Video Problems (Nvidia)

Planky · 09-09-2004, 07:41 AM

Hi there,

I have just tried installing Mandrake 10 on my pc, however I cannot set up the video card/resolution let alone test them. I either get a blank screen, at which point I get a unable to display signal (built in warning on monitor, not linux) or I get an unable to find any usable modes - or something to that effect. The most I can get working is the vga driver on 8bit mode.

The strange think is that I was previously running Mandrake 9.1, which worked fine - I was able to update to the lastest nvidia drivers without a hitch.

The card is a Geforce 4 MX440 with 64mb Ram.

Also, if someone can tell me a way of saving the contents of the XF86Config-4 to floppy? I know enough commands to get around linux in text mode, but Im still learning (Hell, I compiled my first kernel the other day

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 07:50 AM

that card should be able to use the "NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic)" drivers that come with the MDK CD's. when you go to test the card, choose those drivers in the config section of the install. nvidia drivers can be installed later. for a how to, see my sig. if you want to copy the xfree86 file from command line to floppy, do the following in a terminal as root..........

cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /dev/fd0

otis

Planky · 09-09-2004, 07:55 AM

I actually used your instructions in another thread to install the drivers on my 9.1 install

As for the generic drivers, that's what I tried first, on various resolutions and monitor types. I have also tried the Vesa and Vga drivers to no avail. I will post my XF86Config-4 file in a few minutes, I just have to reboot.

Edit: Ok, took me a little longer, I couldnt find a working disk :|

Code:

# 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 "1024x768 @ 60 Hz"
    HorizSync 31.5-48.5
    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 "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic)"
    Driver "nv"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    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

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 08:15 AM

my appologies, in case you're having trouble copying that file.........

i should have said, first insert a blank floppy, mount it, then issue the command i stated above. well, inserting the floppy is a given, i realize

but the moutning part may be useful...........

as root, mount /dev/fd0

otis

Planky · 09-09-2004, 08:20 AM

I should also mention that I completed the install, despite not being able to test the settings - but it means I cannot get into KDE - I just get a blank screen.

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 08:21 AM

is this you current (MDK10.0) xfree config, or your old one? if it's current, try commenting out the line under modules that says Load "glx" # 3D layer using vim like in the nvidia install info. the line should look like..........

#Load "glx" # 3D layer

then try testing the monitor. also, are you sure you don't have too high of a refresh rate/screen res set? check those settings in the video config.

otis

Planky · 09-09-2004, 08:38 AM

That's my current XF86Config-4. Also the monitor is set to 1024x768 at 60hz, which is no problem for this monitor.

I tried commenting out that line, but it has made no difference, I still get a blank screen. Usually when there is a problem it prints out the error message and returns you to the text screen, is this logged anywhere? I'm sure it's generating an error message which I cannot see (I have to power down the pc if I want to get back into linux if the screen blanks out).

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 08:46 AM

check in /var/log/xfree.o (or something similar). look for lines in the log that begin with (EE) for errors or (WW) for warnings. post any relevant lines here.

otis

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 08:49 AM

and, another brainstorm............. have you tried installing the nvidia drivers yet? it should work. if you don't have them saved to your linux partition somewhere, burn them to a disc, then use my install info but first mount the disc (cdrom) & run the script from there. or, if they're on another partition, mount that partition, copt them to your /home/user directory, then run them that way. to copy them you would..........

cp /path/to/nvidia /home/you

otis

Planky · 09-09-2004, 09:09 AM

No I haven't, I need to download them again, so I will try that next. Nothing out of the ordinary in the log files aside from these:

(II) NV(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) NV(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) NV(0): Not using default mode "1280x1024" (width too large for virtual size)
(II) NV(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (hsync out of range)

There's about 100 of the buggers...

otish1000c · 09-09-2004, 09:19 AM

i'm not exactly sure what those lines mean, but i get them in my xfree log & have no problems, so i wouldn't worry about them. download the drivers & try installing them per my previous instructions via whichever method you choose.

a note about the 6111 nvidia drivers..........

these are the latest. there is an issue with some kernels that doesn't permit them to install. if you get those drivers, run the script with the --add-this-kernel switch at the end of the run script. ........

Code:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6111-pkg1.run --add-this-kernel

if they still give you trouble during the install, then get the older 6036 drivers. they are fine to use.

otis

Planky · 09-09-2004, 09:27 AM

Ok, I'll try it in the morning, it's 3am here

thanks for the help.

Planky · 09-09-2004, 07:46 PM

I tried installing the nvidia drivers and got this message:

Code:

No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you li
   ke the installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel f
   rom the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)?

to which I said no. It then displayed this:

Code:

Your kernel was configured to include rivafb support as
         a loadable kernel module.
         
         The rivafb driver conflicts with the NVIDIA driver; the
         NVIDIA kernel module will still be built and installed,
         but be aware that the NVIDIA driver will not be able to
         function properly if the rivafb module is loaded!

I just have to figure out how to unload the module. The last msg I got was this:

Code:

ERROR: Unable to build the NVIDIA kernel module.

nvidia-installer.log

I checked to make sure my installed source matched the kernel, which it did.

otish1000c · 09-10-2004, 05:10 AM

ignore the rviafb warning & proceed with the install. it's only a module that loafs if needed pertaining to riva chip sets. the install should work fine.

otis

Planky · 09-10-2004, 05:52 AM

I did proceed with the install, which is when I got the unable to build error.