Newbie tries to install graphics card

Hello everybody,

I finally made it to install linux on my PC! YAY!
So please be kind… I have no idea about it at all!!

Here comes my problem: the solution of my monitor is much to small. So I tried to find out, where I can change the settings of my graphic card and monitor. Unfortunately opensuse only gives me the possibility to change it up to 600x800, which is by far too small.

:frowning:

So I thought maybe I need to install a driver… so… there I am … having question marks around my head and wondering how to install a graphics card driver on my opensuse 11.3.???
And where to find the right ones? My graphic card is a Matrox Mystique (no 220 or anything else!!).
I checked the website of Matrix to find my drivers, but it tells me that there is no driver planned for linux.
Matrox Graphics - Support - Latest Matrox drivers for legacy products

>:(

But I guess I am not the only person in the world who uses this graphic card on linux, so there must be a way to make it work!!

:sarcastic:

Can anybody please give me a step by step instruction without any linux-internal terms, but more like “click here and then there”…

:shame:

Thank you very much in advance!!

Can you tell us what driver you are using now at 800x600 ? If using KDE you should have a ‘My Computer’ icon on your desktop. Click on that and it will tell you what driver. If you are not using KDE then you could open the file /var/log/Xorg.0.log with a text editor, and copy the contents of that file, and then paste the contents on the web site Pastebin.com - #1 paste tool since 2002! and press ‘submit’ on that web site. That will save your paste and give you a web site URL/address. Please copy the website URL/address and paste it here. Then we can take a look to see what driver you are using?

Note openSUSE comes with the ‘mga’ driver which is the linux terminology for the Matrox driver. Type:

man mga

to read up on it.

If your PC is not using the mga driver, all you may need to do is edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf file, changing it to the following:

[INDENT]Section “Device”
Identifier “Default Device”

#Driver “radeon”
Driver “mga”

Required magic for radeon/radeonhd drivers; output name

(here: “DVI-0”) can be figured out via ‘xrandr -q’

#Option “monitor-DVI-0” “Default Monitor”

EndSection[/INDENT]

And then restart to test.

But that may not work, and the problem may not be the driver, but rather it could be your monitor is not correctly identified, and to assess this better we MUST see the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file contents like I noted above.

PLEASE DO NOT post the contents of that file directly here - rather only post a link to it.

Is your Mystique an MGA2064W or a MGA1064SG ?

First of all: thank a lot for helping me out here!!

My Mystique is a MGA1064SG.

And I found out that the right driver is installed:
Hersteller: Matrox Graphics, Inc.
Modell: MGA 1064SG [Mystique]
2D-Treiber: mga
(Sorry for pasting it in German, but I guess anyway you’ll get it ;))

So it is using the right driver - if I get you right, this means that the monitor is not identified in the right way

OK. So now you need to have a log at the Xorg.0.log, right? You can find it here:
242.673] X.Org X Server - NanaLisa’s Xorg.0.log - mJJcWS13 - Pastebin.com](http://pastebin.com/mJJcWS13)

Thank you!!!

Unfortunately, if the correct driver is loaded, there is not much more I have the expertise to help on. Sorry … But I do note some strange things.

OK, then try this from now on in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf:

 Section "Device"
    Identifier "Default Device"

    #Driver "radeon"
    **Driver "mga1064sg"**

    ## Required magic for radeon/radeonhd drivers; output name
    ## (here: "DVI-0") can be figured out via 'xrandr -q'
    #Option "monitor-DVI-0" "Default Monitor"

 EndSection

ok but, there is something strange in the /var/log/Xorg.0.log you posted. I noted this:

.....................
   242.760] (II) LoadModule: "glx"
   242.760] (II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/updates/extensions/libglx.so
   242.898] (II) Module glx: vendor="NVIDIA Corporation"
   242.898]    compiled for 4.0.2, module version = 1.0.0
   242.898]    Module class: X.Org Server Extension
   242.898] (II) NVIDIA GLX Module  256.35  Wed Jun 16 19:21:24 PDT 201

I’m puzzled why it would see a nVidia 256.35 driver !! Maybe there is something you should be telling me here with respect to you trying something ?? Linux is NOT like Windows. One should NOT install a driver that they do not need. Did you install the nVidia proprietary graphic driver ?? Because I can’t figure that line out if you did not.

