[SOLVED] Invisible cursor after Flash USB Mint 18.3 32bit boot

Gyroman · 01-19-2018, 02:57 AM

I just booted my old i386 with a Flash USB Linux Mint 18.3 32bit bootstick and found it worked as expected with the exception the cursor was invisible.. but still detected by focus areas.

I tried the commands (no idea what they do):
sudo rmmod psmouse
{nothing}
sudo modprobe psmouse
{nothing}

Is there a command to change the colour or type of mouse cursor in 18.3..?

Will the full install make a difference..?

Thanks

ondoho · 01-19-2018, 07:20 PM

if the cursor works , but is invisible, then re-starting the driver cannot help - in my opinion.

i'm guessing it's a compositing problem.

first of all try disabling compositing (sometimes also seen as "window effects" or some such).

if that doesn't fix it, please post the output of

Code:

lspci -k | grep -A5 VGA

edit:
oh, i just noticed this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gyroman

Will the full install make a difference..?

yes, it might.

Gyroman · 01-21-2018, 07:14 PM

Thanks.. disable from compositing did't help..

mint@mint ~ $lspci -k | grep -A5 VGA
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)
___Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd [MSI] NV34 [GeForce FX 5200]
___Kernel driver in use: nouveau
___Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau

thanks..

ondoho · 01-22-2018, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gyroman

GeForce FX 5200

that's an entry-level nvidia card from 15 years ago.
i have a little experience with another geforce, it didn't play so well with nouveau.
i installed the legacy nvidia driver, and got benefit from that.
however, i remember it was tricky finding the right driver, and the additional drivers gui probably won't be much help.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA

Brains · 01-26-2018, 01:59 AM

Code:

 The 173.14.xx driver supports the following set of GPUs:
NVIDIA GPU product 	Device PCI ID
GeForce PCX 5750 	0x00FA
GeForce PCX 5900 	0x00FB
Quadro FX 330/GeForce PCX 5300 	0x00FC
Quadro FX 330/Quadro NVS 280 PCI-E 	0x00FD
Quadro FX 1300 	0x00FE
GeForce FX 5800 Ultra 	0x0301
GeForce FX 5800 	0x0302
Quadro FX 2000 	0x0308
Quadro FX 1000 	0x0309
GeForce FX 5600 Ultra 	0x0311
GeForce FX 5600 	0x0312
GeForce FX 5600XT 	0x0314
GeForce FX Go5600 	0x031A
GeForce FX Go5650 	0x031B
Quadro FX Go700 	0x031C
GeForce FX 5200 	0x0320
GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 	0x0321
GeForce FX 5200 	0x0322
GeForce FX 5200LE 	0x0323

Not sure, as I use Mint live, not installed yet. But according to Debian Nvidia your card does need legacy driver noted above. Ubuntu and Mint do the Nvidia proprietary drivers through launchpad, but I did'nt see the 173.xx there. It is available from Nvidia
and you would need to install kernel headers and build essentials to compile it. There is more that would need to be done to which I can assist further if you're interested.

EDIT: I also see "nvidia-graphics-drivers-173" in the pool for Ubuntu at my repository (restricted), but not in Synaptic for Mint 18.3, which uses Ubuntu Xenial packages by default.

Gyroman · 01-27-2018, 11:05 PM

Ok thanks very much for our help..

I have a HD 3650 PowerColor 512 Meg [64bit DDR2][DVI/CRT] graphics card from a few years ago.. which I think would be a better replacement for the GeForce FX 5200 so I am about to give that a try..

thanks again I'll post the result..

Gyroman · 01-28-2018, 12:09 AM

Good news.. the HD3650 graphics card was a well suited upgrade for both Windows XP and Mint 18.3 which now has a cursor..

So thanks to all for your ready assistance and knowledge sharing and willingness to help further if I was stuck with an old Nvidia FX 5200 thanks very much..

may the force be with you..