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High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

MikeTheBike
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎03-09-2009

High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

After months of testing I've just done a new install of LinuxMint 7 (Gloria). At the first reboot Mint recognised that there was a restricted Driver available for my Nvidia 64Mb Graphics Card. I installed the Driver (version 96.43.10) and this gives me an excellent range of screen resolutions and refresh rates. I am also enjoying the Animated Windows each time I open and close a window.
With the Graphics Driver there is a Configuration Window (Nvidia X Server Settings) where there is an option to save the current settings to the X Configuration File. If I click the button, to save, an error is reported and the save process fails. If the settings are not saved, each time I boot up I have to reset the screen resolution and refresh rate. Not a big problem but an annoyance. On a LinuxMint Forum I found a “fix” for this, press ALT+F2 to activate a Run Window then enter gksu nvidia-settings. This activates the Nvidia X Server Settings Window and now it is possible to save the current settings to the X Configuration file. (assume I am running the command as a Super User)
After saving the setting to the X Configuration file I find that the Borders around the Windows disappear so it is no longer possible to Resize, Close or Drag a Window. If I do a Right Mouse click on the Desktop then select, Change Desktop Background followed by Visual Effects I can set the visual Effects to NONE and the Window Borders return.
In summary I can have either:
Animated Visual Effects and not save the Screen Resolution settings
or
Save the Screen Resolution settings and lose the Animated Visual Effects.
Has anyone else met this problem and is there a solution?
7 REPLIES 7
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

You need to be a superuser to write to the X windows config file -
/etc/X11/xorg.conf
at a guess Smiley
Ubuntu seems to be moving away from using this file...
I have to admit that although I've got a nvidia 512 MB, it's not thought of as up to games standard - its a GeForce 7300 GS
I did have a problem with the latest driver (180) in that after minutes or hours the mouse and keyboard would lock up.
I reverted to previous version of the driver (173) and everything is fine - I don't really want snazzy effects.
It works at 1680 x 1050 Smiley

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
Thanks: 266
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

What happens if you use the display applet to change the resolution rather than the nvidia one? Like CoE I have a 7600GT but it works fine using the nv one and 180 ...
Ubuntu/Xorg have depreciated the xorg.conf file so it does make troubleshooting a little more difficult. Or try posting on the Mint forums they are quite friendly there  Grin
MikeTheBike
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎03-09-2009

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

If I use the Mint Display Applet to change resolution I get the following message:
It appears that your graphics driver does not support the necessary extensions to use this tool.  Do you want to use your graphics driver vendor's tool instead? 
I have considered buying a new Graphics Card. But as it sits in an AGP slot I'm a little reluctant to buy into old technology. Do I really need snazzy effects?
CofE did you use ENVYNG when uninstalling and reinstalling a Graphics Driver or did you do it manually? If you did it manually can you post some instructions. As a newbie to Linux I'm keen to learn more.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

In Ubuntu you just click on "Hardware drivers" and choose those that you want.
If you change driver, I think it does a download...
I think you then need to reboot.
I didn't use Envy - I've seen it mentioned - also that it is a bit dodgy.
See http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html
I wouldn't worry about that message:-
Quote
It appears that your graphics driver does not support the necessary extensions to use this tool.  Do you want to use your graphics driver vendor's tool instead? 

Nvidia is a relatively "Linux friendly" manufacturer who supply (non-open) Linux drivers - unlike most manufacturers.
Basically, Ubuntu does everything for you. Smiley
I'd suggest you switch off the fancy effects - personally I have no use for them Cheesy
It might be worth checking via the mint forums whether an older driver would be more suitable???

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

Denzil
Grafter
Posts: 1,733
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

...ofevil is right - you need superuser permissions to write to anything outside the /home folder. By default you are running the utility as a normal user and you don't have permission to write to the /etc folder where the configuration file is kept. The Nvidia configuration utility is a very convenient way of setting the display up, so I would stick with that. The easiest way to use it is to open a terminal window and type
sudo nvidia-settings

When prompted, enter your superuser password. This time it will be able to save your chosen settings.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

Might also be a good idea to take a backup copy of /etc/X11/xorg.conf first Smiley
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.yy-mm-dd
Where yy-mm-dd is today's date.

"In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was Aardvark."

HairyMcbiker
All Star
Posts: 6,792
Thanks: 266
Fixes: 21
Registered: ‎16-02-2009

Re: High Res Screen Vs Animated Visual Effects

Quote from: Denzil
sudo nvidia-settings

When prompted, enter your superuser password. This time it will be able to save your chosen settings.

Denzil if you check the first message you will see that is what he was entering and it wasn't sticking
I would try the Mint forums