(Solved) NVIDIA GeForce 6200A setup - dual monitor card

[A. G. Olphart]

The NVIDIA sticky calls for nvidia_173xx drivers for the GeForce 6xxx series, but current (as automatically installed on my machine) seems to be 180.22-2pclos2.  This driver works and glxinfo shows NVIDIA Corporation as the vendor string.

My problem may be self inflicted... a .conf file likely exists to do the job;  the GUI NVIDIA X Server Settings screen doesn't seem to set anything that interests me.  I need to set screen resolution and refresh rate for my old Magnavox monitor as the locked in 60 cycle refresh bothers my eyes & the type can be quite small.  
A bit of research years ago found the Magnavox a rough equivalent for setup purposes: NEC 3FGE.  
The PClos 2010 live CD beta accepts monitor brands and models (YEA!) and will allow a 70HZ refresh, but having read that upgrading from Beta to General Release will not be possible, I don't want to install Beta.  Current OS is PClos 2009.2, updated to where it has evidently been frozen.  

An interesting aside-   The 'current' Linux drivers shown here skip the GeForce 6xxx series altogether: http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=122606

What to do?

TIA,
AG

[mlc.au]

Hi,

Nvidia says that the 180.xx and now the 190.xx are the appropriate drivers for GeForce 6 and above.  As far as not wanting to install the beta version of 2010, just wait till the offical version comes out in due course.  Appendix A from your link shows the 6200.

Regards,
mlc

[A. G. Olphart]

Thanks, mlc-

Waiting for the 2010 general release may be the only viable option; /user/share/config/ didn't have anything that looked like video segment.
Don't think it's a good idea for a newbie like me to try bringing in outside packages...  Might break something, or set up a crash a few updates down the road?.

Thanks again,
A. G.

[Xenaflux]

the GUI NVIDIA X Server Settings screen doesn't seem to set anything that interests me.

Do at your own risk.....>>

in the menu: Go to Start/system/File tools/Fliemanager-super user mode
Fill in password....You are now root.
Back up Xorg.conf to Xorg.conf.bu

Now open Xorg.conf and scroll down to:
Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce 6100 and later"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "DPMS"
    Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
    Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals"

Change false to true and save the file.
Reboot
Go to Start/System/Configuration/hardware/Nvidia settings

and see if that's what you are looking for

Again, it's at your own risk.
I just did the above procedure on my computer without a problem,
It shows me a picture of my monitor with resolution and a few other settings .
I am sure, if I had 2 monitors connected, it would show me both.

To put it back to original....in root...delete Xorg.config and change Xorg.conf.bu to Xorg.conf
Reboot

I have played with these setting a lot , like in LOT.
You can loose your screen, but the trick is to be able to get to your backup Xorg.conf

In case you are new to linux, may I advice you to have 2 setups: one for real, and one for play.

[A. G. Olphart]

Thanks Xena, you nailed the problem; meanwhile I Borked my system fiddling with diskdrake.  I am a Linux klutz; not sure I should claim to be an innocent newbie.    Finally installed Beta 2 .

For anyone who may come along with a similar problem (dual monitor Nvidia card), I recommend this site:
http://linux.die.net/man/1/nvidia-xconfig

It is basically the help file for 'nvidia-xconfig'.  Sure was handy to have before trying to do the modifications.

AG