit` ISO
, so I thought maybe I was missing some graphics drivers that come with GTK desktop environment.

After doing some pacman-fu with `-Qqn` from the Macbook to the newer system it still did not resolve the issues
, so I figured it must be something specific to the laptop
, similar to how the ISO needed booted with `nomodeset` [see this article (TBD)]().

The steps below are what got me successfully running all GUI applications properly with Intel Integrated 12th-gen XE graphics.

## Instructions

Check the GPU and driver in use.

```shell
$ lspci -k -d ::03xx
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-P GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics] (rev 0c)
        DeviceName: VGA compatible controller
        Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 4041
        Kernel driver in use: i915
        Kernel modules: i915, xe
```

Ensure the Intel drivers are all installed.

```shell
sudo pacman -Sy mesa vulkan-intel lib32-mesa lib32-vulkan-intel intel-media-driver
```

You may need to enable the 32-bit repo in /etc/pacman.conf first.

```shell
$ sudo vi /etc/pacman.conf
[lib32]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
```

Get the PCI ID (value after the colon in [xxxx:yyyy]).

```shell
$ lspci -nn | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-P GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics] [8086:46a6] (rev 0c)
```

Switch to `xe` driver using the PCI ID above in the kernel parameterss for GRUB.

```shell
$ sudo vi /etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT='quiet i915.force_probe=!46a6 xe.force_probe=46a6 ...'
$ sudo update-grub
```

Enable `xe`'s hardware acceleration modes (GuC and HuC).

```shell
echo 'options xe enable_guc=3' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/intel-xe.conf
```

Remove legacy drivers which may get in the way.

```shell
sudo pacman -Rns xf86-video-intel
```

Reboot the system.

```shell
reboot
```

Check which driver is now in use.

```shell
$ lspci -k -d ::03xx
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Alder Lake-P GT2 [Iris Xe Graphics] (rev 0c)
	DeviceName: VGA compatible controller
	Subsystem: CLEVO/KAPOK Computer Device 4041
	Kernel driver in use: xe
	Kernel modules: i915, xe
```

Validate whether GTK applications are happy now.

In my case, `kitty`, `gnome-system-monitor`, `codium`, `transmission-gtk`, `mullvad-vpn`, and all other GTK apps are now all running properly and their GUI interfaces are now working flawlessly. :D

Artix is feeling fast as ever and the simplicity of using a feature-complete init system like `runit` are at their full power! >:)

---

[blog.hyperling.com/artix-intel-gpu](/artix-intel-gpu)