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**flarson** · Jul 22, 2009, 07:47 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

Glad you are trying linux. You will probably want to look at the Documentation section of this forum, as it will often have good information for new users. In response to your question, drivers in linux are kernel modules. Linux itself is the kernel, which deals with all the hardware, and other software runs on top of that. To keep the kernel small and fast, support for various pieces of hardware are compiled as modules. These modules load only when needed. You can see which modules are loaded into the kernel by running

Code:

lsmod

in a terminal. This will list the loaded modules.

That should be run from the command line in a terminal. To get that you should open K->Applications->System->terminal.

To see what hardware the kernel has been able to identify and support you can run

Code:

lspci

to list the PCI components. It is likely that your system has found all the hardware but your software is not set quite right, yet.

If your soundcard, video card and network adapter are listed you just need software configuration. If you post here the output of lspci we will have a better understanding of the current situation on your computer.

You will find the answers to many configuration problems in http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3099811.0

**lmilano** · Jul 22, 2009, 07:53 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

Hi

We'll give you a hand, that's for sure

Could you please run "hardware drivers" from the menu? This should get you going with the nvidia graphics

I searched newegg for your card. In the review, if you filter for linux: someone reported that a BIOS upgrade fixed the network in their case. Maybe worth a shot.

Sound: do you see a speaker in the panel (the bottom bar)? Please click it an play around, it may just be muted. What do you see in System Settings -> Multimedia? System Settings is like the Control Panel in Windows.

Cheers, and welcome!
Leo

**Guest** · Jul 24, 2009, 02:40 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

Hi again.

After installing some update, under hardware drivers, where there had been previously none, three Nvidia drivers were available:
-NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (version 173)
-NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (version 180) [Recommended]
-NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (version 96)

When I installed version 180, after restarting the computer, the resolution looked better, but after about a second or two, the screen went black, a little blue box appearing in the centre saying something along the lines of:
OUT OF RANGE
80.5 / 60 hz
Restarting the computer came up with the same problem. This also happened with the version 173. When I tried the version 96, it came up in the low resolution but after a few seconds the screen went black, but with the KDE Wallet requesting my password and the mouse still there. A blue box popped up on the screen saying something about setting the resolution to 1600x1280 or something for the best performance. After getting rid of the wallet, the screen would stay black but the mouse would still be there, and you could move it around.
To fix these problem, I booted Kubuntu in recovery mode then selceted the Xfix option to auto fix graphical problems or something. Then booting normally would come up with the computer reverted to before a driver was installed, and in the 800x600 resolution.

If its of any help, when I type lspci into the terminal, this comes up:
00:00.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)
00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)
00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a3)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1)
00:05.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)
00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 IDE (rev a2)
00:07.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Ethernet (rev a2)
00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2)
00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 6150SE nForce 430 (rev a2)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h [Opteron, Athlon64, Sempron] HyperTransport Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h [Opteron, Athlon64, Sempron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h [Opteron, Athlon64, Sempron] DRAM Controller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h [Opteron, Athlon64, Sempron] Miscellaneous Control
00:18.4 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] Family 10h [Opteron, Athlon64, Sempron] Link Control
01:07.0 Network controller: RaLink RT2561/RT61 rev B 802.11g

Also, the section of the bar down the bottom where the programs that are running are displayed has disappeared, and if I minimize a program, I can't get it back up. The section could be deleted (if that is possible (it isn't in Windows)). Is there anyway of getting around it or returning it to its previous position?

Thanks

**lmilano** · Jul 24, 2009, 04:14 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

let's do the easy one first. Right click on the Panel (that bar), Panel Options, Add Widgets, Task Manager. That should do. Weird thing about the nvidia display!

**lmilano** · Jul 24, 2009, 06:57 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

Hi

It seems to me that you have a very large display for this integrated GPU. According to Wikipedia there are some incompatibilities between the card and large widescreen displays:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeForce_6_Series

This matches your description exactly: the driver loaded, but failed to set the display. This happens with my eeepc connected to a HDTV, unless I overclock it.

This is consistent with your card not working with the opensource "nv" driver. (it should work fine in 2D, it lacks 3D due to lack of NVIDIA support).

I would recommend checking the BIOS: see if it allows to overclock the GPU (graphics), and see if it allows to give ti more shared memory (pls give it as much as you can). Then you can try again. Otherwise, you may need to use this with a smaller monitor. Another solution is aa dedicated graphics card, it you were settling for video with this card you probably don;t need 3D, so a very cheap one will do!

HTH!

**flarson** · Jul 24, 2009, 11:35 AM

Re: Desparate need for Linux drivers

All of your hardware drivers are loaded. You just need configuration.

For network it is quite likely that the network-manager applet is failing in your case. It often does. It appears that you only have wireless networking available, so I expect you have a wireless network available. The best solution here is to install wicd. If you search this forum for wicd you will find numerous descriptions of how to install it when you do not have network available.

Your video card should use the latest Nvidia proprietary driver. It looks like 180 is the newest you have available. That will change depending on which version of Kubuntu you are using.

You should update all of your software so make sure you are using the latest, including the Nvidia drivers. Once you get the network running, I suggest you do this by running

Code:

sudo aptitude update

and when that completes without error running

Code:

sudo aptitude -f full-upgrade

. Watch to see that this also completes without error. You might have to run it again if you see any errors.

I hope that after the update you will be running nvidia 185.14, which might solve your video problem.

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