Linux and video cards

[natkoden]

Just installed Linux on my main computer, thinking of just using it and say goodbye to Windows, at least for some time.

Thing is, my 7800 GT is working horribly with basically any linux distribution that uses Cinnamon, GNOME 3, and KDE. Even web browsing is a pain in the ass. Is not a driver issue because I've tried several propietary ones. Open source drivers don't like this GPU, they just crash.

The rest of the computer is good, i5 750 @ 4ghz, 4gb of ram and a 256GB OCZ Vertex 4

I just need a cheap videocard that can handle all the linux desktop effects and not lag.

 

[PityOnU]

Just installed Linux on my main computer, thinking of just using it and say goodbye to Windows, at least for some time.

Thing is, my 7800 GT is working horribly with basically any linux distribution that uses Cinnamon, GNOME 3, and KDE. Even web browsing is a pain in the ass. Is not a driver issue because I've tried several propietary ones. Open source drivers don't like this GPU, they just crash.

The rest of the computer is good, i5 750 @ 4ghz, 4gb of ram and a 256GB OCZ Vertex 4

I just need a cheap videocard that can handle all the linux desktop effects and not lag.

Linux open source graphics drivers suck. Why not get the official ones from the nVidia site?

They have a binary blob installer that works pretty well.

 

[natkoden]

I know, I'm running that right now.

But somethings wrong here, and since this happened with every linux distro i've tried, I guess it's not software related.

 

[PityOnU]

I know, I'm running that right now.

But somethings wrong here, and since this happened with every linux distro i've tried, I guess it's not software related.

If I recall correctly (and it may have changed since then since this is ~2 years ago), for the nVidia driver installer to properly "take", you need to run it as root after disabling your GUI.

Easiest way I found was to boot in one of the various preconfigured modes that is terminal only.

 

[trumpet-205]

For some reason 7800 GT is not mentioned on Nvida supported product.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-ia32-173.14.37-driver.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-173.14.37-driver.html

 

[natkoden]

If I recall correctly (and it may have changed since then since this is ~2 years ago), for the nVidia driver installer to properly "take", you need to run it as root after disabling your GUI.

Easiest way I found was to boot in one of the various preconfigured modes that is terminal only.

yeah, i know, you have to kill X

the driver is working just fine

 

[natkoden]

For some reason 7800 GT is not mentioned on Nvida supported product.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-ia32-173.14.37-driver.html
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-173.14.37-driver.html

it's legacy hardware

anything lower than 304.xx has support for the 7800 GT

 

[PityOnU]

yeah, i know, you have to kill X

the driver is working just fine

What FPS are you getting in glxgears?

 

[natkoden]

What FPS are you getting in glxgears?

60 with vsync

 

[PityOnU]

60 with vsync

Well... uhm... yes I would imagine so.

 

[natkoden]

Well... uhm... yes I would imagine so.

I could get less than 60, it would surprise me

Without vsync, 4262-4565

 

[PityOnU]

lol i dont know how to disable it

besides i could get less than 60, it would surprise me

True. Maybe the issue is not your drivers, then?

 

[trumpet-205]

it's legacy hardware

anything lower than 304.xx has support for the 7800 GT

Those link I posted are 173.14, which has GeForce 7 series support (it just doesn't list 7800 GT under supported product, weird).

You can look at all Linux drivers from here,
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

In any cases, you need to install DKMS and rebuild kernel module whenever you install a GPU driver.

 

[natkoden]

I'm doing that right now. We will see...

 

[natkoden]

tried that, still the same

I even installed an older version. No changes.

Now im running XFCE... blazing fast.

All the effects in gnome 3 are destroying my GPU. So, I return to my original question. What cheap GPU will be fast enough to run ANY linux distro with GNOME 3 with all the eye candy and flashy desktop effects.

 

[The Riolu]

This card is $100 - should work nicely.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202011

You might as well buy this one because a cheap one would just do as bad as your 7800 GT. It's not cheap but not expensive.

 

[PityOnU]

Maybe it's not a case of having a powerful card as much as having a more updated card that supports more OpenGL extensions? I didn't think the effects were that heavy anymore.

Anymore.

 

[PolloDiablo]

Instalate Windows pa!!!!

 

[Thanatos Telos]

This card is $100 - should work nicely.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202011

You might as well buy this one because a cheap one would just do as bad as your 7800 GT. It's not cheap but not expensive.

For Windows, sure. For Linux, NOPE. I had the same card running several different Distros and it lagged horribly, even with AMD's drivers. It's been like that with every 7000 series card that I've tested, no problem with 6000 and under, though.

 

[The Riolu]

For Windows, sure. For Linux, NOPE. I had the same card running several different Distros and it lagged horribly, even with AMD's drivers. It's been like that with every 7000 series card that I've tested, no problem with 6000 and under, though.

Really? Ok, then the 6770 would work probably. I have the 5670 and it doesn't have issues with linux too so I guess that's the case