NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

[claydoh]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

as I keep mentioning, anyone who sees a new kernel update or nvidia update in feisty, don't forget to try installing linux-restricted-modules version that matches your new kernel version. Its a heck of a lot easier than uninstalling the nvidia-glx, installing kernel source bits, killing kdm, building new drivers that give you no extra performance, stability, or features, etc, etc, and then have to do most of it over every time the kernel changes

[MepisReign]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

I'm running the generic kernel, if you install the nvidia driver using the method that I used the generic kernel will remain the same

Sorry for the late response I was having "fun" with Mandriva :P

Regards,

MepisReign

claydoh is right, but at least in my case, I like the hard way better, since there is an issue between my system board and the video card (hardware related) and only will work properly with that driver.

[dibl]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

Its a heck of a lot easier than uninstalling the nvidia-glx, installing kernel source bits, killing kdm, building new drivers that give you no extra performance, stability, or features, etc, etc, and then have to do most of it over every time the kernel changes

Truer words were never spoken! :P But I got through it all, the hard way, and back to the restricted Nvidia driver, and it's all running better than ever.

Thanks for the reminder, claydoh!

[claydoh]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

I'm running the generic kernel, if you install the nvidia driver using the method that I used the generic kernel will remain the same

Sorry for the late response I was having "fun" with Mandriva :P

Regards,

MepisReign

But you still have to rebuild the kernel module for it every time there is a kernel version update, no?

[MepisReign]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

Now, I have a question for claydoh

Is it possible to install the restricted modules over an existent Nvidia driver installation and keeping the generic kernel version?

MepisReign

[MepisReign]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

My friend, how many dogs do you have??

[claydoh]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

I don't think so, there may be different file paths on some things for one. I think that is one of the reasons some get an error related to nvidia-ko , for example:

Error: API mismatch: Nvidia kernel module has the version 1.0-9631, but this X module has version 1.0-9746

This happens when trying to do the manual install without removing L-r-m.
I believe that the module is both kernel- and driver-version specific.

This is all because these are proprietary drivers and there needs to be a non-proprietary 'connector' between the kernel and the binary driver for licensing issues. I can't wait for the nouveau open source driver to become stable....

[claydoh]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

My friend, how many dogs do you have??

we have three currently (plus 1 large-ish cat )
We had 4, but 'ole jake passed away last month at just shy of 17 (!)

[MepisReign]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

I see, I really appreciate your quick response, I will wait for the "new" driver, in the meantime on every kernel update I will have to uninstall and install the driver (you are right). No biggie

Thx

MepisReign

Thats a lot of dogs, in my house the only "dog" its me :P LOL

laterz my friend

[claydoh]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

Thats a lot of dogs, in my house the only "dog" its me :P LOL

heh, you can guess the only one in my house who ever is in "the doghouse"

[nikkkko]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

My apologies for dragging you back into this thread, but I have the same problem and can't see the solution.

I've had nvidia drivers running on this box, (GeForce4 MX generic), for over two years and never had a problem until I upgraded to Feisty. Could someone walk me through it?

Do I need to uninstall everything not generic? If so, how? And once I've done so, do I need to install the generic restricted modules? Then what?

Thanks

[dibl]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

nikkkko, what I would love to see is for someone to try the new version of "Envy" and let us all know whether and how well it works. Alberto Milone posted on the Ubuntu Forum yesterday that it is now supporting Feisty, and I was waiting for someone with a broken Nvidia setup to come along and ask for help.

Would you try it and let us know? Here is the link:

http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html

I used it in Edgy and it was great. Whenever a kernel upgrade broke my driver and left me at a command line prompt, the first thing I typed after logging in was "sudo envy" and VOILA, I was back to GUI just like that. I would think it will be easy for you too ---

[nikkkko]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

No problem being the guinea pig.

In fact I tried Envy a few days ago with no luck, but this time it worked.

I downloaded envy_0.9.2-0ubuntu6_all.deb, ran it from Konqueror and did sudo apt-get install -f from Konsole. Envy was unable to launch a window so I killed it from Ksysguard and ran it from Konsole in text mode. All installed fine although the option to restart the X server sent me back to the Kubuntu loading bar, which then hung until finally ending up with a black screen and a flashing prompt. I opened another terminal and did 'startx', and, well, it started.

All in all, a very satisfying end to a frustrating week, except for one niggle. I haven't changed screen resolution or any other parameter and yet the image in front of me is decidedly less sharp than it was before the driver installed. Between pin sharp and faster graphics, I'd rather have the speed, but then again....

[dibl]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

Great! Well, kinda great, I guess ...

Since he only posted yesterday that he had it released for Feisty, it may not have worked correctly before that. I got the impression it needed changed and tested -- that the Edgy-compatible version wasn't good on Feisty.

Have you rebooted your system, logged in, and it loads the driver automatically? If so, we'll declare victory.

I cannot imagine why the same driver/version would give different visual results on your screen -- there must something different in resolution or refresh to cause that. Are you familiar with the "nvidia-settings" driver utility? Besides being able to adjust your display/monitor settings with it, if you run it as

sudo nvidia-settings

you can actually have it write the settings into xorg.conf.

"All's well that ends well." 8)


P.S. Next time you download an installable .deb package, just save it on your desktop and then right-click on it and there is a menu item (I'm away from Kubuntu just now) it's something like "Install with Package Manager" -- you choose that and you will be done in 15 seconds.

[nikkkko]

Re: NVIDIA: I admit to being a little confused

The visual quality is a bit of a mystery, especially as the log in screen is pin sharp. However, I think we can declare victory, so thanks to you and of course Alberto.