Ubuntu
xserver-xorg-video-vmware package

X-Window-Manager

Asked by Steve DeMont

Hi,

Let's just say I'm a total newbie to Linux. I installed Ubuntu 11.04 earlier this week, and am having a few problems getting my NVidia 8600 GT to install. I know, RTFM. Well, I've been all over the forums and documentation repositories on Ubuntu, NVidia, and XOrg trying to figure this out. I used the Synaptic Package Manager to install nvidia setting and nvidia kernal. I've installed jockey-gtk, and tried to install X-windows-manager, etc., etc., etc. Still no joy.

When running nvidia X server settings, I keep getting the "You do not appear to be using the NVIDIA X driver. Please edit your X configuration file (just run `nvidia-xconfig` as root), and restart the X server" message. When I try exit X Windows using sudo gdm stop, my system hangs.

When I look for the xorg.config file, the system say it can't find the file (I do a global search).

When I do a ctrl+alt+F1 to get into an editor from the GUI nothing happens (and maybe that what's supposed to happen). When I try to exit the GUI interface, the system freezes, and I can't do the ctrl+alt+f1 sequence.

Uggghhh. I really, really, really, want to get going on Linux, and migrate away from the clutches of Microsoft. Can anyone steer me in a good, solid, logical progression for getting my 8600 GT running so that I can use all of its features to support things like 3D acceleration and Unity in 11.04.

I'm running 11.04 as a VM on VMWare Workstation 7 on a Win7 machine (AMD Athlon64 X2) with 4 GB RAM. The VM has 900 GB of drive space. I'm also using dual monitors when running Win7. I'd like to be able to do that in Linux. But I'd be satisfied with getting one thing accomplished at a time. I've been working on this for a week, and figured it's time to reach out to anyone who might be patient enough to walk me through the configuration.

Cheers,
Steve DeMont
Seattle

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

So are you wanting to install thenvidia drivers in the vmware system? Or is it a real install?

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Steve DeMont (s-demont) said : 		#2

It's a VMWare install on a 900 GB virtual disk. I did the install from the ubuntu-11.04-desktop-amd64 iso image, not from a cd/dvd. I tried to do DVD install in the the VM, but the system kept hanging.

I'm avoiding doing a dual situation right for now. It's easier for me to create a clone of my VM environment if I screw up with configuring Linux, if you know what I mean. I won't be able to totally migrate away from Windows because I'm heavily invested in apps like FrameMaker, MapCap Flare, Adobe CS, Visio. But I'm finding that I'm doing more and more work (technical writing consultant) in IT and s/w development environments where using Linux is a mainstay among sysadmins, network engineers, and s/w developers. It's time for me to plunge in, so to speak.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

Then you don't want the nvidia drivers. The hardware in a VM is virtualized, so you never need the nvidia driver. The default install also comes with xserver-xorg-video-vmware which is the video driver for vmware.

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Steve DeMont (s-demont) said : 		#4

Thanks ActionParsnip. This solution works. I just wasn't aware of the xorg vmware driver in regards to NVidia. But it makes sense. I was beginning to suspect that Linux as a VM works a lot differently compared to if I had done a standalone or dual-boot system. This exercise has given me some more to think about. I think I'm leaning toward doing a dual-boot with Linux/Win7.

Thanks again.
-Steve

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#5

There is also virtualbox, you will need the guest additions installing in Ubuntu to get the same effect :)

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Steve DeMont (s-demont) said : 		#6

Yeah, a friend just recently mentioned that. I went to their website a couple days ago. I think it's worth downloading. It certainly beats having to buy recent upgrades. Although I've "played" with Linux here and there over the last 10 or 12 years, my experience with Ubuntu or Linux in general has really made me appreciate the whole philosophy behind Open Source and Linux as an OS. There are a lot more productivity apps made for Linux than Windows, and their free.

I hate sounding like a commercial, but I'm really starting to think about turning the paradigm about how I use a computer on its head by using Windows for only work-related (and some gaming, I'll admit) activities and Linux for everything else. It just starting to make so much more sense.

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