[ubuntu-uk] Integrated graphics cards with Ubuntu

[Kevin]

On Fri, 2007-01-05 at 19:46 +0000, Alan Pope wrote:
> What happens when you try to install on your laptop? What make/model
> is
> it? I don't know many graphics cards (integrated or not) that aren't
> supported in one way or another in Linux.

Well, I can get the live 5.10 running when I choose the vesa graphics
option but when I try and use either ubuntu/kubuntu 6.10 it fails. I get
as far as the options menu and then the screen goes white. The int
graphics are VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP. The machine itself has 512 MB
RAM (some of which is obviously shared) a 40 MB H/D and a built in
DVD/CDRW drive. As you can see everything, bar the graphics is superior
to my desktop. The machine itself is an Evesham Quest.

> Chuck some more memory in it and it would improve considerably. Of
> course the K3-450 isn't blisteringly fast but that spec is exactly
> half
> of the laptop that use daily - a 1GHz Celeron with 512Mb RAM.

TBH I'm a bit loath to spend money on such an ancient machine. I may
wait a while and buy something a bit better. If I'd been staying with
Windows of course I'd end up spending about £1000 but if can get Linux
running with different integrated graphics, such as an Nvidia I can get
one that costs far less than that, about £250. One of the machines uses
the Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics2 Graphics Card and the other the
Integrated Nvidia 6150 3D Graphics Card (this machine is £20 dearer but
has other differences beyond the graphics). 

> If you have the funds to spend on new hardware then that's great, but
> don't worry too much about the integrated graphics. If you find some
> online offer, feel free to mail this list asking if anyone has one or
> if
> anyone can determine whether it will be compatible.

There is another machine it's from a company with a lousy rep though
(it's an EMachine) and I'd be getting it through Morgan so it's probably
a factory restock the specs are Intel Pentium 4 2.93GHz system with MS
Windows XP Media Centre

      * Intel Pentium 4 517 processor (2.93GHz), 512MB DDR RAM 
      * 80GB SATA hard disk and Combination CD-RW and DVD-Rom drive 
      * ATI X200 Radeon shared graphics (up to 128MB shared RAM), 5.1
        sound 
      * 56K modem, LAN and USB 2.0 ports

Naturally the first thing I'll do is wipe Windows and Install Linux on
it but does that machine seem OK? I could put a different graphics card
in the machine before I wipe out Windows and install Linux of course.

> Yes, there is an open source driver which works fine on pretty much
> every NVidia card out there. There is also a closed-source binary one
> direct from Nvidia themselves which performs better, but is
> proprietary. 

I think I'd stick with the open source driver if it works OK with the
Integrated Nvidia 6150 3D Graphics Card.

Thanks again for your help.

-- 
Kevin