Having problem to make NVIDIA driver works on Toshiba laptop A200

English Hardware
1

Hello all, I am very new to linux (less that a week), so please excuse me for my dumb question.

My friend sent me this Toshiba laptop, and I want to make it a linux box so that I have somethings to fall back on if my iMac decides to visit Steve. The background info is as followings:

  1. Toshiba laptop A200 with nVidia Geforce Go7300 graphic card
  2. Installed with openSUSE 12.1 and KDE desktop is selected
  3. Downloaded nVidia drivers 290.10 and 285.05.09

I managed to install openSUSE on the laptop and let the computer run using openSUSE’s graphic driver. The issue was poor resolution, and texts were hard to read.

So, I first installed nVidia driver 290.10. I found myself running into issue: the screen was flashing between black screen and terminal interface. Somethings was really wrong. I gave up this driver after realizing that many people are having problems with it.

Then, I cleaned up the system (yes, reinstalled openSUSE) and installed the older nVidia driver 285.05.09. When I start the laptop, it goes through screens showing (1) startup options (choosing normal mode); (2) log in interface (with very good resolution, /happy dance); and then (3) five icons fading in. OK, that is the moment the issue presented itself. The last icon, the KDE big icon, just stay fading out, and the screen stops here and not switching to the desktop screen. The computer would play the chord, but then the screen locks there even though I can move the mouse (which has a better look than in Failsafe mode). So, I guess the older driver somewhat is working, but then somethings is stopping the OS working properly.

Anyone has suggestions on how to fix it?

I installed the driver with the following steps:

  1. Using terminal, zypper install gcc make automake autoconf kernel-source kernel-syms
  2. Using terminal, echo “blacklist nouveau” >> /etc/modprobe.d/50-blacklist.conf
  3. Using Boot Loader in YaST to edit normal startup option, add nomodeset in splash
  4. Reboot through Failsafe mode with 3 at boot options to enter into console terminal
  5. Login, cd Downloads (where the driver locates), type su + password
  6. Install driver by sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-285.05.09.run -a -q
  7. Done and reboot
2

Just FYI, using the newest driver 295.20 from nVidia, installation is done without issue, and the display is clear with great details. Problem solved.

3

One more thing although it is not directly related to openSUSE. Before installing the 290.20 video driver from nVidia, I can play wmv or avi video clip using VLC and the native openSUSE video driver. After the installation, the VLC client fails to work with these video clips and just quit each time when I try to let it play them.

4

On 02/14/2012 12:56 AM, CLChow1966 wrote:
>
> One more thing although it is not directly related to openSUSE. Before
> installing the 290.20 video driver from nVidia, I can play wmv or avi
> video clip using VLC and the native openSUSE video driver. After the
> installation, the VLC client fails to work with these video clips and
> just quit each time when I try to let it play them.

first: -=WELCOME=- new poster! and welcome new person giving openSUSE
and Linux a go…congrats!!

second: i’m really sorry it seems that you are being so ignored…but
really, you were not actually ignored (your thread has 203 views as i
look at it now)…instead you just got no one with an answer…

there are probably some reasons for that: like laptops are hard
usually…and i don’t know…

BUT, you worked it out all on your own–take GREAT pride in that, and
give yourself a Patience Award!

third: now there is this new problem and i suggest you start a new
thread, in the right forum (applications) with a subject aligned with
the problem (see, now you are asking about VLC in a laptop forum without
VLC even in the subject line)

and when you write that new thread starter, be sure and mention what
version of openSUSE, and what desktop environment and version…and,
what open video driver the vlc worked with, and say you installed the
290.20 nVidia drive and VLC stopped working…and, also mention you are
new and really need . . .

and, congrats again on doing a super job so far, and gather up some more
patience (because this ain’t as easy as polishing apples–but it is a
lot more thought provoking and challenging–take it as a game, and Have
a lot of fun!)

again, welcome.

–
DD http://tinyurl.com/DD-Caveat http://tinyurl.com/DD-Hardware
http://tinyurl.com/DD-Software
Read what Distro Watch writes: http://tinyurl.com/SUSEonDW

5

Hi welcome,

Can you open a terminal window and run the command below


zypper lr -d

then post the output here between CODE tags?