Yet another NVidia driver question -- Long,sorry!

English Hardware
1

Hello, all.

I just moved over from Ubuntu to SuSE 11.0 (KDE 3.5). Did a clean install on my Dell Inspiron 530. Things seem to have gone generally well, but I think my monitor resolution is screwed up. Would appreciate the wisdom of this forum. I’ve checked through the other posts and did not see a problem identical to mine (sorry if I missed something obvious).

The monitor is a Dell 2208WFP (22"). Graphics card is GeForce 8300GS.

When I look in the KMenu <system/configuration/configure NVidia X server settings> the monitor is identified as Dell 2208WFP 1680X1050. But when I go to look at the monitor in YaST Control Center <hardware/graphics card and monitor> after I see the “SAX2 importing data” message another message box pops up that says: “Cannot Deactivate All Displays. At least one display must be active.”

This message box comes up no matter what I try to look at involving SAX2, for example if I click on “Keyboard layout” or “Mouse model.”

So I click off this mysterious message and look at the monitor in SAX2. It is incorrectly identified as "VESA 1280X1024@60hz. I then scroll up to look at the available monitors under Dell, but my model 2208 is not listed. I called Dell tech support and asked what was the closest model I could select, but they would not help me when I said I was using Linux!!

They insisted that if I were using Vista the monitor would be properly identified. I said that Vista, SuSE, Ubuntu it should not matter. They can tell me the closest monitor to the 2208 and I can try that. But they refused to provide any assistance. (Note, I purchased the computer with Ubuntu Linux, but they still refused to provide any support.)

Anyway, I then looked at my xorg.conf file and noticed that the monitor shows up as the VESA 1280X1024, not as the higher resolution 1680X1050 indicated by the NVidia configuration utility.

So now I’m totally confused. The resolution sure does not look anywhere near as good as it did running Ubuntu which did allow me 1680X1050.

So…am I trying to set resolution in two places, and am I ending up creating conflicts?

Where is the right place to set the screen resolution? In the Nvidia configuration utility I mentioned first (and forget what SAX2 says), or in SAX 2 (and forget what NVidia says)? Or do I set resolution in both places?

If in SAX2 how do I set it if my monitor is not even offered as an option?

Also, I may be making a total mess of the settings in the Nvidia X Server Settings utility. I am not even sure which buttons I should or should not be clicking there. (A little hand-holding here would be appreciated so I’m not creating more problems by clicking the wrong things.)

While trying to figure this out I did get the following message:

“You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run nvidia-xconfig as root), and restart the X server.”

Well I tried that, and disaster. I was brought to a command prompt and asked to log in. When I tried it took me back to the command prompt and I could never get out of what was an endless loop. I had to reinstall SuSE (I know, I know. But I was absolutely stuck and had to get the computer up and running.)

So it is running now, but with what I think is sub-optimal resolution (and that strange message that pops up in SAX2 saying: “Cannot Deactivate All Displays. At least one display must be active.”

Attached next is the output of my xorg.conf file.

Your help getting this resolution set properly is greatly appreciated. Let me know if you need additional information.
Thanks! :slight_smile:
socref

nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings

nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder58) Thu Jul 17 18:39:42 PDT 2008

nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig

nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder58) Thu Jul 17 18:39:00 PDT 2008

/…/

SaX generated X11 config file

Created on: 2009-01-03T15:45:55-0500.

Version: 8.1

Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005

Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users>

Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)

PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
Screen 0 “Screen0” 0 0
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
Option “Clone” “off”
Option “Xinerama” “off”
EndSection

