[SOLVED] Help needed installing non-free nVidia drivers (the 'Debian way')

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 03:43 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to install non-free nVidia drivers (the 'Debian way') by these instructions: http://wiki.debian.org/NvidiaGraphicsDrivers, and I'm having trouble choosing the right drivers.

I'm hoping someone can give me a push to the new direction -- I'm not sure what I should be looking at to determine what drivers I need.

My desktop is an HP Pavilion Slimline s3400t. I'll do any pastes needed at request as soon as I can.

Thanks.

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 04:07 PM

Which branch of Debian are you using?.
Which graphics card are you using?.
If you post these details we should be able to advise which driver you need.

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Which branch of Debian are you using?.

Debian Lenny, 5.0.2 (the latest that is currently available).
furey@debian:~$ uname -a
Linux debian 2.6.26-2-686 #1 SMP Sun Jun 21 04:57:38 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Which graphics card are you using?.

I don't know, can you tell me a command that I can pass to find out?

My desktop is an HP Pavilion Slimline s3400t -- perhaps some useful details are here: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...708937&lang=en

Thanks.
-wheelie.

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 04:17 PM

Post the output of lspci,you should see something like:

Code:

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G80 [GeForce 8800 GTS] (rev a2)

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Post the output of lspci,you should see something like:

Code:

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G80 [GeForce 8800 GTS] (rev a2)

Here's lspci:

Code:

debian:~# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 Host Bridge (rev a2)
00:00.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a2)
00:01.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.1 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.3 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.5 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.6 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:02.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation nForce 630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:03.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:03.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP73 SMBus (rev a1)
00:03.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP73 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:03.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP73 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:04.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 7100/nForce 630i (rev a1)
00:04.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 7100/nForce 630i (rev a1)
00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP73 IDE (rev a1)
00:09.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP73 High Definition Audio (rev a1)
00:0a.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0c.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0d.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0e.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation Device 07f0 (rev a2)
00:0f.0 Ethernet controller: nVidia Corporation MCP73 Ethernet (rev a2)
00:10.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 7100/nForce 630i (rev a2)
01:07.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6306 Fire II IEEE 1394 OHCI Link Layer Controller (rev c0)

Quote:

00:10.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 7100/nForce 630i (rev a2)

indeed seems like a match to what you were talking about.

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 04:50 PM

Looking at that output you want the current driver available in Lenny:

http://packages.debian.org/lenny/nvidia-glx
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...ppendix-a.html

So just follow the guide,make sure you have contrib and non-free enabled in your apt sources.
And install with:

Code:

aptitude install module-assistant nvidia-kernel-common

Then:

Code:

 m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

I'm guessing you have on-board graphics?

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Looking at that output you want the current driver available in Lenny:

http://packages.debian.org/lenny/nvidia-glx
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...ppendix-a.html

So just follow the guide,make sure you have contrib and non-free enabled in your apt sources.
And install with:

Code:

aptitude install module-assistant nvidia-kernel-common

Then:

Code:

 m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

I'm guessing you have on-board graphics?

I do believe the video card is an on-board one, if that is what you meant to ask.

One question --

Code:

 m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

Is this command meant to be entered exactly as that? Or am I to substitute ${VERSION} with something?

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 05:04 PM

Code:

 m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

Just enter as shown.No need to change anything.

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Looking at that output you want the current driver available in Lenny:

http://packages.debian.org/lenny/nvidia-glx
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...ppendix-a.html

So just follow the guide,make sure you have contrib and non-free enabled in your apt sources.
And install with:

Code:

aptitude install module-assistant nvidia-kernel-common

Then:

Code:

 m-a auto-install nvidia-kernel${VERSION}-source

I'm guessing you have on-board graphics?

I entered those two commands - everything seemed to have gone fine. So I went on to "step 3" as it says.

I then entered this:

Code:

# apt-get install nvidia-glx${VERSION}

And I was returned with this:

Code:

nvidia-glx is already the newest version.

Going on, somewhat strangely, I notice that /etc/X11/xorg.conf is blank (it tells me to cp -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak).

I put in just this line in xorg.conf:

Code:

Driver "nvidia"

And X didn't start. I then removed that line and X has at least started. Any advice on what to do now, please?

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 05:34 PM

Ok,post the output of cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

Ok,post the output of cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

As I had mentioned, it seems to be blank:

Code:

furey@debian:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
furey@debian:~$

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 05:57 PM

I believe that you have to generate the xorg.conf manually.

I do it as follows:

Code:

ctrl-alt-f1

To exit the gui.
Login as root.

Code:

# /etc/init.d/gdm stop  (to stop gdm.)
# X -configure
# mv ~/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# /etc/init.d/gdm start

You should now be back in the gui,but you need to logout as root:

Code:

ctrl-alt-f1 again.
ctrl-d
ctrl-alt-f7

When you get to this point,post the contents of the xorg.conf please.

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

I believe that you have to generate the xorg.conf manually.

I do it as follows:

Code:

ctrl-alt-f1

To exit the gui.
Login as root.

Code:

# /etc/init.d/gdm stop  (to stop gdm.)
# X -configure
# mv ~/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# /etc/init.d/gdm start

You should now be back in the gui,but you need to logout as root:

Code:

ctrl-alt-f1 again.
ctrl-d
ctrl-alt-f7

When you get to this point,post the contents of the xorg.conf please.

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath      "/etc/X11/rgb"
	ModulePath   "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
	FontPath     "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
	FontPath     "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load  "xtrap"
	Load  "dri"
	Load  "dbe"
	Load  "extmod"
	Load  "glx"
	Load  "record"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "nvidia"
	VendorName  "nVidia Corporation"
	BoardName   "Unknown Board"
	BusID       "PCI:0:16:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     1
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     4
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     8
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     15
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     16
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

There it is.

Also, my resolution seems to be really messed up... before it was okay (1200x860, or something like that) - now it's something like 640x480 or something like that

the trooper · 07-26-2009, 06:16 PM

You need to remove or comment out the following line:

Code:

Load  "dri"

Then restart X.

wheeliee · 07-26-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the trooper

You need to remove or comment out the following line:

Code:

Load  "dri"

Then restart X.

I did so, and it seems to have made no difference (resolution is still not right). For what it's worth - I don't see the nvidia logo before X starting, it should display itself after a successful installation, shouldn't it?