Bump Run!

Hello - and NVIDIA issues with build 108

• Hello
  

This is my first attempt at blog. I never thought anyone would care to hear my rantings. But I tend to write notes on how I manage to get over obstacles. A coworker suggested I post one note as a blog. So here I go... The first turn down the bump run...

I hope my blog entries can prevent others from hitting a tree.

• New OpenSolaris NVIDIA drivers don't support older devices.
  

More information on NVIDIA issues with 108 can be found here:
http://www.opensolaris.org/jive/thread.jspa?threadID=83421&tstart=-3

Below are my notes for what I did to get my dual monitors on the NVIDIA card working.

To fix dual monitors on the NVIDIA card, use the legacy NVIDIA drivers

    1. Remove the newer NNVIDIA bits:
        $ pfexec pkg uninstall slim_install
        $ pfexec pkg uninstall NVDAgraphics

    2. Download the legacy NVIDIA drivers

        From:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

        Get:
        Solaris x64/x86
        Latest Legacy GPU version (173.14.xx series):
            173.14.12

        Follow instructions to install.

    3. Reboot
        Do not simply restart X. One must reboot.

    4. Using the desktop tool to create the xorg.conf file:

        Select from the little GNOME foot:
        System Tools/NVIDIA X Server Setting

        The first time the tool is run it may indicate
        no xorg.conf file is availabl. The error message
        indicates the command to use to create.

        NOTE:
        I had a problem at that step in the NVIDIA X Server
        Settings tool wouldn't actually save the updated
        xorg.conf.

        but!

        It would let me display it. So cut and pasted the
        updated file and dropped it into an terminal editor
        session.

    5. Execute the nvidia xorg.conf creation command if required.

    6. Remove the RgbPath from the newly created xorg.conf file.
        If you don't do this X will issues a nice error message
        in the log file: /var/log/Xorg.0.log telling you to.

    6. Restart X
        I think it was sufficient to restart X. I don't think I
        had to reboot here.

    7.  Using the desktop tool to configure the display:
        Select from the little GNOME "Foot":
        System Tools/NVIDIA X Server Setting

        Enable the twin view stuff.

    8. Pay homage to the gods of X configuration

    9. Restart X...

Posted at 02:02PM Mar 06, 2009 by Joseph Vlcek in Sun  |  Comments[1]