I recently installed the nvidia driver instead of the 'nv' driver I have done this many times before but not on Mandrake9.2 after doing so. The frequency (i think) became messed up when at the login prompt. I can barely see "localhost login" the letters are about 3" tall and in a mix of static. But if I guess at the key strokes and manage to login and startx every thing is fine, just as it should be. I have an FX5200 card that I have used Red Hat 9.0 and earlier editions of Mandrake also with Suse 8.0.

sounds like the resolution for the login is set wrong
if you can get to the GUI then go into either Hardware or Configure Your Computer and have a look at the Boot section. Somewhere in the options is the ability to change the gdm/kdm resolution.

I already asked this in another thread but I did not explain it very well so I will try again. I recently installed the Nvidia driver. I did this without the x-server running as directed, I started up x after install and all was well until I exited x and returned to the non-GUI login prompt. Upon doing so I could not read the words I could tell that the letters are about 3" tall but they are mixed in with a block of characters that look like below and every thing is contained in a square block that only fills about 70% of the screen. Also looks like this when I am using x and switch to another TTY.
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The whole used part of the screen is covered by this mess.
I don't know what caused this to happen because I have used the driver and video card b-4 and no probs.

hi, check the xf86config-4 file in /etc/X11... or u could post it here...
it's strange that you get that look just by editing the file, it should happen only after u run X with the changes.

and there are some problems with the text consoles when u use the nvidia drivers.

Here is my config file I think every thing looks right except for some reason the line
"# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?" I have never seen this line on my previous installs. I am curious about this because I have a Dell Trinitron not a Sony and Linux seems to recognize this monitor. Will changing any settings in this config file also affect the terminal as well???

# 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"
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
#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" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Plug'n Play"
ModelName "Dell D1626HT"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-160

# 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"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce FX (generic)"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1600 1200
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1600 1200
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1600 1200
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1600 1200
EndSubsection
EndSection

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