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**doctordruidphd** · Mar 31, 2009, 04:45 PM

Re: nvidia drivers crash system

Further information:
I loaded a kubuntu-8.10 system and tried the same process.
Same problem, so it's not primarily a JJ issue.
Still, if anyone has gotten it to work, I'd like to know how.
Thanks.

**flarson** · Mar 31, 2009, 04:57 PM

Re: nvidia drivers crash system

The problem is you xorg.conf file. I am surprised that the system does not seem to have done this all by itself. After the install you should be using the xorg nv driver. If you then install the proprietary driver and run nvidia-xconfig it will alter your xorg.conf to load nvidia. At that point you should be set.

I would first try to give Kubuntu a clean shot at installing as it wants to. Maybe purge the nvidia drivers, run the xfix, and reinstall nvidia or something like that.

Otherwise look at this.
The no screens found is telling you that you need some entries like shown here
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3102708.0

Not exactly the same but ones but those that work with your system. Newer Xservers can do without these lines by querying the hardware. Somehow your system is not doing this, but I think it would if you give it a clean shot at it.

**dibl** · Mar 31, 2009, 05:23 PM

Re: nvidia drivers crash system

Since EnvyNG didn't work, I recommend you download and install the 185.13 Beta driver -- it works great on my GTX260. Here's the detailed procedure:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3100807.0

If you have two cards in SLI, there is an issue with the PCI bus ID -- search Ubuntu Forum -- you need two different "Device" stanzas in xorg.conf, each with a different PCI bus ID for the cards.

**doctordruidphd** · Mar 31, 2009, 11:06 PM

Re: [solved] nvidia drivers crash system

Thanks to those who replied; it now works (I think).
A combination of experiments finally produced results.
Following dibl's instructions in his link, plus checking out the Ubuntu forums for info on dual cards,
and using the 185.13 driver. Finally those #$%^&* fans have shut up!
The screen effects work now; I'm not sure how to test if SLI is working.
I sure hope updating isn't going to be this much of a hassle.

For the record, here is the xorg.conf file I wound up with:

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder62) Fri Mar 13 03:18:18 PST 2009

Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Layout0"
  Screen   0 "Screen0"
  InputDevice  "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse0" "CorePointer"  
EndSection                  

Section "Files"
EndSection   

Section "Module"
  Load      "dbe"
  Load      "extmod"
  Load      "type1" 
  Load      "freetype"
  Load      "glx"   
EndSection          

Section "InputDevice"
  # generated from default
  Identifier   "Mouse0" 
  Driver     "mouse" 
  Option     "Protocol" "auto"
  Option     "Device" "/dev/psaux"
  Option     "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
  Option     "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" 
EndSection                

Section "InputDevice"
  # generated from default
  Identifier   "Keyboard0"
  Driver     "kbd"   
EndSection          

Section "Monitor"
  Identifier   "Monitor0"
  VendorName   "Unknown" 
  ModelName   "Unknown" 
  HorizSync    28.0 - 33.0
  VertRefresh   43.0 - 72.0
  Option     "DPMS"   
EndSection           

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Device0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  Busid     "PCI:01:00:00"
  Option     "sli" "auto"
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Device0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  Busid     "PCI:02:00:00"
  Option     "sli" "auto"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
  Identifier   "Screen0"
  Device     "Device0"
  Monitor    "Monitor0"
  DefaultDepth  24
  SubSection   "Display"
    Depth    24
  EndSubSection
EndSection

N.B. the Device sections and the Busid entries. The PCI numbers are found by doing:

Code:

sudo lspci | grep VGA

**dibl** · Apr 01, 2009, 04:37 AM

Re: [solved] nvidia drivers crash system

Your xorg.conf looks good. Two more things to note:

1. Do you know how to use the nvidia-settings utility? Just Alt-F2 and enter "nvidia-settings" with no quote marks. Use it to set your resolution, and also use the "Detect Displays" function -- maybe it will find an EDID for your monitor.

2. If you are interested in overclocking the cards a little bit, you can manually edit xorg.conf and add the Coolbits option, so the line in the "Screen" stanza looks like the red line:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
Option "metamodes" "1600x1200 +0+0"
Option "Coolbits" "1"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Once you restart X with this option, a new "Clock Frequencies" item will appear in nvidia-settings. When you click it, you will have to accept the nVidia "No Warranty on This Stuff" legalism, and then there is the capability to run an auto-detecting routine to learn how much you can "safely" increase the clock and memory timings.

Also, if you run "nvidia-settings" in Super User mode, i.e. Alt-F2 "kdesudo nvidia-settings" with no quote marks, then you will have the option to "save to X configuration file" which means it will write your resolution settings into the xorg.conf file (which is why mine has the "metamodes" line in it).

**doctordruidphd** · Apr 01, 2009, 10:06 AM

Re: [solved] nvidia drivers crash system

Will give those a try. Thanks again for the help.
Right now, I'm just enjoying the peace and quiet, as well as the cube.

**enkrypt3d** · May 18, 2009, 02:55 PM

Re: [solved] nvidia drivers crash system

I'm having the same problem but it happens when I'm trying to install Kubuntu 9.04 on my Dell Precision T5400 with Dual Nvidia Quadro NVS 290's... Should I edit the xorg.conf on the actual ISO before I burn it so that X can start? that would be lame but I can do it if needed... thx

**dibl** · May 18, 2009, 03:22 PM

Re: [solved] nvidia drivers crash system

Originally posted by enkrypt3d

Should I edit the xorg.conf on the actual ISO before I burn it so that X can start? that would be lame but I can do it if needed... thx

No, don't try it. First try booting the Live CD and see how it looks running that way. If it won't display correctly, that's a concern -- possibly you'll need to push F4 "Safe Graphics" to get it to display.

If you choose to install, I would say just do the straight installation, and then plan to see a black screen upon booting. Alt-F1 and login to the CLI, and then issue lspci to learn the PCI bus addresses for your dual chips.

Try the "System>Hardware Drivers" routine and see if 9.04 will download and install the correct driver. According to nVidia's site here:

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

when you navigate to the NVS 290, the driver version is 180.51.

So, if "Hardware Drivers" won't install it for you, you'll have to download the driver from the nVidia site and install it manually. This instruction, although a little dated in version numbers, is still appropos to your task:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...4892#msg164892

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[solved] nvidia drivers crash system

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