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Thread: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

  1. #1
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    Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    What is the correct command to check which VGA driver is installed and loaded/running?

  2. #2
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    I use
    Code:
    lspci -v | less
    and the search for VGA.

  3. #3
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    I don't know a single command. Perhaps someone else will chime in with more.

    I'd start by determining the hardware:
    $ sudo lshw -c display

    Then it depends on the driver. nvidia has 1, ATI another, Intel another, virtual machines and F/LOSS versions yet another.

    Then I'd use lsmod with a grep to hone in on the exact driver. For example:
    $ lsmod | grep -i nvidia
    or
    $ lsmod | grep fglrx
    or
    $ lsmod | grep video
    or ...

    Then to find a specific version, I'd ask the package manager which file is owned by which package.
    $ dpkg -l | grep fglrx
    which shows 2:8.960-0ubuntu1.1 on an ATI machine.
    $ dpkg -l | grep nvidia
    which returns 290.10-0ubuntu1~lucid~xup1 on an nvidia machine.

    I hope there's an easier way.

  4. #4
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    One of many...
    Code:
    lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 vga
    eg
    Code:
    glen@Quantal:~$ lspci -nnk | grep -iA2 vga
    01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation G96 [GeForce 9400 GT] [10de:0641] (rev a1)
    	Subsystem: XFX Pine Group Inc. Device [1682:4009]
    	Kernel driver in use: nvidia

  5. #5
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    Okay, thanks everybody! I can work with this.

    I was just curious if the driver of x-swat is running on my system. When i go to Additional Drivers i see that the Nvidia driver current is not enabled although the nvidia-current driver of x-swat is installed. Can i asume that i have the driver installed?

  6. #6
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    Hi!, GeForce 9500GT,
    Code:
    sudo apt-cache policy nvidia-current
    Will tell you which version is installed and available, as well as its source.

    Though it will not work for drivers not installed with dpkg, for example the nvidia.com downloaded versions.

    For those run:
    Code:
    cat  /sys/module/nvidia/version
    Chao!, bogan.

    Reason for editing: version note added
    Last edited by bogan; October 9th, 2012 at 10:22 AM.
    "Better Solutions may bring Worsened Problems": After Lao Tse, b. circa 405BC. a contemporary of Confucius, who died circa 600BC.
    They did things differently in those days, apparently!!

  7. #7
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    Lightbulb Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    Quote Originally Posted by bogan View Post
    .....
    Thanks! =D>

    That first command is what i was looking for!

  8. #8
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    Quote Originally Posted by GeForce 9500GT View Post
    Thanks! =D>

    That first command is what i was looking for!
    Hi!,

    Great, glad to help- Please mark the thread as Solved - 'Thread Tools' above.

    Enjoy! Chao!, bogan.
    "Better Solutions may bring Worsened Problems": After Lao Tse, b. circa 405BC. a contemporary of Confucius, who died circa 600BC.
    They did things differently in those days, apparently!!

  9. #9
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    Re: Command to check which videocard driver is installed

    Just wanted to add something..
    Quote Originally Posted by TheFu View Post
    I don't know a single command. Perhaps someone else will chime in with more.

    I'd start by determining the hardware:
    $ sudo lshw -c display
    @TheFu, have you observed the entire output of lshw command? It also (always, if used with sudo) lists the driver (driver=..) currently loaded for the listed device.
    [Edit : I should add that this driver name may not be same as the actual module name in some cases (for example, rtxxxx drivers are shown as "RALINK" in lshw output). So the 'lspci -nnk' method suggested below is more promising for finding the actual module name which can be used with 'modinfo' command]

    The 'lspci -nnk' method suggested by stinkeye is the next most commonly used method to figure that out.

    Once the driver in use is determined, you can use modinfo command to check the details (including source version) of that particular module (i.e., driver). For example-
    Code:
    modinfo nvidiafb
    It gives all the important details about a module and is not dependent on how the module (driver) was built or installed.

    Hope it adds some value to the thread.
    Last edited by varunendra; October 11th, 2012 at 02:42 PM. Reason: To add the 'Edit' info
    Varun
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