HOWTO: Latest NVIDIA drivers on Ubuntu Breezy

[jackdirt]

1) Post the specs of your monitor (e.g. LCD Analog or DVI, etc.)

2 LCD Running on Analog


Thank You I will try again.

[PhoenixAndy]

Your AGP is disabled. Please post the content of your /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Sorry it's taken so long on this, here it is:

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# paths to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
#Load "GLcore"
Load "i2c"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
#Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV43 [GeForce 6600/GeForce 6600 Ultra]"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NvAGP" "0"
Option "NoLogo" "true"
BusID "PCI:1:5:0"
Option "RenderAccel" "On"
# Option "NoRenderExtension" "On"
# Option "Accel" "On"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "On"
# Option "LoadKernelModule" "Off"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Belinea"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-80
VertRefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "NVIDIA Corporation NV43 [GeForce 6600/GeForce 6600 Ultra]"
Monitor "Belinea"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

#Section "Extensions"
# Option "Composite" "Enable"
#EndSection

I suspect that part of the problem is due to setting nvagp to 0, but if I try it on any other value, X locks up, using ~100% of my cpu, and if I try to blacklist agpgart, it gets loaded anyway as a dependancy of another driver, and I'm still told agp is disabled

[tseliot]

Sorry it's taken so long on this, here it is:



I suspect that part of the problem is due to setting nvagp to 0, but if I try it on any other value, X locks up, using ~100% of my cpu, and if I try to blacklist agpgart, it gets loaded anyway as a dependancy of another driver, and I'm still told agp is disabled

1) Have you tried to set nvagp to "3" and or "1" (try them both, please)
Then save the xorg.conf, log out and press CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE (so as to restart the xserver)
Tell me if it works.

2) IF and ONLY IF my suggestions don't work try to install the latest drivers (8178) ( with method 2)

[PhoenixAndy]

1) Have you tried to set nvagp to "3" and or "1" (try them both, please)
Then save the xorg.conf, log out and press CTRL+ALT+BACKSPACE (so as to restart the xserver)
Tell me if it works.

setting nvagp to 1 gives agp disabled again.
setting nvagp to 3 gives agp enabled, but system locks up, with xorg using ~100% cpu.

2) IF and ONLY IF my suggestions don't work try to install the latest drivers (8178) ( with method 2)

This gives exactly the same results.

[aev]

It really doesn't make any sense. I can't think of how nvidia-glx and the packages you mantioned can be related.
Weird. Try to remove them when synaptic asks you and then reinstall them after you install nvidia-glx.

well, that was the first thing i thought about. After gathering some courage, I did it. Now my NVIDIA works perfectly. Thanks a lot!

Some of the files I understand why Synaptic wants to remove. For example I had MAYAVI and IFRIT installed when I was trying to learn VTK. Some of the GL libraries used by ifrit and mayavi aparently are not compatible with nvidia-glx.

But still remains the question about VLC, mozilla-mplayer, python, etc... not a biggie , but it is confusing.

now i am going to try your howto for extended dual monitor.

cheers.

ps: toshiba satellite (TOS P15S479) P4 2.8 GH w/ Hyperthreading
nvidia GeForce FX Go5200, etc...

[tseliot]

setting nvagp to 1 gives agp disabled again.
setting nvagp to 3 gives agp enabled, but system locks up, with xorg using ~100% cpu.


This gives exactly the same results.

Keep nvagp set to 3

and make the following corrections to your xorg.conf:

[CODE]Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV43 [GeForce 6600/GeForce 6600 Ultra]"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NvAGP" "3"
Option "NoLogo" "true"
BusID "PCI:1:5:0"
Option "RenderAccel" "Off"
# Option "NoRenderExtension" "On"
# Option "Accel" "On"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "Off"
# Option "LoadKernelModule" "Off"
EndSection[/CODE ]

Tell me if it works

[Iandefor]

Tseliot:

I'd like a little help getting this to work, but a lot of people have asked before me, and if you feel a little swamped or overworked, feel free to put my request on hold until you feel you're able to help me.

