How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMint

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jsalpha2

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by jsalpha2 »

The best I can remember the error message was " Failed to start the X server"
I decided to do a fresh install of Mint so I formatted the drive it was on and rebooted. Now my windows install was gone too! Got out the recovery disk that I made when I installed Windows 7, but after about an hour I got a message saying the recovery disk could not fix my system. So I re-installed Windows 7 from a month old back up. Did not lose to much. I've done a lot of reading since then on boot loaders and MBRs and found that I could have used my recovery disk to go to the command line and typed a few lines to fix things. Too late now. So now Windows is back on the C drive, Data on D drive and E drive is blank. I am eagerly waiting for Olivia Xfce. I think I'm going to install Grub2 on the Linux drive and just add a line to the Windows boot manager using EasyBCD. Trying Mint 15 Cinnamon on the flash drive until then. Also trying the unofficial-linuxmint-15-lxde-dvd-64bit-rc.iso on a flash drive. Driver install is much easier under Olivia.
LateJunction
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Location: (Old) Hampshire, in UK

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by LateJunction »

I wonder if I may be permitted to 'tag along' on this thread? I realise that this is, in general, not the correct thing to do and that I should start my own thread. Hwoever, this thread deals exactly with the problem I am having too - that of not being able to get any driver, other than the default nouveau one, working on my system. So, on the assumption that I can 'play' here, this is the situation; (if this assumption is invalid the forum moderator is free to delete this post, I guess).

I have an Abit K8T800Pro motherboard with Via8237, Athlon 64 X2 3700+ (2 GHz), no on-board graphics, and nVidia FX5200/Quadro NVS280 card (nVidia NV34 processor) and Mint Olivia Mate (I don't think the hardware is good enough for Cinnamon). The system also dual boots to WinXP. Out of the box the install has 2 issues:

Issue 1 (major): when booted to Mint the graphics card runs too hot to even touch (when booted to WinXP the card is just above ambient). I cannot run with it in this state.

Issue 2 (not so major): not relevant to this topic but see end of post.

To get the system to boot far enough to even install any form of Linux I have to use Kernel boot parameters "apic=off hpet=force clocksource=hpet".
The output from 'inxi -Gx' is:

Graphics: Card: NVIDIA NV34 [Geforce FX5200} Bus-id: 01:00.0
X.org: 1.13.3 drivers: nvidia, fbdev, vesa, nouveau tty sixe 80x25
Advanced Data: N/A for root out of X

This output obtained from CLI with the system in a broken state after trying to install nvidia-173 using the Package Manager. The install completed, returning me to a graphics interface, but failed immediately at the next reboot. The error message box says:
"Failed to started the X server (your graphics interface). It is likely that it is not set up correctly. Would you like to view the server output to diagnose the problem?"

A couple of comments:
a). It wasn't me who set up the server incorrectly, so why not tell who ever it was that added the error into their code, and ask them to correct it?
b). I get exactly the same situation if I try a manual install of the '.run' package available from the nvidia web-site.

Summarising the output from the X server, I see:
NVIDIA: could not open the device file /dev/nvidia (input/output error)

Fatal server error: no screens found.

I am then invited to look at the detailed server output. It shows:
(EE) The NVIDIA kernel module does not appear to be receiving interrupts generated by the NVIDIA graphics device
(EE) Failed to initialise the NVIDIA graphics device
(EE) Screens found but none have a suitable configuration

Fatal server error.

This leaves me with a system which will boot only to a command prompt. Previous requests to this forum have not been able to suggest any way that I can recover from this, so I normally have to re-install Mint. I have been doing this now for about 8 days, with about 10 installs of Mint so far, following any advice I can find on this, or any other forum. Most of this is unusable because it either applies to a different version of Mint, a different distribution of Linux, to a different level of driver or hardware or is, like much of the internet, just plain wrong. So the very length of this forum thread is itself an inconvenient but unavoidable truth that the process, for installing proprietary drivers in Linux Mint, is broken. It doesn't matter that it works for some; the fact that doesn't, and elicits so much advice, for others is the key fact.

For my specific circumstance, is there any advice?


For completeness, this is my Issue 2:
When booted with any version of Ubuntu or Mint, from version 11 onwards, with any desktop of choice, the system runs with CPU 1 at 100%, CPU 2 at about 3%, except when booting Cinnamon (then CPU 2 is at 50%). When booted to WinXP the system runs with both CPUs at about 2% (almost all attributed to Task Manager)
Otyugh

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by Otyugh »

http://www.pcinpact.com/news/80811-nvidia-met-a-jour-ses-pilotes-sous-linux-et-windows.htm

Nvidia drivers up.
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

@latejunction
To
answer your question requires a couple thing for you to look at, for starters, if you look at the OP, it clearly states, this is for newer cards, yours is a legacy card, so this tutorial would not apply to your card.
2 what you most likely have to do to get the card to work, is go into your bios and go to wherever the video settings are, and tell it to use pci-x, or agp or whatever interface that card uses so that the mother board only looks there for the video card, and deactivates the onboard card, and then run the additional drivers tool to install the PROPER drivers for your card.
elfaure

