nvidia RIVA 128 graphics card, Low Res

**Nopposan** · September 9th, 2008

Hello there everybody. I've done a little Google searching and some searching on this forum but I haven't yet solved my problem with this old graphics card.

I'm on a Dell Dimension XPSD300 with 700 MHZ Pentium III processor and 256 MB ram. The monitor is NEC MultiSync LCD1550v.

Here's the output of lspci:

Code:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
00:0d.0 Communication controller: Conexant HCF 56k Data/Fax/Voice/Spkp Modem (rev 08)
00:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
00:10.0 Multimedia audio controller: Aureal Semiconductor Vortex 2 (rev fe)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVidia / SGS Thomson (Joint Venture) Riva128 (rev 10)

I installed the legacy driver with the envy-gtk application, then on reboot I was forced to either except a low res default or reconfigure the xserver; I reconfigured the xserver to set the monitor to NEC MultiSync LCD1550v using 1024x768 resolution at 75 Hz and the graphics card to RAVI 128, but the display defaulted to 800x600 resolution at 73 Hz. So, I tried just using the "Generic LCD Display" instead of the NEC MultiSync, but I still get the same issue.

Please help me out with suggestions for what to do. (If it's impossible to get 1024x768 resolution out of this card then maybe I should purchase a different graphics card; I'd need to make sure I get something that's compatible with my old computer and with Linux however, so even if that's where we go then please offer advice on what card to use.)

Here's my xorg.conf:

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Boardname	"RIVA128"
	Busid		"PCI:1:0:0"
	Driver		"nv"
	Screen	0
	Vendorname	"RIVA"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Vendorname	"Generic LCD Display"
	Modelname	"LCD Panel 1024x768"
	Horizsync	31.5-48.0
	Vertrefresh	56.0 - 65.0
  modeline  "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
	Gamma	1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Defaultdepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Virtual	1024	768
		Modes		"1024x768@60"	"800x600@60"	"800x600@56"	"640x480@60"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
  screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
EndSection
Section "Module"
	Load		"glx"
	Load		"GLcore"
	Load		"v4l"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheers.

**overdrank** · September 9th, 2008

Ok I am assuming you are using Hardy 8.04 and you can try and use the command

Code:

gksu displayconfig-gtk

and adjust your resolution and driver there. You may also try editing your xorg and changing the default depth to 16 to correct the issue. If all fails then you can boot into recovery mode and use the xfix option to correct the graphics. The card is rather old and I have not used that card in a while.

**Nopposan** · September 9th, 2008

O.K. You're assumption was correct. 'Sorry about the omission.

I've already tried the first suggestion and the second. So, I'll try xfix. I'll get back to you soon.

Cheers.

**Nopposan** · September 9th, 2008

Hello again.

O.K., I tried xfix and it gives me the 16 bit color depth and makes my xorg.conf file look like this:

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
EndSection

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

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
EndSection

I'd really rather be able to have both 1024x768 resolution AND 24 bit color depth. Do you know if there's a way to do this?

Thanks.

**Nopposan** · September 9th, 2008

I got it!

The trouble was that when I was forced to reconfigure the xserver on reboot I didn't save the settings to the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, I was just clicking on "OK" or "Keep Settings" or whatever that button on the bottom right was.

All is good now. However, I can't actually get graphics acceleration; probably because the card is inadequate for compiz-fusion, I guess. Here's the working xorg.conf. NOTE, it seems like the only difference is that line after Depth that reads "Virtual" is absent:

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by failsafeDexconf, using
# values from the debconf database and some overrides to use vesa mode.
#
# You should use dexconf or another such tool for creating a "real" xorg.conf
# For example:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Boardname	"NVIDIA Legacy"
	Busid		"PCI:1:0:0"
	Driver		"nv"
	Screen	0
	Vendorname	"NVIDIA"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Vendorname	"NEC"
	Modelname	"NEC MultiSync LCD1550V"
	Horizsync	31.0-60.0
	Vertrefresh	55.0-75.0
  modeline  "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "640x480@72" 31.5 640 664 704 832 480 489 491 520 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "640x480@75" 31.5 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@72" 50.0 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@75" 49.5 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "832x624@75" 57.284 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "1024x768@75" 78.8 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1024x768@70" 75.0 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
  modeline  "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
	Gamma	1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Defaultdepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes		"1024x768@60"	"1280x960@60"	"1024x768@70"	"1024x768@75"	"832x624@75"	"800x600@60"	"800x600@75"	"800x600@72"	"800x600@56"	"640x480@75"	"640x480@72"	"640x480@60"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
  screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
EndSection
Section "Module"
	Load		"glx"
	Load		"GLcore"
	Load		"v4l"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Thanks for keeping me going on this anyway.

Cheers.