Installing Nvidia Drivers for RedHat 7.2
 

Hi, i have my computer dual booted (WinXP pro, RedHat) and i'm trying to install the nvidia drivers for my Geforce3 in linux but the directions are definatly not newbie friendly, could someone explain to me in english how to install these drivers so i can play quake2 under linux? thanx.:smash:

What's the file name?

if it's got .tar.gz on the end try this...

cd /pathtofile

tar zxf filename.tar.gz

cd filename

then look for INSTALL and README or similar files and read them for further instructions.

Do as root from the console with no X server running,
"tar zxf NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2314.tar.gz"
"tar zxf NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2313.tar.gz"
"cd NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2314/"
"make install"
"cd ../NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2313/"
"make install"
Open your XF86Config(-4) in an editor (I use MC - "mcedit /etc/X11/XF86Config") and comment out the line - Load "dri", and add the line - Load "glx" in the modules section, in the graphic device section change the driver from "nv" to "nvidia"
Download and run
nv_check.sh (right click) if all seems ok reboot and startx, if you see a nvidia splash screen before your desktop loads then your using the 3d drivers.

This may be a stupid question, but how do i kill the X-Server?

<Ctrl><Alt><Backspace> will kill the x server, but usually its enough to log out of your desktop and drop to the console.

or if you are in X open an Xterm, change to root and issue
init 3

Aussie, so should i use Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to kill the x-server or is there a better way? i just started RedHat yesterday so i'm totally a newbie.

Please explain the process as if you are talking to a 12 year old. Hey everyone has to start somewhere, also if there is any books i could get then tell me i really want to switch over from Windows XP at least partially.

it's fine to kill X like that, but if you installed it to run X on boot up, then it'll be pretty pointless as it will reload again.

you shouldn't really need to kill the X server tho, just edit the file in X and restart it... well, ctrlaltdel is the easiest way actaully...

people seem to recommend not editing the XF86Config(-4) file whilst in X, but i can't see why it should matter for somethign like this. If you do want to get out of X completely, run 'init 3' on a terminal window first, and then ctrlaltdel and X won't reappear.

otherwise, aussies instrutions are good enough. i've never heard of that nv_check.sh thing tho...

also... i've had trouble with those versions of the nvidia drivers. they made my JPG's cmoe out very badly, if you have any probelms like that, find some older ones. i'm on 1251 and they work very well.

Does your OpenGL work in Linux? i would like to get at least Quake2 to work, after all i have a GeForce3 i would like to utilize to its full extent. Preferably Quake3 as well. I'll try Aussies directions right now hold on..

Ok, i downloaded the NVIDIA_GLX-1.0-2313.tar.gz but'a i dont know which Kernel to download from www.nvidia.com

Please tell me which one i should get becuase there is like 20

oh come on, please pay some attention to what people are telling you.

aussie clearly states: tar zxf NVIDIA_kernel-1.0-2314.tar.gz

open gl works, but obviosuly you can't run windows games natively. there are various ports and emulator layers avaialbel tho

Post deleted by therion12

Sorry for being stupid, but what is the "tar.zxf" for in the beginning? is that what i type in the konsole or something?

Actually, i think i know is that command to unpack the tar files?

Alright, i feel confident now, i used the init 3 command becuase it seemed easier.

About running that thing ...do i run it in X or in the dos thingie?

Ok, i tried make install and it did a bunch of things and then it came up with a error of some sort..what should i do? the error is as follows: " *** [nv.o] Error 1"

Btw this is for the kernel not the GLX yet.

All the files untar'ed also becuase i checked in the KDE browser.

try this first then start over with the install


you have to type this into a terminal just as it is, you can select it with your mouse and center click into the terminal to paste it.


ln -s /usr/src/linux-2.4 /usr/src/linux



let us know if this generates an error

Oops, i KINDA reinstalled Linux becuase i did some experimenting and i broke the X-Server..sorry! im back now.

Ok, so should i do DavidPhillips instructions first or Aussies?

*EDIT* the command didn't generate any errors but it didnt do nothing. Or at least it didnt show it. BTW, cool trick! i was always wondering how i can paste into the TERMINAL!!! One more thing, this time i installed i installed KDE & GNOME desktops. Don't kill me but i like GNOME alot becuase it is so easy to cut & paste and it feels "cleaner" so to speak. KDE was great dont get me wrong, but i feel more comfortable with GNOME maybe its becuase it closely resembles Windows. I dual boot Windows XP pro & RedHat anyways.

