[SOLVED] Nvidia Geforce 8400GS Rev.3 - Driver

[valtam]

Hello Valtam,
it seems I will need to do a fresh install.
Do I need to data wipe/overwrite the hdd first, or just use the install disc?

Hi bitsnpcs,
Just use the install disc, you will get the option to wipe during the installation wizard.

[bitsnpcs]

Hello Valtam,
thank you for you help.

[anon222]

Hello misko_2083,
thank you for your help on the correct way for installing the 340.24 driver , the process went well without any problems :-)
The driver didn't resolve video playback issues for me as I had hoped it would.

Hi bitsnpcs,
It's not the correct way, but it works.
Are video playback issues gone now?

[bitsnpcs]

Hello misko_2083,
I still have video playback issues.
I will do a clean install of Linux Lite tomorrow.

[bitsnpcs]

Hello,
I have done a clean install now, done the updates and avoided the Ubuntu lightdm one. Added java and restricted extras from the install additional software.
Changed keyboard to English UK.
I have made no other changes at all not even the wallpaper and installed no software, below line one of the text in this text box various parts of the menu such as half the height of the smileys appears when I type the next line.

I have not changed any drivers, I played a video in VLC, it crashed the player to a black screen with no video at all displayed and music that stutters on the same words, I had to use the reboot button on tower to stop that as only the black screen was visible.
On reboot I checked the driver being used it is X.Org X Server Nouveau open source.

Is there anything else that might work to enable video ?

[valtam]

If linux were as big as MS, we would have tremendous driver support, as it is we have to make do with what we are offered. The situation is what it is. The fact is that as linux matures, support for older hardware wanes. If you had a newer machine with more power chances are you would be trouble free on the hardware front and be enjoying a much better linux experience. Please don't think I'm saying to go buy a new machine, because I am not. I'm explaining the 'state of linux' at the moment as it is in the desktop world. Linux works on 1000's on different computer configurations, our own hardware list https://mityer.khdlhfjijfrupr.tk/hwdb.html has nearly 800 machines listed, and is growing.

MS has a monopoly on desktops, and until that changes our driver support from hardware vendors will not be on par.

[bitsnpcs]

More power - would more RAM be likely to help solve video for me or not ?
Currently it has a P4 2Ghz processor, 512mb RAM on graphics card , and 1GB RAM (x2 of 512MB)(system) , the board can take up to 3GB of RAM. So if it is likely that more RAM would solve it then I can get x3 of 1GB RAM.(removing the current 1GB as only 3 slots).

Or would the video still not work due to the driver for graphics card ?

[valtam]

Ram is not the issue, the focus as stated is the video card.

[bitsnpcs]

Okay thank you.
It seems even though I don't want to I have no choice but to put windows on that computer :-(
It is a real pain and frustrating that the manufacturers are so uncooperative.

[valtam]

bitsnpcs, right now, at this moment you are at a turning point. If you are willing to get x3 of 1GB RAM, would that not be better spent on a compatible video card? These days, people do whats easier instead of whats right. Join the free software community and make a stand. You turned to linux for a reason, trust that instinct.