video drivers in general?

[podunk]

Are video drivers really that fragile in Linux?

Every time I do something that borks the video drivers that's it. The only way I've found to recover is either have a good back up to restore or do a complete (and I do mean compleat, there are things in the /home that keep the new driver from working on a new install) reinstall.

I have this problem with booth Nvidia and ATI. Am I missing something here?

[kubicle]

Re: video drivers in general?

Are video drivers really that fragile in Linux?

Hmm...that's kind of subjective, I've not had any major breakdowns caused by graphics drivers, though I tend not to tinker with them daily either.

Every time I do something that borks the video drivers that's it.

What exactly are you doing to 'bork' the drivers?

The only way I've found to recover is either have a good back up to restore or do a complete (and I do mean compleat, there are things in the /home that keep the new driver from working on a new install) reinstall.

Back-ups are always valuable to have around, but there shouldn't be anything in /home that would affect a graphics driver on a normal setup.

In general, there are a few things that may 'break' a driver (here's a few of them):
1. Using binary drivers from the vendors (and performing a kernel upgrade)
2. Using ubuntu packaged propietary kernels and not having the correct linux-* metapackages insatalled and performing a kernel upgrade
3. Compiling your own kernel

Nearly all problems are recoverable without a reinstallation, though

Also, you can 'break' the x-server by messing with the configuration (xorg.conf), which can (and nearly always will) lead to the GUI not starting. In such cases restoring a working back-up of xorg.conf or reconfiguring the xserver with 'sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg' should fix the problem

[podunk]

Re: video drivers in general?

Thank you. :-)

Borking was caused by 1 and 2 twice.

One bork was trying to get a resolution on my monitor that I know it supports but isn't native to xorg or something.

Every time I've done the dpkg-reconfigure xorg thing that's the beginning of the end for me - inexperince and an old ATI card.