Nvidia's just pumping them out. New nvidia graphics driver 1.0-7174

* Fixed performance problem when using AGPGART.
* Fixed support for GeForce2 Integrated GPUs.
* Fixed a workstation graphics stability problem.
* Improved XRandR rotation support.
* Fixed installation problems on some Linux 2.6 kernels.
* Updated documentation. Please see the text README file.

NVIDIA Linux Driver 1.0-7174 Download: [ x86 | x86_64 ]

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Xsecrets

After hearing about the last one I was glad I didn't jump when it came out. I think I'll listen to the tracks awhile and see which way the train is heading...

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I finally got the 7174 drivers installed. I edited the XF86Config-4 file like the Nvidia Readme specifies, and restarted the gdm. Black screen, and keyboard doesn't work. Can't Ctrl-Alt-anything. Rebooted, and everything normal until the GDM starts. Black screen and keyboard still doesn't work.

==> Main question: How do I stop the GDM from starting so I can find out what's wrong and fix it?

Interesting thing is the monitor light stays green, indicating some signal is being received.

My setup: HP AMD64 (3300+ running 2.4GHz) with 512MB, WD250 GB, Nvidia 6600 GT dual-DVI and HD out. Monitor Sony SDM-81 LCD capable of 1280x1024. pcHDTV card. R5A12.

Had ATI 9800 and it worked, but sometimes went over 90% CPU usage. Worked that way for 2 weeks. I know the CPU is less than what's recommended, but it's what I have. I thought the Nvidia cards might have better MPEG2 handling, which should cut down on CPU usage. Default drivers on install cause 97% CPU installation, worse than with ATI 9800. When the ATI 9800 was in, I tried to install ATI drivers, but couldn't get them to fully install. I read the thread about ATI drivers, but didn't know what 2 .sh scripts or what the install directories were that they were talking about. With Nvidia in, I tried the included Nvidia drivers, but couldn't get them installed. Finally got them installed, and same black screen, no keyboard.

For the new Nvidia drivers, I found out how to stop the GDM so I could install (thanks to this BB), and had to tar the kernel source (thanks to EFF's install guide for Nvidia) before the Nvidia drivers would install, but they finally installed properly, and the install log showed good install, past the post-install sanity checks. I got rid of the "Load "dri"" and "Load "GLcore"" like Nvidia said, and changed "Driver "vesa"" to "Driver "nvidia"" and made sure "Load "glx"" was still there.

I've done about 10 re-installs the last few days. If you can help with the Nvidia drivers, thanks. If not, does Nvidia do MPEG2 better, or should I just bite the bullet and go to an Intel 3GHz system?

why are you trying to use the new nvidia drivers, why not just use the script that comes with knoppmyth to install the nvidia drivers? it does everything for you. in R5A12 it even untars and links the kernel source for you. Also you may want to try using libmpeg for video playback as well as having the proper drivers installed. I believe that should give you enough headroom with your proc.

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Xsecrets

Thanks, Xsecrets for your reply.

OK, another install. Auto install. Fixed timezone, I'm Eastern. Names and passwords. Copying files... Successfully installed to hda1. Pulled the CD, rebooted.

Tux in his living room, with XShell up for configuration. Wondering who those 2 guys are on his Tv. Is it maybe Linus and Klaus? Close configuration (may not have to run it if Nvidia install craps out on me).

Start XTerm. SU to root. Ping google. Nope. dhclient. Ping google. Good ping. apt-get update. apt-get install mozilla-firefox. I have networking.

Start Firefox in the gdm. Go to http://www.eff.org/broadcastflag/cookbook/guide.php and download their fx5200-XF86Config-4 file in /home/mythtv

Back to my XTerm as root. mv /home/mythtv/fx5200-XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/fx5200-XF86Config-4
cd /etc/X11
I can see the installation original and the newly downloaded file.

vi both files. The EFF one doesn't have GLcore. I like the Screen and Monitor sections from the install one.