If you did install the nVidia proprietary driver and if you do not have nVidia graphic hardware on this PC, then you should remove that driver.

EXCEPT maybe something else has messed things up ? ie what is this nVidia information in your logs?

ok thanks. I also note this:


   242.700] (==) No Layout section.  Using the first Screen section.
   242.700] (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen" (0)
   242.700] (**) |   |-->Monitor "Default Monitor"
   242.700] (**) |   |-->Device "Default Device"
   242.700] (==) Automatically adding devices
   242.700] (==) Automatically enabling devices
.....................
   243.300] (II) MGA(0): Creating default Display subsection in Screen section
        "Default Screen" for depth/fbbpp 24/32
................
   243.305] (II) MGA(0): I2C device "DDC P1:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
   244.380] (II) MGA(0): I2C monitor info
   244.380] (II) MGA(0): Manufacturer: PTS  Model: 1017  Serial#: 52443
   244.380] (II) MGA(0): Year: 2004  Week: 32
   244.380] (II) MGA(0): EDID Version: 1.3
...................
   244.380] (II) MGA(0): #0: hsize: 1280  vsize 1024  refresh: 60  vid: 32897
....
   244.381] (II) MGA(0): Monitor name: 782
   244.381] (II) MGA(0): Ranges: V min: 60 V max: 75 Hz, H min: 30 H max: 80 kHz, PixClock max 140 MHz
   244.381] (II) MGA(0): Serial No: FIBJ480052443

   244.381] (II) MGA(0): EDID (in hex):
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       00ffffffffffff0042931710dbcc0000
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       200e010308221b7828eea69e544c9926
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       194f54adcf0081800101010101010101
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       010101010101302a009851002a403070
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       1300510e1100001e000000fc00373832
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       0a202020202020202020000000fd003c
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       4b1e500e000a202020202020000000ff
   244.381] (II) MGA(0):       004649424a343830303532343433000d
   244.381] (II) MGA(0): end of monitor info
   244.388] (II) MGA(0): EDID vendor "PTS", prod id 4119

It seems to have detected your monitor as a PTS make ? Model 1017, product ID 4119? Is that correct ?

That puzzled me, as a surf on the web suggested to me the PTS is Polymer Technology Systems Inc., a small Indianapolis-based maker of handheld blood monitors. Is that what this is ?

Anyway, if the monitor is detected wrong, we will need to get someone else to help on this as I don’t know anything about this, other than some threads I’ve read. Dependant on your answer (is this or is this not your monitor) I may be able to point you to the relevant thread. (the search function on our forum is HORRIBLY buggy, unfortunately).

I forgot to mention I saw these warnings and errors in your PC’s /var/log/Xorg.0.log :

   242.700] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/TTF/" does not exist
   242.700] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/OTF/" does not exist
   242.700] (WW) The directory "/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi" does not exist
   243.252] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for fbdev
   243.273] (WW) Falling back to old probe method for vesa
....
   244.389] (WW) MGA(0): Shrinking virtual size estimate from 1280x1024 to 832x624
   244.389] (**) MGA(0): *Default mode "832x624": 57.3 MHz, 49.7 kHz, 74.6 Hz
...........
   244.614] (EE) MGA(0): Static buffer allocation failed, not initializing the DRI
   244.614] (EE) MGA(0): Need at least 6084 kB video memory at this resolution, bit depth
...........
   244.615] (WW) MGA(0): Direct rendering disabled
...........
   244.619] (EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension (Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found)

What can you tell us about the memory on your card ? Its complaining NOT enough video memory.

