[ale] [video] I'm At My Whit's End: Nvidia and Linux

[Scott Castaline]

On 05/28/2010 08:22 PM, Marc Ferguson wrote:
> Hi Gang,
>
> As the subject implies, I'm at my whit's end when it comes to my current
> specs and running the latest of anything! I know it's a pretty broad
> statement... I tried running Ubuntu 10.04 Live and Fedora 13 Live, but
> neither one of them is showing me any love.  I've load both distros,
> independently, onto my USB flash drive in order to test and install them.
>
> UBUNTU
> I'll start off with this one because it's easy. So; with a fresh quick
> format and then load the distro files onto my USB key, I boot the Ubuntu
> flavor. I get their startup screen and then it gives me the options to
> boot, test, etc. When I try to boot, it seems to go into some odd loop
> and it never starts the kernel. It counts down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... <repeat>
> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... So; that's the end of that experiment. :(
>
> FEDORA
> Now; this is my distro of choice, but I have been having serious
> video-related issues since the end of Fedora 10. Currently I'm running a
> nVidia GeForce 9400 GT. Before it was an 8600 GT. I stick with nVidia
> because I game on my Windows partition... but I've been without a linux
> desktop for about a month and it's really starting to get to me. I've
> tried just about everything to get nVidia support.  The "nv" drivers
> aren't working. When the x server tries to load them I literally lose
> the signal to my monitor and I have to reboot the machine. I end up
> changing xorg.conf to use the "vesa" drivers just to log in. I've tried
> the forums, IRC, bug reports... no one has an answer as to why it's not
> working.
>
> With the latest Live boot experiment, when Fedora tries to load it's x
> server the oddest thing happens. I get a grid of images on my screen.
> Not of Fedora Live, but my last Microsoft Windows session.  It seems
> that there's a cache in the video card (I really don't know, just a
> guess). The grids are all out of sync so nothing matches, but if you
> were to try and put them together it would be my desktop in Windows.
> I've tried booting into runlevel 3 and creating an xorg.conf file,
> setting it to "vesa" and still no luck.
>
> So; I can't get into Fedora and I can't get Ubuntu to start. Any
> suggestions before I put a gun to my head? Thanks. :D
>
> Oh my specs are:
>
> * Motherboard: BioStar TA690g AM2 (onboard video ATI)
> * Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 3600+
> * Memory: 4BG
> * Video: nVidia GeForce 9400 GT
>
> --
> Marc Ferguson
>
> Registered Linux User #410978
> www.fergytech.com <http://www.fergytech.com> | www.digitalalias.net
> <http://www.digitalalias.net>
>
> "When life gives me lemons... I make Linuxaide, hmm good stuff!"
>
>
>
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I'm replying a 2nd time as I'm getting hit with heavy lightning so I'm 
shutting down so I won't see any further of this until much later or 
tomorrow.