Dell E6420 with NVIDIA N12P

zerubbabel · 08-02-11, 10:49 AM

I'm running Ubuntu 11.04 (amd64) on a Dell Latitude E6420. The paper documentation that came with the system says under Video controller/Discrete: "NVIDIA N12P with 512MB DDR3 switchable". I don't know how to confirm that this is what's actually installed, but there is no nvidia-xconfig installed, so it doesn't seem as if I have the NVIDIA driver installed.

I tried installing NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-280.12.run, but it says I don't have the supported hardware. So how can I tell which driver to install? I can't find "N12P" listed anywhere on the NVIDIA drivers page.

Basically, Ubuntu is running fine on this hardware, except that I can't get my external monitor to work at its maximum resolution, and also, theoretically, the laptop display is supposed to have maximum resolution of 1600x900, but it's only using 1366x768.

Anyway, I'd like to install the latest NVIDIA driver for my system, but don't know which one to install. Any help would be appreciated.

zerubbabel · 08-03-11, 10:04 AM

Bump...

Can't someone just point me to the right driver?

LLStarks · 08-03-11, 01:53 PM

you either have a 520m or nvs 4200m

you also have optimus which isn't supported on linux

your only hope is bumblebee: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee

**danix** · 08-09-11, 07:45 PM

Actually, on that particular notebook I believe there should be a setting in the BIOS to disable Optimus. Take a look in your BIOS settings (under the "Video" menu) for an option to disable Optimus. With Optimus disabled, this notebook ought to work with recent drivers.

08-02-11, 10:49 AM	#1
zerubbabel Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2	Dell E6420 with NVIDIA N12P I'm running Ubuntu 11.04 (amd64) on a Dell Latitude E6420. The paper documentation that came with the system says under Video controller/Discrete: "NVIDIA N12P with 512MB DDR3 switchable". I don't know how to confirm that this is what's actually installed, but there is no nvidia-xconfig installed, so it doesn't seem as if I have the NVIDIA driver installed. I tried installing NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-280.12.run, but it says I don't have the supported hardware. So how can I tell which driver to install? I can't find "N12P" listed anywhere on the NVIDIA drivers page. Basically, Ubuntu is running fine on this hardware, except that I can't get my external monitor to work at its maximum resolution, and also, theoretically, the laptop display is supposed to have maximum resolution of 1600x900, but it's only using 1366x768. Anyway, I'd like to install the latest NVIDIA driver for my system, but don't know which one to install. Any help would be appreciated.

08-03-11, 10:04 AM	#2
zerubbabel Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2	Re: Dell E6420 with NVIDIA N12P Bump... Can't someone just point me to the right driver?

08-03-11, 01:53 PM	#3
LLStarks Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 66	Re: Dell E6420 with NVIDIA N12P you either have a 520m or nvs 4200m you also have optimus which isn't supported on linux your only hope is bumblebee: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee

08-09-11, 07:45 PM	#4
danix NVIDIA Corporation Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 237	Re: Dell E6420 with NVIDIA N12P Actually, on that particular notebook I believe there should be a setting in the BIOS to disable Optimus. Take a look in your BIOS settings (under the "Video" menu) for an option to disable Optimus. With Optimus disabled, this notebook ought to work with recent drivers.