new nVidia driver maimed my system
 

I just installed a new nVidia graphics driver on my Mandrake 10 system with terrible results.
I changed the run level to 3 before running the installation script as directed (the driver seemed to install OK), then re-edited the inittab file back to level 5 and rebooted.
Near the end of the boot process the screen now flashes to black and back to boot screen about 4 times (it seems to be having a fit of some sort) then I am presented with a text login that is the same as the screen presented when run level was 3. I think there is a problem with X. Can I revert to my original X and graphics card driver from my Mandrake 10 set of installation disks?
How can I get my system back? I am now forced back onto my Windows system and would like to get back on Linux (where all my stuff resides).
I should have listened to my instincts and left the system alone. DOH!

Further update.
When in the text console I entered X.
I was presented with a text screen describing the status of X on my system. Within this text I found the following;

(EE) NVIDIA(0): Failure to construct a valid mode list:no modes remaining
(EE) NVIDIA(0): Aborting
(EE) Screen(s) found but none have usable configuration
Fatal server error no screens found

When the nVidia driver was installing the interactive dialog said it would alter my X installation. Looks like it altered it alright, it broke it.

can you post the portions of your X configuration file (something like /etc/X11/XF86Config) regarding your display and video card. the sections are something like Display, UseModes, Device, Monitor.
i had a problem with the latest driver as well, and had to use the 'nv' ones instead.

If the nvidia driver is indeed the problem, you should be able to unload it (rmmod nvidia), and reload the default kernel module (modprobe nv) to return to the state prior to installing the nvidia driver.

So I take you had it working before with an older version?
Just remove the new one and reinstall the old one:

Go back to runlevel 3 (as you did before).
Uninstall the driver like this: sh NV* --uninstall
Reinstall your old nvidia driver.

In case you don't have it anymore, grab it here:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_display_archive.html (take the one that worked before).

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

Monitor
Identifier "monitor 1"
Vendor name "Hitachi"
Model Name "Hitachi CM721F"
Horiz Sync 31 - 95
ModeLine "1024x480" 65 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563-hsync-vsync
ModeLine "768 x 576" 50 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
ModeLine "768 x 576" 63.1 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616

Device
Identifier "device 1"
Driver "nvidia"
Vendor name "nVidia group"
Board name "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"

Screen
Identifier "screen 1"
Device "device 1"
Monitor "Monitor 1"
etc etc etc

can you post what etcetcetc is?
is your horiz sync value correct? you should also have a vert sync value. check monitor documentation or website for it.

sh NV* --uninstall
seemed to work

I cant't get the default kernel module back
# modprobe nvidia
FATAL: could not open /lib/modules/2.6.3-7mdk/kernel/drivers/video/nvidia.ko
No such file or directory

Maybe the uninstall removed all nvidia drivers?
Maybe X is corrupted and the driver is gone?
Maybe I have no clue what I am talking about?
Do I have to start again and install a new version of X and then a new nvidia driver?
I am in deep doo doo here.

Also how can I access internet from my command line, no GUI based programmes will work. I don't think I can view web pages anyway. I think I have to do all Internet stuff to solve this via my Windows OS. Any advice appreciated. I can feel my Linux system slipping away.

nadroj,
I will have to go back to my Linux system, write down all the rest of the text, come back to Windows and post it. Horizontal Sync is as per maunual. I will check vertical. Thanks.

I have a feeling I have destroyed the graphics capabilities of my system. As a last resort how would I burn /home to a DVD from the command line? I am going to try and avoid it, but I can feel a system reinstall coming on.
Thank you nVidia for your lovely driver and installation script.

A reinstall isn't needed.
So your previous (and working) nvidia driver was the free "nv" driver(more stability, but no 3d).
In order to get it back, edit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 with your editor of choice.

In the section "Device":
Replace Driver "nvidia" with Driver "nv"

In the section "Module", add the following lines:
Load "dri"
Load "GLCore"

and remove:
Load "glx"

Reboot ... and hopefully X will run again (if not, post your entire /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file).

