Anyone came up with a good solution for this problem?
]]>As suggested previously, I downloaded the PKGBUILD of nvidia-173xx and nvidia-173xx-utils and compiled them. [makepkg -s]
I had to put a comment sign in the nvidia-173xx file where it checked for nvidia-173xx-utils for dependency to make it compile as I couldn't install the later first.
The compiling also downloaded the linux-headers 3.4.7-1 file as it is my actual kernel. I guess with the next kernel update the driver will fail to start and I have to recompile the drivers again. (I would appreciate a confirmation on this)
After both packages where made, I removed the old driver with "pacman -Rdd nvidia nvidia-utils", as -R showed a lot of other programs as dependency.
Then installed my compiled packages and after a reboot I was back again to my beloved Compiz desktop !
Checking the "glxgears" showed a surprising 1237.484 FPS compared to about 973 FPS with 295.59 drivers. (2.4 FPS with actual 304.32-1)
Am going to check all other programs to see if there is no hidden problems. I hope this goes well and Nvidia do not abandon supporting its old cards.
Oh, great thanks to Natrio for maintaining this driver in AUR.
]]>I have still no idea what they removed from 295.59 version that breaks this graphics card to this point.
This is Arch. You know, rolling release and such. If you want to use the long-lived branch, it's now at 295.71 and contains the security fix.
]]>Today after seeing availability of new Nvidia drivers in normal repos, I updated my system to nvidia 304.32-1.
Unfortunately this one still has the same problem with OpenGL and Compiz with my GeForce 6200 cards.
I have temporary disabled Compiz to try going the other route and compile the Aur 173.14.35 version to see if it works.
I really enjoy using Compiz and this is why I noticed this problem and am trying to find a solution to this.
I have still no idea what they removed from 295.59 version that breaks this graphics card to this point.
I just found this thread over at the XBMC forums that says that Compositioning will cause tearing on Nvidia drivers and I've been experiencing horizontal tearing recently. The post is from 2011 and refers to Ubuntu and Compiz so I didn't know who relevant it was since I use the compositioning in KDE. Sure enough right after I disabled compositioning XBMC was back to full speed, I have yet to see if it still crashes and hard-locks everything though. Hopefully it doesn't....
]]>Any Idea why the Nvidia 173.14.35 driver is not in normal repositories as it seems to be also an official certified driver from Nvidia?
Because it often lags behind in it's support for latest X or kernels. Arch is rolling release as you've noted, and the devs don't want to hold back packaging the latest X just because of a legacy branch of a proprietary driver.
]]>@Gusar, I think I'll follow your advice for now. I'll stick to Linux-3.4.5 and wait until the Nvidia 304.22 hits the normal repos to test it. If it didn't work, then I will have to compile and test the 173xx one.
Any Idea why the Nvidia 173.14.35 driver is not in normal repositories as it seems to be also an official certified driver from Nvidia?
Seems it's getting harder and harder having a consistent stable driver without being left out of a rolling release distro !
173xx is indeed for Geforce 5. Though it seems it works for all cards that were out at the time it was first released.
]]>I didn't know the nvidia-173xx works with GeForce 6 GPUs.
Everywhere I checked says this driver is for Legacy cards with GPUs up to GeForce 5. Can you please confirm that it works with GeForce 6200 ?
Even Nvidia site proposes the version 295.59 for this card as the latest Certified driver.
I think also there is something in Linux 3.4.6 that prevents the certified version to work correctly, so that we could keep the official driver until the next certified release.
OTOH, I wonder how the Nvidia 302.17 is current in Arch Repos as Nvidia does not propose it on their site !
]]>Downgrading to Nvidia 295.59 fixed my problem. Glxgears shows 2.4 FPS on Nvidia 302 and 973 FPS with Nvidia 295 on another system that does not use Compiz. This one has no problems as long as not using anything with Open GL.
Today I updated my system and the Kernel has been updated to Linux 3.4.6. This kernel breaks the Nvidia 295 and gives "Failed to load module "nvidia" (module-specific error, 0)" in Xorg.0.log.
Now, I downgraded Kernel to 3.4.5 to make it work again.
I am searching now for some advice. What should I do with my systems? Should I also abandon Compiz?
I have 4 systems with GeForce 6200 graphics cards in their AGP slot, having no way changing these cards as AGP is no more an option with newer cards.
This may work for you too:
1. Use the nvidia-settings GUI to uncheck both "Sync to VBlank" values under "OpenGL Settings" and "X Server XVideo Settings."
("SyncToVBlank" and "XVideoTextureSyncToVBlank" will be set to to 0 in ~/.nvidia-settings-rc)
2. Have this command run right after Xorg is started, before any other programs such as your window manager start:
nvidia-settings --load-config-only
You can put it in your desktop environment's autostart or into one of the Xorg scripts that may be run; KDM and GDM source ~/.xprofile.
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