How to Install Video Drivers in Ubuntu

Contributor

By Kim Linton
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (2 Ratings)

The Appearance Preferences window in Ubuntu.

Most video cards work out of the box with Ubuntu's open-source drivers, but some require special proprietary drivers to be able to use advanced graphics features like 3D acceleration and visual effects. Ubuntu comes with an easy-to-use GUI (graphical user interface) based application that installs and activates advanced drivers for video card brands like ATI and NVIDIA, for example.

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Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Ubuntu administrator password

Step 1

Open the main Ubuntu menu, move your cursor over "System," then "Administration," and then click "Hardware Drivers." Ubuntu will initiate a complete hardware scan which will take 1-2 minutes or so, depending on the speed of your computer.
Step 2

Select the video card driver entry that says "Recommended" after the scan is complete (if available). Click the "Activate" button at the bottom of the window.
Step 3

The Hardware Drivers window.

Enter your administrator password when prompted, then click "Authenticate." Ubuntu will download and install drivers for your video card, and any additional dependencies or applications.
Step 4

Click "Close" at the prompt to restart the computer. If your screen is blank (black) after you log back in to Ubuntu, turn the power off for a few seconds, then restart the computer. Occasionally, new video drivers do not load properly in Ubuntu until a second or third boot.

Tips & Warnings

If "No proprietary drivers are in use on this system" is displayed after the hardware scan is complete, your video card does not support the advanced drivers available in Ubuntu. Check with your video card manufacturer to see if they offer updated Linux drivers for your particular graphics card.
Visual effects (Compiz) will be enabled by default in Ubuntu after you install proprietary drivers. If they cause problems, turn them off by clicking the main Ubuntu menu, then "System," "Preferences," then "Appearance." Click the "Visual Effects" tab in the Appearance Preferences window, then check the radio box next to "None." Click "Close" to apply the settings.

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