updates for nvidia-settings – GUI reports old version ?!?

Are you seeing a display issue on the system?

Well actually nothing except this old time issue about running a CRT monitor with 60 Hz, which is quite flickering and a pain in the eyes.

I'm using this system with dual boot OS's (Kubuntu 14.04 + Windows 7). On Windows (with NVIDIA drivers) everything is working fine. I have all modes (sizes+rates) available up to 100 Hz. Not so on Kubuntu. So my hope was, this issue would have been solved in the meantime (I already reported this problem last year).

Meanwhile I experienced another minor update problem: I wanted to update a desktop plasmoid which also didn't work. But that's another story.

Well actually nothing except this old time issue about running a CRT monitor with 60 Hz, which is quite flickering and a pain in the eyes.

I'm using this system with dual boot OS's (Kubuntu 14.04 + Windows 7). On Windows (with NVIDIA drivers) everything is working fine. I have all modes (sizes+rates) available up to 100 Hz. Not so on Kubuntu. So my hope was, this issue would have been solved in the meantime (I already reported this problem last year).

Meanwhile I experienced another minor update problem: I wanted to update a desktop plasmoid which also didn't work. But that's another story.

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.

Does anyone have a clue, a hint or any manpages I could consult? Something?

For diagnostic purposes, what is the output of the commands

uname -a
lsb_release -crid
dpkg -l | grep nvidia

Hi Manfred,

thanks for answering. Here are the requested results:

***
Linux Braniac6 3.16.0-70-generic #90~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 6 22:56:34 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
***
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS
Release: 14.04
Codename: trusty
***
ii nvidia-352 352.79-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1 amd64 NVIDIA binary driver - version 352.79
ii nvidia-opencl-icd-352 352.79-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1 amd64 NVIDIA OpenCL ICD
ii nvidia-prime 0.6.2 amd64 Tools to enable NVIDIA's Prime
ii nvidia-settings 364.15-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1 amd64 Tool for configuring the NVIDIA graphics driver
***

I hope this is helpful.

OK … I didn't know this last command and the differences about these modules. At least this should explain those different version numbers.

But anyway: is there a way (meanwhile) to fix/increase/correct/config my CRT refresh rate?

Jens

Please provide also the output of the commands

apt-cache policy nvidia-252 nvidia-settings
xrandr -q

Here it is:

***
nvidia-settings:
  Installiert: 364.15-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1
  Installationskandidat: 364.15-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1
  Versionstabelle:
 *** 364.15-0ubuntu0~gpu14.04.1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/graphics-drivers/ppa/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     346.59-0ubuntu1~ubuntu14.04.1 0
        100 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports/main amd64 Packages
     331.20-0ubuntu8 0
        500 http://de.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/main amd64 Packages
N: Paket nvidia-252 kann nicht gefunden werden.
***
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3200 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VGA-0 connected 1280x960+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   1024x768 60.0 +
   1920x1200 60.0
   1920x1080 59.9
   1680x1050 60.0 59.9
   1600x1200 60.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1400x1050 60.0
   1360x768 60.0 59.8
   1280x1024 60.0
   1280x960 60.0*
   1152x864 60.0
   960x600 60.0
   960x540 60.0
   840x525 60.0 59.9
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   720x450 59.9
   700x525 60.0
   680x384 60.0 59.8
   640x480 59.9
   512x384 60.0
   320x240 60.1
DVI-I-1 connected primary 1920x1080+1280+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 510mm x 287mm
   1920x1080 60.0*+
   1680x1050 60.0
   1600x1200 60.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1280x1024 60.0
   1280x960 60.0
   1280x800 59.8
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3 56.2
   640x480 59.9
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
***

Ah, yes. But in addition the listed metrics for the CRT are partly oversized. It is just a 19'' monitor with a maximum resolution of 1600x1200 (as far as Nvidia Settings stated under Windows). Actually I could live with just adjusting the selected resolution of 1280x960 to a refresh rate of 80 because I never change that.

1. Sorry for a typo error in one of the proposed commands (should of course have been nvidia-352), but I think I already saw what I wanted to see.

