Nvidia driver probs on MSI G4...
 

Ok, so here's the deal. I've been dabbling with linux here and there over the past couple of years. I basically know how to make it work, but I never keep it long because I have *never* been able to get my MSI GeForce4 Ti4200 to work with OpenGL support. I've just installed Mandrake 10 and I installed the kernel source for my kernel (2.6.3-7). The driver installs fine under init 3 and so I go edit the Xconfig file, then run startx and, voila!, it doesn't work. Here's the part of the log with the error:

(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
(II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(II) Module vgahw: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.0.1, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(**) NVIDIA(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(==) NVIDIA(0): RGB weight 888
(==) NVIDIA(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) NVIDIA(0): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
(--) NVIDIA(0): Linear framebuffer at 0xD8000000
(--) NVIDIA(0): MMIO registers at 0xDE000000
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize the NVIDIA graphics device!
(EE) NVIDIA(0): *** Aborting ***
(II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
(II) UnloadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Unloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

And here is my Xconfig:

# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Generic"
ModelName "1280x1024 @ 60 Hz"
HorizSync 31.5-64.3
VertRefresh 50-70

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Nvidia"
VendorName "NVidia"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic)"
Driver "nvidia"

EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "Nvidia"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1024 768
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen1"
EndSection


I'm determined to make this work this time. Any help is greatly appreciated.

-Turk

You did load the nvidia module after you installed it right? Do you see it when you do lsmod? Try this:

modprobe nvidia

Thanks for the response, but it says nothing when I modprobe nvidia. Just gives me a new command prompt on the next line.

-Turk

Edit:

And it is listed under lsmod.

Thats what its suppose to do. Now when you type lsmod you should see nvidia loaded as one of your modules. Then try and startx.

No go. Gives the exact same error as in the log I posted above.

Okay I'm no XF86config pro but I did notice something in yours. Try changing:

Identifier "Nvidia"

to

Identifier "Videocard0"

<EDIT>
Also have to change:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "Nvidia"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

to

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Thanks but it didn't make any difference. I think that the identifier is merely a name to point it to a device but I dunno, I'm no expert. Any other ideas?

Not really but let me post my XF86config file so you can compare. Mine is working:

Nothing is working. I do have Tv-Out and DVI on the card if that makes any difference.

Try re-installing the nvidia driver.

Well, it's not the GeForce 4, it's something else. I tried a GeForce 3 and a GeForce 2 and both yield the same error even after reinstalling the nvidia drivers. Could it be something with my monitor? If so, any ideas on how to fix it without getting a different monitor? Thanks!

I found this reply on another forum:

Basically it says that the nvidia module must be loaded at boot time so try adding it to the appropriate modules file for your distrobution. I think its /etc/modules.conf but I'm not sure.

Thanks, but why would that matter? I mean, if you load it yourself before starting X why would it matter if it was loaded during boot? Not trying to be rude just wondering.. I'm trying to understand exactly what I'm doing and why as I go. I'll try it tho.