NVIDIA Driver Installation

njozwiak · 07-09-2008, 11:23 PM

I recently downloaded and installed Fedora Core 9 on my desktop and have been messing around trying to get my NVIDIA 8800GTS going. I downloaded the Linux drivers for it at: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us.

My next step was to install the source/headers for my current kernel (2.6.25-14.fc9). Installation and configuration seemed to go fine (I configured with defaults). I retrieved the source rpm from this website (http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3) and just did a yum install kernel-devel to install the headers.

When I launch the NVIDIA installation I run this:

Code:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-173.14.09-pkg1.run --kernel-source-path /usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-26.25/linux-26.25.i686

And it begins installation. The first window that pops up after I accept the license agreement is this one

Code:

No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel;
would you like to attempt to download a kernel interface for your 
kernel fro the NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://download.nvidia.com)?

Yes or no doesn't matter. There is not one on the website. So continuing on the installation goes through the process of compiling the kernel module and completes to 100% where it takes me to the next screen

Code:

ERROR: Unable to load the kernel module 'nvidia.ko'. 
This happens most frequently when this kernel module was built 
against the wrong or improperly configured kernel sources, with a
 version of cc that differs from the one used to build the target kernel, 
or if a driver such as rivafb/nvidiafb is present and 
prevents the NVIDIA kernel module from obtaining ownership of the 
NVIDIA graphics device(s).

And the installation fails. /var/log/nvidia-installer.log contains what I think is the relevant error:

Code:

warning: process 'nvidia-installe' used the deprecated sysctl system call with 1.23
nvidia: version magic '2.6.25 SMP mod_unload PENTIUMIII ' should be '2.5.25-14.fc9.i686 
SMP mod_unload 686 4KSTACKS

Does anyone have any ideas on what that error means?

gcc -v: 4.3.0

Swagata Paul · 07-10-2008, 01:14 AM

What is the kernel version you r using to build the NVIDIA driver?

Check it using "uname -a".

If the driver source is for smp kernel use "yum install kernel-smp-devel" to download smp version of kernel-devel.

billymayday · 07-10-2008, 01:35 AM

Why didn't you just do

yum install kernel-devel (I can never remember is if it's kernel-devel or kernel-headers)

and use the default repositories? It looks like you have the wrong source installed

It's also simpler to use livna.org for precompiled modules, as they will get updated (roughly) when a new kernel gets releases by the Fedora guys.

edit - sorry should have added

I'd do

yum remove kernel-devel

yum install kernel-devel (ie using fedora repositories)

then run the nvidia package

njozwiak · 07-12-2008, 02:56 PM

Paul:

>> What is the kernel version you r using to build the NVIDIA driver?

>> Check it using "uname -a".

Code:

[root@allis linux-2.6.25.i686]# uname -a
Linux allis 2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 #1 SMP Thu May 1 06:28:41 EDT 2008 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

>> If the driver source is for smp kernel use "yum install kernel-smp-devel" to download smp version of kernel-devel.

Code:

[root@allis linux-2.6.25.i686]# yum install kernel-smp-devel
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit
Setting up Install Process
Parsing package install arguments
No package kernel-smp-devel available.
Nothing to do

Billmayday:

I did install kernel-devel.

Code:

Package kernel-devel-2.6.25.9-76.fc9.i686 already installed and latest version

As I understand it though the kernel-devel package only contains the kernel headers. So I also needed to download the source. (See above for my current kernel version.)

However there is no kernel-source package obtainable through yum that I know of so I downloaded and installed package:

Code:

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 50156016 2008-07-05 20:40 kernel-2.6.25-14.fc9.src.rpm

to:

Code:

[root@allis linux-2.6.25.i686]# pwd
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/kernel-2.6.25/linux-2.6.25.i686

However the NVIDIA log says it should be "2.5.25-14" (See initial post)

njozwiak · 07-13-2008, 07:12 PM

Well I haven't figured out the error yet, but I have a little more information.

