Making Skype Work on Xubuntu 13.04 with nVidia Drivers

1. Install Skype from .deb from main website.

2. Rename the 'skype' executable found at /usr/bin to /usr/bin/skype-bin

3. Create the text file /usr/bin/skype and copy and paste the following information and save.

#!/bin/sh
export LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/mesa/libGL.so.1
exec /usr/bin/skype-bin

4. Set 0775 permissions on /usr/bin/skype

sudo chmod 0775 /usr/bin/skype

Installing nVidia GT640 Graphics Driver (Mint 13 and Ubuntu 12.04)

Add the following lines to your repositories list...

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu precise main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates/ubuntu precise main

By doing...

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

And then import the GPG key with...

sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 0x643dc6bd56580ceb1ab4a9f63b22ab97af1cdfa9

Refresh packages list in Synaptic and install.

More here.

Installing nVidia Graphics Card (Fedora 16)

Check is your nVidia card is supported:

lspci |grep -i VGA

Assuming it is, then make sure you have the latest kernel and latest SELinux policy packages...

su -
yum update kernel* selinux-policy*
reboot

Add the RPMFusion repositories (free and non-free)...

rpm -Uvh http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm
rpm -Uvh http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm

Install nVidia proprietary drivers for GeForce 6/7/8/9/200/300/400/500 series cards. Generally, I use the first one (alkmod)...

yum install akmod-nvidia xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs

But you can also use kmod:

yum install kmod-nvidia xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs

Or Kernel-PAE:

yum install kernel-PAE-devel

Or even kmod-nvidia-PAE and kernel-PAE-devel:

yum install kernel-PAE-devel kmod-nvidia-PAE

Remove/disable nouveau drivers from kernel initramfs:

## Backup old initramfs nouveau image ##
mv /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r).img /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r)-nouveau.img

## Create new initramfs image ##
dracut /boot/initramfs-$(uname -r).img $(uname -r)

And reboot.

Note: Sometimes rdblacklist=nouveau nouveau.modeset=0 is missing from GRUB2. If so, open up etc/default,grub and replace...

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="quiet rhgb"

With...

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="quiet rhgb rdblacklist=nouveau nouveau.modeset=0"

Then make grub2 config with grub2-mkconfig command:

grub2-mkconfig

Reboot and create an xorg.conf file in /etc/X11 with the following information:

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Vendorname "Generic LCD Display"
Modelname "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
Horizsync 24.0 - 80.0
Vertrefresh 50.0 - 75.0
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Video Card"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Solving "Input Signal Out of Range" Error on Bootup

After installing Ubuntu, on restart, the error warning "Input Signal out of range" error can come up. To fix it, open a terminal and type...

gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

... and unhash the line...

#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

 ... so it reads...

GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

 ... or whatever resolution you desire, then save and exit the document.

Then type...

sudo update-grub

Backup xorg.conf (Ubuntu 10.11)

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Vendorname "Generic LCD Display"
Modelname "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
Horizsync 24.0 - 80.0
Vertrefresh 50.0 - 75.0
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
Disable "dri2"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DontZap" "False"
EndSection

Linux Mint - xorg.conf (Post Refresh Tweaks)

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Vendorname "Generic LCD Display"
Modelname "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
Horizsync 24.0 - 80.0
Vertrefresh 50.0 - 75.0
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
Disable "dri2"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DontZap" "False"
EndSection

Linux Mint - xorg.conf (Prior To Refresh Tweaks)

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Vendorname "Generic LCD Display"
Modelname "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
Horizsync 31.5-64.0
Vertrefresh 56.0 - 65.0
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
Disable "dri2"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DontZap" "False"
EndSection

Installing nVidia Drivers (Fedora 11)

Type into a terminal:

su
rpm -Uvh http://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-stable.noarch.rpm http://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-stable.noarch.rpm
yum install akmod-nvidia xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs.i586 xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-libs.x86_64
reboot

Then add the following to the newly created xorg.conf (/ext/X11)

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
VendorName "Generic LCD Display"
ModelName "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
HorizSync 31.5 - 64.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 65.0
Gamma 1
ModeLine "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync
ModeLine "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
ModeLine "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
ModeLine "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync vsync
ModeLine "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync vsync
ModeLine "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1280 1024
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

reboot!

Installing nVidia Driver (Fedora 10)

su -
yum install kmod-nvidia
reboot

Backup xorg.conf (Fedora 11)

# Xorg configuration created by livna-config-display

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/nvidia"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AIGLX" "on"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
VendorName "Generic LCD Display"
ModelName "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
HorizSync 31.5 - 64.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 65.0
Gamma 1
ModeLine "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync
ModeLine "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
ModeLine "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
ModeLine "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
ModeLine "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
ModeLine "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1280 1024
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

Increase Amount of Workspaces in Compiz

System>Preferences>Compiz Config Settings Manager>General>General Options.

