GeForce GTS 450 graphics card in Two-Headed Dog 528

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of computer video hardware
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xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

GeForce GTS 450 graphics card in Two-Headed Dog 528

#1 Post by xsilvergs »

Hi,

New to Puppy.

I installed Puppy 525 yesterday but had a problem with graphics, I then realised there was a 528 version so installed that but the problem was the same.

The PC has a GeForce GTS 450 graphics card and will only show at 1280x1024, my monitor displays at 1920x1080 so I have a black border all round. Ive tried different nvidia drivers but when I go to NVIDIA X server settings I get this message:-

"You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server."

No matter what I do I think it always defaults to Vesa.

Report Video GLX 0.4 reports:-

Code: Select all

Sat 20 Aug 2011  Operating System: Two-Headed Dog-528  Linux 2.6.33.2
 0.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation Device 1245 (rev a1)  
 oem: NVIDIA  product: BIOS-P/N@N8700 Chip Rev  

X Server: Xorg   Driver: vesa
X.Org version: 1.7.6
  dimensions:    1280x1024 pixels (533x302 millimeters)
  depth of root window:    24 planes


Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU 540
 Core 0: 4185  1: 4185  2: 4185  3: 4185  MHz

...the above also recorded at '/tmp/root/report-video-glx'.
I also have Ubuntu on another partition and that displays correctly.

The PC is a quad core 4GHZ with 4gB of ram so isn't lacking.

Has anybody any ideas?

Thank you[/code]

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wuwei
Posts: 800
Joined: Sat 15 Sep 2007, 11:59
Location: formerly de; now in tranquility

nVidia driver installation to fresh Puppy

#2 Post by wuwei »

Hi xsilvergs and welcome here at the Puppy forum.

What you describe is a known issue.

I suggest you start with a fresh Puppy booted from CD with "puppy pfix=ram" at the first splash screen. (Do not use your "corrupted" current save file!)
If you boot with grub, add pfix=ram to the boot parameter on the grub choice screen.

Then after the personalized settings have run through,
the first order of business is to establish an internet connection via the "connect" icon.
Next use the Quickpet icon and go to tab "drivers".
There you can test your card or directly click on the second button to choose an nVidia driver. Usually the highest numbered is a good choice.
After the installation procedure do exactly what is recommended in the small pop-up window. Write it down if your memory is short.

Exit to prompt , do the xorgwizard procedure and return to X.
Usually the graphics driver is then installed with the correctly chosen resolution.

Shutdown or reboot and save these settings to file.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#3 Post by xsilvergs »

Hi wuwei thanks for getting back.

I tried what you suggested but still no luck:-

From Quickpet > Drivers if I 'Test Graphics Card' it reports nVidia Corp Device 1245 (rev a1) and tells me the best add on driver is Xorg-High. Elsewhere this comes up as 'xorg-High-1.1-Lucid graphics for Radeon, Intel, Other (not Nvidia)

From Quickpet > Drivers if I select Nvidia the Xorg-High is not an option.

That's as far as I've got.

Thanks

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wuwei
Posts: 800
Joined: Sat 15 Sep 2007, 11:59
Location: formerly de; now in tranquility

#4 Post by wuwei »

xsilvergs wrote:
From Quickpet > Drivers if I 'Test Graphics Card' it reports nVidia Corp Device 1245 (rev a1) and tells me the best add on driver is Xorg-High.
I see what you mean. This is at best a dead-end street.
Better to use the second button in Quickpet, and choose the nVidia driver with the highest version number. It usually does the trick for me.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#5 Post by xsilvergs »

wuwei

If I choose the second option and install any of the drivers I get

"You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server."

again.

Thanks for your ideas.

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bigpup
Posts: 13886
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Location: S.C. USA

#6 Post by bigpup »

xsilvergs wrote:wuwei

If I choose the second option and install any of the drivers I get

"You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server."

again.

Thanks for your ideas.
Give specific details.
You do what?
You see what?

This sounds like you are just not doing the steps properly.

This is the manual way to change drivers. Quickpet has automated some of this.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=58810
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

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bigpup
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Location: S.C. USA

#7 Post by bigpup »

According to Nvidia support. The Nvidia 260 driver, in Quickpet, should work for your Video card.
There is a newer driver here:
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=69290
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected :shock:
YaPI(any iso installer)

User avatar
wuwei
Posts: 800
Joined: Sat 15 Sep 2007, 11:59
Location: formerly de; now in tranquility

#8 Post by wuwei »

xsilvergs wrote:
"If I choose the second option and install any of the drivers I get

"You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server." "
You will only get this, if you are using the savefile from a previous (frugal) installation. However, this savefile is corrupted by too many driver installations and maybe deinstallations. Therefore, start with a fresh Puppy by adding these parameters at the very first boot screen:

If starting from CD: puppy pfix=ram
If starting with Grub: pfix=ram

And do take bigpup's advice, as well.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#9 Post by xsilvergs »

Hi bigdog

I've downloaded
but get an error message 'failed to install'

Just for info although I choose 1920x1080 it only displays as 1280x1024.

