[SOLVED] Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

[rfakhrai]

Howdy,

I figured that it was time for me to let go of lovely, simple KDE 3.x and I upgraded to Kubuntu 9.10. I've spent plenty of time configuring everything to work properly and in the way I prefer. But, I've never had as much trouble with Nvidia's proprietary driver 173 as I am now. Please help me understand some fundamental things:

I'm using envyNG. In 8.10, the process was very easy and when I rebooted the machine, the driver was fully functioning. Now, I get options:

 | Number | Candidate Version  | Installed Version | Compatible | Recommended |
 |----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | 0      | 185.18.36-0ubuntu9 | -            | -          | -      |
 |----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | 1      | 173.14.20-0ubuntu5 | -            | +         | +      |
 |----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | 2      | 96.43.13-0ubuntu6  | -            | +         | -       |

I'm assuming that, as with Kubuntu 8.10, 173 is the best version to install.

Didn't work; broke my X. So I tried restoring backup xorg.conf and I tried to allow dpkg to reconfigure via dexconf to no avail and finally settled on restoring the xorg.conf.failsafe and using it. Booting up---->resolution is set at 800x600 and no ability to go higher. So I took to the xorg.conf file myself and set the resolution at 1440x900.

Everything is working the way I want it to now. But I want the proprietary Nvidia driver! So please, edify me about the difference between 8.10 and 9.10 as far as Nvidia's driver is concerned.

Here's my xorg.conf in case it's called upon. It's pretty basic for now:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	SubSection "Display"
	Modes  "1440x900"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"GLcore"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver	"vesa"
EndSection

Thanks for any help!

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

Why don't you just try the System > Hardware Drivers utility? If it detects your card, it will show an Nvidia driver (presumably 173) available. Accept the driver, and wait while it downloads and installs in the background. If that works, you need not bother with EnvyNG or a direct installation of the downloaded driver.

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

Oh I forgot to mention that I tried using that program and it suggested again that I install the 173 driver. After I did and rebooted, the X server was broken. It seems like none of these are configuring my xorg.conf correctly! I'm afraid to do it manually.

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

173 is the correct driver version for your GPU. Assuming the driver is actually installed, try this:

Ctrl-Alt-F1 out of X. Log in there. Then

sudo service kdm stop

Now issue

sudo nvidia-xconfig

This will write a new /etc/X11/xorg.conf file.

Now

sudo service kdm start

What do you see?

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

So after I had the nvidia driver definitely installed, I rebooted and was dropped to command line automatically (so X wasn't running nor was kdm). I issued

sudo nvidia-xconfig

and it didn't respond with an error. Then,

sudo service kdm start

and the screen flickers and drops me back at command line without an error!

weird weird weird. am I in a hole?

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

There is a log file at /var/log/Xorg.O.log. You can open it with kate. Toward the end of the file might be some lines that beging with a "[EE]" -- those are error messages. If you can post that part of the file, it might give us an idea of the problem.

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

I've been monitoring that log file and no errors have come up. If you'd like me to post all of it, I can.

Meanwhile, in the interest of troubleshooting, I'm not using envyNG anymore but ubuntu's own proprietary driver manager doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere either:

reza@reza-desktop:~$ jockey-text -l
xorg:nvidia-173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
xorg:nvidia-96 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)

so I ran sudo jockey-text -e xorg:nvidia-173 in order to enable the 173 driver.

then:

reza@reza-desktop:~$ jockey-text -l
xorg:nvidia-173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, Not in use)
xorg:nvidia-96 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)

REBOOT---------> nothing but command line. checked the jockey-text -l again and the nvidia-173 is still listed as 'not in use'. I'm confused; looking for help all over so don't feel pressured dibl. Thanks thus far.

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

dibl, I went through your tutorial http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3107406.0. Nvidia's script ran smoothly and I used the Xorg configuration tool in the installation. I went to

sudo service kdm start

, the screen flickered and dropped me back in the textual login.

Should I give up on this driver for now? I'm afraid I can't think of anything else to do.

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

It seems that KDM is having some problem running the desktop with the proprietary driver installed.

Here are two notions (neither guaranteed ...):

1. Repeat what you did by following my installation guide, i.e. install the 173 driver, including running the xorg configuration, but instead of starting KDM, just run lsmod and let's see if it loaded the nvidia driver module. Look for some lines that resemble these:

snd_hda_codec_idt 51803 1
snd_hda_intel 22290 3
snd_hda_codec 67869 2 snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel
nvidia 10607056 38
snd_usb_audio 73823 3
snd_hwdep 6180 2 snd_hda_codec,snd_usb_audio
snd_pcm_oss 38851 0
snd_usb_lib 17280 1 snd_usb_audio

I'd like to know if you see the module loaded.

2. Post the xorg.conf file that the nvidia driver wrote. It is possible there is a tweak that could fix it.


So, there is no error or warning shown at the tail end of the /var/log/Xorg.0.log?

Also, here's a post that says the 96.xx driver worked on a FX5200: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...6&postcount=34

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

The plot thickens. lsmod didn't reveal any nvidia module being used by the system. The only error given by the log file is

(EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension (Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found)

which I assume is because it's not playing nice with the 173 driver.

Installing the 96 driver through jockey-text and running sudo nvidia-xconfig did not yield a usable X config. I suppose I can try to find the 96.xx.run file from nvidia and use your process.

Additionally, because the method I'm using to get back into my X is overwriting the xorg.conf with the xorg.conf.failsafe, I don't know how to post the file that the nvidia driver writes.

Too much rebooting and repeating today; I'll get back to it tomorrow. Thanks for anything else, dibl.

[dibl]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

I would advise trying to install the downloaded 96.x driver, following my process. You don't have a lot to lose .... :P


p.s. If you do NOT attempt to run KDM, after you install the 173 driver and let it write a new xorg.conf, then you'll have the version that the driver wrote. You could go straight to the /etc/X11 directory, and issue

sudo cp xorg.conf xorg.conf.173wroteit

and then you'll have it.

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

I'll try the manual install of the 96 driver. I have nothing to lose! In fact, I really love these experiences with linux; I always emerge more knowledgeable.

Pardon me if I'm being dense but how can I open that xorg.conf and post it here? should I just copy the file to a local directory? One question I've always had: is there a text editor that can be used in command line?

[skunk]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

nano xorg.conf

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

I knew there had to be a way. Thanks! I'll post by tomorrow.

[rfakhrai]

Re: Nvidia FX5200 proprietary 173 driver issues

OK, I decided to go ahead and do this now. I installed per dibl's instructions the 173 driver. The xorg.conf file it created is:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder75) Wed Jan 27 03:02:48 PST 2010

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen" 0 0
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1440x900"
EndSubSection
EndSection

I tried both the 96 and the 173 driver installations. The xorg.conf created is no different for either of the drivers. After both of the installations and before starting of the kdm service, lsmod was executed and the nvidia module was not in use. Nvidia's xorg.conf file looks just fine, though. . . .