MEPIS Community Forum

Sticky done

Maybe someone would make an entry in the Wiki?

How do I install nvidia legacy-71xx GPU driver on mepis8?

Howto install video driver for

VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV5M64 [RIVA TNT2 Model 64/Model 64 Pro] (rev 15)

in Mepis 8.0.06 32-bit.

Should also work for Aladdin TNT2, RIVA TNT2/TNT2 Pro, Quadro2 Pro,
GeForce2 GTS/GeForce2 Pro and other GPUs that require the 71xx legacy
driver, per:

http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/100.14.11/README/appendix-a.html

Background: Previously, I had used kmathern's tips for how to install
the 71xx-legacy nvidia driver for mepis7. His tips got me unstuck then.
However, I found that the nvidia 71xx-legacy driver does not exist
in the mepis 8 repositories (including community repository) as of
late Aug 2009. I can say from experience the legacy-96xx driver will
definitely not work for the above GPU.

Solution: I used sgfxi. From http://smxi.org/site/install.htm there is
a section "Installing single scripts"

# same for the others: sgfxi
cd /usr/local/bin && wget -Nc smxi.org/sgfxi && chmod +x sgfxi && sgfxi

Ran as root, this app only asked to confirm what was autodetected graphics
card wise, and then it ran unattended. It seemed to be updating alot
(eg. libraries for g++ development), but all (so far) with the system
appears fine.

Afterwards, I found it strange that the 'MEPIS X-Windows Assistant' (MXWA)
under its NVIDIA tab shows the "vesa (xorg)" radio button selected for the
driver. Odd. But checking /etc/X11/xorg.conf, which sgfxi modified, shows:

mepis1:/etc/X11 % grep 'Driver.*nv' xorg.conf
Driver "nvidia"
Driver "nvidia"

My other issue was after reboot the refresh was still at a eye-straining
60 Hz. This is the case even though before running sgfxi I updated
the 'Monitor' tab of MXWA to my monitor's capability (up to 160 Hz
vertical refresh). Not knowing about it until later, I didn't try the
'Control Center' app. There, under Peripherals->Display it lets you make
resolution and v. refresh changes. Instead, I used synaptic to install
nvidia-xconf and used it to add mode 1600x1200. I think before it was
2048x1536, which may explain why v. refresh was only 60 Hz. I used an
example from the nvidia-xconf man page: 'nvidia-xconfig --mode=1600x1200'
I rebooted and m8's X server now comes up at 1600x1200 @ 75 Hz, just as
on the m7 32-bit partition.