Problems running three video-cards (AMD/Nvidia mixed) in Ubuntu 12.10
 

Hi guys,
I have a question for you...
I have my main video card that is ATI HD7850 and also two video card Nvidia 8400GS.
When I install Ubuntu 12.10, I can see that Ubuntu detects all my video cards. As you can see on this link :
http://s14.postimage.org/gmfmyyki9/12_10_20_1.jpg

When the install is over and I restart computer to boot from HDD those 2 Nvidia cards does not display anymore.

user@user:~$ lspci|grep -i vga
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI PITCAIRN PRO [Radeon HD 7800 Series]
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [GeForce 8400 GS] (rev a1)
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [GeForce 8400 GS] (rev a1)

I've been trying to use other nvidia drivers that came in additional drivers but Compiz crash and wont load anymore...

I'm currently using
Advanced Micro Devices AMD nee ATI: PITCAIRN PRO (Radeon HD 7800 Series)
X.Org X server - AMD/ATI display driver wrapper from xserver-xorg-video-ati (open source, tested)

NVIDIA Corporation: G98 (GeForce 8400 GS)
Using X.Org X server -- Nouveau display driver from xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (open source)

Those are drivers that it is installed by defaulf from the 12.10.


01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI PITCAIRN PRO [Radeon HD 7800 Series] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: Giga-byte Technology Device 2553
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 85
Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Memory at fb600000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
I/O ports at e000 [size=256]
Expansion ROM at fb640000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: radeon
Kernel modules: radeon

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [GeForce 8400 GS] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8321
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 40
Memory at fa000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at c0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Memory at f8000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
I/O ports at d000 [size=128]
Expansion ROM at fb000000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb

03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation G98 [GeForce 8400 GS] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8321
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 26
Memory at f6000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at b0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
Memory at f4000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=32M]
I/O ports at c000 [size=128]
Expansion ROM at f7000000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: nouveau
Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidiafb


I did gdm stop and start and after that I see that:
http://s14.postimage.org/thx9wkvgx/12_10_20_1_1.jpg

Anyone can help me please?

JmCourir

Do you see anything informative in Xorg.*.log? What does xrandr tell you?

As a side remark: I have seen posts which claim one cannot have 3d-acceleration on different types of graphic cards. Have never tried it though.

As far as I know, you cannot use closed souce video drviers (either nVidia or ATI/AMD) if all the video cards do not work with that driver. So no ATI/AMD and nVidia GPU systems, or no nVidia 173.XX nad nVidia current GPUs together, etc..

Why are you trying to run a 7800 series and 2 x 8400GS anyway? Most of the 7800s support eyefinity ('up to six simultaneous displays off of a single graphics card').

Hi cascade9,
How can I get 6 simultaneous display from my HD7850 video card that has only 4 output?


Another question, would it be easier to buy 2 ATI HD6450 and remove those NVidia cards? So they would use the same drivers for all of them?

JmCourir

Which AMD videocard do you have exactly (manufacturer/model)?
And yes, having all videocards from the same chip manufacturer would be much easier, since you then could use the proprietary drivers. But you won't need two extra cards, just buy a card with Eyefinity.

You're probably limited to 4 displays then.

Do yuo know what brand/model card you are using?

BTW, what is the point of 6 monitors? It doesnt seem to be much if any more usable than 3.

Possibly, though I'd just use 2-3 or even 4 monitors on the whichever 7800 you are running.

Hi TobiSGD,

Thank you for the reply.

I currently have Gigabyte HD7850 GV-R7850C-2GD wich you can see on this web
link http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...YTE-_-14125419

My monitors are :
3x LG W2343TV 23" with DVI and VGA input
1x Acer AL2216W 22" with DVI and VGA input
1x Acer AL1916W 19" with DVI and VGA input
1x Samsung Syncmaster 953BW 19" with DVI and VGA input

I have ordered last week 2x mini-display port to VGA Adapters

I dont have any HDMI monitor

JmCourir

Hi Cascade9, I need 6 for work. I'm a trader.

JmCourir

Hi!
If you guys are pretty sure that I'll be able to get 6 display working on if I switch those 2 nvidia card to ati, I'll do it. I would buy HD6450, they use the same video drivers and it will cost about 70$.

JmCourir

4 monitors max.

Doens make much sense to me why traders would 'need' 6 monitors.

LG W2343TV = 1360x768 (from what I can tell anyway, that model is not avaible here and lg always redirects me to the local site).

Acer AL2216W = 1650x1050
http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/mo...2216Wsp2.shtml

Acer AL1916W = 1440x900
http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/mo...L1916sp3.shtml

Samsung Syncmaster 953BW = 1280x1024
http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/p...LS17MYBEBQA/XY

Thats 3 different types on monitor, all running different display resolutions. Which is a PITA be itself.

So if you had all 6 running, on the 'bottom' row you would have a display 4080 wide (1360x3) x 768 high. Top row would be 4370 wide (1280+1650+1440) and various hights.

If ou have 4 x 1900x1200 monitors, you would get more screen real estate (3840 wide, 1200 high x2 if you used a 2 row system), even though there are less monitors.

Hi Cascade9,
Thanks for replying...

I have two choices...

1. Sell all of my monitors and buy 4 new one that is 1900x1200 wich will cost me about 800$ at the end.

2. Buy 2 ati cards at 40$/each with same drivers of my main Ati video card.

I prefer to choose option #2... unless it will be too hard work to make it work?

JmCourir

I agree with you cascade9 that the best solution is option #1.

Is this gonna be very hard work to make option #2?

Jmcourir

JmCourir -- before you rush to buy new cards... Try if you can use the open-source drivers instead with both radeon & nvidia (the corresponding drivers are "radeon" and "nouveau", or even "nv"). Maybe these can talk together, and traders perhaps do not need the last bit of power out the card anyway...

Also, be warned that eyefinity on AMD chips only allows for two non-displayport connections. I don't think you'll be able to use all your current monitors in an Eyefinity setup.

Hi otoomet,
I tried those drivers from what ubuntu installed. There was 3 choices for ATI and 4 choices for Nvidia. The only one for Nvidia that was not making any crash to compiz was the nouveau driver. I also did install the proprietaire driver for Nvidia and it was still crashing compiz.

thanks for the reply,

JmCourir