Nvidia vanta graphics card: need driver, need to set dpi

JosephS · 08-14-2009, 01:52 PM

his is my graphics card:
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV6 [Vanta/Vanta LT] (rev 15)

I can no longer use the nvidia driver for my card, because it is no longer supported with
Debian Lenny. I am using the nv driver at the moment.

I am having trouble setting the dpi on my monitor.
I am trying to set the dpi to 96 x 96
I used the following formula to configure the display size
25.4/96 x resolution

This is part of my xorg.conf:

Quote:

Section "Monitor"
#DisplaySize 338.67 270.93 # mm (1280 x 1024)
#DisplaySize 338.67 254 # (1280 x 960)
DisplaySize 304.8 228.6 # (1152 x 864)
#DisplaySize 270.93 203.2 # (1024 x 768)
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "HSL"
ModelName "76d"
### Comment all HorizSync and VertRefresh values to use DDC:
HorizSync 30.0 - 96.0
VertRefresh 47.0 - 150.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
#Load "dri"
Load "record"
Load "xtrap"
Load "glx"
#Load "GLcore"
Load "extmod"
EndSection

when I set the resolution to 1280 x 1024 I get

Code:

xdpyinfo | grep resolution
resolution:    90x96 dots per inch

with 1152x864 I get 81x81 dots per inch

with 1024x768 I get 72x72

What am I doing wrong in setting the dpi?
Is nv the best driver for my card, is there other drivers I could try that
would work better?

Thanks.

the trooper · 08-14-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

The 71.86.xx driver supports the following set of GPUs:

Vanta/Vanta LT 0x002C

If this is your graphics card you need the following legacy driver:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._71.86.11.html

JosephS · 08-17-2009, 10:35 PM

I tried to install the nvidia driver, but ran into some difficulty.
I first installed the build essentials:

Code:

apt-get install build-essential

Then I ran:

Code:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-71.86.11-pkg1.run

I got a message:

Quote:

The Compiler used to compile the Kernel (gcc 4.1) does not
exactly match the current compiler (gcc 4.3).

I found out I don't have gcc 4.1 installed on the computer.
Do I need to replace the current version of
gcc or can I install another one along side of
it?
Would this affect the version of make I would need
on the computer?
Thanks.

the trooper · 08-18-2009, 06:50 AM

You have two options,

1,You can ignore the warning,and let the installer compile the module anyway.
I've done this in the past,and it does work.

2,You can install the gcc version the installer is asking for,and use it temporarily.
Here's an example:

Code:

aptitude install gcc-4.1

Code:

export CC=/usr/bin/gcc-4.1

You can check the version with:

Code:

echo $CC

Once you close the shell you will go back to running the original version of gcc.

Also don't forget to install the kernel headers package for your current running kernel.

JosephS · 08-20-2009, 05:03 PM

Thanks for the help. The NVIDIA-Linux-x86-71.86.11-pkg1.run driver from
Nvidia's site worked for my graphics card.

Quote:

install the kernel headers package

This installed the gcc-4.1 for me

Quote:

export CC=/usr/bin/gcc-4.1

I used that command and then ran the driver.

Code:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-71.86.11-pkg1.run

I let it compile a driver module for me.

the trooper · 08-21-2009, 07:58 AM

It's always good to get feedback from a post.
Glad to hear you got it working.

JosephS · 08-21-2009, 09:32 PM

I ran the following command:
Shouldn't I be getting direct rendering Yes?
The driver is working: I get the Nvidia logo on start up
of the gui, and I have my dpi set to 96 x 96 now.

Code:

joe@debian:~$ glxinfo | egrep -i direct
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".

the trooper · 08-22-2009, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Shouldn't I be getting direct rendering Yes?

