Natty: nvidia driver as activated but not currently in use

[Nils Kassube]

drew einhorn wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 7:21 AM, Nils Kassube <kassube at gmx.net> wrote:
> > drew einhorn wrote:
> > > > > Googling:  I see that lots of people have had this problem.
> > > > > Some of them claim to have solved it.
> > > > > But so far none of the solutions have worked for me.
> > > > > 
> > > > > My beautiful 1920x1080 Dell S2209W monitor is only running at
> > > > > 1024x768
> > > 
> > >   *-display
> > >        description: VGA compatible controller
> > >        product: G73 [GeForce 7600 GS]
> > >        vendor: nVidia Corporation
> > >        physical id: 0
> > >        bus info: pci at 0000:01:00.0
> > >        version: a1
> > >        width: 64 bits
> > >        clock: 33MHz
> > >        capabilities: pm msi pciexpress vga_controller bus_master
> > > cap_list rom
> > >        configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0
> > 
> >                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > 
> > It looks like the nvidia driver is in use. Why do you think it
> > isn't?
> 
> immediately after doing a fresh install of the OS I run
> the "Additional Drivers" tool to install any required proprietary
> drivers.  When I try to install: NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver
> (current version) [Recommended] It reports that the driver is
> "activated but not currently in use", whatever that means.

I see - then there seems to be something wrong with the additional 
drivers tool because the lshw output and your xorg.0.log both indicate 
that the Nvidia driver is in use.

> Before I send this not I'll try some other advice in this thread and
> let the NVIDIA X Server Settings
> tool configure it.  Hmm.  It gives me higher resolution choices
> better the 1024x768.  But I'll let it
> do a completely vanilla default and leave the resolution at auto for
> the first try.

I suppose the auto default isn't useful. Please also try non-auto 
resolutions. Is there an option for your desired 1920x1080?

>   # nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by
> nvidia-settings # nvidia-settings:  version 270.29
>  (buildd at allspice)  Fri Feb 25 14:42:07 UTC 2011
> 
>   Section "ServerLayout"
>     Identifier     "Layout0"
>     Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
>     InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
>     InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
>     Option         "Xinerama" "0"
>   EndSection
>   Section "Files"
>   EndSection
>   Section "InputDevice"
>     # generated from default
>     Identifier     "Mouse0"
>     Driver         "mouse"
>     Option         "Protocol" "auto"
>     Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
>     Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
>     Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
>   EndSection
>   Section "InputDevice"
>     # generated from default
>     Identifier     "Keyboard0"
>     Driver         "kbd"
>   EndSection
>   Section "Monitor"
>     # HorizSync source: builtin, VertRefresh source: builtin
>     Identifier     "Monitor0"
>     VendorName     "Unknown"
>     ModelName      "CRT-0"

It looks like the driver can't read the specs from the monitor.

>     HorizSync       28.0 - 55.0
>     VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0

According to the data you wrote below, that should rather be:

    HorizSync       30.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 76.0

>     Option         "DPMS"
>   EndSection
>   Section "Device"
>     Identifier     "Device0"
>     Driver         "nvidia"
>     VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
>     BoardName      "GeForce 7600 GS"
>   EndSection
>   Section "Screen"
>     Identifier     "Screen0"
>     Device         "Device0"
>     Monitor        "Monitor0"
>     DefaultDepth    24
>     Option         "TwinView" "0"
>     Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
>     Option         "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"

Maybe you could change the line above to something like this:

   Option  "metamodes" "1920x1080 +0+0; 1024x768 +0+0; 800x600 +0+0; 
640x480 +0+0"

> And here's Dell's specs for the monitor
> 
> Resolution
> 
> Horizontal scan range 30 kHz to 83 kHz (automatic)
> Vertical scan range 50 Hz to 76 Hz (automatic)
> Maximum preset resolution 1920 x 1080 at 60 Hz


> > And which Ubuntu version are
> > you using?
> 
> Natty as indicated in the Subject: line

So true - I think I need glasses.


Nils