Ubuntu – How to install drivers for NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 on Precise

12.04driversnvidia

Ok, I'm a total Linux noob. I was able to install 12.4 without issue, except that it says in the system settings that the graphics card/driver is "unknown".

I have NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200, and have not been able to get it installed. I've found the driver at NVIDIA but couldn't figure out how to actually install it. I found instructions that used apt-get to automatically find the current driver and install it, and that came close. At least then it showed up in the 3rd party drivers list. It said it was installed but not being used? And I was unable to find out why that might be, or how to get the system to use it

Two questions:
1. CAN/SHOULD my graphics card work with 12.4?
2. If so, HOW?

I'm running a 100% fresh install, so what's the step-by-step from there?

Best Answer

Gonna answer my own question: NO YOU CAN'T INSTALL LEGACY NVIDIA DRIVER (173.14.XX) ON A 32bit INSTALL. They're just not compatible with the new Xorg system. There are rumors of an update in the future, and if I understand correctly there may already be a 64bit one released. But for now, the only solution (not a solution, more like a compromise) is to downgrade Xorg.

EDIT:
They've now released an updated driver for 32bit systems, 173.14.35. You can grab it from the launchpad site (https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-graphics-drivers-173-updates/173.14.35-0ubuntu1/+build/3597638). It installed easily, and so far I haven't run into any glitches!

EDIT:
For what it's worth, this fix covers a LOT of legacy nvidia products. Here's a list of devices that use (require) 173.14.xx drivers (from www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-ia32-173.14.31-driver.html):

GeForce 200 series:
GTX 280, GTX 260

GeForce 9 series:
9800 GX2, 9800 GTX/GTX+, 9800 GT, 9600 GT, 9600 GSO, 9500 GT

GeForce 8 series:
8800 Ultra, 8800 GTX, 8800 GTS 512, 8800 GTS, 8800 GT, 8800 GS, 8600 GTS, 8600 GT, 8600 GS, 8500 GT, 8400 SE, 8400 GS, 8400, 8300 GS, 8300, 8200 / nForce 730a, 8200, 8100 / nForce 720a

GeForce 7 series:
7950 GX2, 7950 GT, 7900 GTX, 7900 GT/GTO, 7900 GS, 7800 SLI, 7800 GTX, 7800 GS, 7650 GS, 7600 LE, 7600 GT, 7600 GS, 7550 LE, 7500 LE, 7350 LE, 7300 SE / 7200 GS, 7300 LE, 7300 GT, 7300 GS, 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7100 GS, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i, 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a

GeForce 6 series:
6800 XT, 6800 XE, 6800 Ultra, 6800 LE, 6800 GT, 6800 GS/XT, 6800 GS, 6800, 6700 XL, 6610 XL, 6600 VE, 6600 LE, 6600 GT, 6600, 6500, 6250, 6200 TurboCache, 6200SE TurboCache, 6200 LE, 6200 A-LE, 6200, 6150SE nForce 430, 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S, 6150 LE, 6150, 6100 nForce 420, 6100 nForce 405, 6100 nForce 400, 6100

GeForce 5 FX series:
PCX 5900, PCX 5750, PCX 5300, FX 5950 Ultra, FX 5900ZT, FX 5900XT, FX 5900 Ultra, FX 5900, FX 5800 Ultra, FX 5800, FX 5700VE, FX 5700 Ultra, FX 5700LE, FX 5700, FX 5600XT, FX 5600 Ultra, FX 5600, FX 5500, FX 5200 Ultra, FX 5200LE, FX 5200, FX 5100

Quadro FX series:
FX 700, FX 570, FX 5600, FX 560, FX 5500, FX 550, FX 540, FX 500/FX 600, FX 4700 X2, FX 4600, FX 4500 X2, FX 4500, FX 4000, FX 3700, FX 370, FX 3500, FX 350, FX 3450, FX 3400/4400, FX 330, FX 3000, FX 2000, FX 1700, FX 1500, FX 1400, FX 1300, FX 1100, FX 1000

Quadro FX Notebook series:
FX 570M, FX 370M, FX 360M, FX 3600M, FX 2700M, FX 1700M, FX 1600M

Quadro NVS series:
NVS 440, NVS 290, NVS 285

Quadro Plex series:
Model IV, Model II

Quadro G-Sync series:
G-Sync II, G-Sync I

Quadro SDI series:
Quadro SDI

GPU Computing Processor series:
Tesla C870

www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-ia32-173.14.31-driver.html

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