Graphics Card Issues

[lightnb]

Hi all,

I'm using an Asus 9570 (nVidia GeForce FX 5700 GPU) and I'm having the hardest time getting the advanced features of the card to work. It works in 'normal mode', but none of the 3D, translucency, etc, effects work.

When I install the proprietary driver, either using the restrcited-manager tool, or the nVidia official driver (and then restart), the computer boots partway up (to the kubuntu logo) and then gives me a "blinking underscore of death". It's a black screen with a blinking underscore in the top left corner.

I'm running Kubuntu 7.04 (X_64 edition) with the following hardare configuration:

Asus AV8 Motherboard (Via Chipset)
Athelon 64 (3200+)
1,500 MB DDR Ram
Single EIDE Hard Drive
SB Audigy 2
19" CRT Sylvania monitor

I have also tried regular Ubuntu x86 and have the same problem. The card works fine on the same machine under Windows.

I also have an ATI Radeon x850 (AGP), but when I use that one, the Live CD won't even boot, the monitor just turns off instead of loading X.

If anyone knows how to get either of these cards working with hardware acceleration, I would be very happy.

Thanks in advance,

Nick

[MoonRise]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Try doing a search for some of Dibl's entries. He's quite versed with nVidia cards. Helped a many of people.

[dibl]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

He's quite versed with nVidia cards.

Thanks Moon! Actually, I'm quite versed with one particular GeF 7900GS PCI card that I have an intimate relationship with.

lightnb, I recommend you download, install, and use Envy -- it's easier than native Nvidia installer, and when the next kernel upgrade breaks your driver, all you will need to do is type

sudo envy -t

at your text prompt and you'll be back in business. Here is your link:

http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html

[lightnb]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Thanks guys

EDIT: I used Envy and now I get a "frequency out of range - please try other resolutions (91.7 Khz / 85.6 Hz)" error on the monitor when X loads. Don't know if that's better or worse...

[MoonRise]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Now that you have that, try pressing Ctrl-"-" (that's the minus key on the keypad) to change resolution. Hopefully it will change enough so that the refresh rate changes as well and you can see what is there. You may have to reconfigure X, but again I'll hold that off to Dibl to answer. I do know that the first part of what I said works, I had to do that on a friends computer when I was installing Kubuntu.

[dibl]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

If the xserver is running and you can get to a konsole window, type

sudo nvidia-settings

and it should bring up the Nvidia driver utility GUI. Near the top is a menu item called Xserver Display Configuration (approximately -- I'm stuck on Win-junk at the office). Click that one, and it will open a panel that shows your resolution and refresh rates. Depending on what it thinks your monitor is capable of, you can adjust the resolution and refresh rates to what you want. It may have a "detect the monitor" button -- you can try that if you're feeling bold.

If you are able to get it set to a combination that you like, click the "Save Settings to X Configuration File" button in the lower right, click "OK" in the window, and then it should default to that setting when you restart the xserver with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace.

Good luck!

[lightnb]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Thanks again guys.

The "out of range" error was caused by a horizontal sync problem. The xorg.conf file had a value that was way out of whack- something like '28-250' where it should have been '30-68' (for my monitor anyway). I fixed it in recovery mode with "pico /etc/X11/xorg.conf" (In case someone else comes along with a similar problem and wants to know where to find the file).

I'm really close- I'm in X/KDE, the proprietary driver is installed and working and I'm at 1280x1024 resolution.

The only problem I'm still facing is the refresh rate. I have the monitor set in xorg.conf to have a range of 70 - 150 hz, but it insists on setting it to 50hz, and completely ignoring what I have specified.

It also generously allows me to bump it up to 51hz, which has this lovely eye-burning interlace thing going on... Needless to say I have a horrible headache from dealing with the thing.

Is there a 'force' option for resolution and refresh? The official monitor specs say it can do 1280x1024@85hz, and that's what I want from it.

Thanks again,

Nick

[SheeEttin]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Try System Settings > Monitor & Display > Administrator Mode > Refresh rate.

If that fails, try putting the horizontal and vertical refresh rates in your xorg.conf.

[lightnb]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

If that fails, try putting the horizontal and vertical refresh rates in your xorg.conf.

Right now I have the values in my xorg.conf file, in the monitor section:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"sylvania"
	Option		"DPMS"
	HorizSync	30-86
	VertRefresh	75-150
EndSection

Should they go elseware in the file?

Try System Settings > Monitor & Display > Administrator Mode > Refresh rate.

It's only giving my one option there: 50Hz

[MoonRise]

Re: Graphics Card Issues

Here is what that section of my xorg.conf file looks like. I have always had problems with specifying Sync ranges. Maybe this will help?

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
EndSection