Nvidia video drivers: How to install and setup

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bigpup
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Nvidia video drivers: How to install and setup

#1 Post by bigpup »

Source of drivers from forum
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/index. ... order=DESC


Be aware that you will need at lest 200MB free in your pupsave

If You Have Not Installed a Driver

Instructions
*install new driver from "Puppy Package Manager" or from other source.
*exit to a prompt, Menu/Start >> Shutdown >> Exit to Prompt in JWM, Menu/Start >> Logout >> Logout in Icewm
*type xorgwizard at the prompt
*select probe from the dialog
*select your desired resolution in the next list view and then your desired color depth, I always recommend the "x24" option
*choose to test your settings and follow the prompts
The test results will tell you what driver is being used.
*after the test you will have the option to change refresh rate
*xorgwizard is now finished so then type xwin at the prompt.

You can check if the new Nvidia driver is being used several ways-
* run the Nvidia X server settings program (if it runs you are using the Nvidia driver)
* look in the xorg.conf file
* Hardinfo hardware information program (display> open GL info)

Nvidia X server settings program
If you cannot get the settings you want with xorgwizard
Try Nvidia X server settings program (should be listed in menu)
* In the section "X server display configuration" If you change the resolution settings
do not use the apply button but make sure you select save to X configuration file.
*Restart X to make sure the new settings are being used.


Having Video Driver Issues
(Try a different driver)
Be aware that you will need at lest 200MB free in your pupsave

If you have tried a new driver
Instructions

*Uninstall whatever tried driver you have now with Puppy Package manager.

Sometimes there may be a problem with getting all of the old driver removed by using Puppy Package Manager. If you try the following steps and it does not seem to work. The best option is to start fresh with a new full install or for frugal install, a new fresh save file.

*reboot, this is important, a full reboot flushes all traces of the old driver
*install new driver from PPM or from other source.
*exit to a prompt, Menu/Start >> Shutdown >> Exit to Prompt in JWM, Menu/Start >> Logout >> Logout in Icewm
*type xorgwizard at the prompt
*select probe from the dialog
*select your desired resolution in the next list view and then your desired color depth, I always recommend the "x24" option
*choose to test your settings and follow the prompts
*after the test you will have the option to change refresh rate
*xorgwizard is now finished so then type xwin at the prompt.
Again you can us Nvidia’s X server Settings program if xorgwizard does not give you the settings you want.
If something goes wrong try again without uninstalling the driver or try this method with a new driver, FIRST uninstalling whatever driver is installed.


Video driver 101.
The video driver is a core component of the operating system.
It can not just be changed by installing a new driver.
The old driver has to be removed, from memory, and replaced by the new driver.
When this is happening you are working with a very basic video driver.
It is the driver that is used when you first boot, before X server starts.
To make the video driver change a program is used.
In Puppy that program is Xorgwizard.
Shutting down X server stops the use of the old driver.
Xorgwizard is run to select and use the new driver.
X server restarts and is now using the new driver.

Why would you want to reboot the computer to change a video driver?
When you use a driver, that was produced by a manufacturer of a video card, they have their own additional programs loaded, in memory, to control the driver.
Just uninstalling the driver, restarting X server, and running Xorgwizard may or may not get everything removed from memory from the old driver.
Every manufacture of video cards tells you to reboot a computer after you uninstall their drivers.
On reboot select their new driver.
That is just the way it works.

Another problem you can run into is having two drivers from the manufacturer on the computer.
Lets say you have Nvidia driver V9.6 and Nvidia driver V10.1.
You have not uninstalled ether one.
You want to change drivers.
You run Xorgwizard and tell it to use the Nvidia driver.
It has two to choose from, so it just does nothing because it has no way of knowing which one you want.
That is why you have to only have one manufacturers driver installed.
Last edited by bigpup on Tue 20 Mar 2012, 22:21, edited 9 times in total.

