What is the problem...

[veebee]

with Linux, when it comes to changing  to changing video cards.


I have had to (at one time or another) change the vid cards in all my ubuntu boxes, in the name of "upgrading".

EVERY time I have done so.. I end up with "Ubuntu is running in low graphics mode.." (during the boot process)  and a mouse cursor "cross" the size of a ten cent piece !

the options it gives me to "configure" at that point DONT include my graphics cards and make no difference even when the options were reasonably close to the card I had put in.

I then tried basically everything I could find through googling...(adding/ removing nVidia features from the "add/remove" menu, downloading from nVidia itself (drivers) , and "Envy" and other "configuring" tools)...

In the end, I had to settle for a re-install of the OS on Ubuntu-Quad-1 (this box) .

I also just put my new GTS250 into my i7, which gave me a GT9600 to utilise in my linux boxes...I put it into my main machine (all emailing, work stuff etc done on that machine), and of course, same deal.. end up with 800 x 600 rsolution and nothing I could do would fix it.
So I put another HDD in and did a fresh install on that one, hoping that I can connect my "old drive" up as a "second HDD" and get to all my stuff that way.

So I am basically asking if anyone out there has done a straight swap of cards, has had the same issue and how they fixed it.... or if they did something BEFORE the swap to prevent the issue, I would like to know what that might be...


It has frustrated me no-end, as I have had to saty up waaaay past my bedtime for many a night coz of this problem.... it never happens with the windows boxes though ..!

[veebee]

Surely SOMEONE has done an install, and then at some later point swapped (upgraded) the video card .......

[mike047]

Surely SOMEONE has done an install, and then at some later point swapped (upgraded) the video card .......

many times

I always delete all the Nvidia restricted drivers via the package manager.  Always install the drivers using "root" privileges via Ctrl+Alt+F1.
[you need to give root a password in "users"]

Some say it is not needed but I install build-essential and Ia32-libs also.

Every install is a little different for me but it is getting easier biggrin

Did a GTS250 yesterday, it will do about 3 units a day.

edit;  I have had the best luck with 177.82 drivers.

mike

[daveandton]

Yes in my case I had to remove the drivers including envy toget it to work
Dave

[Wang Solutions]

I have to say that always also have the same issue in Windows - whenever I swap a video card the screen defaults to the lowest resolution setting until I reinstall the drivers. It is exactly the same in Ubuntu. It is easier in Windows to reinstall the drivers than it is in Ubuntu, but the process is the same. Uninstall the old driver, reinstall the new one via terminal as root. Works every time.

[Cruncher Pete]

It seem you are not on your own here veebee.  I too had same problems here especially when you change cards to a lower rate.  I did the same as you, just last week, brought an NVIDIA 9800GT card and I moved the old 8850Gt to another machine.  Same problem as you.  Since I do not have much experience with Linux, I am stumped as to how to overcome the problem having followed all the know directions to replace a driver.  Having said that, I also found that it is far more quicker to just re-install the system than to trying to find a solution to the problem.  In my case, re-installation fixed it...

[veebee]

I did a "re-install"in this case, on a spare HDD as tthis machine was my main "everyday use" rig... all emails on it, all documents, pictures, etc...

will pop the original drive back in and try the above suggestions... but later.. just picke dup a HD digital set top box and am having a relax in front of crystal clear pictures....


back soon !

[daveandton]

That HD is certainly an unreal experience. Once seen you're spoilt for life.
Dave

[clownius]

Ive swapped many a video card in my time.  Usually they both use the same driver in my swaps (always the latest driver for a newer card).  I would do a completely remove under your package manager apply it and then install drivers again.  But its never caused me an issue in the past.