[SOLVED] Video Card Confusion

CincinnatiKid · 08-18-2010, 09:04 PM

I have a Sony Vaio vgn-sz440. Here is what the specs say about the video card.

Quote:

Graphics
Processor: NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 and Intel Graphics Media Acceerator 950

Video Ram: 335MB Total Available Graphics Memory, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 notebook graphics preocessing unit (GPU) and 224MB Total Available Graphics Memory, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950

Technology: Hybrid Graphics System

Chipset: Intel 945GM

Interface: VGA out w/ Smart Display Sensor

Here is my lspci output:

Code:

root@slackware-laptop:~# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
06:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8036 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller (rev 16)
09:04.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
09:04.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Texas Instruments PCIxx12 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
09:04.2 Mass storage controller: Texas Instruments 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)

I do not understand, do I have an Intel video card, or an Nvidia video card? Should I install the Nvidia video card driver, because every time I try, everything gets real glitchy and I revert back to my original setup. Is there something I am doing wrong.

AlucardZero · 08-18-2010, 09:26 PM

You have both. You apparently can switch between them. Looks like only the Intel one is currently activated (though I don't know how the switch works).

CincinnatiKid · 08-19-2010, 07:25 AM

My laptop has a switch on it, you can switch between stamina (intel) or speed (nvidia). It doesn't work though as far as I can tell. Has anyone had any dealings with this type of thing? I would really like to use the nvidia card if possible.

CincinnatiKid · 08-19-2010, 09:32 AM

Ok, I just realized that if I shut down the laptop, but the switch on speed, and then boot up, I now have this line in my lspci:

Code:

01:00 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G72M [GeForce Go 7400] (rev a1)

So I guess it is being detected. Now I am going to try installing the nVidia driver again. I am on Slackware by the way so I am going to install the nVidia binary with a slackbuild.

One thing to note is that I do not have a /etc/X11/xorg.conf, I just have a /etc/X11/xorg.conf-vesa. If I create a xorg.conf for my nvidia driver will linux automatically read it, or do I have to tell it some how to point to xorg.conf instead of xorg.conf-vesa?

AlucardZero · 08-19-2010, 09:45 AM

You don't need an xorg.conf for basic usage. The Nvidia proprietary installer creates one for you, though.

CincinnatiKid · 08-19-2010, 09:55 AM

The installer that I am using did not create one for me. Won't I need one an xorg.conf to tell my system that I want to use the nVidia driver? I booted up without one and the colors/resolution was really messed up.

CincinnatiKid · 08-19-2010, 11:05 AM

I got this working, I just decided to uninstall the nvidia slackbuilds that I installed, and went with installing the driver directly from nvidia. Everything seems to be working now. I guess if I ever decide to switch back to my Intel driver, I will have to change my xorg.conf file first.