Re: Urgent! -- New Debian 3.1R2 install -- Nvidia card not recognized: fuzzy desktop, 640X480 resolution
Benjamin Sher wrote:
> Arafangion wrote:
>
>>Benjamin Sher wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Dear friends:
>>>
>>>Decided to give the latest stable version of Debian 3.1Rc2 a chance so
>>>I downloaded the first two CD's and burned them in Nero. Everything
>>>went flawlessly. Literally. I was delighted. That is, until I booted
>>>up to the new Debian and was I in for a shock. The install urged me
>>>not to configure my Nvidia GeForce 2 card automatically so I didn't.
>>>But what I saw when I got to the desktop was nothing but a fuzzy, 640
>>>X 480 screen, probably with 4 to 16 colors. Have no idea. The console
>>>was OK but very large. I was also able to use apt-get and Synaptic. In
>>>Synaptic I searched in vain for my video card. During install I
>>>selected VGA as a generic card. I cound't even configure my Mozilla
>>>Thunderbird so I am writing from my wife's Windows computer. Finally,
>>>I was taken into Gnome. I thought Debian had a KDE desktop by default.
>>>
>>>My top priority is to get my video in order. Could one of you Debian
>>>experts please come to the rescue. I am at a complete loss.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Ok, you have two options, use the convenient 'nv' driver, or use the
>>proprietary (and hence not so convenient) "NVidia" driver.
>>
>>The free one does not have hardware accelleration, while the NVidia one
>>does, though.
>>
>>Instead of using the 'vga' driver, use the 'nv' driver. vga is just
>>that, 640x480 at a resolution and refresh that absolutely every card
>>that supports vga can support, it is very basic.
>>
>>As for KDE/Gnome, Debian does not come with a desktop "by default",
>>however (i imagine) for historical license reasons Debian installs Gnome
>>by default if you select "Desktop" in tasksel.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> Dear Arafangion and friends:
>
> May I ask for your help with the repository sources. Right now all I
> have listed are my two CD Rom sources and a security source. No wonder
> Synaptic lists only 2,500 or so packages instead of the 18,000 or so
> it normally carries. May I ask if you could send me a list of three or
> four legitimate sources (stable) that I can add to my sources list?
> But why are my two CD sources listed as "unstable". That mystified me.
>
> Thank you again.
>
> Benjamin
The nv driver is part of the XFree86 (or Xorg, can't remember which is
used anymore), configure it by going to the console, logging in as root,
and typing:
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
And following the questions, if you do not know the correct question
(Such as bus identifier), just hit enter, it can usually determine sane
defaults.
You also don't really need to state the amount of memory used.
Now, as to the two CD's you have that are known as "Unstable", that is
relating to the fact that Debian has 3 main "versions":
Stable (Codename is Sarge) - My favorite and recommended version
Testing (Codename is Etch), This will be the 'next stable', many people
also like this, but I still recommend stable.
And finally, Unstable, otherwise known as "Sid", ie, "The boy next door
who breaks toys".
Here are my /etc/apt/sources - Realise that these are strictly for
"stable", if you're running testing, replace 'stable' with 'testing' or
'sarge' (Yes, codenames also work, and are infact recommended)
deb ftp://ftp.wa.au.debian.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
deb-src ftp://ftp.wa.au.debian.org/debian/ stable main non-free contrib
deb http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main contrib
non-free
deb-src http://non-us.debian.org/debian-non-US stable/non-US main
contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main contrib non-free
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