Ubuntu 8.04: Video Card Driver Question

[XphynX]

Hello Everyone!

I have a question to ask...

I just installed Ubuntu 8.04 on my system and I'm really excited about the new path I have taken.

while trying a few things (improving visual effects), I was told my video drivers were not pretty enough to do her thing. Then I realised that although Linux takes care of almost all drivers beautifully, some still need more cowbell to work 100%.

So I went to Welcome to NVIDIA - World Leader in Visual Computing Technologies (I use the GeForce 7300 PCIE) and got the GeForce 7 Series driver for Linux-32bit. the file was called "NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.12-pkg1.run". I read a few guides on using this file to update the video card. When I tried (used the "sudo sh nv..... command in console) , I got an error message saying that I am already running an X server. I tried closing it but the steps I saw didn't really work, I tried some crazy stuff and I eventually killed my OS, a full re-installation was my next move.

I then saw a guide on "How To Install Packages Without The Internet". I was really clear. I downloaded the new list of available software (repositories), told Synaptics where to get them on my hard drive, got a list of all the *.deb I needed to download (created a download script) and copied the files to the cache folder.

Among the packages, I noticed that there was a driver for the NVIDIA cards called the "nvidia-glx-new" or something like that. So I got the deb for that, installed it through Synaptics and SHAZAM!!!... visual effects enabled.

So here's my question: is there any difference between the .run file from the NVIDIA site and the .deb package I got from the http://archives.ubuntu.com/..... site?

Also, I would really want to know how to disable the Xserver. What I did was to hit the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace keycombo, login as root, type init 3 and run "sh nvidia......run" in the console but I still got the "Xserver still running" error.

Am I still missing something or is there a "Safe Mode" version for Linux available, one that runs without the Xserver??

A Thousand thanks in advance.

Tay

[arochester]

If you have done a new install there is an app called "Hardware Drivers Manager". Open that. It should show "NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (latest cards) and a tick box. Tick the box. Reboot. Hey Presto Nvidia is installed.

[Naiki]

To your first question, .deb is the extension used for files written specificaly for Debian based distros of linux. Ubuntu is based on Debian.

To you secound question on X, To restart X you know, hit Ctrl-Alt-Backspace or

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

To stop X completely,

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

[kopete]

Try these links?:

[ubuntu] NVIDIA drivers work fine... til reboot - Ubuntu Forums

Envy

[all variants] Comprehensive Multimedia & Video Howto - Ubuntu Forums

I've installed nvidia drivers the 'nvidia way' in Debian Lenny and 1 other debian-based distro (you could call it the 'manual' way) and I've also used the Envy script (above) for Kubuntu.

I suggest the 'Envy' way since it's using the proprietary drivers (i.e. nvidia way) and most of the work is already set up in a script.

There is a 'debian method' but the Envy/Nvidia method is used most often and there seems to be more up-to-date documentation for it. It also installs more up-to-date drivers.

[XphynX]

One thing I failed to mention is that my box is not connected to the internet (a box is a computer/machine/CPU right?).


@arochester:
Thanks, that's one of the things that initally told me that my video card didn't have the best drivers yet, the box was empty and an attempt to tick it required a download. That put me on a hunt for a better driver. The hunt led me to two places: the NVIDIA website and the deb package. I used the deb package and now, the "NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (lastest cards) is ticked.

So now, my system at home (with no internet) runs with no display problems. Thanks arochester!


@Naiki:
Thank you for the codes. I thought that CTRl+Alt+Backspace stops X hehe. I'll try them and see how they work. I'm not afraid to destroy the OS because re-installation is, compared to Windows,... hmmmmmm XD.

@kopete:
Thank you for the links, I'll download and read them at home (I'm at work at the moment). By the way, I don't think Linux and Windows suck,... I think it's the user that sucks. See, I hate the street Hummers (but love the one the military use). so I came to this conclusion - if a thousand people buy this vehicle and use it, the makers release new versions and people still buy it, then it looks like I'm the one that sucks (basically, the car is not for me). Just my opinion and thanks again for the links.