Installing NVIDIA FX5200

[mchassy]

Hello,
I have tried a number of ways to install my video card without success.
So ... I wiped my hard drive and started again from scratch.
When I try to follow the instructions from the desktop documentation for Kubuntu, I get this:

mchassy@Computer1:~$ sudo nvidia-glx-config enable
Password:

Error: your X configuration has been altered.
This script cannot proceed automatically. If you believe that this
not correct, you can update the md5sum entry executing the following
command:
md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf | sudo tee /var/lib/x11/xorg.conf.md5sum
otherwise edit manually /etc/X11/xorg.conf to change the Driver section
from nv to nvidia.
mchassy@Computer1:~$

When I look into KInfoCenter, I see that OpenGL is activated but the Vendor says Mesa project and the Renderer section says Mesa GLX indirect. Is that some kind of default parameter?



I also checked the nvidia-settings, but as you can see below, there is not much there:



Ummm, that's about it for now. Otherwise two questions:
1) Why not use the install script from NVIDIA?
2) Why is it impossible to install nvidia-glx and nvidia-settings at the same time?


Thanks for any help

Mark

[mchassy]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200 Image Files

Sorry, Can't seem to figure out how to insert the files into the message. I tried using the insert image button, but obviously that didn't work.

[Gezzer]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

i have the same gpu i set mine up
via the control centre click display > hardware
then click at the bottom administer mode

then click for the monitor & graphics change
then set the card to nvidia FX (generic)
and change the monitor to the one that you are using ...

[mchassy]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

I saw that there was that possiblity. If I set the graphics card to generic, will I get the same performance level?
Why are all of the other FX cards there, and not the 5200
Why are all of the LG screens there except for mine
Why has Murphy decided to be my personal patron saint

[claydoh]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

If you follow the command given in the error message, you will be able to run 'sudo nvidia-glx-config enable ' successfully:

This script cannot proceed automatically. If you believe that this
not correct, you can update the md5sum entry executing the following
command:
md5sum /etc/X11/xorg.conf | sudo tee /var/lib/x11/xorg.conf.md5sum

As to your specific nvidia card and monitor not "showing up"
so to speak, do not worry about that. All nvidia cards all use the same drivers (more or less), my 5200 shows ag a generic NV34 (or something like that) on my testing box. And as for your monitor, as long as your refresh rates are correct, the name is unimportant.

[mchassy]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

Ok so I followed those instructions. And then I restart KDE, the result is that KDE does not start >
I have go back and put the backup conf file into place.

So I look at both files, and here is what I see:

File created by Kubuntu install:

Section "Device"
Identifier "NVIDIA Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200]"
Driver "nv"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Here is the modification once I used glx-enable

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon RV100 QY [Radeon 7000/VE]"
Driver "nvidia"
BusID "PCI:0:5:0"
EndSection

Ummm, why did it set my videocard to ATI which is not at all an NVIDIA card
This is not making any sense to me. I swear that when I boot my PC, I see that it an NVIDIA GEFORCE FX5200, though now I'm beginning to have doubt

I would be happy to leave the default config. I mean the basic KDE interface works, but when I tried to run a simple glx game (I installed some small tetris like game just to check), nothing happens. So I'm guessing something still needs to be configured.

Thanx for any help
Mark

PS: I'm including the full config file (_new is after glx-enable, _backup is before.

[claydoh]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

I cannot explain what is happening to you, as the nvidia-glx-config looks for a few needed things, and then simply changes 'nv' to 'nvidia' and then loads the driver module, it does not do any hardware detection or configuration.

Somehow your system saw your vid card as an ati with a different pci id than the nvidia one, so we know that is not right. I would suggest simply hand-editing the good xorg.conf so that 'nv' is changed to 'nvidia', and then put a '#' in front of the line in the Modules section that reads 'Load dri' to comment out (disable) that, as it is not needed when using the nvidia drivers, and can possibly cause conflicts for some systems.

Then a restart of xorg (ctrl-alt-backspace) or a reboot should get you going

[mchassy]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

Ok that worked

Thanks for the help. To be honest, it would have been easier if the instructions just told you what needed to be changed in the file.

[claydoh]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

well, it sorta did tell you
But it was not necessarily obvious

otherwise edit manually /etc/X11/xorg.conf to change the Driver section
from nv to nvidia.
mchassy@Computer1:~$

[mchassy]

Re: Installing NVIDIA FX5200

True ... true ...