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by elfaure »

Hi-
I am brand new to Linux, just spent two days trying to get the failed Nvidia driver install to a black screen result in Mint 15-KDE-RC after the exact same driver worked in Mint 15 Mate?? without issue. I had to "sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-173" then "sudo service restart mdm" and now am back to the nouveau driver with "inxi -Fx" error but its working and I refuse to spend another minute on this issue. This is simply ridiculous. I will wait for an automated Xclient script generator, or possibly try the one I downloaded later. This is NOT a task for a newbie to be trying to figure out. Seems like a real quick path to brick your PC. I could redesign the space shuttle in less time than it would take me to figure out how to load this driver!!
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

Ok, I am getting A LOT of people complaining about how hard this is for a noob, or that it's not working on their older card, or the card in their laptop that also has an Intell GFX chip so they can change between them, and to be honest, it's getting a little tiring, this for all the people that have been making those complaints.
READ THE BEGINING OF THE ORIGINAL POST, THE VERY FIRST ONE, IN THIS THREAD!!!!!
If you are having trouble with drivers that are installed using the "Addition Drivers" tool included in LinuxMint, that is when you should try this method, if the drivers installed using that tool work for you, there is no reason to do this. Also if you are an eperienced linux user, as this method is not for noobs, and want to experiment with the latest Nvidia drivers, then this is for you.
This is for current Nvidia graphics card support only, this will not work for legacy cards.
This also will not work on "Hybrid" (laptops that have both an Intel ow power GPU, and an Nvidia discrete/standard GPU) tose require you to use a seperate method, or change settings in you BIOS
Please stop complaining when I have already posted warning about the things that most people are having issues with!
HoppityBob

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by HoppityBob »

Unfortunately nvidia seems to be broken for some of us on the latest kde. I'm fairly experienced and I've spent literally days with nothing but failure. The one time I somehow did get it activated was without libdrmnouveau which meant I had no workspace/window manager and it stopped working entirely on the next reboot regardless with the black screen despite me making no more changes.
elfaure

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by elfaure »

Well I just had another nouveau driver failure (can't idle on 0000c0000 or something like that), read the reply to my last post, and tried it again...and it installed this time! OMG it installed!! :D :D

I couldn't get back to the desktop with Ctrl+Alt+F8 or Ctrl+Alt+F7 which was bouncing me between a blue screen saying X server had stopped and the black tty screen (from a Ctrl+Alt+1-6) so I had to reboot. And it launched the plasma destop and is working. But I can't open the NVidia Xserver Settings icon that was added to my menu? No biggy. Command "inxi -Fx" shows NVidia driver is installed and running at 1280x1024 at 50Hz without error (unlike the nouveau driver which showed an error at this setting because it defaults to 60Hz). I'm still in awe that it actually installed. My rss-glx screensavers run noticably faster and smoother (nice!) and the system seems snappier. The only "glitch" I've noticed (so far) is the radio control buttons from some newly launched windows don't show the icon (minimize, maximize, close) until you hover over them. But after you hover, the icons stay showing. :D :mrgreen:

********************************************************************

My system (salvaged from a dumpster; a 2006 CAD station):
Intel motherboard with on-board graphics / 2GB RAM
Intel Pentium 4 single-core HT,multi-threading, 3.2GHz, 800MHz FSB
NVidia Quadro FX 1300 (NV38GL) [Dual-DVI monitor outputs]

Some things I did prior to successfully getting the NVidia-173 driver to install (step-by-step):

1. Went into my BIOS and changed the video from Auto to PCI (forces system to only use PCI NVidia card; decouples the "hybrid" video aspect of your Intel/NVidia hardware platform)
2. Noticed my DVI was connected to DVI-2. Moved the connector to DVI-1 while still in nouveau and configured as default. Not sure if this was a factor.
3. Ctrl+Alt+F1 (shell out to tty-1) and login
4. Sudo -i (get an interactive root shell)
5. Used command "mdm stop" not "sudo service mdm stop".
6. Used command "apt-get install nvidia-173"
7. Tried "mdm restart" then Ctrl+Alt+F8. Failed. Then tried Ctrl+Alt+F7. Failed. Both result in black screens or black/blue bouncing back and forth screens.
8. Rebooted
9. KDE Plasma desktop launched (smoothly - nouveau driver would load the splash, then flicker, then load the desktop with black stripes bottom and right, then fill in the black stripes.
10. Discovered I could not launch the NVidia X Server settings tool. Investigating...

Playing Maelstrom (Asteroids) now. Much, much more responsive. Nice!!

