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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:04 pm Post subject: nv driver versus nvidia driver |
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I had to replace my video card yesterday swapping out an old GEFORCE 256 32mb for a GEFORCE MX400 64mb when all of a sudden X started locking on exit. The problem does not occurr when I am using the nv driver, only when I've got the nvidia driver plugged in. Research has shown me I am not alone with this problem. More to the point many people are having trouble with their nvidia drivers.
What I am asking in this post is:
Is there a compelling reason to stay with the nvidia driver?
I don't game and to tell you the truth I don't really notice much of a difference in performance between the two drivers. Still I do watch movies on my computer so if there's reason enough I'll put up with never being able to log out of X without a reboot. What do you think? |
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chunderbunny Veteran
Joined: 31 May 2004 Posts: 1281 Location: 51°24'27" N, 0°57'15" W
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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Go with what works best for you. Personally I find that the Nvidia driver provides a significant performance boost and is very stable. If you think otherwise, then don't use it. |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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chunderbunny wrote: | Go with what works best for you. Personally I find that the Nvidia driver provides a significant performance boost and is very stable. If you think otherwise, then don't use it. |
Gut feeling or do you have fps numbers to support your finding?
Thanks for responding, chunderbunny! |
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Jakub Guru
Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 377 Location: Warsaw, Poland
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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Hmm, I recently switched from nvidia (without renderaccel) to nv (I don't play games) and I got rid of the problems I had with tiny fonts on some sites. Also, kde somes more responsive now.
These are my (subjective) experiences. |
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ROJO n00b
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 13
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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i have the same problem with X locking up when I log out with the nvidia drivers. I don't like it though, because it has caused file system errors to come up, whether they are malignant or not, I don't like them. So until someone comes up with a way to fix the new batch of nvidia drivers, I'll stick with nv. |
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perseguidor Apprentice
Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 278 Location: West Kingdom of Buenos Aires
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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I use nv; this way everything seems more responsive to me, and I save memory because I don't have to modprobe nvidia
When I want to game or whatever, I fire another, accelerated, X for the game/program that needs it with a simple script I did.
I like it better this way. _________________ O make me a mask! |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:46 am Post subject: Thanks for the responses |
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Thanks for the responses. I'm surprised, though. I guessed I'd get a ton of people telling me how obvious it was that the nvidia driver was better.
I ran a very unscientific test tonight: (times in seconds)
Code: |
nvidia nv
startx 12 10
mozilla 9 8
gimp 5 6
xloadimage 4.5meg jpg 5 6
mplayer a full scale movie 7 7
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I'm gladly sticking with the nv driver as well. |
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Peaceable Frood Guru
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 338 Location: New Jersey, USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 1:04 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm, let's see, the nv driver has no 3D acceleration, while the nVidia driver does. If you ever decide to the compositing feature of X11R68 then your best be using the nvidia driver with RenderAccel enabled, for best performace. Also the nvidia can take advantage of the hardware more so then the nv driver. _________________ "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we, they never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." George W. Bush |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 2:18 am Post subject: |
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I wonder why no one spoke up for the nvidia driver until after I published some questionable benchmarks?
Quote: | Hmmm, let's see, the nv driver has no 3D acceleration, while the nVidia driver does. If you ever decide to the compositing feature of X11R68 then your best be using the nvidia driver with RenderAccel enabled, for best performace. Also the nvidia can take advantage of the hardware more so then the nv driver. |
I'm not surprised. But I don't have that kind of hardware nor do I put it to those kinds of purposes.
I'm not trying to start a minirumble, btw, I just want a driver that works ok and doesn't trash my filesystem.
Thanks to all for replying. |
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Peaceable Frood Guru
Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 338 Location: New Jersey, USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 2:41 am Post subject: |
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I don't get what your benchmark is showing. _________________ "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we, they never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." George W. Bush |
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apmurray Apprentice
Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 221 Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 3:04 am Post subject: |
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X was locking on exit because your nvidia drivers want 8k stacks still but in your kernel (>2.6.5 yeah?) it automatically has 4k stacks, so either upgrade to newest nvidia drivers or change your kernel to 8k stacks. |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 6:34 am Post subject: |
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Peaceable Frood wrote: | I don't get what your benchmark is showing. |
My benchmark is really pathetic. It's a lame attempt to describe the fact that I can discern no difference between the two drivers. More important than the startup times that I've listed is the fact that I don't see any qualitative difference in the display of graphics, or the playback of movies.
I've been using the nvidia driver for the past year because I was given to understand it was obviously better than the nv driver. OK, I didn't question that. I still don't. I understand your point it is technically preferrable. But it's causing me grief right now, problems that research leads me to believe I am not going to be able to fix easily, and I need compelling reasons to continue to use it. No one has offered a compelling reason to prefer the nvidia driver, there's testimonial from the nv users that there is no compelling reason, and the only empirical test I can devise indicates that under my conditions one driver is as good as another.
That's all. |
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deathdruid Guru
Joined: 25 Jul 2002 Posts: 343 Location: Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Simple answer: you want 3D, use nvidia. Otherwise, use nv.
nvidia also has issues with rivafb (not sure abt vesafb). Are you using a framebuffer driver?
Seriously speaking, if you want great 2D, I would get another card. Hell I would even send you one of my Matrox G400/G450 cards for free. Matrox has the fastest 2D X11 drivers of any card, to say nothing of the quality of the hardware. |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 7:43 am Post subject: |
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deathdruid wrote: | Simple answer: you want 3D, use nvidia. Otherwise, use nv. |
That's advice I can use. Thanks!
Quote: | nvidia also has issues with rivafb (not sure abt vesafb). Are you using a framebuffer driver? |
nope. should I be?
Quote: | Seriously speaking, if you want great 2D, I would get another card. |
I'm aware I didn't get a sparkling card. When my wife gets back to work and I can afford to do more than just eat (i.e. buy books and computerstuff) I'm going to build a new system (mine's 4 years old). Then I will seriously take into consideration your recommendation of the Matrox card. Thank you.
Quote: | Hell I would even send you one of my Matrox G400/G450 cards for free. Matrox has the fastest 2D X11 drivers of any card, to say nothing of the quality of the hardware. |
My idea of a friend! |
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paranerd Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 7:47 am Post subject: |
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apmurray wrote: | X was locking on exit because your nvidia drivers want 8k stacks still but in your kernel (>2.6.5 yeah?) it automatically has 4k stacks, so either upgrade to newest nvidia drivers or change your kernel to 8k stacks. |
You're a god, apmurray! That most definitely was the problem. I don't know where in the doc I missed that.
There's quite a few old threads that can be resolved with this information, apmurray [hint]. I'm not the only luser who didn't get the memo.
Thanks alot! |
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theaks n00b
Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 30
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:07 am Post subject: |
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when i quit X after using the nvidia driver, my diplay doesn't resume back at a text prompt. Its normally got text up there from my kernel loading... I can still using it just like a prompt, (restart X etc) but i can't see what i'm doing...
is there anyway to fix this? |
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apmurray Apprentice
Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 221 Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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paranerd wrote: | apmurray wrote: | X was locking on exit because your nvidia drivers want 8k stacks still but in your kernel (>2.6.5 yeah?) it automatically has 4k stacks, so either upgrade to newest nvidia drivers or change your kernel to 8k stacks. |
You're a god, apmurray! That most definitely was the problem. I don't know where in the doc I missed that.
There's quite a few old threads that can be resolved with this information, apmurray [hint]. I'm not the only luser who didn't get the memo.
Thanks alot! |
no worries, I do what I can |
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