How do I configure and save the default video driver?

jacatone · 03-27-2009, 02:01 AM

I'm running Linux Mint 6 XFCE. The default video driver seems to work just fine, but after a while my video resolution defaults to 640X480 and I can't change it. I've tried installing the nvidia-glx-71 and 96 drivers using Envy, but they fail as well. How do I configure and save the default video driver so I can fix this thing once and for all? Thanks.

John VV · 03-27-2009, 08:16 PM

well we will need to know what your card is ( i am assuming it is one of the nvidia cards , but what one)
have you added the screen resolutions to the xorg.conf
have you read the README tor the nvidia driver for your card ( on the nvidia driver page )

jacatone · 03-28-2009, 01:05 AM

It's an old Nvidia GeForce 2 MX400 as well.

John VV · 03-28-2009, 02:51 AM

for the OLD -very old- card ( the gforce 2 ) you WILL need to use the beta .run driver that i am using .You can get it here :
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._96.43.11.html
NVIDIA-Linux-x86-96.43.11-pkg1.run

and make sure that the source for your kernel IS installed along with gcc

jacatone · 03-28-2009, 12:46 PM

"and make sure that the source for your kernel is installed along with gcc"

Don't know what gcc is, and I'm using the 2.6.27 kernel.

i92guboj · 03-28-2009, 12:53 PM

gcc is the gnu C compiler, and you need to install the sources for the kernel, not the kernel itself (which of course you already have). This is because the driver needs to be compiled specifically for your kernel, since it's basically a kernel module that gets loaded on demand.

jacatone · 03-28-2009, 02:21 PM

Still don't understand how to do this?

Slacker66 · 03-28-2009, 10:31 PM

Hello...first post, and pretty much a noob to linux. I am looking for help on installation of my graphics card.I am using an old Compaq ml500 standalone server, running Suse Linux Sever 10. The graphics are huge. I didn't want to buy the latest, greatest thing, so I got a geforce PCI 6200. I haven't got the first clue what driver it needs or how to go about installing it. Let me know if you can help, and thanks very much in advance.

Tony

bushcat · 03-29-2009, 02:27 AM

if i want to compile a driver specifically for my kernel,do i have to link the kernel sources with the code that im compiling in some way,or would just compiling it with gcc work?

i92guboj · 03-29-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushcat

if i want to compile a driver specifically for my kernel,do i have to link the kernel sources with the code that im compiling in some way,or would just compiling it with gcc work?

Please, tell us what have you exactly tried until now.

As said, you will need to install the sources for your kernel and gcc first. You should be able to do that from your package manager. Gcc should be easily found, the kernel sources can have a different name depending on the distro, I don't know what does mint uses, but you can look in the package manager for kernel-souces, linux-sources, kernel-devel...

After that, download and run the file that John W. told you above, and if it fails or something provide us with the specific output or give us concrete info about what happens or what is what you don't understand or can't do. A simple "it doesn't work" tells us exactly nothing about what your problem is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slacker66

Hello...first post, and pretty much a noob to linux. I am looking for help on installation of my graphics card.I am using an old Compaq ml500 standalone server, running Suse Linux Sever 10. The graphics are huge. I didn't want to buy the latest, greatest thing, so I got a geforce PCI 6200. I haven't got the first clue what driver it needs or how to go about installing it. Let me know if you can help, and thanks very much in advance.

Tony

The same. Install gcc and the sources for your kernel, and then try to install the driver. However, in your case you can use the latest driver, since the 6200 is perfectly supported by it and it should perform better than the legacy series. If you need help, please, open a new thread so the conversation makes more sense. It's hard to follow two conversations in a single thread.

i92guboj · 03-29-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bushcat

if i want to compile a driver specifically for my kernel,do i have to link the kernel sources with the code that im compiling in some way,or would just compiling it with gcc work?

You only have to run the installer, and it will take care of everything.

John VV · 03-29-2009, 10:23 AM

just wondering " dose nobody ever read the instructions anymore "

the README for the - NVIDIA-Linux-x86-96.43.11-pkg1.run legacy driver
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...DME/README.txt

Slacker66for suse and a gforce 6200
this driver
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d...32_180.29.html
and THE suse how to ,the link IS ON THAT PAGE
http://www.suse.de/~sndirsch/nvidia-...ler-HOWTO.html
and so is nvidia's README

know if you have a question about the instructions them post them

bushcat · 03-29-2009, 10:35 PM

oops,i'm really sorry for getting in the middle of someone else's thread.

the problem i have is a different 1.i have installed vector linux 6 standard on thinkpad i series laptop,and after configuring X the display area had shrunk,as if it was stretched down with those control buttons you find on a CRT monitor,but the prob was i cudnt find any buttons like that.the video driver is LynxEM+,so i downloaded the driver.I wanted to know how to compile the driver,i have got kernel sources installed in my system.

but i think i better post a seperate thread for that,thanx 4 ur replies, and im really sorry 4 my mistake