Section “Files”
InputDevices “/dev/gpmdata”
InputDevices “/dev/input/mice”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/URW”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Speedo”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/truetype”
FontPath “/opt/kde3/share/fonts”
FontPath “/usr/local/share/fonts”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “type1”
Load “freetype”
Load “extmod”
Load “glx”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “on”
Option “ZapWarning” “on”
Option “Xinerama” “0”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Keyboard[0]”
Driver “kbd”
Option “Protocol” “Standard”
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
Option “XkbModel” “microsoftpro”
Option “XkbRules” “xfree86”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Buttons” “14”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Name” “Logitech USB Receiver”
Option “Protocol” “explorerps/2”
Option “Vendor” “Sysp”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
VendorName “–> VESA”
ModelName “1280X1024@60HZ”
UseModes “Modes[0]”
DisplaySize 340 270
HorizSync 31.0 - 64.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 60.0
Option “CalcAlgorithm” “XServerPool”
Option “DPMS”
Option “PreferredMode” “1280x1024”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0”
VendorName “Unknown”
ModelName “DELL 2208WFP”
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Device[0]”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVidia”
BoardName “GeForce 8300 GS”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Videocard0”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVIDIA Corporation”
BoardName “GeForce 8300 GS”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Device “Device[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen0”
Device “Videocard0”
Monitor “Monitor0”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “TwinView” “0”
Option “metamodes” “1680x1050 +0+0”
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Extensions”
Option “Composite” “on”
EndSection

2

Do you have a monitor driver disc? See if you can dig that up, or download a driver from the support page at your manufacturer’s website, and then burn the driver to a disc. What you need specifically is the .inf file for your model of monitor.

Sax2 does not really work correctly unless you exit the desktop environment first. To do that, hit control + alt + F1. Then log in as root and run this command:

sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia

Sax2 should start. If you get errors, run this command:

sax2 -r -m 0=nv

(this command will switch you back to the open source driver w/no 3d support until you can get the nvidia driver business sorted out)

Assuming sax2 starts OK, go to “change settings” and then click the monitor tab and choose “Utility disk” and insert your monitor driver disc, and choose your exact monitor.

When you’re done, save your settings and enter the command when you get back to the terminal

init 5

This should take you to the log in screen. If it does not work, use this command

reboot

Once you’re back to the desktop run the following command to see if you are using the nvidia driver

nvidia-settings

Hopefully this will give to enough info be able to solve your problem or figure it out on your own. Good luck!

3

not sure if it helps, I get the same message in Sax2, also used the sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia as forest hill suggested

I think it has something to do with what nvidia settings do to the xorg.conf file, the device[0] vs device0 or monitor[0] vs monitor0 and sax2 does not work correctly with that or with the multiple entries ?

I have simply ignored sax2 after it was all working and setup the resolution via the nvidia tool (nvidia-settings) under x server display configuration and then press apply.

4

ForrestHill,
Thanks for suggestions, but something is wrong.

I have the original Dell driver disk. So I put that into the drive and followed your directions.

  1. control + alt + F1
  2. log in as root and enter sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia

That got me a message that said: Sax2 access to your display is denied.

After a few seconds that screen changed and a box popped up asking if I wanted to change the Sax settings. I clicked “change configuration.”

That brought up the screen where Sax displays its inventory of drivers. I clicked on the box that says “Utility disk.”

After a few seconds the screen flashed and brought me right back to the same screen with the inventory of drivers. Clicking on “Utility disk” never gave me a screen to make any changes.

So I exited and closed Sax and went back to the command prompt as root and entered your alternate command.

  1. sax2 -r -m 0=nv

I got the same message: Sax 2 access to your display is denied.

Then I was taken through the same screens as described in #2 above. Even after clicking on “Utility disk” I was not given an opportunity to access the disk and the driver.

Obviously I never got to the instructions about saving the settings, init5, etc. etc.

I ended up entering “reboot” (entering init5 did nothing) and restarting the computer so I could send this reply.

What would you suggest next? Am I doing something wrong with your instructions?

Thx
socref

5

Foresthill, I made some progress, I think. But it’s still not right.

This time I was able to get Sax2 to see the utility disk and to find the monitor in the list. But let me back up a step.

Again I tried sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia and got the same message as noted in my previous posting. And when I tried sax2 -r -m 0=nv I again got the same message.

But I kept going, found the monitor using the utility disk. When I tried it after sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia I got an error message that the “test” could not complete.

When I tried the utility disk with sax2 -r -m 0=nv I was not give a choice to test, but I could save the settings, which I did.

I could not run init5 to move forward, but I could reboot, which I did.

Then I tried the command nvidia-settings and got an error message that said: “You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run ‘nvidia-xconfig’ as root), and restart the X server.”

