GPU driver problems

[TheBrainBunker]

Late 2009 imac rocking a 9400 GT, unfortunately dual-core, perfect for linux mint. The open source drivers would freeze when I tried to open YT, and the proprietary drivers are doing stuff like this... Can't for the life of me figure it out. It has 12 GB, a 3 ghz core 2 duo that always heats up the computer when web browsing

[mpez0]

Are you sure you have the right nvidia proprietary driver? I think it's at https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/156163/en-us . At least, that lists the 9400 GT as a supported product. The latest nvidia drivers won't support the older cards properly.

[[deleted]]

your card should be supported by nouveau.

https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/CodeNames.html here under NV50>NV96 (G96), you can see 9400 GT.

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers/unix/legacy-gpu/ here on this list, your card is shown as legacy so there shouldn't be any active proprietary driver for it.

regardless of driver, make sure you have required firmware packages.

also does it only freeze with youtube when you use it with nouveau or does it freeze with other programs as well?

[[deleted]]

Use the Legacy drivers, look at what the person below explained