Thank you all. I will try your suggestion jens when I can get to it (duty calls, I've spent 10 hours on this problem already). My attempts to fix the problem so far have not proved successful. Wish me luck and I will return to this thread ASAP.

There are 3 files shown below (I can't attach them to a post I don't think). They all reside in
/etc/X11/
They are;
XF86Config-4
XF86Config-4.old
XF86Config-4.backup
XF86Config also resides there, but it is empty

I've swapped them around and tried all 3 as XF86Config-4 and rebooted each time.
None work, the screen flashes to black about 4 times during boot sequence and
I am always presented with the text login. I used to get a GUI login.
I guess the problem is with X, the nVidia driver or a combination of
the two.
There exists a curiosity. You will note that in XF86Config-4 shown
below that in the section "Device", it appears that I have not
changed the string next to Driver from "nvidia" to "nv" as suggested by jens.
However I DID edit the file and change this value to "nv".
Upon rebooting and looking at the file sgain, the value has mysteriously been switched back to "nvidia".
The boot sequence seems to edit this file.
This may be normal and it is just me that does not understand why, however I report the observation.
Note also that in my editing of the file I assume that everything after a # on a line is ignored and treated as a comment. So rather than deleting stuff that was there, I just commented it out.
Where are the "nv" and "nvidia" drivers refered to in XF86Config-4
supposed to be stored in my system?
I will check back on this thread in 48 hours (duty calls).
Thanks.

Here is XF86Config-4
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder3) Mon May 15 13:23:42 PDT 2006

# File generated by XFdrake.
# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
Screen "screen1" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "Module"

# Load "glx"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
# Load "glx" # 3D layer
# Load "glx"
Load "dri" # added by AAD
Load "GLCore" # added by AAD
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
# allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
Option "allowmouseopenfail"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Hitachi, Ltd."
ModelName "Hitachi CM721F"
HorizSync 31.0 - 95.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 120.0
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.0 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.0 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
ModeLine "768x576" 63.1 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
Driver "nvidia" # added by AAD
# Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "DPMS"
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Here is XF86Config-4.old
# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
######################################
#################################################### I Broke this
#################################################### one continuous
#################################################### line of hashes
#################################################### up for the post
#########################
############################# Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Hitachi, Ltd."
ModelName "Hitachi CM721F"
HorizSync 31.0-95.0
VertRefresh 50.0-120.0

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
Driver "nv"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen1"
EndSection

Here is XF86Config-4.backup
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder3) Wed Mar 29 14:43:26 PST 2006

# File generated by XFdrake.
# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
Screen "screen1" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"

# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
# Load "glx" # 3D layer
# Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
# allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
Option "allowmouseopenfail"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "Keyboard"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "en_US"
Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Hitachi, Ltd."
ModelName "Hitachi CM721F"
HorizSync 31.0 - 95.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 120.0
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.0 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.0 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630
ModeLine "768x576" 63.1 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce3 (generic)"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "DPMS"
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1024 768
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

hey une
just the first configuration file should be the one that is being loaded. the log file will tell you which one is being loaded to be sure.
also, each time you edit the X config file you shouldnt have to reboot.

if 'nvidia' is added to the file each time after reboot it makes me think that the previous driver did not uninstall completely or properly.

at your text login, 'su -' to root and do 'modprobe -r nvidia' to remove the 'nvidia' driver. then edit the X config file and change the 'nvidia' to 'nv' as you have, save the file and try and 'startx'. it just came to me, since i imagine you are using vi editor, you ARE saving the file correctly, right?

after you try and 'startx' if it crashes then the error message will be shown on the screen. it will also be saved in a file, can you copy and paste this file here? it should be /var/log/XF86Config.0.log or something.

I think this may be the problem - whatever AAD is, it is adding in the driver line automatically. You want to make the driver plain 'nv' and stop this AAD from messing with it