Well, a few days ago I got that same message, tried to follow it, and ended up with a screwed video display (as others have also found in posts to this forum). So I did not do that today.

When I then try to run nvidia-settings I no longer get the configuration screen where I can set resolution. But nvidia-settings definitely is installed.

So, now what? Oh, here’s the current output of my xorgconf file. I don’t see any indication that I’m using the Nvidia driver. Am I missing something here?

How do I get proper resolution using the Nvidia driver?

Thx. socref

/…/

SaX generated X11 config file

Created on: 2009-01-06T21:18:55-0500.

Version: 8.1

Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005

Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users&gt;

Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)

PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!

Section “Files”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/local”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/URW”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Speedo”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/PEX”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin2/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/japanese:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/kwintv”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/truetype”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/uni:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/CID”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/hellas/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/xtest”
FontPath “/opt/kde3/share/fonts”
InputDevices “/dev/gpmdata”
InputDevices “/dev/input/mice”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “on”
Option “ZapWarning” “on”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “type1”
Load “freetype”
Load “extmod”
Load “glx”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “kbd”
Identifier “Keyboard[0]”
Option “Protocol” “Standard”
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
Option “XkbModel” “microsoftpro”
Option “XkbRules” “xfree86”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “mouse”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Option “Buttons” “14”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Name” “Logitech USB Receiver”
Option “Protocol” “explorerps/2”
Option “Vendor” “Sysp”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Option “CalcAlgorithm” “XServerPool”
DisplaySize 440 352
HorizSync 31-83
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
ModelName “DELL 2208WFP(DIGITAL)”
Option “PreferredMode” “1680x1050”
VendorName “DELL”
VertRefresh 56-75
UseModes “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1680x1050” “1600x1024” “1600x1000” “1400x1050” “1280x1024” “1440x900” “1280x960” “1366x768” “1280x800” “1152x864” “1280x768” “1280x720” “1024x768” “1280x600” “1024x600” “800x600” “768x576” “640x480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1680x1050” “1600x1024” “1600x1000” “1400x1050” “1280x1024” “1440x900” “1280x960” “1366x768” “1280x800” “1152x864” “1280x768” “1280x720” “1024x768” “1280x600” “1024x600” “800x600” “768x576” “640x480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1680x1050” “1600x1024” “1600x1000” “1400x1050” “1280x1024” “1440x900” “1280x960” “1366x768” “1280x800” “1152x864” “1280x768” “1280x720” “1024x768” “1280x600” “1024x600” “800x600” “768x576” “640x480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1680x1050” “1600x1024” “1600x1000” “1400x1050” “1280x1024” “1440x900” “1280x960” “1366x768” “1280x800” “1152x864” “1280x768” “1280x720” “1024x768” “1280x600” “1024x600” “800x600” “768x576” “640x480”
EndSubSection
Device “Device[0]”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
EndSection

Section “Device”
BoardName “GeForce 8300 GS”
BusID “1:0:0”
Driver “nv”
Identifier “Device[0]”
VendorName “NVIDIA”
EndSection

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
Option “Clone” “off”
Option “Xinerama” “off”
Screen “Screen[0]”
EndSection

Section “DRI”
Group “video”
Mode 0660
EndSection

Section “Extensions”
Option “Composite” “off”
EndSection

6

I don’t think you said how you went about installing your Nvidia driver. It looks like you have one though, since you can run nvidia-settings.

I would go ahead and run nvidia-xconfig while logged in a super-user (type su in terminal, then enter root password). Then, if the screen goes blank, that’s when you should log in as root and run sax2 -r -m 0=nvidia and if that does not work, sax2 -r -m 0=nv

If you still can’t get it to work, go into YAST / Software Management and search for nvidia and uninstall whatever nvidia driver you have there. Then go to terminal and type uname -r to get your kernel version, start YAST again search for nvidia and make sure the driver and your kernel version match.

Install both the GO2 file and the X11 file. Then run nvidia-xconfig and sax2 again, and keep messing with it until it works, which it will eventually.

HTH.

7

Before I do that here is what’s currently installed. (By the way, the 3D screen savers don’t work now.)

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG01
xorg-X11-driver-video
nvidia-settings

Now since I have a GeForce 8300GS video card I can see that I need to delete the two G01 drivers and replace with the G02 drivers. Correct? Yes/No?

