nVidia install on SuSE 7? Help?
 

Fresh install of SuSE 7.
Gainward GeForce 3 PowerPack 64MB DDR
I got the network running, but cant figure out the procedure for video installs.
Can someone give me a brief outline with command line syntax as well as where to get a set of base drivers?
Thanks in advance

You can download the drivers from www.nvidia.com. There's also a detailed installation instruction. In case of problems post again. :)

Thanks
 

The instructions seem a bit intense for the average Windoze user.
Like DOS on crack...
No wonder linux is where it is :(

DOS on crack :D Nice way of putting it, I will have to remember that one ;)

Re: Thanks
 

It only looks complicated. Just get the right rpms, install them (kernel first), edit XF86Config-4 as it's said in instruction and it's done.
Do you have a problem with it? If yes, write about it.

ok!
 

I have SuSE 7.0
I cant find the kernel upgrade for my version.

If this is so easy...do me a favor

Simply post the URLs I will need, and I will DL them

Then, copy paste the syntax I will need to upgrade the kernel then Xfree.

If its "simple"...that should be a breeze, right? :)

P.S. Can I simply DL an upgrade from 7.0 to 7.3? or even 8.0?

Thnx

Here's help to get you started, it's the link for the files:
http://www.nvidia.com/view.asp?IO=li...splay_1.0-3123

You can probably do an upgrade on certain things, but I don't think you can do a free online "update" to 8.0.

You cna use tar.gz version of drivers.
Download
http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_4....0-3123.tar.gz
and
http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86_4....0-3123.tar.gz
Then
$ tar xvzf NVIDIA_kernel.tar.gz
$ tar xvzf NVIDIA_GLX.tar.gz
$ cd NVIDIA_kernel
$ make install
$ cd ../NVIDIA_GLX
$ make install
(taken from NVIDIA README file).

I have all those files
 

But I have no idea how to extract/install them :)

Thats why I asked for the command line syntax

Its a base install with nothing changed.

How do you extract TARs?

How do you activate the program once its installed?

How do I upgrade my kernel?

Cant one of you linux gurus help a poor newbie?

Well...the weekends over
 

I gave this linux thing a weekend. Didnt work out to well. Progress was limited, at best. I picked up SuSE because I heard it had a good install profile. That much is true.
I even got it online, and thats good.
But what good is a system that is going 400x300 in grayscale?
I followed the advice here, to the letter.
All I got was "file does not exist etc etc..."

We should change the URL header to "Where linux newbies come to get more confused" :)

Ill keep stabbing at this we the month winds down, but if I cant get the answers I need, I see no point.

I am quite sure linux has its good points, but unless someone can link the kernel with a hald decent GUI, linux will stay a niche product.

Also, if hardware vendors cant make simple driver installation files, linux will continue to have its collective ass handed to it by The Beast.

Its not like my nVidia GeForce 3 is some oddball card...last time I checked it was pretty popular. So whats the problem?

Ok, thanks for attempting to help me people.

As far as I know, we only have 1 guru active on the board :D

I understand it's hard to try to come from a winbloze based mentality and attempt to do something like get your driver installed for your video card. I have been there, as probably a lot of others have. Some stay, some go back, it's really not a contest as it may seem sometimes. I will do what I can to reply to each of your comments in order, here goes:

Nah, this really is a great place for newbies who wish to actually learn linux should come, it's got some of the best people here, and everyone likes to help. I know you are frustrated, but it does get better ;)

This doesn't sound to me like you are really wanting to find something other than winbloze to use as your OS, but rather a view of someone (like consumer reports) that is simply trying out a product and giving a rating/review on it. Linux is a viable alternative to "The Beast" but it does require a bit of learning to get going, as winbloze may have back in it's early days. There are versions of Linux out there aimed at people who don't really want to use linux, but just don't want to be tied down to MSFT, some of the distros include Lindows, and Lycoris. SuSE, the distro you have, is a very good choice for a newbie, and does have a lot of drivers available that aren't part of the standard kernel for whatever reason, but I guess just not the specific one you need. Luck of the draw I guess :(

It does. There are gui's available to help someone build their new kernel, and even some distros that build kernels for you. This is where Linux wins. When was the last time you tried to build a new kernel in winbloze? That's right, never, because your only choice is to buy the newest version, and use it's default kernel. And yes, Linux has many other good points, like stability, uptimes in years, not hours; obviously a better choice for the server market; and many other "good points".

This is in no way Linux's fault. If you make a program, and decide not to make a version for anything other than winbloze, why should linux be marked as a "lacking" alternative. Just because some things don't work in Linux that do work in winbloze, doesn't mean it's lacking anything. Try running a few things of Linux on winbloze. You have even less options now. And then, to make this comment worse, is that you don't even recognize your own hardware manufacturer for making drivers for your card. Alot of others don't, and then the Linux community has to blindly build their own drivers for their cards. This is a blatent ignorance, and I am sorry that you don't understand it.

