Arch Linux

Convergence

Member

Registered: 2005-07-02

Posts: 377

replacing onboard video

Tired of the problems with intel's onboard gpu drivers, I finally installed an nvidia card in an old computer.  I changed the settings in the BIOS to enable my new pci (yes, pci) card, and everything seems fine until "loading udev events" and my screen starts spewing out lots of stuff with [c0SOMETHING] way too fast to read, so I turn it off.  then I pop in a damn small linux disc, just to see if the hardware is working correctly, and DSL works great, nice desktop and everything.  Finally, I pop in an old copy of the arch install (2008.6) disc, let it boot itself up, and it did exactly what it did when I let my arch install boot up.

I would like to save my existing install if at all possible.  So Ideally, I would use a rescue disk (maybe 2008.6 isn't the best choice?) to install the nvidia drivers, update the appropriate configs, and boot into my old install with my new nvidia card fully functional.

Don't think it really matters, but it's the geforce 6200 PCI card.  (not much, but much better than the ancient and undersupported onboard!)

Thanks for any help.

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It's a very deadly weapon to know what you're doing
---  William Murderface

Convergence

Member

Registered: 2005-07-02

Posts: 377

Re: replacing onboard video

I've thought about it a little bit more, and here is what I plan to do:
a. re-enable the onboard graphics card and boot up
b. disable X and MOD_autoload in rc.conf
c. reboot, see if I get a login prompt. (not sure if I even need auto module loading)
d. if successful, try installing nvidia drivers
e. re-configuring BIOS for new card
f.  starting x, and testing.

Sound strategy?  must wait till morning; need sleep 

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It's a very deadly weapon to know what you're doing
---  William Murderface

deej

Member

Registered: 2008-02-08

Posts: 395

Re: replacing onboard video

A quick reply:

1> Pop back to onboard graphics.
2> Downoad and burn the latest install iso.
3> If your 'home' is on a separate partition, re-install [ don't elect to
      format your /home], and you're good to go.

Deej

Convergence

Member

Registered: 2005-07-02

Posts: 377

Re: replacing onboard video

I'll do that if my strategy fails.  Even though /home is on a separate partition, I'd hate to reinstall just because I know that I'll forget to install some program that my g/f needs, and she'll be in hotwater (she's in the middle of college finals).  I know that I can  save time by copying /etc/ to /home so that I can save some time configuring, but again, I'd rather not reinstall.  It's odd that 2008.6 chokes on it, but maybe the latest install disk will work.

---

It's a very deadly weapon to know what you're doing
---  William Murderface