Started to upgrade but........

[rbrown3rd]

I started to upgrade from 8.04 to 8.10. I actually took the step and clicked the version upgrade button...... but.... I got this message and chickened out:

This computer is currently using the NVIDIA 'nvidia' graphics driver. No version of this driver is available that works with your video card in Ubuntu 8.10. Do you want to continue?

Was I too easily frightened by this message? Are there big advantages to going to 8.10? For now I am happy running 8.04 with KDE 4.1

[Snowhog]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

If you are happy with 8.04, and given that you have an nVidia card, I would suggest that you stay put. But of course, that's your call to make. Search the Kubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex board on nVidia to see what others have expressed on their experience upgrading.

[TheBigAmbulance]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

Do you think a fresh install would get around the issues?

[rbrown3rd]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

If you are happy with 8.04, and given that you have an nVidia card, I would suggest that you stay put. But of course, that's your call to make. Search the Kubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex board on nVidia to see what others have expressed on their experience upgrading.

Thanks. I have no complaints. If Nvidia cards are an issue then what is the most mainstream graphics card brand for the future? All of my machines are old and I know that someday I will have to upgrade them. When I do I want to be sure that I get the best card for Kubuntu upgrades.

[dibl]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

"Nvidia cards" are not an issue -- old Nvidia cards are an issue, with respect to the proprietary drivers not running in the new X.org that is in 8.10. Review the "nVidia legacy video support" in the release notes here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/810

If you can be satisfied with the "nv" driver, then it will run fine. No 3-D, of course.

[TheBigAmbulance]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

My new cards should be fine then. I've been able to use EnvyNG for a while now without a hitch. The only thing I find a bit confusing the the driver choice now.

[rbrown3rd]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

So, I will no longer be able to use the Nvidia driver that I downloaded from Nvidia? Even though this old laptop has a Geforce4 card in it, I was able to download a driver and install it.

"Nvidia cards" are not an issue -- old Nvidia cards are an issue, with respect to the proprietary drivers not running in the new X.org that is in 8.10. Review the "nVidia legacy video support" in the release notes here:

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/810

If you can be satisfied with the "nv" driver, then it will run fine. No 3-D, of course.

[rbrown3rd]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

Looks like my old laptop is getting left behind.

nVidia "legacy" video support

The 71 and 96 series of proprietary nVidia drivers, as provided by the nvidia-glx-legacy and nvidia-glx packages in Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, are not compatible with the X.Org included in Ubuntu 8.10. Users with the nVidia TNT, TNT2, TNT Ultra, GeForce, GeForce2, GeForce3, and GeForce4 chipsets are affected and will be transitioned on upgrade to the free nv driver instead. This driver does not support 3D acceleration.

It is running great with 8.04 and KDE 4.1 so I will stick with it for a while.

Sounds like 8.10 is getting lean and mean. It sounds like big changes under the hood. I am all for that.

[dibl]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

The "nv" open source drive looks pretty good, in 8.10/KDE 4.1. But no 3-D, of course.

[rbrown3rd]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

Newbishly I ask, "By 3D do you mean, wobbly windows, shadows, cubes, etc.?"

[dibl]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

Yep, that's exactly what I mean.

"nv" provides a very clean, crisp 2D display in 8.10, but no eye candy which requires 3D, on your GeForce 4.

[rbrown3rd]

Re: Started to upgrade but........

Ok now I know that I must either stick with 8.04 to keep my nice eye candy or move ahead with 8.10 and lose them. I think since I am quiet happy with the way things are running now on this old Dell Inspiron 8500 I will stick with the older version. I am usually one who upgrades right away but since this setup is so rock solid and has just enough eye candy to make the desktop experience more intuitive, I will stick with it until this machine gets too tired and old to go on. It has already made it for nearly seven years thanks to Linux. Not bad.

Thanks as usual for all the excellent feedback and information. This is what I love about Kubuntu. Not only is it a great OS but the tech support is always available and always friendly and top notch. Thanks.