nVidia latest Drivers - How to install

[HunterZ]

I'm running 196.36.15 on Ubuntu 9.10 x64 on my Dell M1730 laptop with nVidia 8700M GT SLI video and a 1920x1200 (16:10) screen. I have 2 issues:

1. When running Baldur's Gate 1 full-screen in Wine, the 640x480 resolution is stretched to fill the screen even when I have aspect ratio scaling set in the nvidia settings app. The only way to make it work correctly is to change the value of the "force full GPU scaling" setting at least once after every time I boot up my laptop. The actual state of "force full GPU scaling" is irrelevant - it just needs to be changed in order for the driver to apply the chosen GPU scaling method setting.

2. When I try to use SLI, I get terrible flickering in OpenGL 3D apps. It's an improvement from some previous drivers I've tried which wouldn't even boot with SLI enabled, but it's still effectively unusable.

[static_hf]

Ok so there is a problem.

I have Asus g1 sn series with Nvidia 9500M GS graphic card.

I followed the method and it succefully installed the driver yet my graphic is like windows 95.( i installed the driver from Nvidia 195.xxx which includes my graphic card inside)
what should i do ? c

[anthonyk1978]

Hi all!! Very good info BUT...... I am using a pos Celeron computer with PNY Nvidia Geforce 8400GS 512mb PCI. I used the recommended driver which is version 185 and i can get my dual monitors to work but not visual graphics. I then followed these instructions using the version 195 driver and everything installed correctly and still NO visuals. What do i have to do just to get this running properly??!!!

[Dark Bishop]

im also getting the error saying the x server is still running after stopping gdm.

im trying to install 195.36.15 32-bit on a fresh install of ubuntu 9.04.

thanks for any help.

[wizarddrummer]

I've been always disappointed with all video drivers we had in linux, (AMD or nVidia) Very ugly 2D performance (specially nvidia) and tons of issues when mixing compiz and 3D or Video. It's been almost a week since I've installed nVidia BETA drivers 180.06 which includes for the first time ever Pure Video on Linux. I am impressed with the general performance and stability, compiz have never been that smooth, video has an amazing quality even when I'm moving my desktop cube, any 3D app can perfectly run with no issues or performance problems. In one word. IMPRESSIVE. I hope that this is not the final step but only the first one of a new nVidia drivers series that can finally put Linux at the same level than Windows Drivers stability and performance. I would like to ask you guys if anyone else is using 180.XX drivers, let's talk about how you feel with them!



Edit March 22 2010: Latest nVidia 195.xx (STABLE) 195.36.15 Drivers: 32 Bit . 64 Bit


Edit March 18 2010: Latest nVidia 195.xx OpenGL 3.3 (STABLE) 195.36.07.03 Drivers: 32 Bit . 64 Bit




How to install nVidia drivers in Linux:

It is very easy and you can do it by just following this steps. Remember to uninstall any previous version! If you are using the proprietary hardware tool in Ubuntu you should disable the current driver first and then restart your computer before you start. THIS IS MANDATORY!

Note: Follow this instructions at your own risk

1) Download the driver (for example in your desktop) - Get the pkg1, Right Click, Save As...

2) Enter in a real terminal mode: CONTROL + ALT + F1, then login (don't do it now as you wouldn't be able to keep reading)

3) Go to your desktop:

cd Desktop

4) Turn off X.org/GDM (Gnome Display Manager):

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

5) Run the installer:

sudo sh ./Nxxx.run

(If you hit TAB after the first N the rest of the filename will automatically appear. Remember, Linux is case sensitive)

6) Choose x.org automatic configuration at the last step inside the installation program.

7) Then restart your computer

sudo reboot

8) Enjoy!


Important note: In some instances, after a kernel upgrade you won't be able to load x.org. "sdennie" made a very useful post where explains how to create a script that will automatically install the drivers when your kernel is upgraded. Have a look here

ps: If anything goes wrong, you can easily uninstall this drivers by following the same steps and when running the installer type:

sudo sh ./Nxxx --uninstall

or

sudo nvidia-uninstall

ps2: This NVIDIA Linux graphics driver release supports GeForce 6xxx and newer NVIDIA GPUs, GeForce4 and older GPUs are supported through the 96.43.xx and 71.86.xx NVIDIA legacy graphics drivers. GeForce FX GPUs are supported through the 173.14.xx NVIDIA legacy graphics drivers.



Legacy Drivers


GeForce 5 series GPUs 173.14.25 32 bits , 64 bits


GeForce 2 through GeForce 4 series 96.43.16 32 bits , 64 bits


Riva TNT, TNT2, GeForce, and some GeForce 2 71.86.13 32 bits , 64 bits


note: Legacy drivers are being updated as well. (Latest update: February 15, 2010)


Good luck

Great Post!
My system 2.6.31-14-generic
Having read about 400 posts on this topic I've seen lots of diversity in methods.
Do I need to issue any of these commands prior to this installation process.
I have a new install and I have NOT installed the drivers yet.
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-rt
sudo apt-get install build-essential pkg-config linux-headers-$(uname -r)

EDIT1
Or this command?
sudo nvidia-xconfig --nvagp=1

Thanks,

[0pul3nce]

Looks like this threads died down a bit. I take it that people are happy with the information provided about drivers here?

[ratcheer]

Looks like this threads died down a bit. I take it that people are happy with the information provided about drivers here?

For the record, I have been very happy with this thread, for months. I hope the methodology for installing nvidia drivers does not change too much with Lucid, but I am afraid it will.

Tim

[sdowney717]

With Lucid I basically did post number 1255
Except I just used the recovery mode console window.
I did not do the stop gdm command.
I am still running 195.30 driver downloaded direct from Nvidia site

[alex_o]

i finally got the 195 driver working thx

[Kosimo]

Looks like this threads died down a bit. I take it that people are happy with the information provided about drivers here?

Why should it be dead?

At the moment it includes direct links to the latest drivers releases for all cards, including OpenGL betas and legacy, 32 and 64 bits.

The how-to is still perfectly valid, and yes, it kills GDM (Karmic tells you that in the future you should use a new command, but it still works) I will get specific commands for Lucid Lynx in the event that current ones won't work.


Hope it helps.

Kosimo