Yes you should,something like this:

Code:

ade@Pc1:~$ glxinfo | grep "direct rendering"
direct rendering: Yes

Did you let the installer modify your xorg.conf file to use the nvidia driver?
Also check you have the nvidia module loaded:

Code:

ade@Pc1:~$ lsmod | grep nvidia
nvidia               9670344  26

How do you know the driver is working?.
Have you tried running glxgears,from a console?.

JosephS · 08-22-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Did you let the installer modify your xorg.conf file to use the nvidia driver?

I edited it manually

Quote:

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
#Load "dri"
Load "record"
Load "xtrap"
Load "glx"
#Load "GLcore"
Load "extmod"
EndSection

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "SWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "HWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "NoAccel" # [<bool>]
#Option "ShadowFB" # [<bool>]
#Option "UseFBDev" # [<bool>]
#Option "Rotate" # [<str>]
#Option "VideoKey" # <i>
#Option "FlatPanel" # [<bool>]
#Option "FPDither" # [<bool>]
#Option "CrtcNumber" # <i>
#Option "FPScale" # [<bool>]
#Option "FPTweak" # <i>
#Option "DualHead" # [<bool>]
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NV6 [Vanta/Vanta LT]"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Also check you have the nvidia module loaded:

Code:

lsmod |grep nvidia
nvidia               3915148  8
agpgart                28776  2 nvidia,intel_agp

Quote:

How do you know the driver is working?.
Have you tried running glxgears,from a console?.

Code:

glxgears
Xlib:  extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Error: couldn't get an RGB, Double-buffered visual

the trooper · 08-22-2009, 10:28 AM

I'm guessing that you got direct rendering: No?.
I'd say the next step is to look in the /var/log/Xorg.0.log see if there's any more clues there:

grep -i glx /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Did you get any error messages while running the installer?

JosephS · 08-22-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

I'm guessing that you got direct rendering: No?.

I don't get anything about direct rendering
when I use glxinfo:

Code:

joe@debian:~$ glxinfo|grep direct

Xlib: extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0".
Error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual

Code:

debian:~#   grep -i glx /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Quote:

(II) "glx" will be loaded. This was enabled by default and also specified in the config file.
(II) LoadModule: "glx"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions//libglx.so
(II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
(II) NVIDIA GLX Module 71.86.11 Thu Jun 25 18:39:46 PDT 2009
(II) Loading extension GLX
(II) Loading extension NV-GLX
(EE) GLX is not supported with the Composite extension

the trooper · 08-22-2009, 02:02 PM

Joseph,take a look at the following thread:

http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=19635

Looks like what we're facing here.
It recommends installing nvidia-xconfig.So install the package run it and try glxinfo again.
Also can you check you have the following packages installed:

libsdl1.2debian
libgl1-mesa-dri

Install them if you don't have them already.

Edit:It may be worth removing the solved tag from this thread,if you can.

JosephS · 08-22-2009, 07:21 PM

These suggestions didn't make a difference.

I found this in the Ubuntu 8.10 Release Notes:

Quote:

nVidia "legacy" video support

The 71 and 96 series of proprietary nVidia drivers, as
provided by the nvidia-glx-legacy and nvidia-glx
packages in Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, are not compatible
with the X.Org included in Ubuntu 8.10. Users with
the nVidia TNT, TNT2, TNT Ultra, GeForce, GeForce2,
GeForce3, and GeForce4 chipsets are affected and will
be transitioned on upgrade to the free nv driver
instead. This driver does not support 3D acceleration.

I think the version of xorg in 7.4, but am not sure about Debian Lenny.
Maybe there is no support left for 3D on this card.

Thanks

the trooper · 08-23-2009, 10:05 AM

Well from the quote you have posted,the nvidia packages mentioned are Ubuntu packages in their repos.
Not the downloaded driver from the nvidia site.
Also it doesn't mention your chipset,so i'd discard that.

The next question has got to be,have you ever had 3d graphics acceleration with this card?.
Is it a separate card or on-board graphics?.

If it's a separate card i'd think about upgrading to a newer nvidia card.