I'm probably way too stubborn but I have tried to install Nvidia closed source drivers on many distros, and three different machines always with basically the same problem.

I remove all traces of the open source Nvidia, kill X, and install. It goes smoothly until I let it update with nvidia-xorg config. As soon as it does that, slim won't start. If i delete xorg.conf it loads x without a problem, but I'm pretty sure that I'm not using Nvidia drivers. The only error I can find is in my /var/log/slim.log "Fatal error: No screens found"

I have a core i3, and a Geforce GT 520M, When I type lsmod I see both i915 and nvidia loaded, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are doing anything right? How can I tell.
As for using xorg.conf. I see so many post of people who seem to effortlessly get this working? what am I doing wrong here?

Study /var/log/Xorg.0.log. There must be an error raised somewhere which likely provides the answer.

You can also try to blacklist i915 in /etc/modules/blacklist.conf. Not 100% sure about directory and filename, so check where other modules are blacklisted.

Also check this thread, I haven't tried it yet, but maybe it is a pointer for you. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ia-4175424128/

jlinkels

You know whats kinda strange.

I can't seem to blacklist i915

I created /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

added

blacklist i915

and restarted X

nothing

Both are still there.

I just checked, and indeed /etc/modprobe.d is the correct directory. I added the file blacklist-nouveau.conf and it contains the line blacklist nouveau

Obviously you should use i915 instead of nouveau. I am not sure if the .conf extension is mandatory.

To unload the module restarting X is not sufficient. You must rmmod i915 but chances are this is impossible.

Then restart your machine and look again.

jlinkels

Perhaps not. If his system has both the nvidia and nouveau drivers, both may be loaded and trying to use the same hardware.

The i985 and nvidia drivers can, I believe, co-exist in the same system since the hardware is different.

This works in archlinux