Back to the EFF instructions.
cd /usr/src
ls
I see NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-6629-pkg1.run
It seems to be the same thing as the version 7174 I finally got installed that caused the problem, only not as recent. Is this what Xsecrets wants me to run? Lets check other things.

The EFF says to tar the kernel<TAB>, which I had to do to get the 7174 package to run. Then they say to "install-nv<TAB>". I do that, and it expands out to
install-nvidia-6629-debian.sh
Where did that come from? It isn't in the ls listing! But it is an install script, included with R5A12. Maybe that's what Xsecrets wants me to do. He says it does everything I need. OK, let's try it.
Uncompressing Kernel...

some stuff to quick to read, but I can see...

The file is already fully retrieved. Nothing to do.

Then it puts me back at tty1 with a login prompt.

Ctrl-Alt-F7, blank screen, but with a blinking cursor. Maybe it shut down the gdm and I should restart it?
Ctrl-Alt-F1, and login as root.
gdm start
Back to Tux in his living room, with an XTerm for Configuration.
Does this mean the drivers were installed with the R5A12 install? How to know? Let's look at the XF86Config-4 file, because, obviously, it's working.

Loads for GLcore, dri, and glx.
Monitor section still generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86Config.
Driver is still vesa. Doesn't seem to have been changed.
ls -l still shows date and time from before my downloaded fx5200 file, so it's still from the install.

Xsecrets, can you tell me where I'm missing something? I'm an old-time computer guy, buy a relative n00b with Linux. The simplest thing may have been missed. Also, I don't understand your libmpeg reference. Is that something I can put in mythtv setup?

On a more serious note... Why not follow my instructions instead of the EFF's? If you want to get the 7174 drivers, edit the install script comment the old and add the new (7174).

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cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!

cesman, I think I was trying to follow your instructions when I decided to get the 7174 driver. I wanted the latest.

However, I think I'm getting somewhere. At least I'm getting a diagnosis that I may be able to do something about. If you followed my laborious install, I left it thinking the Nvidia drivers may have been installed. I changed the XF86Config-4 file to use Driver "nvidia" in the Device Section, and restarted.

Now it's telling me it can't start the X server, because it found screens, but none of them are in a usable configuration. At least I'm now getting something I can work with, whereas before I just had a blank screen, and no keyboard. It asks if I want to see the X server output, and YES, I DO!

I can see the Nvidia driver, version 1.0.6629 is loading! That's great!

Now all I have to do is figure out why it doesn't like my screen.

When I change the Driver from nvidia to vesa, everything works well, and I come up at a resolution of 1280x1024. Change back to nvidia, and it says it can't find a screen that's properly configured.

Why can vesa do it, but nvidia can't? I've changed the hsync and vrefresh to exactly what ddc says, because vesa originally complained about them. Now it doesn't complain, but nvidia still can't use it.

Does anybody have a Sony SDM-M81 19" DFP working with Nvidia?

I can see 1280x1024 being a bear for the mpeg, so maybe if I reduce to 800x600 the CPU% won't be so high. But I still want 7174 and my monitor.

Hey, Xsecrets. Is that libmpeg you mentioned something I can put in the XF86Config-4 file?

libmpeg is in mythtv under tv settings

no libmpeg is a mythtv setting, but you are never going to get decent playback with the vesa driver. At the very least you'll have to use the nv driver. And of course all this is considering you are actually using a nvidia video card. which really wouldn't make much sense because you usually get the nv driver with any nvidia card.

If I were you I'd look over the /var/log/X<tab> log after changing the driver to nvidia and see what resolutions it says it detects as usable and put one of those under my screens section.

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Xsecrets

BTW - Unless "the latest drivers" have a feature or fix that you really need it's often ill advised to run to the bleeding edge like this. My recommendation is to try to get it working with the drivers packaged with R5A12 then worry about upgrading them.

Xsecrets is in the position of having a working configuration where he can just revert to what he was using before if the bleeding edge cuts him, not of being uncertain if the problem is because of the drivers or something that he still doesn't have right in the configuration...