And that's why nVidia provides drivers for it. It takes a short amount of patience for you to install your card, after that, you could at least have a look at linux a little bit better, in it's gui form which it seems you would prefer.

Do you really mean this? Or are you being sarcastic, I will assume that you are sincere, and I say, "you're welcome".

I don't mean to sound snappy in my retort to those comments, but if you are going to judge something, I think more time should be required; along with an open mind, which, from reading your replies, seems to be what might be the thing that is lacking.

Now for some more help on this:

tar xvzf /path/to/file/filename.tar.gz
You will then need to enter the directory that "tar" created during the untarring:
cd /path/to/file/filename

This is not a program, it's a driver. Depending on the version of SuSE you have, there are RPM's provided. RPM's are thought to be a little easier for you if you aren't too familiar with Linux, so you may want to try those first. They are located at the bottom of the page I provided in my earlier post.

Instructions are provided here and tell you what I am telling you.

If you download the RPM files for your version of SuSE, the following command will install them:
*note: You must be in the directory the files are located in
rpm -Ivh NVIDIA_GLX(then press the tab key for autocompletion of the filename)

Now the GLX driver is installing. If you have dependency issues, they must be satisfied. This means that you will need to install additional programs for this to be installed correctly. If you have problems installing those additional programs, I am sure someone can help you, simply post in the software section your problem, and a description of what's happening.

Once it's finished and you have satisfied all the dependencies (these dependencies are also noted in the readme file that I have given you the link to above), then you need to move on to the other file you downloaded.

The kernel Driver file. Make sure you have the right one for your version of SuSE.

rpm -ivh NVIDIA_kernel(then press tab for autocompletion of filename)

Now the kernel drivers are installing.

After that completes (with no errors) you will need to edit a file. Depending on the version of SuSE you have, you may need to edit a different file. If you have a "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4" file, edit this one. If you don't, and only have "/etc/X11/XF86Config" file, then edit this one instead.

Scroll through that file, changing/editing the following:
If you see a line "glx" good, if not locate text which might say:
load "dbe"
load "v41"
load "Type1"
load "freetype"

And add
load "glx"

If you see the glx entry, and it's commented out:
#load "glx"
remove the # sign.

Also, in that general area, you may see these lines:
Load "dri"
Load "GLcore"

You should place a # sign in front of each of them.

Ok, now locate the line further down that says "nv". Change this to "nvidia".

That sound like that's about it.

If you are still having problems, here are some other threads/websites for some info:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=21868
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=26716

A forum just for nvidia users:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/foru...?s=&forumid=14

HTH

AND...

I just read through your earlier posts; you might want to think about getting a newer version of SuSE. 8.0 is the newest right now, and works rather well. It would be like running winbloze 3.0 and expecting to see support for your card, not very likely without an update at least.

Cool

Now THAT was a POST!
 

Gave me a freakin hardon!
THATS the kinda stuff I expect from Linux geekz.

Ok, first things first. Where do I get SuSE 8.0 ISO?
I *just* got SuSE 7.0 last year! Its outdated that fast?
Fuuuuuq!

No point in going any farther till I find an 8.0 ISO.

Thanks

:) That's pretty gross that I gave you hard on dude, I am gonna have to take at least 5 showers now, thanks.

Now for the good news (said VERY sarcastically)...

There is no iso for SuSE 8. SuSE only releases iso's from 3 (or 2 or 1?) releases ago. You can buy a boxed copy www.suse.com which has a ton of support, including live real tech support from the SuSE people themselves, and also comes with several thousands of programs, and very likely precompiled drivers for ya. Your other option on SuSE 8 is to do what's called an FTP install. You would download a small file, copy the image (not straight copy, but using a program called rawrite.exe) to a floppy and follow some directions. If this is your desire, press 1 now :D No, really if this sounds appealing to you, and you think you could accomplish this task in Linux, then I will point you to a decent thread, or website on it. Or if (from your thread in Linux - General that will receive multiple flames for "starting it again" :) ) you decide to go a different route (another distro, a boxed copy, whatever), I'd be happy to help with that one was as well.

The problem with getting alot of answers on topics like this is it's covered several times a week, really; not only that but it has a dedicated forum link on the nvidia website. That's why you were getting links, and short answers before.

A search will sometimes reveal more than what you desire, but usually in the midst of all the non-useful links, you will find an answer to your question. In case you don't see the button, it's at the top right side of the screen when you scroll all the way up. Here is also a link:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/search.php

Cool

Found a better link for you, and it looks like if you aren't in a huge hurry you can pre-order 8.1 which is due out early Oct:
http://store.suse.com/dr/v2/ec_MAIN....P=0&CACHE_ID=0

Cool