I'm trying to install the nvidia 4496 and it tells me i need to compile my kernel. How do i do that

Welcome to LQ

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=71711

HTH

Cool

when i do the vi /etc/x11/xf86config
i don't get anything, same thing with when i do the vi /etc/x11/xf86config-4
this is what i'm supposed to do to change my kernel, right?

No, you shouldn't have to rebuild your kernel to apply the Nvidia driver is the whole point. Remember, Linux is CaSE SenSITIve, so:
/etc/X11/XF86Config

IS the proper casing.

Cool

i configured the XF86Config but when i try to install the driver it still wants me to recompile my kernel.

/.../
# SaX generated XFree86 config file
# Created on: 2003-09-13.
#
# Version: 4.7
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2002
#
# Automatically generated by [SaX2] (4.7)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/kwintv"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/xtest"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS0"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS1"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS2"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS3"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS4"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS5"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS6"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS7"
InputDevices "/dev/ttyS8"
InputDevices "/dev/psaux"
InputDevices "/dev/logibm"
InputDevices "/dev/sunmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/atibm"
InputDevices "/dev/amigamouse"
InputDevices "/dev/atarimouse"
InputDevices "/dev/inportbm"
InputDevices "/dev/gpmdata"
InputDevices "/dev/mouse"
InputDevices "/dev/usbmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/adbmouse"
InputDevices "/dev/input/mice"
InputDevices "/dev/input/event0"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer0"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer1"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer2"
InputDevices "/dev/pointer3"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe"
Load "type1"
Load "speedo"
Load "freetype"
Load "extmod"
Load "glx"
#Load "dri"
#Load "GLcore"
Load "v4l"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "Keyboard"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Option "MapName" "Standard Keyboard [ pc104 ]"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "ButtonNumber" "5"
Option "Device" "/dev/pointer1"
Option "Name" "Autodetection"
Option "Protocol" "imps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[3]"
Option "Device" "/dev/pointer0"
Option "Name" "Autodetection"
Option "Protocol" "imps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
HorizSync 31-38
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "800X600@60HZ"
Option "DPMS"
VendorName "--> VESA"
VertRefresh 50-60
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
Modeline "800x600" 38.34 800 832 928 1024 600 604 608 624 -HSync -VSync
EndSection


Section "Device"
BoardName "Framebuffer Graphics"
BusID "1:5:0"
Driver "fbdev"
Identifier "Device[0]"
VendorName "nvidia"
EndSection


Section "Screen"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "default"
ection "Screen"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "default"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "default"

Device "Device[0]"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Mouse[3]" "SendCoreEvents"
Screen "Screen[0]"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection

can you post the actual errors you are receiving, cause just as masterC has already pointed out, you shouldn't need to recompile your kernel to install the nvidia drivers...i personally think your receiving the error saying you need your kernel source cause you don't have it installed....but post your error and we'll tell you what the problem is...