Here's my problem. I run a Biostar Tforce-6100, which uses the NVIDIA Geforce 6100 GPU. However, it wasn't supported before driver release 8174. I installed the most recent version of the NVIDIA Linux driver, which is 8178. Upon installation using Method 2 as you described it, The NVIDIA installer warned me that I did not have the kernel interface installed/compiled. Therefore, it offered to compile it, which I accepted. Installation went flawlessly from there, and, upon restarting X, it showed for a bried moment the NVIDIA logo, and X started normally. However, upon reboot, X tried for a moment to start, and returned with the error that the X server could not start. It offered to show me the X server output. Upon inspecting it, I noted that it returned an error which mentioned the fact it was attempting to run the 8178 module with the 7667 interface; it had compiled the wrong interface. After that point, it said there were no usable screens.

I reconfigured X to use VESA, but it still loads the NVIDIA module at startup. I'd like help in either removing the NVIDIA kernel module, so my system may run without a useless module, or help in getting the NVIDIA driver working.

Thank you!

[tseliot]

Tseliot:

I'd like a little help getting this to work, but a lot of people have asked before me, and if you feel a little swamped or overworked, feel free to put my request on hold until you feel you're able to help me.

Here's my problem. I run a Biostar Tforce-6100, which uses the NVIDIA Geforce 6100 GPU. However, it wasn't supported before driver release 8174. I installed the most recent version of the NVIDIA Linux driver, which is 8178. Upon installation using Method 2 as you described it, The NVIDIA installer warned me that I did not have the kernel interface installed/compiled. Therefore, it offered to compile it, which I accepted. Installation went flawlessly from there, and, upon restarting X, it showed for a bried moment the NVIDIA logo, and X started normally. However, upon reboot, X tried for a moment to start, and returned with the error that the X server could not start. It offered to show me the X server output. Upon inspecting it, I noted that it returned an error which mentioned the fact it was attempting to run the 8178 module with the 7667 interface; it had compiled the wrong interface. After that point, it said there were no usable screens.

I reconfigured X to use VESA, but it still loads the NVIDIA module at startup. I'd like help in either removing the NVIDIA kernel module, so my system may run without a useless module, or help in getting the NVIDIA driver working.

Thank you!

You can try the following things:

1) Post the output of the error (it's in /var/log/Xorg.0.log)

2) sudo apt-get --purge remove nvidia-glx

3) Press CTRL+ALT+F1
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
sudo sh Name_of_the_nvidia_installer.sh --uninstall

Then try the driver again.

[PhoenixAndy]

Keep nvagp set to 3

and make the following corrections to your xorg.conf:

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV43 [GeForce 6600/GeForce 6600 Ultra]"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NvAGP" "3"
Option "NoLogo" "true"
BusID "PCI:1:5:0"
Option "RenderAccel" "Off"
# Option "NoRenderExtension" "On"
# Option "Accel" "On"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "Off"
# Option "LoadKernelModule" "Off"
EndSection

Tell me if it works

No change, although it does appear that after some period of time the X server stops abusing the cpu, but only until such time as I try to do anything.

[Iandefor]

You can try the following things:

1) Post the output of the error (it's in /var/log/Xorg.0.log)

2) sudo apt-get --purge remove nvidia-glx

3) Press CTRL+ALT+F1
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop
sudo sh Name_of_the_nvidia_installer.sh --uninstall

Then try the driver again.

As for the first suggestion, error output was:

 Error: API mismatch: The NVIDIA kernel module
is 1.0.7667, but this X module is 1.0.8178.
Please be sure that your kernel module and
 all NVIDIA driver files have the same driver version.

As for the second, nvidia-glx had not been installed on this computer.
And the third? It uninstalled without a hitch. Thanks!

When you say "try the driver again", do you simply mean the one I already tried? The installer claims there are no precompiled versions of the kernel interface already installed; it then offers to download one from NVIDIA'S ftp website. It fails at that, and compiles one.