Why no GeForce 8500 GT

My video Card is an XFX Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT

none

I'm not sure I understand. I can't speak for that exact card, but Ubuntu does support just about every possible video card with their open source drivers. However, because nvidia and ati have yet to open source their own drivers there is no way Ubuntu can include the proprietary drivers without violating licenses. That's a problem with nvidia and ati, not Ubuntu. Windows doesn't include them either. The card comes with a CD to install the drivers or they were installed by the maker of your computer if it came with the card. There are Linux drivers you can download and install as well. There are numerous websites detailing how. One of the easiest ways is to use the restricted driver tool that is now part of Ubuntu or if that doesn't work for some reason try the envy script.

http://www.albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html

if anyone has their nvidia 8500 gt working under ubuntu or kubuntu, please let me know! (POST YOUR XORG.CONF) I have tried pretty much everything I know, but cannot get the drivers to work!!

thanks

This is a ongoing problem, I have a Quad core with a PCI-E Nvidia 8500GT 512mb DDR2. This box will NOT Run Ubuntu with the 8500gt installed, and from all appearances never will. I have (over the last year) Tried 6.04, 7.04, 7.10 and 8.04 beta. And have tried to live boot every Daily build in the last two weeks to no avail.
It appears you (and I) have two choices, buy another video card, or buy Windows.

Regretfully,
Jed

BTW, I have tried the open source (and legacy) drivers, tried installing the drivers package from nvidia which completes but still launches into "low-res" mode upon re-boot. Using the Restricted driver manager (with the same result) and multiple attempts with Envy and EnvyNG using every driver option available. Nothing works.

Regards,
Jed

I am having similar trouble with my GeForce8500 GT.
+1 on all the attempts described by jed, nothing works. the nv driver works fine, no compiz or ccsm though :(
However I had the nvidia-glx-new drivers with compiz and ccsm effects packages working with the Hardy development packages up until about a month ago.
Now once I have install nvidia-glx-new:
1) the Administration > Hardware Drivers doesn't show any restricted drivers.

2) I can't load the nvidia driver
kyle@kyle-ubuntu:~$ sudo modprobe -a nvidia
WARNING: Error running install command for nvidia

noticed this in /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension (Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found)

To get desktop bakc, without effects, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and change nvidia to nv
Any ideas when the nvidia driver will be fixed for the new kernel?

I am having similar trouble with my GeForce8500 GT.
+1 on all the attempts described by jed, nothing works. the nv driver works fine, no compiz or ccsm though :(
However I had the nvidia-glx-new drivers with compiz and ccsm effects packages working with the Hardy development packages up until about a month ago.
Now once I have install nvidia-glx-new:
1) the Administration > Hardware Drivers doesn't show any restricted drivers.

2) I can't load the nvidia driver
kyle@kyle-ubuntu:~$ sudo modprobe -a nvidia
WARNING: Error running install command for nvidia

noticed this in /var/log/Xorg.0.log
(EE) Failed to initialize GLX extension (Compatible NVIDIA X driver not found)

To get desktop bakc, without effects, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and change nvidia to nv
Any ideas when the nvidia driver will be fixed for the new kernel?

> I have a Quad core with a PCI-E Nvidia 8500GT 512mb DDR2. This box will NOT
> Run Ubuntu with the 8500gt installed

I've the same configuration, and Kubuntu 8.04 is working well out of the Box (the monitor is connected to the 8500 via DVI). In addition to the basic configuration I installed the nvidia driver with jockey-kde. This worked without problems too.

Unfortunately the hardware did not working with Kubuntu 8.10 (at least two weaks ago when I tried last). The x-server refused to start, and I could not figure out why. Maybe some conflict with the two existing cards (8500 and onboard), but turning the onboard device off did not change anything, and connecting the monitor to the internal chip didn't help either.

The xorg.conf for 8.04 is:

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
        Driver "kbd"
        Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
        Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
        Option "XkbLayout" "de"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier "Configured Mouse"
        Driver "mouse"
        Option "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier "Configured Video Device"
        Driver "nvidia"
        Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Monitor "Configured Monitor"
        Device "Configured Video Device"
        Defaultdepth 24
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier "Default Layout"
  screen "Default Screen"
EndSection
Section "Module"
        Load "glx"
EndSection

If anyone runs the 8500 succefully with 8.10 please let me know. Thx!

> If anyone runs the 8500 succefully with 8.10 please let me know. Thx!

I found that the 8500 GT works just fine for desktop applications. After upgrading to Ubuntu 8.10, Ubuntu upgraded my nvidia drivers via Update Manager, though it installed version 177 of the drivers. I had to go into Synaptic and install the 180.11 drivers, at which point nothing changed. As I write this, Nvidia has version 180.22 available for Linux users, though I have yet to test that version.

My only problem thus far is trying to play Source engine based games and Stalker:SoC, under Wine of course. The Source based games show no options for resolution and crashes when I walk into water, while Stalker doesn't even find a 3d accelerated video card. The Source engine seems to be playable without knowing what video card you have installed.

I have an on-board Nvidia n-force, which I plan on switching back to using, since my 8500 runs worse than the n-force.

My assessment is that the 8500 GT is only partially supported by Nvidia for Ubuntu users. If you don't play Winblows games via Wine or Crossover, then the 8500 GT is just fine. If you do then get a different card.

> If anyone runs the 8500 succefully with 8.10 please let me know. Thx!

I found that the 8500 GT works just fine for desktop applications. After upgrading to Ubuntu 8.10, Ubuntu upgraded my nvidia drivers via Update Manager, though it installed version 177 of the drivers. I had to go into Synaptic and install the 180.11 drivers, at which point nothing changed. As I write this, Nvidia has version 180.22 available for Linux users, though I have yet to test that version.

My only problem thus far is trying to play Source engine based games and Stalker:SoC, under Wine of course. The Source based games show no options for resolution and crashes when I walk into water, while Stalker doesn't even find a 3d accelerated video card. The Source engine seems to be playable without knowing what video card you have installed.

I have an on-board Nvidia n-force, which I plan on switching back to using, since my 8500 runs worse than the n-force.

My assessment is that the 8500 GT is only partially supported by Nvidia for Ubuntu users. If you don't play Winblows games via Wine or Crossover, then the 8500 GT is just fine. If you do then get a different card.

The problem I had with my "GeForce 8500 GT" card was setting up the BusID linking the monitor to the card. If anybody has problems with Ubuntu 8.10 spitting out "No Devices Detected" make sure that there xorg file has BusIDs pointing to the monitor.

Section "Device"
    Identifier "Device0"
    BusID "1:0:0"
    Driver "nvidia"
    VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "Screen0"
    Device "Device0"
    Monitor "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth 24
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth 24
    EndSubSection
EndSection