Do I delete the xorg-X11-driver-video? Yes/No?

I assume I leave nvidia-settings as-is. Correct? Yes/No?

Are there any other drivers I should have additionally?

Finally, once I get this driver issue resolved do I set the resolution in the Nvidia configuration utility under KMenu>System>Configuration or do I set it in Yast? Or do I set it in both, and if both, in which order?

Thanks!
socref

8

What do you get when you run uname -r

Kernel versions for your Linux kernel and the nvidia driver must match!

You may have to add the nvidia repository under repositories / community repositories.

I would just remove these two files in YAST:

nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
x11-video-nvidiaG01

Then run YAST again and search for nvidia and install the two G02 files (X11 and nvidia-gfxG02) when they come up.

Then go to the terminal as super-user and run nvidia-xconfig, log out and log back in.

Like I said, don’t be afraid to play around and try different variations of stuff I have suggested. You can always go back to the “nv” driver if things get seriously messed up. Just remove what you installed previously before trying the next driver.

Every system is a little different and driver version requires a slightly different procedure to get the driver working, unfortunately. If there were one way that worked every time with every system, I would not have to answer all these posts.

I wish I could give you a list steps that would be guaranteed to work every time, but I can’t, so keep trying and some combination will work eventually, trust me, and you’ll be genuinely shocked.

9

Wow, what frustration. I’ve spent the better part of two days working on this. During that time I’ve had to reload SuSE five (5) times because the computer crashed and I could not get anything to happen unless I reinstalled. Details follow.

  1. I ran uname -r. Result: 2.6.25.18-0.2-default

  2. Repositories were already loaded.

  3. Removed these two files:
    nvidia-gfxG01-kmp-default
    x11-video-nvidiaG01

  4. Installed with the two corresponding G02 files and the nvidia-settings file.

  5. Then as super-user ran nvidia-xconfig.

  6. But was not given the chance to log out. Instead I was taken to a screen with lots of lines of information ending at a command prompt to log in.

  7. First I logged in as user. That brought me to another prompt that said “Have a lot of fun” and another command prompt. I “startx” and the computer came back to the prompt with an error message (don’t remember exact wording) that “startx” was not a recognized command.

  8. So I tried logging in as root. Gave me the same “Have a lot of fun” message. Again I tried “startx” as nothing else would work. Back to same prompt with same message that “startx” was not recognized.

  9. Nothing would get me out of this screen, so I rebooted the computer manually (powering off/powering on).

  10. Computer would not complete reboot. Came to a line that said “Run level 5 reached.” But run level 5 was never actually completed, and the boot process stopped there.

  11. Reinstalled SuSE and went through this again. But this time I used the G01 drivers even though I have a GeForce 8300 card and the G01 drivers are for pre 6XXX.

  12. Same messages came up and computer reboot stalled at “Run level 5 reached.”

  13. Could not get out of that screen except by reinstalling SuSE. (I know, I know, but nothing made any difference and computer would not boot).

  14. I tried various other combinations with and without the Dell monitor driver disk, and got a series of error messages. When I’d go to Sax and try to configure the monitor using the Dell driver disk to identify the monitor I got an error message that said the test could not be completed.

During one reinstall of software I got a message that “./rpm/i686/glibc-2.8-14.2i686.rpm” was not available. I clicked ignore (or whatever similar button was there) and when the desktop came up I clicked on the KMenu and then Yast but neither would open, and I got a message that said “Cannot launch kdesu.”

Another time I got a message that said “file system on sda1 is corrupted.” Had to reinstall after attempt to repair system did not work.

Another time I got a message that told me the boot loader was corrupted. I tried to do an repair to the installation but it could not fix the boot loader. Had to reinstall.

These problems went on and on and on.

  1. Finally, I installed SuSE with the G01 drivers, without the Dell driver disk, and without installing the nvidia-settings file. Now the computer loaded everything and I have an apparently stable system (even if sub-optimally configured for video).

After configuring the monitor in system -> configuration -> configure nvidia X server settings I still don’t believe I have the nvidia driver working. I have NOT done anything in Sax, as everytime I try to make a change in Sax the result crashes the computer. Sax still says VESA 1280X1040. And I don’t see where either nvidia or nv are identified as the driver (maybe I’m just not looking in the right place).

