Nvidia headaches or bad motherboard?

Sat Aug 16 06:33:35 UTC 2008

Karl, for shame.  That's not helping with the problem.
See below for my reply:
--- Karl Larsen <k5di at zianet.com> wrote:

> Young wrote:
> > I can't make the Nvidia drivers active, and can't
> detect the graphics
> > hardware or the monitor.
> >
> > I just built a new system, and Ubuntu is giving me
> fits because of
> > Nvidia. I wanted to avoid Nvidia, but when you try
> to find a good
> > low/medium cost system with decent performance it
> seems to be the only
> > choice.
> >

Why avoid Nvidia, it's the best supported video in
Ubuntu.

> > 	Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 Allendale 2.2GHz
> 1MB L2 Cache
> >
> > 	ECS GF7100PVT-M3  Motherboard with onboard
> graphics.
> > 	North Bridge  	NVIDIA GeForce 7100
> > 	South Bridge 	nForce 630i
> > 
>
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135066
> >
> > Ubuntu 8.04.01-alternate-amd64 has problems which
> I described in the
> > thread "New System Problem", and couldn't solve.
> > ---------------------------------
> > I've backed off to 32 bit and installed Ubuntu
> 8.04.1-desktop-i386.
> > Still having problems.
> > First its stuck at 800x600 max.
> >
I have a fairly new Gateway 5656GT, 3 gig ram,
AMD64_X2 6000+, 3 GHtz and have gutsy and hardy both
installed using the AMD64 alternate iso and it just
works prety much. Also have the 32 and 64 bits
installed ubuntu with reg kde and kde 4.1. The kde 4.1
is somewhat buggy but that's what I use and like it
although flash is buggy. I find the alternate iso
easier to use and to control partitions better than
the live CD.  Oh, an I'm a semi noob also, damn sur
not an expert.  Read on.

> > I tried the "System > Administration > Hardware
> Drivers" method from
> >
That's when I first messed up X windows, using the K
menu->System->Settings->nvidia X server settings and
Hardware Driver Manager. Did this to help out newbie
users off-line having issues and not making progress
on the list. Been there; done that. It dropped me into
a low resolution mode and X wouldn't boot.  Keep
reading for what I had to do to get X working again on
my LG L226 WTQS BF Flatron Wide monitor witn native
resolution of 1680x1050 @ 69 Htz and nvidia G71
[GeForce 7300GS].

>
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto/Nvidia
> > and tried using Envy.
> >
Haven't read this yet but it's on my firefox tab and
will read it eventually. I'm still learning too, I
hope I am anyway.

> > Both resulted in a message at the first stage of
> the boot process:
> >
> > 	Ubuntu is running in low-graphic mode.
> > 	Your screen and graphics card could not
> > 	be detected correctly. To use....
> >
............. To use you have to setup you
card/monitor manually.  That the one. I got it too and
the setup didn't work for me.  It had by manufacture
listed for monitor and card but the exact model for
each wasn't in the stupid listings.  Wasted a good bit
of time on this and never solved anything.  Keep on
reading.

> > This gives choices of monitors and graphics cards
> and drivers to choose
> > from. But, the only thing that mattered is
> choosing a monitor. Any
> > choice larger than 1280x1024, or any choice of a
> graphics card or
> > driver will result in 800x600 graphics. And better
> than 800x600 will
> > then only appear after a second restart, after
> choosing 1280x1024 and 
> > nothing else.
> >
Ridiculous wasn't it and a waste of time. I didn't
even get as far as you did.

> > I have a second machine, a KVM switch and second
> LCD panel, so I've
> > swapped out just about everything. The only thing
> I haven't done is put
> > the new 1680x1050 LCD on the old machine.
> >
It would probably work on the old machine or at least
an older version of Ubuntu, like gutsy. I believe this
is a Hardy Heron issue only. Sorry, I don't know
anything about KVM switches.

> > I installed read-edid on both machines. Only the
> old machine could read 
> > the edid info from the old monitor.
> > ***Does this mean the new motherboard is bad?
> >
I don't think so but don't really know. ASMOF,
aptitude show and search didn't list anything except
"not a real package. So I don't know what it does.

> > The new LCD has been connected to the new machine
> with both the analog
> > and DVI connectors.
> >
I only use the DVI connector, FWIW.

> > I couldn't get the Nvidia manual installation
> method to work. Its 
> > outside my skills, and I don't really think it
> will work, anyway.
> >
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
I haven't used any of the Ubuntu howtos for Nvidia so
can't comment but here's what I found out and did to
resolve my low resolution graphics and eventually not
being able to boot into X only to ttys:

Somehow and I don't know how or why but using the K
menu(KDE 4.1) items "Hardware Driver Manager" and
"Nvidia X Server Settings" caused removal of the
nvidia-glx-new-envy driver module.  Some on the list
may argue that it can't happen but I have kept my
maching up-to-date on Hardy and know it was installed.
I did an "aptitude show nvidia-glx-new-envy" which
said it was not installed so I'm absolutely sure of
it.
I just reinstalled nvidia-glx-new-envy after running
the XFIX program in recovery mode to be able to boot
up into the Kde 4.1 X windows and did a:
"sudo /etc/init.d/nvidia-kernel restart"
and after rebooting all is well and I see the large
Nvidia boot splash screen which indicates all is well
with Nvidia and X windows. I don't know if the
restarting of the nvidia-kernel was even necessary but
my guru friend off list said it's worth a try so I
did.  Probably just rebooting would have accomplished
the same thing. I don't know if you've kept your
machine up to date; if so the new envy driver program
is automatically installed. If so, do an aptitude show
nvidia-glx-new-envy and if it show not installed then
you might give a go on what I did and see if it fixes
you problem.  No guarantees but worth a try.  Queer
that using the two menu item mentioned could mess up X
windows for me but I'm sure it did and will avoid them
in the future. HTH and let us know how it came out.
Karl's comment wasn't too helpful but pretty much the
case for Ubuntu Hardy.  Hardy keep getting better with
each update so keep it updated and enjoy it.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >   
>     What can I say? When I loaded Hardy it asked if
> I wanted the good 
> nVidia driver and I said yes. I got it and my
> computer has been just 
> great since. It works.
> 
> Karl
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> 	Karl F. Larsen, AKA K5DI
> 	Linux User
> 	#450462   http://counter.li.org.
>    PGP 4208 4D6E 595F 22B9 FF1C  ECB6 4A3C 2C54 FE23
> 53A7
> 
> 
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Leonard Chatagnier
lenc5570 at sbcglobal.net