NVIDIA 180.29 Driver on Ubuntu 8.10

After experimenting with some less than stable settings this week I decided to wipe my Dell XPS 630 and do a fresh Ubuntu 8.10 install today. I remembered there being a quirk about the NVIDIA driver the first time I installed but couldn't remember what exactly so here's some quick documentation on the problem/solution for anyone else in the same boat.

System:

XPS 630
Dual NVIDA 9800 GT Video Cards
......

I've found the 180.29 driver to perform much better than the currently recommended 177.xx driver. I've also found that at least on my system whether I install manually, through apt-get or even if I use System>Administration>Hardware Drivers to install the 177.xx driver that the X server breaks upon reboot. My step by step is below. This is assuming a fresh install.

1. Download the 180.29 driver from the NVIDIA download page.

2. Purge all NVIDIA packages installed by default.

$sudo apt-get --purge remove nvidia*

3. Make sure you have build essential installed.

$sudo apt-get install build-essential

4. Get the PCI number of your graphic(s) cards.

$sudo lspci | grep VGA

The PCI numbers will be in the ##.##.# format but you will need to add them to your xorg.conf file in the PCI:##:##:# format.

5. Stop the X server

$sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop

6. Press Alt+F1 to get a command prompt

7. Run the NVIDIA install utility and make sure you choose yes to the autoconfig option.

$cd Desktop (or the folder you downloaded the NVIDIA package to.)
$sudo sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-180.29.pkg1.run

8. Once the installer completes you need to add the Busid entries for your video cards to the xorg.conf file before you reboot.

$sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Device
....
Driver "nvidia"
Busid "PCI:##:##:#"
...

If you have multiple cards then copy/paste the Device section and add the second Busid entry.

9. If you have an SLI setup you can also add the line

Device
....
Driver "nvidia"
Busid "PCI:##:##:#"
Option "sli" "auto"
...

10. Reboot and you should be in business.

11. Additionally if you're running a dual monitor you'll want to make sure you have the NVIDIA X Server Settings utility installed in System>Preferences>NVIDIA X Server Settings. If you don't then just run

$sudo apt-get install nvidia-settings

12. You'll need to run the NVIDIA utility with root privileges in order to save any changes you make.

$sudo nvidia-settings

13. On the X Server Display Configuration screen select the inactive monitor, click the Twinview radio button, click the Ok button, click the Save to X Configuration File, click the Quit button. (Twinview is NVIDIA's proprietary multi-monitor feature. Some people prefer the Seperate X screen option because its not proprietary but you're already using a proprietary driver and I haven't gotten Compiz effects to work with Serperate X screens. If you know how please leave a comment.)

14. Push Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to restart X and you should be up and running with dual monitors.

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