Thanks for help

mill0001
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu 01 Feb 2007, 16:30
Location: "People's Republik of Kalifornia"

#10 Post by mill0001 »

Hi, I had the same issue with my Nvidia 250 GTS. So here's a (hopefully) possble solution. (got mine working this way) Go to puppy package manager and uninstall any Nvidia driver pets you have installed and reboot the machine. When you get back to desktop open your terminal and type "nvidia-uninstall" without the quotes. This is just to try and get a clean install of the driver. Now open quickpet, test your card and then install the 260 driver from there. When you get to command prompt just follow the instructions. Your card will revert to vesa no matter what you do at this point. Let it and get back to the desktop. Now reboot into your Ubuntu system and find the X11 file. I don't use Ubuntu so I can't tell you where it is. You will have to use the find app in Ubuntu. Anyway when you find it copy the "xorg.cong" and the xorg.conf.NVIDIAXXXX (this is the config for your monitor and probably will have your monitor model number where I typed the XXXX) somewhere you can get to it in Puppy. Now reboot into Puppy and go to /etc/X11 and delete all the xorg.conf text files in there. Now copy the Ubuntu xorg.conf files into X11 and reboot. Now you should have your nvidia card workin. Open your terminal and type "nvidia-settings" (no quotes) and your nvidia settings manager should open up and let you adjust resolution and whatnot. Hope this works for you, Have a good day.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#11 Post by xsilvergs »

mill0001

I tried your suggestion but the file structure seems different between my Ubuntu 11.04 and Puppy 528 OS's.

I have noticed that the xorg.conf file keeps being changed on reboot. If I set the driver to nvidia the next time I look it's back to vesa.

Thanks again

mill0001
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu 01 Feb 2007, 16:30
Location: "People's Republik of Kalifornia"

#12 Post by mill0001 »

Here's a copy of my xorg configs maybe they will help you get yours sorted out. Open them in geany and compare to what you have now.
Attachments
xorg.tar.gz
(2.36 KiB) Downloaded 538 times

Peterm321
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:09
Location: UK

#13 Post by Peterm321 »

I have noticed that the xorg.conf file keeps being changed on reboot. If I set the driver to nvidia the next time I look it's back to vesa.
AFAIK many versions of Puppy Linux were set up to change xorg.conf at each reboot. The rationale for this if I understand rightly, was that Puppy would be able to respond to hardware changes e.g. boot up automatically even if used as a live CD on another machine with different graphics hardware or even the same machine if the graphics card changed.

Nice in theory but neither Puppy Linux nor other versions of Linux I've tried take kindly to a machine with onboard AGP video with an addon PCI Nvidia GeForce graphics card. The latest versions of Linux kernel panic because the boot process does not see that while there is an AGP video device, it has been disabled due to the presence of the PCI Video. After disabling intel_agp and agpgart kernel modules the boot process still keeps resetting xorg.conf

I wrote my own script to start Xorg without any unwanted (in my view) checks for changes in graphics hardware.

You learn something new and in this forum I learned recently for the first time about the chattr command. Apparently you can use this command to make a file immutable. This might be a workaround; perhaps you can make xorg.conf immutable to stop it being changed. To make xorg.conf immutable on my system, the command is:

Code: Select all

chattr +i /etc/X11/xorg.conf  


to reset it again [NB when you want to change it]:

Code: Select all

chattr -i /etc/X11/xorg.conf  


You should be aware that the BusID under the section "Device" in xorg.conf can change from system to system.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#14 Post by xsilvergs »

Peterm321, thanks for info, a useful command.

I'm still having trouble, using the xorg.conf shown below, I've made it immutable using the chattr command it boots to the prompt and wants me to use the xorgwizard but of course it won't work because I've chattr'ed it.

I've booted from disk and changed bits in xorg.conf but I can't get it to boot, can anyone see a mistake?

Code: Select all

#Special base config file used in Puppy Linux.

# **********************************************************************
# Module section -- this  section  is used to specify
# which dynamically loadable modules to load.
# **********************************************************************
#
Section "Module"

# This loads the DBE extension module.

    Load        "dbe"  	# Double buffer extension

# This loads the miscellaneous extensions module, and disables
# initialisation of the XFree86-DGA extension within that module.
    SubSection  "extmod"
      Option    "omit xfree86-dga"   # don't initialise the DGA extension
    EndSubSection

# This loads the font modules
#    Load        "type1"
#    Load        "freetype"

# This loads xtrap extension, used by xrandr
#   Load       "xtrap"

# This loads the GLX module (if present). xorg 7.4/5 need explicit disable to disable...
    Load    "glx" #LOADGLX

# This loads dri module (if present). 7.4 loads it by default, have to disable...
#Load       "dri" #LOADDRI
#    Disable "dri"

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Files section.  This allows default font paths to be set
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (which are concatenated together),
# as well as specifying multiple comma-separated entries in one FontPath
# command (or a combination of both methods)

    FontPath   "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc/"
    FontPath   "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1/"
    FontPath   "/usr/share/X11/fonts/TTF/"

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Server flags section.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerFlags"

# Uncomment this to disable the <Crtl><Alt><Fn> VT switch sequence
# (where n is 1 through 12).  This allows clients to receive these key
# events.