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bigpup
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#2 Post by bigpup »

place holder

Darkgame
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#3 Post by Darkgame »

its not that complicated!
Just go to quickpet, drivers, press nvidia and choose the first one.
That driver is even capable of playing directx games!
No need to log out, and im playing warcraft 3 (plus im running puppy from usb)
Im not insulting u, but yr method can b useful if xorg failed to display drivers

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bigpup
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#4 Post by bigpup »

Darkgame wrote:its not that complicated!
Just go to quickpet, drivers, press nvidia and choose the first one.
That driver is even capable of playing directx games!
No need to log out, and im playing warcraft 3 (plus im running puppy from usb)
Im not insulting u, but yr method can b useful if xorg failed to display drivers
Yes, Quickpet is a very good source of video drivers.
Xorgwizard has to be run to change the driver that X server is using.

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Burn_IT
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#5 Post by Burn_IT »

But if you are using a Laptop with an External Monitor plugged in, or Dualview, make sure it is turned on as the drivers make it the default monitor by default and the Laptop screen will go blank.
It does a similar thing in VirtualBox/VMlite.

It took me ages to realise that it was still working, but displaying a penchant for cloud/virtual viewing :)
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

GuyllFyre
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#6 Post by GuyllFyre »

N/T
Last edited by GuyllFyre on Sat 15 Oct 2011, 11:53, edited 1 time in total.

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Burn_IT
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#7 Post by Burn_IT »

Where is the session being saved? and more importantly where is the saved session being reloaded from. If more than one location contains saved sessions, it may be reloading the wrong one....??!!!
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

GuyllFyre
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#8 Post by GuyllFyre »

N/T
Last edited by GuyllFyre on Sat 15 Oct 2011, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

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Burn_IT
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#9 Post by Burn_IT »

I'll have a look later how I do it.
I am at work at the moment and cannot reboot into Puppy while I'm here.

reply at about 19:30 and It'll remind me to check??
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

GuyllFyre
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#10 Post by GuyllFyre »

N/T
Last edited by GuyllFyre on Sat 15 Oct 2011, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

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Burn_IT
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#11 Post by Burn_IT »

Mine UK,

You need to look and see that it is saving the xorg.conf with the correct nvidia drivers in it.
I had a quick look at mine, but then remembered I had deliberately removed the specific graphics drivers because I use the same installation (on a USB hard drive) from several different machines and as an example of how easy it is to set up on client machines.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett

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shinobar
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nVidia settings

#12 Post by shinobar »

GuyllFyre wrote:Now that I can use the nVidia settings utility, I can't seem to get it to save the settings. When I reboot, it all goes back to default
Have you saved it to the X Configuration(/etc/X11/xorg.conf)?
Ensure 'Merge with existing file' ticked on.
  1. Restart X. What happens?
  2. Reboot PC. What happens?
What version of Puppy you are using?
Downloads for Puppy Linux [url]http://shino.pos.to/linux/downloads.html[/url]

GuyllFyre
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Re: nVidia settings

#13 Post by GuyllFyre »

N/T
Last edited by GuyllFyre on Sat 15 Oct 2011, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

GuyllFyre
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#14 Post by GuyllFyre »

N/T
Last edited by GuyllFyre on Sat 15 Oct 2011, 11:54, edited 1 time in total.

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shinobar
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Saved to the X Configuration

#15 Post by shinobar »

GuyllFyre wrote:I'm not going to go start manually tinkering with xorg.conf.
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russoodle
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#16 Post by russoodle »

GuyllFyre wrote:I'm not going to go start manually tinkering with xorg.conf. This is 2011, not 2001. If it doesn't install, run, and work without manually screwing with it, I don't do it any more.

I haven't had to do it with the Ubuntu Studio x64 box I'm on now, so you guys better step up your game.

Thanks anyway. I'll stick with the running XP Pro that's already installed, configured, and doesn't lose it's settings when I reboot.

I'll stick to using Puppy on old junk that I'm selling that doesn't need special config for nice hardware.
@GuyllFyre,

Nice to see your appreciation of the suggestions/assistance that was offered.....courtesy costs nothing but you've obviously lost your wallet :evil:
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