cant use graphics card to full potential on linux

i have just installed ubuntu and it doesn't seem to have an option to change the screen resolution other than the option for 800x600 and 640x480, which i assume are the standard linux OS screen sizes, the card is a Nvidia Geforce4 mx 440 agp 8x , not exactly a great card but i just need to get a bigger resolution size so i don't feel i'm inside the bloody screen.
 
You need to install the nvidia drivers.

There are a few ways to do this.

Easiest for you is probably:

1. Open a terminal and type sudo apt-get update

2. Type sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx

3. Type sudo apt-get upgrade

4. Type sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
* Select the nvidia driver from the X server driver list and follow the on-screen steps to complete the configuration

5. Once finished with the configuration, hold down ctrl/alt/backspace to restart X server. You should be presented with a nice NVIDIA splash screen signaling that the driver is installed and working

6. You can test this in the terminal by typing glxinfo | grep direct (the output should be direct rendering: yes)

7. You can also type glxgears to watch your card at work

If this does not resolve the issue then do not despair, you'll just need to edit your xorg. I'll explain how if the above doesn't sort it.
 
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well i followed what you said thank you , but it has come up with

xlib: extension "glx" missing on display ":0.0" (three times in a row, and then)

error: couldn't find RGB GLX visual (followed by 6 rows of the error above)

i'm new to this linux stuff but i do like it a lot and it seems very quick to use to and hopefully not too taxing on the old grey matter to learn, please advise me to what i'm doing wrong:(
 
Quick search, has I hope found the solution.

Open terminal.

Type:

Code:
sudo /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Note, the above is case sensitive.

Enter your password when prompted.

Now you need to comment out some lines so that they look like this:
(comment out = place a # before them)

Code:
Section "InputDevice"

# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Identifier "stylus"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Identifier "eraser"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# /dev/input/event
# for USB
Identifier "cursor"
Driver "wacom"
Option "Device" "/dev/wacom" # Change to
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Then do CTRL ALT BACKSPACE and hopefully all should be well.
 
hi simon, i have just typed in sudo /etc/X11/xorg.conf and it prompted me for password, so i put it in and it came up with sudo: /etc/X11/xorg.conf: command not found . i thought maybe i had entered password incorrectly so i restarted and tried again and got the same result !!!! what do i do now?
 
You entered your account's password.NOT ROOT,i think you have to enable root.Root on ubuntu is disabled by default. to enable root do this
sudo xterm
passwd

Supply root password.

You can now log in as root or issue
the su command to change to root.

to run program as you its 'sudo', to do as root its 'su'

or if the above is not working try this as console :
sudo passwd root
This will ask for a new root password and once you confirm it, you can start using the root account to login.
In case you will want to disable back the root account, just lock the root account by running:
 
no no no!

You do not need to create a root account on Ubuntu. sudo does the job!

I'm very sorry it's my fault, might help if I specified an editor *blush*

Try:

Code:
sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
 
no simon he's not creating root, root is already there but its disabled, but some few programs requires root,very few. Anyways i thought it was that case.anyhows a new linux is out now based on ubuntu its called Mint. check it out
http://linuxmint.com/
 
i will try both your suggestions and let you know if any success:) i am extremely new to LINUX so please be gentle ha ha. i'm just wondering if my graphics card is supported at all Geforce mx440 AGP 8x, does anyone know for certain about this cards compatability?

THANK YOU BOTH SO FAR FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT :D
 
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