Finally, xorg.conf (below) appears to show that I am still not properly configured.

So I just don’t know what to do at this point. Sax doesn’t properly identify my monitor and I can’t complete the “test.” When I use the Dell driver disk to identify the monitor the system crashes. If I run nvidia-xconfig the system crashes. If I use the nvidia drivers for 6XXX and higher cards the system crashes.

I would like to have the monitor resolution set properly, but I am past the point where I’m willing to do anything that would cause me to have to reload SuSE yet again.

socref

nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings

nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder58) Thu Jul 17 18:39:42 PDT 2008

/…/

SaX generated X11 config file

Created on: 2009-01-08T00:00:54-0500.

Version: 8.1

Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2005

Contact: SaX-User list <https://lists.berlios.de/mailman/listinfo/sax-users&gt;

Automatically generated by [ISaX] (8.1)

PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
Screen 0 “Screen0” 0 0
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
Option “Clone” “off”
Option “Xinerama” “off”
EndSection

Section “Files”
InputDevices “/dev/gpmdata”
InputDevices “/dev/input/mice”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/100dpi:unscaled”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Type1”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/URW”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/Speedo”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic”
FontPath “/usr/share/fonts/truetype”
FontPath “/opt/kde3/share/fonts”
FontPath “/usr/local/share/fonts”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “type1”
Load “freetype”
Load “extmod”
Load “glx”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “on”
Option “ZapWarning” “on”
Option “Xinerama” “0”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Keyboard[0]”
Driver “kbd”
Option “Protocol” “Standard”
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
Option “XkbModel” “microsoftpro”
Option “XkbRules” “xfree86”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse[1]”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Buttons” “14”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “Name” “Logitech USB Receiver”
Option “Protocol” “explorerps/2”
Option “Vendor” “Sysp”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
VendorName “–> VESA”
ModelName “1280X1024@60HZ”
UseModes “Modes[0]”
DisplaySize 340 270
HorizSync 31.0 - 64.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 60.0
Option “CalcAlgorithm” “XServerPool”
Option “DPMS”
Option “PreferredMode” “1280x1024”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0”
VendorName “Unknown”
ModelName “DELL 2208WFP”
HorizSync 30.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Device[0]”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVidia”
BoardName “GeForce 8300 GS”
BusID “1:0:0”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Videocard0”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “NVIDIA Corporation”
BoardName “GeForce 8300 GS”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Device “Device[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 15
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Depth 8
Modes “1280x1024”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen0”
Device “Videocard0”
Monitor “Monitor0”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “TwinView” “0”
Option “metamodes” “1680x1050 +0+0”
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Extensions”
Option “Composite” “on”
EndSection

10

Geez, I sure hope this isn’t a significant factor that I left out in my original post. My Dell is a 64-bit system (Intel E2160 processors), and I just noticed that there is a separate forum for 64-bit hardware issues. Was it a gross oversight not to have posted there originally?

If by not mentioning 64-bit in the beginning I’ve taken everyone down the wrong path looking for a solution that was not there, I am truly sorry. On the other hand, if not mentioning 64-bit has no relevance to my particular video problem, then I am relieved (but still completely stumped as to a solution).

socref

11

In the sax2 config,

what happens if you change the monitor to

LCD > 1680X1050 @ 60Hz

Click ok, then test?

12

Right now if I try to open Sax I first get an error message box that says: “Cannot Deactivate All Displays. At least one display must be active.”

As I wrote earlier, I have no idea what that means, why I’m getting it, and whether it indicates problems that I should deal with.

If I then click “OK” and move past that screen up comes Sax2. My 22" Dell Monitor 2208 is shown as "VESA 1280X1024@60 hz. Further, it is described as SXGA. Clicking on “change” shows a diagonal size of 17.1 inches (rather than the proper 22.2) and an aspect ratio of 5/4 (rather than the proper 16/10).

I’ve tried changing those in the past only to get an error box pop up that says the test cannot be completed. I never get to the screens where you can resize if necessary. If I click “save” the system crashes.

