Openchrome Versus Vesa

John VV · 04-18-2016, 06:06 PM

Debian 7.8 should have a old enough xorg for that old legacy nvidia card

but to use that gforce5 card you will need the 173 driver and Xorg of 1.15 or 1.14

Pozzouk · 04-18-2016, 07:13 PM

Hi John

Thanks for getting back - really appreciated.

My early enthusiasm has been dented since my last post half an hour ago - turns out that, for example the BBC News TV page works just about OK when minimised - take it to enlarged screen and we are talking seriously juddersome as I guess with incorrect driver one would pretty much expect.

Hazel has pointed out some aspects of driver hunting in amongst the configuration files, but I still don't have a great enough understanding to find this 1.17 or whatever is hiding in there this install of the 64bit version Mint 17.3. Do you have any idea how to dig it out and replace with this 173 you speak of and 1.14?

Hmmm, kinda getting wizer......I think ;o)

Emerson · 04-18-2016, 08:30 PM

Older version of Xorg is a no-go in long term. Finally you need to upgrade. I'd use nouveau with this card, and make sure firmware is installed, too.

hazel · 04-19-2016, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emerson

Older version of Xorg is a no-go in long term. Finally you need to upgrade. I'd use nouveau with this card, and make sure firmware is installed, too.

That's a bit gnomic! Somehow I don't believe the OP will understand that instruction. btw, I tried the fbdev driver on my misbehaving chrome card as you suggested above; it didn't crash the server as the vesa driver did, but it gave me the weirdest screen patterns, and even going to a console couldn't get rid of them. I had to shut down the computer. So it's openchrome for me with all its faults. Nothing else works.

@pozzouk. Don't panic! List the contents of /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers and you should see the nouveau driver in there. If so, just use sudo to create the following file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d. You can call the file something like nouveau.conf.

Code:

Section "Device"
        Identifier "NVIDIA GeForce Graphics"
        Driver "nouveau"
EndSection

I don't know how you would install any necessary firmware; I've never had to do that for a graphics card. But someone else in this thread will tell you.

Pozzouk · 04-19-2016, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

@pozzouk. Don't panic! List the contents of /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers and you should see the nouveau driver in there. If so, just use sudo to create the following file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d. You can call the file something like nouveau.conf.

Code:

Section "Device"
        Identifier "NVIDIA GeForce Graphics"
        Driver "nouveau"
EndSection

Hi Hazel, I presume I should get typing some command or another in the terminal to display this info???

Also, I had wondered about taking out the graphics card as possibly it pre-dates the on-board graphics....not sure.

Thanks as ever,
Pozzouk.

Pozzouk · 04-19-2016, 04:09 AM

I presume this is what i'm looking for?!?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pozzouk

Hi Hazel, I presume I should get typing some command or another in the terminal to display this info???

Code:

desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: desmonds-MS-7142 Kernel: 3.19.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 4.8.2)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 2.8.8 (Gtk 3.10.8~8+qiana)
           Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa
Machine:   Mobo: MICRO-STAR model: MS-7142 v: 1.00
           Bios: Phoenix v: 6.00 PG date: 05/03/2005
CPU:       Single core AMD Sempron 3000+ (-UP-) cache: 128 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2) bmips: 3599 speed: 1799 MHz (max)
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV34
           GLX Version: 1.5 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card VIA VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller
           driver: snd_via82xx port: ed00 bus-ID: 00:11.5
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.19.0-32-generic
Network:   Card: VIA VT6102 [Rhine-II]
           driver: via-rhine port: ee00 bus-ID: 00:12.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 160.0GB (5.0% used)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD1600JB size: 160.0GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 146G used: 6.5G (5%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 1.07GB used: 0.04GB (4%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID:      No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0C mobo: N/A
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 140 Uptime: 1:50 Memory: 653.0/1497.2MB
           Init: Upstart runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.111) inxi: 2.2.28 
desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $

Pozzouk · 04-19-2016, 04:21 AM

I guess I need to go down a level or two deeper than below.

How2 ???

Code:

Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x1024@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV34
           GLX Version: 1.5 Mesa 10.5.9 Direct Rendering: Yes

hazel · 04-19-2016, 05:56 AM

You don't need to do anything. Your inxi printout shows that you are already using nouveau. If it doesn't work well, the only alternative is to download and install the nvidia proprietary driver, which is what a lot of people do. But I can't tell you how to do it as I have never used one of these cards. At least Nvidia do provide a linux driver; I wish the same was true of Via.

Why don't you google these things? Just put "nvidia driver howto" into your search engine and see what you get. And please, don't act so helpless. It puts people off.

273 · 04-19-2016, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

You don't need to do anything. Your inxi printout shows that you are already using nouveau. If it doesn't work well, the only alternative is to download and install the nvidia proprietary driver, which is what a lot of people do. But I can't tell you how to do it as I have never used one of these cards. At least Nvidia do provide a linux driver; I wish the same was true of Via.

Why don't you google these things? Just put "nvidia driver howto" into your search engine and see what you get. And please, don't act so helpless. It puts people off.

As has been pointed out that card is now unsupported by NVIDIA so any drivers require an older version of X and so on as seen above...
Hence the recommendation to go with nouveau.

rokytnji · 04-19-2016, 01:25 PM

My search digs up from your inxi readout that vesa can run alongside nouveau on that chip.

