[Nottingham] Nvidia, GLX and Direct Rendering Problems.

[Michael]

Dalkus wrote:
>> The Ubuntu nvidia-glx package has a script that will do all this for 
>> you: README.Debian instructs one to run "sudo nvidia-glx-config 
>> enable". It's usually quite important to read the README!
> 
> Sorry, I wasn't aware of the readme, I'll defiantly go through it. I 
> fear that my problem isn't a usual one however, the nvidia-glx package 
> has been set to 'enable' and all the relevant packages are installed, 
> but every time I set 'nv' to 'nvidia' X cannot restart again with the 
> message 'no screens found'.

OK, here's a useful hint for Debian-based Linux distributions: 
documentation for any package can be found in /usr/share/doc/<package> 
therein you will ALWAYS find a README.Debian file which is ignored at 
one's own peril since it overrules information in the README file for 
the upstream (original, non-Debian) package.

Generally under Debian, you don't want to edit your XF86Config-4 (or 
equivalent xorg conf) by hand - this is stated at the top of the file: 
the correct way to change X config is "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" 
or xorg equivalent (sorry, I don't have an xorg installation to hand). 
BUT... :)

Unfortunately, I just looked in /usr/share/doc/nvidia-glx/README.Debian 
(mine is Ubuntu Warty rather than Hoary) and it makes no mention of 
"sudo nvidia-glx-config enable" -- this is only mentioned in the package 
information should be shown in your package management tool (e.g. 
synaptic, kynaptic, dselect, or (my fave) aptitude)...

------------- 8< ---- cut here ---- 8< ------------------
mick at syn:~ $ aptitude show nvidia-glx
Package: nvidia-glx
Version: 1.0.6111-1ubuntu9
Priority: optional
Section: restricted/x11
Maintainer: Herbert Xu <herbert at gondor.apana.org.au>
Uncompressed Size: 9351k
Depends: nvidia-kernel-1.0.6111, xserver-common (>= 4.0.3), xlibmesa-glu,
          libglu, libglu1, libc6 (>= 2.3.2.ds1-4), libx11-6, xlibs (> 
4.1.0),
          libxext6, xlibs (> 4.1.0)
Suggests: nvidia-settings, nvidia-kernel-source (>= 1.0.6111)
Conflicts: nvidia-glx-src
Replaces: nvidia-glx-src
Provides: xserver
Description: NVIDIA binary XFree86 4.x driver
  These XFree86 4.0 binary drivers provide optimized hardware 
acceleration of OpenGL applications via a direct-rendering X Server and 
support the TNT, TNT2, TNT Ultra, GeForce, nForce and Quadro chipsets. 
AGP, TV-out and flat panel displays are also supported.

  To enable the driver, run "sudo nvidia-glx-config enable"

------------- 8< ---- cut here ---- 8< ------------------

OK, I'm rather dismayed that the Ubuntu package doesn't care to mention 
the "sudo nvidia-glx-config enable" in the README.Debian - this is a 
bug. It also renders less effective my above advice that this is the 
source of the most important info.

> Anyway, I'll read the documentation and see If that will iron out any 
> problems, also the latest version of Ubuntu is about to be released as 
> stable, so I'll wait until then before I ask again.
> Many thanks

No worries, it's clear that the Ubuntu nvidia-glx package maintainer has 
to fix the documentation. I could walk you through the process to change 
nv -> nvidia X driver but I think it's better covered in 
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/wiki/BinaryDriverHowto . If you wait a couple 
of days, I'll be upgrading from Ubuntu Warty to Kubuntu Hoary so I'll be 
in the same boat.

Regards,
Michael.