I just finished building a new computer and installed Mint Xfce 13 on it. I got it installed and booting up, but I'm having a problem with the display. Attached is a pic of the screen. This is how it looked before I got a video driver installed. I used the driver that the OS recommended. After installing the driver it worked great for about 10 secs and then it started with something similar to what's shown in the pic, except instead of little horizontal lines, it's now different colored, small boxes. The computer will start freezing and unfreezing for various amounts of time (like 20-30 secs of frozen then 20-30 secs unfrozen) and then eventually lock up tight to where I have to do a hard boot with the power button. The video card I have is a NVidia GeForce GT 500.

My questions is do you all think this is a software problem or could it be a faulty card. I think it's a software problem, but I'm not sure what to do since it locks up so bad I can't really do anything. Also wondering if I should try a different distro.

Computer screen pic

I don't know the Linux Mint wallpaper at all - Is that a mains ripple on the picture? If you're on 60hz refresh and 60hz mains you can sometimes see that, but it shouldn't be that big. The way the picture narrows is decidedly weird.

As a first try, in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ where the video stuff is put in 2 lines

Horizsync 31.5-55
VertRefresh 50-90

Man xorg.conf tells you exactly where to put them. That sets the range for horizontal frequency (in khz) and vertical (in hz). Those figures are fairly safe, but you may have to reduce either the 55 or the 90; do so 5 at a time and see if the picture improves. Your monitor seems to be the issue. Likewise, if it's good, you might increase them a little. Most monitors can do 60khz these days.

This definitely looks like faulty card, if you have the possibility test that card in a different system to rule driver problems out.

I wish I had another system to put it in, but unfortunately I don't. I bought the card at Microcenter, maybe I can take it in there and they'll have a way to check it.

That is the way to go if you have no other possibilities.

Took the card to Microcenter and exchanged it for a GT 620. Installed it and now everything's working great. Thank you.

Just a shot, give this solution a try in post #12 before you return the card.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...6/#post4913936