Desktop Size>Horizontal Virtual Size>**Change Number To Suit**

LCD Monitor Settings (Ubuntu 8.10)

For some reason, the latest release of Ubuntu omits the gksudo displayconfig-gtk package, making it difficult to choose a monitor type. To remedy simply install proprietary drivers as per usual and edit:


/etc/X11/xorg.conf

to reflect the following changes:


Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
Vendorname "Generic LCD Display"
Modelname "LCD Panel 1280x1024"
Horizsync 31.5-64.0
Vertrefresh 56.0 - 65.0
modeline "640x480@60" 25.2 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -vsync -hsync
modeline "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
modeline "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
modeline "1024x768@60" 65.0 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -vsync -hsync
modeline "1280x960@60" 102.1 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync
modeline "1280x1024@60" 108.0 1280 1328 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
Gamma 1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
Modes "1280x1024@60" "1280x960@60" "1024x768@60" "800x600@60" "800x600@56" "640x480@60"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Splash Screen Wrong Resolution

Sometimes after changing the screen resolution, the splash screen will remain at its old size. There are two ways to remedy this.

Method One:

Install "startupmanager" via synaptic and adjust the resolution using the GUI.

Method Two:

Open a terminal and type.....

gksudo gedit /etc/usplash.conf

Change the resolution as required and then type the following into a console......

sudo update-initramfs -u

Incorrect Screen Resolution (Mint 5.0)

There seems to be a problem with the "Heron" release of Ubuntu with regards it accurately detecting screen resolution and monitor type. Using the vesa drivers, the maximum screen size seems to stick at 800x600. After installing the nvidia proprietary drivers and restarting, the resolution if further lessened to 640x480 and the nvidia X-server setting tool is likewise maxed out at 640x480, with no hope of changing anything.

There are a few issues here. Firstly, by default Mint enables Compiz...which makes navigating your way around the nvidia X Server tool virtually impossible, due to it jumping all over the place with every mouse click. If this is an issue for you, first turn off Compiz by choosing "None" under "Visual Effects" in "Appearance".

Secondly, after installing the propreitary nvidia drivers and restarting, type the following into a console.......

gksudo displayconfig-gtk



.....to bring up the "Screen and Graphics Preferences". Under "Screen" choose a suitable monitor type and resolution and under "Graphics Card" choose the nvidia driver and not the "Vesa" driver. "Test" if you like and then hit "OK" if all goes well.








Determining/adjusting the refresh rate of your monitor

Download "xvidtune" through Synaptic, and type in.....

xvidtune

nVidia Issues - Booting into Ubuntu

Choose "Safe Graphics Mode" from GRUB. Choose UK from LANGUAGE and 1280x1024x32 from the VGA menu. Hit F6 and replace "xforcevesa" with "xdrvr=vesa". Remove the "quiet" option and add "noapic" and "irqpoll"to the list.

Adjusting the brightness (Mepis 7.0)

Install kgamma using Synaptic. Then right click on desktop, choose "Configure Desktop>Display and click "Monitor Gamma" tab.

Installing Beryl (Mepis 7.0)

Firstly, add the following lines to your repo's by going to /etc/apt/sources.list and opening with "Kate".

deb http://debian.beryl-project.org/ etch main
deb-src http://debian.beryl-project.org/ etch main

Then download the gpg key by typing into a console.

wget -O - http://debian.beryl-project.org/root@lupine.me.uk.gpg | sudo apt-key add -

Reload Synaptic or apt-get, then choose all Beryl packages, apart from beryl-dev, and install.

N.B. See link on fixing graphical glitches in Beryl after installation.

http://my-linux-installation-files.blogspot.com/search/label/Beryl

Beryl - Fixing Graphical Dropouts After Installation

Add the following line to /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"

The edited file should read.....

Section "Device"
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "nvidia"
BoardName "unknown"
Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"

ANOTHER SOLUTION:

Now you need to edit the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and do the following changes...

kate /etc/X11/xorg.conf

... then add these two lines under the “Screen” section....

Option “XAANoOffscreenPixmaps”
Option “AddARGBGLXVisuals” “true”

... then add these lines under “Device”...

Option “AllowGLXWithComposite” “true”

Option “RenderAccel” “true”

...then add this line under “Server Layout”...

Option “AIGLX” “on”

Finally at the end of the file add these lines...

Section “Extensions”
Option “Composite” “Enable”
EndSection

Now save the file and exit.

You need to reboot Mepis and now Beryl and nVidia with work.

nVidia Issues on Boot (Mepis 7.0)

Choose the VESA driver option, altering the string from

init=/etc/init vga=normal quiet drvr=vesa

to...

init=/etc/init vga=791 quiet drvr=vesa