2. You have installed the nvidia drivers from a PPA.
That driver provides also a newer driver, nvidia-364.
You could try upgrading to that version.
Maybe this helps.

3. The highest refresh rate listed by the xrandr command is 60 Hz. If you are sure that your monitors are capable of a better resolution/refresh-rate combination, then this can be manually configured (on your own risk).

Another typo error, should of course read

... That PPA also provides ...

OK – I have tried to update that graphics PPA, but it messages that my nvidia-352 the recommended and – as far as I understand – the newer ones are still very buggy. Well in this case I'm not very keen on risking a system crash.

Howsoever, to this adjustment of the refresh rate: HOW ???
I have already googled and tried so much without any effects – besides – I remember now – I somehow could manage to add some higher resolutions (but not those beyond 1600x1200). I already came to the the point "[:NARF:] – stupid me!".

The trouble is, I have 2 monitors: 1 CRT (max. 120 Hz) via DSUB + 1 TFT (max. 60 Hz) via DVI.
The TFT/DVI is the primary display.
So I presume now that the Linux/Ubuntu drivers are not able to separately control the refresh rate(s). At least I had to read everywhere that higher refresh rates will damage my "monitor". Well of course this will damage my TFT, but not my CRT.
So it seems as if the prime display – as it is a TFT – limits the maximum refresh rate – to not get damaged – for ALL connected devices.
I've bee working with this hardware and Win7 for more than 3 years now and without any display/Nvidia issues – everything was and is working fine. On Linux – I must admit – I'm still a bloody beginner but this driver theory makes at least some sense.
As I already mentioned: [:NARF:]

1. Even if the PPA heading tells 'We currently recommend: `nvidia-352`, Nvidia's current long lived branch', you could give the 364 version a try.

2. I have never tried using two monitors, so I cannot confirm whether you can or cannot configure different refresh rates.
I can only refer to documentation, e.g.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution
https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/RandR/
but I assume that you already know these.

I've finally managed to find a solution for the dual monitor refresh rate issue!
On my eternal search through the web I stumbled upon this site: "http://us.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/1.0-9755/README/appendix-g.html"

I can't believe I solved this on my own ...

So, running two (or more) different monitors attached to a NVIDIA graphics card with different refresh rates IS possible!

Neither xrandr nor nvidia tools will help. Any changes in any other section – as described below – doesn't make any differences.
I had a whole lot of work trying all kind of tips and tricks – like copying all modes from Windows and entering all of them with the help of xrandr and crt to my xorg.conf monitor section – but NOTHING made any change (except adding additional useless resolutions to my CRT).

Here is the solution:

1. Determine the ranges of horizontal and vertical refresh rates of all attached monitors.
(I couldn't find out how to do that programmatically as X doesn't know these hardware options yet, so I looked up mine under Windows in the Nvidia panel settings options. But you could also consult your monitor manual of course if available.)

2. Enter these ranges into your xorg.conf in the Section "Screen" as my example shows:

Section "Screen"
    [...]
    Option "HorizSync" "DVI-I-1: 30-81; VGA-0: 30-95"
    Option "VertRefresh" "DVI-I-1: 56-60; VGA-0: 56-160"
    [...]
EndSection

# [DVI-I-1] is my TFT monitor attached to the DVI plug.
# [VGA-0] is my CRT monitor attached to the VGA/Dsub plug.

3. Reboot (X or your computer).

4. Now you can use the nvidia-settings GUI and select the new available refresh rate(s) under the section "X Server Display Configuration". Select the monitor to adjust and choose your new refresh rate.

5. Save your changes with the button "Save to X Configuration File" to ensure the new settings are being used after next reboot.

That's it!

I still can’t believe I made it after almost 3/4 year. It was a real p.i.t.a.!

Anyway, thanks for all the help here and especially to Manfred Hampl.
I hope someone can put these information to any kind of central or public wiki or manual so that other users can profit of this solution as well. Maybe – I don't know if/how – this should be posted under a new topic, so let me know if, how, where, what, whatever ... ;-)

Best regards,

Jens