Test my graphics card

[multimolti]

Hi!
I'm currently using Windows XP on my computer and have a lot of problems regarding my graphics cards (both onboard and PCI-E). I won't tell more about the problems now, just that with the onboard card I can play games (at low graphics) but it crashes immediately when I use Google Maps, open PDF files and do the other stuff, and when I use the PCI-E card (Geforce 6600GT) it crashes immediately when starting games but I can do the office stuff (it's weird, I know).
I tested everything possible but couldn't find a solution, so it might be my Windows drivers.

Therefore I wanted to test my graphics card using Linux (Ubuntu is the distro I know best). Are there drivers available for the Geforce 6600GT for Ubuntu? And are there high-performance games so that I can test the graphics card really hard?

Thanks for your answers,
Lennart Moltrecht

[techieMoe]

Therefore I wanted to test my graphics card using Linux (Ubuntu is the distro I know best). Are there drivers available for the Geforce 6600GT for Ubuntu?

Yes. Once you install Ubuntu you should see a balloon that says "Restricted drivers available." Click on it and it will bring up a list of drivers for your Nvidia card. I generally pick the one that says "recommended" and click Apply. The drivers will download and install. Reboot and all should be well.

And are there high-performance games so that I can test the graphics card really hard?

Yes. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars uses the same engine as Quake 4 and there's a free Linux demo available. There's also a free game that's pretty graphics-intensive called Yo Frankie! which you can get here:

Yo Frankie! - Apricot Open Game Project - Yo Frankie! - Apricot Open Game Blog

There are quite a few first-person shooters available on Linux, some of which are more graphically demanding than others. My personal favorite is Nexuiz, which is available in the Ubuntu repositories.

[multimolti]

Thanks for your reply!

I prefer using Ubuntu from a Live CD, so I can't reboot the system. Is there another way of installing the drivers?

[techieMoe]

Thanks for your reply!

I prefer using Ubuntu from a Live CD, so I can't reboot the system. Is there another way of installing the drivers?

You won't be able to do that from the Ubuntu LiveCD. There are LiveCD distributions that will load video drivers and let you play 3D games from the disc, however. One of them is Sabayon. It's a LiveDVD actually.

Sabayon Linux Four Oh!

[multimolti]

You won't be able to do that from the Ubuntu LiveCD. There are LiveCD distributions that will load video drivers and let you play 3D games from the disc, however. One of them is Sabayon. It's a LiveDVD actually.

Sabayon Linux Four Oh!

Can I also use the miniEdition?

[techieMoe]

Can I also use the miniEdition?

Perhaps. I'm not sure if the Mini Edition includes any games or 3D drivers you can play off the disc.

[multimolti]

Okay thanks, I'm going to try this now.

EDIT:
I tried it and it still crashes the same way as on Windows. So there's really a problem with my hardware. Damn