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[SOLVED] No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

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    [SOLVED] No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

    Hi. I'm seriously thinking of installing Kubuntu. I've been using Mint the last couple of years, but I've been trying Kubuntu and other KDE distros from Live CDs and think I may like it better than Gnome 3.
    However, from the Live CD of Kubuntu when I check for proprietary drivers, it does a quick search and nothing comes up. Up till now with Linux Mint I've been using Nvidia drivers with no problems. This is my setup:

    AMD Athlon II X2 255 Processor
    Linux-x86_64
    MSI GF615M-P33, NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE, Motherboard
    OpenGL Renderer: GeForce 7025 / nForce 630a/PCI
    Memory: 512 Mb
    Memory Interface: 32-bit version
    NVIDIA Driver Version: 260.19.06

    I'm not too savy on this graphics hardware stuff; the more I read the more confused I get! Previously I just use the recommended driver. With the Nouveau driver I can't enable any desktop effects that have worked beautifully in Mint 10. Of course, this is just from the live CD. If I actually installed Kubuntu, would the proprietary driver be available? Or do I use 'sudo apt-get install nvidia-current'?
    I know compiz doesn't work yet in Gnome 3. Does Kwin not work with my graphics in KDE 4.7?
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
    Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

    #2
    Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

    Install the headers that match your kernel, dkms, and nvidia-current and then Jockey (in your menu) should offer to activate the driver. A reboot will be required.

    Please Read Me

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      #3
      Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

      Originally posted by oshunluvr
      Install the headers that match your kernel, dkms, and nvidia-current and then Jockey (in your menu) should offer to activate the driver. A reboot will be required.
      Thanks! I'll give that a try.
      "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
      Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

      Comment


        #4
        Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

        It's been a while since I posted this; but I now have another question.
        I installed Kubuntu 11.10 about three days ago and am absolutely loving it! KDE is certainly a way better DE than Gnome 3 or any of the other alternatives, and I've tried almost all of them. I'm thrilled with the attention to detail and ease of use with KDE/Kubuntu and how beautiful and configurable it is; even moreso than Enlightenment.
        I just have one question that's got me puzzled about the graphic driver thing: I don't have any recollection of installing any proprietary Nvidia driver on this machine, or checking for them since the installation. In fact I was thrilled at how graphic effects seemed to work pretty well without me checking for or installing the Nvidia drivers.
        However, some transition effects have been a wee bit choppy; like when minimizing an open window the effect is slightly jerky, which never happened with Mint or Ubuntu when I used the proprietary drivers.
        So I just happened to look under System Settings and saw Nvidia Server Settings are there. This seemed odd. And I did the check for Additional Drivers and see that the version173 driver is activated! I swear I didn't manually do that, but maybe I'm losing my mind!

        But my question is: There is also (post release updates) (version 173 updates) listed, as well as the (version current) Recommended driver, which is what I always have used before. PLUS the (post release updates - version current) driver.

        I'm wondering if I activate the Recommended driver, will that improve my effects performance? I've got a good thing going here, besides the choppy transitions, and I'm a little wary of screwing it up now. And then I just read about the "x-swat" repository that may provide an even more up-to-date driver, so I'm not sure what the best course of action is.
        Can you possibly enlighten me?
        "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
        Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

        Comment


          #5
          Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

          Hi...

          Just as a suggestion, you might want to upgrade your system memory to at least 1 GB, perhaps more, if you can. I think it will help with how fast Kubuntu functions for you overall.

          Regards...
          Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves and cares about you most of all! http://peacewithgod.jesus.net/
          How do I know this personally? Please read here: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...hn-8-12-36442/
          PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST! You don't have to end up here: https://soulchoiceministries.org/pod...i-see-in-hell/

          Comment


            #6
            Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

            Hi Uthur.

            173 is the "best one" now for cards up through about 8600. I may be wrong on that, but when I put my 8600 card into the gaming machine, that was what I installed.

            The "default/recommended" was doing just fine except for a game, in other words, for "workaday" stuff, the Linux driver for a 6600 was doing a bang-up job.

            And Aardvark's suggestion about at least a gig is a good one. I run 2gig.

            woodsmoke
            sigpic
            Love Thy Neighbor Baby!

