Ubuntu NVIDIA install problem

Hi,

I installed Ubuntu 12.04.4 on a Toshiba L50 laptop. There is a NVIDIA GT740M graphics card in it.

When I launch the nvidia-settings command [sudo nvidia-settings] to see where I'm at, I can see the installed driver is version 331.20.

I'm not satisfied with the rendering of the 331.20 driver that is installed, I get horizontal lines in my reader when watching any video. So I downloaded the 331.49 driver from the NVIDIA site.

The NVIDIA installer being in my Download folder, I install it using this string of commands:

Ctrl-Alt-F1
sudo apt-get purge nvidia*
sudo service lightdm stop
CD /home/myself/Downloads
sudo sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-331.49.run

Everything goes pretty well, and when the installation is completed, I restart the laptop, then log into Ubuntu.

When I relaunch the nvidia-settings command to see where I'm at, I get an error message telling me that the xconfig server is not launched. Following the suggested course of action, I [sudo nvidia-xconfig] from Ctrl-Alt-F1, but then when I log back in, the display is completely without effect, it doesn't even match the laptop's screen any longer.

1/ Any clue what I'm doing wrong? Any solution? BTW, I don't have any trouble Clonezilling my system back to where it was previous to any of the above-mentioned maneuvers. What bugs me is not being able to install the driver and enjoying the NVIDIA card powers.

2/ The PRIME system is in effect on the laptop, allowing to choose rendering from the INTEL motherboard, or from the NVIDIA GT740M. When rendering through the INTEL motherboard, my vids are displayed quite well. But in that case I'm not using the NVIDIA part of the laptop at all, is that my understanding? So in this case the additional NVIDIA card is simply useless to me, is that correct?

Thanks in advance for your answers and practical suggestions.

Regards

 

Check some of the 'Install nVidia on Ubuntu' guides from WSF member Mrkvonic, on his own website Dedoimedo.com.
Several are available; 12.10 link, 13.04 link, 13.10 link and more in the archive link.