How To Install Nvidia 275.09.07 Driver in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot & 12.04?

Installing the proper VGA driver in GNU/Linux is not the most easiest (not user friendly is the best word I guess) thing. This is because, usually you have to get the Kernel-source code and then get the driver from the vendor, change the run-level and finally you'll have to let the driver to build the Kernel modules (loadable "plugins")... which is kind of a long process.

Although I'm not entirely sure about if there's a PPA available for ATI but with Nvidia, thanks to a dedicated X-org PPA which releases a lot of X-org related drivers and utilities (proprietary ones) by default we can do this pretty easily. So unilke with the above mentioned method... you just type few command and the pre-build drivers are installed and you're ready to rock the heck out of that video game :P.

Anyhow, few days ago Nvidia released a never version of display driver series which brings few enhancements (including an interesting one for Gnome 3 users!) such as ...

*. A Gnome 3 related bug which seemed to be doing a little corruption ;-) but finally fixed.

*. Added support for Nvidia GPUs such as GeForce GTX 560, GeForce GT 545, GeForce GTX 560M, etc.

*. KDE4 desktop effect bug fixed.

*. Few issues with audio jack unplugging errors fixed.

*. Performance enhancements in KDE4.

*. New configuration named "BaseMosanic" added which lets you to easily expand a singe display screen in multiple other displays... are just a few to name.

You can install this Nvidia Driver 275.09.07 version in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot & 12.04 Precise Pangolin by entering the below command in your Terminal window. Once done, make sure to do a reboot of your Ubuntu PC/Laptop as well.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nvidia-current

Although this driver is not currently added for Ubuntu 11.04 or below ones... So, I'll update you on them once they update the packages.