Need Help with Installation of Apps
 

Hello. I just installed Mandriva Linux a few hours ago, and now I am trying to install the drivers for my graphics card (I want to get a higher resolution). So I'm really new to the interface,meaning that I don't have a clue what's going on. So anyway, I have this file that looks the command prompt in MS DOS. Now instead of executing an install application, it gives me this huge text file of the code in it. I also downloaded the x config fie to it, and I am now even more lost. Thank you for any assistance.

What kind of video card do you have? That would be the first step. NVIDIA or ATI, or Intel?

I use nVIDIAa GeForce 8800 GTS.

I don't use Mandriva, and it shouldn't matter. Go to nvidia.com, download their 8800GTS linux driver (169.09 is their latest). Then just chmod the binary, run it (make sure you have the kernel source installed), and you're good to go.

Maybe Mandriva has already installed the NVIDIA driver for you. Run glxinfo and glxgears to see, or take a look in the xorg.conf to see if you see the driver "nvidia"

Well, one problem is that whenever I put in a run command (sh .... or glx..) it doesn't do anything. Glxgears does work, though.

You are leaving out too much information! What exactly have you done? Tell us in detail because we can't see what you have done.

1) did you download the NVIDIA driver?
2) did you chmod it?
3) did you try executing it? What did you type?

You cannot install the NVIDIA drivers while X is running. You need to exit the X server and and install it strictly from the command line.

Yes to one. But I do not know what chmod is and when I tried to execute it, I typed sh and the title. I also do not know what the X server is?

This is going to seem like an overwhelming task for you:

1) download the Nvidia driver
2) chmod 755 nvidia-driver-filename
3) sh nvidia-driver-filename
If it runs into problems then you will need your kernel source. I haven't used Mandriva in a long time, but I believe you can get it if you type urpmi kernel-devel, or urpmi kernel-source. If not, then use the Mandriva Control Center to install the kernel-source for your Mandriva distribution. Once that is done, then continue on with the NVIDIA installer.