Fresh install with two Nvidia cards, breaks X

[SavantStrike]

I recently installed Ubuntu 8.10 on a newly built system with a Core 2 Quad and two video cards (A 9800GT and a 9600GSO). Being relatively new to Linux still I quickly realized I was in over my head, and things were not going so well.

Ubuntu went in fine, but as soon as I tried to install the Nvidia proprietary drivers, X did not work when I started it up again... apparently the system is incredibly confused with two video cards as every time I did this removing the 9600GSO (slot 2) allowed the system to start working again. The trouble is, I really want both cards as I was planning to fold on them (only one for now :( )

Can someone walk me through what I did wrong here (i.e. fresh install then nvidia drivers then nothing).

Running dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg generates the following
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection


Running the Nvidia config generates this:
# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildd@crested) Mon Nov 3 08:46:04 UTC 2008

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout0"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
# generated from default
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
# generated from default
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
# HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "ACI ASUS VH242H"
HorizSync 30.0 - 85.0
VertRefresh 55.0 - 75.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 9800 GT"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "1280x720 +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Neither one puts pci BUS ids in...

TIA

[tuxxy]

I believe if you install Ubuntu and the nvidia drivers not using SLI (just one card) it should be ok then you are ready to setup and configure the two cards after. Nice cards btw they will be awesome :P

[SavantStrike]

Thankx... Theyre MSI cards too so they're red :D

I actually did the install without SLI, especially since the cards are mixed... I did just what you said too, fresh install with the two cards, then install the nvidia drivers and it all breaks loose. Remove a card and it works, put it back in and no go :(

I'm wondering if the Nvidia driver is getting confused between the two cards, or exactly what is happening. Perhaps I need to set up the cards with the open driver that comes with Ubuntu before going to the nvidia driver? I'm really banging my head against a wall here trying to make this work.

I've also tried adding a second card to the configurion and calling it device1, and adding bus ID's for both cards... but still no dice...