NVidia Geforce go 7400 driver freezes X - [SOLVED]

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

The "nvidia" driver is causing some purple lines on the whole screen and then the system freezes after the screen becomes light gray...
I am using:
* gentoo-sources-2.6.16-r6
* media-video/nvidia-kernel: 1.0.8756

Relevant excerpt from xorg.conf:
Section "Device"
Identifier "NVidia"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
Option "UseEDID" "true" # => "false" => black screen
Option "renderAccel" "true"
Option "Nologo" "false"

#VideoRam 262144
# Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate
EndSection

Usefull to mention that the "nv" driver works almost fine (there is a little refresh problem for the text caret).

The X.org.log does not register any complain or errors.

From what I've read on other posts and Ubuntu forms and the Nvidia forum itself many other people have the same problem.
Please advise. Over.

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

latest bios update solved the problem. nvidia driver works great now.

Progeny · n00b Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Italy

Hi, I think to have the same problem...
I've posted a description about the problem here.. https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-p-3447124.html.
Do u think that a bios upgrade will fix it? If yes, have u got something to read in order to upgrade bios? I never done it before

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

the bios update will fix it.

you need to download WinFlash and bios update from the asus website, according to your pc model.
then you have to launch winflash, pick the bios file and make sure you don't switch off the pc while the update is in progress...

Progeny · n00b Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Italy

Ehm I don't use windows on any pc in my home

There's something I can run on linux? Or the "magic floppy" to use while booting?

However thanks for the reply!

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

same here...
i had to install a windows xp on a usb drive just to make the update. i've even asked asus support for an alternative, they suggested freedos and a dos updater but i didn't want to take the risk and besides it less time consuming with windows...

complexity · n00b Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 67

Asus boards have what they refer to as "EZ-Flash" You put the bios file on a floppy disk. Just the rom file. No need to make a dos bootable disk. During post hit alt-f2 and it will read your bios rom file on the floppy and flash it for you. Of course this means dusting off a floppy drive from your closet. Be glad when you can use this method with a pen drive. Have to rename the bios file as well. My motherboard model is P5LD2 so i would rename whatever the bios file name came as when i downloaded it to P5LD2.ROM and put that on the disc. Rename yours to the model of your motherboard. Hope this helps.

BTW Should be all in your manual.

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

if only asus laptops would have a floppy disk these days ...

Lionheart · n00b Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 37

Have you try to disable this option in xorg.conf :

ra_axz · n00b Joined: 14 May 2006 Posts: 6

the driver works fine with x.org upto 7.0.
the 7.1 has a different ABI protocol and this causes all sorts of problems. Nvidia said they will upgrade the driver soon.

Progeny · n00b Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Italy

k9dog · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:22 pm Post subject:

Pretty old thread. I recently returned from nouveau driver tp the official legacy driver (currently latest version that works (well) with 7400 Go is 304.137. It speed up most of the graphics. Too bad VDPAU is only series 8, oso doing a -VDPAU VAAPI in the use flags. Very smooth though and a lot better than Windows (Ye ye I never fail to mention that). In any case you want to add a >= x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-305 to your mask and -VDPAU VAAPI to your USE. Hope this helps, people looking.