Hi there,

I'm a newb to linux. Ran into a lot of problems with my hardware, but solved most of them by using this forum. However, I cannot get my graphics card and monitor to configure.
For now I'll settle for the graph cartd.

I have an ATI 128 mn radeon 9800. I've downloaded the correct rpm package from the ati website (xfree86 4.2.0). When i run the command:

rpm -Uhv fglrx-glc22-4.2.0-3.7.0.i386.rpm
(also tried; rpm -i --force fglrx-glc22-4.2.0-3.7.0.i386.rpm but the same result)

The following appears:

user mtippett does not exist - using root
group mtippett does not exist - using root
swiching OpenGL library support to XFree86 4.x.x DRI method
*** Trying to install a precompiled kernel module.
*** WARNING ***
Tailored kernel module for fglrx not present in your system.
You must go to /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod subdir
and execute './make.sh' to build a fully customed kernel module.
Afterwards go to /lib/modules/fglrx and run './make_install.sh'
in order to install the module into your kernel's module repository.
(see readme.txt for more details.)

As of now you can still run your XServer in 2D, but hardware acclerated
OpenGL will not work and 2D graphics will lack performance.

failed.
*** Error: no kernel module build environment - please consult readme.
*** Warning ***
The QT based control panel application did not load in any version.
===
ATI display drivers successfully installed


please run 'fglrxconfig' now
===

Especially the part:
Tailored kernel module for fglrx not present in your system.
You must go to /lib/modules/fglrx/build_mod subdir
and execute './make.sh' to build a fully customed kernel module.

I do not understand. Why (and how for that matter) must I build a new kernel? Do I have to download some software?

Anyhelp is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

This depends a lot on what distribution you are running. The graphics driver is a kernel module so it must be built for the kernel you are using. Generaly your distribution comes with the kernel source for the version of the kernel you are using. If this is not the case you need to find the apropriate kernel packages for your system. "*** Error: no kernel module build environment - please consult readme." That's what that's all about. The kernel source was not found in /usr/src but it really depends on your distribution. If you can't get a kernel source package that matches your kernel, then yes, you will have to build a new kernel. Hope this helps.