File: UbuntuNvidiaProcedures.doc

Date: 6 April 2009

Procedures for Ubuntu and Nvidia Graphics Card, in a Dual Boot System.

Edit Sources.list: 1

Preparing to load the nvidia driver: 1

Loading the driver downloaded from nvidia: 3

Loading envyng-gtk package: 3

Edit xorg.conf: 4

Useful commands for graphics information: 5

Making dual boot system remember the last boot as the default for the next boot: 5

Read and Writing from the Windows partition: 5

Setting Window Move Mode. 6

Printing from Dosimetry Check and System 2100. 6

Installing Programs. 6

Creating a Desk Top Icon. 6

Example sources.lst file: 7

Example menu.lst file: 8

Example fstab file: 11

Dual Boot:

Useful links are:

https://help.ubuntu.com/8.04/switching/installing-partitioning.html

There is also another website just for partition hard drive which is also

very helpful:

http://partedmagic.com/wiki/PartedMagic.php?n=PartedMagic.UsingGParted

and another for dual boot:

http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/

Edit Sources.list:

Make backup copy of sources.list in /etc/apt. Edit, uncomment two lines and add multiverse after universe. See example below.

Preparing to load the nvidia driver:

You can either download the nvidia driver and install it yourself following nvidia’s instructions, or use a ubuntu package that will do the same for you. See loading the envyng-gtk package below from ubuntu. Using the ubuntu package seems to be the easiest way to go. However see the note below about removing other nvidia packages.

PNY website: www.pny.com. Has specs on boards with more informative than nvidia offers. Help at 800-230-0130, 800-234-4597

Nvidia: www.nvidia.com. Help at 408-486-2000, 408-486-2300

The packages nvidia-glx-new or nvidia-glx must be removed if the nvidia kernel is to be installed, either from nvidia or using envyng package. Envyng is described as getting the kernel from nvidia with a wrapper to install the kernel, rather than having to download it and do things like stopping X. See the alternate instructions for installing the nvidia driver below. But the rest of the following instructions for the nvidia driver might or might not be necessary. I am told not necessary if using envyng. Other driver packages are open source, not from nvidia, and currently do not support hardware acceleration of Open GL and are not to be used.

If you are going to install the driver yourself, use the below instructions. Otherwise go to the envyng.gtk package install.

From nvidia FAQ:
Debian GNU/Linux or [K]Ubuntu with Xorg 7.x

If you wish to install the NVIDIA Linux graphics driver on a Debian GNU/Linux or Ubuntu system that ships with Xorg 7.x, please ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

* development tools like make and gcc are installed
* the linux-headers package matching the installed Linux kernel is installed
* the pkg-config and xserver-xorg-dev packages are installed
* the nvidia-glx package has been uninstalled with the --purge option and the files /etc/init.d/nvidia-glx and /etc/init.d/nvidia-kernel do not exist.

To remove and purge something:
sudo aptitude remove purge nvidia-glx-new

If you use Ubuntu, please also ensure that the linux-restricted-modules or linux-restricted-modules-common packages have been uninstalled. Alternatively, you can edit the /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules or /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common configuration file and disable the NVIDIA linux-restricted kernel modules (nvidia, nvidia_legacy) via:

DISABLED_MODULES="nv nvidia_new"

Additionally, delete the following file if it exists (use ls -a to list files that start with a period):

/lib/linux-restricted-modules/.nvidia_new_installed

Please note: unfortunately, it has become difficult to keep track of the pre-/post-installation steps required for [K]Ubuntu, and the above instructions may be incomplete. If in doubt, it is recommended that you use your distributor's NVIDIA Linux graphics driver packages, exclusively.

Loading the driver downloaded from nvidia:

See above instructions Preparing to Load the Nvidia Driver.

You have to first stop X:

Type ctrl + alt + F1 to get a command prompt window if stopping gmd below does not give you a login prompt. F1 – F7 takes you to a different level. Not sure about this.

Sudo /etc/ini.d/gmd stop

Then type:

sudo sh nvidia-driver

To restart X:

sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

Note: Kubuntu has a different desktop program to stop and start.

ctrl+alt+F1 takes you back if necessary.

/etc/X11/xorg.conf file should be created.

