Major Headaches with Mandrake 9.0 and Nvidia Card

otish1000c · 07-24-2004, 12:16 PM

please post the contents of XF86Config-4 here. in teminal, as root, type.........

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

that will output it. post the info here.

hang in, you'll get there.

otis

pongmaster · 07-24-2004, 12:19 PM

Will do.
Is there any particular startup procedure I should use so that I can get onto the net using Linux and copy/paste the contents of that file?
I'm using windows atm...

otish1000c · 07-24-2004, 12:20 PM

please note, it's early Saturday here where i am, so i won't be available for some periods throughout the rest of the day. (prior commitments) if you don't see me posting back, it's not because i'm ignoring you, it's because i'm busy with other things. please be patient & i promise i will get back to you as soon as i can.

otis

otish1000c · 07-24-2004, 12:23 PM

unfortunately, you're going to have to use the old paper & pencil method to post the info. you could try "print screen". never tried that, but it might work. worth a try, at least. if you do have to write things down, make sure you do it accurately. one typo can make a huge difference.

another option is, use the vim editing method to edit your XF86Config-4 file & change the nvidia line back to nv. that should use the generic drivers & get you to a GUI in MDK so you can copy & paste, or at least print from a text editor.

otis

pongmaster · 07-24-2004, 12:24 PM

That's absolutely no problem.
I'm really appreciative of the help you've given me so far.
Thanks again.

otish1000c · 07-24-2004, 12:28 PM

read my last comment to answer your last question, if you haven't already. we may have been posting at the same time so you might have missed it.

otis

pongmaster · 07-24-2004, 07:07 PM

I messed this up big time.
I think that I deleted the XFConfig-4 file that I was supposed to be editing as when I tried to log back in again and view the file to post the contents here, I couldn't get the file to show and got an error message about 'command or file not found'.
I had to uninstall everything and start again.
I downloaded another package - a more up to date driver package released by nvidia on the 30th June. I installed this package as per the info previously. The install went without a hitch.
I didn't touch the XFConfig-4 file.
When I logged back in normally, I got an NVIDIA splash screen - and then the KDE splash screen, then the desktop. Hooray!

Anyway, I still think that the XFConfig file might need editing as I didn't do anything to it previously.
Here's the file, see what you make of it:

Code:

# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
    # Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
    # By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
    # the X server to render fonts.
    FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    #DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
    #DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
    Load "extmod"
    Load "type1"
    Load "freetype"
    Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Keyboard1"
    Driver "Keyboard"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "gb"
    Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Mouse1"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Plug'n Play"
    ModelName "Mitsubishi Diamond Plus 73 (N9705)"
    HorizSync 31-69
    VertRefresh 59-86
    
    # Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
    # 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "1024x480"    65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344   480  488  494  563 -hsync -vsync
    
    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630
    
    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection

Any suggestions/help most appreciated.
Thanks again.

dalek · 07-24-2004, 07:27 PM

If you see a white screen with Nvidia in the middle, it is working. You should be done.

pongmaster · 07-24-2004, 07:34 PM

Super Cool

Like to big up otish1000c for all the help with this - he's one top geezer.

otish1000c · 07-25-2004, 06:18 AM

w00t!

glad to hear you got things working. here's a few other tidbits of info, should you want/need them.

if you find you're experiencing random freezes or crashes, try editing your "device" section of the XF86Config-4 file using the "NvAGP" "number" options i list at the end of my install instructions. you can also disable the splash screen there too, should that annoy you. here's what mine looks like, for reference.

(NOTE: the words in red are just notes & should not be in there should you edit yours.)

Code:

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "NVidia"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce4 (generic)"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "DPMS"
    Option "NvAGP" "3" this is where you can use the 0,1,2,3 options
    Option "NoLogo" "1" this disables the Nvidia splash screen
EndSection

also, if you want to test what kind of video acceleration you're getting, you can type the following as root in a terminal.........

Code:

glxgears

(enter)

here's mine, FWIW..........

Code:

[root@default otis]# glxgears
17848 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3569.600 FPS
20983 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4196.600 FPS
21049 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4209.800 FPS
21140 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4228.000 FPS
20942 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4188.400 FPS
21037 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4207.400 FPS

otis

pongmaster · 07-25-2004, 12:30 PM

Not getting any random freezes or crashes.
System's been up and running for a little over 18 hours so... fingers crossed.

I tried out the glxgears thing, and got these results.

Code:

9815 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1963.000 FPS
10686 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2137.200 FPS
11857 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2371.400 FPS
15687 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3137.400 FPS
43027 frames in 5.0 seconds = 8605.400 FPS
35964 frames in 5.0 seconds = 7192.800 FPS
20253 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4050.600 FPS
12098 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2419.600 FPS
11900 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2380.000 FPS

This is using a GeForce 3 200Ti with 64Mb Ram on the card.
I don't know if these figures are representative of that type of card under MDK 10.0, but I'm not grumbling at a ceiling rate of 8605.400fps.

Can I edit the XF86Config-4 file directly from the GUI, or do I have to go through the shell - init 3 process again?
I take it that I'd have to edit this using my 'su' profile?

Many thanks again Otis, you've really helped me out with this.

otish1000c · 07-26-2004, 04:06 AM

that's about what that card should be getting. i have the GEforce 4600ti. if you want to edit the XF86 file to try those options, you can do it in GUI. you just need to restart X after editing & saving the file. you can retstart X by using ctrl+alt+backspace keys. or, you could log out/log back in to the desktop. you do need to be root to edit the file, so you could do it in any terminal via the VI method in my instructions. or, if you're using KDE you can type konqueror (enter) in terminal as root & that will open Konqueror file manager in superuser (IE: root) mode from which you can edit/manipulate any file. you might want to play with options 1,2, & 3 to see if you can get more stable results with glxgears. your read out shouldn't have massive peaks & valleys like it does, but it will do no harm that way either, so don't panic.

otis

pongmaster · 07-26-2004, 10:08 AM

What do the 0,1,2 & 3 options actually do?
I reconfigured the XF86 file to get rid of the splash screen (but only to shorten the time it takes to boot the system) and set the line:

Code:

Option "NvAGP" "3"

I re-ran glxgears and got far more stable results (no peaks and troughs) but overall performance seemed to have dropped off - consistently getting results in the 2400.000 FPS area.
Sorry to keep asking questions that you must have answered a thousand times before...

If any moderator want's to make this thread a sticky for otish1000c's nvidia tutorial in post #2, then please do so - I'm sure it would be of use to as many more newcomers as it was to me.

otish1000c · 07-26-2004, 10:35 AM

the options do the following.......

"0" (uses no agp support)
"1" (uses nvidia agpart only)
"2" (tries kernel agpart only)
"3" (tries kernel agp first, then nvidia agp)

if you read through the monstrous FAQ/Read Me on the Nvidia drivers download site, you'll come across many different options you can use with the drivers. alot are very esoteric that will never need to use (nor do i even understand what they are). there's even instructions on how to use the nvidia installer to check for updated drivers, & there's also a command to run an nvidia control type panel from the command line. i think it's nvidia-settings (as root) but not quite sure at the moment. check 'em out if you get the chance.

otis

pongmaster · 07-26-2004, 05:07 PM

Went and had a read on the nvidia site.
You're right - there are a lot of options for the XFConfig file.
Sorry to say that I only understood about 20% of them....

Must study harder and learn more....
Anyhoo, thanks for your help otis, it's greatly appreciated.