            Comment


              #7
              Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

              My system has 4 GB of RAM. The built-in Nvidia card has 512 Mb. So if I want better effects I should add a better PCI graphics card?
              Although effects were smooth as silk previously with this computer when I used the Current Recommeded driver. then there is an Updated option for the 173 driver, which confuses me. I'll try and attach a pic.
              Attached Files
              "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
              Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

              Comment


                #8
                Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                ...I still don't know how that driver got activated! I've always chosen the 'Recommended' option. Did the system automatically install this?
                KDE is indeed wonderous and mysterious!
                "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
                Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                  Post-install updates means the driver will get updated as nvidia releases new drivers and they're packaged for Ubuntu, whereas the typical method means you'll use the driver from the Oneiric repos. The post-updates are a new and not completely tested out function, so I'd stick with the recommended method.
                  "The only way Kubuntu could be more user friendly would be if it came with a virtual copy of Snowhog and dibl"

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                    OK. I'm thinking maybe I should try the 'Recommended' driver and see if that makes a difference. Also, I just realized something... could the slight choppiness or hesitation in some transition effects be the result of using Kwin instead of compiz?
                    "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
                    Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                      According to nVidia the current drivers (290. is latest from nvidia, 270. was the last in the repo I noticed) are correct for your card. You should install the version current driver.

                      The next steps are to verify your BIOS has maximum memory allotted for video as most 6150 cards used shared memory and then properly configure your card in xorg.conf to take full advantage of whatever features your card offers.

                      If you want to test your video performance, install gtkperf and run it.

                      Please Read Me

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                        Originally posted by utherpendragonfly
                        My system has 4 GB of RAM. The built-in Nvidia card has 512 Mb. So if I want better effects I should add a better PCI graphics card?
                        No, I just misunderstood the information you provided. You don't need to change a thing hardware wise.

                        Regards...
                        Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves and cares about you most of all! http://peacewithgod.jesus.net/
                        How do I know this personally? Please read here: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...hn-8-12-36442/
                        PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST! You don't have to end up here: https://soulchoiceministries.org/pod...i-see-in-hell/

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                          Thanks oshunluvr.
                          First I think I'll activate the current (Recommended) driver and see what happens. I'm not experienced at: "verify your BIOS has maximum memory allotted for video as most 6150 cards used shared memory and then properly configure your card in xorg.conf to take full advantage of whatever features your card offers." If I mess up xorg.config I could cause big problems. But I would save a backup copy first.
                          Also I will check out gtkperf.
                          "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
                          Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                            Update: I installed Recommended driver and things seem the same. I'm curious about something: I have an AOC 22" monitor, and when I boot up the message "Input Not Support" floats around the screen for a moment before startup. In the past with other 'buntus when I've installed the Recommended driver, this does NOT appear.
                            One more thing: I looked around in the BIOS again and found:
                            Under Primary Graphics Adapter - 'PCI-E' is selected. There is also a choice for 'Internal'. Should I try that?

                            And I also found 'VGA Shared Memory is Enabled. The maximum choice is '256', which is enabled.

                            I also installed gtkperf, but cannot find it under applications. So I opened it in terminal and got:

                            Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "canberra-gtk-module"

                            (gtkperf:2137): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkSpinButton: setting an adjustment with non-zero page size is deprecated

                            (gtkperf:2137): Gtk-WARNING **: GtkSpinButton: setting an adjustment with non-zero page size is deprecated

                            I ran it and got this:

                            GtkPerf 0.40 - Starting testing: Mon Jan 9 12:19:08 2012

                            GtkEntry - time: 0.04
                            GtkComboBox - time: 5.80
                            GtkComboBoxEntry - time: 6.95
                            GtkSpinButton - time: 0.47
                            GtkProgressBar - time: 0.31
                            GtkToggleButton - time: 0.27
                            GtkCheckButton - time: 0.26
                            GtkRadioButton - time: 0.26
                            GtkTextView - Add text - time: 1.95
                            GtkTextView - Scroll - time: 3.17
                            GtkDrawingArea - Lines - time: 0.81
                            GtkDrawingArea - Circles - time: 0.99
                            GtkDrawingArea - Text - time: 0.74
                            GtkDrawingArea - Pixbufs - time: 0.21
                            ---
                            Total time: 22.22

                            I'm thinking switching Primary Graphics Adapter to 'Internal' might be an option, but I don't have a technical understanding of this stuff.
                            Any suggestions would be welcome.

                            "Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
                            Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: No proprietary driver found? I've been using it in Linux Mint 10.

                              So you have two video cards? Likely the "Internal" is an Intel video chip which will be way slower than the nvidia. lspci in a terminal should show card model inof. You can always try it.

                              A gtkperf time of 22 is kinda slow IMO but maybe not for such an old and low-spec video card.

                              Look at /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see what options are enabled or disabled by default. You might want to do some web searching on valid xorg.conf options for that card.

                              and yes - make a back up of a working xorg.conf before you start playing around.

                              Please Read Me

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