I installed the nvidia commercial drivers 6629 on mandrake linux, then of course i figured that the rivafb would be troublesome. So I compiled a new kernel 2.6.9 and disabled support for rivafb and then installed the driver again. Everything went smoothly and I had no problems. After rebooting and logging into KDE the kdeinit kdecmshell keeps crashing, pretty much the same behaviour if I installed the drivers with rivafb support. Does anyone know why, it would be really helpful. Using the same on Redhat 9 after disbling rivafb support everything works.

as you said: Mandrake+Nvidia=Headaches
well Mandrake 10.1 to be more specific
if you stick with kernel 2.6.7.3 you will be able to install nvidia without a problem

also the very latest driver doesn't necessarily mean the best
depends on your hardward - i would try a few and test it with glxgears

update: be sure you edit the XF86Config-4 or Xorg.conf accordingly
substitute nv by nvidia

If you dual boot (ie into an nvidia-kernel and a non-nvidia-kernel)
Be aware that Mandrake has the annoying habit of reditting nvidia back to nv
(which is a safe precaution for newbies - cos a non-X environment would freak them out)
so yeah best to stick with 2.6.7.3 with nvidia - until someone fixes the problem

or play/experiement with the myriad of free distros
(if you got the time and patience of course)

I will try using the kernel that Mandrake Linux 10.1 uses 2.6.8 and see what happens, if it continues then I recompile the original kernel to allow the drivers to work. Other then that I might have to see how to get my hands on the one that Mandrake Club users use.

I have used Mandrake 10. I do not had any problems installing and setting up X Window System with nVidia cards. The problem you have it your computer setup. You do not need to recompile the kernel for none rivafb support to make nVidia drivers to work.

Going to another distribution will not help either because you probably have the same problem.

I suggest looking through the logs and setting your computer to fail-safe settings in the BIOS.

I recompiled the kernel [2.6.8-1] and now its working propertly. I disabled the support for the Rivafb; natrually, and I disabled the DRI support in the kernel, and after installing the drivers I now have no problems.

rivafb module conflicts wthe nvidia drivers and the only distro i have ever got away with is redhat linux, and for mandrake if you use the old 55xx drivers you will have no problems, bios plays absolutly no role in this.

What I mean is using agressive memory settings can sometimes screw up. Thats why I suggest enabling fail-safe.

I used the 61xx with no problems. I did not have to re-compile the kernel. The only problem that I have with Mandrake 10 is it is all screwd up when it comes time to compile a program.

The only problems that I had with Mandrake and using nVidia module in past is it not loading dm and xfs before X Windows System starts up.

no no
i keep playing with installing and reinstalling other distros on the laptop mainly
and install nvidia was pretty easy
sadly mandrake 10.1 has been a problem recently
not trying to start a fud campaign as I like that distro a lot anyway
but just said that suddenly we started getting this

with mandrake 10 - it works fine if you keep to the kernel 2.6.7.3
no need to recompile the kernel - you just run the nvidia-patch installer
i didnt uncheck rivafb
- but then again that module will not load unless it has to.

only time i recompile is for win4lin

because i usually need the combo win4lin/vmware/nvidia
it can be strategically difficult getting all these in a right sequence in mandrake.

You need to recompile the kernel for 10.1 or use the older 55xx series that don't conflict with the rivafb module, and as for disabling that module i have also disabled the dri, and i have no problems.

Henryg whats that game about? is metroid like?

oh its a Tribes clone.
go for the Linux server - the Windows server doesn't seem as Linux friendly