Loading envyng-gtk package:

At this time we need to enable the hardy-proposed repository as the drivers have not yet gone mainstream. Do this by entering:

System > Administration > Software Sources
and checking the appropriate box on the Updates tab.
Once this is done, it is important not to upgrade your system. We will disable -proposed once we install the driver. However, we need to update our package list so those new drivers become available. Now on the command line do:

sudo aptitute update

sudo aptitude install -y envyng-gtk

Then issue the command:

envyng –g

Click the mouse on the nvidia name on the left to get choices for nvidia. Select to select the driver manually. Select the latest driver. Visit the nvidia site to get the number for the latest driver..

An /etc/X11/xorg.conf file should be written out.

Then disable proposed.

Edit xorg.conf:

This file can be edited by either running the utility nvidia-xconfig or editing it directly (you will have to use sudo). It might be very wise to first make a backup copy. There are settings that must be made. The below was from the 173.14.09 driver and might change with a later driver.

Useful nvidia-xconfig flags:

nvidia-xconfig -t

shows current setting.

nvidia-xconfig –A

lists help information.

Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf to read:

Section "Screen"

        Identifier     "Default Screen"

        Device         "Configured Video Device"

        Monitor        "Configured Monitor"

        Option         "NoLogo"       "True"

        Option         "Overlay"      "True"

        Option         "CIOverlay"    "True"

        Option         "OverlayDefaultVisual" "True"

        Option         "TransparentIndex"     "0"

        Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals"    "True"

        SubSection "Display"

               Depth   24

               Modes          "nvidia-auto-select"

        EndSubSection

        Defaultdepth   24

EndSection

IMPORTANT!

And further below in the file in the section "Extensions" set disable.

This setting is what made the driver work correctly for us, both in getting an overlay visual,

and in avoiding the desktop from crashing upon resizing the application window, or not all

the frames redrawing, or the screen freezing up for some time.

Section “Extensions”

        Option         "Composite"    "Disable"

EndSection

Reboot the computer (or X) after changes to xorg.conf

Useful commands for graphics information:

xdpyinfo

glxinfo

Making dual boot system remember the last boot as the default for the next boot:

Make a backup copy of /boot/grub/menu.lst. Edit menu.lst

Change line:

default 0

default saved

And you need the tab between the default and saved entry. Otherwise the number is the title below that will be the default boot, counting from zero.

The line:

savedefault

will be needed after each title that for it to be saved as the future default. I don’t think it matters where it goes but am not sure. The default gets written to file: default. See example file below.

Read and Writing from the Windows partition:

List partitions on the hard disk with the command:

ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid

The UUID means Universally Unique IDentifier, and is implemented for mounting new SATA drives. Every partition have his own UUID, and this way is recognized by the system. The above command lists every partition on the system with its UUID.

The command: sudo fdisk –l

Will list partition information.

Add the below to the file /etc/fstab

## NTFS partitons section

## /dev/sda1

UUID=6E6DBF8804FCBFC7 /media/windows_1 ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_US.utf8 0 0

## End of NTFS section

where UUID= is followed by the UUID found above. Create a directory for the mounting point, such as /media/windows_1 shown above. It could be /XP instead for example.

Setting Window Move Mode

It is desirable to change the system so that the contents of a window are not shown during a window move. This is so that there are not expose events created in the underlying graphics windows of the main application. Some popups are not in the overlay planes if the popup contains a graphics window itself. If using the KDE desktop, the change can be found following preferences to mouse or window properties, similar to Microsoft Windows: “Do not show contents of windows during move”. In both cases, a wireframe is shown in the overlay planes instead. For the gnome desktop, there is not an accessible path from the desktop tools. Instead do the following:

gconf-editor

Then hit ctrl-F and do a search for “/apps/metacity/general”. Then click the mouse on the same. On the right side scroll down to “reduced-resources” and check it. The feature will take effect immediately.

Printing from Dosimetry Check and System 2100

The file default.que in rl.dir should be set to “UseAdobe”. The file gs.loc in rl.dir must contain the path to ghostscrip: /usr/bin/ghostscript (or it might be simply gs). Finally, what ever program that can display a pdf file and will accept the pdf file path as an argument must be copied to the name acroread.exe in a directory that is search for commands. On Hardy Heron, copy /usr/bin/evince to /usr/bin/acroread.exe.