[Edit]

11. Used command "apt-get install nvidia-settings" (now NVidia Xserver settings launches)
12. All working now. Movies look and play great, game(s) play great, and got xscreensaver launching at boot and working with rss-glx (helios!!)
13. Styling my KDE desktop while watching a movie now...Stoked.
14. Will do a full backup (deja-dup) next
15. One persons Windows trash is another's functional Linux desktop PC. Free PC, free OS. Just took a little more work than expected but the end result was (almost) worth the effort. Had my nouveau driver not faulted (over and over) I would not have gone thru this but it does seem very stable now. What more can you ask for? :D
PublicNuisance

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by PublicNuisance »

I recently tried to update the drivers on my Nvidia GTX 260 to version 319.32 and it seems to have installed properly but I am getting an error saying API mismatch and X can't be started. Also I had trouble with the original instructions as I received an error when trying to use the init.d command, said to sue it through Service instead.
PublicNuisance

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by PublicNuisance »

Well I got home from work and it booted right in no issue. It is on the old driver not the new one but i'll try to tackle that tomorrow.
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

HoppityBob wrote:Unfortunately nvidia seems to be broken for some of us on the latest kde. I'm fairly experienced and I've spent literally days with nothing but failure. The one time I somehow did get it activated was without libdrmnouveau which meant I had no workspace/window manager and it stopped working entirely on the next reboot regardless with the black screen despite me making no more changes.
There have always been issues with KDE and Nvidia, at least the latest versions of KDE, it takes a little bit for all the bugs to be worked out, there's not a whole lot that can be done, it's on the KDE dev side, sorry.
elfaure

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by elfaure »

I now have nvidia-173 working for myself (installer, sudo user) but when adding additional users the screen comes up black.

[Question] What settings do I need to copy and to where do I copy them to for additional users? I tried just copying the .nvidia-settings-rc file to the home directory for the additional users and that didn't work.
strokercrate

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by strokercrate »

Ok so I did this and got through all the steps, everything happened as stated, after I started the mdm again (I had to use sudo service mdm stop/start) it took me to the login, When I look in my driver manager though, it doesn't show it installed, although everything in the tty1 stated it did without any problems.
maciimacii

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by maciimacii »

I've done the Nvidia driver install on 3 systems with a Geforce 9500 GT, Geforce 210 and an old AGP Geforce FX 5200 and never had a problem.

I am basically following the same routine as the original post in this thread.

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=132665
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

strokercrate wrote:Ok so I did this and got through all the steps, everything happened as stated, after I started the mdm again (I had to use sudo service mdm stop/start) it took me to the login, When I look in my driver manager though, it doesn't show it installed, although everything in the tty1 stated it did without any problems.
post the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -G
here, also, make sure you ran

Code: Select all

sudo nvidia-xconfig
strokercrate

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by strokercrate »

McLovin wrote:
strokercrate wrote:Ok so I did this and got through all the steps, everything happened as stated, after I started the mdm again (I had to use sudo service mdm stop/start) it took me to the login, When I look in my driver manager though, it doesn't show it installed, although everything in the tty1 stated it did without any problems.
post the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -G
here, also, make sure you ran

Code: Select all

sudo nvidia-xconfig
Graphics: Card: NVIDIA GK106 [GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost] X.Org: 1.13.3 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1440x900@59.9hz
GLX Renderer: GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 4.3.0 NVIDIA 325.08


So it shows there, but nothing pulls up in the drivers manager not any drivers.

Also I get these ripples in my Web Browser when I scroll up and down. Even after the Driver install.
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

well, for one, youre using the beta driver, "325.08" is the beta, i know cuz thats one im using, and i always use the beta, i just like to test them out, you should try out the 319 ones and see if that fixes the wavy lines in your browser, the stable ones, see if you get better performance, and like the output says, you're using the nvidia drivers, so don't worry about it
strokercrate

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by strokercrate »

McLovin wrote:well, for one, youre using the beta driver, "325.08" is the beta, i know cuz thats one im using, and i always use the beta, i just like to test them out, you should try out the 319 ones and see if that fixes the wavy lines in your browser, the stable ones, see if you get better performance, and like the output says, you're using the nvidia drivers, so don't worry about it
downgraded driver still have graphics ripples/tears while scrolling web pages, also tried both mate and cinnamon, some said changing to cinnamon helped theirs. I still have them but not as bad with cinnamon. I just prefer mate though. Seems easier to use and navigate giving me more upfront control, but can't stand that rippling though.
georgepbrown

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by georgepbrown »

I am New to linux thank you for this post my only problem is im running cinnamon not mate or kde what would the " code" be for this to type into cli ?
McLovin

Re: How to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers in LinuxMi

Post by McLovin »

georgepbrown wrote:I am New to linux thank you for this post my only problem is im running cinnamon not mate or kde what would the " code" be for this to type into cli ?
All versions of LinuxMint use the same DM, (desktop manager)
so the commands would be the same.
Good luck and welcome to computing bliss, if you need any more help don't hesitate to ask
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