So I had installed the header package with yum and after looking a little more into everything I realized it was, in fact, the wrong version of the kernel headers. I decided it would be easiest instead of trying to remove it and downgrade to just reinstall FC9. So I did that and selected dev tools to be installed this time around and after everything was said and done I did a check and current dev tools installed are the correct version (kernel-headers-2.6.25-14.fc9.rpm)

However, I am still getting the same error:

Code:

warning: process 'nvidia-installe' used the deprecated sysctl system call with 1.23
nvidia: version magic '2.6.25 SMP mod_unload PENTIUMIII ' should be '2.5.25-14.fc9.i686 SMP mod_unload 686 4KSTACKS

I have a little more information on it now though. During configuration of the kernel source it is attempting to set the processor to PENTIUMIII. I can change this, but not to 686. It is not an option in the list. The options available are:

- 386
- 486
- 586/K5/5x86/6x86/6x86MX
- Pentium-Classic
- Pentium-MMX
- Pentium-Pro
- Pentium II/Celeron(pre-Coppermine)
- Pentium III/Celeron(Coppermine)/Pentium III Xeon
- Pentium M
- Pentium 4/Celeron(P4-based)/Pentium-4 M/older Xeon
- K6/K6-II/K6-III
- Athlon/Duron/K7
- Opteron/Athlon64/Hammer/K8
- Crusoe
- Efficeon
- Winchip-C6
- Winchip-2
- Winchip-2A/Whinchip-3
- GeodeGX1
- Geode GX/LX
- CyrixIII/VIA-C3
- VIA C3-2 (Nehemiah)
- VIA C7
- Core 2/new Xeon

My current processor is an Intel Q6600. I have tried out of the list using Core 2, 586/K5/..., and 386.

As far as the 4KSTACKS go that is an option under kernel hacking during configuration to enable 4k stacks as opposed to 8k stacks. I can enable that, but I am not sure what to do about the processor type. How is 686 not an option? Is this just a newbie mistake I'm making?

John VV · 07-13-2008, 09:34 PM

First DO NOT USE THE NVIDIA.RUN installer
This is PLASTERED all over the fedoraforum .
http://www.fedoraforum.org/
the .run installer over wrights very important system files
use this how to to install the lvina repo driver
http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mjm-fedora-f9.html
and in particular
http://www.mjmwired.net/resources/mj...f9.html#nvidia
just replace his command " sudo " with " su - "

------------
also what is your nvidia card -- edit -- NVIDIA 8800GTS
you may still have conflicting kernel - parts- still installed run

Code:

su -
rpm -qa | grep kernel

there should be 2 kernels installed the new one and an old one see if the -devel files are the same number as the kernel
If they do not match then run

Code:

su -
yum remove ( the miss-matched -devel)

njozwiak · 07-14-2008, 07:42 PM

Thanks for the input John. A few problems.

I did a fresh install of FC9 with dev packages and on completion of that installation the follow was installed

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# rpm -qa | grep kernel
kernel-headers-2.6.25-14.fc9.i386
kernel-2.6.25-14.fc9.i686
[root@localhost ~]#

I took your advice and tried to install the livna NVIDIA driver following the steps on the mjmwired site.

After I finished that...

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# rpm -qa | grep kernel
kernel-2.6.25.9-76.fc9.i686
kerneloops-0.10-11.fc9.i386
kernel-headers-2.6.25-14.fc9.i386
kernel-2.6.25-14.fc9.i686
[root@localhost ~]#

"there should be 2 kernels installed the new one and an old one see if the -devel files are the same number as the kernel"

Why should there be two kernels installed?

John VV · 07-14-2008, 09:06 PM

the old one is a back up ,every now and then a bad or normal kernel update can break something . This way from the boot menu you can boot into the old kernel and be back in business in about 15 sec.
---------
you said "tried to install"
you imported the lvina repo and the key

Code:

su -
rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/livna-release-9.rpm
rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-livna
yum install kmod-nvidia

all 3 lines ( one at a time )after you log in as root with
su -
( your root pass)

the kernel-devel will be auto added to ... install kmod-nvidia
as a dependency
----------
in System / Administration /
there will be added a listing for " Livna Display Configuration"
and you can run

Code:

rpm -qa | grep nvidia

example: mine for an OLD card

Code:

 ~]$ rpm -qa | grep nvidia
kmod-nvidia-96xx-2.6.25.9-40.fc8-96.43.05-14.lvn8
kmod-nvidia-96xx-2.6.25.6-27.fc8-96.43.05-13.lvn8
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-96xx-libs-96.43.05-4.lvn8
kmod-nvidia-96xx-96.43.05-14.lvn8
xorg-x11-drv-nvidia-96xx-96.43.05-4.lvn8

also you might want to read and go through
Read This First -(Good Tips)
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/forumdisplay.php?f=61
and firewing1's fedora 9 howto's
http://www.firewing1.com/content/blogcategory/39/52/
and "Linux Questions Answered! The ultimate Linux resource guide"
http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=97055