Installing Programs

Follow the instructions for uncompressing and installing the software. You will have to use sudo to copy the librlmrl.so library file to /usr/lib or /usr/lib32 as the case may be. We recommend that you create a login for the programs and deposit the run files into that directory. The disk top icon might not work with programs at a deeper level.

Creating a Desk Top Icon

Right click on the desktop and select Create Launcher. Hit the browse button and select DosimetryCheckTasks. Then in the text field where the path to DosimetryCheckTasks is, add a space and then –s (hyphen s), so that –s is picked up as the first argument. This will direct standard out to a log file.

Example sources.lst file:

# deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 6.06.1 _Dapper Drake_ - Release amd64 (20060807.1)]/ dapper main restricted

deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 6.06.1 _Dapper Drake_ - Release amd64 (20060807.1)]/ dapper main restricted

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper main restricted

deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the

## distribution.

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-updates main restricted

deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-updates main restricted

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'universe'

## repository.

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu

## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to

## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in

## universe WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu security

## team.

deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper universe multiverse

deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper universe multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from the 'backports'

## repository.

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as

## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes

## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.

## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review

## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.

# deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted universe multiverse

# deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security main restricted

deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security main restricted

# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security universe

# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu dapper-security universe

Example menu.lst file:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)

# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),

# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub

# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num

# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and

# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.

# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry

# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.

# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not change this entry to 'saved' or your

# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.

default saved

## timeout sec

# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry

# (normally the first entry defined).

timeout 10

## hiddenmenu

# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)

#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours

#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd

# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing

# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the

# command 'lock'

# e.g. password topsecret

# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/

# password topsecret

# examples

# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000

# root (hd0,0)

# makeactive

# chainloader +1

# title Linux

# root (hd0,1)

# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro

# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified

## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##

## default kernel options

## default kernel options for automagic boot options

## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z

## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.

## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro

## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro

## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro

# kopt=root=/dev/hdb2 ro

## default grub root device

## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)

# groot=(hd0,1)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options

## e.g. alternative=true

## alternative=false

# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options

## e.g. lockalternative=true

## lockalternative=false

# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the

## alternatives

## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5

# defoptions=quiet splash

## altoption boot targets option

## multiple altoptions lines are allowed

## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options

## altoptions=(recovery mode) single

# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst

## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the

## alternative kernel options

## e.g. howmany=all

## howmany=7

# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option

## e.g. memtest86=true

## memtest86=false

# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system

## can be true or false

# updatedefaultentry=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-amd64-generic

root (hd0,1)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic root=/dev/hdb2 ro quiet splash

initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic

savedefault

boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-28-amd64-generic (recovery mode)

root (hd0,1)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic root=/dev/hdb2 ro single

initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-28-amd64-generic

boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-amd64-generic

root (hd0,1)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic root=/dev/hdb2 ro quiet splash

initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic

savedefault

boot

title Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-27-amd64-generic (recovery mode)

root (hd0,1)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic root=/dev/hdb2 ro single

initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-27-amd64-generic

boot

title Ubuntu, memtest86+

root (hd0,1)

kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin

boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian

# ones.

title Other operating systems:

root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS

# on /dev/hdb1

title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

root (hd0,0)

savedefault

makeactive

chainloader +1

Example fstab file:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.

# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>

proc /proc proc defaults 0 0

# /dev/sda7

UUID=fbd24f5c-c5ab-4980-8671-71dd30626272 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

# /dev/sda5

UUID=53c74a06-e861-45de-b371-ff3a866db247 /home ext3 relatime 0 2

# /dev/sda6

UUID=dfcbea40-62bb-4f0b-969d-26fbc210ff95 none swap sw 0 0

/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

## NTFS partitons section

## /dev/sda1

UUID=6E6DBF8804FCBFC7 /media/windows_1 ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_US.utf8 0 0

## /dev/sda2

UUID=3101C50F69A2DD94 /media/windows_2 ntfs-3g defaults,locale=en_US.utf8 0 0

## End of NTFS section