[HLUG] Ubuntu and Compiz videocard

[Andrew Hodgson]

Matt Jones wrote:

>Andrew Hodgson wrote:
>> Hi,


>> I currently am using a Nvidia 7900GS videocard on a Dell workstation.  However, I have had issues with this >and Ubuntu, namely that when in the OS, the fan is at the maximum rate, and it is annoying.

>> I needed another machine for various bits, so I got one of those ESys machines with Ubuntu preloaded for >around £130.  It is an OK machine, but the graphics are the integrated VIA graphics, which seems to default >Ubuntu 7.10 to the Vesa driver and using Metacity.

>> Does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap (less than £50 preferably), silent and working with Linux >videocard that I can slot into this machine?  I am not going to play many games at all, but would like Compiz >to work if possible.

>> The mobo in this machine is a Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H if that helps.
> 
>Compiz isn't actually that hard in graphics terms, its just getting a 
>card that has good driver support, and the via isn't good. I would say 
>that the nvidia closed driver is probably the best out of ati/nvdia, 
>although there is probably not that much difference.

>http://www.ebuyer.com/product/133004 Is very cheap, and is passively 
>cooled. Not sure if the turbo cache is a hardware or driver feature though.

I actually got the Asus Nvidia 7300GS which does have a fan, but it is quite quiet.  I got this for around £25.  However, after installing Ubuntu 7.10, I am still not getting Compiz.  Do I need to do something after the installation to use the correc driver, or is there another problem?  Xorg.conf seems to think I am using the Nvidia driver, but whether that is the free one or the Nvidia supplied one I don't know.

Thanks.
Andrew.