#    Option "DontVTSwitch"

# Enables mode switching with xrandr
# There is a report that this can cause Xorg not to work on some
# video hardware, so default is commented-out...
# but i want to use it in xorgwizard so leave on...

    Option "RandR" "on"

# With this, Xorg won't talk to HAL to add evdev devices and you'll be back
# with the old Xorg behavior (pre-7.4)...

    Option "AutoAddDevices" "false"

# For no-Hal, kirk also suggests this...

#    Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "true"

# Xorg 7.4, Ubuntu Jaunty, CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE is disabled by default...

    Option "DontZap" "false"

EndSection

#everything past here is auto-generated by Puppy's Xorg Wizard...


Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "X.org Configured"
	Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
	InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
	InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Keyboard0"
	Driver      "kbd"
	Option      "XkbRules" "xorg"
	Option      "XkbModel" "pc102"
	Option      "XkbLayout" "gb" #xkeymap0
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier  "Mouse0"
	Driver      "mouse"
	Option	    "Protocol" "IMPS/2" #mouse0protocol
	Option	    "Device" "/dev/mouse"
	#Option      "Emulate3Buttons"
	#Option      "Emulate3Timeout" "50"
	Option      "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" #scrollwheel
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Monitor0"
	VendorName   "Monitor Vendor"
	ModelName    "Monitor Model"
	HorizSync    30-83
	VertRefresh  56-72
	#UseModes     "Modes0" #monitor0usemodes
	Option      "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
	EndSection
	
Section "Modes"
	Identifier "Modes0"
	#modes0modeline0
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "nvidia" #card0driver
	VendorName  "nVidia Corporation"
	BoardName   "GTS450"
	BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	Monitor    "Monitor0"
	DefaultDepth 24
#Option         "metamodes" "1280x1024_60 +0+0" #METAMODES_0
	Subsection "Display"
		Depth       24
		Modes       "1920x1080"
	EndSubsection
EndSection

#PuppyHardwareProfile=NVIDIASyncmaster
Thanks

mill0001
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu 01 Feb 2007, 16:30
Location: "People's Republik of Kalifornia"

#15 Post by mill0001 »

Try typing nvidia-xconfig at the prompt and then xwin. (oops before you do that unchattr the file.)

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#16 Post by xsilvergs »

Mill0001

Thanks for idea but unfortunately it still will only work if I use a vesa driver.

Perhaps I'll just stick with Ubuntu and try again at the next release.

Thanks again

Tony

Peterm321
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:09
Location: UK

#17 Post by Peterm321 »

I'm not sure I would give in just yet.

I have a difficult hardware setup for Linux: an addon PCI Nvidia GeForce4 card with an onboard Intel AGP card. Once coaxed, however, Linux lends its rewards.

I am assuming the the xorg.conf file was initially created from the xorg wizard? I gave up using xorgwizard a few years back as it couldn't cope with the above outlined setup.

But IIRC I built a basic xorg.conf from another command line program:

nvidia-xconfig

and took it from there.

The xorg.conf posted looks a bit minimalistic I can't see an obvious flaw, however a fairly detailed log is available (at least on my system) located at:

/var/log/Xorg.0.log

And in the past when I have messed with my config I have looked at this file which usually pointed in the right direction.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#18 Post by xsilvergs »

I've attached my log but it doesn't mean much to me. Any advice?
Attachments
Xorg.0.log.tar.gz
Xorg.0.log
(5.98 KiB) Downloaded 508 times

Peterm321
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu 29 Jan 2009, 14:09
Location: UK

#19 Post by Peterm321 »

xsilvergs

It appears that the gziped tar file was truncated, I don't think the log file is that large, I would try an attach an uncompressed copy if that is easier and if murga-linux allows it.

From the information that was uploaded I am curious to see the lines

(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) Using config directory: "/usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.d"


The directory /usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.d is not used on my system. As a general rule of debugging I try to start as simple as possible: get Xorg up and running with a minimal configuration and then look at seeing what can be added step by step and reverting if there is a failure.

So I would look to see what is in /usr/lib/X11/xorg.conf.d and perhaps if there is extra config information in it to temporarily rename file or files to get Xorg to only use /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

The log file states

(II) VESA(0): Not using mode "1920x1080" (no mode of this name)

I would edit xorg.conf to use resolution 1024x768, not 1920x1080. Even if that is not the native resolution of the monitor my view is you start with a basic configuration which can be tweaked later. Starting with a lesser resolution in my experience means there is more tolerance if refresh rates are not configured correctly.

xsilvergs
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat 20 Aug 2011, 15:18

#20 Post by xsilvergs »

Opens with abiword. Hope you can make sense of this.
Attachments
Xorg.).log.gz
Opens with abiword ok
(147.77 KiB) Downloaded 651 times

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