The usual cause for errors when installing the nvidia kernel driver is not having your kernel source rpm's installed.

I know this is kinda off topic but is 256MB enough for Linux? my main machine that am running Linux on has the following specs:

EPoX 8KHA+ KT266A DDR motherboard
AMD Athlon "XP" 1700+ @ 1800+ (1.56Ghz)
Crucial/Micron PC2100 256MB
Nvidia GeForce3 (gainward)
and all the other goodies like cdrom, cd writer, floppy, 2 hard disks, and a Swiftech MCX370-0A heatsink and fan for the processor.

Ok, how would i go about doing that ? thanks alot for your help Aussie your one of the few people who actually put up with NewBez like me :-)

btw, Nice webpage you have goin' there, let me know if i can be of any help....

There should be a couple of rpm packages in RedHat/RPMS/ on the second redhat cd called "kernel-doc-2.4.x-x.i386.rpm" and "kernel-source-2.4.x-x.i386.rpm" make sure that the 2.4.x-x matches the kernel you have installed. The source rpm is the important one but the docs come in handy as well.

ok, im pretty sure 2.4.7-10 is my Kernel version but how do i check ? i think there is a command in the terminal i can do am i right?

"uname -a" will spill the beans so to speak.

One thing that i find annoying in Linux is that i have to boot from the floppy all the time. i dont know what to do when it boots from the hdd.

How do i install it now? when i double click it it gives me a error about not being the right application to open...

Try doing as root "rpm -Ivh kernel-*etc*.rpm" from the mounted cd driectory.

"unkown option" <------- thats what it says.

Try "rpm -i *etc*.rpm" and see what happens.

Alright in KDE i tried double clicking on the Kernel RPM(S) and it brought up the Package Manager, i click install and it installed i think

Cool, when you get the nvidia drivers installed and working you should read "man rpm" to get an idea of what commands you need to install/upgrade and remove packages from the console.

Hey do i edit that XF86 file in X or do i do it in the command console?

You'll need to do it in the console before you startx. Try "mcedit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4"

Wow, that was easier than i thought!, i got the Nvidia splash screen and it works,.

is it safe to delete the tar files and the extracted folders from the ./root directory?

Yes, you can comment it out by placing a # at the begining of the line its on. After you've saved to config file run the nv_check.sh script and remove any libs that it suggests.

How do i run the nv_check.sh script?

From the directory where you saved it to do "sh nv_check.sh"<Enter>

Everything is OK except for the one :

checking /usr/X11R6/etc/X11/XF86Config...
not found


& the one

checking /etc/XF86Config..
not found

As long as it found the XF86Config that you are using its fine, it looks in all the default locations that XF86Config can be found and the one in /etc/X11 is the one that gets used first if its there.
Once you've finished the install you should do "ldconfig" and then reboot before you restart your x server.

Thanks alot Aussie, couldn't of done it without you. Btw have you ever gotten LimeWireLinux to work? it says:

No Java virtual machine could be found from your PATH environment variable. You must install a VM prior to running this program.

I cant figure out how to run Idconfig either.

As root in a terminal or console do "ldconfig".
I've got limewire working, it needs java to be installed, you can get rpm's from sun, IBM and blackdown. Go for the 1.3.1 version.

Its either asking me to register or linking me to some weird file formats.

Could you upload it to your FTP so i can download?

Btw, i installed Netscape 6.2 and i think it is great. I deleted my old netscape with the package utility, is that okay?

I don't have rpm installed on my slack box, I install all my software from source. There is a good jave how-to at konqueror.org, unfortunatly you need to register at IBM and Sun to download the rpm's but you can do it with hotmail, yahoo or anyother free email account if you don't want to use your real one. I recomend you get the IBM v1.3.1 rpm.

Yeah, that should be fine.

WTF?? i installed the Java virtual machine runtimes and LimeWire still doesnt work!!

Are you running limewire from ~/LimeWire?

no from the desktop

Open a terminal and "cd" to LimeWire, then do "sh runlime.sh"<Enter>...you do have it installed?

I know that! it says i dont have Virtual Machine installed even though i already installed it, twice.

And no it didnt install LimeWire at all

just a thought
 

Slackware 8 ownz !!!!!!!!

Which VM did you use? You need a v1.3.1 for limewire.