[Solved] How to activate nvidia173 driver

[thinkpol]

I'm having video driver problems with all the newest distros.  If I use nvidia-current I get random black application windows when I already have a window open.  For instance, I have a Libre Office document open and all is fine.  Then I open a Firefox window and everything except the title bar is black.  This has happened in the newest Narly Nachos, Mepis, and Sabayon.  In Narly Nachos the problem went away when I activated nvidia173.

In PCLOS I'm trying to use kwin effects and nouveau is extremely slow so I thought I'd try the previous nvidia driver to see if that fixed the black screens but I can't figure out how to activate it.  Three nvidia drivers were installed during the installation (PCLOS 2011.6, KDE).  I deleted the current and 96 versions and re-installed 173 but when I go to PCC > Hardware > Configure Video Card and choose my card, nvidia 6100 or greater, it doesn't offer to activate the driver.

My card is an onboard nvidia 6150 se.

How can I activate the nvidia 173 driver so I can gets me some wobbly windows?

Thanks,
Vince

p.s. Narly Nachos? Too cute.

[OMSkates]

thinkpol, 
A huge welcome to you here!
I run NVidea GeForce 6150SE.  I seem to have only one route with this card that may work out well for you.  See the thread here:http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,90925.0.html

Let me know if it works out for you.

[thinkpol]

Thanks.  I had already tried that and it worked....for a while then the whole system slowed to a crawl until I turned off effects.  I've reinstalled the drivers and tried it again and so far so good.

I like PCLOS enough that if it happens again I think I'll buy an inexpensive replacement card.

Funny thing is though that on Mepis 11 effects work great with nouveau. 

I like PCLOS enough that if this doesn't work I'll probably just buy an inexpensive video card.

On Amazon I found an MSI GeForce 8400 GS 512 MB for $34.24.  Would that be better?  I don't do any kind of gaming so I don't need anything fancy.

Thanks,
Vince

[OMSkates]

You said you reinstalled the x11-driver-video-nvidia-current dkms-nvidia-current?  I noticed that had helped others having similar issues with their GeForce 8400 GS cards so I don't know if switching to that card will make things less challenging.  The 8400 GS is about "one rung" higher on the ladder than your current card.  If you run a search on this forum "GeForce 8400 GS", you will  see all the posts about trouble shooting video. 

You said that you had "deleted" the Nvidia Current.   Do you mean that you removed "current" using synaptic and then left nvidia 173 installed?

The most current module should read Module: NVIDIA GeForce 6100 to GeForce 360.

Have you installed aptupgrade?  If not install it, then run aptupgrade in Konsole.  Do a full update then reboot. 

Some success with the nouveau 3D drivers but you would have to self biuld or wait quite a while: http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,76273.msg627796.html#msg627796

[thinkpol]

Thanks for the heads up on the video card.

Effects are still working great this morning after I reinstalled the drivers and turned off all the effects I don't need so hopefully it's fixed.

[OMSkates]

Thanks for the heads up on the video card.

Effects are still working great this morning after I reinstalled the drivers and turned off all the effects I don't need so hopefully it's fixed.

Sounds pretty good!  Good luck to you