Nvidia Problems

alfwok · 07-22-2007, 11:46 PM

I'm new. I installed Ubuntu 7.04 yesterday worked right out of the box got my resolution my pcmcia wireless card and internet and everything i was very suprised since i had fiddled with slackware in the past and such things were problems. Onto the point...
It's a old dell inspiron 8200 with a geforce4 440 go
i followed the steps on http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Latest_nvidia_feisty
and i used Method1 and i followed the note to problem number 7 wich deals with my card i tried all of the steps there and i kept getting a black screen with the startup sound so i find problem 16 wich leads me to 10 i do those steps still black screen with start up sound.....what am i doing wrong?

Electro · 07-23-2007, 12:03 AM

This has been asked several times which is the same for everybody else. You need to specify some modelines in the Monitor section for /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Use the gtf utility to help you create them. Also add a few lines to disable EPID (I think) and other monitor spec grabbing protocol in the Device of the same file.

Keep in mind of what models work with what driver version. Some older cards may have to use older versions, so check what cards are supported for the version that you are using.

macemoneta · 07-23-2007, 12:08 AM

Backup your xorg.conf, and try the following one instead. I use it on my Fedora laptop (Geforce 440 Go), with the Nvidia 9639 driver.

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 1600 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Synaptics" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "Files"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc/"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/X11/fonts/TTF/"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1/"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
        FontPath     "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Synaptics"
	Driver      "synaptics"
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
	Option	    "Protocol" "auto-dev"
	Option	    "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
	Option	    "ShmConfig" "on"
	Option	    "MaxTapTime" "0"
	Option	    "TapButton1" "0"
	Option	    "TapButton2" "0"
	Option	    "TapButton3" "0"
	Option	    "HorizScrollDelta" "0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Nvidia Default Flat Panel"
    HorizSync       29.0 - 76.0
    VertRefresh     0.0 - 60.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce4 440 Go"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen         0
    Option         "ModeValidation" "NoVertRefreshCheck"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Videocard0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: 1600x1200_60 +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "True"
    Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option "Composite" "Enable"
    Option "RENDER" "Enable"
    Option "DAMAGE" "Enable"
    Option "XFIXES" "Enable"
EndSection

alfwok · 07-23-2007, 12:08 AM

I added those lines in the device and screen sections. i also tried all the other lines added in every possible combination. im using the glx version wich the site says is the correct one for my card. still black...

alfwok · 07-23-2007, 12:11 AM

ill try your config in a minute mace.

alfwok · 07-23-2007, 12:33 AM

well i used your config and i got the nvida logo on startup and a picture the font seemed larger when i typed my login though but deffinate progress thanks

tw001_tw · 07-25-2007, 08:06 AM

alfwok - you said:
"my resolution my pcmcia wireless card and internet and everything i
was very suprised since i had fiddled with slackware in the past and
such things were problems."

I hear you. I'm a long time Slack user (years and years) and I was
impressed how everything (wireless in particular) worked after my
Kubuntu install.. And the package management.. oh my, a short
evening and ALL my software is installed, as opposed to a number of
evenings it took me to find and compile all my software for a
clean install. Regardless of all that -

The only troubles I had for the initial install were my NVidia
drivers too. My simple mistake was forgetting to download the
package "linux-kernel' and the 'linux-headers'. You did that,
right?
Also, just log into 'ctrl-atl-F2'. From here you can edit your
/etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the generic 'nv' driver instead of the
'nvidia' driver - get into X (startx), do some research online, add
packages if needed, log out of X, edit xorg.conf to use the
'nvidia' driver and try again.

When you type startx from the console, it gives you an error
message if things don't work out - whats the message?