Quote:

inxi -Fxz
System: Host: dualp3 Kernel: 3.18.1-antix.1-486-smp i686 (32 bit gcc: 4.9.1) Desktop: IceWM 1.3.8
Distro: antiX-14-a5-RV_386-full Killah_P 14 January 2015
Machine: System: To be Filled product: To be Filled v: To be Filled
Mobo: Supermicro model: Intel 440BX/440GX v: Rev. 1 Bios: American Megatrends v: 063100 date: 01/15/99
CPU: Single core Pentium III (Coppermine) (-HT-) cache: 256 KB flags: (pae sse) bmips: 1503
clock speeds: max: 751 MHz 1: 751 MHz 2: 751 MHz
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] bus-ID: 01:00.0
Display Server: X.org 1.16.2.901 drivers: vesa,nouveau (unloaded: fbdev)
tty size: 140x53 Advanced Data: N/A for root
Audio: Card Ensoniq 5880B [AudioPCI] driver: snd_ens1371 port: ef00 bus-ID: 00:10.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.18.1-antix.1-486-smp
Network: Card: Standard Microsystems [SMC] 83c170 EPIC/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter
driver: epic100 port: e400 bus-ID: 00:0f.0
IF: eth0 state: unknown speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 29.7GB (9.1% used) ID-1: /dev/sdc model: ST318453LW size: 18.4GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: ST39216W size: 9.2GB ID-3: /dev/sda model: ST32151N size: 2.1GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 3.0G used: 2.6G (90%) fs: ext2 dev: /dev/sdb5
Sensors: None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info: Processes: 98 Uptime: 1:03 Memory: 218.9/1004.3MB Init: SysVinit runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.9.1
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.301) inxi: 2.2.16

Quote:

I hope Roky's feeling better!

Still sick. Mostly head and gut stuff. Must have been the road kill I ate earlier.

rokytnji · 04-19-2016, 01:34 PM

Quote:

I guess I need to go down a level or two deeper than below.

How2 ???

Might wanna try

Code:

sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log|grep nvidia

or

Code:

sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i "dri" | grep -v -i "driver"

Good Luck.

Pozzouk · 04-20-2016, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rokytnji

My search digs up from your inxi readout that vesa can run alongside nouveau on that chip.

Looks to me as there might be some indicators in amongst the list below but no expert as Hazel points out! Any advice appreciated.

Code:

desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $ sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log|grep nvidia
[sudo] password for desmonds: 
[    36.606] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 0
[    36.606] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 2
[    36.606] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[    36.606] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module nvidia
[    36.607] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[    36.607] (II) Unloading nvidia
[    36.607] (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)
[    36.654] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 0
[    36.654] (==) Matched nvidia as autoconfigured driver 2
[    36.654] (II) LoadModule: "nvidia"
[    36.654] (WW) Warning, couldn't open module nvidia
[    36.654] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[    36.654] (II) Unloading nvidia
[    36.654] (EE) Failed to load module "nvidia" (module does not exist, 0)

I presume this shows that nvidia is non operational.

Code:

desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $ sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i "dri" | grep -v -i "driver"
[    36.467] (II) xfree86: Adding drm device (/dev/dri/card0)
[    36.669] (II) Loading sub module "dri2"
[    36.669] (II) LoadModule: "dri2"
[    36.669] (II) Module "dri2" already built-in
[    36.959] (II) NOUVEAU(0): [DRI2] Setup complete
[    37.221] (II) GLX: Initialized DRI2 GL provider for screen 0
desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $

And the above indicates Nouveau is OK.

I'm still wondering about removing the GeForce card when I get home tonight as I have a feeling it may predate the onboard graphics whatever version they may be. I guess take out the card and rerun those commands is the way to go.

Also I presume I need to have a go at getting vesa in there depending on what shows on that graphics card being in or out - will have a play and post later.

Quote:

Still sick. Mostly head and gut stuff. Must have been the road kill I ate earlier.

Roky I trust you had enough alcohol on that critter.....sure looks real mean!!!

ATB Pozzouk.

Pozzouk · 04-23-2016, 07:18 AM

Hi All,

I can only gather the above code results don't show anything more interesting than Nouveau is working OK.

Should I still press on with throwing in "Vesa" if I knew how???

So far as it goes, I can watch video streaming but only minimised - although better than nothing.

As it happens, I will have to abandon this PC soon due to its worst problem of being "almost impossible to scroll down a page" such as the pages on this forum.......big time judder!!!......strange.

Thanks for all the ideas that have come my way......any help or links toward learning Linux tree and how to get in and edit for beginners welcome.

Regards Pozzouk.

Emerson · 04-23-2016, 08:10 AM

Nouveau works better when the firmware is loaded. VESA should not be used if vendor specific driver is available, nouveau in your case.

Pozzouk · 04-24-2016, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John VV

to use that gforce5 card you will need the 173 driver and Xorg of 1.15 or 1.14

Probably a last roll of the dice here:

Everything I’ve read up on would seem to suggest that my dear old FX 5500 is past it's sell by date - although possibly it would work OK with some of the clunkier renditions of Linux of yesteryear. Maybe my attempt to get 173 into Mint 17.3 was tooo heavy handed - I’m not sure. What I do know is that I have learnt a lot in the process, so unless one of you guys have anything specific in terms of method then maybe this unit should be off to the tip......Poor old Desmond!

Code:

desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $ sudo apt-get install nvidia-173
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies.
 nvidia-173 : Depends: xorg-video-abi-11 but it is not installable or
                       xorg-video-abi-12 but it is not installable or
                       xorg-video-abi-13 but it is not installable or
                       xorg-video-abi-14 but it is not installable or
                       xorg-video-abi-15
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
desmonds@desmonds-MS-7142 ~ $

A huge thanks to all those that have helped.

Pozzouk.

PS. Is this the end?