new video card problems

[Ric Moore]

On 09/06/2012 08:37 PM, Bill Stanley wrote:
> I just upgraded my video card from a Nvidia 420 with 512 MB of video ram
> to a new Nvidia GTX550Ti with 2 GB of video ram.  I dual boot and
> Widnows uses this card OK (this rules out hardware problems) but I can't
> get the GUI running when I boot to Linux.  I am dumped into the command
> line and since I am not as proficient with the command line, I do not
> know what commands I have to use to get the new video card to run.  Of
> course, without the GUI, I also can't visit the usual help sites.
>
> Since they are both Nvidia cards, I didn't expect much problems and
> hopefully it isn't much of an issue.  Could it be the 2GB of video RAM?
> Please let me know what CLI commands will get the GUI up and running.


Try jockey-text while you are in text mode. Here's a howto, it's a bit 
long in the tooth but should work same same. Ric
http://blog.danfego.net/2009/11/fixing-nvidia-driver-issues-on-ubuntu-karmic/

Since you can't get to the web here's the text:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The fix here was rather easy: jockey-text, which is the text version of 
Jockey, the program that usually pops up about restricted drivers. Just run:

$ sudo jockey-text -l
xorg:nvidia-173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Disabled, Not in use)
xorg:nvidia-185 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Disabled, Not in use)
xorg:nvidia-96 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Disabled, Not in use)

As you can see, I had three options, and none of them were “in use.” So 
I just ran:

$ sudo jockey-text -e xorg:nvidia-185

Now, a listing shows me this:

$ sudo jockey-text -l
xorg:nvidia-173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Disabled, Not in use)
xorg:nvidia-185 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Enabled, In use)
xorg:nvidia-96 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, 
Disabled, Not in use)

I let it do its thing, and things were back to normal! I don’t know why, 
by default, my install had an unusable desktop, since I figured some 
other drivers would have been there, but this is a quick fix from the 
command line for anyone who needs it, when a GUI is completely unavailable.
-----------------------------
You'll want the highest number -l reports, I think... Ric
Your old /etc/X11/xorg.conf should work. Make sure it hasn't been 
overwritten, as it should show within it: driver: nvidia. If not then 
you should have an xorg.conf.orig or xorg.conf~ file. Check them for 
having the driver correctly set and then copy the file that does to 
xorg.conf. Reboot. You should be good to go. Ric

-- 
My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
http://linuxcounter.net/user/44256.html