correct driver for new Nvidia GTX 470? (SOLVED!)

[cindy]

I just purchased a Nvidia GTX 470 - by far the best graphics card I've ever owned.  

Can someone tell me if the best driver for this card is dkms-nvidia-current?

I ask because when I activate Compiz the menu panel turns completely white - opaque actually - obscuring the menu and icons in the task bar.

Could I be using the wrong driver?  

[cindy]

I just came across this thread about a somewhat similar problem someone had with a different card in which a couple of smart people (old-polack, Bernado) seemed to recommend downloading 195.36.24 from Nvidia.  

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,70778.msg582376.html#msg582376

Should I?

[everge48]

Before you consider installing a driver manually. Try using nvidia-xconfig to generate your xorg.conf instead of XFdrake.
Open a terminal console as root and type:

Code:

nvidia-xconfig

Then reboot.

[cindy]

Thanks for the help!

I ran nvidia-xconfig, then in Control Center turned on Compiz and finally rebooted.  The menu panel again turned completely white.  See the attached photo.  (Had to take the screenshot with my phone because the application menu and everything in it was also opaque white!).

Again thank you for your help.  

[cindy]

Here's my xorg.conf in case that might help:

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (root@localhost.localdomain)  Sat Jun 19 22:51:54 CDT 2010

# File generated by XFdrake (rev )
# File generated by XFdrake (rev )
# File generated by XFdrake (rev )
# File generated by XFdrake (rev )
# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "layout1"
    Screen         "screen1" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

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

Section "ServerFlags"

    # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
    #DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
    Option         "DontZap" "False" # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
    Option         "allowmouseopenfail"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from data in "/etc/sysconfig/keyboard"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    Identifier     "monitor1"
    VendorName     "Generic"
    ModelName      "1024x768 @ 60 Hz"
    HorizSync       31.5 - 48.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 70.0
    ModeLine       "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
    ModeLine       "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName      "NVIDIA GeForce 6100 and later"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "screen1"
    Device         "device1"
    Monitor        "monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    16
    Option         "DynamicTwinView" "false"
    Option         "DPMS"
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes      "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       15
        Modes      "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes      "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

[everge48]

It looks fine but try adding this after the "Device" Section.

Section "Extensions"
    Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

Then log-out and back in. Remember, if you have any problems getting X to start on the next log-in just su and nvidia-xconfig then startx from the console.

I'm assuming Compiz was working fine before you upgraded your Video Card and doesn't need to be reset to it's defaults?

If you're still not having any luck and decide to download and install the driver manually. First make sure to uninstall any dkms-nvidia modules that are active on the kernel.

Also a good shortcut to get your applications is to use KRunner. Just press Alt+F2 then type whatever you want into the box at the top of the screen.

Good luck.

[cindy]

I added the 3 lines to my xorg.conf, enabled Compiz in Control Center then rebooted.  Compiz works - I can rotate the big desktop cube - but I'm also getting the menu and task bar are opaque/white like before.

Can you tell if these instructions for installing a Nvidia driver are correct?

http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/200703/page06.html

[cindy]

I just discovered that many of the OpenGL screensavers do not work.   In 'test' mode I see either a blank white or black screen. For example Atlantis GL and Gears GL screen savers are blank white.   BlinkBox and BlockTube are blank black. A few do work however. For example Solar Winds works.  

Does this suggest that the problem I've been having is with OpenGL, not my graphics driver?

[everge48]

Can you tell if these instructions for installing a Nvidia driver are correct?
http://pclosmag.com/html/Issues/200703/page06.html

Yes, those instructions look correct. When it says "navigate to /" that means cd to the directory where you have downloaded the driver.
Here are the instructions from NVIDIA's website on installing driver 256.35 for 32-bit linux. They are pretty much the same but in more detail with more explanations.
http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/256.35/README/installdriver.html

Just remember to uninstall the active dkms-nvidia module and unload the nvidia driver you are using before installing the new one manually or you will run into problems.

If you are unable to boot into your Desktop after the manually installing the driver just run XFdrake from the console and choose "cards not working with nvidia driver".

Good luck.

[cindy]

The instructions say to install kernel-source, kernel-headers, or kernel-devel packages. Below is what I have currently installed.  Can you please tell me if this is correct?

kernel-devel-2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs
The kernel-2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs kernel headers

kernel-devel-2.6.33.5-pclos1
The kernel-2.6.33.5-pclos1 kernel headers

kernel-devel-2.6.33.6-pclos1.a64
The kernel-2.6.33.6-pclos1.a64 kernel headers

kernel-source-2.6.31.12-pclos1
The kernel-2.6.31.12-pclos1 source code.

kernel-source-2.6.33.5-pclos1
The kernel-2.6.33.5-pclos1 source code.

kernel-source-2.6.33.6-pclos1
The kernel-2.6.33.6-pclos1 source code.

[everge48]

Wow, you have a lot of kernels installed. Yes, you are good to go. All you need is kernel-devel (which are the kernel headers) and it was installed by default when the corresponding kernel was installed. You do not need kernel-source to install the nvidia driver.

Just download NVIDIA-Linux-x86-256.35.run and place it in the root directory folder (/root).
Logout. Then in the Login Screen at the bottom click 'Menu'. Then choose 'Console Login'.
Login as root and provide your root password.
then type: sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-256.35.run
The Installer will launch. Allow it to do it's thing. After it has finished it will ask if you want a new xorg.conf to be created. Choose 'Yes'.
Then you will be returned to the console. That's it, you're all done. So you can type: reboot to reboot.

[cindy]

After installing the driver I selected in Control Center: "cards not working with nvidia driver", Clicked the 'test' button and got this error:   "An error occurred: (EE) No devices detected. Try to change some parameters"

The is the device section of xorg.config:

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    BoardName "NVIDIA cards not working with nvidia"
    Driver "nv"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

[everge48]

After installing the driver I selected in Control Center: "cards not working with nvidia driver", Clicked the 'test' button and got this error:   "An error occurred: (EE) No devices detected. Try to change some parameters"

After installing the driver and then rebooting was everything working? If so there was nothing more to do. Your xorg.conf had already been created by the install process.
You cannot use Control Center to set up your Graphics Card anymore because you have a custom driver. I said if the manual install doesn't work and you cannot get to your Desktop to choose "cards not working with nvidia".

So open Konsole as root and type:
nvidia-xconfig (running this command is equivalent to using the Control Center but it uses nvidia's own tool to do it instead.)

Then logout and back in or reboot just to be sure.
That's it, nothing more to configure. If you can boot to your Desktop then the install went fine. There's nothing more to set up concerning your new driver. It's good to go.

Now you can see how it works with Compiz and get to the fun part.  

[cindy]

It worked!  Compiz works - no more opaque/white menu and task panel. Thank you!  You are great!