[SOLVED] X-org bug on nvidia under Lenny...

[glaston]

Has anyone run into the Xserver problem with Lenny on Nvidia cards?

I've seen it at many places on the web.
Seems to be a bug in Lenny.

On a fresh install I can't change my display rez any higher than 800x600.
Running "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" only lets me reconfigure the mouse and keyboard.
I modified the xorg.conf file manually to no avail.
I had to restore the old one then to even get the xserver to start at all.

This is common for most people running Lenny on an nvidia card.
I can't understand how the folks at Debian allowed this to slip by.
Since nvidia cards are SO common.

Haven't found a solution at all yet, and it's irritating the hell out of me.

[devils casper]

Execute this

su -
lspci | grep -i vga
grep -i driver /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Post output here.

[glaston]

lspci | grep -i vga
gives:
00:0c.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro] (rev 15)

grep -i driver /etc/X11/xorg.conf
gives:
Driver "kbd"
Driver "mouse"

[devils casper]

You haven't installed install Nvidia Proprietary driver. You can install Nvidia driver using Envy easily.

[glaston]

That didn't work.

Unless there's something you have to do after installation.

I even uninstalled it through synaptic and downloaded the Envy Legacy package from the link you provided.
I'm still only able to choose between 800x600 and 640x480.
And it still only gives me keyboard and mouse configuration options when I reconfigure the xserver.
I appreciate your help.
Any other ideas?

[glaston]

Other people have fixed it by stealing the xorg.conf from their Ubuntu installation when they have a dual boot.
There's no way I'm gonna setup a dual boot just for that though.
It took me some time to get that Lenny system installed just how I want it.
I have separate partitions for '/boot', '/', '/home', '/usr/local', and '/opt'.
'/' and '/home' are on newer high capacity disks in a RAID config on a separate controller card.
I had 2 identical older 7200rpm disks already in that machine which are of course low capacity.
So I put '/boot' and swap on the same disk and 'usr/local' on the other.
That system is eventually gonna be a small workgroup file and license server that doubles as a Linux workstation.
I'm still ironing out the wrinkles and the resolution issue is lower priority.
I'm not sure exactly how a xorg.conf file should look for a system similar to this.
I saw some examples of some on the web but they had some arbitrary values it seemed that relate to the specific monitors and display cards and they have yet to respond to my emails about it.
Many people are using large LCD monitors.
My Lenny system won't be used like that so I have a standard 19" CRT connected to it.
So I don't know what values in other xorg.conf files are monitor specific beside the refresh rates.
As I said, when I tried to modify it manually it just destroyed it and X wouldn't start at all.
Forcing me to restore the old file.

[devils casper]

Post the contents of xorg.conf file here.

[glaston]

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

As you can see there's ALOT missing there.
I'm just not sure exactly what all is supposed to be in there.

[devils casper]

First of all, try using "vesa" driver in Video Card section. Edit Monitor and Screen Sections too.

 
Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Driver		"vesa"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	HorizSync	30-71
	VertRefresh	50-160
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Configured Video Card"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1280x1024" "1024x768" 
	EndSubSection
EndSection

[coopstah13]

newer versions of xorg only use the xorg.conf file for manual overrides, the server handles configuration by itself now

you need to add Driver "nvidia" under the device section, also probably should delete the Option "UseFBDev" "true" line as well