Help me! help me! I'm going blind!!!

AHHH...

RH9 is awesome... except I can't get my refresh rate stable!! I've set the refresh rates to the specs of my DiamondPoint SB70... but its bouncing all over the place and I'm getting the worst headache... Can someone please help me!?


EDIT: Ok, I could only get one generic monitor setting to work without bleeding out my eye balls, but it's stuck at 800x600... I guess this will do... but everything is rather big for my tastes...

At least linux does a good job smoothening fonts...

Use alt+Ctrl+"+" to cycle through the screen sizes that are specified in your XF86Config-4.

Have you installed the driver for your video card? I was never able to get decent (above 60 hz) refresh rates out of the standard vesa driver. After installing the nvidia driver, I'm getting 85 hz.

I'll try that. I'm using a generic GeForce4 driver that came with RH9.

EDIT: Well.... I take it there is no easy way to install drivers. Grrr....

That depends on your definition of "easy". If you mean just double click on an icon and you done, then no, there is no easy way.

If you read the documentation that comes with the NVidia driver, the proceedure should be relatively straightforward. Trying searching the forum for more information; we've discussed the NVidia driver many times.

I think he means "nv", not "nvidia". Or why would RH not include any non-free software but include the nvidia drivers?

"nv" should just be a replacement of the "vesa" line in XF86-Config, no?

Were these topics discussed here or in the video cards nvidia section?

Here. just look at the sticky about GF4 TI4200 cards on top of the list...

I think he means "nv", not "nvidia". Or why would RH not include any non-free software but include the nvidia drivers?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure which one he's using. Back when I used RH (7.3), it didn't seem to use the "nv" driver for whatever reason, and just used vesa.

The driver specified in the config file can be found by typing this in a terminal, should be either "vesa" or "nv":
cat /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 | grep Driver

"nv" should just be a replacement of the "vesa" line in XF86-Config, no?

Click to expand...

I recall it needing a BusID line too. Not 100% sure on that, though. Either way, it's relatively simple.

So, diggingforgold, if you'd like to try the "nv" driver (whcih lacks 3D acceleration) instead of the official "nvidia" driver, all you have to do is, as root, edit the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, and replace the line that looks like:
Driver "vesa"
with
Driver "nv"

You may also need to add a BusID line. Here's the relevant section of the XF86Config man page about BusID lines:

BusID "bus-id"
This specifies the bus location of the graphics card. For
PCI/AGP cards, the bus-id string has the form
PCI:bus:device:function (e.g., "PCI:1:0:0" might be appropriate
for an AGP card). This field is usually optional in single-head
configurations when using the primary graphics card. In multi-
head configurations, or when using a secondary graphics card in
a single-head configuration, this entry is mandatory. Its main
purpose is to make an unambiguous connection between the device
section and the hardware it is representing. This information
can usually be found by running the X server with the -scanpci
command line option.

Click to expand...

Then just restart X and you should notice a change.

It would probably be wise to back up your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file, just in case you break something.

The new install screen is newbieish- there is no nv only "generic Geforce4 driver", which is i think nv.

I' m a total newb at linux so im basically talking out of my *** right now...

I knew it was going to be a little more complex installing drivers, but I at least expected some sort of installer... Oh well... I dont feel like going through hell and back just to get 3d to work. Maybe I will take on this challenge later...

Well, the procedure might be a bit hard for a newb, but its very possible. Briefly, these are the steps you have to do:

1- Download the driver file from the nvidia website.
2- Disable X from loading on boot. The ti4200 sticky describes how to do this.
3- Reboot in text mode, run the driver installer, following the on screen instructions. You may need the kernel source for this step.
4- Edit the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file. The readme goes into detail on what changes need to be made.
5- Set the driver module to load on boot. The method for this differs between distros.
6- Re-enable X startup on boot, and restart the system.