• glxinfo says zero VRAM

    From Woozy Song@7:1/3 to alt.os.linux on Mon Sep 14 10:39:19 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux

    An old PC with a GTX660, which is nominally 2 GB VRAM.
    glxinfo |grep emory
    shows 'Video memory' approx 7 GB
    but
    Dedicated video memory 0
    Total available memory approx 8 GB
    so it is getting garbage.
    glxinfo has worked on other PCs when I tried it.
    I cannot install legacy Nvidia drivers in order to use nvtop or nvidia-smi
    as Mint can't get it from archive.ubuntu.com
    Any apps that will show GPU specs?
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  • From Carlos E. R.@7:1/3 to alt.os.linux on Mon Sep 14 09:35:31 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux

    On 2026-09-14 04:39, Woozy Song wrote:
    An old PC with a GTX660, which is nominally 2 GB VRAM.
    glxinfo |grep emory
    shows 'Video memory' approx 7 GB
    but
    Dedicated video memory 0
    Total available memory approx 8 GB
    so it is getting garbage.
    glxinfo has worked on other PCs when I tried it.
    I cannot install legacy Nvidia drivers in order to use nvtop or nvidia-smi
    as Mint can't get it from archive.ubuntu.com
    Any apps that will show GPU specs?

    inxi?

    --
    Cheers,
    Carlos E.R.
    ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺.
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  • From Paul@7:1/3 to alt.os.linux on Mon Sep 14 04:39:39 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux

    On Sun, 9/13/2026 10:39 PM, Woozy Song wrote:
    An old PC with a GTX660, which is nominally 2 GB VRAM.
    glxinfo |grep emory
    shows 'Video memory' approx 7 GB
    but
    Dedicated video memory 0
    Total available memory approx 8 GB
    so it is getting garbage.
    glxinfo has worked on other PCs when I tried it.
    I cannot install legacy Nvidia drivers in order to use nvtop or nvidia-smi
    as Mint can't get it from archive.ubuntu.com
    Any apps that will show GPU specs?

    You should show us your inxi -F and your Driver Manager screen.

    Your OS kinda sounds like LM213.

    I tried LM223 in a fresh install, and it is offering
    me the 580 driver only, for a GT1030 video card.

    Some other release, I was seeing the Driver Manager telling
    me that "you already have the best driver and no drivers are
    available for your setup". And one way to fix that, is to
    remove the 580 packages from the tree, then after a reboot,
    the Driver Manager works again and legacy drivers are listed.

    It would be good if you'd indicate your OS revision, like
    if you aren't "current" right now.

    Paul


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  • From Paul@7:1/3 to alt.os.linux on Tue Sep 15 11:38:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux

    On Mon, 9/14/2026 4:39 AM, Paul wrote:
    On Sun, 9/13/2026 10:39 PM, Woozy Song wrote:
    An old PC with a GTX660, which is nominally 2 GB VRAM.
    glxinfo |grep emory
    shows 'Video memory' approx 7 GB
    but
    Dedicated video memory 0
    Total available memory approx 8 GB
    so it is getting garbage.
    glxinfo has worked on other PCs when I tried it.
    I cannot install legacy Nvidia drivers in order to use nvtop or nvidia-smi >> as Mint can't get it from archive.ubuntu.com
    Any apps that will show GPU specs?


    The GTX660 is older than my GT1030.

    You will notice that as time passes, the video card support is reduced.

    OS Kernel DriverManager

    LM213 5.15.0-91 nvidia-driver-535 (recommended)
    nvidia-driver-525
    nvidia-driver-470
    nvidia-driver-390
    xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (selected)

    LM213 5.15.0-191 nvidia-driver-580
    nvidia-driver-545
    nvidia-driver-390 (recommended)
    xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (selected)

    *******

    LM223 6.14.0-37 nvidia-driver-580
    nvidia-driver-570
    nvidia-driver-535 (recommended)
    nvidia-driver-470
    xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (selected)

    LM223 7.0.0-31 nvidia-driver-580 (recommended)
    xserver-xorg-video-nouveau (selected)

    There are two kinds of video drivers from NVidia. There is no
    explicit notation in the driver description, to tell them apart.
    Otherwise, we would know the 580 is some sort of "direct interface"
    driver, unlike the 390 which, not only is it a legacy driver,
    it uses binary blobs for the interface details.

    In any case, for the stanza at the bottom of the table,
    yours is unlikely to show 580 as being a candidate for
    your GTX660.

    Whereas if you were to install LM213, you will notice that
    at least for the moment, LM213 *loves* old hardware. Everything
    is going to work for you in LM213.

    I tell Windows 10 users, who I know are sporting older hardware,
    that LM213 is the thing for them. But, LM213 support will not
    last forever, so offering them that is disingenuous. The LM213
    choice would soon age out, leaving them high and dry. And you will
    notice, the later Linux Mint release, the Driver Manager is
    becoming barren. And nobody wants to spend $400 to fix a computer
    that is worth $200 on Ebay (as a used computer).

    Summary: Try installing LM213 in a separate partition. You will be
    pleased with your glxinfo, as the availability of 390 means
    some relatively old cards are going to work. Use the Driver
    Manager to install the driver.

    Paul


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  • From Wilfred van Velzen@2:280/464 to Carlos E. R. on Thu Oct 1 11:11:33 2026
    Hi Carlos,

    On 2026-09-14 09:35:31, you wrote to alt.os.linux:

    @MSGID: 197.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0cdb47
    @REPLY: 196.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0c9860

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    @PATH: 1/3 1 220/6 3634/12 154/10 280/464

    Please stop this newsgroup forwarding nonsense from a NON fidonet nodenumber!

    Bye, Wilfred.

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  • From Mike Powell@1:2320/107 to Wilfred van Velzen on Thu Oct 1 15:31:00 2026
    Hi Carlos,

    On 2026-09-14 09:35:31, you wrote to alt.os.linux:

    @MSGID: 197.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0cdb47
    @REPLY: 196.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0c9860

    * Origin: IntraServe (intraserve.su.gy) (7:1/3)
    @PATH: 1/3 1 220/6 3634/12 154/10 280/464

    Please stop this newsgroup forwarding nonsense from a NON
    fidonet nodenumber!


    Which network is Z7?


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  • From Wilfred van Velzen@2:280/464 to Mike Powell on Thu Oct 1 18:52:40 2026
    Hi Mike,

    On 2026-10-01 15:31:00, you wrote to me:

    On 2026-09-14 09:35:31, you wrote to alt.os.linux:

    @MSGID: 197.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0cdb47
    @REPLY: 196.fidog_linux@7:1/3 2f0c9860

    * Origin: IntraServe (intraserve.su.gy) (7:1/3)
    @PATH: 1/3 1 220/6 3634/12 154/10 280/464

    Please stop this newsgroup forwarding nonsense from a NON
    fidonet nodenumber!


    Which network is Z7?

    Probably 'fido7' the dream of R50 to form their own Zone...


    Bye, Wilfred.

    --- FMail-lnx64 2.3.4.1-B20260520
    * Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)
  • From Benny Pedersen@2:230/0 to Wilfred van Velzen on Sun Oct 4 01:47:30 2026
    Hello Wilfred!

    01 Oct 2026 18:52, Wilfred van Velzen wrote to Mike Powell:

    Which network is Z7?
    Probably 'fido7' the dream of R50 to form their own Zone...

    zone 8 will be greemland then :)


    Regards Benny

    ... too late to die young :)

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