Ubuntu 8.10 + NVIDIA Driver 173

Hello All,

With Linux distros being an interest of mine; over time I have tried/installed many, and each time liking the ones I have tried. However more recently with new modules I have started at University this semester, I thought I would choose a Linux distro that I felt I could comfortably work with and be easy to use and configure, but at the same time, still letting me get down to the more technical side of the OS. As you can guess for this is chose Ubuntu and there more later version 8.10 Intrepid Ibex.

Among the the previous versions of the distro I have tried, I was really impressed, with 8.10 version. Having not tried Ubuntu since Gutsy Gibbon (but still using other Linux distros :p), I was really impressed, with what had been improved. One key example is the network manager. I remember having real problems with it and having to mess about with things like NDISwrapper due to there being nor WPA support. In 8.10 this is totally different; there is WPA support and I was connected in seconds! Another key improvement I noted was the actual installation, as this was far quicker. Well I better stop, as I could go on for hours, about the big and more subtle changes!

The only thing I did find a pain was, is the NVIDIA driver support. As I came to realise I was not the only one, and issues were common. To me this was important as I did not want a 800×600 resolution, which I would have had without additional drivers. Of course Ubuntu, suggested some restricted Drivers, either versions 173 or 177. For ease these can be downloaded using the application add/remove option in Ubuntu.

Initially I tried both drivers, but on boot up I just got past the login screen, and then everything stopped, and I was presented with a plain screen! I tried many different things, and ended up having to re-install 2-3 times. This was because you could not shut down, but only physically ‘turn-off’, which in turn corrupted GRUB Grrrrrrrrrrrr! However I did find a solution!

Solution:

The NVIDIA 173 driver which I was using was ok, but for two components, called compiz and compiz-core. These are the 3D accelerator, parts of the driver, which are not so good, with older/run of the mill graphics cards. So the only answer was to remove these two components! The way I did it was as follows:

Install the driver you want using the add/remove app – The quick and easy part. Next (once installation is complete), is to remove the two components. For this you will need to go to terminal, and do the following:

sudo apt-get remove compiz

sudo apt-get remove compiz-core

At this point (taking into account both have been removed) you can exit terminal and then restart your computer. When you restart, you should be able to login and configure your graphics card, as well as seeing an instant change in resolution even before configuring!

Well I hopes this helps some of you, as it did me!

*I do not take responsibility for any damages, caused by anything said/expressed in this post or anywhere on this site.**