Install old Nvidia driver 304

[pondweed]

Hello,
New to Linux, have Mint 19 installed.
I have an old graphics card and want to install Nvidia driver 304 which is the last driver that supports it. It doesn't show up in driver manager. I downloaded NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-304.137.run from Nvidia's site, wasn't able to install, got message about needing to disable 'X (something)'. Can anyone point me in the right direction for installing the Nvidia driver I downloaded or by another means? Thanks for any help.

[Hoser Rob]

There's been a lot of pruning of old hardware in recent Linux releases like Mint 19 and its Ubuntu 18.04 base. So nvidia-304 is deprecated.

I'm not an Nvidia expert but seems to me the reliable way would to reinstall Mint 18.3, in which your card would be supported.

Another way, which may fail and bork things, is to add another source which has some other nvidia drivers, NOT officially supported. If you want to try this execute these lines in the terminal:

Code: Select all

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa
sudo apt-get update

And then run Driver Manager again, it should appear in the list. It may not work though. One thing that Linux newbies need to know is that backwards compatibility is almost non existent in Linux. One could argue that Windows has too much but Linux doesn't have enough, definitely.

[pondweed]

Thanks a lot for helping.
That installer I downloaded from Nvidia, definitely no use for mint 19 then?
That other source you posted, is that a trusted source? I don't know much about these things yet.
Thanks again.

[Flemur]

New to Linux, have Mint 19 installed.
I have an old graphics card and want to install Nvidia driver 304 which is the last driver that supports it. It doesn't show up in driver manager.

I'm using nvidia 304 with Mint 18.3; 304 will install with kernels 4.4.x, 4.10.x, and I think 4.13.x, but NOT 4.15.x (4.14 IIRC is also NOT).

So perhaps see if you can use kernels from those series (I'm sticking with 4.4.x); I don't know if 304 will show up in the driver manager if you're using a lower # kernel.

[pondweed]

Thanks for your help.
I only have 4.5.x kernels listed as options to install. Can I add 4.4x versions to 19?
Also, Is NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-304.137.run definitely no use here before I delete it?
Thanks again.

[Flemur]

I only have 4.5.x kernels listed as options to install. Can I add 4.4x versions to 19?

My free advice is:

- How does your system run on the nouveau (generic) driver? I ran with the generic nouveau driver for a while and everything worked OK, including movies (w/xfce or fluxbox). If you're using Cinnamon, nouveau won't work, though. (WIth 304 driver the biggest difference is that my "doom" game - "freedoom" - looks a lot nicer!)

- Try the 4.5.x kernel, or some other number lower than 4.14/4.15; then try installing ndivia 304 (boot to the kernel you're trying to install to). Again, I'm not sure if the 304 driver will show up (also look in synaptic, and perhaps add the PPA @HoserRob)

- If that doesn't work, try using "ukuu" to install Ubuntu kernels. I think this is frowned on, though. (It doesn't have a GUI like you'll see if you look it up).
I'm running (on Mint 18.3) "4.4.154-0404154-generic" from here: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/
(Just for fun, I guess, the "mainline" kernels use a slightly different numbering system than the Mint/Ubuntu kernels:
http://people.canonical.com/~kernel/inf ... n-map.html) Boots in < 5 seconds.

- If all fails and you need the 304 driver, you might consider installing Mint 18.3. or buying a newer graphics card.

Also, Is NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-304.137.run definitely no use here before I delete it?

IIRC, you're no "supposed to" use those; I tried years ago once... If you have disk space, might as well hang onto it until the issue is fixed.

[CJK]

I have a similar problem running Mint 19.3
System Reports shows...

System: Host: chris-hp-workstation-xw6200 Kernel: 4.15.0-72-generic x86_64 bits: 64
compiler: gcc v: 7.4.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.4.5 wm: muffin dm: LightDM
Distro: Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic
Machine: Type: Desktop System: Hewlett-Packard product: hp workstation xw6200 v: N/A
serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 6 v: HP Minitower serial: <filter>
Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 08B8h serial: <filter> BIOS: Hewlett-Packard
v: 786B7 v2.01 date: 05/12/2005
CPU: Topology: 2x Single Core model: Intel Xeon bits: 64 type: MT SMP
arch: Netburst Smithfield rev: 1 L2 cache: 2048 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 bogomips: 25603
Speed: 3200 MHz min/max: N/A Core speeds (MHz): 1: 3200 2: 3200 3: 3200 4: 3200
Graphics: Device-1: NVIDIA NV41GL [Quadro FX 1400] driver: nouveau v: kernel bus ID: 40:00.0
chip ID: 10de:00ce
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.19.6 driver: nouveau unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa
resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: NV42 v: 2.1 Mesa 19.0.8 direct render: Yes

It's an old, but good, tower PC with the graphics card as shown...

My question is.... what graphics card should I buy to replace the one Noah left in this machine?

I am not a gamer, graphics required for photo edition and Libre Office Impress use etc

Thanks in advance...