No suitable screendriver for my Matrox

Canterbury · 02-21-2009, 03:59 PM

Hello there, I'm a very fresh, unknowing newby on Linux. I have installed Ubuntu 8.10 on my pc with a Matrox G450 videocard in it. There is no way I can get the resolution higher than a lousy 800x600. I tried to download a driver fromn the Matroxsite, but I realy get lost in the compiling instructions. Isn't there a more out-of-the-box solution to this?

alan_ri · 02-21-2009, 07:14 PM

Welcome to LQ!
Installing driver shouldn't be so difficult and you need it to get the best out of your video card.If you will post readme and/or install file/s output here from the package that you've downloaded or provide a link so we can see the file/s,I believe that me and my fellow LQ members will be able to help you.You can post the output of /etc/X11/xorg.conf too.

jdkaye · 02-21-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canterbury

Hello there, I'm a very fresh, unknowing newby on Linux. I have installed Ubuntu 8.10 on my pc with a Matrox G450 videocard in it. There is no way I can get the resolution higher than a lousy 800x600. I tried to download a driver fromn the Matroxsite, but I realy get lost in the compiling instructions. Isn't there a more out-of-the-box solution to this?

If you don't want to compile then why download the source code? I just checked the Matrox site and it has two (2) possible files to download: one is the source code and the other is a precompiled driver that you install by running an install script. It's the 2nd file you see here:
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/su...oad/certified/
I don't see what your problem is. Just download the file that isn't the source code and then untar the file and follow the directions. It really not that hard.
Cheers,
jdk

Canterbury · 03-10-2009, 05:08 PM

Hi jdk, Sorry you did not hear from me so long a time. I was abroad and busy. I did what you suggested, installing the precompiled driver, but the thing did not work because all path instructions were different from mine. The instruction sais:

To extract the driver files, enter the following command where
<mga_filename> is the name of the driver file you want to extract:

tar xvzf <mga_filename>.tgz

cd mgadrivers

To install the drivers, run the script as "root" with no option:

sh install.sh

The install script prompts you to install both the XFree86 2D
driver ("mga_drv.o") and the HAL library ("mga_hal_drv.o"). Unless
otherwise specified, these files are placed in
"/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers".

The installation script makes a back-up copy of "mga_drv.o" and,
if it exists, of "mga_hal_drv.o".

Well, first of all: there is no way to run sh install.sh
Then: I can find no map lib in /ust/x11R6, ther is only usr/X11R6/bin/x11

So there I stop because I don't have a clue. I know it should be simple, but just don't get it. Yes, I'll go for a book Linux for Dummies ;-)

Regards, Michiel

Canterbury · 03-10-2009, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan_ri

Welcome to LQ!
Installing driver shouldn't be so difficult and you need it to get the best out of your video card.If you will post readme and/or install file/s output here from the package that you've downloaded or provide a link so we can see the file/s,I believe that me and my fellow LQ members will be able to help you.You can post the output of /etc/X11/xorg.conf too.

Hi Alan Ri, Sorry you didn't here from me. Here is the xorg.conf file you mentioned.
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Identifier "Default Video Device"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Default Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Default Monitor"
Device "Default Video Device"
EndSection

alan_ri · 03-10-2009, 07:54 PM

Let me say that you need to be careful while you read instructions.There were so many mistakes in what you've said here.
When you want to untar a package you must untar it with the name of the package.So if a package is "matrox_driver-x86_32-src-4.4.0.tar.gz" you will untar it with

Code:

   tar xvzf matrox_driver-x86_32-src-4.4.0.tar.gz

and you need to be in the directory where you've downloaded the package for that you use cd command in terminal,so if you've downloaded the package on the desktop in terminal you'd first type

Code:

cd /home/you/Desktop

and change "you" with your user name.
About the script;did you try to run it with

Code:

sudo sh ./install.sh

because sometimes root privileges are required to install software.
You can add to your Screen section of xorg.conf

Code:

SubSection "Display"
  Depth 24
  Modes "1280x800" "1280x768" "1024x768" "800x600"
  EndSubSection

and to Monitor section

Code:

HorizSync    30-75
VertRefresh  55-70

but change Sync and Refresh values for your monitor then save the file.Then try to run

Code:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

or reboot your PC.
Here are few links for Linux and Ubuntu beginners; 1,2.