Nvidia Graphics Card Not Detected - Major Problem!

[tristanbacon]

Hi guys, I'm pretty new to Linux... so bear with me!

I got Linux Ubuntu because my Vista installation messed up, and I couldnt find the recovery CD. Im pretty glad I installed Linux, as it seems really freidnly, and a bit more open that Windows, I must admit.

The problem is, I am trying to install my Nvidia GeForce 8600GTS on the system, and it isnt working. It was working fine on Vista before, so it shouldnt be a hardware problem.

I have followed various instructions on websites, whioch take me throguh some stuff about stopping GNOME, removing * linux restricted module * and so on.
But when I get to the crucial point, with the agreements and installations for Nvidia, it tells me it cant detect any graphics cards.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers guys

[reed9]

I don't know what the heck those guides are telling you to do. It should be as simple as going to System->Administration->Hardware Drivers and checking the box where it says "Recommended Driver".

[tristanbacon]

Well, nothing comes up in the hardware drivers bit, only my internet adapter thinggy-ma-jigg.
I tried that before, but it isnt working, due to a lack of presence!

Cheers all

[reed9]

Go to System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager and search for nvidia-glx.

According to the Ubuntu Wiki, you may need to make sure you have linux-headers-XXX and linux-restricted-modules-XXX installed, were the XXX matches the version of the kernel you are using. You can find out which kernel you have by opening a terminal and typing uname -r

[tristanbacon]

"you may need to make sure you have linux-headers-XXX and linux-restricted-modules-XXX installed, were the XXX matches the version of the kernel you are using"

But how the hell do you do that? Whewre do you find the linuc headers etc? I cheacked the Synaptics Package manager, and everyting is as it should be, with all the Nvidia stuff installed that I need, according to tutorials.

Cheers

[klokh]

tristanbacon, just to get it clear:
when you install ubuntu it automatically search for updates and it comes with a big load of them asking to be installed. Amongst them there should be your nVidia driver.
This means that first you should install all upgrades. Even if you don't do so, go to System>Administration>Synaptic Package Manager and search for 'nvidia' (without quotes). Your driver should be number 180 or 177, I'm not sure (read the descriptions), mark for installation and it's done!

EDIT- you must reboot for it to activate (ubuntu will ask you to).

[tristanbacon]

Klokh - I have already done that... I have tried all the conventional methods, sch as downloading drivers from Nvidia, installing them through the Synaptics manager, I have no idea what else to do!

Cheers in advance

[bolton]

This may be a last-ditch possibility.
My last computer had an Nvidia card and I had the same problem you are describing.
As a final effort, I formatted the partition, downloaded the Ubuntu OS again and reinstalled.
Everything came up roses this time. I came to the conclusion that my first download wasn't good.
I know that this effort is a real P.I.T.A., but I thought I would pass it along, since it did work for me.
Good luck....

[elija]

Just to add that my 8600GT is correctly detected under Hardware Drivers so I imagine the GTS should be as well.

Does your computer have an onboard card ?
Ccould that be what's being set up? (I'm asking the gurus here )

Finally for now can you open a terminal and run the command "lspci" without the quotes and post the results back here.

[tristanbacon]

An onboard card cam with the motherboard, I believe, and apparently, that is being used.

Here's the terminal code results for you geniuses!

tristan@Derrick:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31/P35/P31 Express DRAM Controller (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 02)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 92)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801IB (ICH9) LPC Interface Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801IB (ICH9) 2 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.5 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) 2 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 IDE interface: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88SE6121 SATA II Controller (rev b2)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 12)
05:02.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6306 Fire II IEEE 1394 OHCI Link Layer Controller (rev c0)
tristan@Derrick

Cheers guys