Frankly I’m scared to death that if I apply the change you suggest the system is going to crash again, and I’ll have to reinstall.

socref

13

There is a different Nvidia driver used for 64 bit, but once you add the Nvidia repository in Yast, hopefully YAST is smart enough to figure out you are running a 64 bit system.

14

Yes, I confirmed each time that I was getting the 64-bit driver(s).

socref

15

I keep wondering why the nvidia drivers (G02) that are indicated for 6XXX and above video cards don’t seem to work, while the older drivers (G01) do work with my GeForce 8300 GS.

My system identifies the card as GeForce 8300 GS – just as it says on the sales receipt from Dell. Yet it’s almost as if my video card really isn’t an 8300 and is misidentifying itself to the computer. That’s crazy, right?

Almost as crazy as thinking that the card is correct but the drivers coming from the Nvidia repository are mislabeled (flip-flopped), and those marked G02 really are the older, G01 drivers and visa-versa?

I mean why are so many folks having these problems with Nvidia and SuSE 11.0 and/or 11.1? What at the heck is going on here that something so simple as loading Nvidia drivers keeps crashing my system, and the only way I can get a stable system is NOT to touch Sax and apparently NOT to activate the Nvidia drivers.

Crazy, crazy. :frowning:

socref

16

Having installed both 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Open Suse 10.1 through 11.1 on various machines with my three different Nvidia cards, I can tell you that no two installs ever seem to go quite the same.

When using the recent versions of repo drivers, I have noticed that sometimes you just install them, log out and log back in and they work. Other times you have to run sax2, and still other times, running nvidia-xconfig does the trick.

But as long as I’m patient and don’t start throwing stuff, I have ALWAYS been able to find a particular driver combined with a particular method of installation that worked. One semi-exception was when my GT 7950 was too new to have regular drivers work, so I used a beta driver.

So I firmly believe that anyone having problems with Nvidia drivers has just not tried enough different ways of attacking the problem or just plain ran out of patience.

Also, don’t worry if your card is not properly identified. My GT 7950 says “framebuffer graphics” in sax2 but everything else, including Nvidia-Settings, glxgears, and 3d games all work perfect.

17

Hi
Try doing it the hard way… I’ve tried the repository way and have had
issues in the past, plus sometimes you get a lag between a kernel
release and available in the repository…

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.1 x86 Kernel 2.6.27.7-9-pae
up 7:58, 1 user, load average: 0.07, 0.08, 0.14
GPU GeForce 6600 TE/6200 TE - Driver Version: 180.22

18

CLARIFICATION: I meant to say no two Nvidia driver installs ever seem to go exactly the same.

19

Geezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

maybe we will just stick with 1) our eight year old computer and 2) our four year old computer

20

OK, let me go back to a series of questions I asked way back in the beginning but which were never really answered.

Let’s say I once again delete the G01 drivers and install the G02 drivers. Then in what order do I configure?

Do I first configure in KMenu > System > Configuration > Configure NVidia X Server settings?

Then do I go and configure again in Sax2 using my Dell driver disk in order to properly identify my monitor?

Is it really necessary that my monitor is correctly identified, or can I just use the “LCD” designation, set the screen size to 22" and 16/10, and let it rip?

After all of that then do I run nvidia-xconfig?

Everytime I’ve run nvidia-xconfig it’s crashed my system. Everytime. Not once have I been able to run nvidia-xconfig, then log out, then log back in.

Or, please tell me what to type at the prompt when it says “Have a lot of fun.” What do I enter then to get the system to boot? Remember, typing “startx” gives me an error message that the command is not recognized.

Might there be something else I need that’s not loaded – the absence of which is causing nvidia-xconfig to crash my system?

Alternatively, should I configure Sax2 first, using the Dell driver disk, and only after that is done then load the nvidia G02 drivers and then configure in KMenu > System > Configuration > Configure NVidia X Server settings?

And do I need to install nvidia-settings? That’s not on my computer now. It’s also not on my wife’s computer (Samsung monitor) and her configuration has not been a problem at all. Her’s was a breeze to set up.

So many questions, so many combinations and permutations. And each one with the potential to but me back to square one – another install of the O/S.

Deep sigh.
socref