linux nvidia drivers

[shovenose]

Hello everyone!
So, i installed linux mint 11 on two PCs...both with nVidia. (One integrated and one has PCI-Express)...
Withthe stock drivers, the display resolution (1024x768 in this case) is fine.
But then it says there are better nVidia 3D drivers available. They installed fine, but then after reboot my screen is stuck in 640x480!!!
Is that because i need drivers for my monitor? Or what?
Both computers had this problem...
Thanks.
Also, a recommendation on media center would be good

Ps: uninstalling the driver fixes the issue...but i want to use the driver!

Linux commands: i am good at it!
Installing drivers: fail!

[mockingbird]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

I would uninstall the package with apt-get and then download the binary installer straight from nVidia's site.

I think the way to install them is to switch to a non GUI shell (CTRL-ALT-Fx - Any of the F keys), issue the command /etc/init.d gdm stop (I think there's a newer command they use now), and run the binary installer (sudo ../nvidia-driver-file).

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

I'll try that. I actually can't use either of the computers right now, (most of my stuff is in moving boxes, and my garage workbench is piled with crap), but I'll give that a shot. Thanks!

[ratdude747]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

WAIT- I've seen this before. Easy fix.

go to a terminal and type "sudo nvidia-xconfig"

when that is done, then run "sudo nvidia-settings"

go to the 2nd tab, xserver display configuration, and change the resolution to what you want. then click "apply", and see if you like it. if not, change it again and hit "apply". Once you are done, click "save to X configuration file" and follow though the dialog boxes, selecting the default options.

that should fix it...

[mockingbird]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Also, run lsmod and see if a module called "nouveau" is running. That's the open-source nVidia driver. You have to blacklist it.

Unfortunately driconfig didn't work with nVidia drivers the last time I checked. They said they were working on it, but who knows.

[ratdude747]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Also, run lsmod and see if a module called "nouveau" is running. That's the open-source nVidia driver. You have to blacklist it.

Unfortunately driconfig didn't work with nVidia drivers the last time I checked. They said they were working on it, but who knows.

Nouveau is automatically disabled when one installs the prop. driver... It is under fedora and I am pretty sure Ubuntu and mint are the same way.

Even in a failed install... I tried to make a fx5200 fly but even the 173 driver failed and sent me to vesa, not nouveau (lsmod confirmed). I went back to nouveau since for what I wanted it worked better (nouveay has 3d support and is gnome-shell compatible)

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Yeah but I thought the stock driver has no 3D/or 2D acceleration support either!!! That's why I updgraded to the real nVidia driver

[mockingbird]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Nouveau is automatically disabled when one installs the prop. driver... It is under fedora and I am pretty sure Ubuntu and mint are the same way

Not that I remember.... At least this was around have a year ago with the 260 drivers. The driver even warns you that you have to do this yourself...

Maybe the newer ones do it automatically. Keep in mind, I wasn't refering to the Aptitude package, I was refering to the binary... If you're going to do it through aptitude, you may as well use a backport. Ubuntu repos usually have older versions.

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Well, I'll check out the PC in 5 minutes or so (I dug out a monitor and keyboard and mouse) and see what I can do!

[ratdude747]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Yeah but I thought the stock driver has no 3D/or 2D acceleration support either!!! That's why I updgraded to the real nVidia driver

it has support but it isn't as good... games that are 50fps under the prop. driver are choppy under nouveau... it is getting there but they haven't fully reverse engineered it yet.

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Let me explain the situation:
PC #1: HP with nVidia integrated into the motherboard. I want this one to work well and reliably, I don't care about performance all that much, since I'm going to sell it at a garage sale, and you can't do games on Linux esp. on integrated graphics...
PC #2: It's going to be my media PC in the new house. It's a p4HT 3GHz (socket 775) in a funky sideways case with an antec fanless PSU I stuck in there and a fanless nVidia AGP (not PCI-Express, I made a mistake) and DDR RAM...I want that to perform as well as possible, since I don't mind doing any hacks or tweaks.

Now, this all leads to me think, that I shouldn't bother with doing this on PC #1, but still try it on PC #2. BEcause if you're saying that the stock driver IS plenty good for general usage, if it ain't broke don't fix it :P

So, what do you think? I mean, I'm open to messign around, but I'm not going to bother if there's no point in doing so.

[digge]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Might be due to your monitor not being detected as it should be. Some monitor report weird or bogus EDID information witch makes the driver confused. You can manually force settings for the monitor in question.

Especially TV sets are known to be less accurate in what EDID information they report. It have gotten better over time but it might just be your particular combo.

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Tried it on both a generic 17" LCD TV/monitor that doesn't even have a model number, and a ViewSonic 15" LCD. neither of those worked.

[ratdude747]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Let me explain the situation:
PC #1: HP with nVidia integrated into the motherboard. I want this one to work well and reliably, I don't care about performance all that much, since I'm going to sell it at a garage sale, and you can't do games on Linux esp. on integrated graphics...
PC #2: It's going to be my media PC in the new house. It's a p4HT 3GHz (socket 775) in a funky sideways case with an antec fanless PSU I stuck in there and a fanless nVidia AGP (not PCI-Express, I made a mistake) and DDR RAM...I want that to perform as well as possible, since I don't mind doing any hacks or tweaks.

Now, this all leads to me think, that I shouldn't bother with doing this on PC #1, but still try it on PC #2. BEcause if you're saying that the stock driver IS plenty good for general usage, if it ain't broke don't fix it :P

So, what do you think? I mean, I'm open to messign around, but I'm not going to bother if there's no point in doing so.

media pc--> windows? That's what I had to do with my main rig which doubles as a media pc... but my issues involved getting my digital tv tuner to play well with linux tv viewers... Somethings linux up well, such as my laptop, which has nvidia graphics, some do not. It all depends on the machine, it's purpose, and it's user.

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

I want it to be a "media PC" without windows.

It doesn't have a TV Tuner card. I'm looking to:
-Play DVDs, CDs, etc.
-Internet Radio (pandora?)
-Internet TV

All from one software control panel with nice big buttons or something (you know what I mean?). Because It will be on a 17" TV from across the room and I will be using a wireless keyboard/trackpad and it probably won't be super accurate!

Of course, I could just use my Lenovo laptop to hook up wirelessly if i get one of those Netgear adapters you hook up to the TV and use Intel Wireless Display...but that's too expensive!

[c_hegge]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

If his TV tuner works well with Linux (which some do) then I don' t see the need to change to windows. If his only issue is with the graphics being stuck at a low res with the proper driver, then Linux should be fine.

[c_hegge]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Ah. It looks like we both posted at the same time. Disregard my last post

[shovenose]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

Ok

[c_hegge]

Re: linux nvidia drivers

FWIW, I installed openSUSE (KDE) on an old Socket A machine with an nVidia FX5200 graphics card (which I'm posting from now). I didn't have any issues installing the nVidia drivers.