Its also complaining about a compatible NVIDIA X driver not found. It makes me suspicious again of a wrong driver install effort earlier.

After a quick look at your /var/log/Xorg.0.log, I concur with old cpu as far as the NVIDIA-related entries. We need to know about the history to this graphics history, such as whether you’ve tried changing the graphics card, or attempted experimenting with other drivers etc. This will determine any remedial action that may be required before any Xorg configuration is undertaken.

I’m also interested in more information concerning the monitor, as oldcpu already questioned. From an EDID perpspective, the actual data and monitor capabilities (1280 x 1024 @ 60Hz) reported appear ok. (The incorrect display mode may arise because of other issues).

Oh yes, that’s right. In the first time, when I recognized that something is going wrong with the graphics, I tried to install the correct driver. I somehow installed the NVIDIA by mistake because I thought I still had this card in the PC, which was wrong!!
So you are totally right that I should deinstall this driver - but how do I do this? Any help appreciated.

I am not at home right now, so I can’t properly check my monitor. But if I remember right, it’s a Yamatsu monitor… P-something? Honestly: no idea what type. But about the brand I am quite sure. And I am very sure it is not a handheld!
Let me check tonight after work and then get back at you.

Well… what can I tell you about the memory of the card? I was using this card in WindowsXP without any problems, so I think it is not defect, but who knows?
I just found out here (Matrox Mystique - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) that Mystique came in configurations ranging from 2 MiB SGRAM up to 8 MiB. I have no idea how much memory there is on my card, but I can try to find out by looking at the card tonight, when I am at home.

Thank you for helping me!

Yes, this monitor is in use together with exactly this graphics card for a long time now. Without any problems ever. So I guess the problem is in software, not in hardware, right?
I’ll let you know about the make and model of the monitor as soon as I am at home tonight.

Thank you in advance!

Please type:

rpm -qa '*vidia*'

and post here the output.

Please check. We need to know EXACTLY what monitor. It appears Linux may have misidentified it.

Type in a terminal:

su -c 'lspci -vv' 

and look for the VGA graphic card section. It might tell you there how much memory in that card.

So here is what I found out about my monitor:

YAKUMO TFT17SL
Model-Nr.780
Art.-Nr. 1031686
August 2004

I hope that helps?

Thank you very much again!

The output is the following:

NanaLisa@PupsiWLAN:~> rpm -qa '*vidia*'
nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-default-256.35_k2.6.34.0_12-14.1.i586
x11-video-nvidiaG02-256.35-15.1.i586
01:06.0 VGA compatible controller: Matrox Graphics, Inc. MGA 1064SG [Mystique] (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
        Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping+ SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
        Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 32
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 11
        Region 0: Memory at e4000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16]
        Region 1: Memory at e8000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=8]
        Region 2: Memory at e5000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8]
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at e8800000 [disabled] [size=64]

Does this help at all?[/size][/size][/size][/size]

While waiting for our comment to your eventual provision of the output of " lspci -vv " (with root permissions), you could also remove BOTH of those applications. ie with root permissions, send something like:

rpm -e  nvidia-gfxG02-kmp-default-256.35_k2.6.34.0_12-14.1.i586  x11-video-nvidiaG02-256.35-15.1.i586 

and then restart, and again test your graphics. Alternative remove them under YaST > Software > Software Maintenance, and then reboot afterward.

And again, after rebooting after both of those rpms have been removed, copy the new content of /var/log/Xorg.0.log to http://pastebin.org and press submit on that site, and post here the output address/URL it provides.

How do I send this with root permissions? When sending it “the normal way” it gives back “no permission”. It doesn’t ask for a login or password.

In a terminal, type su
It will then ask for a password for the root user. Enter that password. When the password is accepted, type what oldcpu told you.

I did all that but the graphics didn’t change at all.

I’d like to put it into the pastebin, and I am trying since yesterday to paste it there, but the site seems to have problems in these days. Ain’t there an alternative?

There you go: pastebin - collaborative debugging tool