Nvidia video drivers: How to install and setup
Posted: Mon 16 Aug 2010, 05:24
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.
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.
