Problems with Kubuntu and Video Card [HELP]

[Guest]

I recently built a computer from the following parts:

board: XFX MG-63Mi-7109 GeForce 7100 Socket 775
processor: Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2Ghz 1MB
memory: 2048MB PC5400 DDR2 667Mhz
video card: XFX GeForce 8500 GT 512MB

I got it up and running and installed Kubuntu on it (not sure how to check version). Since the desired use of the computer is to play films on a tv, I was very particular about the video output. I noticed that once or twice a minute the screen would flicker, which would really ruin any film watching experience, and was all-around annoying.

I found a Linux driver for the card on the XFX site and after some coaching from a seasoned Linux-user friend got it installed. Then I ran Adept and installed all the OS updates.

Upon reboot the GUI wouldn't load however I could log in and access files in a terminal screen. I googled the problem and found a solution in reconfiguring the x server. At that terminal screen I typed:

udo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

then:

startx

Now the GUI desktop loads perfectly every time except the flicker is back. In doing this, did I undo all the good of the proprietary driver? Since I'm not a native Linux user I am having trouble getting back to the panel that controls drivers to even see if the driver is still running. I thought possibly the refresh rate was off but after trying two different monitors the exact problem occurs.

Any ideas/help would be greatly appreciated.

[muzicman0]

Re: Problems with Kubuntu and Video Card [HELP]

My guess would be that you upgraded your kernel in the upgrades that you downloaded, thus making the nvidia driver not compatible, so when you did the x reconfig, it went back to the nv (open source nvidia 2D driver). Boot back into the command line and reinstall the nvidia driver that you downloaded, and answer yes to the last question about updating the xorg.conf driver. That should take care of it. Basically the nvidia driver has to be compiled against the running kernel.

You could also (and I'm going from memory here), try to use the nvidia drivers in the repositories, but in my experience, once you have installed the native driver, trying to use the one in the repositories can cause problems.

Just know in the future, that if there is a kernel update, just reinstall the nvidia driver.

mm0